Night Owl

It has been a bit tricky readjusting after the 12 hour time difference. I find myself exhausted by 6 or 7 PM, and wide-awake by 2 or 3 am. Because I literally can’t keep my eyes open, I’ve been going to sleep when I am tired. Then I realized that was a fairly good schedule to try to keep up until after our Europe trip, which will begin this next Friday. After all, 2 AM in Montana is 9 AM in England, which makes my tricky sleep schedule quite advantageous!😂😂😂 I don’t think my dog is appreciating it though😳😂. If he’d continue to sleep in comfort on his bed downstairs, he’d be just fine. But he will not let me out of his sight, and so he follows me everywhere.

When I left my full-time job this May, I signed on with Prairie Travelers, a nurse staffing agency that staffs per diem shifts. I am only required to do one shift per month with them, which worked very well in keeping me busy in between my multiple away times this past summer. As I was perusing shifts that needed coverage, I saw a 9:30 PM to 6 AM shift in Butte. I offered to do it, and was readily accepted. I figured that would fit my current sleep schedule quite nicely! 😂😂😂 So after church today, I drove to Anaconda and checked into the hotel they booked for me. After a sweet but lengthy visit with the hotel owner, who is from Lebanon, I was able to sleep for three hours. I was already heading into my sleepy mode by that time. 😂After a three hour nap from two until five, I got up, got ready, and stopped to enjoy my favorite meal at Rib & Chop House… Jamaican Jerk Cedar Plank Salmon🤣. I made it to my skilled setting an hour and a half early, which gave me a little time to explore and practice with the computer program before my trainee left. It’s quite tricky as a traveler coming in and learning new computer programs each time… I am the only nurse on shift tonight, so that has made it especially difficult. But the residents are as precious as always, and I’ve been having a whole lot of fun with my rockstar CNA‘s! I feel a bit guilty, though when the people ask me…’What days will you be working?’ I just smile and say ‘I’ll be a special visitor from time to time,’ knowing full well I most likely will never see them again. Still, I am grateful for these tender moments I am able to share with these precious folks.💕

I Stand Corrected

To give to hurricane or other disasters in the U.S., it would be FDR…Foursquare Disaster Relief. And if I have already posted the sweet story about the gentleman in the photo from Angkor Wat, I apologize got my redundancy😂😂.

Another Fun Tale

… but first, have to put the freshly washed laundry in the dryer! I am getting something done besides blogging this morning😂😂😂.

The six of us who stayed for R&R in Siem Reap for a couple of days all flew back to Phnom Penh on a small, regional airplane. Cindy , one of my beloved team members, somehow tweaked her knee crawling over the much-too-narrow row to claim her seat by the window. I was right behind her, and I heard her yelp of pain as she fell onto the middle seat. She managed to scootch over to the window, but it was evident that she was in a lot of pain. We all assisted her off when the plane finally landed at PHN (airport, Phnom Penh). After collecting our bags to recheck on our international flight, we made our way to the information booth and requested medical attention. All we really needed was an Ace bandage wrap to secure her knee for the rest of the time getting home. Imagine the medics surprise when they showed up with their ‘tool kits’ of medical supplies! We explained gently that we were our own medical team, but we just needed a knee wrap😂😂😂😂. Or tape😂😂. We even still had Dr. Scott (orthopedic surgeon) with us! Like I said on an Instagram post…traveling with nurses and doctors is a walking pharmacy and clinic all in one😂😂😂😂! So the two medics cautiously stood back and let Dr. Scott explain what he needed to do. They didn’t have tape, nor did they have any Ace wraps, but they did get a bag of ice and we filled a Ziploc baggie and two latex gloves to secure to Cindy’s knee until we got through security.

Much to our surprise, one of the airport gift shops actually had a knee brace that we picked up, nestled over Cindy’s injured knee, and snagged a wheelchair to keep her off of the injured leg.

Needless to say, she received VIP status at PHN on that night!😂😂

Good thing no squatty potties here!😱

Serendipitous Encounters

I had several while I was in Cambodia, starting on my first day! I would like to think serendipity is defined as divine intervention rather than simple good luck, because I know every serendipitous event is a gift. My ‘hug’ from the Lord🤗💕.

I believe I told you about Taai, and Richard… my ‘brothers’ for my first three days alone in Phnom Penh, which were spent with the two of them. Well I was able to meet up with Richard again at the airport, as we both flew back home on the 25th. As I was walking with my team members down to our gate, Richard, waiting for me, shouted, ‘Hi Erin!’

The five team members I was with looked shocked. Irene said, ‘You’re in Cambodia walking through an airport in Phnom Penh, and you just happen to see somebody you know?’

With a huge grin, I headed over to where Richard sat, while glancing back at Irene with a gleeful ‘YEP!’ 😂😂 The team followed, and we all had a good chuckle, as I explained how I knew Richard . I was able to introduce the group to him, as he’s been following the Blog and had seen their faces on several posts. He was leaving on the same flight to Seoul, which is where we initially met on my arrival in Cambodia, so he spent the final two hours at PHN with our group.

Big Brudders🤗

Now back to the story. While we were in Angkor Wat, an Asian gentleman approached and asked if he could take a picture with me. I imagine they don’t see many Americans in Cambodia, as we certainly didn’t. So I smiled, touched by the request, and his son took a picture of the two of us. We smiled, laughed a bit, and then went our separate ways. Fast-forward two days, while we were on the streets of the little truant laden sidewalks of Pub Street (not their fault, I know😔), I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. Turning around to see who it was requesting my attention, I came face-to-face with the very same man! He had our picture there on his phone and was showing it to me. I don’t think he spoke much English, because our words exchanged were few, but his smile held all the words I needed. Laughing at the serendipity of that moment, I asked if I could take his picture with me. He nodded brightly, and this is the one I snapped…

It is these moments that leave lasting impressions on my mind…not the beauty of Cambodia itself, but the beauty in the people I meet along the way! 🙏

Early Bird

I woke up, bright eyed and ready to go at 1:40 am this morning. After lying in bed and pondering what I would do if I was to get up that early, I decided to go for it. I am working a shift in Butte from 9:30 PM until 6:15 AM Sunday night, so this will keep me in an alert frame of mind for that noc shift, and perhaps keep me somewhat in Europe mode with my sleep/wake cycle. We leave on the 4th, so chances of that are promising 😊. I am hoping the slow transition from a 12 hour time difference to a seven hour time difference eases me back into my normal sleep pattern once we return home again. If not, it typically doesn’t take me too long…

So here I sit with my cup of coffee watching a video on how to get around with public transportation in Paris. This is Dean’s first time traveling internationally, so I am hoping to make it as smooth, stress-free, and enjoyable as possible for him. Getting around easily takes away 90% of the stress when traveling I’d say.😂 I’ve downloaded the G7 app, and another app highly recommended by the YouTube blogger I am watching. I am so grateful for YouTube! And Google! In the past several years of traveling near and far, it has enhanced the enjoyment I get more than I could ever imagine! Having some idea of where you want to go, and what you want to do while there, is crucial to having a positive experience when you are out of your element. Especially if there is a language barrier! I’ve been practicing my French, and thanks to Madame Kruschwitz, French teacher extraordinaire in grades 9-12 at St. Mary’s Central High (thank you mom and dad 🙏💕), much has remained nestled deep in my mind’s hard drive.😂😂 It never ceased to bring a smile to my face when I would speak my six phrases in Khmer to the people of Cambodia. After the first greeting, they would smile with delight and say, ‘You speak Khmer!’ I’d smile and say ‘Jaah’, while giving the international hand sign for ‘a little bit’ 😂😂. I think it speaks volumes when we travelers learn at least the polite phrases in the countries we are venturing into. If nothing else, it helps to make a positive connection with the people who call that place home. 💕

Meanwhile, back on the homefront… my heart goes out to all the people affected by hurricane Helene. I find myself wanting to go along with the FDR (national response team, non-medical) to just be ground support, but the timing does not allow for that with the upcoming Europe trip. But, I can pray for them, and the responders already there…🙏😔. For those of you wanting to donate at times like these, but are wary of scammers (they are numerous), know that Foursquare Disaster International is one you can trust. Along with Samaritans Purse (Billy Graham Foundation). These are faith based organizations. When I can’t give of my time, it helps to know that I can give financially, if even just a small amount, to help these people in the midst of such devastation.

I’ll tag a few more Cambodia pictures here, as I have so many to share!😂💕

The red strings were on the wrists of the newly redeemed people who found Jesus in the prayer room💕

The lovely dancers at the cultural show and dinner we attended in Siem Reap

A fun story too cute to keep to myself…next blog🤗👌

Cambodia

The people are the heart of Cambodia💕…

Cambodia Revisited

 I found it hard returning to my 'normal' after Jamaica, and even more so now after Cambodia. Pouring your heart, mind, spirit and energy into others does a soul well, and the greatest gift is feeling the love and joy extended in return. It is such an amazing blessing being surrounded by a group of strangers ('so great a cloud of witnesses') who soon become close friends. Especially since all share the same faith, the same passion, and are of one mind.  

As we were enjoying our 'send-off' ceremony on our last day in the Ratanakiri province, I leaned over and whispered in my translator's ear, "I imagine this is what Heaven is going to be like." He nodded, a contented and serene smile on his face. The tears shed were many that afternoon, as all knew our time to say good-bye (never really good-bye...more of a 'see you later') was imminent. The culture shock hits with the realization that folks in Korea rarely make eye contact, and upon hearing the somewhat vulgar music blasting into the corridor in the Minneapolis International Airport. I read just this morning that the more we seek to follow after the Lord's will, the more we realize that this world is not our home. But while we are still earth-bound, we are called to be lights in this present darkness...cities on a hill. As the darkness grows ever darker, we must strive to shine even brighter. Easy to do if you allow the Holy Spirit to fill you anew each moment of every day.💛 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12: 1-3    

I'll post more of the beauty and blessing that was Cambodia...

An Awkward Interaction

Time for one more blog post before I head to my gate…

One will often find young children panhandling on the streets in Cambodia. Our local Foursquare missionary and tour guide during our time in Siem Reap (Shannon) warned us in advance not to give them money or buy the little trinkets they will try to sell us because…

1. It will create the culture of begging;
2. Often they are being ‘trafficked’ by parents or non-related adults.

So, on our last night together as a team, we ventured down for dinner on Pub Street and then wandered around, perusing the various vendors, and the musicians that were there. I chose to get some rolled ice cream to try while we strolled through the ‘hood. Before long, I saw a little girl approach Riley, team logistician. He must’ve missed Shannon’s do-not-buy message, as he proceeded to buy two or three little trinkets for a dollar each from one young girl. Within moments, he was surrounded by 3 to 4 other little girls, each hoping for a quick sale like their counterpart. He tried telling them no several times, but they are PERSISTENT😣. One of them drifted over my way, probably thinking I would be an easy target. I kept repeating ‘ot te’, which is ‘no’ in Kamher. No matter which direction I turned, she remained directly in front of me. I finally held out my cup of the rolled ice cream and offered it. The young girl shook her head and went onto the next potential customer. She was quickly replaced by another young girl who held out the various items she was selling (they are all the same trinkets) saying ‘one dollar’. It hadn’t been the first time this had happened to me, so I was adamant not to buy anything from them. For Riley, it was the first time. One young girl in front of him, who must’ve only been about six or seven, began to cry. The second young girl, now in front of me, wouldn’t leave, so again, I offered my ice cream cup. She gratefully nodded her head and took it, and fortunately meandered off to eat it. By this time, the young girl in front of Riley is sobbing. It was uncomfortable because he just couldn’t get away from her. Shannon stepped into intervene at this time, and spoke firmly to her in Khmer. It did no good. Shannon told us to walk away to at least try to get out of the girl’s ‘territory’. She followed Riley for some time, until Shannon finally moved between the two of them and told her again firmly that she knew what she was doing, and it was not acceptable, and she was to leave immediately. Still sobbing loudly, the girl walked away. By then we decided we’d had enough of Pub Street, and so we headed back to the safety of the hotel.

Along with the little panhandlers, there are also multiple tuk-tuk drivers dotting the roads, offering tuk-tuk rides and tours the moment you wander near them, or out your hotel door. The gentleman who so graciously drove us to the airport on our last day in Siem Reap, was explaining that Cambodia predominantly relied on tourism dollars, and after the country’s lengthy COVID shut down that tourism rate was only up to about 45% of their normal. 😣 A sad situation for all.

Homeward Bound

I’m winding down to the last leg of my two, long days in transit. The travel home was made surprisingly easier by the wonderful rest I had at the Transit Hotel in Seoul! Every airport that is an international hub ought to have one of those! 😊 I was grateful to have been able to spend two more hours after my rest with the last teammate remaining in Korea (Jill😊). We wandered around, shared a lunch together, and then sat and visited over an iced coffee break before we went our separate ways. I am looking forward to getting back into a normal routine for a few days. Dean and I will leave for Europe for a ‘Beaches of Normandy’ tour on 4 October. I will continue to blog from there, as I enjoy sharing the good, the not-so-good, and the toilet tales so very much.😂😂😂🤗🤗🤗. The Cambodia chronicles will continue for a time, as there is still much I haven’t had the time to share🤗. Thank you for sharing this amazing experience with me! 💕

Missing my iced Cambodian coffee🥲.

Artist on Wheels

While we were traveling on the bus up to the northern province at the start of our journey, our team leader was sharing about a street artist on the streets of Siem Reap. She said he was an invalid who lived his days in a wheelchair, but painted beautiful, watercolor pictures. His ‘signature’ was a tiny wheelchair hidden in every painting. She commented on how the first time she came across him, she bypassed him, not realizing the significance of his talent. One of the team members who had purchased a painting, showed it to her, and she spent the rest of her days while in Siem Reap trying to find him again. She never did…

Fast forward to our first day in Siem Reap. As we were walking on the street and perusing the marketplace, I saw a quiet, smiling man sitting in a wheelchair at the corner. On his lap was a basket, and in the basket were several of the pictures he had painted.

”It’s HIM!” I breathed, drawing the attention of those with me. “The man Theresa was talking about!”

We approached him and greeted him. He offered a huge smile in return and held out a handful of pieces for us to look at. Each was unique and beautiful, and each held his special signature in a non-descript and hidden spot. We all chose two or three paintings, and with a contented-yet-humble nod, he rolled them up and secured them with a rubber band. As we walked away with our treasures, I was thinking I should have bought another. I had the two earmarked as gifts to give when I returned home. By the time I decided I DID want one to keep for myself, the gentleman had moved on, and I saw him no more that day, nor the next.

Our departure day from Phnom Penh came much too quickly, and after one last tuk-tuk ride around town, we made our way back to the hotel to wait for our ride to the airport. We were all a bit hungry by then, and walked to the corner Mexican restaurant (yes, in Cambodia!😂) for chips and salsa. As I sat and visited with our group, I caught a glimpse of my wheelchair wonder just beyond the doors of where I sat! Without hesitation, I made my way out to where he was, patiently offering some of his artwork to another visitor to Siem Reap. The woman asked if I’d take a picture of her with gentleman, which I was happy to do. I asked her for the same, and she obliged.🤗

I am so grateful for these tender blessings from the Lord. And the blessing of experiencing His love through our team, our faithful volunteers, the fearless ministry team here, and these precious, beautiful people of Cambodia. 🙏

The Great Reset

I am skipping ahead a day of blogging while my mind is still fresh. I arrived in Korea at 7 AM, after being up all day the day before in Siem Reap, and all night on the 5 1/2 hour flight from Phnom Penh to Seoul. I was able to find the Transit Hotel I had read about, and I am amazed at this little gem tucked inside Incheon airport!

It is a tiny, but adequate space with a king size bed, down comforter, AC, feather pillows, full bathroom, and a charging station. I was able to fall asleep easily, and I have now slept for about four solid hours. The room was mine for six hours, and after a leisurely shower, I am refreshed and ready to begin the long journey home. I will have four hours to wander around this super cool airport though, before boarding the fourteen hour flight that will get me back to the USA💕. It is challenging, crossing international datelines, because now that I am in transit, it is difficult to know what time and day it is in Phnom Penh, in Korea, and at home. I just have to remember to continue with my antimalarial protocol, but I want to keep 20 hours of space between the tablets. I figured if I take one here in Korea, and then another when I reach home, I should be on track 🤔.

The beautiful sunset over Cambodia💕. I am already missing my team, but I will carry the memory of our time together here close to my heart forever. We’ve all shared some fantastic pictures, so that will help as well. I’ll sign off for now to get some exploration time in here at ICN🤗.

The Long Journey Home

Although I will leave Cambodia today, I will not arrive home until 11:54 pm on the 27th to Missoula. The connections in Phnom Penh, Seoul, and Minneapolis are spaced far apart layover-wise. Incheon International Airport (ICN) is huge, and has multiple ‘capsule hotels’, a ‘Transit Hotel’ and two shower centers in Terminal 2 alone. My plan is to try to sleep upon arrival 7:05 am (Korea time) as I’ll have been on a fight all night. That’ll help me feel awake and refreshed for the 14 hour loooooong flight from ICN to MSP. I’ll then try to rest s bit during my ten hour layover there. I should be good and ready to sleep by the time I arrive home, which hopefully will ‘right’ my sleeping schedule. I’ve been on an 11 hour time difference here in Cambodia for the past two weeks. Here are some fun photos from our last day/evening together…

While.in Angkor Wat, this gentleman asked if I’d be in a picture with him. I imagine he doesn’t typically see many Amerricans😂😂. So of course I obliged. Much to my surprise, he was on Pub Street last night😂. When I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder, I turned and saw him. He held up his phone to show me the picture he took of the two of us the day before. I then asked him if I could take a picture of US. Of course, he obliged. What a delightfully serendipitous moment💕.

Raining Cats and Dogs

Theoretically speaking, because there are strays everywhere. There is no spaying/neutering in Jamaica, nor in Cambodia. Perhaps among the wealthy, but most cannot afford such a luxury. It is hard not to love on these animals, but many have fleas and/or mange, and in some instances, rabies. I remember sitting on my cabin patio, on the ground, and reading at the end of a long day while in Jamaica. Before too much time has passed, a sweet dog came and laid down close to me. As I was reaching out my hand to offer a gentle pat on it’s back, Joe, security/logistician on the team, yelled out a loud, “Don’t touch that dog, Erin!” At first I was perplexed, thinking I had done something wrong, being the ‘newby’. But when he caught up with me later that evening, he explained that most animals in these third world countries were carriers of potentially transmissible things (fleas, rabies, mange), and it is best (regulatory by FDI standards of protocol) not to touch them. I wondered if pigs and monkeys fell into that category…

Riley, our security/logistician was absent the day we visited Angkor Wat, otherwise I am certain he would have spoken out when we were in monkey-topia. Sadly, he was recuperating in the hotel after coming down with a bad cold. Four others have gotten the bug, but I am grateful to have bypassed that!

The precious dogs of doom (😂😂not really…)

The Monkey of Doom

After catching an amazing sunrise at Angkor Wat yesterday, we proceeded to walk through the massively expansive grounds to view the ancient temples and ruins of an early Hindu civilization that was later transitioned to Buddhist temples. Remnants of Hinduism are few, but some remain. I still have to research the history of this beautiful place, but time just now does not allow. What I DO have time for is the tale of the monkey of DOOM😂😂.

As I said on Instagram (Rebeccainmont) they look cute, but they are vicious. If you’ve ever seen the movie ‘Galaxy, Quest’, and remember the scene with the minions, I can liken it to that! If you haven’t seen Galaxy Quest, I highly recommend it. I never stopped laughing during this movie😂😂🤣👏.

Anywho, after a couple of hours of hiking up steep steps and back down, without handrails, we came across the place the Buddhist monks called home. The monkeys appeared in high number here, most likely due to the easily accessible leftovers of the monks. At first, they were just one or two, but then more more appeared…much like flies at a picnic. We all ooohed and ahhhed, took videos, pictures, and one of our team members was patting the backs of two who must have looked lonely, until one turned and tried to bite her. It was then we decided to move away from the monkeys, because we knew it probably wasn’t safe to be too close to them. None of us had gotten rabies shots prior to our trip to Cambodia!

So we continued to walk along the path to the next site of this ancient place, and we eventually came across a unique tree that looked like it had its arms open to embrace us. This tree was a long way away from monkey-topia, so we were breathing easier by this time. Dr. Scott, who is about 6 foot 4inches, suggested we take a picture there. I went and nestled into the tree, while he settled in beside me. Without warning, the monkey of doom appeared, jumped onto my back and proceeded to jump onto Dr. Scott. He continued to crawl on him, jumped on the tree, and then back on Dr. Scott. Dr. Scott believes he tried to bite his ear, but perhaps just a nip to warn him that he was invading a perceived territory. We immediately left the tree area, while a Cambodian man came with a stick to fight the monkey off. I truly think it was Dr. Scott’s height that threatened to the monkey. And perhaps the monkey felt he had to prove his superiority over an adult male that was so tall. We were all a bit rattled by now, so if we saw a monkey, we went the other way! Fortunately, the further we got from the monks’ home, the fewer they were in number. Monkeys. AND monks😂😂. And eventually they disappeared entirely. A happy ending to some stressful moments! Until we got lost at the site where the Tomb Raider was filmed😂😂😂. But that’s another story for another time! My friends are just about done with their 30 minute massages, and I am finishing my toddy in the building next-door🤗💕😂.

Catch Up

We were all up early yesterday morning, Sunday, to go our separate ways. Half of the team returned to Phnom Penh for one, last day, and then onto home, while the rest of headed to Siem Reap for two days of R&R. The drive took us roughly 7 hours, but it was very comfortable. The road was much better, and appeared more like a rural highway than a backcountry road. Not nearly as much traffic either, so fewer vehicles to have to pass for our dear bus driver.

We were pleasantly surprised when we reached Siem Reap, although most of us knew it would be a tourist destination. Our hotel is just beautiful, and Irene and I have a balcony room so we can look out on the quaint, chaotic and busy street. We split into two groups for dinner last night, with half wanting to try the Mediterranean fare, and the other half for pizza😂😂😂. No rice to be found!🤣😂😂. Afterwards, some came back to rest, and a couple of us went out onto the street to the night market. It was incredibly fun, busy, chaotic and interesting, but the pressure to purchase items from the local vendors is great, and I feel a little hesitant to even pick something up to look at it. But that’s OK, there is nothing I really need other than a few gifts to take home for friends .😊

After a much too short, but sound night’s rest, five of us woke up at 4 AM to make our way to Angkor Wat, the seventh wonder of the world, and a UNESCO world Heritage site. The local pastor of the foursquare church here in Siem Reap was kind enough to take us there and spend the day with us, dropping us off and picking us up at the various temples we wanted to see. Also with us and acting as tour guide extraordinaire is Shannon. Shannon has been a missionary here in Cambodia for the past three years, and works closely with the Foursquare Children of Promise children’s homes. She speaks Khmer, and has been a wealth of information for us all. She is also the master photographer for our group shots, and is just a whole lot of fun!

I’ll post some pictures for you to enjoy before I fall asleep😂😂😂😂😂!

There is really so much more that can be said, but I am simply exhausted. I. need to start moving or I will truly fall asleep. It’s 2:40 in the afternoon, and we have a reservation at a cultural dinner tonight at 7:30. We will all be attending that, and we are looking forward to it. I will try to post later today after I walk around a while to perk myself up!💕

Last Clinic Day

A sad day for us all. Our last clinic day, and soon time to say good-bye. People are still coming, which is wonderful. Some are coming AGAIN, so it must have been a good experience😂😂😂.

Our stuff…

Our friends…

Spirits remain high. 🤗💕