THE BIG KIDS ON THE BLOCK

No I am not referring to the middle school boys that strut along Road 6 (the “highway” in front of my house). And I am not at all referring to the size of the people around me (as a general stereotype Khmer people a short and skinny, while this is changing as diets and lifestyles change and I do see bigger men and women and chubby infants, the stereotype is reinforced in my mind every time I am “reminded” by people in my community that I am fatter and bigger than they are…). Instead I am talking about how today marks the last Close of Service (COS) date for the group (K5s) ahead of me. As the K6s we are now the ones who have been here a year and have the experiences and knowledge that make us on top of the PCV food chain. We are the Seniors in a sense. Our country director, Penny, likes to say that we have hit the point in service (the one-year mark) when we are “arrogantly ignorant.” We think we know everything and yet simultaneously we are aware that we know next to nothing.

In June I said “see you later” to Jen. In July I watched as the first set of K5s COS’d, and two of my wonderful province-mates Tim and Katie move onto bigger and better things. Tim headed Stateside to get ready for his grad program in social work and Katie headed south to be the K7s PST tech trainer for the CHE program. This power couple on numerous occasions offered up their home to me, most notably for Christmas and for Katie’s Domestic Violence awareness training of trainers (ToT) workshop in March. Additionally they gave sound advice, suggestions, and support at the drop of a hat. Working with Katie on Camp GLOW was one of my highlights of service thus far. See her really stellar most recent post http://timkatstravels.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/tangled/ on the difficulty/near impossibility of summing up 2 years of service.

Katie & Tim (center)

Tim & Katie around their site

In August another province-mate and fellow Camp GLOW coordinator Mr. Blair hopped on a plan. Leaving the last of the K5s in Siem Reap to fend for herself.

Blair (left) riding the truck with Neysa and me.

Last week I got to say “so long” (I hate “byes”) to one of the most influential people I have ever met. I was truly blessed to have such a solid person and friend living only 25K down the road this past year. Granted I didn’t really realize all that Neysa offered me until the last few weeks and so I crammed as much Neysa-time as I could into the last month. Neysa is headed home to pursue a masters in non-profit management, something she clearly has a knack for. I was able to watch Neysa in her element at moments throughout this past year - working on workshops and projects, meeting with people in her community and the province, interacting with people who just thought the world of her, etc. - and I always came away from those experiences wanted to do more, and channeling that positive energy and her enthusiastic outlook on life. Neysa encouraged me to be more organized (and for those who know me - I was already pretty organized right?) and tackle new tasks and projects. She was unreasonably generous; inviting me to taco lunches at her site and most recently the going away party that her health center and host family threw for her with all the elements of a Khmer celebration - roasted pig, cases of beer, Karaoke, and dancing around a table. I was able to see her mastery of budgets working together on Camp GLOW and I helped her check off an item or two off of her Cambodia bucket list - including riding a buffalo at my site.

Neysa meeting baby Neysa. 

At Neysa's going-away partay. 

So as the K5s trickle down to Phnom Penh and fly off to meet their futures, I want to thank them all (especially Tim, Katie, Blair, and Neysa) for supporting and encouraging me, setting an example and being great role models, and more importantly being great friends. I hope that I can now take on the role of the big kid on the block and be what the K5s were for me, for the K7s.