Down time
Today again it's been almost two weeks since our last full day off. Last week our days off were spent on MPR, but today we had zero plans.
Yes, last week we did spend one of our days off at the pool, essentially doing nothing, but there's something psychologically relaxing about having a full day with nothing planned.
I didn't get up any later than usual - the light through the gaps in the wall woke me at 7 ish and then Channa called me to eat breakfast about half an hour later. But after that we spent the morning resting and reading and taking our time.
We met some others for lunch at Host homes 5/6, which are a shop with houses behind. Cheyenne and Boray live in 6 and Heng and Tim, Connor and Socheat live in 5. They weren't all there but it was a relaxed meal. Our host homes are only supposed to provide us with two meals a day, so we paid for the food and Boray and Chealy cooked for about 7 of us.
We spent some time at Host home 3, which is where Sokmeng and Zaynab live, and then decided to go out to the rice fields and play rounders. We managed to find some slightly rubbish bats at the pop up market last Thursday. We headed out for about 4.45, spent a little while teaching the Khmer to play rounders - it's a lot more complicated than I had realised! - and then played until about 6.10 pm. Curfew is 6.30 and it starts to get dark. Channa and I have to cycle all the way up the community from the rice fields so you don't want to leave it too late. It's not far but it gets dark quickly.
The rounders was very entertaining! The rice fields are very dry and dusty at this time of year, and it's not easy to run in the footwear we had. We had problems with ants, a few people slipped over, I personally crashed right into Tim by accident, and the bats and balls were so light that we had to have a very small field. But it was still a lot of fun.
If we play it again, the Khmer will understand a bit better which will make it all go more smoothly. It's the same with any game we teach them. We've had a few great games of Mafia since we taught them it a few weeks ago.
Work wise, yesterday we had a really good session. It was on job interviews and we had 11 students. Some of the activities we planned were very practical to help them with interview technique and they really engaged well, so I feel very pleased.
Yes, last week we did spend one of our days off at the pool, essentially doing nothing, but there's something psychologically relaxing about having a full day with nothing planned.
I didn't get up any later than usual - the light through the gaps in the wall woke me at 7 ish and then Channa called me to eat breakfast about half an hour later. But after that we spent the morning resting and reading and taking our time.
We met some others for lunch at Host homes 5/6, which are a shop with houses behind. Cheyenne and Boray live in 6 and Heng and Tim, Connor and Socheat live in 5. They weren't all there but it was a relaxed meal. Our host homes are only supposed to provide us with two meals a day, so we paid for the food and Boray and Chealy cooked for about 7 of us.
We spent some time at Host home 3, which is where Sokmeng and Zaynab live, and then decided to go out to the rice fields and play rounders. We managed to find some slightly rubbish bats at the pop up market last Thursday. We headed out for about 4.45, spent a little while teaching the Khmer to play rounders - it's a lot more complicated than I had realised! - and then played until about 6.10 pm. Curfew is 6.30 and it starts to get dark. Channa and I have to cycle all the way up the community from the rice fields so you don't want to leave it too late. It's not far but it gets dark quickly.
The rounders was very entertaining! The rice fields are very dry and dusty at this time of year, and it's not easy to run in the footwear we had. We had problems with ants, a few people slipped over, I personally crashed right into Tim by accident, and the bats and balls were so light that we had to have a very small field. But it was still a lot of fun.
If we play it again, the Khmer will understand a bit better which will make it all go more smoothly. It's the same with any game we teach them. We've had a few great games of Mafia since we taught them it a few weeks ago.
Work wise, yesterday we had a really good session. It was on job interviews and we had 11 students. Some of the activities we planned were very practical to help them with interview technique and they really engaged well, so I feel very pleased.
This exercise is loosely based on Speed Mating, which we do at Swansea CU at Weekend Away - you ask a question to the person opposite you, they have a few minutes to answer, you swap seats and you do it again. Peer education and practice interview.
Tomorrow is Liv's birthday and Social day, so that should be fun.
The house behind ours are going for it with the Karaoke tonight, so it'll be earplugs again tonight!
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