This week has been a great week for broken down buses... For my entire time in Cambodia to this point I haven't been in a bus that broke down once, which incidentally is one of the most common occurrences in the country. Now two times in only a few days.

But what it did give me was a chance to chat with some Cambodians on the bus for a few hours more than usual. It is amazing what happens when learning a language and putting it to use can give you. It brings slot of fun, and relaxation. I am far from knowing Cambodian but what I do know helps me everyday. I was sitting next to a policeman and we chatted about a work and me, he even read my palm (not something I go and do everyday). I had my laptop out and he watched a movie with me. There was a young guy on his way to work. To some it would be hard to talk in an unknown language to unknown people, but as much of a introverted person I am, in small groups I love talking in Cambodian as they talk me in English. It's a funny dynamic, they ask me a question in English, and I an answer in Cambodian, and vice versa. It's the small things like that help me relax. When some people are skydiving etc for fun, not my thoughts of a fun time, but chatting for 10 minutes in Cambodian is a lot of fun.

But in a few weeks it will all be over for the first stage of the project, I will back in Canada for May, and no heat to live with, no rice everyday, no motorbike traveling. Re acclimatizing will be tough, it will have been the longest I have been away from a western culture. Despite the fact I will be going back again in a short time. Mentally I have to deprogram and weigh up all that has gone on, so that I am not a mess when I return. I should be fine, but if anyone sees me craving fried grasshoppers and speaking in a strange language, it's ok I haven't gone crazy, I'm just re-acclimatizing and I'm balanced :-)