Akon--means thank you in Khmer

Happy Turkey Day! This morning we are celebrating the holiday with a delicious cup of Dunkin Donut’s pumpkin spice coffee courtesy of Mom and Dad Chaudoin. Originally, we were trying to pretend that the holiday had been canceled…but due to all of the posts on Facebook, we were unable to fool ourselves. Today is just another day in Cambodia, but we still want to feel like we are part of the festivities so we have created a list of the things we are most thankful for. Take a look J

1. Family- Our families have been so supportive of us and our “crazy” ideas. We love you all and miss you—especially our little “fur baby” Lilly. I hope you are being a good little pup for your Uncle Josh and Auntie M-Dog.

2. Friends- We have friends all over the world, and each time that we see them we enjoy each others company, even when it’s for a very brief time.

3. Education- We feel so lucky to have had such great teachers in the past, some of them were really “great” at showing us what NOT to do, but all of them helped us to become the teachers that we are today. I think many of us take for granted our educations, but we have really come to understand how truly lucky we are to have an education, and we are so excited that we are able to share our knowledge with our students.

4. Health- Everyday in Cambodia we see people who are suffering from illness, discomfort, and pain. We are both so blessed to have grown up in a healthy environment. Even with all of the flaws in U.S healthcare system, it is far superior to the healthcare system here.

5. Adventure- We both have a similar attitude about trying new things. If we didn’t, we would not be living in Cambodia. We will find a way to do all the things we always dreamed about. We will not limit ourselves because of fear, uncertainty, or the opinions of outsiders.

Now for a few less serious things…

6. Central Air- It is so unbelievably hot here all year round, we were so spoiled in the U.S with constant air conditioning.

7. Traffic police- We used to think that traffic cops were a pain in the a$$, but now we miss them. Biking to campus is like a daily game of Frogger. We’re sad to say, but we would rather get caught and pay tickets for things like running red lights, speeding, and tailgaiting if it meant we didn’t have to pray to Buddha every day for safety.

8. Food options and safety- We both LOVE Asian food, but really how many days in a row can you eat rice and noodles without craving something different. I guess we are spoiled in the U.S because we have people from so many countries therefore, we have so many more choices when it comes to food. We reallllly miss salads. The vegetables here can cause some serious tummy troubles if you don’t cook them, so since we are not fond of getting sick we only eat cooked veggies.

9. Dunkin Donuts coffee- Starbucks can suck it. We both agree that DD is the number one coffee in the U.S and Cambodia needs to “run on DD” too! Thanks to our wonderful friends and family we have not been deprived. Cambodian coffee just does not compare. We are sharing the joy with our friends when they come to visit. After education, dunkin donuts coffee is the best gift you can give to someone ;-)

10. Comfortable furniture- We are oh-so-happy to have a furnished apartment because we don’t have to worry about getting rid of furniture when we are ready to move onto our next adventure. However, coming home and flopping down on a wooden bench is just about as good as it sounds---it BLOWS. If you have a comfortable couch enjoy it for us!