1. Beautiful – Well the Prey Sundek School library took a big step forward today with the acquisition of its first book shelf. While the library has had books for a while, for as long as I’ve been here they’ve all been locked away in a closet and so as a final gift to my school I got this bookshelf built. In the picture above you can see it being stacked for the first time.
If you have any interest in helping the Prey Sundek School acquire a second bookshelf, let me know. One more shelf would really take us into the library big leagues…
2. Khmer Books – One of the more frustrating parts about trying to build a library in Cambodia is how hard it is to get your hands on Khmer books. There are a ton of NGO’s that give out English books, and French, Chinese, and Korean books can all be found, but Khmer books– what the students really want/need – are essentially non-existent.
3. The World Map – Back when I was painting my world map, the teachers at my school kept telling me not to use too much paint. In fear that the colors map would fade in the hot sun, I ignored their warnings and globbed coat after coat onto the wall. Well this week, as the paint began to peel off in large chunks, I realized that I was an idiot for not listening to them. Apparently the more paint you use, the less it sticks to the wall. Who knew?
Another lesson learned the hard way.
4. “The Last Time” Game – The other day I bought a stick of deodorant and while I was paying for it, I thought to myself, “this is the lack stick of deodorant I’ll ever buy in Cambodia.” I feel like everything I do now is slowly becoming, “the last time in Cambodia.”
5. Dancing with the Stars – A few days ago Nestle held a promotional concert in my village. During the concert they asked four boys to come up on stage for a dancing contest. Take a look at how that went down…
One of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.
6. The Lawyer’s Club – I found out yesterday that I’ll be living in the “Lawyer’s Club” when I get to Michigan in the fall. It sounds fancy doesn’t it? Unfortunately I’m pretty sure, “The Lawyer’s Club” is just a fancy way of saying, “The Law School Dorm.” That being said, after two years of living in Prey Sundek Village, a dorm is gonna feel like the Ritz. Running water? 24/7 electricity? Nice….
7. The Parking Lot Movie – The Parking Lot Movie is one of the most unusual and enjoyable documentaries I’ve seen in a long time. It’s about a group of misfits who work together and debate the meaning of life in a parking lot in Charlottesville, Virginia. I know it sounds dumb, but take my word for it – it’s really cool.
8. Here We Go Again – I know everyone’s all excited for the Hangover 2 right now, but if there’s a summer movie that’s really worth get excited about, it’s: “The Undefeated.” That’s right my girl Sarah P’s new flick coming this July….
You know why you should be excited? Because I think it means she’s really running…
9. Bernie Madoff, Fred Wilpon, and The Mets – In this week’s New Yorker, one of my favorite writers, Jeffrey Toobin, has written a super interesting article about Maddoff, Wilpon, and the Mets. I’ve only read about half of it so far, but it’s a crazy story – tons of dysfunction and deception. You can read it here: Madoff’s Curveball.
10. Happy Graduation – And finally, in the spirit of graduation season, take a look at high school yearbook photos of the 2012 GOP candidates…
Quite a crew right? And how awesome is Rick Santorum? I almost want to vote for him just because of this picture.
