How many kids can you fit in a tuk-tuk?

[Blogger's note: Joci got some great pictures of us playing with the kids at the park.. I will upload soon... The pictures will answer my question to this blog's title.]

Yesterday (Tuesday), I got quite a feel for the city of Cambodia. After a late breakfast, Eric, Joci, and I walked around the city. Battambang isn't like Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh (the capital) would remind you of a typical city- tall (well, tall for Cambodia) buildings, no greenery, congested traffic. But here in Battambang, it's different. It almost reminds me of the city of Wooster (where I'm from). There is a lot of greenery still, things are spread out, of course you have a few blocks of buildings close together. The more you leave the city and head toward the outskirts, the more rural and green the land gets. 

After our walk, Jill Kane allowed me to sit in on her daily Khmer language lesson. She takes lessons 5 days a week for an hour at a time. Khmer is one of the most complicated languages I have ever seen. There are 23 vowels alone!! Plus it's not your normal A,B,C's. There are funky swirls, twirls, and squiggles for letters. It's hard to explain how the language works. Speaking is a little easier than writing. I am very intrigued by this culture!

After the lesson, it was time to relax from the extreme heat and watch another old movie. Jill and I watched a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis film while making homemade salsa. It only cost $.60 for fresh tomatos, lettuce, a green pepper, onion, and garlic from the market. We made a very large serving size bowl of salsa. More than enough to fit 2 or 3 large jars in the grocery stores! In the evening, I went back to English lessons with Jill and sat with the talkative girls so they would be quiet and listen to her! Teenage girls are the same in every culture! ;) When the lesson is over, Jill typically goes to excersise at the park with a few of the the lady students. They have aerobics and dancing in the park. Many ladies and a few men participate in this nightly event every weekday.  I was going to excercise, however, we ran into Joci, Eric, and the kids from Battambang 3 so I decided to play and spend time with them. We played games, ate popcorn and mangos, and just enjoyed seeing the kids smile and have a great time. My heart becomes overjoyed when I spend time with them. I am never out of love when I am with those kids!! After a very long evening at the park, Eric, Joci, and myself went back to the Kane's house. Jill made us an excellent mexican dinner- homemade tortillas, grilled chicken, beans, salsa= incredible tacos!!  She aslo made extrodinary flan (Kurty boy- I thought of you as I ate that yummy dessert).  We (Jill, Eric, Joci, and I) all talked until 11pm or so and then it was time to crash back here at the TEO Hotel. What a fun day!