New Year, Birthday, Everything in between, before and after....

REJUVINATION

Well I've been awfully busy and finally have some time to journal these past few weeks.

Sihanoukville was the best place I could have went after leaving Korea. It gave me a rejuvination of sorts. Living in Seoul I feel I was merely coasting by, and somewhat stagnant at times. I needed a new frame of reference, something to motivate me to achieve the countless ideas which for so long have remained ideas.

Every time I go to Sihanoukville I meet and spend time with such great people. People who are open-minded, easy-going, and endless fun to be around. This trip was no exception. Essentially there was a wave of two groups I hung out with. The first consisted of Jo, an Aussie nurse with such an awesome attitude, Matt, an English chap as chill as can be constantly spitting out humourous remarks, and Anita, another Aussie who always kept me company by sitting behind the bar. The second wave included Viv, an English walking dictionary with similiar goals to me, Michael, an informed American who acted as my encyclpedia, Mikael, a happy-go-lucky Danish dude who was always a good laugh. Then there were the pillar friends, Day and Chris. Day is the Cambodian who has become the face of the Frog Shack and is impossible to find in a bad mood. Chris, a young german with a variety of skills from rolling smokes to video editing. I originally met him at this place 2 years ago and randomly happened to be back at the same time this year. There were countless others who I met that were great company, just too many to name.

NEW YEAR

So New Year's was great, nothing too big this year. In fact the island Boat trip we all did the day before tuckered me out a bit too much. It was an incredible day full of snorkeling, jumping off the boat, having a picnic on the beach, and of course juggling.
All this in a not so sober stateleft me in subpar conditions to do it all again for New Years. Nevertheless I was a trooper and gave it what I could.

BIRTHDAY

My quarter of a century birhday followed a week later. It was a fantastic day, starting with some excercise, followed by a few hours on the beach with the Rainbow House kids, then a beach cleaning, and of course a party with cake and beers.

RAINBOW HOUSE

Rainbow House is the orphanage I volunteered at and intend to continue my ties with. In fact I am organizing an open mic fundraiser in Seoul on Feb 3 to raise as much money as we can for the kids. They are all so amazing and have such potential. Leanne and Tommy who are running the home (Leanne also founded it) are doing such a great and modest job. Cheers to good people in the world who care enough to devote so much time, effort and love to make other people's lives better. For more info or to MAKE A DONATION, click here

http://www.cambodian-orphans.com/

BEACH CLEAN UP

After much talk, about 5 of us took some garbage bags and walked down the beach collecting all the garbage we saw. One khmer Professor immediatley joined and cotinued until every bag was full. A mother and sweet 6 year old child noticed what we were doing and jumped in without hesitation, venturing into the obvious urine entrenched parts, cleaning up the nastiest of the garbage. It was a positive response, and after 1 hour and about 200 meteres we had filled 10 garbage bags. It got me thinking of how this could possible be continued and sustainable, by paying locals to do the jobs themselves. After all we didn't get one bottle or can because the kids collect these in exchange for a small amount of money. Finally it struck me that I can utilize my khmer friend Chy and his new boat tour company to collect donations and have him monitor and assist kids in the clean-up. With this said I'm heading back to Cambodia in the end of February to start this simple, small-scale, yet highly beneficial project.

My new plan and New Year's resolution is to take ideas and turn them into actions. As my friends and family, please get on my ass if you see me slacking in this department. Life is way too short, and I am in a position of way too much opportunity to continue standing back.

BACK IN KOREA

So here I am, back in Korea for a few weeks to educate some more kids and head off. I think I will spend Chinese New Year in China before heading back to Cambodia.

It was great coming back here, to what feels like home now in so many ways, to see all the great friends I have here. The cold sucks, but my sister informed me it was -48 in Winterpeg the other day, so I think I can handle the -2 here.

That should do er, Happy New Year!