Back to reality

Landed yesterday afternoon and I can't believe I'm back. I was just a half a world away in hot and humid weather and now I'm back where there's snow and 30 degree weather.. is this for reals??!

I have so much to say about my trip but I don't even know where to begin. Part of me doesn't even want to try to describe my experience because I would never be able to find the words to do it justice. I'll mention a couple of things though. This trip has truly changed me. It opened up my eyes to a whole other world that desperately needs help yet is ignored. I learned so much about my culture, my heritage, and my family. Hearing my parents' stories about where and how they grew up; having them point out streets they walked through on their way to school or places they visited when they sneaked out of their houses to hang out with friends... that's what made my trip amazing. It's like I was able to share part of their past with them.

I got to visit the Tuol Sleng prison, where the Khmer Rouge interrogated and tortured people. There were still blood stains on the floor, children's bloody footsteps across the ground, and cell blocks still standing. I walked across one of the hundreds of other killing fields in Cambodia. That in itself changed me, not just because of the history it has, but walking across those shallow graves where tens of thousands of bodies had once laid, and looking down to see my feet step on bones that were still not dug... that changed something in me that I could never put words to.

Even though it may seem like my trip was filled with devastation and sadness, it was also filled with so much joy and happiness. I visited beautiful old temples, not only in Cambodia but also in Laos. I was blessed by many monks, which gave me confidence about my future. Most importantly, I met my uncle and my cousins on my dad's side for the first time. Even though there was a language barrier, no one from the outside could ever tell we had never met. There was so much family unity and love once we reunited that it didn't matter whether we spoke English, Cambodian, or with hand gestures.

I'll be uploading pictures hopefully soon, I just have so much to catch up on. I can't believe I start school already on Monday. I can't wait to go back to Cambodia and Laos.