Oh Cambo, I'll miss you so

Things I'll Miss in Cambo...

• IJM--the work, the people, the mission. 
• Seeing monks.
• Stillness time to start my day.  Staff prayer to pray for our work and clients.  It's so, so special.
• Riding past Independence Monument at night when the lights are sparkling.
• Lots of things in Tuk Tuks and/or on motos.  Transporting 3 slaughtered hogs but only have a moto? No problem.  Have 17 pieces of furniture but all you can find is a small, Tuk Tuk?  No worries, it'll fit.  Are you carrying a passenger and a huge piece of windshield glass?  Jump on, but just hold the glass windshield above your head while I drive. 
• Cheap food. Cheap movies.  Cheap drinks.  Cheap spas.  Cheap everything.
• Grilled bananas from the street carts.
• Traveling--when will I ever be able to pop over into Thailand for a weekend? 
• Fresh fruit--by itself, in smoothie form, whatever.  It's ALL good.
• Specifically, passion fruit.  I'm obsessed.  It's delicious.  I will mourn not having it regularly.  
• Community--everyone here is semi-transient, so everyone wants community and new friends.  People are willing to go out of their way to be friendly and engage because no one is "home" so we are all forced to do Cambo-life together.
• Flicks movie theatre--a community movie house where you can lay on mattresses on the floor and stuff your face with food.  It's divine.  It should exist in the US.  SOMEONE MAKE IT EXIST IN THE US.
• Funny Cambo phrases: "Same, same but different", "See you when you see me"
• TBT (Taste Budz Tuesday)--a tradition with IJM interns/fellows.  Taste Budz is a fantastic Indian place here in PP.  We order before prayer, arrive at 12:15 and gorge ourselves with incredible Indian food (palak paneer, butter chicken, aloo gobi...yummmm!).
• The frustration but funny stories that ensue after trying to make changes to your order at a restaurant.  Wait, you want no cheese, dressing on the side, and add black beans?  OVERWHELMING. 
• The security guard at my gym who is the sweetest, friendliest man.  Our conversation every day...Him: "How are you?!?!" Me: "Fine, and you?" Him: "Fine!  See you tomorrow!!"  That's it, that's all we've ever and always said, but it makes my day better every, single time. 
• "Cannot Bong"--the response one receives when you ask for something and it cannot be provided or given to you.   Even if it seems like something relatively simple, you are always at-risk to receive the response "Cannot Bong." 
• People smiling and talking to you while waiting in traffic on your moto. 
• Women who wear patterns with patterns (e.g. plaid skirt with a floral print top).  Basically, pretty + pretty = pretty.  One can never have too much pretty when it comes to clothing. 
• Answering your phone at any and all times.  Judge in the middle of a trial?  Yup.  Attending a funeral?  Answer it!
• Weddings and funeral tents set up on main roads and the ability to drive straight through it on your moto.  And it's appropriate. 

Cambo, you've given me years of stories this year.  You've made me laugh, cry in frustration, and curse like a sailor in traffic, but man oh man, I wouldn't trade this year for nothing.