Nature Attacks!

Well what another action-packed week! It all started so serenely, however, it certainly didn’t end that way. But we’ll get to that in due course.

The great thing about where we’re teaching is that on the weekends, we’re able to catch a mini-bus with our fellow volunteers and explore other parts of Cambodia. So after an amazing first week, we made our way down to the coast to a town called Kep. Then we caught a boat over to Rabbit Island the next day. Why it’s called Rabbit Island is still a mystery to me but apparently it’s because when you’re travelling across on the boat, you can see two big hills that look like pointy rabbit ears.

This Island was a mini paradise! With hammocks slung all across the beach, guaranteed sunshine and a chance to swim in the ridiculously warm sea, there was no other option but to dose, catch up on some reading and enjoy a few cold ones. Until…a dead jellyfish decided to float by my foot when I was paddling in the sea and somehow I got stung! Believe it or not, it wasn’t that painful and when the locals started squeezing lime on it, I had to laugh! 

It's a hard life!

All the volunteers

So anyway, week 2 of teaching began and the topic for our beginner class was animals. We taught them the English words for common Cambodian animals such as dog, cat, cow, chicken, elephant, gecko, ant and snake. By the end of the week, we (well Susie) showed them how to make their own animal masks.

Arts and Crafts Susie

Interesting cat

With our more advanced class, we continued the Pen Pals work! Children wrote about their hobbies, their families and their daily routines. My favourite part of the school day though is after lessons, not because I’m happy the lessons have finished but because then you proceed to spend the next half an hour playing with all the children. These children do not hold back! They jump on your back and demand piggyback rides; try and wrestle you to the ground and pinch, squeeze and tickle you until you decide to chase them! They are so fast and nifty though that it’s an achievement when you catch them!  They also happily run in bare feet over sharp stones and twigs and don’t bat an eyelid, whereas I would cry out in pain!

So to the dramatic ending to the week. I’m going to present this with 2 alternative realities of what actually happened and I’ll let you, the reader, decide which one to believe. I would only recommend that you use your imagination.

Version 1: It was a dark, dank and misty evening. The rain was falling sharply like teeth gnawing away at your sanity. With no electricity and only the faint burning of candles for light, the volunteers reluctantly gathered around to feast on their evening meal. We weren’t the only ones who wanted to feast that night! In the corner of my eye, I saw shadows move. What were they? I thought to myself. My heart rate quickened and my breathing slowed as I tried to listen out for what the slow, terrifyingly assured movements were. Then, without warning, a huge beast crashed onto the table and cried out to his pack.

“Run, save yourselves” I shouted to all the volunteers. “I’ll keep them occupied! Run!”

The next thing I knew a pack of wild dogs, baring their long, sharp teeth and frothing at the mouth started circling. Suddenly the leader jumped from the table towards me. Without thinking, I grabbed the nearest thing to me, which happened to be the chair, took an almighty swing and knocked the beast flying! Dazed and stunned, the dog gingerly rose and growled an evil growl! This must have been some kind of order because then the rest of the pack started creeping closer and closer towards me.  With the ninja training I had extensively received prior to the trip, it was time to dance! I dispatched one with my fist, kicked another into next week, wrestled one with my bare hands until it was unconscious and to my surprise the rest of the pack scarpered, tails between their legs…all apart from one…the leader! Adopting the warrior pose, I beckoned the leader to come and fight with a simple come here motion with my fingers. The beast followed this command and jumped at me. As I kicked, punched and wrestled the creature to the ground, I left the dog panting for breath!

“Go and never come back!” I bellowed.

The dog understood and began limping away but he wasn’t finished yet. Summoning all the energy he could muster, he jumped at me one more time and caught me completely unawares, took a chunk out of my foot and left me bleeding in agony. Before I could react, the evil beast ran as quick as the wind, out of sight, into the darkness.

Version 2: I accidentally stepped on a dog and it took a little nip at me. Although it’s absolutely guaranteed that the dogs don’t have rabies, I still have to have a course of 5 rabies injections. Ouch! I’m absolutely fine and dandy though, don’t worry.

Next installment - The third and final week.