Reporting In

Yes, I'm alive.  My internet connection went from lousy to non-existent two days ago and so I've been unable to post.  Things have been incredibly busy at the clinic and we've been working on ways to become more efficient in our workflow.  Last weekend I managed to find a day to walk around Siem Reap and just do some people watching which was a welcome break.  This week, I also had the opportunity to do a little more teaching while receiving some more Khmer lessons myself.  

I think this was the week that I found myself settling into a groove and getting into the routine of daily living.  It feels like I've been here a lot longer than I really have.  Everything feels familiar and my "real life" back in Portland almost feels like another life I once lived.  In fact, it almost feels like I have the memory of someone else's life.  Weird.  I guess I've never really been away from Portland for more than 2 weeks at a time and perhaps 3 weeks is the time it takes for that sense of familiarity to fade?  

In any case, I'll have more to write about soon, but I have to get to breakfast and run some errands before heading out.  This morning, I'm meeting up with Oliver and we're going to do a "drug run" for the clinic.  And then we're heading over to the Angkor Hospital for Children.  There's a child we saw at the clinic yesterday and tuberculosis is high on the differential diagnosis so we're going to meet them at the hospital to make sure he gets in to get a diagnostic workup.  We're also going to meeting with Eugene, a retired cardiac surgeon from Texas and who also happens to be Thea's husband.  He works at the hospital now as an administrator and he'll be giving us a tour of the hospital.  

Tonight, I'm taking off with Jack and Oliver on an overnight bus to Sihanoukville, a town on the west coast of Cambodia.  It's about an 11 hour bus ride.   I'm told it's a sleeper bus so hopefully, I'll actually be able to get some sleep. Again, I'm uncertain as to what the internet situation is out there, so if it's bad, I won't be able to write again until after the weekend.  Until then...