Holiday Edition

Hey All,

First off wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays, especially my niece Callie who is celebrating her first Christmas with her parents, Danny and Les. Hope its a good one for her and everyone else!

I have been very busy these last few weeks, and actually really homesick for the first time in a while since being here. I think with being as busy as I have been thinking about the holidays has been a nice diversion, but then I remember I am spending my second one away from home and that makes it kind of have a sour taste. So I am just continuing to chug along because after this, I get to spend my next sets of holidays at home. Wound up celebrating my Christmas with my fellow K3 volunteers in Phnom Penh. We went out for a nicer than normal dinner and then went out and spent some time and money at a dance club. Had a good time, but not necessarily the traditional holiday celebration, more of just my normal experience in the capital. Still enjoyed myself.

Back in the village, I have been working to get my Youth Art and Resource Center project off the ground. Peace Corps hasn’t transferred the funds so I am just doing the rest of the preparation that I can before that. I am also looking to write another proposal so that I can have USAID give funds to purchase some of the materials for the building. In addition to both of those, I have purchased basketball jerseys for my girls basketball team and coach them pretty much everyday. I haven’t seen them out of those jerseys for practice since giving them up. They also asked me for nicknames so I have them all those well. Here is an album of them, kind of a team picture day if you will. I have also been working at university on my free weekends in the provincial town of Takeo. At my school I am also working to promote literacy, so I have a library program going to have each English class visit the library once a month to have them work with reading the English books we do have. I have also worked on labeling the books according to skill level so the students have an easier time finding books suitable to their level. Always something.

I finally got around to posting the video I took of when I got to “meet” Hillary Clinton. Here is the link to that. I want to thank everyone again for helping out, donating, and spreading the word about my project. I couldn’t have imagined it going smoother or working out better than it did, and everyone I know can pat themselves on the back for putting in the effort.

I am missing everyone. Cant wait for it to be 2011 because thats the year I come home. With that said, I hope everyone has a great holiday and its memorable for each and all of you. Take Care Friends and Family.

- Ryan