18 days left in Cambodia

The performance last night was absolutely incredible. It turned out to not be a shadow puppet performance, and just traditional Cambodian dance. I think it is honestly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life, particularly the numbers with just the girls in the beautiful costumes. Cambodian dances are very similar to Thai dancing, with the golden stupa-like headdresses, slow movements and elongated fingers. Simply breathtaking!

Today we went to a market to interview people who sell antiquities. It was very informative and I got a ton of material out of it! Tonight I have to sit down and transcribe all the interviews, which will probably take several hours after all the interviews we did.

This afternoon we went to a temple that is a famous gathering spot for mystics and fortune tellers. I was very interested in why they gather THERE, and not other places. I think the answer is that in Cambodia, old = powerful, not just in terms of statues or jewellry but also in terms of places. The mystics gather at this one temple because it is the oldest in Phnom Penh.

I am still feeling pretty homesick and ill-at-ease here, but I am trying to keep busy so that I don't notice it as much. The worst times are at night and when I first wake up in the morning. I really want nothing more than a familiar face or an email from friends and family back home. I don't know why I can't just brush off my loneliness and homesickness better, I am trying to have fun but inside my head I am just counting down the days until I can go home. Still feels like a long way off.