My Day!

So this morning after some issues with transport yesterday, I decided to rent a bike and do the 8k to work like that. I got the bike ok, and everything was going great until I set off without a map (thinking that I'd be super fine with just some street names written on my hand...) or a helmet-they hire out bikes, but nowhere seems to have a decent crash hat. About 10 minutes into my journey I realised I was completely lost, so I decided I would just ride around until I saw something familiar and go there. I passed the same people at this one stall so many times that by the last time they all pointed and waved. Nice. I eventually found the road I was going on, they're mostly all numbered streets, though they didn't think to actually line up the numbers when they did it so you get St, 123 right next to st 217, and crossing st 186. Confusing is an understatement, because then they have 3 different names for each main road as well. Argh!
Anyway, I soon discovered that being on a bicycle is perhaps more dangerous than being on the back of a moto, if that is at all possible. You have (almost) total control, so you feel in charge of where you're going, though you just have to follow the traffic up onto the pavement or through puddles and god knows what-just try not to put your feet down! You have to go fast to keep up with the movement of traffic, and you have to concentrate on everything. All the time. It's almost better to zone out and use your peripheral vision because you can't ever keep track of everyone on each side. The navigation itself is not too bad, it's just like skiing or snowboarding. Give way to people ahead of you, but be mindful of anyone behind, get the hell out of the way of someone out of control, and try to swerve around the huge slow ones. I swallowed SO MUCH DUST. Luckily I had my sunnies to keep it out of my eyes. Riding in a dress is always interesting, but trying to keep your knees hidden, your mouth covered and your bag secure all at once takes it to a whole new level.
When I got to the centre, none of the other volunteers were there, and neither was the lovely lady with the adorable grandson (who kissed me on the cheek yesterday. Aw!) who usually takes charge. I walked into the room and there were two people I had only ever passed in the hallway, sitting waiting for me to get the party going. I was thinking "Öh God help me, where in the world am I right now?" but I just got on with it. Said hello to them all, did the 'welcome song' and got out some games. At about 9, the ladies just left. It was me alone in a room with 10 severely disabled kids, who must have just taken it as a cue to go nuts. I tried to feed them their snack, but it ended up strewn all over the room, crushed into the floor. One of the girls ripped out a clump of my hair and proceeded to eat it, and one little boy just pooed right in the middle of the floor. Ugh it was so bad. At 9:50 the lady came back with a basket of boardshorts and swim nappies, and motioned for me to change them all and take them outside. That was fun :| More wee. Haha yesterday I slipped in a puddle of wee and nearly went A over T. The lady was laughing so hard and mimicking me for about 10 minutes. So funny. We went outside and she had set up a wading pool, which was cool. But she just kind of chucked them all in it and started washing them all together. One little boy who is autistic and hides in the corner all day was freaking out in a massive way. Quivering in his little white trunks. I picked him up and he clung onto me for dear life, which is so out of character for him. I was soaking wet in a second, but my heart was absolutely breaking for this little thing who had buried his head in my shirt, whimpering and crying. I had to dress them all again, without towels, which was great but I managed. When the other girls who work at the school asked if I wanted to visit their afternoon class, I was not saying no! As much as I want to keep doing as much as I can with that room, I just couldn't do it today. I was in tears by about 11, and just needed to get out.
For lunch I had bbq bananas! So weird! They were hard and salty on the outside, like a biscuit or crusty bread, but then they were sweet on the inside. So strange, but lovely!
After that I went to see the school part of the building, and it was so great just to be around some kids that could fully understand what was being said to them. They were so freaking cute! One little girl-the only one in a class of boys-reminded me of myself when I was little. Before the class started, she was helping to teach me Khmer numbers and the alphabet, but when the teacher asked her to recite it all to the class she was so shy that she freaked out and forgot it. The poor dear. Some of the girls had made a parachute which we played with for a while, and the kids were so excited! They were squealing and jumping and laughing. It was so great to see.
On the way home on my bike, I was confronted with the biggest crowds I have ever seen. Thousands and thousands of people- walking, pushing carts, carrying things, riding wagons- all on their way into Phnom Penh for the water festival this weekend. We had heard that they would come, and so have spent the week preparing for the mosh pit that apparently engulfs the city every year. Hopefully we will get a glimpse of the boats racing on the river, or see some of the performances. I read that, at this time of year, the river actually reverses in direction as the floodwaters come from the lake out to the ocean. Seeing the size of the river the other day, I couldn't believe it, but I guess it is just one of those things! How awesome! We are having a great time, missing our families and everyone back home, but super excited for the weekend, and loving the guest house we are in. They are simply adorable :)