Valentines day in Cambodia

Hal and I had a great valentines day. Our Valentines experience really started almost 2 weeks ago when we went on our first date in 6 months to Siem Reap (more on that later). What makes a date for me...a little shopping! I've never gone shopping in Siem Reap outside of the Khmer market, so this time I wanted to boutique browse. It was a sad day when I stumbled upon this beauty, which ended up being way out of my poor PCV  price range. So we took pictures and I hoped to get it made.

I even made my friend go back there with me and take more detailed pictures so I could get it made exactly like this. I remember saying 'Oh Dang, the XS has already been sold." Little did I know it would be hanging in my bathroom waiting for me when we came back to site :) I was so shocked. SO shocked. Then I felt real dumb because everyone we were with knew that he had gone back and bought the dress and I just kept blabbing about it all weekend long.

 It was nice to be reminded that Cambodia doesn't have to suck all the romance out of a relationship. It's so easy to not feel romantic when you spend so much time with each other, and when half of that time is spent sweating your brains out or being sick.

The second half of our Valentines experience was so sweet and unexpected. I was surprised how many Khmer  people already knew about Valentines day. I decided I wanted to teach my students how to make valentines. The day before I taught them how to make some cute ones, and then they all brought colored paper, glue, scissors, and their array of colored pens and went to town. They made valentines for each other, but they were so sweet and made valentines for me, and even one for "Teacher Hal" Here are their versions of the valentines I showed them. I was SO excited to see how creative some of them got. If you know anything about Cambodia, creativity and critical thinking is hard to come by. One of my students made the coolest angry birds valentine. I won't lie, I was a bit disappointed when he didn't give that one to me.

And for my favorite two valentines that my students made me, who both get points for being extra creative.

3-in-1 valentine, how's that for creativity?

After spending an hour and a half making valentines with my students I came home so a great surprise. Hal had taken down the mosquito net, made the bed, and set out our Valentines Day treat. Back in the US that may have been a small gesture, but for me, here, it was huge. Sometimes you just can't handle laying within the confines of the mosquito net anymore. Oh and he loaded one of my favorite movies, Young Victoria, which I wish I had brought with me, and was so glad to be able to watch it again. Oh and he made a yummy pasta dinner. This made my valentines to him, which I had spent most of the class period making, seem small in comparison. Twice this month Hal has spoiled me and reminded me of how sweet he is, and how lucky I am to have him here with me.

So we ended our night with our special treat and a great movie.