"Love is Entirely Shoofly"

Life's been Cambodian-normal for me over the last few days, but I wanted to share a few memorable moments:

There were 24 in a minivan coming out to permanent site, a new record for me, to sum up the experience I will say that being tall sucks sometimes.

I saw a lovely t-shirt this morning while having breakfast with my school director which is the title of this blog, and he bought me breakfast, which was a really kind gesture.

On my first day at site, I was told to be at school at 7:30 and then I sat in the office being introduced to various people and doing a whole lot of nothing while a bunch of people talked about me in Khmer. I stayed until 11:30 and then went home and went for a nice one hourish run. I found a watt on the mountain with 740 steps, yes I counted, my calves are still sore.

I went out and played volleyball with the locals on Tuesday. They're very serious about volleyball here and they were amused by my efforts (being tall has it's advantages if you're not great at volleyball).

My family helped me to set up a hammock in my room. It's my new favorite place in the world! I've been spending a good amount of time laying there reading Pablo Neruda poetry and Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox.

This is my hammock!

Here's a Neruda poem I particularly liked:

Night on the Island

All night I have slept with you
next to the sea, on the island.
Wild and sweet you were between pleasure and sleep,
between fire and water.

Perhaps very late
our dreams joined
at the top or at the bottom,

Up above like branches moved by a common wind,
down below like red roots that touch.

Perhaps your dream
drifted from mine
and through the dark sea
was seeking me
as before,
when you did not yet exist,
when without sighting you
I sailed by your side,
and your eyes sought
what now–
bread, wine, love, and anger–
I heap upon you
because you are the cup
that was waiting for the gifts of my life.

I have slept with you
all night long while
the dark earth spins
with the living and the dead,
and on waking suddenly
in the midst of the shadow
my arm encircled your waist.

Neither night nor sleep
could separate us.

I have slept with you
and on waking, your mouth,
come from your dream,
gave me the taste of earth,
of sea water, of seaweed,
of the depths of your life,
and I received your kiss
moistened by the dawn
as if it came to me
from the sea that surrounds us.

...

La noche en la isla

Toda la noche he dormido contigo
junto al mar, en la isla.
Salvaje y dulce eras entre el placer y el sueño,
entre el fuego y el agua.

Tal vez muy tarde
nuestros sueños se unieron
en lo alto o en el fondo,
arriba como ramas que un mismo viento mueve,
abajo como rojas raíces que se tocan.

Tal vez tu sueño
se separó del mío
y por el mar oscuro
me buscaba
como antes
cuando aún no existías,
cuando sin divisarte
navegué por tu lado,
y tus ojos buscaban
lo que ahora
—pan, vino, amor y cólera—
te doy a manos llenas
porque tú eres la copa
que esperaba los dones de mi vida.

He dormido contigo
toda la noche mientras
la oscura tierra gira
con vivos y con muertos,
y al despertar de pronto
en medio de la sombra
mi brazo rodeaba tu cintura.
Ni la noche, ni el sueño
pudieron separarnos.

He dormido contigo
y al despertar tu boca
salida de tu sueño
me dio el sabor de tierra,
de agua marina, de algas,
del fondo de tu vida,
y recibí tu beso
mojado por la aurora
como si me llegara
del mar que nos rodea.