Books

If you know me, you know I'm a reader. I've progressed from being in the lowest reading group in first grade to devouring at least 20 novels I year. I grew up with my parents reading to me every night and Saturday mornings spent reading in bed with my mom. As a huge extrovert, reading is the one thing I like to do alone. I've never been able to lay in the sun or just sit and listen to music, so I always have a book nearby. I read novels mainly- historical fiction, classics, books from different countries and cultures, comedy, romance. . . pretty much anything and everything. I managed to maintain this hobby even during my busiest semesters in college. So its not surprise that one of my mom's main worries about me coming to Cambodia was - what if you don't have any books to read?

Although I told her I would be fine and it was no big deal, I was very pleased to discover a huge library in the MCC office. In fact, its better than a library because its all books somebody in the last 30 years decided were worth carrying 10,000 miles across the ocean or paying for here out of a limited budget. There's literally a whole wall of books. Some of them look like they have been in the MCC office since MCC first came to Cambodia in 1979. Some were just on the NY Times Bestsellers list a year ago. To say the least, I've thrived on these books. They have kept me from being lonely and kept me balanced.

A few years ago I started writing down all the books I read (as every true book nerd does) to not reread anything, remember authors I like, and make recommendations, etc. I averaged about 25 books a year during college, not including stuff for school. Today I counted up my reads since coming to Cambodia and I'm at 34- in 6 months. You see, here I have plenty of time to read a few chapters after work, and before bed, and sometimes on my two hour lunch break if the book is really really good. So I'm happy to say, my hobby has been able to completely thrive in Cambodia- and its done just as much to keep my happy and healthy and centered as all my friends here and at home supporting me have done.

For other book people like me, out of the books I've read here and in no particular order, I recommend:
1) Moloka'i by Alan Brennert- historical fiction about the leper colony in Hawaii
2) The History of Love by Nicole Krauss- really well written and totally different than anything I have ever read
3) Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides- about a girl who discovers she is transgendered
4) A Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif- parallel love stories in Egypt in 1900 and 1997- great glimpse at Egypt's colonial history, definitely making a political statement that applies today and somewhat prophetic because it was written pre 9/11
5) What is the What by Dave Eggers- I read this one to honor the world's newest country- South Sudan

Okay that's probably enough nerdy book post for one blog!

Coming up in March: Trips to Siem Riep, Battambang, and Pre Veng in Cambodia and vacation to Bangkok at the end of the month!