My first Christmas abroad 🌍

Hey friends, first of all, I wish you a fantastic holiday season that outshines even the most vibrant Christmas movie scenes!

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. - Calvin Coolidge

Swap snowflakes for sunshine, mulled wine for Cambodian beer, and turkey for fried rice. Christmas time could not be more different in Cambodia. The locals here don't celebrate it and since it still feels like summer, I occasionally forget as well, that it is Christmas time. The Cambodian people do make an effort for the expats and tourists. From pagodas adorned with lights to the unique fusion of Khmer and Western traditions, it is truly a magical time in the heart of Southeast Asia.

An early Christmas

The celebrations began very early for us this year. On Friday, 10 days before Christmas, we had our first Christmas party. At SGIS, the international school where I work, all the different grades prepared performances. Both the Khmer classes and the English classes. This marked the beginning of the holiday season here in Siem Reap.

From this point on, we tried to make our apartment as Christmassy as possible. Think of a small Christmas tree, little lights, a candle, and a lot of Christmas songs. All this effort to try to get us into the Christmas spirit. But with temperatures between 25 and 33 degrees Celsius, it is a futile effort.

Finding balance

What's the point of traveling elsewhere if you're going to spend the whole time trying to recreate the feeling of being at home for the holiday?

Certainly, we were aware that this year's Christmas wouldn't be the familiar celebration we were accustomed to. However, the full realization of this fact tends to set in a bit later, when it truly sinks in. I find it very exciting to be abroad during the holidays, is the chance to experience Christmas in new ways.

We tried to find a balance between our traditions and the Cambodian culture and the alternatives. On Christmas Eve, we were invited to Kulen Outreach. There was a huge beautifully decorated Christmas tree. There was a lot of food. We were there right on time, but the kids were digging in already. Practically inhaling the food. Chris, the school director, gave us a plate and we dug in as well. There were french fries, pasta, fried rice, fried chicken, Cambodian desserts, and cookies with very sugary frostings. Truly a delicious, chaotic mix of Western and Cambodian food. We all sat outside in the yard, in a big circle. During dinner, Christmas carols played. After dinner Cambodian music blasted out of the speaker, and the kids were dancing and jumping around in the center of the circle. Some on the tables some on the ground. There was an exchange of presents and Chris invited us to go get a beer, so the students could enjoy their party. We drank a delicious pumpkin-spiced stout and had a very nice and cozy end of the evening. I found that home is not just a place, but a feeling we can create and share.

On Christmas day, we're going to have a 6-hour long lunch/dinner with friends, a makeshift family. Have some beers, play some games, and have a good time. We'll see where the day takes us.

Far away, but close at heart

Christmas time, traditionally is a time you spend with your loved ones, friends, and family. Whilst we have a lot of friends here, we also think and miss our loved ones back in Belgium. This time just a bit more than usual. In this digital day and age, it is easy to pick up the phone and have a video call. Of course, you can't hug each other, etc. On the other hand, it is less stressful. No rush for presents and having to be at different places at the same time. We were still connected with our families, just from a distance. A different experience altogether, where connection is key, both human connection and wifi connection.

To everyone reading this, here's to a Christmas filled with unexpected adventures and new experiences!