It's been an intensive week for us. We are working feverishly towards the construction day of the new community center. Every day we go out parading around Chi Phat and the neighboring villages, handing out flyers and balloons and talking to whoever is willing to listen. We need to create a big buzz around this thing, because we need to get the community's support and cooperation for something which is unlike anything they have ever done before.

It's so very different trying to do these things in a Cambodian village. I don't think it's even possible to imagine it. It's kind of like trying to get the cat to watch over the cream, and the cat being all: "Oh, no. I'd rather just sit here in the shade, thanks." That's because we not only have to convince the locals to put in effort for the community, we also need to convince them why it's even worth it, what the point is in the communal effort, and what, in god's name, is a community anyway.

And this without being able to communicate directly.

So it's not only been a hectic week, but an emotional one at that, trying to balance our high motivation and eagerness with the disappointment that comes from the community's indifference. Sometimes it almost becomes too much for me to handle. It gets frustrating, and I feel unappreciated. And then I find myself going outside for a bike ride (an excellent way to deal with frustration), and everyone I meet along the way smiles at me. It's hard for me to describe the feeling to you, the utter dissonance between my emotions and that smile, that seemingly unbridgeable gap.

And then I understand that I just don't understand. That I can never fully understand. Because of the language. Because of the culture. Because of the lifestyle. Because of the poverty. All I can do is believe in my mission here and hope that despite the huge differences what we're doing will be beneficial and appreciated. All I can do is believe that good will can bridge the gaps.