I made it to Cambodia and here's my story with photos!

As you recall, I had many gauntlets to get passed to enter Cambodia.

Friday, July 17: the day I'm supposed to leave for LAX at 9:30pm to make my first flight at 12:20am, Saturday, July 18.  Spent all day waiting for Covid-19 test results, pretty much resigned myself to NOT making the flight because results not in....

Friday, July 17, 4:15pm: results in and Negative (Yahoo!), but have 45 minutes to pick up results before they close; Stephanie and I fly down the freeway with 5 minutes to spare (I'm not making this up!)….
-we stop for dinner (are we crazy or what?), go back to house get luggage and leave for LAX
-we arrive in plenty of time to an empty Tom Bradley and I take a deep breath as Stephanie and I walk up to the Korean Air ticket counter (this is the moment...months in the making, do or die, you understand)….
-I have all my paperwork in a folder very organized:
$50,000 ins. CHECKED
Visa CHECKED
$3000 cash CHECKED
Covid-19 Negative results CHECKED
-The agent starts putting boarding passes together and I feel my body relaxing and I joke with her that I'm organized and ready to be checked in Seoul...she says the magic words, "Oh! no, you're fine, you're checked through to Cambodia.  You'll have to show the Cambodians everything, but you're fine."  I want to hug her, but I know it's not appropriate so I hug and start to cry with Stephanie....

 

 

 

I'm on the plane and it's a third full with the flight attendants in semi Hazmat suits with goggles.  When I can, I order a glass of wine!!!

 

 

Sunday, July 19: Incheon Airport, Seoul: I have flown into this airport many times when I was teaching in Mongolia.  I have never seen it this empty.  Mainly airport personnel walking around.  Many stores were open, but no customers.  Departure board virtually empty.  Planes just sitting on the tarmac.  I hope you can open up the video with the robot (mentioned in my last blog).

 

Sunday, July 19 at 10pm: arrive Phnom Penh Airport, Cambodia: I take a deep breath as I gather my belongings and head out to what I know will be a long ordeal.  The Cambodians have spent about two months perfecting this procedure, but it's still overwhelming (Cambodia has a pop. of 16,000,000 with 170 cases and NO deaths)...they are doing a great job:

-Covid-19 Negative results CHECKED

-$3000 cash CHECKED with receipt

-Visa and passport CHECKED and kept

*a note: I swear no one checked my $50,000 insurance???

-testing for Covid-19 throat swab and nose swab (I think it went into my brain), I'm gagging

-paperwork flying/stations everywhere and it seems like they all want to see my boarding pass and seat assignment (Oh! they're tracking...good job!)

-luggage recovered

-waiting in line for bus to take us to hotel until results come back (making friends with fellow passengers, trying to stay awake)

-arrive hotel and very nice...finally get up to my room...I think it's around 1am Monday:(

-we are told test results will come back on Tuesday and if everyone tests negative we can go to our own places, BUT still under self quarantine which means only go out for groceries

-OOPS...one person tested positive so we have to stay at this hotel for 13 days, Aug.1 and CANNOT leave and no visitors, our temperatures are taken twice a day by health workers...like I said the Cambodians are taking this seriously. 

-My principal delivers food to me:):):)

 

-Today is Saturday, July 25 and I think DAY 7 or could be 6...I guess I'll find out!

 

 

Please see photos below of the hotel.  The staff have been incredible, friendly and just so very nice.  Once August 1 comes and hopefully all test negative, then I'll go to my apt. which is in the Russian Market area and very nice. 

 

Rooftop pool

View from my room of the Royal Palace and the Mekong River

Pool closed just yesterday due to government regulation of Covid-19.  There are several families here with kids and I felt sorry for them because the pool was a great outlet.  Oh! we even have a dog under quarantine!  And speaking of all of us expats...truly everyone has a great attitude...it's wonderful to see:) 

Beautiful lobby of the Okay Boutique Hotel

I will be teaching 4th grade at East-West International School.  As it stands now, we will only be teaching online.  Apparently, that could change at any time and the school has come up with a very viable hybrid plan.  They care for the safety of children and teachers!!!

 

FINGERS CROSSED EVERYONE TESTS NEGATIVE!!!

PS Those flags are waving.................