Orienting new international workers is my favorite part of our role as Reps. Yes, its very busy with many trainings and logistics, but the energy they bring to our team is infectious, as is the joy of the national staff when they see, again, that international people really do want to come to Cambodia. As the weeks unfold and they learn and grow into their positions and the culture, I get to fall in love with this country all over again through their experiences. Common challenges are food, traffic and language at first so we spend the most time in our first weeks tackling those items.

After a month long delay with visas, our 3 new service workers arrived on Friday. I have decided to adjust my maternity leave hours so that I can be part of their orientation. Caleb’s trial run at the office is turning into several times a week. He naps or babbles nearby while I answer emails and conduct trainings. I am aware of the huge level of privilege this is, that I can flex my work hours and bring my baby to some work activities.

MCC gives new parent leave of 12 weeks which can be divided between spouses. Charles, knowing me, has selflessly agreed to let me have all 12 weeks and to get his baby snuggles on the weekends and evenings. Fortunately, unlike in the US, I don’t have to take a pay cut during these weeks. And as I work a little bit here and there, I spread out the hours of my maternity leave, making the upcoming transition easier. Recently someone asked me about “going back” and I realized that I am very ready to be working again but I am definitely NOT ready to be away from Caleb, so having some in between time is perfect for us.

Please pray for our new service workers as they learn a lot in the next 3 months.