Atlanta, Georgia USA - Short trip back to tie up loose ends...
Since I last blogged I have been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of New Future for Children (NFC), had arthroscopic surgery on my knee in Bangkok and returned to the USA for a short period of time. Here in the USA I am starting a non-profit organization to help fund NFC, earning some money doing contract work for my former employer, helping to create a web site for NFC and making final decisions about what to do with the possessions that I still have in the USA. I believe this will be my last major trip to the USA for quite some time. I will be returning to Cambodia in September. I plan to be in Cambodia for at least 2-years. After that I will be living in SE Asia for the rest of my life, though I an not sure which country.
The family that I rent an apartment from in Phnom Penh gave me a ride to the airport in their brother's car on July 16th. That was a nice send off! I headed to Bangkok to have my knee examined and see about surgery before my return to the USA.
On Monday in Bangkok I went to Bumrungrad Hospital and had an MRI which confirmed the diagnosis I had previously been given of a torn meniscus in my right knee. Surgery was scheduled for Wednesday. My friend Korn accompanied me to the hospital and stayed the night after I had the surgery on a couch in my hospital room. The surgery went well, I was walking and released from the hospital the next day.
The following Sunday, July 22nd I took a flight to the USA via Seoul, Korea. The flights were pleasant, I got to catch up by watching current movies on the individual screens that were supplied even in coach class!
I moved into a downstairs room/apartment that I'm renting from a friend in the Morningside section of downtown Atlanta. My friend Tony helped me move my stuff from storage at another friends house to here and I am starting the process of deciding what to do with it all.
My vision has gotten significantly worse, so I had an eye exam and was told that I have a cataract in the left eye. They recommended surgery to remove it and replacing the lens with an artificial lens implant. They also recommended lens replacement for the right eye. It is quite expensive in the USA. I am planning on having it done in Thailand on my way back to Cambodia.
I have started working on creating a non-profit organization to help fund New Future for Children. I plan to call it the "New Future for Children Foundation USA". I am hoping that others in the U.K., Australia and Canada might start similar organizations. People at the church I am a member of, U.C.C. Church of the Savior, have been great in volunteering to be the volunteer staff of the new organization.
To be honest, it is at the same time both familiar and strange to be back here in the USA. I am happy to meet with friends, but am no longer really connected with their lives. Even amid the chaos of these countries I am much happier to be in Cambodia or Thailand. I miss the children and staff at NFC and my life there.
Since I last blogged I have been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of New Future for Children (NFC), had arthroscopic surgery on my knee in Bangkok and returned to the USA for a short period of time. Here in the USA I am starting a non-profit organization to help fund NFC, earning some money doing contract work for my former employer, helping to create a web site for NFC and making final decisions about what to do with the possessions that I still have in the USA. I believe this will be my last major trip to the USA for quite some time. I will be returning to Cambodia in September. I plan to be in Cambodia for at least 2-years. After that I will be living in SE Asia for the rest of my life, though I an not sure which country.
The family that I rent an apartment from in Phnom Penh gave me a ride to the airport in their brother's car on July 16th. That was a nice send off! I headed to Bangkok to have my knee examined and see about surgery before my return to the USA.
On Monday in Bangkok I went to Bumrungrad Hospital and had an MRI which confirmed the diagnosis I had previously been given of a torn meniscus in my right knee. Surgery was scheduled for Wednesday. My friend Korn accompanied me to the hospital and stayed the night after I had the surgery on a couch in my hospital room. The surgery went well, I was walking and released from the hospital the next day.
The following Sunday, July 22nd I took a flight to the USA via Seoul, Korea. The flights were pleasant, I got to catch up by watching current movies on the individual screens that were supplied even in coach class!
I moved into a downstairs room/apartment that I'm renting from a friend in the Morningside section of downtown Atlanta. My friend Tony helped me move my stuff from storage at another friends house to here and I am starting the process of deciding what to do with it all.
My vision has gotten significantly worse, so I had an eye exam and was told that I have a cataract in the left eye. They recommended surgery to remove it and replacing the lens with an artificial lens implant. They also recommended lens replacement for the right eye. It is quite expensive in the USA. I am planning on having it done in Thailand on my way back to Cambodia.
I have started working on creating a non-profit organization to help fund New Future for Children. I plan to call it the "New Future for Children Foundation USA". I am hoping that others in the U.K., Australia and Canada might start similar organizations. People at the church I am a member of, U.C.C. Church of the Savior, have been great in volunteering to be the volunteer staff of the new organization.
To be honest, it is at the same time both familiar and strange to be back here in the USA. I am happy to meet with friends, but am no longer really connected with their lives. Even amid the chaos of these countries I am much happier to be in Cambodia or Thailand. I miss the children and staff at NFC and my life there.
posted by Chris at 5:24 PM
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