What the Country Said

Waking at six in the morn to grey sky and colourful sounds made the rest of the day even more unreal. The Tonle Sap River begged come, come ride my waters, come see Cambodia.

A celebration of the Lunar New Year was the morning bell for Wednesday. Children under dragon costume, wiggled down the street in Phenon Phen. Drum beat, their feet, rang it in.

We listened to the river. We got on board, watched the sun rise, marveled sleepily. This was our second greeting from the country.

We watched from the boat, survivors without legs, missing one arm rowing boats, sun on their accepting faces; children in barefeet, in rags, happily waving from farm land; children cleaning up their country-side.

We watched as the Cambodian people paddled, fished, lived their lives. In these few hours my own life became so drastically different.