Back in Cambodia

Hello from Phnom Penh… I couldn’t get online at Wat Opot, as my phone (internet-wise) has decided to be funky again – but tonight I’m online at the Green Mango, and Romain is peacefully reading his book across the table while we wait for our dinner.

All is well, very well. I’m very grateful to have had the stubbornness to come back to Cambodia before leaving SE Asia, and I’m also very grateful that Romain has come with me. We took a tuktuk around the city this evening, and my favorite moto driver, Nee, came to take my hand and to tell me that he was so, so sorry about my accident. Everyone is lovely, and I feel so much more at peace about everything that it’s almost the “goodie goodie Bonnie” of my first morphine-filled hospital days who has returned.

I said goodbye at Wat Opot this morning, and it was both painful and… not painful. The children are used to saying goodbye now, and it’s almost festive, in a way – but Nak had a very unhappy look on his face. I know he’ll be ok, but I will miss him until I can return and reassure him that just because someone goes away doesn’t mean that they’re gone forever.

Nak was, as we would say in French, “consterné”. Worried, concerned, confused… not so much sad as not understanding. But the other children knew that “goodbye” doesn’t mean forever, not any more – there are so many people who return to Wat Opot now that they know that they’ll see me again, and I them. It was festive, and affectionate, and lovely. There were a few teary eyes, but I won’t “out” anybody… it will be our secret!!!!

Little monkey Venot, female Mowgli Srey Mau, charming Srey Nak, puzzled and monkey Socheat, earnest and mature Pesai, the older girls who told me in their quiet, non-demonstrative way that they do approve… They will follow their path, and our paths will converge again.

I won’t speak of the adults; it’s too complex, and they’re all so involved in following THEIR own paths that it will be fascinating and wonderful to hear about their adventures as they live them.

Meanwhile, we discover the city – Romain discovers, and I re-discover… and the food has come.

Much love to all….

XOXOXOX

Bonnie