Happy New Year

I just realized that back home it is coming on midnight, when here in Cambodia it is 2pm New Years Day. I've been loving the new year for 14 hours now and you still have no idea what 2011 will hold for you.

I know I have said it before- but words can not do this place justice, I love Cambodia, I love the smell of the streets, I love the tuk tuks, I love the dogs and chickens, I love the dead pigs being driven around on the back of motorcycles, and I love the people.

Everywhere we have been the people are so good to us, so welcoming, so friendly. I wish you could understand but I feel like you have to be here to really know. Most of them were left with nothing after the Khmer rouge came through and destroyed temples and killed thousands of people, Cambodia lost a third of their population and this was only a few years ago. .  so it is how great they are in spite of what they have, or don't have.
(It is like in the Book of Mormon when God will send a disaster the people become more humble, I think the Cambodians are just on a different wave of the pride circle then us.)

Last night as the count down started I found myself in a sea of their smiling faces, dancing on the street with fire works crashing all around me. (this sure beats ringing in the new year with a bloody nose).
It is so different then being in a crowd of Americans, everyone is smiling and everyone is your friend, nothing to prove. You would have groups of people who were gathering together to take a picture and you find yourself walking in front of them and instead of them wanting you to get out of the way, they want you as part of the picture, and pull you in. Every time you make eye contact with a smiling face a "Happy New Year" would follow.

Maybe it is because of the alcohol they consume, maybe it is because of the take-off-your-shoes chill lifestyle, but I love it.

I went to the market alone yesterday and there was a white guy there who was not much older then me, he had think curly hair and rugged skin, and he was buying a load of groceries. It was obvious that he was staying here longer then a week or two. And I became so jealous, curious and oddly nostalgic all at the same time. What a great adventure to live here.

I want to be able to love like the Cambodians. Have nothing but a smile and be beautifully content with it.




I traded my book in phenom pen for another. Book exchanges are at all of the hostels and the thought of the entire thing is so quaint to me. To read a book, learn from it, love it, and then trade it for another book to learn from while leaving your book for the next traveler to pick up and learn from.

Taking nothing with you but knowledge, and wanting to share with others what you learned.
I think a huge part of life is letting go, and it can be a hard thing to do. Letting go of places, of habits, or people who you thought would be in your life forever. Just taking with you the lessons learned and moving on with the next book to teach you.

I've read three books in my time here, lots of time to read, to think, to analyze (and draw up bizarre parallels between book exchanges and the real world.) . . but I have incorporated 'reading more' into the new years goals, maybe it might even help me with my spelling disability.

So Happy New Year. If you found yourself with a nose bleed as the countdown started that you will know that it is merely a sign for the grand adventures the universe has in store for you in this year.
2010 has been the best year yet for me.

But then again, I think I said that last year.