Yesterday was a trip highlight. My group stayed in a rural village, sleeping upstairs in a traditional Khmer house: wooden, on stilts. The rice mill is at the back of the house. The rice lay in piles on palm-frond mats near the house. Chickens and cows walked in the yard. The family was very gracious. We ate at the communal kitchen where the women prepared chicken curry, beef with thick rice noodles, and local rice.

I had the best sleep there I’ve had since I’ve been here despite the roosters and the cicadas. We drank locally made rice wine around the fire and I learned how to count to ten in Khmer. I also learned how to say hello, how are you, good bye, dear, delicious, thank you (and “no thank you” which is important because there are always people trying to sell you stuff in the cities)

I also met Cham who showed us the local swimming hole. I also learned that Cham use to a monk but not anymore. Apparently lots of boys stop being monks in their twenties because they’d prefer to get married and have children. In Cambodia there are about 30,000 monks. I see them everywhere, in their beautiful saffron-coloured robes and (at times) yellow umbrellas. They’re very striking to see. I hope to take a picture of one soon without seeming too invasive.