Takeo

Ahhh....so long since I have updated you on our journey... for this I apologize... I must also add this blog may have many of errors, but I write with exhaustion weighing me down... I can't keep up with the excitement here! haha... I hope you enjoy :)

Takeo..... the province in which Bong was born.

Our journey began mid-day heading over from Phenom Penh to Takeo to meet many of Bong's aunts, uncles, and cousins. We set out on the hot road for our 3 hour ride. Bong and I sit in the bed of the truck with 3 of his cousins. Along the way we stop for some snacks.... you know, the usual.....beetles, field insects, ants, frogs. Needless to say, I skipped out :) Bong, on the other hand, scarfed down 2 frogs as if it might have been an oreo blizzard from Dairy Queen! (that pig)

We arrive to their home located way out in the countryside. I had the opportunity to meet some fantastic people. While only few speak good English, they all made a point to welcome me and allow me to feel as if I were at my own home. The one thing that stood out to me so clearly, was how genuinely happy these people are. They laugh, chat, and all help one another with a smile. The child of one, is the child of all. The respect between family members in built into the language, but is also very obvious to me (even though I don't fully comprehend what is being said).

Before we left on our journey to Cambodia, Daniel (our brother in law) said something very important to us. He said something along the lines of how amazing the experience for him was because you actually get to be part of their living. You get to experience their everyday life. I know I have said this often in other blogs, but seeing this and being apart of their lives has opened my eyes to a world outside of my own. Being able to share in the everyday living of Bong's family has been an amazing experience that I only wish everyone could have.

Bong and I are dropped off at a nearby guest house... I awake in the morning with so many mosquito bites that one might confuse me with an actual mosquito bite....I do not lie. We are picked up early in the morning and head back to their home. The ENTIRE family piles into one van and we head off to the beach. The thing about going anywhere that is not in the city is that it requires hours of transportation. I found when you ask, "is it far?"....you often get a response that follows this... "no, not far...maybe 2 hours".

Along the way, we stop at a nearby market and pick up crab, fish, many of foods made of coconut and insects. They cook what we buy and then head about half an hour down the road to the beach. We set up on a high planked wooden sitting area where mats are placed and the feast is laid out to be eaten. An interesting thing about meals here in Cambodia is that you don't get an individual meal placed in front of you. Everyone gets a dish filled with rice and then you pick from each plate....often just eating off of the shared plate. Even the way they eat represents the unity between family.

While Reaksmey warned me that bikini's are not worn out here, I wore one just in case :) Although, it was unecessary...to show respect, I wore Bong's shorts and a tee shirt. We played in the water for a long while and then lay out to dry. As Bong and I were sitting, a beautiful Cambodian woman asked to take a photo with me. She explained in Khmar that I was a beautiful American girl (Bong translated this for me). Clearly, she has not seen too many American's :)

After leaving the beach, Bong requested we drive to the place he was born (Guri Wung). Drive. Yes. This place, we might have flown to in the states. You see, there was no real road. It was a dirt path and was "not too far". Ah, yes.... a mere 2 more hours more in the car. I really can not complain though. Along the way, Bong's oldest aunt, Om Ra, asked me to take her ring. She took it off her hand and asked that I wear it. A family heirloom, I felt so honored and accepted. As we arrive to the place, there are stories exchanged about the happy day in which Sokchan was born. He was delivered by a midwife from the village in his parent's hut. The area in which he was born is still very underdeveloped. To me, it felt as if we drove back even further in time from where we had started....but a peaceful place. It was a place a simplicity and hard work. A place of natural beauty. In fact, the reason this place is named Guri Wung is because it is surrounded by mountains forming its circular topography.

After visiting Bong's birthplace, we stopped and visited another cousin. There are no street signs, as I'm sure I do not need to point out, and direction is based on the mountains. Every time we go somewhere, it always amazes me as to how they know which way to travel.

We arrive home late that night....enjoy another night of food, laughter, and family stories (Bong and E Roth translating for me). We meet a few more family members and then head off to the guest house for our second night in Takeo.

The following day we witnessed the family business which is a printing shop. They put together ID's, Licenses, make copies and invitations. Sean coached a cousin as to how he might expand his business into opening an internet shop and spoke to him about computer information.

This journey was filled with history, emotion and excitement! It was very enjoyable to see where my husband comes from and I felt so privileged to share in the intimate family moments with his relatives.