Photo taken near the Thai border in Poi Pet.
It's almost time to get on the plane again.
I've found in my life that whenever it's time to move on I throw all of my energy into looking toward the next thing. I get excited about what's coming rather than avoiding the change or wanting to stay where I am. This makes transitions easier, but it also means I have to work hard to continue experiencing the present. As it has been getting closer to the end of my time here I have been looking forward to going home but also doing my best to savor the remaining moments I have here.
This last stretch of the trip has involved a lot of just living life day to day. Not quite so many crazy adventures, though we did spend a weekend in Siem Reap...but not always so fast paced as the beginning. I have really appreciate being immersed in the real life rhythm of Phnom Penh. I feel like that is an experience you don't get unless you stay for an extended period of time.
A lot of my time has been spent at the sewing machine recently. Some styles that I am helping develop samples for involve quite a labor intensive process to create the fabric before the garment can be made. This has meant that I have spent several days downstairs in the sewing area, and that has been quite a special experience. Of course, I spend most of my time sitting quietly just sewing...listening to the very consistent and lively conversations of the Tonle ladies. They are hilariously goofy, sassy, and spirited. They are constantly picking on each other in good fun and sneaking up on the people who give the best reactions when spooked. Yells, laughter, and people talking over each other are the typical sounds of the day. I even started to be included in the snack sharing and discovered some fun new street foods as a result!
Below I added a little sound recording of what the sewing area sounds like on a normal day...Khmer music in the background, sewing machines buzzing, and ladies chatting. Just to give you a multimedia representation of what my experience has been like here!
On the bus to Siem Reap
Angkor Wat!
Waiting in line to cross over to Thailand
The line...about 15 lines actually...
These photos are from our trip to Siem Reap! I had to do a Thailand border crossing to renew my Visa and we spent a couple days doing some sightseeing.
Siem Reap is a place where tourists tend to spend a lot of their time. It's clear that businesses and locals are aware of the foreign presence in Siem Reap merely by the fact that tuk tuk rides cost twice as much as in Phnom Penh. The tuk tuk drivers there also speak better english and so can try to convince you to do things that weren't necessarily on your agenda for the day haha.
The highlight of that trip was definitely the temples. It's what everyone goes to Siem Reap for and it's quite expensive, but was seriously worth it. Being in and being able to touch and explore those temples was absolutely stunning.
Since the Siem Reap trip, life has stayed fairly routine. I'm now barely two days away from going back to Canada and I can tell my body isn't aware that I'm leaving so soon. I know I'm getting on that plane but it's going to be a shock when I actually do. The projects back home are already piling up...but the fact that they belong to another continent still makes their urgency feel distant. It will be bittersweet to leave. A lot happened here in a short amount of time. It was almost like a fast track program to continued self discovery and many other realizations. I learned about myself as much as or maybe even more than anything else. I met amazing people, saw amazing things, and did things that 10 year old me would never have thought I would do. I can't wait to step back into the context of my old existence with this new and altered frame of reference. I can't wait to see where this energy propels me...likely to my bed for the first week to recuperate and process...but after that, who knows.
Well...I have some ideas. Hehe.
Well...I have some ideas. Hehe.
A man walking his cow.
Russian Market Fashion
A cat sleeping at the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum.
The mattress factory fire preceded by much garbage.
A fire at a local mattress factory. This view is from the balcony at Tonle.
One last thing I had to do before I left the country was visit the S21 Prison Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields. I put it off for a long time...probably because I knew it would be heavy and difficult. Not quite the same as most other weekend tourist activities. Photos were not permitted in the Prison/Genocide Museum (yes I did pull out my phone for the cat), but I did take a few at the Killing Fields (shown below).
If you aren't aware of the genocide that happened in Cambodia, I would highly recommend doing a bit of research. It's hard to even know how to comment on it. The museum and monument that have been established in its wake are beautiful, respectful tributes to the horrendous suffering and brutality that occurred here in the recent past.
It was hard to experience. My body actually started shutting down near the end of the Prison tour. The rooms and audio stories got progressively more gruesome as they went on, and I became unable to stay inside them for very long. I would walk in and look around and then notice my vision beginning to black out from the outside edges towards the middle. Before I got too lightheaded I had to quickly leave whatever room I was in and find a place to sit so I wouldn't faint. It doesn't take much to make me faint but still...that likely still gives you an idea of the poignancy and intensity of the prison. I did ultimately get through the whole thing.
The Killing Fields were still devastating but I did not react as intensely. Many if not all prisoners from the S21 Prison in Phnom Penh were taken to these Killing Fields (about a 40 minute drive out of the city) to be clubbed to death and dumped into mass graves. The only real reason for their deaths being paranoia and thirst for control. Some of the mass graves have been emptied and are now a memorial site
Uncovered mass graves.
The area where many mass graves remain untouched, covered by water.
Pathway within the Killing Fields memorial area
More uncovered mass graves
Inside the monument.
Well that's it. That's the last update from Cambodia! Soon I will be able to talk to many of you in person again. I hope September is treating you all well so far, and that you have enjoyed hearing about all my musings as I have been on this adventure.
I will be heading back home to Vancouver right away, and will be visiting the Edmonton area in October. I look forward to seeing you all and hearing how life has been back in North America while I've been away :)
Love, Hannah
Oh...PS....one of my goals for the near future is to invest a lot more energy into client photography and I have put together a brand new website to that end. Feel free to check it out, and if you or someone you know is in need of a memory making session sometime soon then by all means, let me know/send them my way!
I'm updating my email list so if you would like to continue to be part of it, or be a part of it for the first time, click on the button below!