Yesterday, I celebrated Cambodia's independence from France with a Tuesday off from work. Apparently Cambodia doesn't do that the holiday's during the week, lets take friday/monday off sort of thing. However, having a Tuesday off made me realize that people should probably get a random day off during the week every week. I mean seriously, what's better than that?
Anyway, the celebration: This holiday marked a rare day where none of my sisters nor I had to work or go to school. After making chow mein together (my sister joked we were being Chinese on a Khmer holiday), we headed to the Phnom Penh Sports Club to go swimming. 5 bucks later and I discovered an awesome lap pool, lounging chairs, a jacuzzi, and a steam room. I had a great time getting some exercise (not an easy thing to do here) and teaching 2 of my sisters how to swim. They both can swim enough not to drown, but they are still afraid of the water. I'm so grateful for my family. Even though language and culture and 10,000 miles divide us, I'm a part of the family. They take the time to explain my presence to the million people who ask them about me. Last week, one sister told me that I filled the place of their sister who is in America with MCC this year. She also said she already knew she would miss me when I left. How great is that? It teaches me a few lessons about love and hospitality, that's for sure. What I'm trying to say is that, relationships that happen cross culturally, against all odds, are beautiful. I just love feeling their love for me.
After swimming, we grabbed dinner at the market- a pho like soup, but with Khmer noodles. (short, thick, and white) Then we headed to the riverside to watch fireworks. The traffic was incredible, everyone was doing the same thing as us. As I rode on the back of Phealy's moto, I was so happy to be safe with her. I could rely on her driving skills and take in the scenery. After a pretty impressive fireworks display, we headed to a place a ton of young people hang out and dance every night. In a big open space by some statues and fountains, people set up speakers and lead dance/aerobic classes. Tons of people join in, paying about 25 cents to dance along. There must have been 8 or 9 groups of 50, 60 people each dancing to every Korean pop song I've ever heard. The place was more packed than usual because of the holiday. It was such a rush to be in the crowd, feeling like a cool foreigner because I had a Khmer family. We didn't dance (my sisters were too nervous about people watching them) but enjoyed the music and walked around. As I looked at these hundreds of young people, I realized that this is the generation that will see Cambodia developed. This is the first generation to have opportunities in a long, long time. I totally believe they will change Cambodia. The energy was just irresistible.
Its hard to describe the whole scene, but let me end by saying that the word Cambodia brings a lot of different things to mind for people- genocide, poverty, war, refugees, or maybe nothing at all or maybe "is that in Africa somewhere?" but Cambodia is also youth and energy and hope and change and a future. Standing in the middle of that crowd last night, I got a beautiful glimpse of all the good things Cambodia is and will be.
And seriously any country where the plot of any of the Step Up movies could actually happen should probably be a world power. . . : )
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