Anywhere But Here (Part 3)

Fear.

It's not something I'm use to, but the day I left Malaysia it was all I could really feel. Try meeting your family for the first time and you'll have the same kind of trepidation that was plaguing me. Imagine having to spend a month among fifty or more strangers and not not having the ability to clearly communicate with them.

Other than the language barrier I was just plain afraid me and my family would not like one another. I've always been agitated by other Cambodians I couldn't communicate with, most of the time it's because they would just laugh and you'd expect they weren't saying the most pleasant things about you. What can I say, I know how some of them work.

I won't forget being on the plane, staring out the window and see the lush green rolling hills of Malaysia pass by, then nothing but ocean until it became nothing more than brown dirt. Cambodia was anything but clean, and lush as the country side of most other countries. Knowing the history of the country I couldn't help but feel bad that I've gotten off easier living in Canada since I was like two.

Most people wouldn't expect me to handle the food, customs and people well, especially by myself. However I proved to be pretty resilient over the month I spent in my home country. Truth be told I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, so I've never set a foot in Cambodia.

What I learned most was that I was able to get along with my family, but I will admit I felt like a walking ATM some times. I didn't mind paying for food and accommodation for my family travelling with me, most times there was well over fifteen people at any given time. It was only natural to get closer to some family members than others, one of which I left my computer behind with.

I don't have a lot of personal belongings, but I felt like I was blessed with so much more than my cousins, so I didn't have a second thought leaving what I could behind for them. I'm just hoping it was enough.

This time leaving wasn't as bad, because there was a sense of love in the air from my family and knowing that up next I would have more friends to see, that I haven't got to be around with for years. So this time when I left I didn't feel lonely, my heart was a little fuller now.

Australia was one of my more brief stops, but I got to spend time with my old high school friend Mike who had gone to New South Wales to teach. My time with Mike was more a chance to catch up on sleep and recharge my batteries and get to be more of a traditional tourist, running around the opera house and eating kangaroo.

The time down under really flew by and soon I left yet another dear friend at the train station and was on my way to meet up with another “sister”...

What can I say about my Kiwi sista. She had come over to Canada as an exchange student, naturally when she was over at my house I thought she was visiting my actual sister. Little did I know, after a month or two after never leaving and just sleeping over... she had actually moved in for the remainder of her stay.

This is just a sign to how oblivious I am to things.

Honestly I doubt I even realized it until the day she had to go back to New Zealand. So after spending a few days in Auckland I was making my way to her family's farm in Te Puke. So there I was sitting on the couch when she came in, still as bright and smiley as ever. All she could say was how weird it was that I was there, after all it had been some years. Add in the fact I haven't really aged in sometime (if it could only stay that way) and it was sort of a time warp for her.

The next two weeks with her was some of the best I had just exploring as much of the north island of New Zealand, hiking, hanging out at the beach. She also introduced me to my favourite place in the world and there is no one better to be there with. Time to time it makes me sad that I can only replay it in my head, and not actually be running around there with her...

My favourite night was when we went out for dinner at a Cambodia restaurant in Wellington and saw Alice in Wonderland at an old fashion theatre. I was full, entertained and with the best company I could have anywhere in the world.

Sadly it all had to come to an end when I had to make my way to the south island...alone. Once again I was leaving another friend, I remember how naturally beautiful she was. Neither of us really made ourselves up, but its always sad to leave a pretty girl, especially another “sister”. The only bright side was that I wasn't leaving someone at a train station... this time it was by ferry!

Instead of flying over the water I was riding on it.

Once again I was on my own, but this time I was more ready then ever when I circled New Zealand's south island, and hung around California. It was late April, or early May I made it back home. As much fun as I had around the world, I was still missing a lot back home, and someone else... so eventually I was too tired to be away much longer and home was just a stones throw away.