weekend in Kampong Cham

I spent the weekend away again, this time to visit a friend of a friend who's working as a nurse in the small riverside town of Kampong Cham. It was an amazing time to connect with a like-hearted new friend, and see more of this beautiful country.

I am constantly learning more and more about Cambodia's history, culture, and the complex dynamics of what it means to be a foreigner working here. (It's complicated. But then again, I overanalyze everything to death. But really, it's complicated. And so good to wrestle with.) It was so lovely to have a chance to wrestle through some of my questions with someone who's been here for almost a year in an entirely different work context. We had some really fun adventures as well:

We bicycled several miles through rice paddies and villages, 

walked through the the 10th century ruins of Wat Nokor, 

explored temples set upon two adjacent hills, 

(literally called "man mountain & woman mountain"--based on a local tale about an ancient competition of strength and wit between men and women; the women won, and their mountain is the tallest)

...and enjoyed meals with an amazing group of medical professionals and catholic brothers from all over the world, in the sleepy town of Kampong Cham, along the mighty Mekong River.