A Restful Change in Plans

I was planning to go to visit the Bassac community and Tep Mori today, but the car broke down without notice, so I ended up waiting on the street for about an hour. As it turned out, this was a great way to watch how life unfolds on a sidewalk in Phnom Penh. Children, some just learning to walk, roamed the sidewalks with their friends. Women sat outside their shops and chatted. Moto drivers took naps on their bikes in the shade. Monks in bright orange robes frequently passed by on their to Wat Unnalom. Trucks, buses, motos, cyclos (pedicabs), bicycles, and dogs all came by.

The time passed relatively quickly. One thing I've noticed about life in Cambodia is that people never seem to be bored. When there's nothing to do, even for hours on end, this is no cause for complaint. Rest is appreciated, especially in such hot weather and with hard work to do.

Today, Parker and I are planning on visiting the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh, which offers graduate study of Buddhist philosophy. And tomorrow it looks like I'll have a chance to meet four of the CLA masters in the Bassac community, including Tep Mori, Kong Nai, Kea Mum and Im Hito--we'll see!