The Escape

My guess is that I lived around 1-3 months in Oddar Meachey before

the Khmer Rouge captured Battambong. I don't know if there were

any communication links between Oddar Meanchey and Battambong.

I had my doubts if there were, other than mail by air or jungle trek.

At this time Oun Iem was back in Battambong. I'm sure people

were keenly aware and keeping post of any report of impending

Khmer Rouge activity heading our way by the way we came in.

Our first report came as a false report; nevertheless, we took no

chances of being caught by them. We loaded up our possessions that

were valuable to us and prepared to leave and barred up the

rest in the apartment. I was at the farm and someone was sent to

get me. We ended up not leaving at that time.

The people that I was with were well-to-do people. I just don't know

what their rank and file were to the Cambodian government, if any.

Or if they knew the Khmer Rouge ideology and what they

would do once they took control of the country. So to flee from being

under their tyrany was the smartest thing to do to save their lives.

Because what the Khmer Rouge did once they got control of the

country was to kill all the intellectuals and tried to re-educate the

peasants to do what they thought would make Cambodia like its

glorious past.

About a week later, the news came again. And this time it was real.

Again I was at the farm. It was getting to be toward the end of the

day and I decided to leave the farm and head home by taking a

shortcut through the woods instead of using the main road. When

I got home, here they had already loaded and were ready to roll toward

Thailand. Their plan was to pick me up on the way out since that

was enroute. Maybe it was in haste to get out that they didn't have

time to send for me. I can't remember what we had going. I was

riding in a tractor wagon. There might have been two tractor wagons
and a car.

The scenario could have been like this:

They could have left, heading in the direction of the farm. Once

they reached the road that runs to the farm, someone would

have been dispatched to get me while the rest were waiting at the main

road for our return. From there we would be on our way out of the country.

What if that was off timing? I would have left the farm and took the

short-cut (which I did and came out to the main road that came

from Oddar Mancheay to Thailand). And they would have already gone

past the exit point of the short-cut. I would be continuing on my way

home and they on their way to Thailand. Of course, the neigbhors

would let me know that they had left and I would reverse my course

to try to catch up with them. And the one that was

sent for me would have had to figure out where I was. Since I wouldn't be

at the farm there would be only one option, that I probably had gone home
and taken the short-cut since they didn't see me on the main road.
He would search the short-cut and hope to track me down before I went

all the way home. There are at least 3-5 miles between the farm and home.

In my haste to catch up I could have passed the exit of the short-cut,

and he would have been bewildered whether or not to go all the way home

since I was not found on the trail. Since time was of the essence, any

delay was compounded by fear that the Khmer Rouge could be

on our trail too. But I'm glad that the timing was not off, but almost

perfect.

Looming War

All this time the civil war was raging in the background between
the Khmer Rouge and Lon Nol government to the east of us.
Back in Battambong before we left, the Khmer Rouge insurgents
would shell into the city from their hideouts. Their aim was to damage
the airport. But the rockets landed wherever they fell. When this happened
we took refuged in our bomb shelter, hoping and praying that one
would not land on us. The shelling was always done in the night time.

The enemies blended themselves with the common villagers during
the day and did their damage in the night. I've seen people with blown-off
limbs and their lives hanging in the balance as they made their
escape toward Battambong. Once the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom
Penh, all hope was gone. Battambong was their next target and that meant
us.They made their conquest from east to west. Toward the western
border is more forest for a better chance of escape before the forest
was riddled with land mines later on, when they tried to cut people off from
reaching Thailand.

Each family was given weapons to protect themselves. The weapons I
assumed came from the U.S side. Before we were defeated, men were
assigned to patrol at night for enemies running loose among us. Fights
did break out during the nights. Flares would light up the night sky to
help rout out the enemies. I used an M-16 and tried to bring down a dove.
I missed the bird and I hope I hit a KR beyond the target. I think he's
the one that killed my girlfriend with whom I was in love back then.

Yes, seeing planes dropping bombs supposedly on the enemies was
almost a daily occurance. Bombers would take off from the Battambong
airport headed toward their target which was not far away. I could see
them diving to release their payloads and hear the rumble and see the
smoke rising in the distance. I remember thinking to myself while out
there planting rice, 'What is the use to continue planting if the war is just
beyond the fence? Our effort will all be for loss anyway.'

I was fascinated about airplanes. Seeing those fighters flying in
formation and splitting off before landing was some show to watch.
Yet with air power that we had, we failed to stop the opposing force.
Many lives suffered and died from the ruthless enemy called Khmer
Rouge (Red Khmer). They held the Communist view ideology.
After they took control of the country, the light kind of went out in
Cambodia. Four years of silence to the outside world. What were
they up to? Do you want to know? See the movie called The Killing
Fields. That is a good starting point.

Cambodia past history

Life at Oddar Meanchey

Oddar Meanchey is a province. There is a good sized lake for
people to cool off during the heat of the day. We were not close to
the lake, maybe 2 miles away. Once in awhile we took a leisure
drive to town to see the lake.

Since Oddar Meanchey is close to Thai boarder, I assume there
were trade goods coming in and going out. The farm was situated
that I could see traffic coming and going. Just a note: houses are not
built on stilts, because we are not near the flood plain. Still they may
be elevated to keep the domestic animals and snakes out. The complex
apartment of ours was not elevated.

My duties here were to protect the farm produce from thieves
during the day time. During the night they can help themselves.
I was too young to cut down trees and put them in the fire. I did some
burning with what was available to burn. Most of the time I was alone. I did
handle customers who came to buy potatoes. The distance from home
to the farm is somewhere between 3 and 5 miles. A road runs along the property
for easy access that connected to the road that leads to Thailand. I either
walked or biked. Once in awhile I would take what we call a 'molad.' It's
a bike with a motor. I think I ended up pedaling it instead of letting the motor
propel me forward. I must have choked it to death, because it would not
run for me. What did I know about small engines? And it was harder to
to pedal on the deep powder clay road.

My other duty was to massage the body and legs of this head man
that we lived under. From what I remember of him he looked too much
like a French man with sharp big nose. I got along with every one. They
never mistreated me in anyway. I think my brothers would have been
envious of my status of life with these people. I was a willing 'servant.'

The beginning of the journey

If you have read my story from the beginning, you would
remember that I mentioned how my journey had its beginning
when the last daughter of my aunt got married. Her name is
Seoung Veoung. She married a man named Oun Iem. The
marriage was arranged by the parents. That was how marriage
was usually done.

I think that was the only wedding I had ever been to, because it was
unavoidable. There was a live band and plenty of food and drinks
to last through the day and night. I didn't get to dance because I was shy.
For what I know about Cambodian weddings is that the whole
village basically came. OK, maybe I'm exagerating, but it appeared
that way.

Oun Iem was a military man of some of some sort. There were
at least three factions within the Cambodian political arena. I have
no idea which one he belonged to. He was from a station up west
near Thailand boarder. I consulted the map and saw that there are two
places that sound similar. One is Banteay Meanchey and the second
is Oddar Meanchey. I think we were at Oddar Meanchey. It has an
airport for faster access to this remote place.
Otherwise we got there by dirt roads through the jungle.
It was an adventure for me. I always wanted to go into the jungle
when I was young.

Seoung Veoung need to relocate to this place after her marriage
to Oun Iem. He was with a military group stationed here at Oddar
Meanchey, living in an apartment complex with four other families.

The head leader of this military group was in need of someone
who was capable of looking after a plantation that had been
established there. Maybe it is more proper to say it was farm
land that needed to be cultivated and cleared off by slash and burn.
There were root potatoes already planted and harvestable
when I came on the scene.

Oun lem asked for one of her brothers to come with her, but they were
busy in their schooling. So they must have asked me if I would like
to come along and be that helper that they had need of. I don't
think I hesitated a minute to go. This was my chance for getting
away from my family. I assume that they did let my folks know later
of my departure to go live with these people that I never knew
before. All of these events were an adventure for me. Going back
to my family was never a concern for me. I don't know if they were
concerned for my welfare. I was in good hands with these people.
When it came time to leave, Seoung Veoung and I were planning
on boarding a plane in Battambong and flying into Oddar Meachey
without her husband. He was planning to come later with a military
caravan through the jungle dirt roads. But something happened, I
know not what. We missed the flight or there was no flight as was
thought, so we had to travel with the caravan after all.

While we were waiting for our departure, the caravan was
gathering the neccessary supplies to put onboard the trucks to
make this trek through the jungle. We pulled our roots from our home
turf and moved from place to place, living some in Battambong.
This was in the city and some other outlying areas. This was beyond
my wildest dream, if I had one back then. I got to ride in a car!
Remember, I was just a poor fellow with limited education. Status
is very important in Cambodian culture. And here I was tagging along
with prominent people of higher class.

After about one week or more, moving from one place to the next,
we started our long awaited journey through the jungle, heading
to our destination. There were at least 10 trucks with canvas cover
traveling together, carrying supplies and I assume weapons also.
The trip was not boring. I took in every sight and sound. I was looking
for monkeys and wild tigers. I can't remember of seeing any, especially
monkeys. There were people living along the route in these remote
places away from civilization. We had some challenges of crossing
river bottoms without getting stuck. It took us two days to reach our
destination. I wish I could remember more in detail to make a better
story. But it was an adventure I'll never forget. I would love to make that
trek again if possible in the near future. I think I was the only boy and
Seoung was the only woman onboard.

Where do all the fish come from?

In Cambodia there is a big lake called Tonle Sap Lake. It flows
into the Mekong River. During the dry season the lake could get
very low. And those who live on the lake by means of house
boats would literally get stuck in the mud.

A natural phenomenon happens every year during spring
time. The Mekong River has it beginning in China.
As the snow melts off the mountain tops in the colder climate
areas, it feeds into the Mekong River as it flows down south
toward the China Sea. As it reaches the Delta area in South
Vietnam, the water becomes congested (bottled up).
It starts flowing backwards up the Mekong River and into
the Tonle Sap River into the Tonle Sap Lake. The lake would
expand 6-10 times its size and flood all the low-lying areas.

This is what brought the freshwater fish up the river into the
Tonle Sap Lake, making it the only lake in the
world teaming with freshwater fish from South China Sea.

Since I was not too far from the lake, we would have been
part of the low lying area covered by water during this
natural occurance. All the rivers that empty into the lake
during this time will receive her blessing of water and fish
as it makes its course up the river. Most rivers will be dry until
this happens. I assume this; I could be wrong. I lived near a river
both at my father's place and my aunt's place.
I know they go dry, except for ponds in the middle of the river.
And it is no fun to ford a raging river.

Divine mystery

I'm moved to write because I am certain that a 'divine' power was
working in my life even though I didn't realize it back then. Now, as
a believer in Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMasiah), I give him honor
for showing me his lovingkindness and tender mercy by forgiving
me of all my sins.

By the space of two years

I think that it was about two years of living off and on with my aunt's
family as my second home. I don't recall having to be spanked
for misbehavior. Maybe none of my cousins ever got a licking
from their parents at all. I'll ask them when I get to Cambodia.

I did a lot more fishing and hunting while living with my family compared to
my cousin's place. They were more into pursuing education than fishing
and hunting like my family did. And growing fruits and vegetables was
their main livelihood. I did some fishing and trapping while living with them.

I was more an 'expert' when it came to hunting and fishing. I made fish
traps by digging a hole into the river bank vertically, devising a trigger
mechanism to a trap door made out of plank wood, that when the fish
is inside the hole it would trip the trigger and trap it inside. The top
is covered with flat boards and camouflage so the fish would feel safe
if it wants to go in looking for a safe place to lay its eggs. But sorry to
say, I don't think I had much success in that river that I was trapping.

We did go on fish hunts during the night when it is raining hard or after
it had rained. That was when fish would come out of the main river and large
ponds, migrating to wherever think they are going and exposing themselves
to predators like me and my cousins. Most of the time the species of
fish are smaller fish, like catfish and a fish similar to bluegill and
other kinds that I can't name.

Frog hunting is also common. During the rainy season, frogs seem to
come out of the ground. Of course, it is mating season, and the nights
are filled with their love songs, just like springtime in America in the
Northern region of the country. We Cambodians eat most of the frog,
not just the legs. Same thing with fish: we pick it to the bone and very little
goes to waste.

My aunt's family are religious people, so we took time to go to temple
and offered appropiate offerings at the appointed time.

Learning to ride bike

This is where I learned how to ride a bicycle. I didn't have
training wheels; nobody did. By using the natural slope from
the house to the river bank I would coast down and try to
balance without having to peddle. There is a road that runs
parallel with the river edge, I suppose to make a turn without
ending down at the bottom of the river. In this case, the river was
dry, because that's where I ended up many times.

After I harnessed the skill that was needed to ride a bike, I had
many adventures with my cousins and friends on trips to different
villages and temples in the regional areas. This would be during
the dry season. I had so much fun just going riding, but I hate dogs
coming after my legs. Who doesn't?

I was the only one out of my family that knew how to ride a bike
at the time, and we didn't have a bike of our own. I remember
riding home from my aunt's place by myself on a paved
road part way and then turning off onto dirt roads. I made it home
ok without a monkey jumping on my back along the way. It was
scary not really knowing if I could find my way there. I'm not sure
how I made my return trip. Might have been by cross country walking
the bike back, or by train with the bike going a different route.

Flavor drink for my aunt

I really liked living with my aunt's family. I felt at home. None of her
family members ever gave me a hard time as in harassing me to
leave. I was her special "servant" when it came to a certain flavor
of drink that her children wouldn't want to get for her. When she was
under its influence, they didn't like her behavior. I was a willing
agent to get it for her from a nearby merchant. No wonder she
didn't mind having me around.

Every time I went back to my own family, I always went with a $20
bill with me. That meant a lot in those days. Now, I can't recall if
that money was for me or for my parents. I know I dreaded having
to go back to my own home. Now I know I was destined to be up-
rooted from my own country.

My aunt was what I would consider a 'merchant' woman. History
tells me that Cambodian women are in charge of business affairs.
At the market place a person won't find many male merchants.
Unless it is something pertaining to machinery of sort.

They had fruit and vegetable farms that I helped to tend in
season. That would include planting rice. There was no lack
of work for sure. I don't think I complained much about having to help.

I can't remember if any of my other brothers ever came to stay
with them. They might have came only to escort me back home.
I was never homesick. Life was better there with my aunt's
family. All my needs were met. And I got to go into Battambong
once before the country was over-thrown by the Khmer Rouge.
Being in Battambong was a big deal to a country boy.

Hold it. I was in Battambong before this, with my whole family
and other people from our village, to a celebration of fire works.
It was awsome. I never saw anything like that before. But we
didn't stay, we traveled back home in the dark after the event.
I believe we hitched oxen to a cart wagon to take us there
and back, being that it was night and long distance. I'm sure
most of the young ones were asleep on the return trip.

I can still hear the singing of the shaft on the cart wagon created by
friction from wood rubbing on wood under the heavy load.
Beeswax was applied to help eliminate this 'whinning'. But actually,
it has a musical tone to it. Better than hip hop and rap...

Culture and Arts

I will stick a video in between posts to give you readers a
little more of Cambodian culture and arts. The video below
is about young Khmer girls doing their 'girls' only dance.
Enjoy the show!

Touch SreyNich--Neary JeaJour

Enjoying life at my aunt's place

My aunt had many children like my father. The two youngest boys
were about my age. And we got along just great. All her children
were required to attend school. At the time I was staying with them,
some of the older ones had gotten married. But four were still at
home: one girl and three boys. The girl got married and....a new
chapter of my life started right after this change in her life.

Though I went to school at my own village, I was not attending classes
with any of my cousins. They reinforced my learning when they
would do their multiplication tables out loud or the alphabet letters
and spelling out words. Ha, I didn't have to have a spanking if I didn't
do it right. I'm about sure that they played teacher on me and would
love to give me a spanking for mistakes I made. This was the norm of
correction I would receive when attending school. No wonder I didn't
like school. Boy, don't they need this kind of discipline in American
schools today?

Resources were limited for schooling. I don't think there was such a
thing as the library. Maybe in the inner city schools, they may have
more books to take home to read and a library. This would include
the school that my cousins were attending, since they were at the
outskirts of Battambong.

A way from home

There were not many relations that I could relate to,
only one aunt. And it was through this one aunt that 'A Journey Beyond
The Sea' began.

My aunt and her family were well to do people. They lived in a
modern house with tin roof and concrete foundation, but still built
on stilts for high waters during the flooding season, being near
a river.

We lived far apart--far apart being 8-10 miles away from each other.
They had bicycles and motorcycles and we had none. Having a
bicycle and a motorcycle back then was considered "class" in
transportation, compared to walking.

Now from the beginning of my journey, I never gave the location that I
came from in Cambodia. For those who may be Khmer,
I was from O Sa Louv. Whether that is a "Poom or Village" you decide.
My aunt's family was from near Battambong outlying area. Just a
matter of a few miles to the city. Battambong is the second largest
city and Phnom Penh is the largest.