Piseth wanted to go back to Southeast Asia to explore and to better understand the roots of Cambodia's history. He grew up not knowing what actually happened in a land once called “Khmer Empire” and once described by many world travelers as “Venice of the East”.
Piseth still remembers his huge mansion once stood tall in a quiet neighborhood, situated in a provincial town called Batdombang near the Thai-Cambodian borders. He remembers those days when his father returns from his military mission with entourage of his men, dressed in military uniforms with goodies, exotic foods and so much fanfare. Piseth remembers being picked up by his aunties and uncles in a military Jeep to go to the movies and boxing matches in the so called Olympic Stadium located in the heart of the city. Piseth came from a well-to-do family and had everything a little boy could ever wish for. Life was beautiful and peaceful then; especially before the civil war broke out in 1975.
With the fall of democratic government into the hands of the communist; Piseth’s family was forced to leave everything behind. They were evacuated along many other city dwellers to the collective farms about 15 kilometers in the rural areas.
Life under the communists was harsh. Piseth was recruited to join the Youth Movement and trained as a spy at the age of eleven years old. But for Piseth it was a unique and brainwashing experience.
Under the Communist rule, Piseth was separated from his parents and other three younger siblings because he was considered an elite group of “trainable youth”. He was allowed to return home only after 3 years when the Communists were forcibly driven out by the Vietnamese invading forces. To many Southeast Asian scholars, Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in late 1978 came a little too late where three million lives already lost resulted from starvation, forced labor, execution and diseases in just little over three years under the reign of terror; the Communist Khmer Rouge.
During the Vietnamese occupation, Piseth’s family like many other Cambodians continued to endure hardship. Many people thought that the communist Khmer Rouge was cruel and inhumane; but life was becoming unbearable. Vietnamese occupation did not seem to end the misfortunes and hardships. Whilst lives were sparred; the Vietnamese occupation became harsher for Piseth’s father. He was recruited into the military to fight alongside the Vietnamese to kill his own people. Many of the younger men were forcibly taken into military camps whilst the young women left behind were raped by the Vietnamese occupying forces.
It was in the fall of 1978 that Piseth’s family decided to escape Cambodia to Thailand in search of better life. A confused young man with torments written all over his face resulted by ongoing conflicts and wars. Piseth’s family finally arrived in the United States of America in 1983.
In 1992, Piseth applied and won a six month long scholarship from his university in collaboration with Chicago Institute of Asian Studies to go to Southeast Asia to study Southeast Asian politics, culture, regional security and economy. The Southeast Asian scholarship program incorporates 4 countries which includes; Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand where students were given the opportunities to immerse in the Asian cultures by staying with a host family whilst conducting their research.
Whilst in Thailand, Piseth ceases the opportunity to travel to a border town called Aranyaprathet, which was at Thai and Cambodian borders and fairly in close proximity to Batdombang province where Piseth was originally from.
Piseth was compelled to see Cambodia first hand after so many years away. He risked his life crossing in to the Cambodia’s side of the border illegally. His heartfelt emotions forced him to make his way in to the land despising the laws and ignoring the facts that he may get himself in to serious immigration trouble if he was caught.
Setting foot inside this once-bountiful land, the sight and smell of the terra tore him up inside. The devastating effects of war were shocking. It was like a thousand saws churning, cutting Piseth with no sense of remorse.
The scene of young children covered with mud and black dirt was dreadful. Their hair was grisly brown and caught the sunrays, making them appeared like animals condemned to eternal hell. Some lacked limbs, and others could barely walk, begging for foods along the highway connecting the small village of Poipet to Batdombang.
At first glance, everything seemed very foreign to him. Piseth thought they were nothing more than a delusion. The emotional feelings were difficult to put into words. The sight of such poverty filled him with shame for Piseth’s own lifestyle in America. He was torn with disbelief and anger over the leaders who made their lives so miserable. But he felt an altruism and compassion toward these, his people.
Hitching a ride on an oxcart and motorcycle taxi, Piseth finally made it to his hometown, Batdombang. Piseth kept asking himself whether he was actually in his own home. He stayed in Batdombang province visiting long-lost relatives for two days before coming back to Bangkok for his midterm exams.
On the second trip, he decided to fly into Phnom Penh for the very first time. He wanted to see for himself what the capital city was like and to conduct some personal business.
Absurd as it may sound, Piseth decided to go in disguise as a poor local because he did not want anybody to know that he was from the United States. In preparations, he packed lightly, masking the material wealth of Piseth’s western lifestyle.
Piseth then dressed up in ragged clothes bought at a Thai thrift store, wrapped his neck with an old krama– scarf normally worn by farmers. In a good Samaritan spirit, Piseth bought four cases of school supplies to donate to the local school children.
The plane departed from Bangkok International Airport at 2:30 p.m. and was expected to arrive an hour later at Phnom Penh International Airport. As the plane was cruising in the open sky, the scene seemed very serene and peaceful. Half an hour after takeoff, the captain announced that the plane would be approaching Phnom Penh International shortly.
Piseth’s heart trembled in excitement to see Phnom Penh. He took a deep breath as he suddenly saw the land and city from a distance. A scene of vast land with virtually no development appeared as the plane descended from its cruising altitude. There were a few roads here and there; huts and straw houses were briefly visible as the plane circled in a holding pattern waiting for its turn to land.
Piseth’s heart beat faster and faster with mixed emotions, expecting the worst. As the plane was on its final approach, he began unknowingly to shed tears. He refrained from bursting into insanity, but the appalling view in Piseth’s eyes chilled him to sympathy. Moreover, it obliged him to feel a sense of the many histories in this land once called ``Khmer Empire''. He had never felt such strong feelings of patriotism in his entire life.
Oops! he was of course in another world when one of the flight attendants gently tapped him on the back, informing him that he was the only person left on the plane. He went through the security checkpoint but suddenly ran into problems with the corrupt local police who tried to overcharge him and extort money. He managed to talk his way out of it and proceeded to the airport exit, but did not know where to go. Confused and a bit startled, he asked a guy on a Cyclo to show him the city before he would try to find his uncle's house. For the next five hours Piseth circled the city and began to understand its character. Piseth spent about six days touring the capital city, Phnom Penh, on foot, seeing everything from the Royal Palace to Psar Thmey, and slump dwellings.
Traveling and chatting with the local Cambodians was the best part of Piseth’s trip. He learned a great deal about himself and his identity. The warm receptions made him feel a sense of solidarity. Meanwhile, listening to farmers in Kampong Chhnang talked about their aspirations and visions for freedom and democracy made him feel a sense of rage toward those who deprived them of these basic rights. For example, they wished they had the freedom to farm in rice fields free of harassment from the rich and powerful elites.
On another occasion, he talked with homeless young men from Svay Rieng province who slept on the pavement of the Victory Monument about their hope in the future. He became infuriated at their helpless conditions. The young men expressed hardships due to their inability to sow crops. They had migrated to the capital city, and they told stories of starvation, survival and perseverance. Vivid tales of the human realities within the home he once shared forced him to become aware of the harsh conditions.
During Piseth’s stay in Cambodia, he often thought of how we always take things for granted here in the United States. How can we spare just a few of those luxury things for our fellow brothers and sisters? The realities of the problem appeared to lie within so many complexities, yet he begins to understand some of them. The great task lies before us, the future generations.
For him the issues of Khmer are always on Piseth’s mind. The faces of hunger, the handicapped, the sick, the impoverished and the freedom fighters will always be captured in Piseth’s conscience. He left this homeland of his once again in tears. A feeling of guilt enraged him for not being able to stay and help with the process of reconstruction. Moreover, Piseth left with heartbreaking emotions, thinking of those who were once again tormented with the injustices and the slow process of reconstruction.
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