Kind Exchanges in Cambodia

Kind Exchanges in Cambodia 

We started uneasy, adjusting 
Yet, every interaction came easy 
All kindness
From every single person.

“She wants to take us out to dinner.”

Our instinct was to be scared
We were advised to worry
Yet, each person we spoke to
Generous, overly generous
Nothing we had seen before.

“The laundromat fixed the hole in my pants without me asking.”

Conversations were so different,
The stories they shared
Our normalcy, so dreamlike 
Their normalcy, hard to fathom
Yet, all they spoke of was giving.
Selflessly, regardless of circumstance.

“She said ‘there is always someone who needs help.’ ” 

Finally, in moments of our gratitude 
They met us with confusion
These kind exchanges, these are just their usual

“He insisted on driving us everywhere.” 
“She hand-wove us gift baskets.”
“He opened his house to us.”

We the weary on the West, 
We have a lot to learn.

- Iku Nwosu, Meds '22

Illustration by Kiera Liblik, Meds '23