A story of an 11-year-old girl surviving the genocidal regime of Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979. She is now 45 years old and trying to recall her past as she doesn't want everything to go in the air without documenting for the younger generation.
Here it is about me, myself and I: You know, there is nothing easier to talk about than talking about yourself. I am No. 6 in a family of 8 children. I was born in Phnom Penh, the Capital City of Cambodia and grew up there until I was eleven. What happened after that...? The country turned upside down becoming a communist country. My family, as well as other people living in the city, was not allowed to stay in the city anymore. We were all forced to leave our house toward countrysides. My family ended up in the jungle of Battambang, a northwestern province of Cambodia, and there was where I lost almost every beloved one in my family-- my two younger brothers, one older brother, my two older sisters and my father. My mother, brother and I were the only survivors from the bloody, genocidal regime. It was really an agony, and was something worth remembering so that I can tell younger generation about.
My beloved mother passed away of diabetes three years ago. My brother who is now married with two lovely children stays and works in New York.
Samneang on her old bike rusing to UNTAC reporting to her work
During one week at Sister's Denise's house in Tuol Kork (near Phsar Moan Aing), I rode my bicycle and my brother rode his to report ourselves to the UNTAC Personnel Office near Wat Lanka. I was curious about my potential trip to New York for an intensive training. Before I left the camp, Dr. Ann Dykstra, who was at that time UNBRO coordinator, told me that she had registered me as a candiate for going to New York for the training. I kept going back and forth at least three days before a UN personnel directed to UNTAC 11 -- the Electoral Office near the French Embassy. There, I met Ms. Mary Murphy (I don't remember what position she was in). I introduced myself and told her that I was a candidate from the border camp Site Two who was nominated by UNBRO to go for computer training in New York. She sent me to an American man, Tom Riddle, who interviewed me and put me in front of the computer as he wanted to know how well I could type. After that he took me to meet a guy at UNICEF who helped proceed with the US visa, and later on we went to the Ministry of Foreign Affair to apply for an exit visa. The next day, Tom took me again to the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. I didn't really understand the process as it was my first time preparing for traveling abroad. It took us quite a number of days to clear everything in processing the visa application.
Here comes the departure day! It was about two weeks from the date I set my foot back in Phnom Penh after 17 years away from this city. Early in the morning of August 17, 1992, many members of my cousin's families in two cars (Toyota Camry) took me to the airport. On the way, we stopped at a restaurant right in front of Calmette Hospital to have breakfast. Just as I came out of the restaurant with all the cousins, a Thai UN personnel, Ms. Suchada (sp?), who I met a couple of times during my interation with UNTAC, ran after me, and quickly pull money from her purse and handed over to me: "Here is some money for you to use during your trip"; I was kind of stunned with her gesture. I told her the I had a few hundred USD also in my bag, but she told me "that would not be enough-- take it." I accepted the money from her with great thanks, which was around $200 with some few hundred baht. She wished me a good trip and we left right away as we did not want to be late for the flight. Until now I am still now sure whether she actually gave that money to me, or she meant to lend that money to me. I should have just asked her at that time to clarify, but I seemed to run out of word as she just encouraged me to take it.
At a hotel lobby in Bangkok expecting Fr. John Bingham
After an hour flight, I arrived Bangkok, I took a taxi and headed to Comfort Inn, where a room was reserved for me there. I was kind of nervous as I did not have a US visa yet, but I need to coordinate with the UNESCAP there in Bangkok. And to be honest, I did not know where is where as Bangkok was a big city, and I was alone there. I called my former teacher, Fr. John K. Bingham, who was a Jesuit Priest staying in Tapraya close to Thai-Cambodia border. He was very excited about my intent travel to New York, but he was concerned that I had to travel alone. He drove down to Bangkok that afternoon. It took him at least 5 hours to get to Bangkok. The next morning, he came to see me at the hotel and took me to the UNESCAP office and we went furhter to the US Embasssy to obtain a US visa. The following morning he drove me to the airport, took me to the check-in counter. I showed Fr. Bingham my air ticket and he exclaimed, "Your are taking the Executive Class!" I had no idea what the Executive Class means to me as I never took the international flight before. What is the Executive Class, I asked? Fr. Bingham responded to me with smile that it was more comfortable with wider seat and better services, and so on and so forth. He even called his brother in New York to come pick me on my arrival. I had to tie my ponny tail with a blue scarf as a sign so that his brother can identify me.
A multinational team at the Sequent Computer Center in New York
Upon my arrival, Father John's brother and his niece, Mary, were there waiting for me. I also found Tom Riddle, who also came to New York for the same training. We all sat in the car driven by Father Bingham's brother taking us to the hotel YMCA -- I assumed it's the cheapest hotel in New York.
Visiting Brooklyn Bridge for the first time with Tom Riddle, August '92
Rushing along New York street to get fast food lunch after the training
You can imagine how fluctuated my life at that time -- after spending 13 years in the barbed wire camp on the border, I moved to Phnom Penh, my home city where I had been away for 17 years, and only two weeks after I set foot back to this city, I had to travel to New York -- my first international travel. It was really a big move from Cambodia-Thai border camp - Phnom Penh City - New York City. That is why I called it a Frog Leap.
Will tell you more on my impression about New York City.
