This is my friend Vannak (the man, not the water buffalo). Vannak is a tuk tuk driver in Phnom Penh, where he normally waits for customers at the hotel frequented by Peace Corps volunteers. Over the past year Vannak and I have become very good friends ever since bonding over coming from the same province, Svay Rieng (the most underrated province in all of Cambodia). Vannak has been living in Phnom Penh for the past 8 years, the first 3 as a factory worker, and claims to love his life in Phnom Penh more than Svay Rieng, despite being far from his family, because he says rice farming just isn’t the life he wants. I understand that, especially after seeing the permanent damage rice harvesting has done to his hands, but I am surprised to hear him claim to be so happy in Phnom Penh. Because, here’s the thing: Vannak is homeless. He sleeps every night in his tuk tuk, stores his clothes under the seat, and showers in the river. 

Over the Pchum Ben Festival, Vannak was able to visit his family in Svay Rieng, and he invited me and the other Riengers to come visit. His family exuded hospitality, and that day will go down as one of my favorite during my Peace Corps service.

Knowing that my Cambodian goal was to ride a water buffalo, Vannak arranged to have his neighbor bring her most docile buffalo (freshly cleaned) for me and the others. We were forced fed delicious food in abundance, allowed freedom to play with animals and small children alike, shown the rice fields and fish pond,  and invited back for Khmer New Year. 

One other thing of note: I had always placed great weight in friendships on the depth of our conversation, but life in Cambodia has entirely altered the value I place on my friendships. Since Vannak doesn’t speak any English, we get by in my extremely limited Khmer. But it works. It works because of the mutual effort we put into communicating and the kindness we extend to each other in place of being frustrated by miscommunication. Maybe language isn’t as important as I had thought.

My dream fulfilled!