We hired a driver for our stay in Siem Reap. His name was Rak and he was referred to us by one of Erin's Thai friends. What a great young man. Rak is 23 and getting ready to start university for a degree in IT. He has great English skills and owns a tuk-tuk (he has one employee driver) and an air conditioned Korean van. We had him plan our days for us and they were perfect. As we come off a temple, he would have cold water to hand us and the ac blasting. He gave us advice on any tourist scams. He dreams of bringing the Internet more widely to his country, and he just may do it.
When I get home I will find a used laptop to send him to help at school. He already will struggle to pay the $500 per year tuition. We paid him $170 for four days of touring. A pittance for the value we got, but a princely sum for a Cambodian.
If he is a good example of an up and coming Cambodian, I have high hopes for these people. Erin and I became friends with Rak and we took him to dinner and ice cream on two different occasions. We queried each other about our cultures and often laughed at the differences, but were also reminded of the things we shared in common.
I have offered to house and sponsor him if he ever comes to the US, but that would be a long way off I suspect. Still, maybe we will see him again.
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