I will post more later about the chaos of this past week as our Odyssey journey came to a traumatic end. But first, I wanted to acknowledge how appreciative we are of Cambodian hospitality.

There is a Broadway musical called Come From Away about how on Sept 11 planes got rerouted to a small airport in Newfoundland. In the chaos that followed, the tiny town of Gander took care of thousands of weary passengers with comfort and generosity. I cried when I saw that musical.

This is how Cambodia has felt for me. We were forced to disembark our beloved Odyssey in this tiny country, one of the poorest in Asia. The Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s killed an estimated 2 million people and destroyed the country’s social and economic structures. Stepping onto shore and leaving our home behind, we were filled with the fear of the unknown.

But we were immediately surrounded by a wall of warmth and kindness. The people of Sihanoukville did everything in their power to ease our trauma. They sponsored a farewell dinner so we had the opportunity to say a proper good-bye to our fellow residents. They arranged free tours of their city. Provided free storage for our belongings until we could get ourselves sorted out. Several hotels around town offered free transportation to the ship shuttle. Even brought medical help to the hotel room of a resident who was sick. The warmth and hospitality made it an easier pill to swallow.

It wasn’t even the financial help that was the most important. It was the generosity of spirit that made us seem less alone, without a home. It was the quiet understanding when in the middle of a conversation tears started flowing and I could no longer speak. It was the gentle concern, “m’am have you had lunch yet?” when I stopped by the reception desk looking utterly exhausted and spent.

Tuk-tuks were an easy way to get around the city, available through Grab, the Asian equivalent of Uber. I hope that the thousands of tuk-tuk rides we commissioned as we shuttled from ship to hotel to bus to Burger King to airport, added a little money into their economy!

My initial impression of Cambodia when we first arrived in October was: what a pleasant surprise! I didn’t know then that it would get even better. Cambodia, your hospitality is legendary, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.