A man of generations - When I was young - Part 1

A lot of souvenirs appeared in my eyes when I recall the past. I was born a few years before Cambodia regained independence from France in 1953. I am the youngest child among eight children. Our family was so poor living along the Bassak River, south of Phnom Penh, in Kompong Svay Commune, Kien Svay District, Kandal Province.

My mother was beansprouths pickle seller, going selling long distance every morning from home bared feet. She always wore black long robe with long sleeves. She carried on her head a rather big earthen pot with full of chilly pickle. A rolled scarf was put between her head and heavy pot. Before 12 or sometimes after 12, she came back home. She was a busy woman. After lunch, she went to the farm to clear the land or to pick up bamboo shoots. In the evening, she grew bean seeds with bags in which seeds would keep growing for 3 days.

My father worked nothing as far as I knew since my birth. He is neither rich nor poor. But he possessed a lot of hectares of land, enough to maintain his whole life to live in the countryside where many villagers could not do the same. He cooked breakfast and lunch everyday and sometimes he took me to a noodle shop for noodle soup or bought me cakes. He rode a bicycle southward to meet his good friend, having tea and chatting. Then time to prepare his lunch.

My mother took me to school when I was 6. But I disliked going to school at that age. I did not want to go I needed to play at home. She agreed and laughed at me lovingly. I was enrolled in Kompong Svay Primary School at 8. I walked to school in the morning and back home at 11 and to school again in the afternoon before 2pm and back home at 5pm.

I passed 6 grades of primary school (previous grades) 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7. An exam was done to pass from primary to lower secondary school. I passed it. I had to move from my home village to live away from my parents at a younger age in Takhmau Town, Kandal Province. I was poor in all subjects. At school, only match professor hit me everyday, not the other ones. He used to hit any students who missed to finish homework exercise etc….. Actually, I learned without books or any references. I lived with Chinese families whose culture was different, but I had no choice, because they were my mother’s friends. I argued to my mother that I was unhappy to live with these Chinese and also I did not have proper place to study. My mother accepted and took me to my sister in Kbal Thnal, near Monivong Bridge. 

There I got to ride a bicycle to and fro. The life here with my sister and brother-in-law was almost the same. Their business was laundry and tailor’ shop. I did not have much time to study. I was asked to wash clothes on Saturdays and Sundays. However, my study was not improved. I complained my mother about the situation. Then she agreed to let me move. My mother, who knew a friend at Prek Russey, south of Takhmau Town, asked the owner to build an attached roof to form a small thatched cottage of 3 meters by 6 meters, where I stayed with my cousin. From there, I had much time to learn with him. My study was also satisfied accordingly.