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Wise words from young lips.

There was a small moment yesterday that made me laugh.  Let me tell you about it:

Currently, I am at the beaches of Sihanoukville in the Gulf of Thailand (don't be fooled, still in Cambodia).  Serendipity Beach is where I have been spending many lazy afternoons in the hot hot sun, the crashing waves soothing my being as I lounge by the ocean.  Unfortunately, the particular beach I frequent is not as glamourous as it sounds.  Although I am able to bask in the suns rays, drink in hand, the beach is vastly populated with ... well, vendors to put it politely.  Women walk around with baskets of fruit on their heads, or mani/pedi kits in hand.  Young girls and boys alike trek through the sands with a variety of bracelets and headbands for sale, each vying for the attention of generous tourists.  Sucked in!

Ha, Maly and myself
Over the past few months, I'd consider myself fairly local at this beach.  Not because the bartenders know me, but because the "vendors" know me.  I have a lady I always go to for massages and hair threading ("Ha", pronounced rather nasally) and a teenage girl I buy fresh fruit from (Maly).  Same ones, every time.  They kind of guard me from the "swarms" of not-so-nice kids.  So I appreciate them.  I know a little of each of their stories, they know a little of mine.  I have met many of Maly's vendor friends and have been pleased to know they all go to school ... sadly their beach businesses are a way to pay for school.  When Maly first found out I was a teacher in Phnom Penh, she pulled out her English workbook and started going through it with me!


Today, as I watched Maly expertly cut up a mango, banana, and pineapple for me, she asked if I had a boyfriend.  I jokingly replied, "No, I move around too much."  I turned the question then to her, "Maly, how 'bout you?  Do you have a boyfriend??"  She frowned at me and said, "No, I am too young for boyfriend.  I need to finish school, get a good job, a good house and then maybe I will have boyfriend.  You know, if boy is handsome but not go to school, he is no good.  For me O.K. if boy not handsome but go to school, you know?"  At this, I smiled and told her she was a smart girl.  She continued on, glancing at the young travelers around us and said in low voice, "You not find good boyfriend here.  These boys (she gestures behind her) no good."  She shakes her head.

I have never expected to get relationship advice from a 15-year-old.  But this Maly-girl, she knows what's up.  She could probably talk some sense into some of the 18-year-olds I know back home, am I right?  Heck, she could probably talk some sense into most twenty-somethings I know.  Oh to have that wisdom at such a young age.


Maly to the right and a friend.


That's all.

-c.

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