the water festival

Yesterday in Phnom Penh as the annual Water Festival celebrations were ending there was a horrible stampede killing nearly 400 people and leaving hundreds more injured. Here is an article about what happened.

All Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff are accounted for.

This all happened last night around 10pm, late by Cambodian standards. My entire family was asleep and didn’t  know about it until about 7:3o this morning. My host mom got a call and started yelling to my neighbors to tell them the news. I just happened to be checking my email before work and I had some email asking if I was ok, at this point I had no idea what was going on. Most of you knew about it well before I did.

I went to work like usual but when I showed up it was just the health center director and one of the receptionists watching the news. I didn’t realize that we didn’t have work today but was glad I went, I stayed and watched the news for about an hour (my family doesn’t have cable so no news…) and then slowly made my way home talking to some people about the accident and taking advantage of the free morning to visit with other people.

The rest of the day was pretty normal and uneventful until around 7 tonight when my host mom put up a shrine on the front porch. She laid out rice, water, salt, bananas, and candy then lit 5 candles and she and my little sister prayed with incense. People in Cambodia believe in ghosts and my host mom told me that she was praying for the ghosts of those who had died in Phnom Penh. A little while later she went out to the front of the house and lit more candles and moved the offerings closer to the street. I went to see what she was doing and noticed that all the houses on the street had put out offerings and lit candles in and in front of their houses.

It hadn’t really hit me until I saw all of the candles. It was such a beautiful but sad display, it really touched me. Thursday has been declared a national day of mourning.

While this has far and away been the worst accident that has occurred since I have been in Cambodia, it is far from the only one. There have been a number of accidents in my village and each one leaves me a little bit shaken.

This Thursday and everyday take a moment to count your blessings as my (real) mom is always telling me. I am so thankful for so much in my life, the health and happiness of my friends and family, the continued support and communication from everyone while I am over here, and all the opportunities and experiences I have had that make me who I am today.

Love you all,

B