You left your country,
your friends and family
To come and study
In a foreign country.
Trying to get a better education
With your heart and determinations
You set your goals and expectations
Trying your best to make accomplishments.
But you realize it is more than just education
You learn about adaptation
You learn to be independent
To be a more responsible person.
You learn to be persistent
And try to refuse disappointments
You learn to make decisions
And try to refuse hesitations.
You learn about the language, the culture,
The self-expression, the gesture,
The social life, the pain and the pleasure
Overall you like being an explorer.
You make new friends
While trying to keep in touch with your old dear friends
Times go by, moment by moment
You hope your times are wisely spent.
You miss home and your family
You miss your friends and their company
You miss the food and the places you used to see
You miss the yearly celebrations and festivities.
This experience makes you learn about life every day,
Makes you grow day by day
You must try to enjoy life in every way
Although life is not easy, as one might say
But hey! You live only once, you shall say.
It's a new life that you are living
This new life can be very challenging
Yet as you continue striving
This new life can be greatly rewarding.
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19 comments:
Dear Tom
You are great Tom. I really apptrciate your poems. Keep reading and writing. I too I am writing my memories during the KR time.
Good Luck
Hun Chhun Ly
Thank you Pa. I wrote these out of boredom. Sometimes words just come out of my head so I just jot them down before I forget. Yeah I will try to write more.
Good luck with your writing about KR time. I hope to be able to read it someday.
-Tom
DearTom,
I'm very proud of your thought and writing. God Bless!
P.S.
My birth place is also Battambang.
Pennsylvania, United states
Thanks Bang! When were you born in Battambang? Do we know each other?
yours welcome Tom!
I was born in 1961. My parents or my aunt probably know your family. I'm Mrs.Reach RY Bun Ho( Mr. Hap Hoy's wife )'s niece. He passed away in the 70's during The Pol Pot's year.
My Family are in Pennsylvania and my aunt's family are in Washington state. We are a world away, but we are very close. My aunt Ry Bun Ho is my mother's only sister. Thank you for taking your time to respond to my comment.You should think of yourself as a true Cambodian's jewel. Take Care....
Pennsylvania, United States
Thank you Bang for taking your time to response and read my blog. We're not that far from each other. It is possible that your parents or aunt know my family. My parents used to work in Battambang hospital before and after Khmer Rouge time.
Best of luck!
Your very welcome!
I'm sorry...I didn't mean to invade your website or privacy.
I log on to www.Khmerbusiness.com almost everyday and that one morning,I came across an article about how blogs are so popular in Cambodia today. I thoroughly read it. One of the sites that I clicked on,showing everybody's website in the country of Cambodia.
That Capital "B" really caught my attention. The rest of the word, spelling the sweetest and most dearest place in the world to me. I couldn't help it, but browsed through, your poem appeared. It is beautiful, meaningful, admirable and inspiring.
I showed that to my kids. They liked it very much!
Let's hope that we will find who we really are someday and maybe soon. I will ask my parents and my aunt the next time I talk to them.
Your Dad's name sounded very familar. My aunt worked at Battambang Hospital shortly after the vietnamese invaded Cambodia. She had an apartment in the hospital. I went to visit her, my Grandmother and my cousins quite often, before I left for Thailand in April 1979. I won't forget your website and I certainly will let you know. Please stay tuned...
Good morning Tom!
I have great news! My parents knew only one Loak Hun Chhun Ly and that was Doctor Hun Chhun Ly of Battambang Hospital. Is he your Dad?
Yes he is. It's a small world! I'll tell him about this news.
Don't worry about invading my blog :). I'm glad that you and your kids like my poem. Your comments are always welcome.
Wow!...How nice! and thank you Tom!
I'm very pleased to know you. This is so unusual and such an extraordinary coincidence for me.
Very Very few Physicians survived during that deadly and brutal KR years. Your dad is an extremely fortunate doctor!and of course you too Tom!. I know KR. A son of a doctor is also a crime. Your whole family could be put to death by KR.
How long have you been in America?
What state are you in? are you with your parents?
Hello Tom,
You are awesome! I am very empress of your writing. Your parents should be proud of you.
From
Bang Penh ( Vatthana Hap)
Spanaway Washington,United States
Thank you Bang Penh for reading my blog.
So finally we figured out that we all know each other here. After talking to my parents, Bang from Pennsylvania is Bang Penh's cousin.
To Bang from Pennsy., I've been here in Missouri for 6 years. I started working here after I finished my college. My family is in Cambodia.
Very nice Tom! and a huge Congratulation!
I'm Kanjana and Vatthana's cousin.
I'm really glad that you know my family.
I think that you should come and visit the East Coast somedays. Washington D.C? Ocean City of Maryland or Virginia's Beach? and perhap Pennsylvania?. My two kids , my husband and I live at Harrisburg. The capital of pennsylvania. It's about 22 minutes away from The Hershey Resort or town. You can log on to www.HersheyPa.com and you can guess how close it's to Battambang. It's only much more modernized and in the hand of the finest people who really know how to make life more enjoyable and fun! Well may not a much as The Disney world, but we love it here!
When you do decide to visit the East Coast, please remember to stop by and visit...and my parents, they live at the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. They are at Cherry Hill, New Jersey. It's about 2 hours from us and a Ben franklin's Brigde away. They would be very happy to see you. We'll go there and visit them. My parents adore people from our old home town.
You can contact Vatthana or her husband for my address and direct phone number.
Vatthana,Tala,please give my address to Tom. I'll appreciate your attention! or you can call 717-534-2902. It's our store and gas station. I'll let my husband know to expect your call and arrival.
Welcome to United States Tom! Good luck with whatever you do,keep shining and best wishes!!!
Kanjana ( Pennsylvania,United States )
Thanks for your invitation! I will stop by if I go to Pennsylvania.
Have a nice day!
Good morning Tom!
How are you? I thought you might like to know that I came across a letter from His Majesty The King Father to your dad a few minutes ago. You may view its full content at his Majesty's website of www.norodomsihanouk.info.com. I'm sure it will still be posting for a few days, yet.
My best regard to your dad and take care,
Kanjana
Hi Bang! My dad sent me copies of the articles too. Thanks for letting me know.
Have a great day!
Yours welcome!
Yes, I totally agree that The Palace should stay and remain untouch as well as be protected by our government and Cambodian people.
What do we truely-really have beside Angkor Wat? or Phnom Pehn would be just like any other city without the Royal Palace.
Thanks for listening,Tom. Have a good Day!
Hi Bang from Pensy. Just wanna tell you I posted another poem on my Feb. blog if you want to read it.
Hi Tom!
Thank you for letting me know. Your new peom titled " Sitting, Thinking, Reminiscing", correct?
I read it. Please see my comment. Have a great day! and Happy New Year to you and your family!!!
Kanjana
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