This Buddhist monk spent a couple of hours talking to Novita and me while walking through the temples of Angkor Wat. We discussed what it means to be a monk, why he chose such a path, and how his life has evolved. He was quite young and chose the life of a monk as an escape from an alcoholic father and a life of absolute poverty. At one point, he was moved to tears while talking about his family, and yet he managed to smile fervently through those tears.

At the end of the day, we had to say goodbye and part ways. His path led back to the temples and a simple approach to life that I might never comprehend; ours led us to return to a life so complex and distant that he, in turn, may never experience.