Blog 5: an account from Lucky

Written from perspective of a man named lucky.

5am:

Susodai, my name is San Jeat, but you call me Lucky. Rub my belly it bring you good luck. My age is 46. I have wife and two daughter, they age ten and six. Ten year old go school, six year old not. Maybe next year. Many family send children to street, sell bracelet, make money. I not, this too dangerous. Want better for my children.

Today I wake at 5 am, my wife come home from work. She cook in restaurant. She take my place in bed. My one room house so so hot, we have no air-conditioning, this very expensive. Just one fan, no open windows. Open window mean people take clothes, with hook on stick.

Today I go Angkor Wat, try get job for day. I go on motto because sell tuktuk for money. I hope tourist need guide. Without tourist in siem reap I do not eat, my wife not eat, my children not eat. Tourist make 80% job in siem reap, and cambudge, if I not mistaken. I study four years to be guide. I know many thing about many thing, but many more about Angkor wat. I one tuktuk driver, but this very hard life and very little money.

My dream: I have shop. I sell my painting, to tourist of course. But today I am tour guide.

11am:

Today is not go very good. I wait Angkor five hours, and no job. I rub statue of Buddha, Vishnu and Sheva, pray to get job. Then handsome boy and a lady, they come to Angkor on bicycle. I prepare best and polite English. Hello sir and lady, can I please be your guide today $15? Handsome boy offer $12 and this gladly accept. I have job today and very pleased. Many thankfully to Buddha, Vishnu, sheva and handsome boy.

Today I work very hard, tell handsome boy and lady many thing about this land, and pray to rama and sita they think of me for job also tomorrow. I follow on moto and show best of my land: Angkor wat, bayon and ta promh, my best of all temples.

5pm:

After day of history I offer sir and lady sunset. They worry to ride bicycle in dark. I say Bryn and Jo, lucky your body guard, I stay with you and you safe. I take them to oldest wat. This wat 8 century, predate all other wat. I wait at bicycle. Handsome boy and lady enjoy sunset.

8pm:

I ride with Bryn and Jo in dark. Take to hostel. This lady give me ¢12 and a smile. The handsome boy ask Lucky to take to floating village tomorrow. I gladly accept and thank Naga for make Lucky so lucky. I have $12 in pocket, and job for tomorrow. Now my wife eat, my daughters eat. I must enquire borrow tuktuk from friend. I buy my daughter cake. Lucky very happy meet handsome boy and lady.