At Preah Khan temple, near Siem Reap in Cambodia, we happened upon this young girl, who was standing quietly in a secluded corner of the ruins. The animal draped across her shoulder is a Civet, an animal that we had never seen before. I asked the girl if she would mind having her photo taken. She smiled shyly and nodded her head. Then she stood there for a few minutes looking incredibly fragile and beautiful, while I snapped a few pics. It occurred to me later that perhaps she had been waiting there for this very encounter, and that maybe this was her way of earning a few dollars to take home to her family. I felt bad that perhaps I had misunderstood the exchange, but grateful that we had had a chance to have our hearts opened by our brief contact with her. The Cambodian people are so very lovely!
