ericwight

Hey Dr., just a quick question, when you went back to school for archaeology did you focus on a certain (if there are) type or region, or was it just archaeology in a broad sense of the term? Either way, as a traveler, not necessarily just an architect, what has been one of your favorite locations to visit?

Hi Nazanine,

First off, great work down there, and stay safe! My question is about your field of work. I graduated in 2011 from Boston University with a degree in Journalism (concentration being photojournalism) and with a minor in International Relations with a focus on Africa and the Middle East, to say you have the ideal job may be a bit of an understatement.

I'm currently teaching English in Indonesia and continuing to broaden and strengthen my portfolio of photos as well as writing while I'm here and am seeking to get myself into a position in the future so that I can work doing something similar to what you do.

What tips do you have in that regard of breaking into the field? Especially working for Al-Jazeera, which is a fairly reputable source, how did it come about that you worked yourself into that position?

Thanks so much for the tips and help!

Stay safe, and keep doing a wonderful job!

Hey there, thanks so much for posting this. I was in Cambodia in December for two weeks, and visiting Phnom Penh first really hit me hard. It is amazing to me now the growth that Cambodia has had infrastructure-wise. I live in Indonesia, and the gap between the two countries is not big at all.

It was an amazing trip for me, and I found that the Cambodians were, if not the, one of the nicest groups of folks down here in SE Asia. The will, strength, warmth and friendliness was truly amazing--especially after all that happened.

My question pertains to Pol Pot: He was never the most well-known of people. Partially because there was no media access, and partly because he was known as somewhat of a recluse. As a Cambodian, do you have any insight into Pol Pot? Perhaps the type of man he was?

Another question I have deals with the soldiers of the KR. I've read a decent amount on the subject, and even in Tuol Sleng you see that there are confessionals of KR soldiers (usually younger) who simply did what they did because they were ordered to, or simply didn't have the education to know otherwise. This also becomes evident in the book "Never Fall Down." To what extent did you interact with Khmer Rouge guard? I know it was not a regular occurrence, and people were constantly moved from camp to camp, but it would be interesting if you ever formed any relationship, no matter how seemingly small, with any of the KR?

Thanks so much for talking about this.