Even if you look in the dictionary you know the meaning of the word or phrase, but there's still the feeling of it.

I think every writer has their waves of inspiration and their ways of doing things. But writing is very difficult for me. It's something I haven't practiced as diligently as my visual art. I've been doing visual art because I think it's easier for me to construct, whereas words are very difficult.

I've been coming to Cambodia off and on, six months of the year usually.

I'm doing a collaborative project with another artist, Mary Hamill. My project is to gather the oral history of war widows, starting with the women of my village, Kop Nymit.

For me, the more I understand the story of others, the greater I am able to learn and help other people.

When I hear Khmer poets, when they recite their poems, I know what they're talking about, I get it right away.

If I were really fluent and born into the English language, I would probably become a greater writer.