Where the Journey Becomes Encounter
My journey to Cambodia began long before I even left home — through readings, research, and questions... and thanks to my encounter with Marilia Albanese, scholar of Khmer civilization and author of The Treasures of Angkor.
Once there, everything became real. Every word I had read or heard took shape: colors, scents, sounds, the light, the red earth, the people.
Travelling with Il Nodo Onlus , its local team, and the presence of Luciana Damiani is an experience no tour operator could ever offer.
Visiting the temples of Angkor, immersing yourself in the extraordinary Khmer culture, walking through sites where history is a living presence, being amazed by the spontaneous architecture along the Tonle Sap, the floating markets, and the houses built on water — all of this is unforgettable.
But the deepest impact comes away from the beaten path: in the villages where people are taught personal hygiene, schools are built, wells are dug, and where health, dignity, and hope are nurtured for local communities.
It’s a journey that goes far beyond an itinerary. It leads straight into the heart of the most authentic Cambodia — made of small villages, dusty roads, and people who live and work with quiet dignity.
Only those truly rooted in the land can open the doors to these often invisible realities, where daily life intertwines with tradition, and poverty coexists with profound human richness.
It’s a way to discover Cambodian culture not only through history and archaeology, but through genuine participation — an opportunity to connect with a reality that words can barely describe: rural Cambodia, with its slow rhythms and ancient gestures.
This Cambodia — silent, resilient, unforgettable — stays with you.
It’s a world far removed from the noise of chaotic cities, from markets overflowing with cheap goods, from the kind of consumption that so easily forgets the people behind every object.
My experience continued in Phnom Penh, at Il Nodo’s Bottega dell’Arte : a social design workshop where young apprentices learn a craft, approach the world of design with enthusiasm, and, most importantly, begin to believe in themselves and imagine a different future.
Curious, motivated boys and girls, filled with the desire to create and explore.
Watching them work with passion, guided by dedicated teachers, was deeply moving
— a tangible example of how creativity and education can become tools for empowerment.
Sharing moments with the students, seeing how the school operates, and living their everyday life were all moments of genuine and profound exchange.
by Irene Ortu, designer
