Where this was said
Last Day in Cambodia: Pleather Jacket and Selfies
At 29:48 · chapter starts 27:30
On the morning of March 24th, Shibani Mahtani and Mek Darah met Shoaib at the shelter. He was beaming, wearing the same acid-washed jeans and faded t-shirt she'd first seen him in — but now he'd added a pleather jacket and a spray of cologne. Looking around the departure hall, Mahtani noticed all the other stranded Ugandans had dressed up too, some in new shoes and clothes. They wanted to go home looking like they'd succeeded, even though the reality was far from it. Shoaib posed for selfies at the entrance of Phnom Penh's striking new airport with its golden arches and giant Buddha. Then came the waiting — six long hours as immigration officials processed documentation for the entire group, alongside large groups from Nepal and China. Shoaib listened to music through knockoff Apple AirPod Maxes from his perch on a baggage trolley. Around them, Cambodian villagers streamed in to watch the comings and goings in their shiny new national airport. For them, the building was a symbol of modernity. For Shoaib, it was an obstacle between him and home.
On the morning of March 24th, Shoaib dressed up in a pleather jacket and cologne to project success he didn't have. Six hours of waiting at Phnom Penh's new airport followed — and then the gates opened. He turned and waved, and he was through.
