We left Springfield around 9:00 in the morning on Tuesday August 19th. After a nice breakfast (thanks again Pam) we jumped in the car and high tailed it to the Sheraton Westport in St. Louis. The city is ablaze in conversation surrounding the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, which is only 13 miles from our hotel, but there are no signs of unrest anywhere we have been.

Stacie and I were talking with the kids on the way up about how we tend to fear things we don’t know. We used this event as a good example. If we had been watching the news coverage about this shooting and it was occurring in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, we would have been terrified to be on our way to those cities, because we do not know and understand those cultures. However, because this was all happening in a suburb of St. Louis, there was no fear and absolutely no talk of canceling our trip here. I have traveled extensively through, high school (to communist Russia and beyond), in college (Europe) and throughout my career (globally) and I have never been fearful for my safety. However, having the added responsibility of my family with me does make me more cautious and thoughtful about where we are and what is going on around us. Despite that added caution, I am even more aware that most places in the world are safe; most people in the world are good. I am hopeful at the end of this trip we will feel as comfortable in Siem Reap as we do in St. Louis, whether there is civil unrest or not.