The Tuol Sleng Genocide museum is located in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The site is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979. Tuol Sleng  means "Hill of the Poisonous Trees" or "Strychnine Hill". Tuol Sleng was only one of at least 150 execution centers in the country, and as many as 20,000 prisoners there were killed.

Running into a buddhist monk while on a self guided walk I was struck by the stark contrast between good and evil. Eager to practice his English, we exchanged thoughts about the massacre and great hope for a much brighter future in Cambodia.This short but intense series of photos taken in an hour are meant to push oneself out of our comfort zone. Most tourists shy away from the chance to photograph or document their experience here. While exploring the long shadows a window to a dark past was exposed. Where there is darkness light can be found with the help of my spirit guide - The Buddhist Monk - a symbol of balance.