Hmong children were fascinated by western visitors, and watched every move we made with great interest as we visited their village along the Mekong River. This foursome was already sitting on the makeshift fence as I passed by. I stopped to talk them, making digital images of each of them, and sharing the pictures with them. This process has added a new dimension to travel photography. It allows us to break the ice and share a bit of ourselves with a bit of them. These kids enjoyed the pictures, but never left the safety of their fence, which bordered their family living compound. As I said goodbye, I turned to make this one last shot. I like the way they instinctively space themselves on the fence. A brother and sister sit to the left. They were the most outgoing pair of the group. The other two children are a bit older, and part of the same extended family. They choose to stand apart as a separate unit and were very quiet. I devote much of this image to the rugged, root-bound soil upon which they live and will someday use to earn their livelihoods. In the background, I include some of the houses in the compound for context. A new house is in the process of being built. This environmental portrait is, in its own way, a slice of Mekong village life. These children are posing, yet not smiling or mugging. They are simply curious about their western visitor with all the cameras, and graciously cooperative.