Book Two of The Light From Within
Waiting to Fly
A Laotian Refugee Girl's Journey in Nong Khai
Available NowShe had left the only home she knew. But the journey to a new one had not yet begun.
About the Book
In Waiting to Fly, the young Laotian girl from Before I Became a Refugee Girl faces life inside the Nong Khai refugee camp. Through loss, laughter, and quiet moments of hope, she learns that freedom begins with courage. It is a story about finding light in uncertainty and about how waiting can become a kind of flight.
- Genre
- Memoir • Biography • History
- Formats
- Paperback
Between Two Worlds
My family had left Laos, but we had not yet reached a new home. We lived in the Nong Khai refugee camp in Thailand, where days became months and months became years.
We waited for news, for opportunity, and for a chance to begin again. These were the years between what had been and what might come next.
Foreword
by Raymond Aaron, New York Times Bestselling Author
I first met Samly Maat at my 10-10-10 program. From the moment she spoke, I felt her fire: calm, focused, and unstoppable. She wasn't just writing a book; she was claiming her freedom. I knew then that when she spoke of rising, she spoke from truth, not imagination.
Waiting to Fly is more than a memoir. It is a mirror that reflects courage and endurance. Each page carries the heartbeat of a girl who refused to be broken and the woman who rose beyond fear to light the way for others.
I have guided many authors, but few carry this rare mix of honesty and grace. Samly writes with quiet power that draws you in. She does not tell you what to believe; she shows you how belief is born.
This book will move you. It will remind you that freedom is not given; it is chosen, earned, and lived.
Samly's journey does not end here. Waiting to Fly is one chapter in a larger story, a rise from silence to strength, from survival to leadership. Every word carries the same truth: no matter where you begin, you can always rise higher.
I am proud to introduce Waiting to Fly. Let this story lift you.
— Raymond Aaron, New York Times Bestselling Author
What Readers Are Saying
The following words are drawn from early reader responses to Samly Maat's first memoir, Before I Became a Refugee Girl. They capture the spirit of courage, gratitude, and hope that continues in Waiting to Fly and Language of Freedom.
“Dr. Samly Maat's story helped me see my own strength again. Her courage reminds me that hope never truly leaves us—it only waits for us to rise.”
Khampong ChampaStudent of Southeast Asian Studies “Every chapter touched my heart. I cried, I smiled, and I felt less alone in my own struggles. This book taught me that healing is possible, one step at a time.”
Professor James MorrisonHistorian and Refugee Studies Professor “Her words are a mirror for anyone who has faced fear or loss. She shows that even the smallest act of faith can lead to freedom.”
Maria ViengchangLiterary Critic and Researcher
A Word from Samly
Waiting can feel like nothing is happening. But life did not stop while we waited. We remained a family. We learned. We grew.
Sometimes the journey continues even while we are standing still.
Get the Book
Order a signed copy from Samly, personally signed to you or someone you love.
Waiting to Fly (signed paperback)
$19.99
A signed paperback copy of Waiting to Fly.
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