I 💔 Cambodia

We saw very different sides of Cambodia.  

On our floating village tour near Siem Reap, I had the opportunity to have good discussions, ask questions, and gain insight from our guide An, who grew up a nearby village. Although he is younger than me, it is apparent that he has had a hard life and is in poor health.  He asked if we wanted to walk into one of the villages, but warned that we would see extreme poverty.  I asked him if it would be rude or frowned upon for us to visit and he said no, so we went.  

The stilt houses in the village are built very close to each other.  Some are made with scraps of corrugated tin, which get very hot in an already sweltering climate.  Some have walls made of wood scraps or plastic sheets.  Some do not even have four walls.  Everything seemed to be covered in brown red dust.  In stark contrast to this was what appeared to be a church in the middle of the village with Korean missionaries singing and dancing in bright clean colorful dresses.  This seemed to provide some entertainment and smiles from the small crowd gathered in front.

There were children playing, some with no clothes and most with no shoes.  An said that folks struggle to live day by day so they do not put much value in education, health, or hygiene.  These are luxuries afforded to those who see a future.  

I did not take pictures.  It felt disrespectful to capture their daily struggles as a spectacle for my own memories.

My Dad's description of the extreme poverty in the village where he grew up sounds similar to what we saw in this village in Siem Reap (minus the missionaries).  Steph and I talked about how this could have been us.  But then again, based on all the risks they took and sacrifices they made, we realized that my Dad and Mom are likely too resourceful and forward thinking for this to have been our lives.   

 

An was able to make a better life for himself by diligently attending the free English lessons that were offered at a nearby temple. But he, like so many young folks, suffered from malnutrition and rotting teeth as a child, and now suffers from gastrointestinal issues and other maladies.  On our boat ride through the waterways of the floating village, a 14 year old boy with a shy smile was helping the boat driver tie up the boat and helping tourists get on and off the boat.  He also offered massages to the passengers.  Eric and Evan welcomed the massages 😁.  An told me it was one of the (safe) ways that folks make money to help out their families. 

Meanwhile, there is the modern Aeon Mall in Phnom Penh with its huge bright scrolling billboards and fancy stores.  It is just 2 kilometers from the Choeung Ek killing fields.

Cambodia is where my parents grew up, where my sisters were born, and where my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins live.  Thank you, Cambodia.  You will always have a special place in my heart.