Cambodia in Bits and Pieces

This post was written in far too many sittings to have any sense of coherence, so please excuse the length and sloppiness of the ideas here. In short, I've loved being here in Cambodia; read on to find out more! 

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I can't quite put my finger on why I am loving Cambodia so much. Maybe it's the fact that if I spin around in a circle in any given location, I will be able to spot someone lounging in a hammock. Or perhaps because my taste buds are thrilled by all the lime and coconut that flavors Khmer food, or the mango that is never more than a couple food stalls away. Maybe it has to do with all the nature that I was surrounded by for the first time in about half a year: trees, rivers, crickets, stars. (Stars!? If I saw A star in Wuxi, it was practically a miracle heralding the birth of the Christchild, or similar.) Or, maybe it's because the simple bamboo huts and palm trees that line the bumpy roads make it feel like I've landed in some quintessential tropical paradise. (I'm kind of just waiting for Oceanic 815 to come crashing into the nearest hillside. It feels like I'm on "the Island," sadly sans John Locke. This is clearly symptomatic of my LOST withdrawal.) But, they say that the people make the place, and the old saying has proven its truthfulness once again. The people of Cambodia are some of the most vibrant, friendly, and helpful people I've come across in all my travels. There's something to be said for the fact that I haven't felt scammed, cheated, or threatened in any way since being here. Further, I haven't felt frustrated or annoyed by swarms of people hounding me, trying to get me to buy this or that trinket or service that I have no desire to have. Instead of feeling pressured and irritated, I feel welcomed, and this is such a breath of fresh air.

The smiles of the Khmer people are truly some of the most beautiful I've ever seen, something that is all the more incredible given the bloody and horrific history that the people here are only a generation or two removed from. Just a little over 30 years ago, Cambodia was under the iron fist of the brutal Khmer Rouge, a revolutionary Communist party that promised total social reform. If you consider horrifically destructive policies and genocide that decimates a quarter of your country's population "social reform," then the party certainly delivered. During my time in the chaotic capital of Phnom Penh (a city our always-has-something-positive-to-say-about-every-place guidebook calls "the tarnished pearl of Asia"), it was mind-numbing to learn of the horrors of the forced labor in rice paddies, the torture that supposed political dissenters received (for crimes such as "singing," or "expressing affection"), and the mass executions for such undesirable types that followed. Estimates vary, but historians surmise that anywhere from 750,000 - 2 million people were killed in this political upheaval. Our visit to the prison and the mass graves was sobering indeed. Such lunacy seemed impossible to comprehend.

It has taken years of rebuilding for Cambodia to get back on its feet, and it still has a long way to go. The destructive policies of the past have ramifications that last today. Because many families are beset by poverty and cannot afford to send their children to school, the kids end up working in the streets, selling trinkets and snacks. I read one statistic that estimated that there are about 40,000 street children living in Cambodia, with somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 in Phnom Penh alone. It was heartbreaking to have to say  "No Thanks," and "Sorry, don't need it" over and over again to these kids who tried to sell us the same postcards, bracelets, or keychains at every opportunity. Another problem that Cambodia faces is that there are still hundreds of thousands of active landmines left over from both the US and the Khmer Rouge during the time of the Vietnam War. These mines explode to this day, injuring, maiming, and killing thousands of people every year.

It was so frustrating to see such problems first hand, but there are ways that we can help. You can learn more about the plight of street children or landmine victims, and find out ways that you can contribute to organizations that are working to give Cambodia a better future. Some organizations that I recommend are: 

cambodialandminemuseum.org and mithsamlanh.org

Both are keeping kids off the streets and helping them acquire both knowledge and skills that will empower them to contribute to their own country's future. It's good stuff. I know I'll be tracking these orgs for years to come.

They say that Cambodia sticks to you. You can feel its red dust, the grittiness of its cities and the sands of its beaches on your skin. For me, it has left an impression that will be long-lasting; it has a past that is both glorious (as seen the architectural and artistic extravagance of the absolutely stunning Ankor Wat) and horrific, and a future that is just as ambiguous. Whatever becomes of Cambodia in the next couple decades will be interesting to see; I hope the smiles and open hearts of its people can help them to repair a broken past and pave the way for a better future.

As for our trip, it is now halfway through! It's hard to believe, but we're flying to our third country tonight. With some prayers and good fortune, we'll be in Vientiane, the capital of Laos tonight. I'm not sure what's in store for us there, but I'm eager to set my feet on some new soil, as much as I would love to continue to explore the country I'm currently in. But, this is just a "sampler platter" of South East Asia after all; maybe I'll be able to make it back for a main dish some other time.

Also, thanks for the birthday wishes! 23?! How did that happen?! Sheesh. Life's crazy, and it flies. Thanks for sharing it with me. Here's to another wonderful year. :)