A reflection of Cambodia

When arriving back in the United States, the man at the Department of Homeland Security said, "Thailand and Cambodia? There are a lot of temples in Thailand and Cambodia!" That certainly is true! And I visited many of them. I had been to most of the temples we visited in Cambodia, but we visited some I hadn't been to. Kings of this area would build multiple temples, relatively close to each other. Sometimes I wondered why. The temples were built at a time of prosperity in Cambodia. It was the peak of their prosperity. After the attack of Thailand in the 12th century, Cambodia has never regained it's prosperity, and did not gain independence until 1993.

When visiting the temples this time, I was struck by the carvings on the outside wall. On the walls, there are carvings of daily life in Cambodia at that time. The temples I visited were built between the 9th and 12th century A.D. That is 1,000 years ago. The significance of these carvings to me is that the way they lived 1,000 years ago is pretty much they way they live today. Although development took place, probably for centuries, that development was lost due to the Khmer Rouge. Their history was essentially erased. The carvings showed people cooking meals over fires....95% of the population cooks over a fire today. The carvings showed people going to witch doctors for consultation in who they should marry......the people of Cambodia continue to attend the witch doctors today. The carvings showed people obtained their water from a well.....70% of the population continues to obtain their water that way. As long as I have been in Cambodia and as many times as I come back, their level of development never ceases to amaze me. While they do talk on cell phones and drive mopeds, and many have access to electricity, the lights and mirrors are still of very poor quality. A common person wouldn't not recognize a Cambodian house as habitable. Many can't afford soap or toothpaste. This never ceases to amaze me. The Cambodian nation is a very, very poor nation with very, very poor people that have very little. I asked a Cambodian how much money he made. $70 a month working 6 days a week. That's less than $1,000 a year, less than $3 a day. The orphanage I volunteered at served a little bit of rice and a little bit of meat for lunch. That is not much more than they ate during the Khmer Rouge, and people were starving to death. People starve to death still. That is why the orphanage is so full. It's incredible. And, sad!

Politics

Politics are everywhere! And, unfortunately, politics are alive and well in Cambodia! Maybe even more so there. Last year, one of the things I enjoyed the most is getting to know the tuk tuk drivers. I got to know some more than others. I rode with many of them, and gave each one a gift when I left.They remember this gift still. There were politics amongst them then, but I think I got around it because I was here so long. I was able to use many of them and they seemed ok with it. The way it normally works is you come to town for a few days. The hotel sends a tuk tuk driver to fetch you from the airport. This is a free service they provide. The tuk tuk driver drives you around the rest of the time you are here and you leave. I knew this, and wanted to use my favorite tuk tuk drivers, so I got a taxi instead. I didn't worry much about a particular driver when I got here, because I took a bike to the orphanage. But, in the evening, if I wanted to go out, I would use whoever was here. This one particular guy, Mr. Thai, was always here. I was familiar with him, so he drove us a couple times. So, the weekend comes and I want to go to the temple. This is a coveted job, because it is significantly more money (up to $30 per day). I wanted to arrange with my favorite driver from last year, Mr. Thet. It was his turn, so we were in luck. But, then Mr. Thai came up and said that since we rode with him, we are now committed to him. He has to drive us the rest of our stay. We cannot get another driver. I tried to reason with him and agreed to go with him one day and Mr. Thet the other day. He refused and said he wanted to take us every day. We cannot go with anyone else. So, I said I would just go with Mr. Thet every day, but he said I could not because I committed to him. I complained to the hotel, and they said I could go with who I want. I went back out there, and Mr. Thai continued to be adamant. The hotel worker came out, and after a heated discussion, we were told it is better to go to the market and use another driver. We cannot use any of the hotel drivers if we do not use Mr. Thai. Mr. Thet just stayed out of it. He doesn't want to ruffle any feathers. He emailed me later to say he is sorry, and that Mr. Thai has always been like this. All of the drivers are afraid of him and let him have his way. It is unfortunate, because he and the other drivers lost our business. Nobody benefits. Everyone loses.

Saying Goodbye!

Evening came, and it was time to say goodbye. I went back to the orphanage for the show. The girl I am sponsoring and other girls performed in the show tonight, and I told them I would come watch. I'm glad we did! They kept asking when we would be there again. Some didn't care that we wouldn't be back. But, others get attached. It's so sad, because these children have people come and go from their lives, but not very many people stay. Because of that, either they get attached to you reallly quickly, or they don't get attached at all. I wish I could provide some stability for them, or someone they could learn how to love and trust that they would always be there. But, I can't. I come and I go, just like everyone else! We had fun playing with the kids far too long after the show. Then, they all walked us out to our tuk tuk and were hanging on the tuk tuk, "Bye teacher! Thank you for teaching us!" It was hard not to cry! I told them I would send pictures, and then we drove away.

Taxi

In Cambodia, there really isn't a taxi service, so you just take a car. Our Saturday started out by going to the ACODO farm. They have a farm where they plan to plant food and have a fish pond to help provide food for the children. And, they need it! When I see how much they have to eat, I am surprised they are as healthy as they are! The farm has just been started, so they are just clearing the land. They have planted some banana trees. They put in a water tank, but still need a pump for it. They have made a fish pond. I hope they can develop they land so they get enough produce to benefit them. The farm was 1 1/2 hours from town. So, how did we get back you say? In Cambodia, it is quite normal to stand on the side of the road and flag a car to hitch a ride. We did not do this alone, and it was not our idea. It's just the way transportation is done in this country. The person that picked us up already had a full car. We just squashed in, and someone shared a seat with the driver. I managed to find a seat belt (a rare finding in Cambodia) and put it on. Safe and sound, I made it back to my hotel in one piece.

Bugs!

One Cambodian delicacy is bugs. Seriously. This surprises me, as Cambodians started eating bugs during the Khmer Rouge when they were starving to death, and that's all they had to eat. Now, they're considered a delicacy and are expensive. (This may gross you out) Sometimes, they cut open an animal to attract the bugs. We also see plastic bags attached to a stick in the fields. They put a light on the stick to attract them, and then they get stuck in the bag. So, you can imagine my predicament when the little orphan children served me a lunch that included meet in a sauce filled with bugs. Ants, bees, and something else with big wings. Gross. I told them it looked delicious, then carefully removed the bugs from the meat. Then, I filled up on rice (which may or may not have been much better) and offered any left over pieces of meet and bugs to the chickens and dogs running around beneath my feet. The meet (and sauce) had a surprisingly good flavor. I hope to have avoided any bugs in the process, but one can never be too sure. The things we experience!

Flooding

It is not flooding at my hotel. The same river runs by my hotel, and it is higher than last year, but not flooding. There are areas with lots of water in the street though. This is the end of the rainy season in Cambodia. Unfortunately, they don't have the money and are not developed enough to deal with something that has been happening for years. The orphanage is only 3 years old, but it has flooded every year for the last three years. And, it looks like the area has flooded every year for much longer than that. It is one of those times when you ask, why don't they do something about it? That would take money a resources that they really don't have. The orphanage is a bare bones facility, if that. Their standard of living would not be acceptable anywhere else in the world. It's really sad! And, the community as a whole is focused on other things. I'm not sure what, but they just don't have the finances or resources. The water has receded some in the road, but not in the orphanage! It is a lake!


I got my first ever Fish Massage. You literally put your feet in a tank of fish, and they eat the dead skin off your feet. Sounds gross. And, it actually is a little gross! It took some courage to put my feet inside. It actually felt pretty good once I got used to it.

Wet!

Wet! That's what I am. Pretty much all the time. It's a soggy world over here! The flooding has expanded to most of the street leading to the orphanage, and has seeped into the orphanage. Even the classroom has water in it. And, the stage area is covered with water. This is a worry for them, because the dancing show they perform every evening is really the only way they support themselves. We wander around all day in water. In the street, it is up to my knees, but it really only covers my feet in the orphanage. There's no way to avoid it. The kids are having a blast! They have made boats out of styrophone and other objects. One little boy even made one with a motor. I don't know if it worked. And, they keep losing their flip flops. They are such hard workers. When we ride up on our bikes, they jump over the sanbags to help us lift our bikes up over the entrance. If a motto hits a pot-hole, they run out to help. They tried to identify pot holes, so they could stick something in them to warn on-coming traffic. It's amazing how thy work together and help each other out, and how they jump right in to help anyone else that needs it. They're cute!

Acodo Orphanage Day 1

This has certainly been an experience! We arrived safely in Siem Reap yesterday. We got here too late to do anything, because it get dark so early. We went to the orphanage to check in. We took a tour, and then stayed for their traditional dancing show. The kids are so cute! That's what made me fall in love with them last year. Then, we stayed after to fill out the paperwork.


I have been assigned the beginner English class, and Cami will teach the kindergarten English Class. My kids are early teens, and hers are school age. There are currently around 70 kids at the orphanage. They are very sweet and loving. Some are truly orphaned, and some come from small villages where children are dying of starvation Last year,one such village asked Acodo to come because children had been dying. The village held a council to decide which children would go to the orphanage. It is very sad! I teach 2 classes and assist with 2. Because my classes are at a different time than Cami's, I help with hers to. Her kids are a bit more of a handful, because they are young and really don't understand English.

We arrived at 7am this morning. I assisted for the 7am class, where the kids learned tomato, grapes, pears and other items in your lunchbox. They sing songs on a CD, but all the kids wanted me to sing. Then, I went in to Cami's class. They learned the months of the year. Then, Cami turned her part. We didn't really come prepared with lesson plans, so we're kind of winging it. Her class didn't quite follow. She had balloons to go over the colors, but the kids just wanted to play with them. We did sing a few songs with them. Then, I taught my class. It went really well. We practiced introductions and reviewed the morning class. Then, I read Amelia Bedelia. They loved it. We talked about the different meanings of the words. It's complicated to explain, but they thought it was funny!

I forgot to mention that when we arrived, the road was flooded right up to Acodo's door, or rather gate.I don't know if I have fully explained, but Acodo is more or less an outdoor facility. There are a couple buildings. There is an office, the classrooms, the stage area (which is all new since last year), the kitchen and living area and the bathroom. These are all separate little buildings, that look more like shacks. So, to have it flood is a big deal. The water was seeping in. It was up to my ankles in the street. You just have to walk through it. By afternoon, it was getting higher and higher. They took some of the donation we had made to buy sand. Then, after lunch, the kids started making sand bags. They stacked them at the gate, but water was seeping under the walls on the side. I'm afraid it will be flooded tomorrow. On my way out, my pants were soaked clear up to my knees. So, afternoon classes didn't happen. I organized the medication cabinet for them.

Then, a humanitarian group of Dentists showed up from Singapore. The kids were terrified, but they were very brave. I felt so sorry for them, sitting in an unfamiliar dental chair while he sticks needles in your mouth. I kneeled on the floor to hold their hand. I figured their mothers would have done the same if they had one. I tried to sing songs and play games to distract them, but it's hard when you don't speak the same language. So, all in all, it has been an unforgettable experience!

Thailand Conquered!

The name "Siem Reap" literally means "Thailand Conquered." That is how excited the Cambodia people were to have dominated this area, that had so much religious and political power for so many years. The differences between Thailand and Cambodia are significant. Having been to Cambodia before, I expected Thailand to be pretty similar. I had heard that Thailand was more developed, but the differences are night and day. Homes in Thailand actually look like homes. A majority of the population have access to clean water, and it probably even runs into their house. Homes in Cambodia look more like a tree hut. 70% of the population do not have access to clean water and it rarely runs into their house. Homes in Thailand have more than one room. This may include a bathroom, a kitchen and a bedroom. Homes in Cambodia include one room that does not include a bathroom or a kitchen. There are many cars and a few mopeds and tuk tuks in Thailand. In Cambodia, there are many mopeds and tuk tuks and a few cars. In Thailand, people look and dress pretty clean. In Cambodia, there is a vast difference between the poor and those who have money. And, not very many have money. You have to be careful you're not being cheated of your money in Thailand. I guess you have to be careful anywhere, but I sense a sincerity from the people in Cambodia. In both countries, the people really are so happy and nice. They want to help you and make sure your needs are met. Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world. That becomes so obvious when you come from a poor country to Cambodia, because the differences are so obvious. There really is a difference that is hard to describe between the poor and the poor. I love Cambodia! I love the people here. I love working with and being with them! I felt like I was coming home in a way!

Chiang Mai Day 3

Today was another adventure! It was a good day! (Of course). The weather is being so cooperative. It rained like crazy last night, but the sun was shining today! Today, we went to the Golden Triangle. That is the point that Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. The point they actually meet is in the water, where two rivers meet. We took a boat out on to the river. We rode the boat over to the Burma side we rode it to the Laos side. We got off the boat in Laos and shopped at the market. Then, we took the boat back to Thailand. Then, we drive to the Thailand/Burma border. We got off the van and walked across the border. So, three countries in a day! Pretty incredible. Not a significant difference on each side that I noticed.


Other highlights of the day include going to "The White Temple." This is a Buddhist temple that is currently being restored. I have to say, it was pretty incredible to look at. It is white, as the name implies, but has little mirrors all over it. The effect is amazing. The temple looks like it could be in a fairy tale. The inside is a little bizarre. On the way up, there is a hole with hands coming out of it. The hole represents Hell. The Buddhists believe all people must go to Hell to pay for there mistakes. When their mistakes are paid for, they can move on to the after life and/or reincarnation. The inside of the temple has a wall depicting vices. The temple is obviously being restored now, because the wall includes such things as Michael Jackson, Superman, cell phones, and even the twin towers tumbling to the ground. It was really out there.

We also went to a tribal village called the "Karen Long Neck Tribe." This is a tribe where the ladies have rings around their neck to make it long. There are theories about when this started. One is, the rings are to protect the women from the tigers biting their neck. Another theory is that when the tribe was captured, the men were gone to war, but the women where captured, they put rings around their neck to mark them as a slave This tradition held. They start layering the rings around the neck when the children are 4, and the bones and tissue are still pliable. Then, the layer more and more rings on as the girls grow. It is no a sign of beauty, similar to feet binding in ancient China.

We also saw a tribe of people where the women have very large holes in their ears. Our tour guide doesn't know the reason for this. It is probably also a sign of beauty. Some gangsters in the US apparently think so!

Seeing these tribes with the traditions still strong is fascinating to me! These tribes do not have any citizenship. They don't attend public schools or get any education. And, they don't have access to health care. And, the things people do in the name of beauty!

Chiang Mai Day 2

Today was a day of being a tourist. Which, isn't my favorite thing. But, I got to see and do and experience a lot of very unique things. Our day started out with an elephant ride. This was probably my favorite part of the whole day. We rode elephants through a very dense green area. My friend had a bag of bananas, and the elephant grabbed the bananas, bag and all, and ate it. Good thing her camera wasn't in the bag! Don't know how well elephants digest plastic!

Next, we took a trip down the river on a bamboo raft. The raft consisted of 9 bamboos bound together. We sat on them and floated down the river. This was actually quite fun. And wet!

After lunch, we got to see a waterfall, followed by a hiked. We hiked for about an hour to a village that looked very much like most villages I have seen in Cambodia. I was hoping to see some of the tribal people in their natural habitat, but we merely saw an uninhabited house and some people that tried to sell us some stuff.

The day ended with yet another river adventure. This one on rubber canoes. There were giant jumping spiders that would jump into our canoe. I was in a panic and started yelling and swatting at the big spider with my paddle, completely forgetting I was supposed to be steering the boat. We started going in circles, and I could not get rid of the spider! This happened more than once. Scary at the time, but we got a good laugh at it later!

City of Splendid Wats

Chiang Mai is Thailand's second most important city. In the year 1292, it was chosen as the capitol of the Lanna Kingdom. It was during that period of time that many Wats were built within the walls of the city. Many of the Wats survived from this period, but most were altered by the Burmese, who subsequently ruled the city.

Thailand Day 1

After 36 hours of travel, I arrived safely in Chiang Mai, Thailand! This time, my luggage arrived too. And, despite predicted rain storms, the weather was perfect! Chiang Mai is described as the "rose of the north." Chiang Mai replaced the former capitol in the 13th century because of flooding. It is a walled city, that also became a religious center for budhism. There are hundreds of Wats! People say there is a church on every corner in Utah. Well, there is a Wat on every corner in Chiang mai. The wats are very ornately decorated in gold and budha statues. We spent some time at the market this morning. Cami was fascinated by the bizarre thigs sold in the market. Snakes and snails and cows hearts for example. Then, we moved on to the Wats. We visited several. In one, the monks were sitting in rows chanting and praying. They sit differently for each portion of their worship. It was very interesting! We walked around, and sometimes on top of the city wall. Then, we went to the night market and got a massage. I'm praying the nice weather will continue! I love you all! I'll keep you updated!