Cambodia was a short, but a well worth, trip while docked in Vietnam. It was technically the parent trip so about 10 students and their parents accompanied me on an hour plane ride. I have heard a rumor that the less developed countries receive old retired planes that have served their time in the U.S. or U.K. After the very bumpy and seat gripping ride over the Vietnam border, I wouldn't be surprised. The landing was less than pleasant and I could have sworn we lost pieces of the carrier or a wing with all the rattling that occurred throughout the flight. Nevertheless I made it all in one piece, got off the air conditioned plane, and was met with a blast of thick, hot, moist air. Throughout most of my time in Cambodia I felt like I was swimming through the air or being wrapped in a hot hot blanket.
We stayed the first night in Phnom Penh, the capital of the country. Our day consisted of learning about Cambodian culture at the National Cambodian museum and seeing the city on a beautiful boat ride in the sunset. Before dinner we went to an orphanage. This orphanage was completely different than the one we went to in Beijing. When we arrived the children came rushing out to meet us, immediately introducing themselves and giving us big hugs and grins that stretched miles. They seemed so genuinely happy to have us there, unlike the other orphanage where the children shied away. One girl seemed to get very attached to me and gave me my own personal tour of the school rooms, dormitories, and play grounds. We must have looked like we were having fun together because many other kids came to hang out with us. One boy made a particular impression when he came up and gave me a purple bracelet, "a beautiful bracelet for a beautiful girl." I should stay in Asia, they seem to love me! :P He was nineteen and was going to be leaving the orphanage next year to get a job, but wasn't sure if he'd be able to get one. Poverty in Cambodia is very prominent. It was common place to see women and children asking us for money or to buy bracelets for a dollar as we got off the bus. And there are 10,000 tuk tuk drivers in the city (like rickshaws but attached to motorbikes) and each needs 5 dollars to live. Although a lot of people come to Cambodia for tourism, I don't think there are 10,000 tourists that always want to take a tuk tuk... and even then, they only usually cost about 2 or 3 dollars a ride.
The next day in Phnom Penh was not as friendly as our visit to the orphanage. We visited the Genocide Museum and the Killing fields. It was incredibly emotional and difficult to learn about. The museum was almost an untouched memorial to the citizens that were interrogated, tortured and killed at an old run down school. We saw the cells they stayed in, where they were hung, and what was worse, there were walls and walls of pictures of each person who was admitted. It's one thing to learn about genocide in history classes, but its quite another to see first hand where men. women and children were beaten and murdered. Especially when you're looking right into their eyes of a picture that was forcibly taken. The killing fields weren't much more uplifting. in the center there was a 17 story memorial dedicated to those found there in the over 100 mass graves. The 17 stories held skulls, back bones, arms, legs, jaws, anything they dug up. All of this happened only 30 years ago. Our tour guide was brave, for his mother was killed there, yet he was able to speak steadily and authority as he led us around. I don't think I'd have the strength to go back. Heck, it was hard enough to imagine being in their place- digging my own grave and then eventually being bashed over the head and falling into the pit I just finished digging. It was a horrifying sight. I'm glad I went however. It has shed so much light on the terrors of genocide and helps me to understand Darfur a little and inspires me to want to help.
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