Cambodia January 2011
Cambodia An incredible place with a rich but difficult history; From the ancient (Hindu and in some cases then later Buddhist) temples at Siem Reap; where the beauty and the tranquility of the temples and their ruins belie the turbulent times between Thailand (Siam/Siem) and Cambodia (Khmer), To the genocidal tragedy and unbelievable suffering and deaths of at least 1.5-2.5 million people under the Khmer Rouge regime in the late 1970s, To the emergence of a new economy, supported by the formation of a democracy, through foreign aid, but most of all because of the forward looking, hard working spirit and desire for a better life that is prevalent in many small and large ways throughout the country. It was wonderful to see these elements coming together to create an opportunity for a new, less poverty stricken beginning for many.
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Visiting Cambodia was a wonderful but also challenging experience. The history of suffering, going back centuries but also as recent as 30 - 35 years ago, was really shocking. The way the Khmer Rouge and its actions affected every person is clearly apparent. It feels like it is, and will be a major part of the national “psyche” for many generations to come. It certainly will be part of mine! The poverty, and each person’s struggle and gratefulness for the little things such as clean water, electricity, enough food for eat, and education opportunities for themselves or their children touched me deeply. But most of all, I was profoundly impressed by the general spirit of “let’s do something to improve our situation” of people both in the (poorer) provinces and also in the city. Overall, my trip to was a very touching and eye opening experience. I feel lucky to have been able to visit, see, and experience just a little bit of the beauty and the challenges of what is present day Cambodia. © 2011 Rebecca Meadows