A Recent War Torn Past and City on the Mend
Trip Start
Mar 21, 2006
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Trip End
Oct 05, 2008
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Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
Sunday, September 14, 2008
I have been here the last four days and really enjoyed my time in this city on the mend after such a tragic and recent war. As I mentioned in my last update I was able to re-connect with Sophia the German gal I traveled with for a week in Lao. It is always nice to show up to a new city and see a familiar face and I was happy to have someone to process the genocide museum with. This trip, as traveling always seems to do has proven time and time again how small the world is. I also reconnected the last few days with the Irish gals I helped out at the airport in Siem Reap. Sadly Siobhan has dengue fever so they have been here in Phnom Penh for over a week helping her get well. She is doing much better now and again it has been nice to re-connect with them. Most travelers are on a similar root so you end up seeing the same people a lot.
On my first full day here Sophia and I spent most of the morning at the Genocide Museum called Tuol Sleng or S-21 Prison. This was once a vibrant school educating Cambodian youth until the Khmer Rogue turned into to one of their largest prisons starting in 1975. The grounds are eerie to say the least, and as I walked through the chilling room where the same beds still are where so many innocent people were brutally murdered I could hardly hold back my tears. It is nearly impossible to describe the gruesome and awful killings that went on at this site: 10, 499 people not including what is thought to be upward to 2,000 children where help captive and murdered here.
Amazing Arcitecture of Royal Palace
Throughout the museum there are mug shot style photos of people that were there and the hardest ones to see where the actual photos of the dead bodies lying on the beds in the very room where they were senselessly killed. While memorial museums like there are important to educate us about the past and provide healing for some, I can't help but think about why these awful things continue to go on in our world. The Khmer Rouge tactics were strikingly similar to Hitler's methods and sadly our war torn history throughout the world continues to repeat it self. S-21 is a powerful space, however emotionally difficult, it was to see but the people that need to be gripped as I was by this space never seem to go to these memorials and learn from our past. However, as I discussed in my last entry I have met so many Cambodians actively working to re-build their country and it is very inspiring. Like so many of the capital cities on this side of the world, there is a massive street children presence here in Phnom Penh; there are nearly 20,000 alone here. It is so hard to say no to the adorable little kids trying to sell you post cards, books and sunglasses on the side of the street and even at your dinner table while you try to eat. However, giving to them only encourages them to stay on the street and puts them in further danger a lot of the time. I have never seen a more active and strong NGO network then here and almost everywhere you go there are signs about anti-trafficking of children and an entire Child Safe Network Logo that business display so you know that they are a reputable and positive place to spend your money.
Amazing tiled roofs at Palace in PP
There are so many organizations actively working to get kids and families ff the streets and provide them skills so they can be self-sufficient. One organization called FRIENDS has delicious restaurants whose staff is All-former Street kids that have been trained in hospitality service and now have a positive life off the streets. They also have a fantastic shop next door to that sells wonderful recycled product handicrafts and other items made by the kids. FRIEND's alone serves three meals a day to over 1,800 street kids in Phnom Penh and is extending this network on a daily basis. Check out their web site for more information about there work: www.streetfriends.orgThis is a city of dichotomies as any place is in the developing world. There are delicious western style cafes amongst extreme poverty and malnutrition. There are clean French Style Estates right next to trash filled gutters and starving street kids. As any city there is a lot to soak in but there is so much positive work going on to re-build after their tragic history. While Cambodia still has a long way to go (and a strong NGO presence does not intrinsically mean things are improving) I was happy to support FRIENDS nearly everyday that I was here, and see many similar organizations actively working to make their country a better place.
I fly back to Bangkok in a few hours and then my biggest adventure of all begins on Tuesday (the 16th) when I fly to Nepal for one month! I have become quite used to the SE Asian way of life and I think Nepal is going to be a very intense shift to make. I begin my time there at a 10-day meditation retreat at a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery called Kopan Monastery (www.kopan-monastery.com) outside of Katmandu proper. Followed by a 12 day trek in the Anapurna Sanctuary of the Himalayas with a wonderful all women's trekking organization called 3 Cheteri Sister Trekking. I am not sure what my initial Internet connection will be like but I will update you about my first week in Nepal once I get a chance.
Hope all is well, all my love and Peace!
Sherry
