Some people have lost faith in humanity thinking we are selfish, greedy and ultimately in it for ourselves alone. But I don’t see it that way. I agree that there are people out there who have that exact mind set. There are people that want to carry on with their own lives, making money for themselves, and care not for issues that do not involve them. And that’s fair enough, for it is not their responsibility. But not all of us are like that. There are also a lot of great people in this world (whether it comes naturally or be by choice) who take on that responsibility. All it takes to restore ones faith, is to see or experience someone doing something kind and selfless for someone else. Where there is no hidden agenda or phoniness, just a genuine desire to help someone out that needs a hand. I’ve seen it from a far when they think no one is watching and I’ve experienced it myself. I saw it often in Cambodia. If you pay attention, you’ll start to see it too! Nelson Mandela is a great example of someone who fought for something greater than himself. He chose to stand up for his people and his beliefs, even if it meant his own life. In his words, “People must learn to hate, and if they learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
On April 18th I found myself back at Sydney’s International Airport departures. I felt excited with anticipation knowing I was heading toward a continuant I had yet to explore, Asia! With two long weekends back to back in Australia, I had an unforseen opportunity to take a short 11 day holiday in Cambodia. I was off to meet two girlfriends from my homeland in Cambodia’s capital city, Phnom Penh. Travelling to new countries excites for me for a few different reasons, including the mystery of adventure, the escape from schedules and routine and the release of pre-existing notions with the understanding that they become irrelevant once I pass the border. In other words, I was going into a new country with an open mind.
Cambodia was a special place for me to visit. It was the first time in my life I had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a third world country in these conditions. Some things were quite difficult to see, but I think it’s important to understand how challenging living conditions can be in these countries and that means actually going there and seeing it with your own eyes. This not only gives perspective but also sparks a new way of thinking. I found myself empathising with the people, while also admiring them. I felt grateful for my privileged life. I had clean water to drink, food, sewage control, clean streets, fresh air, education and a nice home. All things that many of us can take for granted. However, there was something in their demeanour that I respected, a behaviour that was not something to feel sorry for, but rather to strive for. There was a consistent pattern I saw in these incredible people including immense gratitude for any amount of money received (even if it was $1), thoughtfulness and generosity in their own way, high level of courtesy, and a warm and gentle essence. Their worth as humans was not weighed by status or possessions. They helped one another rather than compete against each other. They treat each other as equals. They place value of their families spending evenings outside their homes together. While they have very little from a standard of living perspective, their lifestyle remains abundant with meaning.
It was an honour to meet these people. Admittedly, much of my time in Cambodia was spent enjoying my holiday with my girlfriends going hiking, pool lounging, drinking cocktails on the beach, swimming in infinity pools, dancing, exploring ancient temples and eating delicious local Khmer food. Without question these experiences were a lot of fun, but it was all the stuff in between that really moved me.
The three of us girls took a 3 hour car hire to get from Sihanoukville to Kep and our driver, (who did not speak English) took us on a little adventure. First we stopped about an hour into the drive to drop off some fencing, and then we stopped at his mother’s house so we could use the washroom and meet his 7 year-old daughter, which was followed by stopping at farm to pick up his 2 year old son. It just kept getting better and the girls and I found it all pretty hilarious, but also wonderful. He had no way of communicating to us where and why we were stopping, but it was implied with his kind gestures and smiling face. Another day we went out the peppercorn farm and I saw a man laying down pavement in the afternoon heat (40 degrees C) without any proper tools besides his own hands and a shovel. On several occasions, I saw men building fences, houses, barns with very little tools to help. I found it pretty incredible what they could achieve with just their hands and manpower. Finally, one day after hiking, we followed the sound of music that we had heard from afar during a hike into a village. In this village Khmer people of all ages were dancing to music that was being made by extraordinary instruments that I had never seen, all while eating and drinking together. We peaked in and though they did not speak a word of English, they waved their arms openly inviting us to join them. One woman got us chairs and offered us food. The children walked bare foot and elderly women were taking care of the babies. Most of the men were playing instruments, eating or dancing. They all gave us the most genuine and beautiful smiles. No communication was needed to see the kindness in their hearts and the warmth in their faces. Just as Mark Twain once wrote, “kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
The surroundings in Cambodia were also fascinating. It was interesting just driving from one place to the next because there was so much stimulating activity going on. People are outside their houses socialising and children swimming in water holes or riding bikes. There’s generally some sort of afternoon market in every small town you drive through with several stalls selling different types produce. There are often stray dogs wondering and sniffing about waging their tales, happy as Larry. You would regularly see a whole family on a motor bike including the Grandmother, or a van packed full of people with a few on top of the roof. Perhaps not the safest of choices, but they weren’t phased by it.
To my surprise, many areas in Cambodia were once quite classy and prosperous with French colonial influences. On our last day in Kep we checked out the remains of old European style home in a lovely property now overgrown with pushes. The house looked like a bomb went straight through the middle, but most of the frame was still intact. It was made of beautiful grey stone and high ceilings. I climbed around the house like a monkey finding ways to get up stairs to see where the bedrooms and bathrooms were. It was a sad feeling knowing it was once someone’s family home that was destroyed and taken from them.
The history of Cambodia is tragic and hard to believe. What was once beautiful and peaceful land became a killing field of destruction and genocide that wiped out nearly 2 million people (country of only 7-8 million) due to a corrupt government organization called the Khmer Rouge. Between 1975-1979 this government organization was lead by a cruel man they called Pol Pot who had a corrupted vision of a pure communist peasant farming society. As a result, he executed anyone he thought would pollute this vision such as educators, professionals, religious leaders, and anyone else who opposed him. He also famished people refusing them food and water. Many also died from curable diseases because he did not allow any distributions of medication. I went to the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh that is used as a memorial site and to educate people about what happened. It’s a very difficult experience to go through, I could hardly stomach it. I was in disbelief that humans could do such terrible things to one another and that I had never heard about it before going to Cambodia. It’s not surprising how far behind Cambodia is from an economic stand point when they essentially had to start from scratch just shy of 35 years ago. My respect for these people increased even more when I was informed of this.
On a happier note, we finished our adventure in Siem Reap where we visited ancient temples over 1000 years old, Angkor Wat, a masterpiece built for the Gods. These temples continue to bring hope to people in Cambodia and just might be the ticket to help them get back on their feet with it growing to be one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world.
Ultimately, I had an incredible adventure in Cambodia. We can all learn a little something from Khmer people who enjoy the simple pleasures of life, who generously offer you food and drink when they barely have enough for themselves. People who make it a priority to share quality time with the people they love. Lastly, we can all learn from Khmer people who had so much taken away from them and still had the courage get back up, dust off their knees and without complaints, start again. Thanks for reading!
