Uncovering the Devastation

January 3, 2012

The Thai Embassy. The next morning, I wanted to try my luck at the Thai Embassy. I heard the Thai Embassy in Cambodia was very stingy about their visa issuance policies. They also tend to manipulate foreigners and exhort bribes from them. I met one person who just got their visa from the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh. She explained that she had a tough time trying to get out of the building without giving away extra money. I guess, they were telling her that it was going to take four days to process her visa; it usually only takes one day to process visas at most other places. In order to get her visa processed normally, she had to bribe the embassy workers.

I want to avoid this situation as best as I can. Participating in this type of bribery can lead to bad consequences. First, you can be arrested and jailed if involved with extortion. Additionally, you are giving up extra money to a corrupt and flawed system. So since I refused to give a bribe (and since I probably don’t even have enough money to pay for just the visa), I was afraid I would have to wait the four days for it to be processed. It’s a really ridiculous system. I had four days for my visa to be processed but only two days left in the country. It wasn’t enough time. And I couldn’t stay longer. I was required to be back in school by the end of the week. But I had to try anyways and see what happens.

When arriving at the Thai Embassy, I was excited to see that it was open. Thailand was actually on holiday for a couple days for New Year’s. Whenever Thailand is on holiday so are the Thai businesses or embassies outside of the country. I got lucky! I started to think that things were looking up and that I was going to get my visa successfully. But I was still nervous. I sat in the back of the embassy building, incessantly shaking my legs and anxiously staring at the number counter sign displaying the next number to be called up. The odds weren’t really in my favor. Some factors against me included:
 

1. I didn’t have a working permit or contract because my school found it inconvenient and too expensive to get for me.

2. I brought with me this informal-looking document that looked like it was thrown together at the last minute.

3. I needed my visa ready by the following day so I can leave the country in time to come back to school.

4. I didn’t have a plane ticket itinerary, which was looking to be a requirement.

I watched three different people ahead of me get denied because they were missing one or more of the documents. They threw a fit and furiously stormed out. Watching people get denied was making me more nervous. Is that going to be me? So I waited. I waited as the numbers on the counter sign clicked down.

Then, they called my number. I slowly walked up to the counter, nervously clutching my application, horrendous passport photos, passport, and school document. Please just let them accept my paper. I traveled so far and spent a lot of money to get here. I need this visa. I handed the embassy worker my paperwork and watched him intently as he rummaged through my papers. Then he asked me to take a seat as he went into the back of the office. It felt like he was in there for hours as I waited in the back seats, furiously being bitten by wretched mosquitoes. He came out of the back room and called me back up to the counter.

Denied. My application was denied. I didn’t have the right paperwork. The document that my school gave was just a flimsy sheet of Thai writing that had no relevance to my non-immigrant B visa application. Or maybe it did. Whatever it was, it wasn’t enough. I didn’t know what to say or do. I was even thinking about impulsively throwing money at him but I didn’t know how to initiate this type of extortion proposal. I continued to ask the employee, “What’s wrong with my document?” “Why can’t I use this?” “My school gave this to me and said it would work. Why doesn’t it work?” He didn’t tell me anything positive and told me to come back with the right paperwork. But, I can’t. I would have to go all the way back to Thailand to get the right paperwork.

I was on the verge of tears and I stormed out of the embassy, just like the three other denied applicants did right before me. I was in disbelief. I stood outside and cried for a minute. Why would my school send me all the way out here so unprepared? Why would they tell me that this one document was the only thing I needed? I asked my supervisor several times before I left, “Are you sure this is all I need for my visa run?” “Do I need anything else to apply for my visa?” I wonder if they just couldn’t get their act together in time and just answered yes to all my questions, since a negative response would lead to confrontation. Thai people will supposedly do anything to avoid confrontation. I hope this wasn't the case. I hope saving face wasn’t considered more of priority than my time, money, and sanity. Then, after some reflecting, I pulled myself together.

Though outraged at my school’s lack of organization and assistance, I didn’t want to mourn and waste the day away. Since I couldn’t get my visa, there wasn’t really anything else I can do except wait for the day I was supposed to leave. I wanted to enjoy the time I had left in Cambodia. And at least I have this opportunity to travel to Cambodia, despite the troubles I went through to try to get my visa. And now, I have to go to another country, which isn’t bad thing in itself.

Khmer Rouge. As substantial as Holocaust and as recent as the Rwandan Genocide, the mass murder composed by the Khmer Rouge is an incident unfamiliar to most of the world. While trying to break away from French rule, the ideals of communism caught Cambodia’s attention. Thus, communism rapidly swept across the country like an infectious, deadly disease.

The Khmer Rouge and their leader, Pol Pot, wanted to create a brand new society without any institution and hierarchy. He called the start of this new society ‘Year Zero’ and he forced thousands of people to work in the agriculture industry. The Rouge killed over three million people within a couple years. They killed anyone who was did not like the new society and the new rules. They also killed anyone who was educated or religious, to ensure everyone was on the same level and no one would resist the tyranny.  For those who escaped the Rouge’s lethal wrath, they usually died from grueling labor, disease, and starvation instead. The Rouge’s reign ended once the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia. The five surviving leaders of the Rouge are facing extreme charges against humanity and are currently going through trials.

Before coming on this trip, I actually learned a lot about Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge. Much of what I studied in college was about Cambodia and I’ve interacted with many refugees of the Khmer Rouge. In college, I worked at a Cambodian refugee center teaching classes to kids from refugee families. As a non-profit organization created by a refugee family, I was able to work with people who had suffered through the genocide.  Many of them were tortured. Many of them were forced to watch their family members die. Many of them escaped to the States without anyone or anything and found a way to start a new life. Hearing their story both saddened and inspired me. I wanted to hear more and more. Better yet, I wanted to see where it all happened. So, now I’m here in Cambodia, seeing where it all happened.

S-21 Detention. This wasn’t the typical holding center for defiant students who were tardy or a nuisance in class. It was the last stop before death. People who disagreed or even appeared to disagree with the Rouge would be arrested and placed in the detention center called S-21 Prison. This school turned prison was unnerving to walk around. The complex and buildings looked like your typical run down school but once you got closer, it was so much more. It was sickening peering into each of the classrooms, which turned into prison cells. Each cell seemed to get smaller and darker as you moved down the hallway. In each cell, there laid a broken iron bed with several erect fragments of metal, making it difficult to visualize anyone even curled up on such a barbed structure. Each room displayed a picture of the lifeless mangled body that was found shackled to the bed or tossed about on the floor. Some of the classrooms even had more than one cell. The small openings that qualified as cells could barely fit one person. But solders manage to fit several people in anyways.

It is such  sensitive issue, you are not even allowed to laugh or smile for pictures.

Surrounding the prison and the idyllic blossoming garden and courtyard where children probably used to have their lunches were a variety torture devices. Some devices included a post that used to hang people by their feet to submerge their heads into a bucket of water and a restraint laced chair with a revolving drill in the headboard. Lastly, some other prison cells exhibited the mug shots of thousands of prisoners who came through the prison before heading off to the killing fields. The prisoners weren’t only Khmer. They were of all ethnicities, genders, and ages. Pictures of young children, soiled and unclothed, seem to stare back at you with their empty eyes. But you can’t seem to return the glance. It’s hard to look. When the Vietnamese army finall drove out the Rouge, there were only seven survivors left in the prison out the 14,000 that had served their time.

Victim's graves in the school's courtyard

Killing Fields. If you survived the prison, you were shipped off to the killing fields. One of the most visited killing fields is Choeung Ek, located right outside of Phnom Penh. This was one of the most depressing sites I have ever visited. It’s hard to imagine the amount of people who died right on the ground you’re standing on. It’s hard to imagine that people were killed using machetes and household objects because bullets were considered too expensive. It’s hard to imagine lining up an entire family and shooting them down one by one into a pile of decaying human corpses. It’s hard to imagine soldiers grabbing children by the ankles and swinging their bodies and heads into a large bloodied tree (now, called the Killing Tree) or throwing infants up in the air only to catch them with their knives. This is when I couldn’t hold back tears anymore.

The holes where victims would be dumped. You can still find clothing and teeth from the victims in these mounds.

The Killing Tree is a tough place to observe. You become furious because you wonder why they would kill children. Babies and children were killed just as a precautionary cleaning, to ensure that no one will be coming back for revenge. As you walk around, you can see people dabbing their faces with tissues and being consoled by their loved ones. It was more abnormal not to be sobbing. During the Rouge reign, they used to play loud music every night to drown out the sounds of the screaming. But prisoners awaiting their time knew what the music represented—and it wasn’t long until they would be listening to that same tune close up. About 8,000 bodies were found in this field alone. Most bodies have not been excavated yet. The site now displays clothing, teeth, graves, and skulls of the victims to demonstrate the reality of this mass murder.

The building where they keep all the remaining skulls and clothing.

Yeah, after absorbing all that, I definitely don’t feel bad about my visa situation anymore.

It’s For Charity. Cambodia seems to have a lot of services rendered to support the less fortunate. After making a couple purchases at an HIV supportive shop and a massage from a blind masseuse, we decided to have dinner at a restaurant that supported orphans and disadvantaged families. It was the last thing on Bobby’s list to do before he had to go back to Thailand. The restaurant, Friends, was this cute little eatery adjacent to an orphanage that helped teach kids essential life and work skills. Friends specifically teaches the kids how to cook and serve. The teachers and the students work at the restaurant. You can tell who they are because they wear shirts that say ‘Teacher’ or ‘Student’.

The profits from the restaurant are used to fund the children’s education and livelihood. The food was more expensive then I was used to but it was worth it for charity. And it was amazing. There was such a great variety of food that we had to get several dishes each. I was so full and my wallet was almost emptied from that meal. It ended up being a $20 meal each. It was the most expensive meal I have gotten since traveling. I could’ve bought a pretty decent cellphone in Thailand with that money. Oh no, I’m going to be thinking in Baht for a while I think.

A Local Friend. My mom was extremely scared for my life. When she found out that I was going to be in Phnom Penh alone, she immediately called my dad and they both held an intervention for me over Skype. I realized I shouldn’t have told them. They continued telling me that I was going to be putting myself in danger, among other things. I was annoyed and impatient with their constant badgering. So I was a little vulgar in my tone and choice of words during the conversation.

This is an excerpt of the online intervention:

Christy: I can’t force people to stay with me in Cambodia…no one else can go…I’m lucky that my friend is able to go with me at all. He doesn’t even need to go on a visa run. He is going to keep me company.

Dad: How long have you known your friend?

Christy: I just met him today.

Dad: And you trust him already?!?

Christy: I’m just messing with you. You and mom are way too protective. I’ve known him for 5 weeks now. He is another teacher.

Dad: Don’t do that. Have you ever seen the movie: “Taken”?

Christy: I’m too old to be “taken”.  I’m too old and used to be part of the human trafficking system in Asia.

Yes, I saved this conversation. It was too amusing to dispose of.

Since I didn’t listen to my parents (again), my mom gave me a phone number of someone she knows in Cambodia. My mom seems to know everyone in every country I visit. It’s so strange. I had no idea who this person was or how my mom knew her but I was excited to meet someone who actually grew up here. I was excited to hang out with a local. Once Bobby left, I was able to get in touch with Sothyta. So I met Sothyta for the first time when she came to pick me up from my hostel. She is a beautiful young woman with such an elegance and maturity you don’t normally see in a 21 year old . She is in her last year in college and she plans to go to America to get her Master’s degree. She is very well traveled as she has studied abroad in Malaysia and has trekked through many other Asian countries. I was excited to learn more about her.

She took me to a nearby mall to meet up with some of her friends. She knew a good amount of English so I was able to have a much deeper conversation with her than I expected. But I must have overwhelmed her since I asked a million questions on the way to the mall. I wanted to know about her life and what she does. I wanted to know about Khmer culture, language, society, food, and everything else that I can fit in my already exhausted brain.

We all went to dinner and I had even more food. Even though I just ate a lot at Friends, I continued to stuff myself since I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to try authentic Khmer dishes. After, we went to a popular ice cream shop in Phnom Penh. Surprisingly, I found my milk tea! So far, I have been lucky enough to find milk tea in every country so far. I didn’t expect to find one in Cambodia though. While talking about topics ranging from corrupt educational institutions to Khmer family values, I was in bliss drinking away this milky green concoction. I had a wonderful time with Sothyta and her friends. I definitely learned a lot about Khmer culture and each of their travel experiences.

I went back to my hostel at the end of the night. Afterwards, I realized I missed my chance dancing with the hip hop flash mob on the street. But I figured they should be there the next night. I’ll just try to join in then. I really liked my guesthouse and room. I felt like royalty as it was called the Royal Guesthouse. For about $7, I was able to get a pretty large room that had large regal looking curtains and window panes. But I missed Bun Kao Guesthouse. Free Internet, crocodiles, hammocks, running water…wait…no water at all. It was still wonderful. I missed the friendly, old owner who smiled more than I’ve ever seen anyone smile before.


This guesthouse had its moments as well. It had water, which was a plus. But it lacked electricity, which meant I showered and felt my way around the room in the pitch black. The shower also didn’t drain so my bathroom and room flooded. I didn’t know what to do and it was too late to report. So I waded through the inch of drain water to my bed, hoping that I wouldn’t drift off to sea.

We're On the Road Again

January 2, 2012

Terrible Bus #2. Getting from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh was supposed to be a very long and taxing drive. I already expected that. I didn’t think it could get much worse than the first ride. We were supposed to be leaving around 5:30 in the morning, getting us to the capital city by midday. It was anticipated to be a long ride already, in a cramped up, congested  run-down bus. Again, we woke up in the dark and took a tuk tuk to the nearest bus station. We were dropped off at this dark and eerie looking dirt field with one abandoned looking bus parked in the middle of it. It didn’t look like a bus station. It looked like we got dropped off in the middle of nowhere with no life in sight. Well, except that one beer bellied Khmer man walking around with just his snug fitted underwear. What a sight for the morning! More people started to trickle in the field area and we felt more reassured that we were at the right place. The time our bus was supposed to leave already passed and we were still waiting for everyone to get organized, including the half-naked man who we were hoping would put clothes on at some point. We were already very late by the time we took off.

But our luck worsened just as the journey started. This bus was definitely worse than the first. The air conditioning was turned up to the highest dial and the vents weren’t maneuverable, again. Some people even shoved the window’s curtains or a piece of clothing into the vents to block the cold air. The bus driver played very loud and obnoxious Khmer love songs and music videos. And it was loud. There was about ten songs and videos that were circulated over and over again during the entire trip. The bus also drove on several unpaved roads, one in which took an hour to slog through. The bus was intolerably jarring and sluggish. It was too uncomfortable to try to sleep and at times I felt nauseous. Someone on the bus actually ended up throwing up during the ride. I heard this is common with bus rides in Southeast Asia. Good thing we were close to the rest stop since the smell combined with uncontrollable turbulence could cause a vomit-induced chain reaction. It ended up taking close to 10 hours to get our final destination.

On the other hand, the view of Cambodia’s more rustic region was breath-taking. I don’t know if many people would agree with me but I appreciate nature and village life more than modernity and metropolitan living. It was different than what I’ve been used to. Seeing worn bamboo and wooden planked houses, immense heaps of straw, and fields of rice and grassland lining the dirt roads gave me a little piece of traditional culture. Children would be running around their small houses stilted for the flooding seasons or leading packs of bulls or farm animals from one village to the next. I wonder if they have a school out here.

I Popped My Squat Cherry! My fellow squatting friends would be so proud. I did it! I used a squat toilet for the first time. I was reluctant to use it during all of my travels and I finally popped a squat on my way to Phnom Penh. As grotesque as it may sound, I wish someone could have seen my entire squatting process. My attempt to squat for the first time was very awkward and uncoordinated from the moment I tried taking off my pants. I walked into an unkempt, soiled bathroom shack on the side of a dirt road. I was disappointed to find that there weren’t any toilets with seats; they were all holes in the ground. This was it. So I had to use one. I tried so hard not to use one all throughout Asia. I even started to get pretty good at holding my bladder for long hours. But the bus ride was too long and the unpaved road produced violent bouncing movements, making it more difficult to control my sphincters.

As I straddled the hole, it took me several tries to position my feet in an unobstructed path from the forthcoming stream. I was really hoping I wasn’t going to aim in the wrong direction. I definitely did not want to walk out of this experience with a souvenir splash. Though, I would take that over getting splashed by Bangkok’s river water. That river is a whole concoction of human fluids. I tried pulling down my pants but I didn’t know the exact protocol of depant-ing when taking a squat. Should I pull them half way down and squat? Should I have them at my knees? Should I take them off completely before I do the deed? After trying each option out and practicing my squats, I started to take my pants off completely. Then I realized that I might be over thinking it. Many other people I know squat quite quickly and efficiently. I don’t think they undress in the process.

After positioning my pants, I attempted to squat. I kept adjusting my feet and shifting my body to each side to find the right position for my inadequate girly aim. I didn’t know how to hold my balance so I reached around for my surroundings, hoping to find something to grab on. My options were the water bucket and the wall. I placed one palm out on the wall ahead of me and the other on wall on my right side.  Then, I realized how disgusting these walls might be and kept my balance with the tips of my fingernails. After this entire process, I finally achieved the squat. I felt proud, mainly because my bladder was empty and my clothes were dry. I did it! To disgust Bobby a bit, I dribbled some water down my pant leg and walked out moping about my unfortunate accident. The look on his face…it was funny.

Khmer Currency. I really enjoyed adapting to the Khmer currency system. The country uses two forms of currency: the riel and the U.S. dollar. So it was interesting trying to use both currencies simultaneously.  In the early 90’s, U.S. dollars were introduced into the Cambodia’s economy. Now, it is a significant part of their commerce. It’s used so frequently that you don’t even have to exchange your USD’s when traveling through most parts of Cambodia. They gladly take the dollar and sometimes even prefer the dollar. Typically, U.S. money is used on any value over a one dollar amount. When the amount is below a dollar, riel is used. In a sense, riel is used in replacement for U.S. coins. So, there aren’t any heavy coins to lug around. It was a bit of an experience converting and even distributing and receiving two different types of currency. The riel is also quite deceiving as its value amount is seemingly smaller than the number displayed on the notes. Since 4,000 riel is equal to $1.

I ended up reaching a financially stressful moment at one point on the trip. As I was still adjusting to the money system, I assumed I had enough money with 16,000 riel in my pocket. When needing to pay for the hostel, tours, and my visa application, I realized that 16,000 riel is only $4. I had only $4 left. That was it! This was not going to even cover my room rate, let alone a visa. I was very reluctant to use an ATM since they tend to charge hefty fees to withdraw American cash. And I’ve been using the ATM way too much lately since my school still hasn’t given me my salary for the month. I ended up finding out about this Bank and ATM called Canadia. It is the only ATM in these tourist towns that doesn’t add a surcharge to withdrawals. It also dispenses U.S. dollars. These types of ATMs are a gold mine so I definitely went the distance trucking around for this ATM.

We didn’t have too much time to explore during the day since our bus got in a lot later than expected. So we were in a rush to go to a couple attractions this day. This was mainly since Bobby didn’t have as long of a vacation as I did and had to go back home early. So we needed to make sure that he got to see as much as he could while he was in the capital city.

The Royal Residence. This elegant and stunning complex of golden, peak roofed structures was a sight to see. The Royal Palace is a large center complete with an assortment of buildings and surrounded by gardens, trees, and sacred monuments. These buildings did not look like the typical temple structures that I’ve seen in the last couple Asian countries. The roofs had a unique appearance as the peaks jutted out with a crimped golden twig-like design. Each rooftop had slim, pinnacle-shaped steeples arising into the sky, making the buildings seem even more exotic. But the base of the buildings did not look Asian-esque. They were very boxy and square-like, almost Western looking. It was a peculiar combination but it was beautiful nevertheless.

Most of the complex was closed off though. This palace is actually the home of the present king of Cambodia. The front of the palace complex is displayed for tourists. But the back is completely gated off, in order to maintain a peaceful environment for the king’s family and home. While standing on the balcony of one of the structures, I was able to peer into the royal’s home region. I didn’t see anything exciting, just a field of grass and another couple of buildings. The Silver Pagoda is also housed in this complex. This building is famous for having the crystal Buddha or the Emerald Buddha of Cambodia. Along with having several gold and bedazzled Buddha’s, the thousands of silver tiles lined in the interior of the building has given it its name, the Silver Pagoda.

Your Royal Highness. The current King of Cambodia is King Norodom Sihamoni. This king is of mixed ethnic heritage and is known for being an acclaimed dancer and ballet instructor. He has an unusual situation as a king, as he is still a bachelor without children to continue his royal lineage. Some even say that he is gay. In case there isn’t an heir to the throne, the high officials of the throne council can elect a successor in cases like these. So there isn’t as much pressure for him to have children. His father, King Norodom Sihanouk is very well known for being the Renaissance man of politics as he has had the most varied of high-ranking jobs of any politician. Though his country supported him, the Khmer Rouge took him out of power several times during their control. He still maintained good relationships with the Khmer Rouge and even helped support their cause. He claims that it wasn’t Communism he supported but rather his country’s independence. In 1993, Sihanouk was given the throne back but by this time, he was already very old and weak. Thus, his son, Sihamoni took the throne. Sihanouk is now in a hospital in China.

Monks Can Talk? I saw these three monks walk into the palace area. Lucky monks! They are able to get into all these attractions for free and without having to wait in line. We were in line for a good while before we had to dish out $6 dollars for a self-serviced tour. I’m really intrigued by monks. Typically, you aren’t supposed to take pictures of monks or at least this is what I was told. But I always wanted to sneak a picture. So usually, I just pretend to take a picture of something nearby them when taking their picture. I felt really guilty and I think one of them saw me steal a shot. As I explored the palace region, I kept my peripherals on them, creepily eye-ing their every move. Why was I so drawn to monks? It was strange. I just wanted to talk to them and find out their story.

The monks ended up exploring the same structure I was and they were taking pictures. I always find it strange to see monks with modern technology. I guess I see their image as traditional and seeing them with a mobile or high-tech camera looks a bit silly. The classic monk’s robe doesn’t mesh well with the sleek cutting edge of an iPhone. They started to take pictures of each other and I wanted to help them out. I asked them if I could help them take a picture of all three of them. Then one monk told me that he wanted to take a picture of me and his friends instead. He probably knew that I wanted a picture since he was the one who caught me taking pictures of them. After the picture, we started talking. His English was good but it was difficult to understand. It might have been his heavy accent. He talked a lot. He talked a lot more than I thought a monk would talk. I didn’t even know that monks were allowed to talk. Maybe he just ended his vow of silence and was in desperate need to have  conversation with someone. All I really received from the conversation was that he was in the monkhood for over a decade and that he wants to travel to America one day. We talked for over five minutes and that was all I got. Maybe I just have bad listening skills.

Now, Promenade. The Sisowath Quay walkway down the main tourist region of Phnom Penh is a very popular spot for travelers and young locals. The long street and walkway is bordered by an extensive string of shops, backpacker hostels, and varied eateries on one side and the murky waters and riverbank of the Tonle Sap River on the other. I’ve heard some worrying stories about this pathway. Though a beautiful stroll during the day, I was told that the street was a prime spot to encounter petty robberies, violent assaults, and death during the late hours. These callous acts or slayings are mainly executed on foreigners. And because they are a Communist country that strongly despise Americans like me, I will be one of the firsts to go if I step foot on that street. So I shouldn’t trust anyone and I should keep indoors at all times because they are all Communists. This is the slightly exaggerated message my anxious parents left me right before I rebelled and left for Cambodia anyways. Mom and dad, you two are too protective and kind of strange.

I actually really enjoyed this part of town. The night was more entertaining and dynamic than the daytime. There was more to see and do along the pathway. Many people were playing a careless game of soccer, vigorously passing the ball to whoever stood in their path. Groups of young kids playing hacky sack with a shuttlecock, as passersby watch intently at this peculiar game. At least, I did. What is this game? There were young, unsupervised children selling food right along the curb of the street, children playing with their elementary friends on the small jungle gym, and vendors selling food on a basket balanced on their heads.

There was also a large aerobics dance group performing several routines for the public. And their endurance to dance seemed limitless as they continued to shake their hips for the next couple hours. There was also a more youthful crowd less than a block away, blasting hip-hop beats and grooving in unison. The street dances all seemed to be coordinated and the pop-lock-and droppers appeared to be well-versed in their art. It was fun to watch and it made me want to join. I was also watching carefully since this was my prospective activity for the next couple nights since Bobby was leaving the following day. I hope they let me join!

Does this girl remind you of anyone?

What a Start

January 1, 2012

Why do I keep doing this to myself? I never thought coming to Thailand and traveling around Asia would require so much of my time. I can never get any sleep. After getting pretty crazy and rowdy last night with a ton of booze and….Oh wait. Wrong night. That was actually someone else’s night though. As we headed back to the hostel, we saw a young woman passed out and seizing from ingesting too much alcohol. It was very scary and sad to see. What a way to start the New Year. We headed in early because we were planning on seeing the sunrise at Angkor Wat. It is supposed to be one of the best spots in the world to watch the sunrise. And what makes it even better is it’s the first sunrise of the year. Top that!

Where’s the Sun? It was around five in the morning. With barely any sleep, Bobby and I tumbled into a tuk-tuk and found our way to Angkor Wat. It was pitch black outside. Street lights aren’t as common here so it was hard to see anything. I couldn’t even see my own feet as we were walking towards the temple. After some stumbles and retina adjustment, we found a spot right next to the pond in front of the temple. And then, we waited. And we waited. And we waited some more. Did we come too early? Why was it taking so long?


It took about an hour of us rigidly standing before the light started to make its way into the sky. The arriving sunlight created a bright backlighting to the silhouette of the temple’s towers and structure. It wasn’t that spectacular though. The atmosphere was so cloudy and dim that the sky had only an opaque light blue coloring to it. It also started to drizzle so it made our experience standing in the cold and dark not as pleasant as expected. We couldn’t even see the sun through the clouds; it was that dense. It was definitely not an epic sunrise. I hope this isn’t foreshadowing a year of disappointment and failed expectations. Melodramatic much?

RELAX. We groggily found our way back into town and had a relaxing day in Siem Reap. I slept throughout the morning and had a delicious French inspired breakfast—tasty eggs, French bread, and black coffee. I spent some time reading and sleeping in the hammocks, enjoying the scenery and nature sounds. I really like hammocks. It is definitely part of my criteria when finding a hostel or guesthouse now. Bobby and I decided to take a two hour bike ride around the city and a little outside the city. We got to see beautiful pastures and villages along the way. There were a lot of kids playing along the dirt roads. I love taking pictures of young children. It makes me miss elementary school, or at least teaching at one. The young ones are adorable. What’s great is that I can actually take pictures of little ones without fear of jail time or a membership to Megan’s Law. In the States, a child’s parent has to sign a waiver form so you can take a picture of their kid. Oh, the U.S. and their uptight regulations.

 


















Charitable Services. There are several programs in Cambodia that offer services that support people and communities in need. Some include charitable restaurants, merchandise sold to support disadvantaged families, and services from the disabled or blind. Itching for a rub down, we wanted to try out the Seeing Hands massage service. Seeing Hands is an organization that trains blind individuals in massage therapy. The organization not only provides them with jobs but they also are able to support themselves off the money they receive from customers. So we tried out their services.

Massages are one of my favorite relaxing activities (or lack of activity). It’s usually a gift I give to myself after a difficult semester at school or any back-breaking, laborious work I’ve ensured. I’ll be honest. I’m a bit compulsive and particular with massages. I’ve gotten them a lot in the past and I’ve experienced many different types. This excludes the special boom boom massages. I have to be going through a lengthy dry spell to even consider those . Since I’m a self-acclaimed veteran of massages, I’m also very judgmental while getting them. I don’t know why but I analyze each technique that a masseuse uses and compare it to my past experiences. And this is when I’m supposed to be relaxing. I can tell if a masseuse missed a step, has poor technique, or is not as in tuned with the human body. Strange, right? I actually don’t have any right to say this though. I’ve never been trained before. I’ve always wanted to though. Nevertheless, I’m rather meticulous and high maintenance with my massages. This doesn’t mean I pay for the expensive rubs though. I used to routinely go to a $15 massage service without correlating the low price with the quality of the massage. Well, enough about my massage compulsion.

I didn’t really like the massage I received from the blind masseuse. She wasn’t strong enough and I barely felt her hands graze my skin. I guess, I like it rough. Unfortunately, I was more uncomfortable with her feather light grazing then the usual prodding and digging in between every sinew of my aching muscles. I was more interested in her story anyways. I wanted to know how she became blind, how she has lived with the hindrance, and how she has progressed into this field. I was so interested in hearing everything about her so I began asking her questions about her life. But she couldn’t understand a word I was saying and nor could anyone else around. After trying for a couple minutes, I gave up and let her finish feather dusting me with her dainty hands.

Khmer Dance. Traditional dance in Cambodia is very unique in its appearance and movements. Most dances display the performers as Apsaras, who are beautiful and elegant female spirits from ancient mythology. These dances are called Apsara as they are inspired by the Apsara carvings and statues in many of the Khmer temples. The classical dance usually tells a story. Each arch and placement of the dancer’s hands and feet relays a different meaning. The dance has a good balance between being controlled and exact while have a flowing and agile appeal. One of the more visual pleasing aspects of the dance is the elaborate costumes, which are complete with color and gleam with the illumination from the reflective pieces of sequence and gems embroidered into their attire.

Usually these dance performances will display a series of separate dances; it depicts the events circulating around rural life, farm work, and young love. It was very interesting to watch this dance. The dance was so tranquil yet lively. What I enjoyed the most were the actual performers of the dance. They were very silly as they were performing. They would joke around, blatantly laugh at mistakes they would make, and not so discreetly wack each other in their crotchal regions.

All Dried Up. After getting back to the guesthouse, we heard some disgruntling news. The water was still not working. For some odd reason, the water in the entire guesthouse wasn’t working during most of our stay in Siem Reap. There has only been a couple times in which the water was actually running and during that time, we were out exploring the city. It was very hot so not being able to take a shower became rather unpleasant after a while. Usually, I don’t even like taking showers. Getting wet, drying off—it sounds so demanding. But when you are sweating all day, it’s the only thing that would make you feel fresh and somewhat tolerable to your surroundings.

Though I was able to get at least one shower in during my time here. I mainly used a bottle of water as my means for brushing my teeth and showering. Pouring water from a lukewarm bottle all over my perspiring, reeking body has never been so sexy. Actually, I just poured it all along my arms and legs and scrubbed away. My other parts are just going to have to wait. It was a bit frustrating but we just couldn’t get mad at the owner of the guesthouse. He was too nice and so accommodating. Every time he found out the water wasn’t working, he would feel extremely bad and run around trying to find ways for us to take a shower or use the toilet. At one point, he even gathered several buckets of water and placed it in his own room’s bathroom so that we can bathe from it.


I love it here so much already. Should I just stay? I do have prospective job opportunities here. What do you think?

So what do you think guys? Should I apply?

What an interesting beginning to the New Year. Just being in Cambodia to start off my year is pretty extraordinary. I wonder what’s next to come.

Imagine an Empire

December 31, 2011

Angkor. The Angkor Empire was a powerful South Asian kingdom during the ancient era. They flourished in battle, economic trade, and the arts. One cultural aspect they are most known for is their distinctive and exquisite architecture and mythical carvings. When in reign, Khmer kings would build new capitals and temples to signify their strength and devotion to a higher power. This collection of various capitals is located in a region called Angkor. Though all the remnants of a metropolitan have diminished over time, the solid stone temples have maintained some of its original structure and detail. Surrounded by a dense forested park, Angkor extends across a vast area. It is actually considered the world’s largest ancient city. The complex encompasses 100 stone temples and is said to have housed over one million people during the kingdom’s peak.

Now to the temples…

Imagine walking down a pathway, bordered by giant deity-chiseled stone figures and surrounded by a primeval moat that keeps outsiders away from the precious estate. Each stone figure towers over you, making you feel insignificant compared to the god-like warriors of this ancient kingdom. The pathway leads you to a gate that not even the most powerful of armies can ascend as it seems to rise as tall as the heavens. The pinnacle, mountain tiered towers that line the tops of the barrier display the transcendent and looming design of a well-defined mystical face. You are now entering the South Gate of the Khmer kingdom. 

 

We explored several temples, some of which I’m still mixing up. Here are some of the temples that I can remember:

Angkor Thom. As an extravagant assortment of ruins and standing pillars weathered from war and age, this temple recaps a mythical past you can’t really begin to imagine. Stepping onto the ruins, I felt significant and insignificant at the same time. I’m standing in a spot in which Khmer kings and warriors have stood before. But then again, I’m actually standing in a spot that millions of random tourists have walked across many times, reminding me that I am just a commoner, just a minion of this present world.

Religious Tolerance. When the Khmer temples were built, the concept of religious peace was kept in mind. For years, wars have been fought in the name of religion. Hinduism and Buddhism are examples of religions that aren’t as compatible. In an attempt to create religious tolerance, the temples were built to have a combination of both religious characteristics and traditions. The temple’s towers were built steep and mountainous, a distinctive feature of Hindu temple construction. Buddha’s face is also placed on the tops of these towers to show the union of both religions. Some believe that the face actually resembles one of the most influential Khmer kings instead. Numerous Buddha statues and carvings are placed throughout the interior of all the Khmer temple as well. Unfortunately, rebellion broke out and Buddhism was attacked in many forms. Many Buddhists and monks were killed, all the Buddha carvings were cut out of the walls, and all the Buddha statue’s heads were cut off. The only Buddha-like relics left are the faces on the towers. They were a bit too high and big to demolish.

Four Faces. Each tower has four faces; each one looking in different directions. These faces represent the real human characteristics: compassion, charity, equality, and sympathy. It was created as a way to exhibit what traits one needed to have in order to be considered a real human. The four faces are also said to be made as watch guards, watching over every part of the kingdom from every side. It’s like you have eyes in the back of your head…and the sides.
  

Angkor Bayon. This temple is well known for the multitude of well-maintained stone faces on its steep towers. There are 54 towers alone in this temple, each of them presenting four Buddhist-looking faces. So there are over 200 faces that can be seen within the ruins. Another rumor is that the face is actually a combination of the famous King Jayavarman VII’s face and Buddha. Another important feature of this temple is the elaborate carvings, displaying real-life war scenarios. This temple, along with many others, is supposed to represent the universe. Its immense facility represents the entirety of the universe, the towers represent the mountains and the landforms, and the moat around the temples represents the water from the oceans.

Nose Kisses. I kissed Buddha! I actually didn’t do any of that saliva swapping deal. Rather, we gave each other a nose kiss. Well, several actually if I’m being honest. A popular thing to do at this temple, and some others, is to take a picture of yourself lining up your nose with the Buddha’s nose. The towers are actually too tall for you to do this up against the face. But with a camera, placed in the right spot and direction by a photo taker can get you a nose kiss from Buddha. It’s just perspective.

Terrace of the Elephants. We reached this massive raised platform overlooking acres of lavish grassland, bending stretches of earthy roads, and the distant foliage of a nearby jungle. This is what the ancient king would see, sitting on his throne. People would gather in this large field and royalty and nobles would assemble on the stage for ceremonies and special events. Events included extravagant elephant parades, entertaining competitions, and an exhibition of the king’s army. The name of the terrace was given because of the elegant and detailed design of elephants all along the perimeter of the stage and as pillars to the stairs leading up to the king’s seat. Standing upon the terrace, overlooking the impressive view kind of makes you feel a bit regal.

Tomb Raider Temple. Ta Phrom is well known for its role in the movie Tomb Raider, a reason it is also called the Tomb Raider temple. This temple is completely surrounded by a jungle like forest. Vegetation tightly encircles the ruins and trees rhythmically spiral around the stone walls and pinnacles. This temple was originally built by one of the Khmer kings as a tribute to his mother. It later became a Buddhist monastery and education center. This temple was magical looking. Stones of the broken structure seem almost deliberately placed upon each other in a disorderly manner. But it works despite its chaotic looking appearance. The chaos makes it look more rugged and tough. One momentous attribute of this structure are the trees that grow from the roofs of the temples. As the tree’s height exceed the elevation of most temple structures, its roots dangle from the rooftops and are submerged deep into the ground. Legend has it that a spiritual bird dropped a seed onto the roof of the building, causing the tree to start growing, even from such an odd location and environment.

The World’s Largest. It is said to be the world’s largest religious monument. When people come to Cambodia, they come to Angkor Wat to bask in its glory. This structure is really that big. It takes a couple hours just to explore the complex and climb up and down the steep towers. Just like most of the other temples of Angkor, the structure has several towers built in a pinnacle and mountain shaped form. Religious carvings and statues are positioned at every step of your exploration. Even with the headless Buddha statues, you still feel the essence of deep spirituality completely embody your senses. It was beautiful and devastating at the same time. They call it ruins for a reason. After some wear and tear, you can’t even fully imagine what it might have looked like during its glory days. But nevertheless, it has a disastrous and transcendent feel that captivates your attention and discourages your eyes from turning away.

One thing I’ve noticed about this site, and many others in Asia, is the relaxed regulations. If this structure was in the States, you wouldn’t be able to climb in or around it and everything would be closed off with gates and posted signs with disclaimers. Especially with ruins, not everything is perfectly upright or even in its build. Random bumps, unleveled surfaces, and protruding rocks and ledges jutting out are quite typical when you are walking around, let alone climbing. You can easily trip on every other step. I know I’ve never stumbled over my feet this much in my life. I’ve eaten it already too many times and I’ve had some food causalities when bringing my meals home.

But even while falling and even hurting myself, I can’t sue anyone. There aren’t exploited standards over here to allow you to sue over each little hiccup. It’s just common sense. If you stand too close to the 45 feet high ledge, you need to be careful and aware. You shouldn’t heavily drink and then go swimming in the rapids. Many times, tourists are the ones that get hurt or die, not the locals. Though, that makes sense since locals are more accustomed to the environment. Even some of the tallest structures don’t require handles or to be tapered off, permitting you to climb over everything and anything. This helps for a better exploration of the attractions. I do really like the lax regulations. I got to climb around as if I were in a jungle gym or rock climbing without gear. I would climb up the peaks of the structures and squeeze myself onto the small ledges on the sides of the temples. It was fun to scale the sides of the temples. It makes you feel so small compared to these gigantic structures. And if I fell, it was my own fault for not being more careful or even just climbing it in the first place.

Young Vendors. It was both amazing and disheartening to see the amount of kids soliciting tourists. And they were young, too young. Many of them were around seven years old to ten years old, while a good sum were four and five years old. Yes, a few preschoolers tried to sell me some bracelets. I was distraught by the whole concept. Why weren’t they in school or playing with friends? I tried talking to some of them personal questions, instead of feeding the industry of child solicitors by buying the bracelet or postcards. I asked them questions like “Why aren’t you in school?” “How old are you?” “What’s your name?” Some would either robotically respond to my question with their same sales pitch, “How about two for one?” and some would generate a one-worded answer and immediately go back into robotic sales mode.

I continued asking more questions, completely ignoring the baskets of trinkets they kept pushing at my face. After a couple minutes, I think I broke a couple down since I finally was able to have an actual conversation with them. Surprisingly, they knew more English than I would have thought. Despite their automatic selling lingo, some of these kids spoke better and more English than many of my 12^th graders. They were able to respond to my questions, ask me follow up questions, and even give a reacting response like “really” “that’s nice”, which can be a difficult concept language learners to grasp. My favorite part of the conversations is when they would ask where I was from and I would respond, “I’m from Thailand.” The kids both look at each other with a confused expression across their face and then turn back to me replying, “But you don’t look Thailand.” I know, I know. I’m not from Thailand. But technically I am a resident of Thailand. After Cambodia, I’m not going back to the States. I’m going back to my home in Thailand. That qualifies, right?

These kids were so cute, despite their quick and random transitions back into robots. They seemed very interested in me, as I was with them. I was in such disbelief that there English was as good as it was. Maybe it’s because it’s a tourist town. People know that they can survive and do well if they learn English. They are motivated. I wish my kids were more motivated. I found out some interesting information regarding school in Cambodia. Many Khmer kids do go to school but they only go for half days. So there are morning classes and afternoon classes. Some students will go to regular school in the morning and then head to another school to learn English in the afternoon. But sometimes, it becomes discouraging to go to school at all since resources are not provided. If a student wants to use a textbook, they have to purchase it themselves. It is supposedly a crooked system since the teacher ends up pocketing the money. I guess their salary is extremely low so they rationalize. Just like every other country—a low salary for an essential and respected job. I didn’t actually get this information from the kids. Although I’m sure they could have relayed a similarly complex message with their English skills.

Person Highlight

I met Milan on a tour of the Angkor temples. She is an American woman with a meek and pleasant demeanor. She was originally from the Bay Area (yea-a!) and after a short vacation in Japan, she fell in love with the country and moved there permanently. Just like me, she moved there to work as a teacher. After a year or so, she found herself at an international school fair and was picked up immediately by an excellent international school in Tokyo. She became the school’s art teacher, as she studied art throughout college. She has been there for almost seven years now. Within the first week of living in Japan, she started dating a Japanese man who she is still currently with. They will probably get married I presume. She is planning to live in Japan for a long time as she loves her job, her man, and the Japanese culture and food.

 

She was very interesting to talk to and very knowledgeable about teaching and Asian cultures. She has traveled to Southeast Asia quite a bit in her work abroad. I’m jealous. I’ve been thinking about working at an international school. Based on her experiences, it seems like international schools have more structure and more student support. Maybe that kind of program is more for me since I’m progressively despising the ‘all students pass’ concept even more. She gave me some advice about finding international schools around the Asian continent. Supposedly, Japan, Korea, and many other countries will set a teacher up pretty well. While providing you great housing, salary, and full support, they will even fly you out to the country and ship your belongings if needed. I don’t think Thai schools would do that. But I never know. I should start doing some research on international schools. Maybe this will be my new path. Would anyone miss me if I stayed another year?

New Years. I’ve never been too interested in New Years. I don’t know why. I don’t have any type of fascination or draw to the holiday. Maybe it’s because I’ve always been too tired to stay awake, had long distance relationships, or had to work late hours on this day. I also think some of the traditions that come along with this day are silly. Who came up with the New Year’s kiss idea? I guess I’m not a big fan. I don’t think I ever really was. But then again, I’m not a fan of Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, flowers, big romantic gestures, small romantic gestures, those make-you-want-to-cringe romantic scenes they always put in even the manliest movies, opening doors… The list can go on.

But maybe the New Year’s kiss is not really as romantic of a gesture as it can be a quick kiss with a complete stranger many times. When I was in high school, I actually didn’t know what the New Year’s kiss was. For example, this one time I was innocently talking to a drunken college guy at a New Year’s high school party. When the clock struck midnight, he took my face and tried to place his lips on mine. I was completely appalled. I shoved him off and yelled at him for a bit. Then, I went off and vented to my friend who explained that was supposed happen since it was the New Years. I was still upset and disgusted. He didn’t even ask for my permission. Gross.

I also never set up any New Year’s resolutions. It’s not like I don’t like to make personal goals. Trust me; I’m definitely a goal maker. But to me, resolutions seem like a momentary excuse to make someone feel better for the time being. It gives people the sense of purpose and convinces them that they are bettering their lives in some way. For me, I figure if I’m not doing it already, it’s probably not going to happen.  I know these resolutions do work for some and even contribute to a more productive mentality. But for me, I know I that I need to make goals when I’m inspired to do so, not just because it is the start of a new year. I work much harder to achieve my goals then. If I’m doing it just because it is New Year’s, I’m setting expectations that I might not be ready or willing to achieve.

Happy New Years! Back in the small town of Siem Reap, more and more people started to gather as the clock counted down to the last hours of 2011. Most of the foreigners were grouped near Pub Street, a street completely dedicated to beer and…beer. Bobby and I got a wonderful Khmer dinner on a restaurant balcony as we watched the drunken, slutty mess of people grinding and sweating on each other in a rhythmic fashion.

After pushing our way through the hump fest, we found our way to the riverbank where it seemed to have more of the locals. While people were shooting off small fireworks and I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, we relaxed and looked up at the clear, less contaminated sky. I mean, you can actually see some stars over here. In Bangkok, the color blue and stars are nonexistent concepts when referencing the sky. Then, we looked at our watches. The time already passed midnight but we didn’t hear anything—no excitement or eccentric drunk people shouting or slobbering all over each other. For a couple minutes, the riverbank was calm and soundless. Suddenly, a rush of fireworks lit up the night. But still no sound from the hundreds of people gathered around the river. The fireworks plastered the night sky for about ten minutes. Still, the vicinity was tranquil. After the fireworks composition was complete, I was ready to go to sleep. Bobby and I had an early morning as we were going to try to catch the first sunrise of the year at the Angkor Wat. How cool is that! 

A Better Year to Come. This year was not the best and I know a few others who can agree with this statement. Too much drama, too little sleep, and way too much crying. Too many bad things in a row. Too many stressful things at the same time. Though I have developed intellectually through school and life experiences, I have also increasingly become more immature in the last year. I know that sounds strange to backtrack like that. I used to be very mature and straight-edged and I was always very proud of being all grown-up.  I still believe I’m a pretty mature person and I’m very mindful of myself (most of the time) and others (sometimes). 

But I think I craved the feeling of danger and lack of inhibition. This feeling was one that I never let myself fall into in the past. So I tried to be the wild girl that I never was in high school and college and got into some trouble from it. Don’t worry parents, not anything major—just a little mental and public humiliation. Also, I was dealing with drama from badgering neighbors, health concerns, poolside stalkers, and of course, the inevitable boy issues while going through an already grueling graduate program. It was way too much to handle.

Nevertheless, I’ve had some wonderful moments as well. I’ve met and grown closer to some amazing people. And I’m so happy that you all are in my life. I was lucky enough to meet some of the most adorable heart-wrenching kids from my school. Though, I didn’t end up getting a teaching job in the States, I made great networks and had some skin toughening experiences from the program and job search. I have progressed in volleyball and have grown closer to my wonderful teammates. Despite my continuous rants about restaurant work, this year has been the best yet. Though money was tight, I have grown closer to each and every workmate. I actually enjoyed going to work every day because of them. As the cherry on top of it all, I am traveling around Asia now. Not a bad deal at all. Maybe it wasn’t that bad of a year.

Still, I hope that 2012 will be a better year for me and all of you out there. Happy New Years!