Hello Everyone!
I'm currently in Kratie, Cambodia which is a small city of about 80,000 situated along the banks of the Mekong River. The Mekong River is absolutely enormous and this particular stretch offers some of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen in Cambodia so far. Yesterday, I went with a friend I met from Switzerland to visit a nearby island. From this side of the river, the island looks like the opposite shore, but in actuality the river extends beyond the island to a distant shore you can barely make out. We took a ferry across and explored the island which offered a unique opportunity to see a piece of rural Cambodia. Cutting through the middle of the island, you saw brilliant green rice fields, small bamboo dwellings usually perched upon stilts for the rainy season, and lots of white and tan cows. One of the cows was getting a bath in a small pond....I have to say I was slightly jealous considering how hot it was! The people were very friendly and from the looks we were getting, you could tell there aren't many tourists that make it this way. After spending the morning exploring the island, we took the ferry back across the Mekong and made our way to a nearby town where it's possible to sight the freshwater dolphins for which Kratie is famous. We rented a boat which took us out to the middle of the Mekong where the dolphins hang out. After awhile, you began to see them as they popped up for air. The Irrawaddy dolphins are actually an endangered species and you can only spot them in two places in the world! I have to say that it was really strange to see dolphins in a river in the middle of Cambodia! We went around sunset which was a peaceful and beautiful time to watch the dolphins move among the currents of the river whose waters were golden at that time of day. Overall, it was one of my favorite experiences in Cambodia so far!
I will catch an early bus for Phnom Penh tomorrow morning before heading to Vietnam on the 1st of November. I've done most of what I've wanted to do in Phnom Penh except for visiting the Killing Fields. After visiting the Tuol Sleng (S-21 prison) Museum (i.e. genocide museum), I felt like I needed some time to process what I had seen before venturing off to this other site. I will go to the killing fields on my last day in Phnom Penh which I'm sure will be a difficult but important experience. As many of you know, I wrote my thesis in college about the effects that war has on the prevalence of psychological distrubances among children; particularly children growing up under the Khmer Rouge. I spent countless hours researching this topic and yet I still didn't feel prepared for what I saw at the Tuol Sleng Museum. I'm waiting to write about this experience until after I have visited the Killing Fields, but I will say that it has given me so much to think about and truly be thankful for. So, I will give you a full report of my experience in Phnom Penh once I return to the city.
love and miss you all,
Rachel
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Cambodia Update!
Hello Everyone!
I can't believe it's been two weeks since I've last written! I was sick for a few days and have had limited internet access where I'm staying! So, sorry for the delay! I'm doing really good and am currently staying just outside of Phnom Penh where I'm volunteering with an orphanage connected to my church back home. A couple working with this organization offered to let me stay with them which has been really nice. It's been a really long time since I've been in a homelike environment! I was also really thankful for them when I got sick (my initiation to Cambodia ;). Anyway, I've been helping out with whatever needs to be done which includes tasks like unloading semi-trucks, mixing and pouring paint, and hanging out with the kids and youth at the orphanage. The couple I'm staying with (Bob & Crystal) have an open-door policy in there home when it comes to the kids, so I get plenty of opportunities to interact with them. I even have one of the girls teaching me Khmer! I have to study my numbers and words because I have a test tonight! :) They also have a dog that just had 7 puppies last night! They are so cute and it has been really fun to be here for that!
Ok...so I need to update you on the last two weeks! Where do I begin?
I left you last time saying that I was going to Angkor Wat in the morning. Angkor Wat was incredible! In my opinion, it made the Taj Mahal look simplistic! I spent the first half of the day just exploring the temples surrounding Angkor Wat. Some of the temples have giant old-growth trees literally growing into the ruins; their roots reaching over and down the ancient grey stone walls; intertwining their life with ancient wonder. After awhile, you find yourself exploring half-lit stone hallways that often have intricate carvings engraved into their walls that tell ancient tales of war, conquest, & divinity. You find yourself turning a corner only to discover a giant stone face staring back at you. And then there are the stairs! I apparently lied when I said the steps in Nepal where vertical....I discovered the redefinition of vertical steps at Angkor Wat! There are multiple levels within these temples which are interconnected by these steep flights of stairs. Once you've reached the top, you often discover a statue of Buddah whose discovery is foreshadowed by the thick smell of incense that floods the air as you make the final ascent.
Angkor Wat itself was immense. One image that struck me was of the vibrant butterflys that flutter around the ruins. Their vibrant colors contrast sharply with the dull grey of the ruin walls. While I was walking down the vast hallways whose walls contain stories from ancient Hindu texts, the skys began to pour down rain which you could watch through the columns lining the other side of the halls. It's difficult to describe in words and even all the pictures I took don't do it justice. You really are walking through immense elaborate ancient ruins!
The next day, I went and visited the Cambodian Landmine Museum which was started by a former soldier in the Khmer Rouge. He states that he helped lay thousands of landmines when he was with the Khmer Rouge, but now he has made it his life mission to make Cambodia landmine free. The museum contains piles of these weapons that he has deactivated, information on the process, and updates on what his NGO is continuing to do. He and his wife also take care of over 20 children who are victims of landmines. Landmines continue to kill or maim thousands of Cambodians annually, so his work is truly needed. After this, I rented a boat and went to one of the nearby floating villages which consist of houses built on stilts. During the dry season, you see these houses soaring way up in the air on stilts, but in the wet season (right now) you see a village that literally appears to be built upon the water. From there, I took a dugout canoe into the adjacent flooded forest where you are floating in and out of the branches that compose the upper bows and canopy of these trees. It was really fun and unlike anything I'd ever seen before! After that, I stopped by an orphanage outside of Siem Reap and played games with the children there. The next morning, I was on a bus to Phnom Penh which leaves us at my current location! I'm running out of time at the moment, but I will update you shortly on what I've done in Phnom Penh so far. I will be here for another week before heading up to Kratie, Cambodia and then to Vietnam on November 1st! I miss and love you all! Hope you are all doing well! Until later...
~Rachel
I can't believe it's been two weeks since I've last written! I was sick for a few days and have had limited internet access where I'm staying! So, sorry for the delay! I'm doing really good and am currently staying just outside of Phnom Penh where I'm volunteering with an orphanage connected to my church back home. A couple working with this organization offered to let me stay with them which has been really nice. It's been a really long time since I've been in a homelike environment! I was also really thankful for them when I got sick (my initiation to Cambodia ;). Anyway, I've been helping out with whatever needs to be done which includes tasks like unloading semi-trucks, mixing and pouring paint, and hanging out with the kids and youth at the orphanage. The couple I'm staying with (Bob & Crystal) have an open-door policy in there home when it comes to the kids, so I get plenty of opportunities to interact with them. I even have one of the girls teaching me Khmer! I have to study my numbers and words because I have a test tonight! :) They also have a dog that just had 7 puppies last night! They are so cute and it has been really fun to be here for that!
Ok...so I need to update you on the last two weeks! Where do I begin?
I left you last time saying that I was going to Angkor Wat in the morning. Angkor Wat was incredible! In my opinion, it made the Taj Mahal look simplistic! I spent the first half of the day just exploring the temples surrounding Angkor Wat. Some of the temples have giant old-growth trees literally growing into the ruins; their roots reaching over and down the ancient grey stone walls; intertwining their life with ancient wonder. After awhile, you find yourself exploring half-lit stone hallways that often have intricate carvings engraved into their walls that tell ancient tales of war, conquest, & divinity. You find yourself turning a corner only to discover a giant stone face staring back at you. And then there are the stairs! I apparently lied when I said the steps in Nepal where vertical....I discovered the redefinition of vertical steps at Angkor Wat! There are multiple levels within these temples which are interconnected by these steep flights of stairs. Once you've reached the top, you often discover a statue of Buddah whose discovery is foreshadowed by the thick smell of incense that floods the air as you make the final ascent.
Angkor Wat itself was immense. One image that struck me was of the vibrant butterflys that flutter around the ruins. Their vibrant colors contrast sharply with the dull grey of the ruin walls. While I was walking down the vast hallways whose walls contain stories from ancient Hindu texts, the skys began to pour down rain which you could watch through the columns lining the other side of the halls. It's difficult to describe in words and even all the pictures I took don't do it justice. You really are walking through immense elaborate ancient ruins!
The next day, I went and visited the Cambodian Landmine Museum which was started by a former soldier in the Khmer Rouge. He states that he helped lay thousands of landmines when he was with the Khmer Rouge, but now he has made it his life mission to make Cambodia landmine free. The museum contains piles of these weapons that he has deactivated, information on the process, and updates on what his NGO is continuing to do. He and his wife also take care of over 20 children who are victims of landmines. Landmines continue to kill or maim thousands of Cambodians annually, so his work is truly needed. After this, I rented a boat and went to one of the nearby floating villages which consist of houses built on stilts. During the dry season, you see these houses soaring way up in the air on stilts, but in the wet season (right now) you see a village that literally appears to be built upon the water. From there, I took a dugout canoe into the adjacent flooded forest where you are floating in and out of the branches that compose the upper bows and canopy of these trees. It was really fun and unlike anything I'd ever seen before! After that, I stopped by an orphanage outside of Siem Reap and played games with the children there. The next morning, I was on a bus to Phnom Penh which leaves us at my current location! I'm running out of time at the moment, but I will update you shortly on what I've done in Phnom Penh so far. I will be here for another week before heading up to Kratie, Cambodia and then to Vietnam on November 1st! I miss and love you all! Hope you are all doing well! Until later...
~Rachel
Sunday, October 4, 2009
From India to Cambodia!
Hello Everyone!
If you follow the news, you've probably noticed a lot of talk about flash flooding in India and earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons in Southeast Asia! So, I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm safe and totally excited to be in Cambodia! I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on October 1st where I experienced a bit of culture shock. Just walking into the huge expanse of the Bangkok International Airport with its evident modernity left me staring in amazement. After spending three months in India, I had forgotten in many ways what it was like to drive down the freeway (paved and equipped with lanes and traffic laws!) and experience silence (no honking!). Bangkok (at least where I ended up staying) seemed to be tourist central with scantily clad westerners, shopping galore, and hip night clubs playing familiar tunes. To be honest, I could hardly wait to be on the road to Cambodia! After experiencing and seeing the things I did in India, I realized that I'm not even close to ready to come back to this sort of Western culture. On a positive note, though, the restaurants and roadside food stands were not only cool but had delicious and fresh food that I was totally jazzed to try! At this point, anything that isn't masala or dahl sounds amazing! My first meal was (of course) pad thai (which was delicious!). I also couldn't stay away from the fresh fruit juice stands.....I had dragonfruit, starfruit, and mango! Yumm! I also found a falafel stand which was (obviously) fantastic! Ok....I apoligize to those who don't share my passion for food...but it really was that good! :)
After a day and a half in Bangkok, I was on the road to Siem Reap, Cambodia! Being in Cambodia is really like a dream. After arriving yesterday afternoon, I immediately set off for a walk through the countryside. I had to wade through the reddish murky waters that composed part of the dirt road I was on which left the Khmer people smiling and laughing! The people here are so friendly and always willing to exchange a big warm smile or laughter. I was greeted by many of the adorable children who seemed excited to practice their English "hello!". I also walked past several volleyball games that I was tempted to join until I realized that they were incredible players! The Cambodian landscape is truly beautiful with brilliant green rice fields that extend to the horizon....walking back at sunset and watching the sun and clouds descend upon the changing shades of green was really a treat!
Today, I scored a complimentary bicycle for the day with my purchase of breakfast (a pineapple pancake with honey). I made it to the end of the block when I realized that the streets in town were completely flooded! So, I got off my bike and waded through knee-deep waters like the rest of the Khmer people! The cars, motercycles, bikes, tuk-tuks, people, etc didn't let the water stop them, so neither did I! The Siem Reap River has completely overflowed its banks because of the typhoon and consequently has turned many of the streets into small tributaries! So, I spent most of the day wading through these streets and exploring the small shops and restaurants that compose the market area. While this flooding has put the rice harvest in jeopardy (not a good thing!), it has increased fishing opportunities! You see people fishing everywhere and ( according to one Khmer man I met on a bicycle the other evening) this has left people very happy! I also saw many children playing in the waters and having a fantastic time! I was amazed to see such a positive outlook on something that would be considered a catastrophe back home. I'm planning on visiting Angkor Wat tomorrow which is considered another wonder of the world (like the Taj Mahal). I'm really looking forward to it and I'll keep you posted on what I see! I love and miss you all!
~Rachel
If you follow the news, you've probably noticed a lot of talk about flash flooding in India and earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons in Southeast Asia! So, I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm safe and totally excited to be in Cambodia! I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on October 1st where I experienced a bit of culture shock. Just walking into the huge expanse of the Bangkok International Airport with its evident modernity left me staring in amazement. After spending three months in India, I had forgotten in many ways what it was like to drive down the freeway (paved and equipped with lanes and traffic laws!) and experience silence (no honking!). Bangkok (at least where I ended up staying) seemed to be tourist central with scantily clad westerners, shopping galore, and hip night clubs playing familiar tunes. To be honest, I could hardly wait to be on the road to Cambodia! After experiencing and seeing the things I did in India, I realized that I'm not even close to ready to come back to this sort of Western culture. On a positive note, though, the restaurants and roadside food stands were not only cool but had delicious and fresh food that I was totally jazzed to try! At this point, anything that isn't masala or dahl sounds amazing! My first meal was (of course) pad thai (which was delicious!). I also couldn't stay away from the fresh fruit juice stands.....I had dragonfruit, starfruit, and mango! Yumm! I also found a falafel stand which was (obviously) fantastic! Ok....I apoligize to those who don't share my passion for food...but it really was that good! :)
After a day and a half in Bangkok, I was on the road to Siem Reap, Cambodia! Being in Cambodia is really like a dream. After arriving yesterday afternoon, I immediately set off for a walk through the countryside. I had to wade through the reddish murky waters that composed part of the dirt road I was on which left the Khmer people smiling and laughing! The people here are so friendly and always willing to exchange a big warm smile or laughter. I was greeted by many of the adorable children who seemed excited to practice their English "hello!". I also walked past several volleyball games that I was tempted to join until I realized that they were incredible players! The Cambodian landscape is truly beautiful with brilliant green rice fields that extend to the horizon....walking back at sunset and watching the sun and clouds descend upon the changing shades of green was really a treat!
Today, I scored a complimentary bicycle for the day with my purchase of breakfast (a pineapple pancake with honey). I made it to the end of the block when I realized that the streets in town were completely flooded! So, I got off my bike and waded through knee-deep waters like the rest of the Khmer people! The cars, motercycles, bikes, tuk-tuks, people, etc didn't let the water stop them, so neither did I! The Siem Reap River has completely overflowed its banks because of the typhoon and consequently has turned many of the streets into small tributaries! So, I spent most of the day wading through these streets and exploring the small shops and restaurants that compose the market area. While this flooding has put the rice harvest in jeopardy (not a good thing!), it has increased fishing opportunities! You see people fishing everywhere and ( according to one Khmer man I met on a bicycle the other evening) this has left people very happy! I also saw many children playing in the waters and having a fantastic time! I was amazed to see such a positive outlook on something that would be considered a catastrophe back home. I'm planning on visiting Angkor Wat tomorrow which is considered another wonder of the world (like the Taj Mahal). I'm really looking forward to it and I'll keep you posted on what I see! I love and miss you all!
~Rachel
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