Cambodia Blog #2

Since being chosen to go on a service to Cambodia, I have been fundraising and getting to know the group, details of the trip, and the country of Cambodia itself. So far, I am extremely happy with how my fundraising is going. My main fundraiser was selling homemade crab apple jelly that I made with help from my family, but I have also been doing yard work, leaf raking, and concessions at karate tournaments. All of this has raised $2,533, which is $33 past the minimum required to go on the trip. Going forward, I plan on selling more concessions, doing more snow shoveling, and yard work. I also plan on running the coat check at a local play in February.

From about the 9th to 13th centuries, most of southeast Asia was under the control of the Khmer Empire, whose capital, Angkor, was located in northwest Cambodia. Then, after Vietnam and Thailand started closing in, Cambodia became a protectorate of France until it gained independence in 1953. Later, the Vietnam War spilled into Cambodia, prompting a pro-Western military group to take charge. This did not last long, however, because five years later, a communist guerrilla group called the Khmer Rouge took over under Pol Pot. The Khmer Rouge strictly enforced communism and killed about 2 million people, women and children included. Three years after Khmer Rouge took over, Vietnam invaded and occupied Cambodia for about 11 years. Finally, in 1993, the long exiled ruler Norodom Sihanouk returned and Cambodia has since been a constitutional monarch.

Cambodia has an interesting culture that is very different from our own in the U.S. To start, to properly greet someone, one must do a “Chumreap Suor” greeting by pressing your palms together at your chest and bowing slightly. The higher your hands and the deeper the bow, the more respect it shows. the major religion is Theravada Buddhism, and the languages are Khmer, French, and English. 75 percent of jobs in the country come from agriculture, while other industries include tourism, garments, rice, fishing, and wood and wood products. The Cambodian people are very traditional and have deep respect for their religion and culture. Traditional dances, martial arts, wrestling, and kickboxing are popular activities for Cambodians.The people of Cambodia are said to be very nice, and seem like a very resilient people. I’m very eager to do what I can to help them.