Sometimes, back at home, I get so used to the way things
are. I forget that there are places that are nothing like home. I have
discovered that places like Cambodia don’t just look different. Places like
Cambodia sound exciting, they taste exotic, they feel exhilarating, and they
smell… interesting. The most exciting thing that I’ve observed is the influence
of Buddhism in the city and village, as it is the most common religion in the
region. Everyday, I see more interesting shrines, temples, and of course,
monks. Another thing I’ve noticed is the general independence that the Khmer
people have. It makes me think about how different it is back home, with all of
our social networks and reliance on things like restaurants, cleaning services,
and so on. Here, though there is an interactive economy, most people have
learned to do everything by themselves. These differences that I have seen have
helped me think back to the way I live in Colorado.
One of
my favorite parts of this trip has been seeing the ancient traditions of
Cambodia along with the practices and beliefs of Theravada Buddhism. On many of
our tuk-tuk rides, we have driven past several Buddhist temples. Seeing the
intricate drawings and writings on the walls, the decorative pagodas, and the
wise, orange-cloaked monks, engages a childish curiosity inside me. I wonder
about how old some of these traditions and buildings must be, and what the
detailed writings and engravings mean to the people who worship them. The
temples also remind me of places back home, like the churches and cathedrals
you can visit in large cities. I am very glad to have this opportunity to see
such an interesting way of life.
One thing
that has me both intrigued and saddened is how the children at the orphanage,
have adapted to living where they do. I also see some of the same things when
driving through the city and village. On
one of the days at the orphanage, I was starting to hand wash a big load of the
children’s clothes. Almost immediately after I started, an eleven year old boy
named Poa jumped into action. He collected brushes, buckets, and soap, and he
showed me how to hand wash clothes like a master. He showed me techniques and
tricks that I never would have thought of. Soon, there were three other
nine-year-olds washing, rinsing, and drying their clothes alongside me. The same
boy, Poa, helped me complete several other chores that day with extreme
efficiency. Compared to the children I know in Colorado, it seemed that these
kids were almost completely independent. I also realized, sadly, that they didn’t
do everything by themselves because they wanted to , it was because they had
to. If they didn’t care for themselves, there is no one that will. It makes me
upset that while kids at home can have everything done for them, the children
here have to be almost completely independent.
It shouldn’t have to be this way, and knowing this fills me with guilt,
but it also encourages me to want to make their lives easier.
As I
take in my surroundings, I compare it to life in the United States, and I have
fun noticing the little or big differences in life. I love seeing a place so
different, because I have never seen any place so different in religion,
traditions, and practices. It is also important for me to see the way that
people live their everyday lives. Though things may be different, at the end of
the day, people are just people. And these people deserve help just as much as
anyone else.
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