My feelings, experiences and stories in Cambodia

What I have felt is that the Cambodian scars of the war were everywhere. Cambodia is chaos, insanity, poverty, filthy, beautiful nature, mostly friendly smiling people, history and almost no rules. Well, it sounds awful and it sounds like a country you don't want to visit. But don't get me wrong, it is yet another country affected by the ugly political decisions of the United States of America. It is a country where every little child is playing and can't wait to wave at you, say hello to you and put a smile on their faces. Watching this makes you put a smile on your own face. When I was in Thailand I missed the beautiful warm laughs of the children who don't have anything, but they have dreams and their own kind of happiness.

It is a country where I landed in Phnom Phen with a big culture shock because the city is overpopulated, chaotic, no rules while trying to survive in the crowd. There is no filter in Cambodia. They show you their scars and they try to improve their life everyday. They aren't scared to have an accident and die because of it so most people only stop driving when there is a red light. Most of the older people in Cambodia, who aren't very old like we are used to, they have experienced and lived during the war but are the most friendly faces who love to tell you their stories, hopes for the future and dreams to have a free Cambodia for the young children.

For myself, I feel like Cambodians need more support of the government. I went to Angkor What in Siem Reap. I visited the beautiful old temples for two days but the second day I left the place with this awful feeling. I realised that around the temples people live in extreme poverty trying to sell anything to survive. I asked my guide "Why are people living in the mud, next to the biggest attraction of Cambodia?" His response was "They aren't allowed to build a home on the ground of Angkor What, it is the ground of the government." My next question was "So I payed 65 dollars for two days, there are thousands of vistors a day, millions when there is a Chinese holiday, and not one child gets something from it?" My guide didn't know how to respond with words so he just putted his head down full of pain.

11/04/2018