Hello! How have you all been for these past few weeks?
I have just come back from my trip to Thailand and Cambodia. It was great to see my mom and spend some time together in mutually unfamiliar territory. We started off the trip by meeting each other at Narita airport, which is in Japan. From there, we both went on to Bangkok.
The main things we did in Bangkok involved planned and guided tours along rivers, the floating market, the grand palace and emerald Buddha, and we also got to see a lot of the city.
Because the princess in Thailand just recently passed away we weren’t able to tour the entire palace, but what we did get to see of it and the temple was stunning. The craftsmanship that goes into the detail and design is astounding! Why is it that structures these days aren’t built like they used to be? Maybe it has to do with the fact that the majority of the oldest architecture was built by slave laborers, or that our earth had more abundant resources, or that there were more artisans, or that we simply don’t care about such things anymore?
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a foreign country before where I didn’t speak even a syllable of the language. Before coming to Japan for the first time seven years ago, I studied enough to be able to say things like “thank you” and “how much is this?” or “where is the bathroom?” Also, I could at least read the basic Japanese syllabary. In Thailand and Cambodia I was clueless!
I don’t think it’s very easy to tell the difference between the spoken and written languages of Thailand and Cambodia without being exposed to both of them for a period of time, but by the end of the visit I think I decided that I liked the written Cambodian language better, while the spoken Thai language is a little less “twangy.” Again, I don’t really know. Here are two written samples of the languages.
I have just come back from my trip to Thailand and Cambodia. It was great to see my mom and spend some time together in mutually unfamiliar territory. We started off the trip by meeting each other at Narita airport, which is in Japan. From there, we both went on to Bangkok.
The main things we did in Bangkok involved planned and guided tours along rivers, the floating market, the grand palace and emerald Buddha, and we also got to see a lot of the city.
Because the princess in Thailand just recently passed away we weren’t able to tour the entire palace, but what we did get to see of it and the temple was stunning. The craftsmanship that goes into the detail and design is astounding! Why is it that structures these days aren’t built like they used to be? Maybe it has to do with the fact that the majority of the oldest architecture was built by slave laborers, or that our earth had more abundant resources, or that there were more artisans, or that we simply don’t care about such things anymore?
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a foreign country before where I didn’t speak even a syllable of the language. Before coming to Japan for the first time seven years ago, I studied enough to be able to say things like “thank you” and “how much is this?” or “where is the bathroom?” Also, I could at least read the basic Japanese syllabary. In Thailand and Cambodia I was clueless!
I don’t think it’s very easy to tell the difference between the spoken and written languages of Thailand and Cambodia without being exposed to both of them for a period of time, but by the end of the visit I think I decided that I liked the written Cambodian language better, while the spoken Thai language is a little less “twangy.” Again, I don’t really know. Here are two written samples of the languages.
 |
| Khmer |
 |
| Thai |
Luckily English is pretty well spoken and understood in both Thailand and Cambodia, but I always feel like an insensitive American when I go somewhere and assume that I can get by with only English. I couldn’t read anything either, and I felt truly helpless and dependent on our hotel staff and tour guides. Mom and I didn’t feel very comfortable taking public transportation for fear of getting lost, so we didn’t do much wandering around on our own past the local vicinities or guided tours. We did have some free time and spent it walking around (at least as far as we’d be able to navigate back on foot), shopping, trying out local foods, and explored some of the culture “unguided.”
I wasn’t expecting Bangkok to be quite as large and busy as it was. The roads were packed all day and didn’t quiet down until the late hours of the evening. Taxis and tour vans raced down the roads and weaved in and out of other cars and traffic as though we were always running an hour behind. The roads are filled with motorcyclists and scooter riders as well, so all the weaving was not only scary, but also dangerous for the smaller vehicles! Some of these small scooters had two, three, or sometimes even four people riding them! A small child up by the handlebars, a driver, and another child wedged in between the driver and the rear passenger. I was not sad too to leave Bangkok to be honest. It was great and I’m glad I went, but I don’t think I’d ever want to live there for a long time. The main reason for this is probably the car traffic.
As we were riding down the highway to get to the floating market, Mom asked the driver about the little shanties that were lining the highway. Actually, these same shacks were all along the waterways and river. They were usually made of wood, tin, or other scraps like large signs. The ones on the water were usually a little more securely built, but often falling apart due to eroding wood. Despite their flimsy architecture, I thought that this might be the kind of place I wouldn’t mind living; Right on the water, lots of plants, a hammock out front, and a slower way of life. Some of these shacks even had electricity and running water. The story about the ones on the highway is as follows: The workers who built the highway were allowed to set up temporary housing for the duration of the job. That way they didn’t have to pay much to find an apartment, and they lived right next to where they had to work. Once the highways were completed, the workers decided to stay right where they had set up these temporary housing units. According to the driver, the government set up electricity lines that would run to these “houses.” I watched them as we drove by going a hundred miles an hour (only a joke, but it sure felt like it!), and noticed that despite their small size and seemingly uncomfortable setup, some of them had satellite dishes and flat screen TVs. This was one thing I didn’t really understand about Thailand. People living in flimsy shacks could still afford satellite TV and smart phones? I guess it never gets cold in Thailand so there isn’t much need for more supportive housing. Also, maybe I only feel that sturdy walls trump satellite TV because I grew up as an American and this is part of our cultural upbringing. With four seasons and severe temperature changes throughout the year, a sturdy house is sometimes necessary for survival.
In Thailand there were lots of street vendors selling trinkets, clothes, and all sorts of food. The fresh fruit smoothies were addictive, and that is about all the food I trusted to purchase off the street. We were warned about buying food from street vendors because of things like a contaminated water source, or unidentifiable contents.
Meals and shopping in Thailand were quite cheap. I feel like I’m getting ripped off now that I’m back in Japan with its inflated prices. Then again, people earn more money in Japan than they do in Thailand.
A few things that are really different in Thailand and Cambodia from Japan include currency, language, social etiquette and practices, and water. In Japan, one is allowed to drink water straight from the tap. We are also allowed to put toilet paper into the toilet after we use it. In Thailand and Cambodia you are NOT allowed to drink any of the water unless it is bottled water, and you’re also not allowed to put tissue in the toilets. They have special spray systems installed near most of the toilets. First you wash yourself, and then you can use tissue mainly to dry yourself. From there, you put the tissue in a provided trash receptacle. All of the public bathrooms had staff members on duty to empty the bins regularly. The water issue is probably something that has affected my daily life back in Japan the most. Every time I use the toilet, I wonder if it really is OK to put my toilet paper in it. Every time I wash the dishes, I think about how much perfectly clean drinking water is going down the drain. Every time I fill my glass to drink I thank the Universe that I am blessed with something so necessary for life, and simultaneously wonder if it really is OK to drink. For people who have never had to worry about simple needs like wiping after using the restroom, and safe versus contaminated drinking water, this type of trip is sure to be a real eye-opener.
It’s strange how things seem to be falling into place lately, challenging everything I thought I knew about myself. Why the sudden interest in the environment and volunteering? I don’t know but I’ll see where it takes me!
After Bangkok we went down to Phuket, a smallish island towards the south of Thailand. Some of the other tourists we met in Phuket mentioned that they didn’t like it because it was too touristy and that they liked the less inhabited islands better. Since we only got to see around Bangkok and Phuket I don’t have anything else to compare it to, but I’d say that I liked Phuket the best of the places we went to in Thailand. There were fewer cars, more hills and mountains, and it just had a slower way about it. By this time Mom and I were so tired of haggling that we either just paid too much for things, or avoided going to the markets. If you buy from a street vendor or market vendor in Thailand or Cambodia, be sure to haggle the prices! Almost nothing is priced at what they actually hope to make, and first they’ll tell you an astronomically high price expecting that you’ll talk them down. Luckily we found one store in Phuket that was a haggle-free zone, and we were able to just shop for whatever.
One trip we went on here was a boat ride to James Bond Island and to a few other islands off the coast. We ended up on a boat full of Russian tourists who didn’t speak English, but there were also two Japanese college-age guys there that we got to talk to. The canoe rides were fun and there was some swimming. I kept hearing that Thailand and Cambodia would be so hot, but the truth was that it wasn’t nearly as hot as I was expecting. Then again, we were there in the off-season/rainy season, and most of the time we were in transport with AC, or in and around the water where you don’t feel the heat as much. There was one day that we spent the majority of the day on the beach. The first half of the day was cloudy but I still put on sufficient sunscreen and also had a beach umbrella. Despite all of this, I was still able to get a very painful sunburn on my forehead, shoulders, and entire back. For the whole rest of the trip, I covered up and wore a sunhat to avoid more burning and peeling. (I’ve been itchy and peely since I got back…>_<) Ever since the “shadeburn,” Mom and I have joked about not wearing sunscreen or a hat. The joke goes as follows…
“You should probably put on some sunscreen or carry your hat or something…”
“Nah, I think it’s OK.”
“I dunno- it’s awful cloudy today…”
As our time in Thailand neared the end, I was secretly getting really nervous about going to Cambodia. Mom forgot to tell me that I would need to bring an extra passport-size photo as well as $20 to get into the country, which by some stroke of luck I had brought with me unprompted. I also wasn’t sure if I should be using Riels, USD or Thai Baht there since I’d heard different advice from different websites. In Thailand it was easy after we figured out the exchange rate from Baht to USD, and Baht to JP Yen. We decided to get some Riel just to keep as a souvenir, but turned the majority of the Baht we had left into USD.
After being nervous about getting into the country and going through immigration in the Siem Reap airport, it all turned out OK. The moment we got to the main lobby of the airport our tour guide greeted us with the biggest, warmest smile. I think it was from this moment that Mom and I both decided we were in love with Cambodia. Neither of us knew much about the history or hard times they have suffered in the very recent past, but we learned about it little by little throughout our stay. Unlike in Thailand where we had a different tour guide and driver for each day, sometimes even more than one per day, this tour guide (Mr. Chay) was with us the whole time.
Aside from guided tours and sightseeing, we did a lot of exploring around the town in our free time. Eventually Mom gave up walking around and we decided to rent two bicycles, $2 for the whole day, so we could explore more ground in less time. I was REALLY tired of haggling at this point, so while Mom looked around for her last purchases, I sat outside and got accosted by Tuk Tuk -small taxi car- drivers. After I told them that we had rented bicycles, they stopped asking if we wanted rides and just wanted to talk in English for fun.
We got to see Angkor Wat, and some other temples and ruins in the national park. I have added some photos of this in the slideshow, which you can view in my previous post or by clicking the following link. http://www.flickr.com//photos/51178589@N06/sets/72157627304300159/show/. On our tour we heard that it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I looked this up and with the minimal research that I did, it seems that when they were trying to rename the seven wonders, Angkor Wat was in the running to be one of the new seven but didn’t make the cut.
These buildings were absolutely amazing, and I enjoyed taking pictures of them. The biggest impact from this part of the trip however, was the children. We got out to take photos of some people planting rice, and the moment we opened the doors there were children, what felt like everywhere, around us. I had left my bag in the car and was able to get away to take a few photos, but Mom wasn’t so lucky. The children were around her in seconds. At this particular stop she ended up buying bracelets, a whistle, postcards, and other little trinkets from the child vendors. How young they were! This happened almost everywhere in Cambodia, and was definitely the hardest part of the trip. The adult vendors you can say no to, but not the children. I’m pretty sure we donated away all of our money.
Right before lunch it started to downpour so we took a break from our sightseeing and detoured early to a restaurant for lunch. It wasn’t so much a restaurant, but a large pagoda with tables under it. Servers would bring the food from a main kitchen off the back. Most of the places we ate at were this way, which was a nice change from western-style indoor dining.
As we went in from the rain, again children swarmed around us trying to sell their things. As soon as I got out of the car, one boy came to me.
“I dunno- it’s awful cloudy today…”
As our time in Thailand neared the end, I was secretly getting really nervous about going to Cambodia. Mom forgot to tell me that I would need to bring an extra passport-size photo as well as $20 to get into the country, which by some stroke of luck I had brought with me unprompted. I also wasn’t sure if I should be using Riels, USD or Thai Baht there since I’d heard different advice from different websites. In Thailand it was easy after we figured out the exchange rate from Baht to USD, and Baht to JP Yen. We decided to get some Riel just to keep as a souvenir, but turned the majority of the Baht we had left into USD.
After being nervous about getting into the country and going through immigration in the Siem Reap airport, it all turned out OK. The moment we got to the main lobby of the airport our tour guide greeted us with the biggest, warmest smile. I think it was from this moment that Mom and I both decided we were in love with Cambodia. Neither of us knew much about the history or hard times they have suffered in the very recent past, but we learned about it little by little throughout our stay. Unlike in Thailand where we had a different tour guide and driver for each day, sometimes even more than one per day, this tour guide (Mr. Chay) was with us the whole time.
Aside from guided tours and sightseeing, we did a lot of exploring around the town in our free time. Eventually Mom gave up walking around and we decided to rent two bicycles, $2 for the whole day, so we could explore more ground in less time. I was REALLY tired of haggling at this point, so while Mom looked around for her last purchases, I sat outside and got accosted by Tuk Tuk -small taxi car- drivers. After I told them that we had rented bicycles, they stopped asking if we wanted rides and just wanted to talk in English for fun.
We got to see Angkor Wat, and some other temples and ruins in the national park. I have added some photos of this in the slideshow, which you can view in my previous post or by clicking the following link. http://www.flickr.com//photos/51178589@N06/sets/72157627304300159/show/. On our tour we heard that it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I looked this up and with the minimal research that I did, it seems that when they were trying to rename the seven wonders, Angkor Wat was in the running to be one of the new seven but didn’t make the cut.
These buildings were absolutely amazing, and I enjoyed taking pictures of them. The biggest impact from this part of the trip however, was the children. We got out to take photos of some people planting rice, and the moment we opened the doors there were children, what felt like everywhere, around us. I had left my bag in the car and was able to get away to take a few photos, but Mom wasn’t so lucky. The children were around her in seconds. At this particular stop she ended up buying bracelets, a whistle, postcards, and other little trinkets from the child vendors. How young they were! This happened almost everywhere in Cambodia, and was definitely the hardest part of the trip. The adult vendors you can say no to, but not the children. I’m pretty sure we donated away all of our money.
Right before lunch it started to downpour so we took a break from our sightseeing and detoured early to a restaurant for lunch. It wasn’t so much a restaurant, but a large pagoda with tables under it. Servers would bring the food from a main kitchen off the back. Most of the places we ate at were this way, which was a nice change from western-style indoor dining.
As we went in from the rain, again children swarmed around us trying to sell their things. As soon as I got out of the car, one boy came to me.
“Hello! What’s your name? Where are you from? I’m Spider Boy! Would you like to buy some postcards?”
I told him I’d buy them after lunch.
During lunch these children waited on the outskirts of the pagoda, not allowed to come in. They tried to sell things to the other tourists as they came to and fro. Spider Boy, his partner in crime Spider Man (a friend a few years older), and one little girl were eyeing me in particular. During lunch, the little girl slipped into the “restaurant” and placed a note on the chair next to me. It was written on the back of a cardboard postcard case. I wrote back to her and planned to give her the note as I left.
Finally the rain let up and I went to the entryway. I gave Spider Boy a dollar for the postcards, and the girl who gave me the note followed me to the car. I tried to give her my return letter several times, but she wouldn’t take it. She just kept following me. Finally I got in and closed the door. I looked back, and saw her waiting at the window. She was crying.
“You won’t buy from me,” she said, tears rolling down her face.
I told him I’d buy them after lunch.
During lunch these children waited on the outskirts of the pagoda, not allowed to come in. They tried to sell things to the other tourists as they came to and fro. Spider Boy, his partner in crime Spider Man (a friend a few years older), and one little girl were eyeing me in particular. During lunch, the little girl slipped into the “restaurant” and placed a note on the chair next to me. It was written on the back of a cardboard postcard case. I wrote back to her and planned to give her the note as I left.
Finally the rain let up and I went to the entryway. I gave Spider Boy a dollar for the postcards, and the girl who gave me the note followed me to the car. I tried to give her my return letter several times, but she wouldn’t take it. She just kept following me. Finally I got in and closed the door. I looked back, and saw her waiting at the window. She was crying.
“You won’t buy from me,” she said, tears rolling down her face.
I didn’t know what to do. I thought of several scenarios within a few seconds. Was she tricking me? Would I be encouraging bad behavior if I gave in? Is she learning that it’s OK to cry when she doesn’t get her way? Did I miss something? Did she give me the note expecting that I’d buy from her in return? What was one dollar to me anyway?
I searched through my bag, opened the door, and gave her a dollar. She tried to give me what she was selling (postcards maybe? Bracelets?), but I told her it was OK. She could sell them to someone else. She smiled and walked away satisfied, an improvement in my eyes. It was hard for me to keep in my own tears after that. Not only for this girl who could live a full day on that one dollar, but for all of them. The handicapped people playing music outside of the temples instead of begging, the burn victims, the children who can’t afford to go to school or die from diarrhea. That’s right, they die from illnesses as simple and curable as diarrhea.
The day we rented the bikes, Mom and I searched around for hospitals in the area that accepted volunteers. We were eventually led to Angkor Children’s Hospital. It turns out they do accept volunteers, and are fully run by donations. If you are interested, here are the websites. www.angkorhospital.org and www.fwab.org. When we go back, this may be where we choose to do our volunteer work.
We also met a man named Thary before we left. He was born with only one leg, which is too small to function normally, and deformed hands. He had a little plot, about one foot by one foot, set up in the Old Market in Siem Reap. He was making bracelets and selling them to tourists. Being handicapped meant that he couldn’t function normally in society and had to find his own way through life. Mom and I decided to talk with him and buy some of his bracelets to take home. He also gave us his e-mail address and said that sometimes people like to order bracelets through e-mail. I’m planning to buy some more of these bracelets for myself, but if anyone else would like one I would be willing to donate to him in your name. You can get personalized and monogrammed bracelets or anklets. They’re simple and made of colored waxed string, but the point is not so much the bracelet itself as it is to support someone making a way for himself. There is a picture of him in the slideshow as well. I asked Thary where he learned how to make them and he said, “I didn’t learn.”
I searched through my bag, opened the door, and gave her a dollar. She tried to give me what she was selling (postcards maybe? Bracelets?), but I told her it was OK. She could sell them to someone else. She smiled and walked away satisfied, an improvement in my eyes. It was hard for me to keep in my own tears after that. Not only for this girl who could live a full day on that one dollar, but for all of them. The handicapped people playing music outside of the temples instead of begging, the burn victims, the children who can’t afford to go to school or die from diarrhea. That’s right, they die from illnesses as simple and curable as diarrhea.
The day we rented the bikes, Mom and I searched around for hospitals in the area that accepted volunteers. We were eventually led to Angkor Children’s Hospital. It turns out they do accept volunteers, and are fully run by donations. If you are interested, here are the websites. www.angkorhospital.org and www.fwab.org. When we go back, this may be where we choose to do our volunteer work.
We also met a man named Thary before we left. He was born with only one leg, which is too small to function normally, and deformed hands. He had a little plot, about one foot by one foot, set up in the Old Market in Siem Reap. He was making bracelets and selling them to tourists. Being handicapped meant that he couldn’t function normally in society and had to find his own way through life. Mom and I decided to talk with him and buy some of his bracelets to take home. He also gave us his e-mail address and said that sometimes people like to order bracelets through e-mail. I’m planning to buy some more of these bracelets for myself, but if anyone else would like one I would be willing to donate to him in your name. You can get personalized and monogrammed bracelets or anklets. They’re simple and made of colored waxed string, but the point is not so much the bracelet itself as it is to support someone making a way for himself. There is a picture of him in the slideshow as well. I asked Thary where he learned how to make them and he said, “I didn’t learn.”
He taught himself!
So I don’t know what it was exactly about Cambodia that attracted us, but I would say for sure it had something to do with the people. The way they smiled? The way they would eagerly come up and talk to you even with broken English? I’m pretty sure most of it is in the smile, but that could just be me personally. I think it is a beautiful country and they are all beautiful people. I think they could use some help and support from those who already have everything they need. This is something I’m going to work on now.
Thanks for reading.
Lana
PS. I find that my priorities have been shifting rapidly lately. While at one point it was doing what I can now to ensure success in the future, I’m starting to think that friends, family, and service to others (people, environment, animals, planet, whatever) is what’s most important. Perhaps a topic for another day.
So I don’t know what it was exactly about Cambodia that attracted us, but I would say for sure it had something to do with the people. The way they smiled? The way they would eagerly come up and talk to you even with broken English? I’m pretty sure most of it is in the smile, but that could just be me personally. I think it is a beautiful country and they are all beautiful people. I think they could use some help and support from those who already have everything they need. This is something I’m going to work on now.
Thanks for reading.
Lana
PS. I find that my priorities have been shifting rapidly lately. While at one point it was doing what I can now to ensure success in the future, I’m starting to think that friends, family, and service to others (people, environment, animals, planet, whatever) is what’s most important. Perhaps a topic for another day.
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