My Cambodian 'Cultural Awareness' Experience

After talking about it for many years; I decided to put my idle talk into actions and go to the Asian Country where my Mum had been investing much time and money in for the last few years. After some careful planning and preperation, I arrived in Cambodia on 23 June with mixed emotions not really knowing what to expect traversing headfirst into a third world country. After being here for just over a week now; nothing or no-one can really prepare you for the severe cultural shock that you go through. The diversity and contrast of people, traffic, buildings, scents, food, heat/ humidity, language, structure, currency, beggers all hit you in the face with the brutality of 'driving into a brick wall at 100klms/hour'. Cambodian People have experienced incredible suffering and poverty most recently finishing in late 90's after the torture and execution of 25% (expects estimate up to 3 million) of the most intelligent people under Khmer Rouge Leader Pol Pot. This hardship further compounded by civil war and deathly disease. My Mother's own project 'Stitches of Hope' works to relieve poverty and encourage development of life skills through participation in self sustaining skills and changing the lives of orphans. Many people take the aproach the the problem is too huge to work with; though my Mum and many other NGO (Non Government Organisations) in Cambodia work to solve the issues one bite at a time.
I was met with a manageable heat & humidity as we left the main airport area; and where met by Narith and Chanthy and the tuk- tuk driver Bora. We all trundelled ourselves into a tuk-tuk with 10 items of luggage including the numerous gifts and items for the locals. The organised mess that is designed to be the roads and users here is something beyond comprehension and can not really be explained unless you have experienced it for yourself.

Me, my Ma - and my Aunty Helen came along for her second adventure (truly inspirational).

You too can purchase squid on the stick. The traffic here is amazing.......Only through God does it all work.

The contrasts in this country are unbelievable, the Kings Palace here on the left and the slums only 100 meters up the road.

14 people on the tuk-tuk is a normality. Here at the Children's refuge centre where some work is still required after the all important funding. Narith currently has 18 children there.

Up the road is a small rubbish tip, outside - a little 3tn truck under these bags of rubbish.

Here is the Childrens Refuge Centre, Stitches of Hope has already donated money and clothing to these orphans.

This is Womans Refuge Centre, where 'Stitches of Hope' has donated money for the looms and weavers- totally changing the lives of these woman.

We have visited quite a few village churches with so many orphans. The pics above and below are all orphans from 3 of the 5 churchs we visited in the past 5 days. I could not help but have my heart melt by how they sung christian songs in Khmer with such passion.

We then visited the Cambodian Cultural Center in downtown Sien Reap - I made peace with the wax statues, yes Serg- she has no bra on!!

Now some that have been regular visitors to 'El Rancho Relaxo' for some time will remember 'Merv' the moose and his long distance vocation from the blog site. Well folks he decided to return with the visit to the world famous Ankor Wat Temple.

My Ma looked like a work of art.........



Merv told the authorities what to do with their sign - most of the higher section was sectioned off with referb occuring.

Merv found a really interesting item on the menu at the Battenbang Resturant, for those who are hard of sight - 'Special Cows Dick Salad!!'

Merv enjoyed the beer at the end of a very long day........

I have had the awesome pleasure of catching up with Ray's Parents a few times since being here, they also run an orphanage about 2 hours out of Phnom Pehn.

GOOD TIMES.....