This morning we visited the Cambodian War Museum, an outdoor display of tanks, fighter aircraft and lots of guns, munitions and land mines. The unique thing about this museum is that you are guided around by a war veteran.
Our guide told us about his life. He watched the Khmer Rouge kill his parents. They then took him and at 13 he became a soldier. He was stationed along the border of Cambodia and Thailand and was forced to kill many people, even Cambodians trying to escape the horrific conditions in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge. He lost a leg due to a land mine. When the war ended he was rejected by his village because he fought for the Khmer Rouge. He still suffers today from what we would call PTSD. He has had counseling but he still has nightmares and daily he relives the murder of his parents. His life today revolves around the museum as he guides tourists through the site and tells his story.
We had asked John about his family and to our surprise, today after the War Museum he invited us to meet them. On the way to his home we stopped at a roadside stand where we met his wife. She works seven days a week selling sugar cane juice and fruit. Either John or his son go to the market with her every morning at 6 am to buy the sugar cane and fruit for her stand. She works until 6 pm.
John is very proud of his house. Three years ago he borrowed money from the bank to build it. The total cost of the house was around $10,000 US. The family's old house can be seen next to their lovely new green home.He must pay the bank $230 per month. Like his wife, he works seven days a week. Some days he makes very little money as competition is stiff for the tourist dollars. There are approximately 2,000 tuk tuks in Siem Reap.
His three children are delightful. We talked to them about their school and the subjects they like. Each of their classes (grades 4, 8 and 9) has over 45 students. They go to school six days a week so today was their only day off. The son and one daughter want to be doctors, while the second daughter wants to be a teacher. Whether or not their education continues beyond high school is difficult to say as getting a post secondary education might just be too costly.
We felt very privileged to get these personal glimpses into Cambodian life, past and present.
1 comment:
Sounds like your trip so far has been great,we look forward to your blog and read it daily,it's almost like being there.
Linda
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