A Portrait of Cambodia

Cambodia is considered a developing country. The Pol Pot regime (aka political potential) stole Cambodia's opportunity to have prospered alongside other Asian countries like China or Thailand. Twenty years later the once broken country without music, travel, or happiness it is still considered to have an old fashioned feel as if it were held in a time capsule.

Sihanoukville: Cambodia's booming beach town, Phnom Penh's: Killing Fields and a location for major business of city/ rural dwellers alike and Siem Reap's : Angkor Wats (one of the biggest temples of the world) are helping to bring Cambodia out of the dust and onto the map for international travelers, both the young and old.

While moto's & Toyota's litter the roads, Lexus' or the occasional Hummer's give the sign that there is wealth in Cambodia.

The Irish owner to the Greenman bar in Kampot believes that there is a lot of money pouring into the country to try and alleviate some of its major problems such as: government corruption, sex trafficking, education, land development, pollution and poverty. The only real problem is that there is money to be made in each of these dilemma's and thus it is harder to ever see an end.

As we shared a taxi with 5 other people in a 5-person car (yes, Joanne and I sat on top of each other for about 2 hours) traveling out of Sihanoukville and into Kampot, we met a Cambodian/Chinese man in our taxi. His name was Wil. He insisted on taking us out to eat lobster (another sign of wealth) and sing Karaoke. As we waited for our Karaoke room to be made, I was able to ask him questions about the Cambodian culture that my guidebook did not answer. I learned that when a Khmer man falls in love, he really falls in love. A Khmer woman, however, will marry a man especially a westerner for his wealth and not for her heart.

Occupations:
Prostitution, a popular occupation is considered a job just as any and abused by many Western men passing through Cambodia. Throughout Cambodia I have not seen any local men dating Western women. This is because for a man in Cambodia it is very important for his family to approve of his spouse and a Western woman would be just too different. Wil believes that Western men tend to fall in love with the "ugly" women. Ugly equates a woman with dark skin. A woman with whiter or lighter shades is deemed very attractive. This may also be a symbol of class, as whiter skin would denote not working outside or in the fields. Other occupations in Cambodia are quite similar to the Western world, only it may involve waiting around a lot usually for a customer of some sort. A lot of Cambodia's business deals are face-to-face interactions. While the internet exists, I have found that people generally do not respond to emails and prefer to communicate the old fashioned way.

The People:
Khmer people are relaxed and easy going. Modern day Cambodian women still dress in 90 degree weather very conservatively; they wear jackets covering their bare arms and long pants. It is considered improper for a woman to drink beer in public and hang out on the streets late night. However, in touristy places, this rule takes on a new meaning and allows Jo and I to have our sunset beer. A popular outfit for both children and adults consists of a matching flower print shirt and pant combo which closely resemble pj's. Men also dress business/casual even if they are just lounging about. Children learn to ride a motorbike as soon as they can walk. If their family can afford not to have their child contribute to the house-hold income then they go to school. In touristy areas, children are used as beggars for their parents and exclaim that my donation will be used towards books or a pen. There are 3 types of education options; a public school, a private school and a language school. Since the rise of tourism in Cambodia, language school primarily teaching English has become very popular. Language school costs about $8 per child per month.

The Land:
Garbage disposal either involves dumping it in your backyard and burning it or in bigger towns there is an option to have it picked up by a hand-pulled wagon. There is not much concern about the environment or litter just yet. Hopefully in effort to preserve the picturesque land with the crisp sandy lined oceans, mountainous landscapes, the red dirt roads, the sun, the breeze they will start to care.

Safety:
Cambodia is relatively a safe place. Men like to look at us and thankfully (unlike the Thais) they only look. Considering the fact that I am twice their size in both width and length I can only imagine what I may look like to them. People do not really care what you do. There is no official drinking age and marijuana is advertised in restaurant menus (really only to entice the tourists of course). However, should one need the police or be rushed to the hospital there is little help abound to come to your rescue. They say if you get sick in Cambodia it is better to stay out of the hospital because then you will only get sicker.

Closing remarks:
Cambodia has been a great country to visit. As the tourists continue to flock, I am sure it will not remain such a pure untouched land and thus I am very thankful to have witnessed Cambodia as it is still in its elementary stages of becoming a developed country.

Kanye's words of wisdom

As I lay in bed listening to Kanye West's album, Graduation it hit me. I shouldn't be worrying about making the wrong decisions for my future career or even my ex-boyfriends. I need to start living in the now and Kanye's message (which I created by listening to every song and pulling out his words of wisdom to make one statement) will be my guide to living the good life.

What do I know?
Let the story begin.
Welcome to the good life. Let's go on a living spree, they say the best things are for free. It's hard not be act reckless.
Find your dreams. I wonder if you know what it means to find your dreams. These dreams keep waking me up at night.
I go for mine, I got to shine.
Everything I'm not, may be everything I am.
What don't kill me will only make me stronger.
If you try hard that's when you die hard.
You can still be who you wish you are.
An independent traded in for a husband and kids. Ever wondered what it all means?
You only live once do whatever you like.
Me like-y.

" She's Hot, You're Not"

The sex industry is what pays the bills for women in Cambodia.

Last night on the V-day JoAnne and I set out to find a bar blasting some good old black eyed peas. We walked the strip of bars/restaurants on the Tonle Sap river in Phnom Pehn, both dolled up ( in the back packer world this translates into: clothes that don't smell too bad, maybe shaved armpits and some accessory) with the secret hope that maybe we will either find a last minute valentine or that we manage to just get trashed- I thought either one would be fine. We walked and walked but there wasn't a bar in site playing anything audible.

We decided to take a tuk-tuk to the other side of town, also known as the back packers scene. Just as we step out onto the street, someone extends their hand to reveal a pack of weed the size of a cigarette box. Still no bar, but a super sketchy street. The next time we pass this man again he offers me ecstasy. I just laughed in his face and said "no" and continued looking for an ultimate bar for our valentine's celebration.

I noticed a bar filled with Cambodian women with outfits as if they were on their way to prom. One woman sat across from a Western man with a HUGE belly and a bald head. She was obviously much more attractive than he, but how did he make that work? I guess it really IS ALL about the Benjamins.

I can't help but stare at the many older men who have chosen to spend the evening dinning a 16 year old. A fellow backpacker once told me that the average "freelancer" aka prostitute makes an average of $20 dollars a month! Imagine what a dinner or even a night back in the hotel room with the beauties of Cambodia is costing these big 'ol men....

At this point, we decide that we would much rather catch the end of Grey's Anatomy and sip a Diet Coke rather watch women degrade themselves.