Day 6 Siem Reap

The poverty in Cambodia is unlike anything I have ever seen, and it does not exist in this country. We took a boat ride on the Great Tonle Sap lake to a "floating village." These villages move along the shore depending on the water level in the lake, which is dramatically different depending on the season. When our boat docked at the Floating Village, we were surrounded by small canoe-like boats filled with women and children. Barely clothed and hungry, these people begged us for a dollar. I asked my professor if it was ok to give them a few dollars. He said we could, but he did not recommend it. He said many of the people who lived in the village were here illegally and by giving them money we were encouraging their way of life. Also, he said we couldn't be sure they would be able to use the money. Often times, women and children are beaten up by men for the money they collect. His suggestion was to make a donation to the International Red Cross or another NGO instead.

Exposure to this level of destitution changed my whole approach when it came to bargaining with merchants in the markets. In China, it was all about getting the best deal, and you would be looked down upon if you did not haggle over even a dollar. After seeing the difference a dollar makes in Cambodia, I no longer haggled over a few dollars. It means much more to them than it ever will to me.

But visiting Artisans d'Angkor gave me hope. It is a residential school that teaches young Cambodians the traditional Khmer handicrafts including silver plating, silk weaving and painting, and wood and stone carving. The students are often from rural areas and have little formal education, so the school teaches them a skill that they can use in their home villages to find a job. I bought a beautiful blue and green silk wallet from the shop on the school's campus.