Cambodia is rich in unique travel experiences. We took in many of them as we made our way across the country.
Though the economy is growing at 5% yearly, Cambodia is still struggling to survive from decades of war and the genocide by the Khmer Rouge in which 20% of the population died. Today 50% of the government’s budget comes from donor assistance. The government is corrupt and health care and education are poor.
Cambodia is second only to Rwanda in number of NGOs per capita. Bob and I saw and visited many of these efforts. It was humbling to see charitable hospitals and clinics staffed and led by bright and selfless Americans who live in Cambodia, often with their spouse and children. They seem surprised when I ask why they are here. Saving lives, reducing suffering and delivering desperately needed medical care must be rewarding, but still….
Next time I curse when TIVO doesn’t record a new episode of “The Good Wife”, I’ll have a lot to think about.
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Exactly what I was thinking as my UVerse was out all day Saturday . Really puts everything in perspective.
1st world problems. It is a shame that in our “rich” nations our poor and elderly suffer from want as do the citizens of third world countries.
Thank you for sharing your travel story! Loved it. Always good to be reminded of how truly lucky we are, because it’s so easy to forget.
Thanks, Marge, for telling your story with honesty and humor. There is so much to learn from travel but the lessons are not always easy. Your wit and style are great delivery methods. Should I say “welcome home”?
I’ve enjoyed your entire Cambodia series. I hope to go there one day to visit, or maybe on a charity mission. Thanks for sharing!
Unbelievable! What an experience! Thanks for a glimpse into a different world. I agree with the other comments regarding your ability to tell a story. Well done! So……..what,s next?
Next up, I am going to vacuum up the mountain of eraser crumbs from my kitchen table and resume bathing regularly! Once I got going on this series, I couldn’t stop and worked on it day and night. I love that people felt they learned something about Cambodia and got a chuckle or two along the way. I have more ideas in mind and will return to the kitchen table soon.
Loved the whole Cambodia series, and yes definitely chuckled knowing Cambodia and Bob 🙂 Thanks for sharing and it was great to meet you while you were here. Come back soon.
I am from Ghana and I thought the crazy traffic was peculiar to us. 🙂
Evidently I was wrong. Great summation of your experience. Thanks for sharing.