I think that it is impossible to sufficiently do justice to the experience we had in Cambodia. But, I will try. In the months leading up to leaving, I was pretty nervous. I had to get 12+ vaccinations (mostly shots) (Don had many of his when he went to Africa a few years ago), we had to buy special clothes, special bug spray, etc. I was pretty nervous. Plus I had never been on that long of a flight (24 hours total of flying). But, it was amazing. I would go back tomorrow, or even today.
We flew into Siem Reap where we met up with some Cambodian's from Don's mission who were visiting from Long Beach. It worked out perfectly to have them with us for the first part of the trip. We spent a few days in Siem Reap visiting some of the ruins (including Angkor Wat).
We then traveled down to the countryside of Battembong where we spent one night. We visited some family members of people that Don knew from his mission. Don had a chance to plant rice, which he says was the highlight of the trip. It's true what they say...Cambodia is covered in rice fields.
Next we traveled to the bottom of the country to visit the beach-Sihounkville. It was okay. Kind of trashy and sketchy. But we did get to go on a boat ride to some fun islands and go snorkeling.
We ended our trip in the capitol city of Phnom Penh. It is the BUSIEST city I have ever seen. Seriously. It's waaaaay busier than I have ever seen New York. The traffic is out of control. Tons and tons of cars and no traffic lights! Everyone just does their own thing (including going on whatever side of the road they feel inclined to travel on). The interesting thing was that we didn't see any accidents. Everyone is actually paying attention to what's going on while they're driving. (Imagine that!). Unlike in the States where everyone is on Facebook and texting whilst they drive.
In Phnom Penh we met up with some of Don's ASUU (U of U student government) and an old mission companion and his wife that were there for the summer. In Phnom Pehn we went to the Killing Fields from the Khmer Rouge as well as Tuol Sleng (a highschool that was turned into a prison during the Khmer Rouge regime). Both sites were extremely somber. At Tuol Sleng, they have done nothing with it, so it is completely how it is when the Khmer ROuge occupied. There were blood stains on the floors, weapons used to torture and kill prisoners, barbed wire, etc. Very sad. At the Killing Fields, we had a similar experience.
Another highlight of the trip for us was to deliver 130 hygiene kits our ward had helped compile. We were able to take some to a school for the deaf and blind, a local children's library, an orphanage and to some people planting rice.
One of my favorite things about the trip was seeing the reaction people had to Don when they found out he speaks Khmer! (Cambodian). They were always so shocked that a white man could speak their language :). One man asked for Don to sing him a Cambodian song. Pretty funny.
We took close to 1,500 pictures, so here's a small handful from our experience.
We flew into Siem Reap where we met up with some Cambodian's from Don's mission who were visiting from Long Beach. It worked out perfectly to have them with us for the first part of the trip. We spent a few days in Siem Reap visiting some of the ruins (including Angkor Wat).
We then traveled down to the countryside of Battembong where we spent one night. We visited some family members of people that Don knew from his mission. Don had a chance to plant rice, which he says was the highlight of the trip. It's true what they say...Cambodia is covered in rice fields.
Next we traveled to the bottom of the country to visit the beach-Sihounkville. It was okay. Kind of trashy and sketchy. But we did get to go on a boat ride to some fun islands and go snorkeling.
We ended our trip in the capitol city of Phnom Penh. It is the BUSIEST city I have ever seen. Seriously. It's waaaaay busier than I have ever seen New York. The traffic is out of control. Tons and tons of cars and no traffic lights! Everyone just does their own thing (including going on whatever side of the road they feel inclined to travel on). The interesting thing was that we didn't see any accidents. Everyone is actually paying attention to what's going on while they're driving. (Imagine that!). Unlike in the States where everyone is on Facebook and texting whilst they drive.
In Phnom Penh we met up with some of Don's ASUU (U of U student government) and an old mission companion and his wife that were there for the summer. In Phnom Pehn we went to the Killing Fields from the Khmer Rouge as well as Tuol Sleng (a highschool that was turned into a prison during the Khmer Rouge regime). Both sites were extremely somber. At Tuol Sleng, they have done nothing with it, so it is completely how it is when the Khmer ROuge occupied. There were blood stains on the floors, weapons used to torture and kill prisoners, barbed wire, etc. Very sad. At the Killing Fields, we had a similar experience.
Another highlight of the trip for us was to deliver 130 hygiene kits our ward had helped compile. We were able to take some to a school for the deaf and blind, a local children's library, an orphanage and to some people planting rice.
One of my favorite things about the trip was seeing the reaction people had to Don when they found out he speaks Khmer! (Cambodian). They were always so shocked that a white man could speak their language :). One man asked for Don to sing him a Cambodian song. Pretty funny.
We took close to 1,500 pictures, so here's a small handful from our experience.
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