Written by instructors Soumya & Carol
What's new? Describe what's happened since your group's last blog.:
We arrived in Cambodia! We spent a week in Siem Reap getting oriented to our semester, regional culture and language, learning how to stay healthy and safe, and exploring the cultural gem that is Angkor Wat. We spent time with local contact extraordinaire Cho, who guided us through three days exploring historic and contemporary issues regarding landmine removal, the Khmer Rouge, and shared his family's story and home with us. We also learned from Cho's team including Rattana and Chum, who shared their knowledge and stories in ways that enriched our experience and prompted us to ask more questions. Unfortunately, this week has also looked like "Ankle Waaaat" (Levi missed out on a few days of programming due to some ankle issues) and Carpe's first program covid case (which we've successfully managed).
What were three of the top highlights this week?:
One of the highlights this week for several of us was the visit to the thousand-year old humanmade water reservoir that pre-dates Angkor Wat, has a temple in the middle, like an island, and is surrounded by trees on all sides. It's a quiet place during the middle of the week with few tourists and we enjoyed a peaceful afternoon there, swinging in water-side hammocks, eating our fill of sweet coconut treats and barbecue chicken, and splashing around in the refreshing water. We felt rejuvenated by the serenity of the natural space and being able to do things that felt "normal" - things that we might do on a casual weekend afternoon at home.
Students were also mind-blown by the level of craftspersonship and detail that were put into the sacred places that make up the Angkor Wat complex, including the Bayon Temple, featuring elaborate scenes from everyday life (including a pig on a spit and outlining the various invading kingdoms over time, such as the Cham), the faces of Brahma, and the celestial Apsara dancers that symbolize the heavens and keep the world in motion.
A significant learning moment for our group came from our time at the Landmine Museum outside of Siem Reap. There we learned about the impact of the US involvement in Vietnam which impacted Cambodia drastically. Bill, an American who has been living in Cambodia for over 20 years supporting landmine removal efforts, guided us through understanding the events that transpired during the Khmer Rouge, who all the major players were, and how people continue to be impacted today. We left with a deeper understanding and many more questions.
What is something you or the group is challenged by this week?:
We were challenged by recognizing our own role as Americans in the decisions made by previous American generations to bomb Cambodia for several years during the war in Vietnam and conceal our involvement. The US's role in Cambodia was directly tied to the rise of the Khmer Rouge and the subsequent violence that followed. We were struck by our first visit to the Killing Fields at a temple in Siem Reap and the atrocities we bore witness to for a short while and how we reconciled that later when we visited the Jesuit Center where we met Burith, a Nobel Peace Prize-winner for his work in landmine removal and international peace-making efforts with the Anti-personnel Landmine Weapons commitment. One of the most striking things Rith shared with us was his commitment to love and peace despite everything he had survived and how he continued to work everyday to build capacity for other survivors of landmine violence and create a world free of this kind of harm.
What's on for next week? What are you looking forward to?
We're looking forward to getting out of the city and slowing down a bit in Battambang, where our group will be hosted by the nonprofit school PTD. Siem Reap has been really busy and we're excited to connect with local students as we teach English and create more regular routines in our group. We are also looking forward to recovering from various health and medical situations!