Post Trip Discussion for All Students

I think the most important thing that I would want to share would be the fun things that I experienced and some thoughts that I thought about during the working, playing, and eating parts of the trip. I think its really important to share that because I think my mom would probably like to hear what I thought about it and see the trip from my own point of view and the pleasant things that I have done and experienced.

One thing I learned from Cambodia and I shared with my family is the positive attitudes of Cambodians. Many people in the world consider Cambodia as under-developed country with people living poor lives, and that is not wrong. However, most of Cambodians I met showed me that being poor is equivalent to being week, and it does not mean that they can be disrespected by others. Cambodians want people to respect their culture and religion. When we were visiting temples, there are stick rules that require visitors to cover their shoulders, knees, and toes. If we are not dressing properly, we will be consider as being rude and disrespectful to the culture, and will not be allow to visit the temples. This suggests that even it is a poor country, it has its cultural dignity and requires the esteem of people. When we were visiting the family and the school, the people does not feel shamed of being poor because they had tried their best to seek for better life. Even though they are poor, they gain respects by working or studying hard. The children in the orphanage also led poor lives, but they gain respect by earning money from the artifacts of animal skin carving. And the local tour guides introduce the culture to us confidently also showed citizens' prides of the country. I could see that even Cambodia is not a well-developed country as China, the people there still have positive attitudes towards their culture and lives. I believe that their strong minds will be great power that can develop Cambodia into a better country.

I learned that Cambodia is much more impoverished than I'd originally thought. I think it is important to bring awareness to countries and people in need all over the globe so that they can get help. Many people living outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia make very little money every year yet they have learned how to live simple and frugal lives based around their annual incomes. 

I guess that this would be how hard the life is over there. On the first day of the trip, as we went biking in the mountains, I found a kid have no shoes walking in the mountains and he had only one foot. I feel so bad about him and U suddenly felt that the life I have now is so precious , I can go to school and I have feet. I need to start to feel the beautiful life over here and I should be happy everyday and overcome the obstacles.

One thing I want to share with my family and friends is the kids in orphanage. When we hear the word orphan, lots of people will think they are poor. But those kids show us the different side as we think. They have a skill to make cowhide art. It's so beautiful and not easy to make. But they use the tools really well to carve. One little boy carved my name on the heart shape and star. He gave it to me. I was moved by him.

The important things I want to share with my family and friends is be optimistic. Because I saw the family we built house for. They're very poor, but they're are optimistic, they sitting together smile at each other. They're always happy that really make me think a lot. How can I be unhappy.

The thing I learned is to cherish our existing life. Because I saw many Combodian kid whose age seem same as me. They should work in school in that age but I saw them in the night market and many landscape to help their parent to sell goods. I think they are pitiful that they are forced by life. Thus, from this perspective Iam lucky.