The Longest Days of My Life

January 29, 2011 – January 31, 2011

We traveled for 30 hours straight. It seemed like we would get to one airport just to have a layover before getting on another long flight. I was so happy to arrive in the Atlanta Airport. My first stop was Chick Fil A, only because I had my Starbucks in the Seoul airport. The Chick Fil A sandwich filled me up quickly, but was so delicious. Before I knew it, it was time to board the plane for Greenville. Upon arrival at the GSP airport, I met my parents and John’s parents. We all went out to eat for a late lunch and I was able to show them all my pictures. It was wonderful. I headed back to my dorm room to unpack and rest up. I slept off and on for most of the day Sunday before I headed to Wal-Mart to pick up a few needed items to survive through Wednesday before I headed back home. I had a headache and felt nauseous all day long, but I chalked it up to being tired, traveling, and just having a weird schedule. I woke up in the middle of the night between Sunday and Monday with an awful stomachache. I was terribly sick and ended up becoming so dehydrated I had to call 911 to be rushed to the hospital. They gave me fluids and antibiotics, but never figured out what exactly I was sick from. I remained sick for several days, but am feeling much better now. It was a scary and bad end to a great trip, but I am glad to have gotten sick at home in the states, rather in Vietnam. I absolutely loved the trip as a whole and enjoyed comparing the cultures of both Vietnam and China together. I also found myself comparing the cultures of Cambodia and the Dominican Republic together. I overall enjoyed the trip, and it was a wonderful experience.

Below is a map of where we traveled in Vietnam. Make sure to follow the arrows! Remember After Vietnam I traveled to Siem Reap Cambodia. I have included a map of both countries so you can see the relation. 

Last Day in Paradise (Day 20)

Day 20 - January 28, 2011

I slept in again this morning and it was just as fabulous as yesterday. I didn’t sleep in as long this morning because I needed to get up and pack my things. Luckily my room was designated the late checkout room, so I technically didn’t have to be out of my room until 5:30 pm. I wanted to make sure all my things were packed before the other girls began bringing in all the items they needed to shower and store in our room before our departure later in the day.

After finally getting packed and dressed, I headed back in to town with another girl from my class and a few other people. We walked around the markets and bought several last minute items before having lunch at a local café. While having lunch, a child came up to us and began talking to us in excellent English. She knew all about the USA and who our allies were, along with the president, president’s wife, children, president’s dog and previous president. It was very impressive. Luckily, I got her to repeat much of it on video for me. I also bought an oil painting from a land mind victim. I wanted an oil painting the whole trip, but never could find one that I wanted for a decent price. I was so glad to find one, especially with so much meaning behind it.

Next, we headed back to the hotel and laid out by the pool for a little bit. Yesterday and today, I didn’t use sunscreen, so I didn’t want to stay out in the sun too long. I laid out for about an hour today and overall was able to get a pretty decent base tan, about a shade or two darker, than I was before the trip. Thankfully I didn’t get burned. I headed in to begin showering shortly after laying out. I knew it was going to take forever of 8 girls to get dressed and ready, so I began early. After all, of us showered and got ready we gathered our belongings and headed down to the lobby. I had the idea while we were getting ready to collect all the toiletries we were leaving behind and take them to the orphanage. I arranged with my professor to meet them at dinner, and I went on to the orphanage. Upon my arrival, I was greeted just as genuinely as before. After handing over my full bag of toiletries, including my straighter from 7^th grade, I was given hugs and many thank yous. As I left in my Tuk Tuk, I heard the same farewell goodbyes as the night before.

I beat my class to dinner and waited while skimming the menu. The first meal I chose ended up not tasting too good. I was disappointed that my last meal of traditional Khmer food was not very good. I quickly ordered a pasta dish and it was delicious. We walked around for a little bit after dinner waiting on our bus to pick us up and take us to the airport. I ended up buying patches from almost every country I have visited. I want to sew them to a piece of fabric with the month and date I visited, and frame it, to save for when I am older.

Finally, it was time for us to get on the bus to head to the airport. We waited at the airport to check in for what seemed like forever. There were so many lines and check-ins we had to go through. We went from the ticket check in to the departure tax counter, through security, to the Visa and Passport check, then into the terminal. After that our tickets were checked once or twice again before boarding the plane. While waiting in the terminal to board the plane, I reassigned seats for the flight from Siem Reap to Seoul and from Seoul to Atlanta for all my classmates. I tried to accommodate requests so that people were sitting with other students that they wanted to sit with, etc. It was really challenging, but I enjoyed the organization and it kept me busy while we were waiting on our plane to arrive. After boarding our plane, I waved goodbye to Siem Reap, Cambodia, knowing sadly, that I probably would never return again. I sighed and took a deep breath, preparing for the 30-hour journey ahead of me, knowing I had just completed one of the best trips of my entire life. I was sad to know that it was coming to a close, but so thankful for the opportunity to experience everything I did. 

Thumb War and I Love You! (Day 19)

Day 19 - January 27, 2011

Today was a glorious day. I had the opportunity to sleep in for the first time during all my travels, and I took it! While many other students woke up early to go horseback riding, I opted to have a completely free day and sleep in. I knew I would need my rest and I’m thankful I took the time to stay in bed. I slept in till about 11:30 AM, and it was great. I woke up and waited eagerly in my room until I heard the voices of my peers from the hall. Many of them were heading down to the pool, and so I decided to do so also.

By the pool, I had lunch with the girls from the trip. Many of the dishes we ordered ended up not being that good; however the Caesar salad I ordered luckily was pretty decent. I laid out for an hour or so before heading back inside to shower. I took my time getting ready and was so glad I did so.

I was very excited for my afternoon and I had not really had the opportunity all trip to really take my time to get ready. I dressed in jeans and a nice top and finally got to do my hair and makeup to my liking, not rushed or thrown together like I have felt most of the trip.

I met the rest of my group in the lobby for our only mission and adventure of the day together. It was about 4:45 pm and I was literally on the edge of my seat with excitement. Our entire class took Tuk Tuks to an orphanage right past the downtown area of Siem Reap. The orphanage gives children an opportunity for a better future by providing them with an education and teaching them skills, they will need once they leave the orphanage. The children in the orphanage are not up for adoption, because they still are allowed to visit their families if conditions are sufficient and vice versa. Few children in the orphanage are without either parent. Most children come from a family with more than 8 children!

Upon our arrival at the orphanage two individuals from Britain who had volunteered several times with the orphanage greeted us. They introduced us to the man in charge, who then showed us around. The orphanage was clearly nice in Cambodian standards, but in American standards very poor and dilapidated. Dirt was the floor for most of the orphanage, which was combined with the out doors and open air buildings. Children had a dormitory, but no beds were visible. We were told that mattresses were placed on the floor at night for them to sleep on. We also were told that they slept on the stage where they performed charity performances to raise money. Each child was given a mosquito net. We were shown a new building that they were building for a technology and schoolroom. We were shown the display of volunteers and where they were from, along with all the children in the orphanage and why they had been accepted into the orphanage. We were shown the wish list and how we could help as well. The orphanage is looking to grow in many ways and it definitely brought the reality of how poor Cambodia really is to light. While we were touring around the orphanage, which was probably smaller than the width and length of my dorm at Wofford, we saw children eating off of army style lunch trays. While I only saw green beans on their plates, they looked happy and were playing with yo yos and one another. We were next lead up to a loft overlooking the stage. There were tables and cushions on the floor. We were served dinner, sitting on the floor. Dinner was great, one of the best meals I’ve had in Cambodia. I could only help but wonder if we were taking away from the children by eating such a good meal. After we finished eating, we headed back downstairs to watch the children who began performing traditional Khmer dances. It was so neat to see all the children dressed up in extravagant costumes. I couldn’t get over how different they looked compared to the torn ragged clothing they were in early. The girls were dressed beautifully and each one was so pretty. After the show, we were given the opportunity to take a group photo with the children. We had a Wofford flag and many of the boys enjoyed waving it around, like many people do during the World Cup. I got to know several of the children. I played ‘Thumb War’ with a couple of the children, laughing hysterically the entire time. Somehow, with the language barrier, we were able to figure out a game we all understood. The children are taught English when they return from school, but each child is at a different level academically with their English. After I finished playing thumb war, a couple of girls came up to talk to me. Many of them were the ones I had noticed earlier, who were breathtakingly beautiful. They were age’s 14- 17 and I enjoyed talking to them so much. They were able to understand English much better. They talked about how much they loved the orphanage, and dancing. They also told me how they loved school and how thankful they were for all of us to come visit them. I asked about their makeup and complimented their outfits. Before leaving, I asked for a hug. They seemed confused at first, but after I acted out what I wanted, they joyfully stood up to give me a hug. We had a wonderful group hug as they laughed and smiled together. I told each of them I loved them, individually and how beautiful I thought they were. To see the reaction on their faces when I told them I loved them was priceless. I knew at that instant that they probably hadn’t heard those three words for a very long time. They all walked me out to my Tuk Tuk and wished me a safe trip home. They asked over and over again when I would visit soon, and it was heartbreaking to have to reply, “hopefully soon.” Although I don’t know when ‘soon’ really is. They were some of the most well mannered, thankful children I have ever met. They definitely impacted my life and left a lasting imprint on my heart.

We headed in to town on our Tuk Tuks. It was quite a site to see so many Tuk Tuks with young adults riding into town. We headed to The Blue Pumpkin again for another night of ice cream. I had my usual vanilla with brownie chunks. Afterwards we finally experience market shopping in Cambodia. I was able to buy several novelty items such as elephants, silk purses, etc. It was so cool to walk in the designated ‘night market’ full of vendors set up exclusively for the nighttime. I was able to find some great deals, and bought several silk purses for myself to use during formal events. I also found some DVDs that I was able to purchase as well. As usual, I saw many victims affected by land minds selling numerous items a long the street. Land Minds are still active in Cambodia and claim victims and wound many others frequently.

After taking a Tuk Tuk back to the hotel, it was finally time for bed. I was exhausted despite getting the chance to sleep in this morning. I was so excited about my purchases and crossed my fingers I could find someone to go back with me for a while tomorrow. 

Angkor Wat (Day 18)

Day 18 - January 26, 2011

I woke up early this morning for a busy day. We had to wake up early to start the day because it gets so incredibly hot during the middle of the day in Cambodia. After dressing in shorts, with leggings underneath (because we were visiting a temple) and a t-shirt that covered my shoulders I headed down to breakfast. Breakfast in the new hotel was incredible. I literally have never seen so much food in one spot in my life. Okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but there was a lot of food for breakfast. I ate a wonderful breakfast and boarded the bus for our first adventure.

We traveled to Angkor Wat, entering through the back gate, where a lot of tourists wouldn’t be. It was so incredibly interesting to see and learn the history surrounding the temple. Angkor Wat was originally a Hindu temple built in the 12^th century; it then became a Buddhist temple. It is one of the largest, if not the largest, religious temples in the world. It is one of Cambodia’s national symbols, and something Cambodia has come to be known for. It also appears on the Cambodian national flag. While walking to Angkor Wat itself, we saw many monkeys. There were also a few ladies around selling bananas for $1.00. After buying some bananas, we fed them to the monkeys. It was so unreal to be so incredibly close to these monkeys and to feed them. I was able to capture some great pictures. While trying, to get a picture of one of the monkey’s he started chasing after me! I screamed like a girl, typical, and back peddled while still trying to get a photo. He eventually stopped, but it left me shaking in my tracks. I kept my distance from the monkeys after that, and took my pictures from a distance. It was still so neat to be so close to monkeys. After interacting with the monkeys, we returned to our tour of Angkor Wat. I noticed that a moat surrounded the temple and there were several pools (separate for men and women) to wash in before entering the temple. The temple, like yesterday, displayed beautiful carvings that told stories of the old ancient history and culture. It was so amazing to see all the structures; they truly are a wonder of the world. I feel like I should have pages and pages to write about Angkor Wat but in all honesty I was in such awe walking around that I didn’t really pay attention to many of the historical details. I was amazed at the details and how they were still preserved after hundreds of years. The stories that each carving on the wall told were incredible, and almost unfathomable. It was hard for me to think how something so great had been created hundreds of years ago. While walking around the second level of Angkor Wat we sat down for a rest and bathroom break before heading to the third level. While we were waiting, we saw what looked like a movie production. After asking our guide, we learned that the Princess (sister of the King) was filming a documentary on traditional Khmer dancing. Blakely, a girl in our group wanted to know if we could take a picture with the Princess. Her bodyguards told us no, but when we saw others approach her for a picture we decided to do so as well. It was so neat to get a picture with a real live Princess! I don’t know if I mentioned before, but Cambodia is the only nation to go from a democracy back to having a Kingdom with a King and a Queen. The official name is The Kingdom of Cambodia. The Princess introduced us to one of the dancers as well. She was absolutely beautiful. Her hair was so long, and she almost looked more like a princess than the Princess herself! After interacting with royalty, we headed to the third level of Angkor Wat. A couple of my classmates had to change into longer pants because we were required to have pants below the knees and shirts covering our shoulders. We climbed the stairs higher, and higher until we finally reached the top. The long pants in the heat were definitely worth it. The views were breathtaking and I was able to capture some amazing pictures. I didn’t realize how high we really were until I attempted to climb back down. It was a lot harder than I had expected! Once we reached the bottom it was close to 10:30 AM. We realized how hot it was getting and Lekim decided that we could go back to our hotel for a rest.

We were given an hour to rest and relax before lunch. I so thankful for the air conditioning and the short nap I got to take. We headed to lunch after that. Lunch was a blur because I was honestly so tired still from my short nap before, and from waking up early this morning. Luckily, after lunch, Lekim gave us another hour or so to relax again. The extra naptime was much needed, and appreciated!

We headed out again mid afternoon for another exciting adventure. We arrived at the outside gate of another temple, Angkor Thom. Many of my peers wanted to ride elephants while in Cambodia and we were given the opportunity to do so this afternoon. My peers and I got to feed the elephants bananas, I think every animal here eats bananas! They would take it out of your hand with their trunk and eat it, peel and all! It was crazy! We then got to ‘board’ our elephant. There were either 2 or 3 students per elephant, depending on the size of the elephant. I was able to hop on the first elephant, which was fantastic. It was so cool to see the entrance and beginning of Angkor Thom from atop an elephant. I was convinced the whole time that I was going to rock off the side, but it never happened. The elephants were so fun to ride!

After jumping down off the elephants, we explored Angkor Thom. Like most of the other temples we toured, it too was amazing. They have definitely started restoration on Angkor Thom more than the other temples it seems like. It was a lot of fun to explore on our own. Many of us were tired despite the naps all day long. After Angkor Thom, we hiked up a mountain in hopes of seeing a beautiful sunset atop another temple. Unfortunately, the clouds were covering the sun, but it was still a beautiful panorama view. We headed back to the hotel quickly after that. I was so dirty that I was ready for a shower. I had Chaco tan lines from the dirt! I could have passed as another race, seriously.

I met the group in the lobby an hour after we returned to the hotel. It was wonderful to shower and freshen up. We headed to dinner again in a Tuk Tuk. A group of us ate in an open-air courtyard area where we ate local street food. While the service took forever, mine ended up being pretty decent. I stuck with chicken on a stick and French fries. How hard is it to mess those two things up? While we were waiting on our dinner to be served we witnessed children selling and begging first hand. We had several children approach us asking us to buy the usual post cards or bracelets. One even sat down to talk to us for a bit. I gave him a little bit of my Coca Light in a class. After finishing, he went on his merry way. When we asked him how old he was, he replied saying 8 years old. His brother walked by, smoking a cigarette and told us he was 4 years old. We ended up figuring out that his brother knew that he needed to ‘stay and look’ young to be able to make more money. His brother couldn’t have been older than 14 himself, and we saw him smoking several cigarettes. I personally was not very nice when he came up to me asking for my coke can. I donated my coke can to a dirty little boy in tattered clothing. On our way out, we witnessed a man buy this sweet child dinner. They sell the cans and bottles that they collect for money. Many children will lurk around trashcans or tables waiting for people to throw away something so simple that will help them earn money. It truly broke my heart to see this.

We walked around the market for a few minutes, scouting out more stores to shop in tomorrow night. We grabbed some ice cream at The Blue Pumpkin. I got two scoops of vanilla with brownie chunks, yummy! After that, we took a Tuk Tuk and headed back to the hotel. I was asleep within seconds of my head hitting the pillow. Today was a great day, and I can only imagine what tomorrow has to offer.

Cambodia! (Day 17)

Day 17 - January 25, 2011

I woke up this morning ready for breakfast after not having dinner last night! After getting ready and packing, some last minute items I headed downstairs. Breakfast was the same as usual, but I was still very excited about the fresh pineapple and croissants I have been enjoying every morning.

After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and headed to the airport for our flight to Siem Reap. I was sad to be leaving Vietnam, and couldn’t believe that the time had flown by so quickly. As the plane took off for Cambodia I was struck with the realization that I probably would never set foot on Vietnamese soil again and I became aware of how much I was going to miss the country.

We landed in Cambodia to hear that it was a hot 28 degrees Celsius! I thought the past few days had been hot, but I was in for a surprise! Stepping off of the airplane in Cambodia reminded me a lot of stepping off of the plane when we visited the Dominican Republic. Everything from the appearance of the airport to the air temperature to the people made me feel like I was not that far away from home! We exited the airplane and walked into the airport where we applied for our Cambodian visas and then were processed through the passport checkpoint. The man that was verifying my visa and passport began talking to me in broken English, later telling me that I was ‘very beautiful’. After the few negative comments I received in Vietnam, I knew I was going to like Cambodia and the positivity of the people. Below is a map of Cambodia and where Siem Reap is located.

We left the airport with our new guide, LeKim for lunch. Cambodian people appear to be a mix between Asian and Indian. They have a very dark skin tone, but many Asian features, mixed with a few Indian. It was neat to see how a region’s appearance changed within an hour flight! Arriving at lunch and seeing the menu, I knew the food was going to be a little different than Vietnam. There were more western options, thank goodness, and the Cambodian or Khmer options were slightly different than Vietnam. It seemed that food was a tiny bit more expensive, but I wasn’t sure. I became aware at lunch that I didn’t know much about the currency and its relationship to the US dollar, or the language of Cambodians. It only made me more excited to experience another culture.

After lunch, we drove to our hotel for check in. We checked in to the Tara Angkor hotel, a very nice 4 star hotel in Siem Reap. I was so excited to find out that there was a pool, which we would have an opportunity to visit during our stay. After quickly settling in, we headed back down to the lobby for our first adventure in Cambodia.

We drove to Ta Prom which is one of the many smaller temples that surrounds the famous Angkor Wat. As we exited, the bus five or six children approached us trying to sell us various jewelry, postcards and books. They would say, “Madam, only one dollar, you buy from me, only one dollar.” It was heartbreaking to see these children begging like that. Once we got inside the gates, the children could not follow us anymore. We knew they would be waiting when we exited though. Ta prom was absolutely beautiful. It was built in the 12 century but then disappeared for almost 400 years. During that time, the temple became overgrown with trees, which only added to the beauty of the temple. It was rediscovered in the 1700’s. It was hard understanding how something so magnificent was lost for 400 years, but as I later realized the jungle had taken over it so much that; it was almost impossible to see that it really existed. Trees were growing out of al parts of the structures, some causing them to fall apart. I was able to take some great photographs and I enjoyed visiting the temple a lot. Again, as we exited, the children were waiting trying to sell us the same goods again. A guy in our group had told a girl that he would ‘buy something from her if she was lucky’. She remembered him and hassled him. He didn’t think that she would remember him!

We next visited Shra Srong an empieral reflection pool. We sat on the hill and watched the sun set, while talking to a dozen children trying to sell us the same various goods as earlier. It was heartbreaking to see their faces, and hear what they had to say. I loved watching the sunset and was able to get some fantastic pictures as well. 

Next, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up before heading out for dinner downtown. A group of students and both professors went to a restaurant called ‘The Red Piano’ located on ‘Pub Street’ in the heart of Siem Reap. In order to get in to town we had to take a Tuk Tuk. A Tuk Tuk is a basically a motorbike or moped with a carriage attached to the back. The carriage is lined with cushioned seats and can hold up to 4 people. We were able to get a ride into town for only $2.00. The Tuk Tuks are like taxis in Siem Reap. It was so fun to ride in one for the first time. After arriving at the Red Piano a short time later, I looked over the menu and ordered one of the specials. It was a pasta ratatouille and it was delicious! The restaurant was open air and it was so neat to hear all the different music coming from different bars and restaurants. After dinner, we decided to explore the town a little bit. With one of our professors, we headed to the ‘X Bar’. The Wofford baseball coach’s brother owns the ‘X Bar’. Who would have known that in the middle of Cambodia, someone else would have heard of Wofford College! Upon visiting the bar we found out that the partner of the bar and the coach’s brother were in a legal dispute over the bar. We didn’t get to see the man we came to visit, but it was neat getting to see around an empty rooftop bar. We were invited back later, when the party got started, but we opted out and left almost as quickly as we had entered. Walking around town every several of feet would be a place to get a ‘Dr. Fish’ massage. This required one to put their feet in a pool of hundreds of fish, who would then nibble at the dead skin around your feet. I decided right then and there I was not going to do it, while other people in my group mentioned that they would be interested to try it out during our stay in Siem Reap. We looked around the Night Market to get a feel for what souvenirs we could purchase. After that, we grabbed a bite of ice cream at The Blue Pumpkin. I had vanilla with brownie chunks, it was so delicious! We caught a Tuk Tuk and headed back to the hotel after that. I was asleep in bed a short time later, tired after all the adventures of the day.