Yesterday we toured the Royal Palace, home of Cambodia’s King. Cambodia has long been a monarchy, and though they are moving toward a democratic system of governance, the people have a great deal of pride and allegiance to their royalty. I was struck by the beauty of the place – the incredible architecture and impressive riches: solid gold and emerald Buddha’s, silver tiled floors, enormous jewels.
And I was also struck by the fact that the Royal
Palace sits just blocks away from the children’s hospital, where families with
sick children wrap around the block waiting – sometimes for days- to receive
medical care for their babes. As in my own country, the gulf between the
wealthy and the poor is staggering.
After my first few days marveling at the
beauty of the Cambodian people and the rich variety of their skin tones, body sizes,
and facial features, I could not help but notice that the frescoes inside the Royal Palace depict masses of Cambodian people as tall, pale skinned, and with Anglicized
features. Since we have arrived I have been heartbroken by the prevalence of white women used in Cambodian advertising, to learn of our Cambodian friends use of skin-bleaching creams, and to hear one colleague remark of her
beautiful baby girl, “I don’t know what happened, she was not so dark when she
was born.” Oh, how the pervasiveness of white dominance continues to rob all women of a full sense of their inherent worth, value, and beauty.
Yesterday we also visited the U.S. Embassy and met with two
representatives from U.S.A.I.D., who shared their perspectives on the biggest strengths and challenges facing the country today,
and the role of the U.S.A.I.D in meeting those challenges.
(they don't let you take pictures in the embassy...they do make you check your belongings. And look, friends, what number my coat check was?!)
U.S.A.I.D are funding
NGO’s working to support food security and economic development, to encourage
transparency in the electoral process, to foster human rights and improve
access to justice, to protect vulnerable populations from trafficking, and to
promote public health, among other things. They had much to say about the
challenges (entrenched economic disparities, cultural norms that subjugate
women, pervasive corruption), and were a little slim on strengths. Bopha
reminded them, “You know 70% of our country is youth (under 35), and they are
our greatest resource. Many in our generation are passionate about their
future, and they are not just waiting for employment - they are creating their
own employment.” Framing her comments in the context of the 2015 move to Asian
integration, she challenged U.S.A.I.D. to develop a strategy to prepare the
country’s youth to not just be workers for the region, but to be managers and directors as well, so that Cambodians can have the opportunity to
take the lead in industry and governance of their country's future.
Today Mealia, Bopha, Olivia and I drove four hours southeast
of Phnom Penh through the province. Our Cambodian sisters wanted to take us to
the mountains, where it is rumored you can touch the clouds, and also to swim in the sea.
The view from the mountains
After two days in the city, I am soaking up the sights and sounds of rural
life: Houses built on stilts to plan for the seasonal
flooding, which double by offering a shady area for people and animals in the
hottest times of the day. Plump water buffalo, tiny cart-pulling horses,
and agile cows who work the fields and later feed families. Everything imaginable being hauled by motorbike,
including a half-dozen butchered pigs, a semi-trailer full of plastic
containers, and a father bringing four children home from school.
Mealia and Olivia at our roadside feast.
Along the way Mealia, age 33, shared something of her life
story, the first ten years of which were spent in the refugee camps after the
Pol Pot regime. I asked her to consider having me record her story for her to
keep, and perhaps for me to share. More on that to come. Now, sleep.
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