Last weekend we went to a town on the southern coast of Cambodia that was romanized by the French as "Kep," but really it's pronounced more like "guy" with a "p" at the end. This is another picture post as we visited many lovely and serene places.
Veasna (the man I am living with) said that Kep is really just a place you go to eat crab.
As you can see our hotel had one small chlorine swimming pool next to one giant salt swimming pool.
On the walk to the beach.
We went on this incredible early morning hike and maybe you'll agree with me that there was a lot more than crabs here. I should also probably give photo credits to Lauren.
Best redundant sign that is redundant.
But it really was remarkable.
"STOP! There is a floating catapillar!"
The crew. Left to right is Lauren, Kristin, Katie, Josie, me and then Amanda.
On the descent of the hike we stopped at a Butterfly farm. My pictures really aren't going to capture this but it was basically this isolated mini jungle resort with smiling Cambodians and many butterflies flying around inside their garden. It was soothing to the soul.
And right next to the farm they had a little bit of landscaping with a stream we said probably come out of Willy Wonka's factory. You can choose if you prefer blue raspberry jolly rancher juice or mountain dew voltage. Either way drinking from it probably would have made me live forever.
Kep's copy of the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh.
On the way home we stopped at these really neat caves. Basically you go down into a cave for about twenty meters and when you come up you are surrounded by this donut cavern with no roof. Never seen anything like it.
I mentioned in my previous post that it is sometimes hard to deal with the stark contrasts between the rich and the poor in Cambodia. At the site of this cave above we could barely open the car door because we were so swarmed by little kids who wanted to sell us a flashlight and be our tour guide. On this trip we saw so much beauty, but it is hard to think that I was having experiences with a modest amount of money for me that a majority of Cambodians could probably never afford.
I think I had this expectation before traveling here that I was going to embrace everything Cambodian. I would eat like the people here, talk like them, work like them, and do everything I could to experience what it was like to be Cambodian. I think that changed after a few days when I realized I was actually incapable of comprehending exactly what it was like to have been born here. I don't know what it is like to grow up on the smoggy streets or in a shack, I don't known what it is like to not have enough food, I don't know what it is like to lose multiple family members to genocide, and even concerning those who are born into wealthy families I don't think I will ever understand exactly what it is like to grow up with all of these circumstances in plain view around me.
The hardest feeling might just be feeling powerless. Sure I could buy a flashlight from a child at the cave, but 50 cents later the child will still be right back where they started. Also how am I supposed to know who to choose when there are 20 outstretched hands to choose from? I take comfort that God really does understand all of these people and He can give them everything they need. I believe He is just, and all of the afflictions in this life are actually very short in comparison to the rest of our existence. I think what I can do is develop empathy by listening to those I interact with. I can be there for friends one on one. I can learn about what the real challenges are for people and then develop the skills and capabilities throughout the rest of my life to really help others. I can remember that the most important change to bring lasting hope to someone's life is coming to know Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. If all I can do is help one person come to know Him, then that would be a great success.
I think I had this expectation before traveling here that I was going to embrace everything Cambodian. I would eat like the people here, talk like them, work like them, and do everything I could to experience what it was like to be Cambodian. I think that changed after a few days when I realized I was actually incapable of comprehending exactly what it was like to have been born here. I don't know what it is like to grow up on the smoggy streets or in a shack, I don't known what it is like to not have enough food, I don't know what it is like to lose multiple family members to genocide, and even concerning those who are born into wealthy families I don't think I will ever understand exactly what it is like to grow up with all of these circumstances in plain view around me.
The hardest feeling might just be feeling powerless. Sure I could buy a flashlight from a child at the cave, but 50 cents later the child will still be right back where they started. Also how am I supposed to know who to choose when there are 20 outstretched hands to choose from? I take comfort that God really does understand all of these people and He can give them everything they need. I believe He is just, and all of the afflictions in this life are actually very short in comparison to the rest of our existence. I think what I can do is develop empathy by listening to those I interact with. I can be there for friends one on one. I can learn about what the real challenges are for people and then develop the skills and capabilities throughout the rest of my life to really help others. I can remember that the most important change to bring lasting hope to someone's life is coming to know Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. If all I can do is help one person come to know Him, then that would be a great success.