Cultural Barriers

Cambodia is a place of ordered kaos.  of predictability.  but not the things one might predict in Canada.  In traffic, I can guarantee to be cut off, almost hit, see many close calls, watch as pedestrians cross the wide and very busy highway - home to many semis, tuk tuks and motos.  In Canada, if I stepped out in the middle of traffic to cross the street, I would be worried of getting hit.  In Cambodia, this is the way you cross the road, and thus feel at ease that the driver will swerve around us.  

The first time Jeremy and I had wanted to cross a busy street in Cambodia, we were’t sure how to go about it.  Today, in Seoul, a city with crosswalks…. when we wanted to cross the street, we weren’t sure how to go about it.  Where is the crosswalk?  Why are there guardrails everywhere?  Why do we have to wait 3 minutes to cross, when we can do it… we’re experienced!  We walked around a city where traffic sits at a red light…. until it turns green.  There is no fake 10 second advance while the light is still red, which is a norm at every intersection in Phnom Pehn.  Vehicles drive in the lines, traffic calmly flows.  As I reflect, I realize, the city was pretty quiet, and the streets were not crowded…. huh.  I am sure we weren’t seeing all the trueness of South Korea in the short time we wandered through it, but what we saw was Canada disguised with Koreans, and this gave us a good head start as to growing accustomed to the orderly way of life.

This kaos, or overstimulation, is something that I didn’t think I would miss.  Life seems so calm without it!

We only left last night, but, from the time we entered the sanitary version of Cambodia in the Phnom Pehn airport, until now (post Seoul city experience) currently in high-class Seoul airport, it seems as though we left ages ago.

Leaving is always a bitter-sweet experience.  We left behind new friends, whom we hold very dear, in exchange to see our family.  Doesn’t this seem bizarre?  An exchange for one for another?  Yet that is exactly what it is, as we can not have both worlds in one.  We have entered into 2 very different worlds, lived in these worlds, loved and formed relationships in these places…. and now… torn between where our allegiances lie between the 2 places.  There is no common ground, no similarities.   Our last memories of the Cambodia we know are of the 21 people who crammed in the van with us to say good-bye at the airport.  How can we ignore this love and affection.  These are the people who have stolen our hearts.

Eastern Production - part 2

To be honest, the problem with our developed world is that almost everything available for us to purchase is available by the means of importation.  I think it was would merely impossible not to buy from the person who is making less than what they need to to survive adequately.  
When I talk about the factory workers here in Cambodia, I am sharing my perspective as a person living in Cambodia.  I want people to see what I see, and know the reality of what happens.  How can we change this?  I don't think we can.  In reality, if the wages go up too much, the product owners will leave - there is always a cheaper country somewhere!  The only change can come through the product/factory owners and the government.  Most of all the wrongs and injustices here occur because os the government.  I see so much, but what can you do when you are facing a corrupt giant?

As much as we try to do the right thing, and I think that all of us who live in the developed world want to make the right decisions somehow, it is not up to us.  I have even learned, while being here, that Fair trade is not what you think it is either… and we have all been wanting to buy fair trade products because we think it will help… and maybe it does a little… but there is always a better way… but how can we know?



Here is some information about FAIR TRADE, if you are interested in educating yourself on the matter:
http://threecornercoffee.com/direct-trade-vs-fair-trade/

The things I've learnt...

     It has been interesting learning and living and cooking in a rural developing country (yet again).  Living without the conveniences of the city. Living without the conveniences of the developed world. 

     This time around, I have learnt different lessons; such as, the seeds of jackfruit can be boiled and eaten, and resemble very closely that of beans.  Yellow mangoes and long bananas have gone bad.  Mangoes that are ready to eat and yellow are probably yellow because they’ve been sprayed.  Bananas that are bruised on the outside, are somehow perfect on the inside.

In the land where hummus doesn’t exist, I have learnt to make it, and it is very easy.  Fresh peanuts resemble the natural taste of peas, and are also quite easy to roast yourself.

Jars and food containers are very similar to those of tupperware, and can easily be reused as such.  I feel embarrassed that I used to throw these precious things out here.

     North America is like the land of flowing milk and honey, although, instead of milk and honey, it is flowing water and electricity.  When you turn on the light, it is light.  WHen you plug in an appliance, the appliance turns on.  WHen you turn on the tap, there is water.  This is a fact of the developed life.

Here, there is a very different story.  I have learned to have patience through the lack of.  Since returning to Cambodia, I have taught keyboard.  In order to play a keyboard, you must have an electrical source.  The outlet we use for the keyboard comes from city power, where the rest of Rescue is powered through solar power.  You would imagine that city power would mean it is always available, but this is the opposite.  It is unpredictable unavailable.  One might also conclude that having power means the keyboard will turn on.  This is also not the case.  Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.  

Currently I am supposed to teach keyboard.  We have power.  The keyboard won’t turn on.  I will try again in an hour.

     In addition, I think that it is impossible to enter into a developing country without looking through the lenses of our developed vision.  We bring change and convenience.  Is this always beneficial and needed?  

     We think, ‘these poor people don’t have a stove’, so we buy a stove.  This is what I would have thought to do before.  But, now I think, how will they pay for the propane when it is gone?

     It is easy to think of western bandaids to seemingly “problems”, but are they really problems?  In reality, the people who live without convenience have always lived without convenience, and do not know the difference.  They have never experienced another way, and is it so bad that they still don’t?

     Is it a bad thing that children have to wake up early to chop firewood for cooking, and help hand wash their clothes?  I don’t think so.  This develops a sense of responsibility, just like chores in developed countries do.  In my opinion, the average 19 year old in Cambodia is far more developed and mature than their Canadian equal.

     However, I do believe every one should have access to clean water, health care, love, 3 meals a day & proper nutrition.  Human rights and basic provisions should go without saying, and I don’t believe anyone should have to suffer.