Killing Fields

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Today we went to visit the Killing Fields, unfortunately, one site of many. We had booked a taxi with our driver from the day before, who we’d told we were from America, he assumed New York, just to see how far we could take it. However, he’d arranged for two Californian girls to come with us and they had us figured out as English in about two seconds. It’s hard to write much around this day, it was incredibly moving and very intense. The remains of the buildings used by the Khmer Rouge are sparse, as when the regime was over turned, the people pulled them down and pillaged the resources to begin to rebuild the country.



We had audio guides as we walked around and heard witness statements from survivors and listened to music inspired by events of the time. In the centre is a shrine, which holds mostly skulls to commemorate and pay respect to those who were so brutally murdered. However disturbing, it was certainly crucial to understanding Cambodia today, a people just putting their country together. We went on to visit the main prison, where Cambodian people were tortured until they confessed to crimes against the government and held under appalling conditions, before they were taken to one of the many Killing Field sites to be executed in a vast genocide. Overall, the regime murdered ¼ of the population by way of work camps, poverty and execution. Couldn’t even begin to get my head around it.



Later we went for a lovely meal on the river and had a great time chatting with the local kids who sell on the streets. Again, I was struck by their age and yet the maturity they had to show in their work. With the day we’d had, Alex and I were both more aware of the poor and those asking for money or custom and we were frequently conflicted. I bought a book from a seven year old who wanted to be a teacher or a doctor, who promised me he’d get to school as often as he could, how could I refuse? It cost less than my meal. Cambodia is defiantly a country that my heart has really responded to and I’m sure I’ll be back. I’d love to work there. We had a quiet evening in our lovely room, the day was very draining, it’s hard to explain exactly how much.



Wishing you peace, love and joy, Katie

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