Don't Know Much About History
It's true, I don't know much about history. I figured it could be one of my "themes" I was told I'd need while traveling for so long -- to learn more about the history of the places I visit. I can't avoid it, really. Being immersed in a culture and talking to local people (even if they are tour guides) teaches me much more than I ever learn from books or films. Seeing a place as I learn about what happened there helps a lot too.
This was especially true in Cambodia. I knew very little about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge before leaving home. In Thailand, I read a book about it and got some idea of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, but it was all still just a story. It was when we took a tour of the countryside around Battambang, Cambodia that I really got a picture of what happened and how it haunts the lives of anyone over 30 in Cambodia.
Our tour guide, Tin, was 11 when the Khmer Rouge marched into Phnom Penh and ordered the population out of the city to work in the farms, beginning 4 nightmare years for many Cambodian citizens. Tin showed us the "killing caves," a Buddhist holy sight where the Khmer Rouge tortured and killed thousands of their victims. Sitting in the hilltop temple near the cave entrance, Tin told us about the evacuation of Phnom Penh. He was separated from his family and sent to work in the young boys' camp near Battambang. The people were forced to work long hours in the heat and no one was given enough food. Two of Tin's sisters starved to death. Tin's father, a member of Lon Nol's army (the government which the Khmer Rouge defeated) was executed. Tin told us all of this sadly but without too much pain. He must tell this story many times.
He continued, telling us about how he got sick and was sent to the local hospital where he was overjoyed to run into his mother, also quite sick. She was very skinny. The hospital, a converted school building, had little medicine and no doctors -- the Khmer Rouge killed them all. Instead it was staffed with "nurses" who were just young girls with no medical training. At this point, Tin turned and looked at us. "They gave me some medicine. I read the bottle and thought it sounded right. I told my mother to drink it. 15 minutes later, she was dead. The medicine was poison. I slept next to her body all night, and in the morning they took her away."
When the Vietnamese invaded and drove the Khmer Rouge into the hills, Tin joined a group of men seeking vengeance. They discovered the killing caves. Tin showed us where he found blood stains on the temple floor. He pointed out where the bamboo poles and electric wires for torture were. He showed us where the dead bodies were piled in the caves.
Tin etched an unforgettable image of horror and sadness in my mind. I won't forget the story he told me. I also won't forget how happy he seemed with life. His experiences have made him thankful for everything that he has. After dropping us at the hotel he said, "thank you for giving me a job today." It was friendly and geniune, not at all pathetic or sad. To think of the things I take for granted . . .
...
We are now in Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City) awaiting the arrival of Sarah and Nathan tonight. We'll spend 10 days around here with them touring the Mekong Delta, Saigon, the Cu Chi tunnels, and the beaches. Maybe we'll learn some history from some "American War" vets.
Liz added a link to our itinerary in the links section on the right. Check it out!
This was especially true in Cambodia. I knew very little about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge before leaving home. In Thailand, I read a book about it and got some idea of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, but it was all still just a story. It was when we took a tour of the countryside around Battambang, Cambodia that I really got a picture of what happened and how it haunts the lives of anyone over 30 in Cambodia.
Our tour guide, Tin, was 11 when the Khmer Rouge marched into Phnom Penh and ordered the population out of the city to work in the farms, beginning 4 nightmare years for many Cambodian citizens. Tin showed us the "killing caves," a Buddhist holy sight where the Khmer Rouge tortured and killed thousands of their victims. Sitting in the hilltop temple near the cave entrance, Tin told us about the evacuation of Phnom Penh. He was separated from his family and sent to work in the young boys' camp near Battambang. The people were forced to work long hours in the heat and no one was given enough food. Two of Tin's sisters starved to death. Tin's father, a member of Lon Nol's army (the government which the Khmer Rouge defeated) was executed. Tin told us all of this sadly but without too much pain. He must tell this story many times.
He continued, telling us about how he got sick and was sent to the local hospital where he was overjoyed to run into his mother, also quite sick. She was very skinny. The hospital, a converted school building, had little medicine and no doctors -- the Khmer Rouge killed them all. Instead it was staffed with "nurses" who were just young girls with no medical training. At this point, Tin turned and looked at us. "They gave me some medicine. I read the bottle and thought it sounded right. I told my mother to drink it. 15 minutes later, she was dead. The medicine was poison. I slept next to her body all night, and in the morning they took her away."
When the Vietnamese invaded and drove the Khmer Rouge into the hills, Tin joined a group of men seeking vengeance. They discovered the killing caves. Tin showed us where he found blood stains on the temple floor. He pointed out where the bamboo poles and electric wires for torture were. He showed us where the dead bodies were piled in the caves.
Tin etched an unforgettable image of horror and sadness in my mind. I won't forget the story he told me. I also won't forget how happy he seemed with life. His experiences have made him thankful for everything that he has. After dropping us at the hotel he said, "thank you for giving me a job today." It was friendly and geniune, not at all pathetic or sad. To think of the things I take for granted . . .
...
We are now in Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City) awaiting the arrival of Sarah and Nathan tonight. We'll spend 10 days around here with them touring the Mekong Delta, Saigon, the Cu Chi tunnels, and the beaches. Maybe we'll learn some history from some "American War" vets.
Liz added a link to our itinerary in the links section on the right. Check it out!
posted by Derek at 2:30 PM
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