Even after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, the destruction from these years caused many challenges for the survivors and the next generations of Cambodians. I have spoken with people who lived through the Khmer Rouge, and hearing their stories has made me even more amazed by the strength of the Cambodian people. People value what they have because there was a time when many people had next to nothing. Neighbors call each other “brother” and “sister”, and you do not have to be related to feel a part of a family here. Food is meant to be shared, and cooking is a way to show that you care for someone. These are some of my favorite parts of Cambodian culture.
Before coming to Cambodia, I did not know very much about Cambodian culture and history. Learning about Cambodian history has taught me many lessons. One lesson is the importance of education. Education leads to opportunities. It encourages us to ask questions and allows us to learn about the world around us and about the people who came before us.
I hope that learning about Cambodia during our time together has inspired you to think more about the people and places in the world around you. As a teacher here, I get asked a lot of questions by my students (in English and in Khmer). I love it when students ask me questions because it shows me that they are interested in learning more! There are so many fascinating things to learn, so I hope you keep asking curious questions and using your research skills to search for answers.
Sharing my experiences with you all has been a lot of fun!
