Looking back

This trip has gone by fast. While I think I accomplished a lot in Poipet over the past 2 weeks, there is yet a lot to be done in Cambodia. The URC project we are working with has been here for 4 years, and due to the pace typical of tropical developing nations, there is little to show for years of very hard work. This is a phenomenon that all projects, especially NGO based, are not immune to. Hopefully this work will continue here for many years until Cambodia has a self sustaining emergency medical system with its own group of specialists to take ownership of it.

I miss the 25 cent coconuts daily with lunch already. I shutter to think that a can of the same coconut water will soon cost me $2.50 in the US for 1/4 the volume. 

Cambodia is full of wonderful people. The more I read about their horrific past the more I am impressed at their ability to get back to the values of family, religion, and the simple life that they cherished before the Khamer Rouge.

Being alone, I often had my guard up while staying in the "rough part of town" but constantly felt foolish inside as I was only met with kindness and curious smiles.

I am grateful I had the chance to escape for the weekend, even on such a short trip, and experience the amazing temples that draw literally millions of tourists to Cambodia each year.

While it will take decades to change the hears and minds of the medical community in Cambodia to put the patient first, strive to improve, and seek out evidence based practices, there are already a few hungry doctors in Poipet that will quickly set the pace with a little guidance.














One of my favorite memories will be riding in the back of the Japanese donated ambulance with one of the doctors, transporting our patient to the next higher level care hospital. He just intubated his first patient, and saved their life. He asked that I take a picture of him, ridding in the back of the bumpy ambulance bagging the patient through his endotracheal tube. He said, "I need proof to show my wife that I am a good doctor, she doesn't believe me. Now I have something to show her." This was a priceless moment, and it was then that I knew I may have found Poipet's first emergency doctor.

I can not thank enough the staff with URC. While next time I may bring a long a translator... their support and guidance was invaluable. Can't wait to come back.












In the morning I make the long trek back home, chasing the sun to California.

Temples and Floating Villages

I was given the opportunity to spend the weekend at Siem Reap - the major tourist destination in Cambodia... and for good reason. I started the day at 5AM with my sleepy tuk tuk driver to catch the sunrise over Angkor Wat - the most famous and best maintained Hindu / Buddhist temple in Cambodia. 








Architecturally behind their European counterparts, 12th century Cambodian builders used narrow arches with flat stones on the top (as apposed to the flying buttress and key stone) which give the temples the unique feeling of discovery with every corner. 














This temple has over 2,000 statues of the Aspara - a mythical temple nymph. Hindu sagas often depict the Aspara aiding the khmer in defeating the demons.

 Many monks from all over the world frequent the Angkor temples.

These depictions of Buddha at the Banyon at Angkor Thom are on every tower, around every corner, always watching over the city temple. 

 This mountaintop temple was allegedly the first in Cambodia. This is Siem Reap's premier sunset spot, and would have been, if it wasn't for the lightning storm that chased me off before sunset.

 

Ancient trees, determined to reclaim the jungle, struggle against the heavy stones. Ta Prahm was left by the early French explorers to show what Angkor looked like at the time of their discover. This was featured in the recent movie Tomb Raider.  

 In order to get this photo without any tourists in it, I had to take 40 smaller snapshots of the area and use a computer program to splice them together without any people in it!













  

 

On Sunday I took a motorcycle to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in South Asia. It is home to reportedly hundreds of small villages. This village, most accessible to Siem Reap, is the most commonly visited by tourists. They will take your $25 and shuttle you onto a small boat for a 1.5 hour tour. Only about 10% of this money ever makes it to inhabitants of the villages, constantly fighting starvation, poverty, and poor education. 

 Children are kept on the family boat until the are able to swim. Once then can demonstrate water safety, they are allowed to go to school - on average age 5 to 6. This village has a floating basketball court, pig farm, 2 grocery stores, gas station, and floating medical clinic.

In Poipet - I am likely the only American for literally likely over 100km that I know of. My nurse partner and aspiring interpreter stays with friends in town. As such, I get the change to explore the streets of Poipet looking for places to eat. Around 6pm the sky turns dark, the clouds overtake the sky, and it opens up with a furry of water, lightening and thunder. Because nobody else can speak English, and I don't speak Khmer... I plugged in my tunes and watched the light show to some of my favorite music.