In Siem Reap there are literally hundreds of children, who unfortunately should be in school, but instead are already working for a living. Most of these children sell small items, such as bracelets or necklaces, at a whooping price of __ for a dollar. Now the reason I leave this blank is because you’ll hear all sorts of numbers.
The first encounter must have been somewhere around 2 for a dollar. But as our hours of touring the Angkor Temples increased, so did the amount of bracelets. Two became 3, three became 4, and so on. Although this wasn’t our fortune (or misfortune depending on how you look at it), one tourist was offered SEVENTEEN bracelets for ONE dollar!! Heart-wrenching.
On one instance, in a hunt for our long-lost tuk-tuk through the acres of Temples of Angkor land, two sisters approached us selling… bracelets. Frustrated, I turned these little cutie pies down repeatedly. But they were persistent. “Come on Lady… you buy bracelets!” First, you’re adorable because you just called me “lady” and my boyfriend “mister”, second, you have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.
But we were on a mission to find our tuk-tuk. Breaking my heart, in an attempt not to get lost in their eyes, I looked away and said “No, thank you.” But they had a mission of their own. With one sister offering up 4 bracelets for one dollar, I had little Miss Unrelenting on my right proposing 5 for a dollar simultaneously. However, my will power was too strong… until…
We got in our tuk-tuk and I felt so far beyond remorseful that at the next stop I snagged up the next beggar and quickly took up a 4 for a dollar deal, all while stating that I didn’t even need 4 bracelets.
And this doll was a smarty pants too. Although lacking formal education, she had some serious business skills. While taking out my wallet she negotiated “Ok Lady. Eight for $2.” I died. I wanted to ask, “How much to take you home?”
Much shorter story- after watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat (a must) we began our 12 hour journey through the long-gone city of Angkor
Well, let me be the first to tell you that they are definitely not friendly. If evolution is right, now I know where some human traits stem from… In an attempt to snag an awesome pic with wildlife, I squatted next to a monkey, who decided hissing and chasing after me would make for a better photo.
The politically correct term for the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia
On that note, I’ll mention that Cambodians are on the opposite end of the English spectrum from Koreans (with exceptions of course). Despite lacking a proper English education program, Cambodians are far from lacking English skills. All English is learned through tourism and the need for survival.
Nearly all Cambodians, particularly in Siem Reap, are willing to learn English, often approaching tourists pointing and asking, “What’s the word in English?” If only my children were this motivated. And accents are slim to none. I was amazed.
Switching cities- In Phnom Penh we opted more for the moto and less for the tuk-tuk, as prices skyrocketed compared to Siem Reap. But this made for some completely exhilarating stories. Laws were basically just nonexistent. Motos carried anywhere from 1 (a rarity) to 7 (more common) people. So of course B and I always shared our moto with our driver- 3 full grown humans on one little bike. Truly a site.
But like I said- some great stories. We thought driving in Korea was crazy… and then we met Cambodia
Sans windows, you also get to meet lots of people! Children would wave, give us high-fives, and even have full-on conversations at stoplights (the bigger ones that you didn’t run). One child, packed with her parents and sister on their moto became a star of our Cambodia
Oh and this last story nearly gave me a heart attack. Having just run out of money (we did a lot of shopping in Siem Reap), B took out a hefty chunk of money. Following dinner, we thought we’d be romantic and head over to Sisowath Quay.
Relaxing by the water, we were approached by 3 homeless children, who continually cried “nom, nom, nom” in an attempt for B and I to give them some hand outs. For a good 15 minutes these children crawled all over us. Meanwhile, we were approached by a “Laos-American” who had just had all of his money and passport stolen and was looking for some help. I believed his story, but knew there was nothing we could do to offer him. B, on the other hand, immediately thought of it as a scam.
So he stood and with a few 4-letter words later proclaimed that someone had swiped his wallet too. Great. I knew… I just knew… it was one of those little buggers. So I patted them down police officer style. Hands up- head to toe… When B proclaimed that he thinks he left it at the restaurant where we had dinner.
On our way back to the restaurant, me still freaking out, sweating, heart-racing, B mentions that I did a really good job acting. Excuse me… acting?!?!?! That was no act there buddy. He, thinking the guy was a scam, just wanted an excuse to get away. He had his wallet the whole time. I nearly died of a heart attack and had just molested 3 children- Thanks, B.
Thank heavens, God later allowed me to apologize to the 3 homeless children. After picnicking in a local market, we packed up our leftovers and headed back to the Quay, hoping for a little better success in a romantic night.
Upon hearing the music and seeing the street dancing, we knew our fairy-tale night was soon to be replaced by a wealth of entertainment. While watching the rows of impromptu dancers we noticed our 3 “stealers” and the little girl on the moto dancing together! What were the chances?
So while our little star showed off her moves, we pulled the 3 homeless children away and gave them our leftovers- the least we could do after a full pat-down.
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