From 1975 to 1979 the people of Cambodia suffered through the very real nightmare of Khmer Rouge,enduring years of torture and genocide which, without a doubt, has influenced daily lifethrough generations. Cambodia’s population is now over 15 million, nearly 2/3rds of whichare 2nd or 3rd generation from Khmer Rouge survivors. With the old and new generationsrising up from their history of unrest, what’s it like living in Cambodia today?Well first, the aftermath of Khmer Rouge left an obvious imbalance in socioeconomic classes. The regime forced many city residents out into the rural areas leaving only a few stillin the city. And, no matter what the area, you can actually tell class by the materialsof a family’s house. Those who live in rural slums will most likely live in a house ofbamboo and thatch, the more economically stable in wood houses on stilts, and the small upperclass use stone or cement. And what’s life like within these walls? From a young age Cambodian children are taughtsociety's norms of politeness, obedience, and respect toward elders. Girls are thenexpected to help around the house, while boys help out in the fields. Almost all Cambodian children attend primary school but this high attendance rate plummetsto only half when it comes to completing their early education. This is due to the financialstrain the family feels with the idea of continued schooling. The demand to buy school supplies,uniforms and transportation costs may become more of a burden than an investment. Instead,most children return home to help their families around the house and with farm chores. But there are other outlets for education who want it, at least for boys. Because theKhmer Rouge regime killed around 90% of all teachers in Cambodia many have returned tothe idea of monasteries as a source of education for young men. With Theravada Buddhism beingthe prominent religion in Cambodia, boys are allowed to become a novice monk to continueeducation and learn subjects in religion, meditation, and ancient scripture languagesof Pali and Sanskrit. For most who reside outside the monasteries, rice agriculture, becomes a way of life. Cambodia’slandscape is covered with rice paddies and sprinkled with farmers harvesting by hand. With around 300 varieties of rice in Cambodia it’s no surprise that it’s the main staplein food and economy. A Cambodian proverb even states, “Do not plan to study with the desireto become a government minister… you must study to become a farmer in order to havewealth in the future. "But Cambodia’s economic reliance on agriculture is shifting. Since 2000, the tourism and hospitalityindustry has been growing at a rapid pace. In 2013, 4. 2 million tourists visited Cambodia,a staggering 17% increase from the previous year. With more growth expected, it’s likelythat scores of young Cambodians are moving into city centers to make the most of jobopportunities in this field. Of course this is only a glimpse of certain areas in Cambodia…. If you’ve ever beento Cambodia share your experiences in the comments below and while you’re in therelet us know what country you’d like us to cover next! Thanks for watching Seeker Dailyand don’t forget to subscribe.
