After visiting Malaysia and Vietnam, I made my way to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I knew that Cambodia was a poor country but had not done any research prior to landing there. I had not yet seen the famous Netflix movie “First they killed my father” and was poorly educated about how the Vietnam war had affected this neighboring country. I have traveled to many places but Cambodia remains the country that had imprinted itself on my heart the most. History of War and Conflict Cambodian history is quite terrifying. Cambodians have been through wars and a genocide started by their own people. During the Vietnam War, the country found itself victim to mass bombing that killed hundreds of thousands of Cambodians. Meanwhile, a group of rebels, the Khmer Rouge (KR), were slowly gaining power as more Cambodians felt humiliated and deceived by their government. On the 17th of April, 1975, the Khmer Rouge marched into the capital, Phnom Penh, and overthrew the Cambodian government. KR moved all civilians from major cities to work sites where they were forced to, give up all possessions including money, build their own houses and work in fields. They also carried out a purge where they mercilessly killed any educated Cambodian or government officer. During Khmer Rouge’s reign, Cambodians were massacred, tortured and died from malnutrition and exhaustion. This ultimately led to the Cambodia Genocide where the country lost between 1.5 to 3 million civilians, that is, 25% of its total population. In 1979, Vietnam invaded Cambodia and finally overthrew Khmer Rouge. Fast forward to 2019 and the country, although recuperating, is still living the aftermath of the horrors of its past. Many Cambodians in the present day have been separated from their family members having no idea if they are alive or dead. The poverty levels are high and a large percentage of the population remains uneducated. The Infrastructure When landing in the Siem Reap you will appreciate its small yet charming airport. The bathrooms are clean and stylish, the infrastructure modern. However, the city itself is a different story. Due to years of civil wars and conflict, the infrastructure of Cambodia is actually quite weak. Only about 11% of roads and highways are paved. Many Cambodians do not have access to electricity. Internet is very expensive and only used by wealthy Cambodians. The Children During my week in Siem Reap, I was shocked by the number of children that I saw on the streets every day. It started in the temples. You will be dazzled by the Angkor Wat temples in Siem Reap. But pay attention. I saw kids running around, hiding behind the pillars while tourists and locals would place money notes in front of Buddha statues. As soon as the people left, the kids stole the notes. My cousin made friends with two of them and asked why they were not in school. They said they had been in the morning. At another temple, a young teenage girl tried to sell postcards to me. Again, we asked her why she was not in school. She went to school yesterday, was her reply. Surprisingly, all these kids answered in good English. While driving up the mountain to the National Park, young children crawled out of the jungle, covered in dirt, begging for money as the tourists drove by. Our driver, who was also a local volunteering teacher, told us that there were not enough schools in Cambodia and therefore children would either go to school for half a day or a few times a week. Also, many of the parents were uneducated themselves and did not see the importance of school. They preferred to send their children out begging or working in tourist spots instead. Around the temples, you can find signs saying not to give child beggars money as that discourages them from going to school. But things are getting better. World organizations and countries like the USA, Australia South Korea and Japan invest massively in education and infrastructure. Cambodians are generous, kind and helpful. They are strong and resilient. With a fair government and support from the world, Cambodia will, hopefully, rise from the ruins caused by the Khmer Rouge.