Today we got a fascinating opportunity to have a glimpse into the everyday life of a Cambodian villager. We joined a local family and spent a day walking in their shoes. Situated just outside Siam Reap, we arrived by bus in one of the local villages. From there we were transported by ox carts, "cow yota corolla" as our guide referred to them, we hopped onto oz droven carts whihc transported us into the heart of the rice fields. We spend a hot sweaty morning out in the fields, helping with the harvest, all donning sharp sickles. New respect for when we next put a spoon of rice into our mouths, how hard it is to grow and reap it!!!
We then walked through the village, helped plant mango and lime trees in one family's plot. On every tour one family hosts and welcomes the group into their home and lives for the day, these families receive a small payment for being the host and a larger contribution is made to a village fund. The village fund is used for special community projects like water wells and water filters. We visited the village ladies who earn an income from making soft toys. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of sandwiches and the most amazing array of local seasonal fruit, including hairy things that inside look and taste like lychees, the amazing pink and white spotted fleshy dragon fruit, tiny finger sized sweet bananas, heavenly mangoes. The people here are 95% Buddist. The temples and local architecture are beautiful and ornate, even in the poorest villages.
This afternoon we rested (after our genuine hard labour in the rice fields this am) and this evening we have dinner followed by a local circus show (no animals!). A wonderful day spent on the ground with local villagers, a very humbling and fulfilling day.
PS check out all today's Village life experience photos in the Photos section of this blog. The newest pics will always come up first.
