Sometimes I think I should have read more, or at least read the books that were assigned to me in my formative days at school (note to Grandkids — make sure you actually read the entire books that you are told to read in school, most teachers actually know what they’re doing when they give out assignments!!). I remember a book titled Ä Tale of Two Cities”, written probably by Charles Dickens (he of the Ghosts of Christmas story…); but, I can’t remember what exactly the story was. Pity, because I am coming to the point where I believe that Phnom Penh is in itself, a tale of two [2] cities…at least, that is how I feel as I prepare to go to sleep tonight.

While yesterday was a delightful historical overview of the various stages and eras in the life of this country, wherein we gained insights into the influences of Hinduism and Buddhism as well as the evolution of the power and importance of the King (who at times is almost considered god-like), today was a wake-up call to the reality of the history and potential of this country within my life time.

Let me start with the good news. PSE — in a nutshell, Pour le Sourire des Enfants, but for those who know my work in Aboriginal Education — this is Mestanta Technological Institute (MTI) or Gitanyow Independent School (GIS) or even Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Independent School Society (KKISS) as I envisaged them evolving into. Started by a Frenchman and his wife who were appalled in the mid 1990’s with the fact there were many children living on the city dump trying to get enough items to re-cycle or sell to help support their families — illiterate and starving — this institution was established to give some of them at least a chance at some schooling and some vocational training. They started with about forty [40] in 1996/1997 after beginning with a breakfast program at the dump. They found that inadequate so they located some land and built a place for proper eating. Quickly it morphed into a school building where basic “life skills training” could be delivered. From there they added some building and programming so that a full basic primary/secondary education program could be delivered. The student population grew to eighty [80] and then one hundred twenty [20]. Money came in from donors around the world, but especially France and other countries in Europe and they have been able to expand in a various array of buildings and facilities (including practical labs for the vocational learning). Now there are sixty-five hundred [6.500] students, including five hundred [500] living in residences.

The students wear different uniforms, depending on their progress within the school. A full basic education now includes high school and a plethora of technical, commercial and trades training opportunities (baker, seamstress, mechanic, front office/receptionist, business, tourist/hotel management, etc., etc.) Every student must do at least two [2] practicums before they graduate and they can’t leave the school upon graduation unless they have a job. Many businesses are partnering with the school to provide practicum opportunities and a lot also give the students their first [1st] full-time job. The hotel we are staying at is one [1] such place. Most of their staff come from PSE and they are good (and well-trained). At the school, we met one of the first students rescued from the dump — after some time out working in the city, she has returned to work at the school in its public relations department — a bright and super-energized woman, she reminded me of some of the more committed students at GIS & MTI. We also met two [2] current students who came with us so they could practice their English while explaining aspects of their school. The guy had come from the country-side — from a poor family of eight [8] children, he is the only one [1] that has stuck it out. He wants to be in the hotel/tourist business and will graduate in the New Year (he eventually would like to spend some time working in North America, especially Canada if possible). The girl is in front office management, although she would like to be considered for airline stewardess work (she doesn’t think she’ll get to do that because she is too short!!). She was rescued from the dump herself, and when I asked her what her plans were once she got a job (she graduates by spring as well), her first comment was that she wants to make enough money to help rescue another young girl from the streets. We had a wonderful tour — it was supposed to be about a hour, but we were there almost two & a half hours. I was even invited to talk for a couple of minutes with the guy’s business student peers which was kind of cool!!

The single biggest intuitive sense I came away with from this visit — HOPE. These students have hope — not just for themselves but for their country’s future. There is real hope growing among all the young as evidenced by some of the comments by the Guide who sees more and more small businesses starting through the help of the “micro-finance institutions/banks” and we need to remember that the average age here is twenty-four [24].

Part of the reason for this relatively young population is the bad news part of today. After the high of the PSE school visit, we then visited the “Killing Fields” (at least that portion nearest Phnom Penh). This is on the level of heaviness that I experienced when I went to a concentration camp near Strasbourg in the summer of 1995 while studying there with VST. As ST said after the visit: it is terrible what some humans are capable of doing to other humans. I am not going to give a step by step recounting of our time there, except to say it was somber and very quiet. The memorial tower is filled just with just the results of the mass graves they have been able to find and open to date. Our Guide indicated that perhaps they have only found half of them throughout the country. To see the skulls and arm/leg bones up close and notice the amount of damage inflicted by brute force using very primitive instruments (they wouldn’t shoot them because the Khmer Rouge didn’t want to waste the bullets — and to make sure the stench from rotting bodies was kept down so neighbouring farmers wouldn’t suspect anything, they sprinkled various chemicals on the bodies — some still not dead, then died from these poisons). Most were stripped of all their clothes so that these could be used by others. After walking through these fields and seeing how they used some trees — including one where they would bash the little babies & children against to kill them, often in front of their mothers — simply made me unable to speak, and only wishing to walk away — a variation of how Hamas uses children as human shields, not really caring if they get killed, simply wishing to make a point…

After the “Killing Fields” we drove back into Phnom Penh and went to the Genocide Museum. This is in a former high school (of some quality back in the days) which the Khmer Rouge turned into a prison and interrogation centre — S21. If I thought the earlier stop was horrific, this place has pictures of many of the victims — faces showing either fear or defiance. Again, by the time one has traversed the entire complex the truly only positive note is that seven [7] people who were interred here managed (due to specific skills sets such as being a mechanic, an artist, a child who was rescued on the final day by the liberating Vietnamese army, etc.) to survive. One of the artists has been able to capture the conditions through a series of dramatic (and horrific) paintings that are hung throughout a couple of the buildings. Whatever we may think of current revelations of USA/NATO/Canadian interrogation techniques, there don’t come close to the Khmer Rouge (and they were doing it to their own countrymen and women). During the three plus [3+] years of the Khmer Rouge reign of terror some two million [2,000,000] people were killed or disappeared — most of the professional & middle class were wiped out which has meant that the country has had to start over to build that vital part of its society — but they are determined to re-build it!!

By the time we were finished in mid-afternoon, all I really wanted to do was have a beer (and then perhaps a bite to eat) and try to sleep it off…I knew this was a terrible part of Cambodia’s recent past — I admire them for putting it on display…I think it is having an effect: no one wants to go in that direction again…it may take them a while to reach the economic status of a Vietnam or South Korea, but they are determined to do so…my Grandkids may well grow up to see it…I hope so…

Phnom Penh of PSE is so much more exciting that Phnom Penh of the Killing Fields/Khmer Rouge…

Tomorrow morning we leave for Siem Reap and some looks into the past as well as the rural presence of Cambodia… for now, maybe another beer followed by a snooze…