Story of Koo
I watched a travel series about Cambodia on TV just now. It wasn’t a normal travel programme but a programme about life discovery in various places of the world.
It was an upsetting story. A 8 years old boy sells books and postcards on streets of tourist area in Cambodia. He works 8 to 9 hours a day on the street. The money he earned is for the tuition of school. He earns USD1.00 for every book he sells, so he tries his very best to sell books to English speaking tourists. He speaks fluent English and learns it at school. When the tourists refused to buy his books; he asked them why, and explained to them that if they didn’t buy his books he would have no money to continue to study. I can’t help to weep a little when I heard what he said. The presenter asked him what his wish is. He pointed at the book counter, and said his wish is to buy all the books in the counter if he had the money. I suddenly feel so bad about myself. When I was a kid, my wish was just only to have a box of Lego if I did well at school. I asked my Mum to buy it for me. My parents took me to Taiwan and Japan for holiday when I was 8. It was my first time to go to overseas by plane. I was the second kid in the class at school, who took plane to another country for holiday. It wasn’t very common to travel by plane for holiday 20 years ago in HK. I am so lucky! How fortunate I am! I just can’t help to feel bad about myself. I was ever 8 years old, and same as what age Koo is at now.
I realise that life is not easy. It is always filled with challenges and difficulties. However, when I think of there are many others, who live in this world without food and basic shelters that make me feel so small. “Cherish” is the great word I always remember in my mind. If we didn’t cherish with what we have, we will regret for what we lose.
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I share your compassion. I’ve never been in Cambodia, but I witnessed something similar last December when I spent two weeks working in India. Even in more prominent cities like Bombay (Mumbai) and Pune, there were so many—too many—people living in make-shift cardboard homes and tents on the streets. There is a big gap between the rich and the poor. I was told that half of the population earns about US$2 a day. Because people drive like crazy in India, I was provided with a vehicle that came with a driver (it would be suicidal for any foreigners to drive themselves in India). At traffic lights, many beggars would tap my window to beg for money. I was told to ignore them because there were just too many of them. But I will never forget this: There was a small girl, probably only 5 or 6 year old, who looked straight to my eyes, caught my attention, then in the middle of the street, performed somersaults for me. “Please stop,” I yelled out of fear. Either she understood or misunderstood me, she continued, until I handed her my rupees.
Thank you for your sharing. I believe this must be one of your meaningful experiences in life. I can imagine what it’s like in India. I still see similar scene in China if I went to some country sides, but its situation is much better than before. We should be very glad with what we have for now….
I been to Cambodia last Dec and you are absolutely right! My tour guide can speak English and Japanese fluently. Though he is not a university grad, but he worked hard on his language skills. He is lucky that he emerged well as a young fine man.
Many small kids started at a young age of 3, peddling postcards, shawls, etc to the tourists. Very pitiful to see some of them so skinny. However, the smile on their face when you buy something from them, it is priceless.
Be warned against giving them money, hordes of them will follow you around.
Initially, I pity them. However, I realized that they are not pitiful in another aspect. They learn the reality of life, they are harden or smart. They work around the harsh realities of life and emerge stronger!
As tourist, we are contributing US$2bn a year to the country by visiting Ang Kor Wat. But at the same time, we are destroying their heritage. That act itself is bad. Wonder how we can help them more meaningfully!
Thank you for the sharing of your travel experience. Life experience is priceless.