Today’s post is brought to you by student Amadea S.

Hello again! This is Amadea reporting to you from Siem Reap.

Here’s a quick recap of our last day in Battambang: After a quick breakfast at one of our favorite places, Kinyei Cafe, we headed off to the Phare Circus School for a day of personal instruction and immersion into the magnificent and exhilarating life of a circus performer. To begin, we were invited into the visual arts center to explore our artistic talents with a painting session. We painted pencil holders made of some cardboard and glue. This simple project served as a wonderful and effective impetus for the inspiration necessary for creativity. We painted beautiful motifs of flowers and animals.

Afterwards, many of us participated in a thrilling game of soccer with the circus performers before we all came together to eat lunch. We experimented with the heat of small red peppers that were served on top of a dish, unaware of the strength of their spiciness! All in all, it was a wonderful dining experience that fueled us with the energy and enthusiasm needed for learning cool circus tricks.

Right after lunch we participated in a music workshop, during which Phare school students taught us how to play the kong thom, the roneat ec, and the skor tho in the traditional Cambodian style. The survival of this music symbolizes the revitalization after the Khmer Rouge. Our playing was heard all throughout the school and local students came to watch and listen.

Then we walked over to the main circus training building, which was filled with performers practicing intricate stunts. We engaged in a group stretch and participated in acrobatics, juggling, and trampoline jumping. Later, we got into formations arranged by the performers, as seen below.

By the end of our time at the circus, everyone was exhausted and hungry for dinner. We tuk-tuked to Lotus cafe, which sponsors the local artists at the Sammake Art Gallery. After dinner, we headed upstairs, joined by our friend and artist, Marine (who was celebrating her birthday!), to watch a few short films about Cambodia and global awareness pertaining to the issues threatening the culture and environment here. We said our final goodbyes to Marine and took our last night stroll in the sensational town of Battambang.

The next morning, we hopped on our bus for a three-hour ride to Siem Reap. We arrived at our charming hotel and then walked to a restaurant for lunch, where we played darts upstairs after dining. We explored Siem Reap on our own (in groups), and a few of us went to get a foot cleansing from little fish who gently eat off the dead skin cells. What big appetites they had for such little fish!

By evening time, the group reconvened to go to the Night Market, one of the most famous attractions of the town. The main avenue, known to backpackers simply as Pub Street, was bustling with people, music, street vendors, and colorful lanterns. Inside the market, many of us bought pants, small statues, backpacks, and textiles. We were astounded by the key differences of Siem Reap in comparison to the other Cambodian towns we had visited. We observed the relatively western atmosphere of the night market area and town — the American music and food, widespread local fluency in English, and general catering of local vendors to us obvious travelers (NOT tourists). Our observations are essential in recognizing the dichotomy between tourism and traveling, and our group objectives for our time here. As articulated by one of the students, the power dynamic between foreigners and locals is palpable in environments such as this.

This morning we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast in the guesthouse with Ponheary Ly, who is the director of the Ponheary Ly Foundation in Siem Reap, which collaborates with the government to provide impoverished children with the education they need to ensure a brighter future. The foundation, intertwined with the family and this guesthouse, emphasizes the need to spread awareness of the importance of education and literacy to break the cycle of poverty. Ideally, through this program the children will be able to return home educated and help their villages with their newly obtained knowledge and life-skills. With access to computers and Microsoft applications, the children are able to excel. Ponheary described their incredible passion and eagerness to learn. Currently, the foundation sponsors 2,700 students ranging from kindergarten to high school, and is looking to attract more and more students from all across Cambodia. The ultimate mission remains as follows: to enable local children to live sustainably and independently of any NGO through the opportunities offered in the form of education and social enterprise. As said by Ponheary, “We have to have hope so we can go forward.”

For lunch, we were joined by Sarah, general manager of PEPY NGO. Founded 10 years ago, this organization extends scholastic opportunities to children in poor areas as an incentive against illegal immigration to Thailand, which incurs eternal hardship. PEPY NGO however provides an alternative, where longevity and development of fundamental skills comprises the business framework shared with other NGOs. The organization also has a traveling program throughout Cambodia, similar to Putney Student Travel, which allows the dissemination of issues plaguing the country, especially that of voluntourism. PEPY works to combat the myth that locals need foreigners to “rescue” them; it directly provides aid to instill long-term and independent progress.

Next we went to Artisans d’Angkor, a program that assists rural populations in vocational training. The workers create the crafts from start to finish, and are ultimately equipped with skills needed for prospective stable jobs. The artisans were making copper and silver boxes, sandstone and wood sculptures, and silk paintings while we were there.

Next up, we have plans to see the Phare Circus show in Siem Reap! It’ll be our third Phare show and we are all very excited!

Until next time!
Amadea