(no subject)
Driving back to Phnom Penh Tivea and I talked about a variety of things. He speaks english decently well so it was refreashing to actually have a conversation. He studies in Russia for six years, right up to 1989 so he had a lot interesting things. We also talked about the land issues in Cambodia, most of which are new issues because Cambodia has only been stable for ten years and has embraced capitalism in the last few years. Many of the typical third world problems are just now starting to appear in Cambodia, making the area very interesting to study. People like Tivea are trying to show the government that they are taking steps that have clearly failed in other countries, but clearly they don't listen. The conversation then drifted to poverty in the US, of which Tivea did not believe. I tried to explain innercity America, homelessness, and discrimination. He couldn't believe that they couldn't just build homes or grow food. Tivea simply did not believe it because America is only portrayed as having very rich people with mansions and nice cars. Tivea then turned to me and said, "I think poor people in Cambodia are better [off] then your poor people. Here they build home. They grow food. They kill chicken. They catch fish. They dont need money, there is nothing to buy. But your poor people, it makes me glad to be in Cambodia." This made me very sad, because it reminded me that there is so much to do back home. Of course it made me ask myself, "What am I doing here?"