angkor WHAT
10/7/2019
Edit: For the past month, I have yet to finish this post. I lacked the patience to reflect on my experience and eloquently share what I learned. For my SE Asia history course, I was required to write a reflection paper and selected to write about Angkor Wat. With the pressing deadline, I finally took the time to process my time in Siem Reap.
When my friend Phil randomly asked if I wanted to travel to Cambodia the following weekend, I said yes without any hesitation.
Before arriving in SG, I created a travel bucket list and Cambodia was top on my list of destinations. For some time, I had been curious about Cambodia’s complex history and how Angkor Wat is a huge symbol of national pride. This semester, I am taking a course about the Southeast Asia region, and I absolutely love my professor. He constantly encourages students to go travel during the weekend/breaks as a means of experiencing and understanding history first-hand. Ironically, in lecture, he had spoken about Angkor Wat, and the next day I was about to hop on a plane to see it myself.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29
I’d like to thank my friend Amy from NYU for helping me justify skipping class to travel (sorry mom and dad). I am confident that the greatest learning experiences will come from travels rather than my courses.
As we arrived early to Changi, Phil got all of us lounge access. This was a new experience for me because I am used to hostels, economy flights, etc. when I travel. As long as I have some mode of transportation and a place to sleep, then I am good to go. At the lounge, it was impossible to say no to the free food and open bar. What a time to be alive.
When I purchased my visa at the Siem Reap airport, I had an uncomfortable encounter with the officer. This was my first experience in Asia, where I felt interrogated about my ethnic background because of my physical appearance. I assume the hostility I experienced stems from the complex relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam. Thus, I resorted to becoming an honorary Canadian for the weekend, along with my fellow Montrealers. At the Mad Monkey Hostel, we checked in and quickly headed to the rooftop bar for happy hour. From 7:30 - 8:00 pm, the bar offered free flow Angkor beers. I vividly remember how happy I felt at that moment. It was truly a vibe with bopping music in the background, beers in hand, and good conversations all around.
Noah, Eva, and Phil have become my closest friends at NUS. It’s crazy to think how quickly relationships can develop when you’re abroad and how everything happens for a reason. If it weren't for a night out at Bar Rouge after moving-in, I wouldn’t have randomly shared a cab with Phil. Therefore, I wouldn’t have met Eva (my soul sister) and Noah. Together, we always manage to have so much fun. Most importantly, we each have had our unique experiences, and I find myself learning so much through exchanging perspectives.
Note: Noah and Phil are also the kind of friends, who will ditch you for lounge access.
To end the night, we had the most delicious Cambodian meal - fish amok is an absolute must. In addition, draft beers only cost 50 cents in comparison to $8 beers in SG. This resulted in a night out, full of cheap drinks with other exchange students in town and thai rolled ice cream for dessert.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30
On Friday, we had a full-day private tour of Angkor Wat. Some visitors dedicate a whole week to explore the temples, which reflects the grandeur of the Angkor territory.
First stop: Ta Phrom, which is also known as the Tomb Raider temple. Walking through the temple, you’ll see these massive roots intertwined with the crumbling stones and man-made structures. The details in the stones were stunning as well.
Second Stop: Bayon, which was my favorite temple. You’ll find these massive faces carved into the stones. Photos don't serve this temple justice as the enormity of this site needs to be experienced in-person.
Finally, the famous Angkor Wat! It is considered one of the 7 wonders as well as the largest religious monument in the world. In short, I was appalled by the beauty of Angkor Wat. I found it difficult to imagine how this temple was built by man-power. I was stunned by the architecture and the level of intentionality within the infrastructure. Also, the sculptures and art seen from all surfaces, columns, etc. were stunning. As we explored the temple, our tour guide shared the many stories illustrated in the carved walls.
To end the day, we joined in on our hostel’s pub crawl, full of cheap beers and shenanigans at the infamous Pub Street. Shout out to Phil and Noah for tolerating how hangry I can become.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31
After Angkor Wat, what’s next? We went on a less than ideal tour (due to poor organization and miscommunication) of the floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake. In the rural area of Cambodia, the wealth disparity was incredibly evident. While I am completely aware of poverty, it was my first experience witnessing it in-person, and I found myself having some difficulty in processing the visit. It brought some new perspective on my parent’s upbringing and why some certain values and motivations are intertwined with the classic immigrant story.
The following day, we prepared for the trip back home to Singapore as we had a relatively early flight.
Takeaways:
Visiting Angkor Wat transformed my perspective on how trauma creates a platform to build nationalism and shape identities. Within the Southeast Asia region, the relationship between various degrees of suffering and unifying communities is a central theme. In the case of Cambodia's history, this nation once prospered in wealth and power until it encountered this constant theme of struggle to maintain authority against opposing threats. Since recovering from fairly recent brutality, such as the Cambodian genocide, locals have held onto its thriving history as a pillar of hope for their country's future growth. This can be exemplified by Angkor Wat's global recognition that has engaged foreign visitors and involved an international force to preserve the temples. Another theme that has shaped my understanding of Southeast Asia is the overall impact of tourism, especially in developing countries. Tourism has a powerful capability to improve the quality of life and economic growth. However, it requires great intentionality from local and national authorities to make decisions that protect the integrity of their history, culture, and national identity. My experience in Cambodia has shaped my perspective of Southeast Asia, where national identity is often rooted in the complexity of a country's history and the trauma endured.
Singapore does not reflect the rest of SE Asia at all.
I was introduced to this new challenge of navigating how people impose their presumptions of me due to my asian features.
I describe myself to be stubborn. I like to think that I am fully capable of solo traveling and taking care of myself. However, my time in a developing country was a reminder of the reality as a female traveler. Sometimes, safety is completely out of your control and you have to play situations smart.
Gained some perspective on why my parents left VN and pursued the “American Dream”.
Once again, I am reminded of my privileges.
