Are American’s Too Cautious?
The seemingly negative tone of my last few posts: the boat ride from hell; asshole, scamming touts; border nazis; and even the sadness of Pattaya, have prompted my sister to ask, “Are you having fun? Are you enjoying it?” The answer to that is a resounding YES.
I suppose if similar experiences happened to me in NJ or Florida (places I’ve lived), then they would be the bane of my soul, and I would hate life. But here it’s all a part of my world travelling adventure, and my growth. It’s odd, but if I were still in Florida and a friend said to me, “Hey Mark, we’re taking my boat out for a cruise into the Gulf of Mexico, do you want to come?” I’m pretty sure I would decline the invitation. “No thanks, I get seasick in the bathtub,” I would say. But here, sometimes, my inner critique is not able to escape and hold me back like it’s done numerous times in my life back home. And there was a bus going to Sihanoukville I could have taken, but I stepped outside of myself, and took the adventerous (for me) route instead.
That’s not to say I’m going wild here, because I’m not. There are still many fears I’ve yet to overcome, but I have broken through on some. And I am extremely glad I did this trip. Yes, I loathe touts (and I have to deal with them almost every day), and I have seen awful things (the rampant prostitution in Pattaya, the inescapable poverty, …etc), I’ve been subjected to scams, I might have been ripped off for $500, I’ve been sick and have gone to the hospital . . . but for the first time in my mostly mundane life, I feel ALIVE. And I’ll throw in what’s become my catch phrase, even though I haven’t used it in a while, At least I don’t have to go to work tomorrow.
However, I must say that the novelty of being here has worn off. If you’ve seen one market in SE Asia, you’ve seen them all. If you’ve seen one dilapidated wooden shack in the countryside, with naked children running around, you’ve seen them all. If you’ve seen one respectable looking gentleman pissing on the wall of a building in broad daylight in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, you’ve seen them all. There is so much going on here that you would never see in America, or any developed country. So many very intersting sights, smells, sounds, and tastes, that not 5 minutes goes by without witnessing something different. But I’ve reached a point where nothing surprizes or shocks me any more.
When I first saw a family of 4 (father, mother, toddler and infant) speeding around in traffic on one mortorcycle, and not one of them was wearing a helmet, I was blown away. How can this be? I thought. Don’t these people care about their children? But now I see it 100 times a day in Cambodia, and I’m not phased at all anymore. I even ride on the motorcycles (taxis) and never wear a helmet. At first, especially in Bangkok, it was quite harrowing, but now I don’t even think about it. I just think about what I’m going to do once I get to my destination, or whatever. Of course these people care about their children. Perhaps American’s are overly cautious, I don’t know. It’s just a different way of life. I see vans packed so tight with people they can’t squeeze one more skinny body inside, so they stick about 5-10 more people on top of the luggage that’s on the roof, while the van travels at 60 MPH on a bumpy dirt road. Are American’s too cautious? I see 11-12 year-old children driving mortorcycles in traffic, often with 2 passengers on the bike, and, of course, none of them are wearing helmets. Are American’s too cautious?
Are American’s overly cautious? Or does this guy not care about those kids’ safety? You make the call.
Imagine showing up in Cambodia after being in America all your life, and this is the first thing you see. Look closely.
I also see beautiful and wonderful things. The landscapes here are phenomenal: rolling hills; long green stretches of rice fields; majestic green mountains; the island beaches of Thailand. And the people who don’t exist to take your money are the nicest, most honest, friendly and happy people on earth. The young children of Cambodia are genuinely thrilled to see you. “Hello!” they yell with a wave and a big smile as they ride by on their ubiquitous bicycles.
It’s not all frightening and frustrating. Beautiful Khmer children pose for a picture on the road to Ratanakiri.
I’ve also been enjoying Cambodian (Khmer) food. It’s less spicy here than in Thailand. It’s a little more expensive in Cambodia, but they also give you more. So moneywise it may be the same. But I have only eaten the food in the guesthouses and restaurants that cater to foreigners in Cambodia. I haven’t eaten from the street venders or food stalls here yet. But I do mostly order the Asian food, so hopefully I’m getting some authentic Khmer cousine. I’ve eaten where the locals eat in Thailand with June.
Anyway, yes I am very glad I’m doing this, and I would recommend it to anyone. Quit your job and go! I do realize it will probably have to end, unless I can figure out a way to extend it indefinitely. I was hoping my stocks would help, but I think I made some bad decisions, they’re all heading south big time. But whatever happens, this is one regret I will never have, and I’ve had many. And because the novelty is waring off I will have to start doing some more different things, and exploring beyond the beaten path . . .
Tags: Asia, Cambodia, Markcs, Phnom Penh, Posts With Pictures, Thailand, Travel
Mark
Man,
Happy New Year! I’m glad you’re enjoying the trip. You suggest we quit our jobs and do it ourselves and I really wish I had the guts to do that. Oh well. Maybe in my next life.
When you come back, you might want to check out something like the Peace Corps. Maybe you could extend your adventures and help others as well. Just a thought.
Talk to you later.
Alan