Day 1: Orientation and Khmer Rouge S21 Prisons and the Killing Fields

Today, we had orientation at the Star Kampuchea center. It lasted for about half the day going over cultural dos and don'ts, the language, the history, and some quick team building games. The culture here is so different and it is something to honor and respect. Some things are great like their respect for each other and some things are a little crazier like the driving... It is so much fun but also a little scary! On the way to the Star Kampuchea center from the Tat-Too guest house we sat in the back of a truck, here in Cambodia there aren't really speed limits and no one really cares about stoplights so it is a free for all of honking and shouting! But thats not what we are here for and before we could begin to work with these kids we had to learn more about why most of them are even there, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. We went to the S21 prison where prisoners were kept, tourtered, and even sometimes killed. Walking around through the cells and looking down at the floor and seeing blood stains all over brought me to tears. The women who was doing our tour had been victim of Pol Pot's plan but luckily escaped to Vietnam, but others in her family weren't so lucky. Her Dad, brother, and sisters were never found but they knew had been killed. After this we went to the Killing Fields were most of the prisoners were killed and tourtured. Both of these sights were extremely sad but the scariest part to me was that it only happened 37 years ago... Not long at all and it shows that this could still possibly happen. After that we went to the Olympic Stadium and watched a soccer game for a little but then did an 80's style work-out it was so much fun! When our work-out finished we walked around the stadium and on the other side of the stadium there were about 4 trampolines linded out we decided we would try them out. After asking the man we realized you jump as long as you want for only 50 cents! How many people can say they've jumped on a trampoline in Cambodia?! Not many. Although today was so much fun I am even more excited to go to the orphanage tomorrow to work with the kids!