Monthly Archives: January 2012

The Healing Fields…A Message from our Cambodian Guide

Today I read an e-mail from my study abroad professor with a forwarded message from Bunthin, our guide during our time in Cambodia. It is worth sharing because within the e-mail was a proposal to help to build an accommodation center for poor women and girls, who work late at night, to stay in when they leave their work and return home in the morning next day. Women and girls are often raped, robbed, and/or violated in respective ways by evil men during the night-time as they ride bikes 6-11 miles from Siem Reap back to their homes outside the city. As in the night of January 12, three women were murdered and robbed in Siem Reap province. One of those women was brutally raped before she was killed.

These girls deserve better

Siem Reap has seen civil unrest disappear in recent years and, as a result, tourism has increased year over year, providing growing opportunities for women to work in hotels, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, spas, and other entertainment places. It is an amazing and beautiful town with many wonderful people who deserve to be safe as they commute from work and home. I plan to get involved with this project and do what I can to help the wonderful Khmer women and girls of Cambodia find safety as they do what they can to have a better life. Cambodia is a wonderful place, but still has much healing to do, so as I learn more about this project I will post more.

Below is the e-mail Bunthin sent to the professor.

Dear Dr. Cliffford J. Shultz,

I hope you and your students were all arrived home safely. Since you came to my country I have met you in person and led your groups. To meet you and your students was my privilege as my personal. I was always happy and proud to show you and your students of my personal story, country, culture, and  histories etc.

I do know that you and your students have seen our country as well as our people living condition and the problem we are facing right now. On behalf of Cambodian and myself are thank you so much for Loyola University Chicago, which have committed to help me, our poor people, our poor  children to get better education.

Apart from all your above commitment, I have raised the idea of helping poor girls, ladies in general women who works for tourism sector in Siem Reap. These poor women come from countryside which their home located 10km to 18km away from town. These women have to go back home from work at the end of their work shift. Most of tourism work place are required to work in the night shift. These women have to push bike back home in the night which is very dangerous. As our government has reported that Traffic accident is the main killer of our people today. Apart from traffic problem is the human trafficking, sex abuse especially happened in the night  when those women leave work for home.

So please have a look of my proposal concept note in attach. I really want  you and your students to help and make this project to happen in Siem Reap town in order to deduct phenomenon incident and to help to increase their safety and happiness.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
Bunthin

An Immersion in Thai Consumer Behavior

On my final day in Southeast Asia, I was lucky enough to have a flight leaving at 11pm, allowing me a whole day in Bangkok to literally get lost. With a hotel business card (to give to a taxi or tuk-tuk driver to get me back) and a map in hand, I ventured out alone to explore the city and find the last few items I still needed to buy.

MBK Shopping Center

I rode in a tuk-tuk to the MBK center, a large shopping mall only similar to those in the US. when comparing size. Eight floors are packed with hundreds of stores, most of which are vastly different from anything you’d see in the states. I’m pretty sure there was a floor dedicated only to shoes and purses.

Outside each McDonalds in Thailand you'll find Ronald giving a wai greeting

While having lunch at a little Japanese restaurant I noticed my Pepsi can was in English and wondered why Pepsi and Coca-Cola chose different language/packaging strategies…did they discover different preferences among their Thai target market? Random, I know.

While browsing through an accessory store I struck up a conversation with an older gentleman, Simon, from Perth. Having regularly traveled to and done business in Bangkok, he shared with me some interesting thoughts about the Thais. As strange (and creepy) as this may sound, I remember most him mentioning “Asian women are obsessed with bras”. I had noticed that there seemed to be an overabundance of places to buy ladies underwear, especially at the street markets, but didn’t think too much of it until he mentioned it. I’ve been wondering ever since why Victoria’s Secret doesn’t have a presence in Southeast Asia…especially since many of their items are manufactured in Vietnam. HEY VICKY’S – OPPORTUNITY!!!

Simon and I must have talked for 20 minutes about this city, our respective country’s economic situation, and what’s currently happening in American politics. I always find it interesting how knowledgeable people on the other side of the world are about the U.S. political landscape. Sadly, I’d bet half of Americans couldn’t point Perth out on a globe, let alone discuss whats happening in, say, the Eurozone.

By his suggestion, I left the MBK market and walked further down the road to the ritzy Siam Paragon, the largest, and most impressive shopping center in all of Southeast Asia (think of all of Michigan Avenue shops rolled into a single building complex). This is where all the top-notch designer boutiques like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace are found. Seeing this place was like seeing Vietnam’s future 20 years down the road – Dr. Shultz had taken us to see a brand new shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City that was such a big deal to the locals that there was a wedding taking place there.

Outdoor exercise bikes and a Coke bottle tree

I have to admit, I really hate shopping, so much so that I order most everything I wear online. Despite this, wandering around and seeing all the Thai advertisements and Asian shoppers was just, well, it was cool! Even the little things which are totally common in Thailand I found amazing, like the elaborate spirit house outside the Siam Center.

Spirit house or san phra phum

These spirit houses are basically shrines intended to provide a shelter for spirits which could cause problems for the business if not appeased. As seen in the picture of the Siam Paragon’s spirit house, offerings of flowers and/or incense are left to propitiate the spirits.

Even the license plates deserve notice

After leaving the “designer mall”, I wandered the sidewalk shops, snacked on street food, and had one last 2 hour Thai massage. Bangkok is an interesting and exotic place to wander, I’m just glad I had a whole day to myself to do so!

Get Real or Forfeit Your Place in the Sun

Expanding or moving business operations into Southeast Asia requires a deep understanding of the different emerging economies in the region. Navigating the political system, understanding consumer purchasing patterns, recognizing the dark horse that others overlook for investment, and finding the right local business partners are all important factors, as Chris Bruton, Director for Thailand and Indochina at Dataconsult, shared with us during the last official business meeting of the study abroad program.

Chris from Dataconsult

Of the 10 countries in the Association of Southeast Asian nations, the ASEAN 5 (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam) currently account for 1/4 of its GDP and roughly 39% of ASEAN’s population. Having seen first hand the rapid growth taking place in Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap, and the consumerism rapidly spreading throughout their respective countries, this put in perspective for me the great opportunity present in these developing economies.

Thailand leads, growth and infrastructure-wise, its sister countries in the ASEAN 5. It is considered a manufacturing center, especially for consumer goods, and an air transportation hub (Suvarnabhumi Airport handled 48 million passengers last year, just surpassing Singapore Changi Airport).  The flood, which tragically hit the country in October, actually created a promising infrastructure investment opportunity as $50B in damages presents a chance to build new state-of-the-art plants and facilities. In fact, Habitat for Humanity has been involved in the aid of post-flood rebuilding.

Doing business in Thailand is relatively easy for Americans. The Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations from 1966 allows U.S. and Thai companies’ equal economic access to one another’s markets. Thailand ranked 17th in the World Bank for ease of doing business but lacks adequate education programs to compete on a global scale (ranked 62 in the World Economic Forum, still significantly higher than the ASEAN 4). Thailand also ranks relatively low in political stability because, here, the caste system is still very much in practice. This means that everyone has a distinct place in society – Brahmin social elite, merchant class, peasant & worker class – and it is difficult, if not nearly impossible, to escape their rank. Improved education is the key both to overcoming these challenges and to long-term democracy.  As the boom in internet access spreads through Thailand and the ASEAN 4, knowledge spreads and dissatisfaction grows with current systems, as we’ve recently seen in other regions of the world.

After travelling to 3 of the 5 ASEAN nations, it does appears that Thailand is more “with it” than its neighbors. After learning from Chris for an hour, I would now attribute that to a recent history devoid of war, being more capital-intensive (rather than labor intensive), and possessing the factors which resulted in a higher WEF competitiveness ranking.

The other 4 nations in the ASEAN 5 rank low in ease of doing business (Vietnam ranks 98, Cambodia ranks 138, Laos ranks 165), competitiveness (Vietnam ranks 65, Cambodia ranks 97), and, as we had learned only days before, the education system in Vietnam and Cambodia are quite poor (Vietnam ranks 103, Cambodia ranks 120). Communist authoritarianism in Laos and Vietnam and endemic corruption in the region create substantial challenges for any business to run successfully. As we saw with businesses like Intel, helping the governments with policy formulation and follow through is necessary – these nations have poor records of carrying out newly created policies. My classmates and I learned at Fulbright that, in the case of Vietnam, reform is needed within the banking system as bank insolvency is one of the largest causes of the recent inflation of the dong.

Loyola has an international partnership with Harvard - the mission: to bring U.S. quality university programs to Vietnam.

Mr. Bruton mentioned that Myanmar is a dark horse in the region, showing a lot of potential. Largely ignored because of its relatively ”closed off” history to the rest of the world, it appears to be in a turning point politically. The country has a vast energy, mineral, and agricultural resource base, but like its neighbors, has huge challenges in infrastructure, bureaucracy, financing and labor.

Dr. Shultz thanking Mr. Bruton

During this incredible study abroad program, Dr. Shultz provided us a total immersion in the local customs, a unique exposure  to and perspective of international culture, and lessons of endlessly fantastic opportunity in a truly beautiful part of the world. I am forever grateful to him for the countless lessons he has bestowed upon me.

A Dichotomy of Contradicting Realities

The thing about big cities like Bangkok (population 12 million) is that concessions are hardly made for tourists. Much like in Chicago, or New York City, you’re expected to immediately fall into the city’s rhythm. Unlike in Saigon and Siem Reap, no priority was given to us as new arrivals and nothing but the local currency was accepted (the baht).

Grand Palace entrance

Bangkok is a phenomenon I was hardly prepared for. On one hand, I was impressed by the variety and incredible opulence of the temples…Some buildings are covered in gold, others are decorated with thousands of finely detailed tiles and jeweled mirrors. On the gorgeous days I was there, every building seemed to sparkle and glitter under the tropical sun. On the other hand, I was surprised to see the abject poverty of ramshackle shacks right along side shrines and houses of the rich. The realities of rich and poor, of cleanliness and pollution, of friendliness and sketchiness, and other such dichotomies were everywhere.

House on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok

Luckily, we were sure to study up on the customs to ensure we didn’t unintentionally offend anyone; Thailand is very different from the U.S.! When a local graces you with a wai (a Thai greeting…slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion) it is appropriate to return it. I really loved this custom, and the clear sign it gave of mutual respect.

The wai greeting is said to resemble a closed Lotus flower. Photo by Anthony Ewing.

On the street, you really can experience almost anything – ostentatious shopping malls, eclectic markets, lady boy shows, famous (and at times somewhat scary) night life, tuk-tuk rides, hot-pink taxis, Muay Thai matches, ancient Thai massage, street food a-plenty, and so on.

Prohibited outfits at the Grand Palace - although we took special care to dress appropriately, two girls in our group still had to purchase additional cover-ups.

The only real complaint I had during my couple weeks in Southeast Asia was my experience with the Thai cab drivers – none of whom seemed willing to turn on a meter and tried to scam 3-5 times the cost of a typical ride to or from our hotel.

Thai cabs

I felt as though, in general, Thai people are polite to the point of reverence, however between drivers trying to make extra money, and endlessly being offered “Ping Pong shows” at the Patpong night market (which, in all fairness, is right in the heart of the Red-light district), for the first time on this trip I felt unsafe. I was asked by my professor what exactly I was afraid of…nothing really, it’s just that intuition you suddenly get that isn’t easily explained. I had a heightened sense of awareness that I trusted was necessary.

Patpong night market in the middle of the red-light district

I both loved the city and hated it at the same time. The sheer size of Bangkok can be very overwhelming, however with all there is to do and see, it really is a spectacular place to visit. Overall, Bangkok is very affordable, and with 2 hour Thai massages only costing 400 baht (roughly $14 USD), it is easy to become spoiled.

A Ride down the Chao Phraya River

After touring the Grand Palace, my classmates and I hopped onto a long-boat, crossed the river and had lunch at the amazing water front Supatra River House Restaurant. This was one of those Thai lunches you dream of…the cashew chicken…drool…

View of the Chao Phraya River from Supatra River House Restaurant

As we ate, we were suddenly graced with the presence of an American expat, Jeff, who acted as our “travel agent” of sorts for this trip. He once worked in the travel industry in the states and later started a business in Thailand when he realized that there was a lack of “custom travel agents” in this region of the world. Having the good sense to note that Americans don’t typically like to be herded onto buses and rushed around like many of the local travel and touring companies would have you do, he decided to specialize in creating that one of kind southeast Asia experience, complete with meals at the best restaurants and tours given by award-winning guides. All I know is that he is EXCELLENT at his job and hope I have the good fortune to use his services again.

After lunch, we boarded a river express boat to explore some of the klongs (canals) of the Chao Phraya River. Damage left from the October flooding can still be seen on  many of the wooden river-front houses.

Exploring the canals we saw schools, hospitals, temples, and homes on stilts lining the banks. I even spotted a vine that looked like Jesus!

Hallelujah!

There is an endless variety of things to see along this river – even huge, bread-eating catfish.

The Grand (an understatement) Palace

The day we went to the Grand Palace was exceptionally beautiful, complete with a cloudless cerulean sky.  Although I know no different way of seeing them, I would imagine with just how ornate these 100 or so buildings are, and the way the gilded and decorated temples glistened in the sun, this is exactly the type of day one should see them.

The Grand Palace

Loyola at The Grand Palace entrance

Long ago, the palace was the residence of the Thai monarchy. The incredibly fantastical buildings within the palace walls date back 200 years when they were the official residence of the Kings of Siam. The current King, Rama IX, lives at the nearby Chitralada Palace, I imagine to avoid the million or so tourists that come through here every year.

OK, where are we going?

Rama IX is 85 years old, has been the king of Thailand for the last 65 years, and is highly revered by the Thai people.

Artistically surreal

As seen in the pictures, there are many historic buildings within the walls of the palace. The most famous is the Wat Phra Kaeo, otherwise known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. This tiny 26-inch seated Buddha is carved from a solid block of semi precious jade and guarded by ancient bronze lions. Sitting atop a golden throne, he presides over a small prayer room, where both Thai worshipers and tourists burn incense and pray. He currently wears his winter outfit, but also has outfits corresponding to the summer, and rainy seasons.

Pictures are only allowed outside the Temple of the Emerald Buddha - this is the best shot I could get

Several of my classmates and I took off our shoes and went in to say a prayer. Sadly, I didn’t get my moment of enlightenment, but I hope to be blessed with good karma!

Protective lions of the Emerald Buddha

The Grand Palace has a lot going on…beautiful flowers, gardens and koi ponds, Thais dipping lotus buds in water for luck, walls depicting Buddhist mythology and stories similar to those we heard in Cambodia…

Tuk explains some of the mythology told on these walls

The Grand Palace is not only the spiritual heart of the city, but is also an incredibly stunning place I would consider the quintessential stop for any visitor to Bangkok.

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Wat Pho? Pho Mo Buddha Smiles!

The first temple our group visited while in Bangkok was Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha… the official name is a mouthful that I can’t even attempt to pronounce – Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn).

This Buddhist temple is really quite impressive and is even considered the birthplace of the traditional Thai massage. Everywhere you turn, the buildings sparkle with colorful brilliance under the sun.

While there are over 1,000 images of Buddha here, the largest and most grandiose is a majestic reclining Buddha covered in gold leaf.

Pictures seen here don’t really give a sense of the sheer size and awe of this famous statue – this guy is HUGE at about 160 feet long and 50 feet high. The architecture and decoration within the building are beautiful. I even took a picture of the ceiling I thought it was so pretty :)

Feets!

Symbols include tigers, elephants, flowers and much more

Pretty ceiling

The Buddha’s feet alone are about 10 feet long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious ‘laksanas’ (characteristics) of the Buddha.

After taking our shoes off at the entrance (and being aware of non-Thai pickpockets), we passed the devout who dropped offerings of Baht (Thai currency, it’s about 30 baht to the USD) into pots lined along the inside perimeter of the building.

My favorite was Buddha’s smile. Meant to depict Buddha at his moment of enlightenment, I just loved the peaceful and serene look on his face.

Cabbages…and Condoms

After a short 50 minute flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok, and riding on a really sweet and spacious bus to the Century Park Hotel to drop off our bags, a group of us headed to an optional dinner at a restaurant called Cabbages and Condoms.

Driving to the Century Park Hotel in Bangkok

Bangkok ended up being everything I expected and nothing I expected all at the same time. This restaurant is a prime example of what I mean by that.

The Population and Community Development Association (PDA), founded in 1974, works to promote family planning in urban and rural areas of Thailand, where knowledge of and access to such services have been scarce. The founder, Mr.Mechai Viravaidya, worked to attract media coverage to aid in changing his society’s values, particularly with respect to taboo subjects such as sex, contraception, and vasectomies.

Condom Santa

He theorized that cabbages are a common food in Thailand, grown in all villages and eaten by most Thais. If he was successful in making condoms as common and cheap as cabbages, then perhaps he could make some of the health problems facing Thailand disappear!

Safety People!

This unique spot at times requires a sense of humor and respect for the mission it serves. Some of the money paid for our meal goes towards supporting the work of the Population and Community Development Association and an on-site clinic even offers vasectomies! As a thank you, condoms are given with the bill instead of after dinner mints.

Condom Man

I anticipated Thailand to be the culinary delight of this trip, and I wasn’t disappointed – the pad see ew I had at Cabbages and Condoms could very well be the best I’ve ever had. And being half-way through my antibiotics, I had to skip the Thai beer, instead drinking a fresh fruit punch which was absolutely delicious.

Our table

The place may look tacky, but the service was fantastic, the food was fabulous and the mission of PDA is respectable. If you ever go to Bangkok, I HIGHLY recommend checking it out.

The Killing Fields

Although I was still nursing my cold, I knew by the afternoon I would have to press on and join the rest of the group when they visited one of the Killing Field memorials. I had already missed a full day of activities, I surely was not going to miss learning about this.

Killing Field Skulls

To understand the horrors which took place in Cambodia during “year zero” would take the breadth of a novel to explain. The true evil behind the communist and totalitarian Khmer Rouge reign is astounding. The dreadful reality that many in Cambodia had to go through is terrible, yet they always seem to be smiling. I really take pause and thank my lucky stars for the good, safe life I’ve lived.

Here is a quick run-through of the chronology of events similar to what our guide described to us. The event details below are largely pulled from and can be found in greater detail at the BBC News website.

1965: Prince Norodom Sihanouk breaks off relations with the US and allows North Vietnamese guerrillas to set up bases in Cambodia in pursuance of their campaign against the government in South Vietnam.

1969 - The US begins a secret bombing campaign against North Vietnamese forces on Cambodian soil.

1970 - Sihanouk is deposed in a coup while abroad. The prime minister, General Lon Nol, assumes power. He proclaims the Khmer Republic and sends the army to fight the North Vietnamese in Cambodia. Sihanouk – in exile in China – forms a guerrilla movement.

Early 1970s - Cambodian army faces two enemies: the North Vietnamese and communist Khmer Rouge guerrillas. Gradually, the army loses territory.

Cambodia Year Zero: 1975 - Lon Nol is overthrown as the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot occupy Phnom Penh. Pol Pot has been described as ”the Hitler of Cambodia” and “a genocidal tyrant.”

Bunthin explains the history of the Killing Fields

All urban dwellers are forcibly relocated to the countryside to become agricultural workers. Money becomes worthless, basic freedoms are curtailed and religion is banned. The Khmer Rouge coin the phrase “Year Zero”.

Over the next  4 years, hundreds of thousands of the educated middle-classes are tortured and executed in special centers. Others starve, or die from disease or exhaustion. If you had glasses, you were killed. If you were a professional  or had an ethnic background not accepted by the Khmer Rouge, you were killed. The forms of torture were vast, including pulling out of nails or teeth everyday to get confessions out of those suspected to be connected to the former government. The government knew that if people know what’s happening, if they’re educated, they will fight back, which is why they preemptively killed anyone who could do more than farm work. Many bodies were thrown in mass graves, now called the Killing Fields. The total death toll during the next four years is estimated at about 2 million.

1976 - The country is re-named Democratic Kampuchea. Sihanouk resigns, Khieu Samphan becomes head of state, Pol Pot is prime minister. 1977 - Fighting breaks out with Vietnam and the following year, Vietnamese forces invade in a lightning assault.

January 7, 1979  - The Vietnamese take Phnom Penh. Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge forces flee to the border region with Thailand. The

Killing Field bones

People’s Republic of Kampuchea is established. Many elements of life before the Khmer Rouge take-over are re-established. People celebrate!

Bunthin described for the group in excruciating detail his own story while I was nursing my cold in bed. I asked for him to repeat it to me on the bus after we left the killing fields, to which he agreed. In 1967-69, his father was one of the soldiers supported by the U.S. to fight against North Vietnam (I thought “My God, his dad could have fought alongside my own!”).  When Bunthin was only 6, he and his brother watched as the Khmer Rouge murdered his parents. They went into the jungle where they hid to escape capture by the Khmer Rouge government. In the coming years, they would feed on bananas, bugs, frogs, and, at times, dirt to survive. Neighbors searched for them to help them hide. Bunthin joined the guerilla forces to fight, while his brother ended up in the Army for the Khmer Rouge. At times, they were literally fighting each other. In 1982, Bunthin and his troop were offered the chance to get an education, only he and one other in his group decided to go, so he left the country and joined an Army education camp for 3 years. There he learned to speak English, which would be a key to his future. In 1993 he worked as a UN Peacekeeper for a year.

Later down the road he was over heard speaking English and offered a career as a tour guide. At the time, he didn’t even know what that was, but after some observation he realized he could do the job well, so he studied up on the Angkor Temples and has been a tour guide ever since.

“Peace is a good choice,” Bunthin said to us. Buddhism, practiced by 95% of Cambodia’s population, teaches tolerance. There is an in-between to issues most people in the country practice. Despite this, the corrupt government in the country still maintains and desires a great deal of control over the people.

This place was religious pagoda turned into Killing Fields Memorial

About 40% of the government today is still Khmer Rouge. Ever since Pol Pot died in 1998, the Khmer Rouge remnants in power blame everything solely on him. Anyone who disputes this openly has a way of disappearing. The king wanted to cremate and destroy the skulls and evidence of this event, but the UN interjected – We never want to have this happen again!

The people of Cambodia are really quite amazing considering what life has handed to them. Bunthin has a incredible level of optimism about his country, which is actually very inspiring. People in America take a great deal for granted and complain about the most minute details when life for us really is wonderful. There are so many who will never have all we do. :(

There is still much this country needs, arguably the most important is better education for the children, the future of Cambodia.

Monks bathing behind the memorial

My Visit to a Cambodian Hospital

It sounds much scarier than it actually was, however I did mention to my professor, “Had I known I would be going to a hospital while in Cambodia, I may not have come on this trip.” For someone who RARELY gets sick back home, I sure have a way of falling ill when I travel *sigh*. Good thing I wore a surgical mask on my flight over from Chicago like a weirdo.

Between the poor air quality in Ho Chi Minh City (6 million motorbikes expel a lot of exhaust), our bodies adjusting to a 13 hour time difference, lack of sleep, drastic changes in diet, etc. most of us developed colds. I was the lucky one in the group whose body was unable to fully combat the illness.

I must have looked pretty bad that morning, and I had no voice. After our elephant rides to the Bayon Temple, I swear everyone asked me how I was feeling. With no voice to speak, I resorted to thumbs up and forced smiles. I was pushing through as well as I could, but was weak and having problems breathing. Katie (who became my nurse and mother for the next 2 days) and my professor insisted I go back to the hotel for rest. It was my choice, which I was VERY upset to have to make, but walking up the steps at the temple became an exhausting chore, so Katie and I hopped in a tuk-tuk to head back to the hotel.

Just moments before we left for the hotel

Katie and I at Pre Rup for sunset

Katie, God bless her, was just wonderful, asking for every detail of my symptoms, forcing me to drink water and eat a little, checking on me every couple of hours as I napped, etc. Eventually it was insisted I go to the hospital to make sure there wasn’t any “strange Asian flu” that I caught and to figure out whether or not I needed to be flown to Thailand for care (many people don’t know this, but Thailand has some of the best healthcare in the world, in fact, healthcare tourism is big business there since they offer quality services at a fraction of the cost in the U.S….it’s really a shame what liability insurance and frivolous lawsuits do to HC costs in this country, but I digress).

Royal Angkor International Hospital

So, we made our way to the Royal Angkor International Hospital, which, quite possibly, could have been the best healthcare experience I’ve had in years. The staff was attentive, kind and quick to get me to the doctor (who I’m guessing was either Khmer or Thai) for diagnosis. The nurses wore the traditional nursing uniform (which I have not seen, I think, ever) and were tiny and adorable. While the doctor and nurses spoke English, there was a slight communication barrier we were able to get through with minor effort.

It turned out I only had a double ear infection, sinus infection, slight fever and laryngitis…nothing I haven’t had at home (sigh of relief).  When the doctor said he wanted to do blood work just to be sure there wasn’t anything else wrong, I was sure to ask if they use disposable needles (they do). It seems almost silly after the fact because this is really a world-class facility but Siem Reap is MUCH more developed than I thought it would be, having had a surge of tourism in recent years.

I look really pathetic, don't I?

An hour later, the doctor went through my blood work, line by line, with a level of thoroughness I have never experienced in the states. “Your white blood cell count is high because your body is trying to fight a bacterial infection. Your hemoglobin is normal, but if it wasn’t that could indicate…” Basically everything else was fine, but my sodium level was very low since I wasn’t eating enough food (causing the weakness and dizziness I was experiencing that morning at the temple).

I was given $115 in medication (thank God for student health insurance) in a cute little gift bag you’d expect to get at the Body Shop (“Get well soon” it says along the bottom), with a total bill of $419. I was to sleep, drink and EAT to get back to normal. Katie is such a doll, she took care of me all day, ordering me room service, making sure I was slowly getting better and taking my medication.

It goes without saying that I wish I didn’t miss a day of this amazing trip, however, Dr. Shultz must be so proud of how far this country and city has come in the past 15 years. He has worked as a marketing consultant in this region of the world to promote tourism in Siem Reap and offer direction on how to create a “differential advantage” for Cambodia over other countries in Asia. When he first started travelling to Cambodia, it was not safe for foreigners, but has become one of the safest places in the country. If not for his efforts, who knows if this hospital would even be there!

And with that crazy story, I will leave you with the guy from Avicii’s video…

Levels