I showered and somehow shoved all my stuff into world's heaviest backback with Yorks help, and downstairs we went for our last breakfast and my last morning at my favorite hotel in the world. We got the contintal free breakfast option and had our usual (Me-omelet w/coffee, York-sunny side up w/tea) along with the hashbrowns, fresh fruits, and rolls. I didn't want to say goodbye to my luxury life at the Elephant de Terrace hotel, but I had to catch a bus to Bangkok at 8am.
The bus ride to the Thailand border must have been ok because I don't remember anything. I slept the entire ride! I only awoke to some rude lady behind me saying, "You need to move your seat forward, I can't even read my book... Or you can move to another seat". I thought that this lady could shove it considering I had been on the bus before her and she choose to sit behind me. Additionally, did this cranky lady forget that it was Christmas?!?! Anyway, I moved my seat and chose to let it slide and just muttered, "Merry Christmas" in a sarcastic voice to her.
The border cr
ossing was long and interesting. After we got to the Thailand side, we had to wait for almost 2 hours for the bus to bring us to Bangkok. There were tons of little beggar children everywhere and at first it was almost unbearable. It is hard to not give them money, but that only encouarages the begging, and you never know what they are going to do with it.So, I actually had a good idea of how to entertain these cute kids and help them have a better Christmas. I gave them paper from my age
nda book and a pencil and let some of them draw pictures for me, and taught a few of the diligent girls how to make paper cranes. One little girl was concentrating so hard, and she wouldn't let me see what she was drawing until she finally finished her masterpiece. She had drawn a beautiful little sketch of a women dressed in traditional Cambodian clothes. She smiled and presented me with the scra
p of paper, obviously proud of her creation but shy to give it to me. That was the only present I got today for Christmas, but that was the best gift I could have gotten!The bus guide took us to a cafe where we had to wait for another 2 hours before the bus would take us to Bangkok. I think it is part of their scam to get people to try to pay extra for the mini VIP vans or take a taxi. I was not going to shell out the money, and I was content with the wait, so I updated my blog on a computer and chatted with some friendly Koreans and Japanese people that were also waiting.
The bus left at 230 and arrived in Bangkok at about 7 because there was so much traffic. I started reading one of the books I had bought, and it is already really affecting me. It is called First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung and it is the true story of a girl who was born in Cambodia and experienced and survived all the terrible things that happened at the time of the Khmer Rouge from 1975-1979. It is so sad to hear how the people were killed, tortured, and forced into communist control. I have so much respect for Cambodian people, and it makes me want to go back and help them.
I believe that every child should have a chance. Every person has good in them, and I think that education and love are the answers that can help alot of children. Experiencing Christmas with children that had dirty clothes, rotten teeth, and were running around barefoot begging for money made me want to help them. I live a life where I am really unaware to the true reality of the world around me at times, and just seeing these children like this on Christmas broke my heart. But I think that is maybe the best gift I could have gotten, learning that there are people out there that really need help.
I want to help Cambodia, and I will. I am going to take this Christmas to take some time to really be thankful for everything. I am so lucky for having my health, my family, and being born in a rich country full of opportunity. I want to give opportunity to more kids in Cambodia too.....
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