Hungry Little Fellow - Photo of the Week

Instead of planning ahead by making worksheets for school as I should be doing, I'm going to post Photo of the Week instead.  I'll probably be kicking myself for that later - you know what I always say "Procrastination is like masturbation, you're only fucking yourself!"  I'll never learn.

This week's photo comes to you from Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia.



Photo of the Week: Hungry Little Fellow, Angkor Wat, Cambodia

 As we arrived at Angkor Wat and taking our first steps around this extraordinary temple, I saw this little guy sitting alone on the wall, eating some sticky rice.  I saw children like this more often than not around the grounds of Angkor (there are many temples on these grounds, flooded with begging children).  This little guy just seemed so content with his rice and wasn't bothered by the throngs of tourists grabbing quick snapshots of him. 

The children of Angkor are taught early on how to make the best of sympathetic tourists.  It really is like you see in the movies - children running up alongside your tuk tuk, laughing and giggling, trying to keep up as you speed on down the road, hell bent on getting to the next temple.  They come up with their basket of souveneirs - postcards, bracelets, key chains and try to squeeze as much as they can out of you.  If you refuse to buy something for the upteenth time, they have no problem turning on the water works and burst into tears - surely this will get you to buy something, right?  Almost.  Al. Most.  But I have a heart made of stone.  Not really.

They ask you where your from, then proceed to spout out information of that country..."Oh, America?  Capital: Washington DC.  President: Barack Obama.  Population..."  At first, you think it's pretty impressive, until the 10th kiddo tells you the same thing. 

The children that don't sell anything just beg.  There were a pair of 4 year olds that just kept looking at my friend and I with those big, sad eyes saying "Candy.  Candy.  Candy..."  I'm sorry little one, I don't have any candy for you. 

As much as you want to support them and help them, it's difficult to know how much of it is fake.  I've recently heard of "Rent-a-baby" that goes on all over Southeast Asia.  People actually rent babies and sit on the roads to beg.  I could never tell if what I was giving to the children was going to them, or to someone who uses them to get to the tourists. 

If you visit Cambodia, beware of the big, sad, adorable-eyed children begging/selling.  They won't leave you alone, and when one walks off, another one is not so far behind.  I would like to find out more about their situations, and what actually goes on behind the scenes.  I'll keep you updated if I ever do!

Happy Trails!