Today we all met up at breakfast again and then all seventeen of us set off to our orientation. The orientation was at the Tabitha "headquarters" where they have their store and such and was about half an hour away by tuck tuck. When we arrived we all went upstairs, sat down and were given silk scarves as welcome gifts. Jan (the top dog for Tabitha) welcomed us and gave a detailed explanation on what would be happening and the rules we were to follow. Since the village followed old traditions and customs some of the rules were a bit strange: "Don't tap people on the head" or "You can only touch the a member of the opposite gender if they are married to you and you, being a girl, are carrying their child." Then one of the other heads, Nadi, told us about her personal experience, being present during the rule of the Khmer Rouge (if you don't know who they are you've obviously skipped the last post so go back and read it!). After she had told her story we were taught a few words to be able to communicate with the villagers, hello, goodbye, sorry and thank you. After that the orientation concluded and we were allowed to go shop in the store below.
Once we had finished shopping we split up, some going back to the hotel, some going for lunch.... Though mum and I decided to jump back in a tuck tuck and go to the genocide museum. The genocide museum was originally a school that was then converted into a prison and torture facility by the Khmer Rouge. The prison had been left unchanged since 1978 when the Vietnamese discovered the place and shut it it down. Though before that the it was where the Khmer Rouge interrogated people before sending them off to the Killing Fields. As we walked through the rooms we saw that there was still dried blood on the floor in the cells and several torture devices lying around. The place painted a gloomy picture and so I was keen to get out of there was soon as possible.
After we finished with the museum we went back to the hotel and had lunch by the pool. Later we walked down the street and checked out the neighborhood market with some ice cream. Which was a nice end to the day. Before going to bed mum had had enough of the hard beds so she went out and grabbed one of the pool chair mats. Apparently it made the bed a lot softer so I guess it was worth it.
-Chloe :)
Once we had finished shopping we split up, some going back to the hotel, some going for lunch.... Though mum and I decided to jump back in a tuck tuck and go to the genocide museum. The genocide museum was originally a school that was then converted into a prison and torture facility by the Khmer Rouge. The prison had been left unchanged since 1978 when the Vietnamese discovered the place and shut it it down. Though before that the it was where the Khmer Rouge interrogated people before sending them off to the Killing Fields. As we walked through the rooms we saw that there was still dried blood on the floor in the cells and several torture devices lying around. The place painted a gloomy picture and so I was keen to get out of there was soon as possible.
After we finished with the museum we went back to the hotel and had lunch by the pool. Later we walked down the street and checked out the neighborhood market with some ice cream. Which was a nice end to the day. Before going to bed mum had had enough of the hard beds so she went out and grabbed one of the pool chair mats. Apparently it made the bed a lot softer so I guess it was worth it.
-Chloe :)
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