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Moki when you visited Cambodia did you live off a budget of 45c a day. I doubt it very much, I'm guessing you had hot water to bathe and bottled water to drink. How was you visit any different to mine? Please amaze me and tell me you lived in a village with no electricity or running water for 6 months.
Most of my time was indeed spent in more modern hotels; but I did spend a decent bit of time in hostels and in some of the more remote areas. However, I did not make patronizing proclamations such as "The people are lovely, not yet obliterated by western values or capitalism" from my expensive Westernized beach front villa, either.
That's a bit too much like a plantation owner sitting on his front porch drinking a nice cool drink in the shade while commenting on how lovely the plantation workers are, not yet obliterated by western values or capitalism.... while they toil away working in the heat.
Much of what I'm going on isn't just from my personal experiences in Cambodia (I was really just a tourist there as well), but rather from friends who grew up there and later managed to leave the country.
Perhaps I overreacted, but it just really rankles me to hear someone say "The people are lovely, not yet obliterated by western values or capitalism" when in reality, the people leading that "simple, wonderful life" would love for roles to be reversed.
Just consider that pretty much every person you meet in Cambodia will never, ever be able to afford to visit your country the way you are theirs. And that the way they live isn't necessarily how they choose to live, it is what is thrust upon them.
Last edited by moki; 04-03-2011 at 08:59 AM.