Cambodia > School project in Siem Reap

Cambodia - The outskirts of Siem Reap

At seven o’clock, we set off toward Siem Reap. We leave Phnom Penh heading northeast. The road to Siem Reap has reportedly improved a lot in recent years, largely due to the huge influx of tourists visiting the Angkor Wat temples. Our first short stop is in Skuon. My travel guide describes it as an insignificant town whose only attraction is a market selling fried tarantulas. As soon as we step off the bus, the vendors with trays of spiders approach us. It’s clear that we are entering the most touristy part of the tour. Apart from that, the guide is correct about Skuon. Our second stop is at a small shop by a lake. We order coffee and enjoy the beautiful view. Before reaching Siem Reap, we also pause at an old Khmer bridge. The bridge is no longer used for motorized traffic but was once part of the supply route to the Angkor temples. Eventually, we arrive in Siem Reap around one o’clock and stop at a good hotel in the city center. I order lunch in the restaurant and spend the afternoon by the pool—just relaxing and doing nothing. Late in the afternoon, Perry takes us to a small school in the outskirts of Siem Reap.

Cambodia - The classroom in Siem Reap

Last year, he started a project to provide more education to the poorest residents. We travel in four tuk-tuks from the city center to the outskirts. The luxurious buildings quickly give way to shanties. For the last stretch, we have to walk because the road is too rough and dusty for the tuk-tuk. We attract a lot of attention from the simple houses and karaoke bars (essentially upscale brothels). The school has two classrooms, and the children attend in shifts. We talk with an Australian tourist who comes daily to teach for a few hours. We also visit the sculpture class, where students learn to make small statues for tourists. The stock is quickly bought up. In the evening, we eat at one of the many restaurants in Siem Reap.