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on Mary In Cambodia (Cambodia), 19/Nov/2009 10:20, 34 days ago
Tuesday; Visit to British Embassy. Mr Andrew Mace the British Ambassador welcomed us and chatted with us for about an hour. He’s a young man, probably in his mid 30’s.and very friendly.The security to get into the Embassy wasa days work in itself. We stood in the baking sun for 40 mins.as one by one we were checked, our bags taken, passports checked etc. You wonder why an Irish person would want to visit there! Ireland doesn’t have an Embassy here, so I will be dependent on them to get me out in case of trouble here.Wed. Morning was HIV/AIDS in Cambodia session. They have halted the spread of the virus here, but one wonders at their methods. At festival times women suspected of selling sex are locked up for the duration. This is to ensure men coming into town don’t bring the disease back to their wives. Many families insist on HIV testing before a wedding ceremony takes place.Wed. Afternoon we took the bus back to Kampong Cham for another two weeks of language training.We’re all getting tired living the nomadic life.Thursday 19 Nov. 09Dara was in class at eight o’clock to welcome us back.He is a man of about 50 yrs. He survived the Pol Pot regime. He told us he worked and starved for 3years, 8 months and 20 days. His father and brother were killed. He spent another 4 years in a refugee camp on the Thai Border. He could have gone to America, but his mother believed his father would be found and refused to go. The stories he told are shocking. I reccommend you read‘To The End of Hell ‘ by Denise Affonco, a french woman married to a Cambodian who survived.