As far as beginning go, it has to start somewhereOctober 28, 2016
It happened in Pre Rup, as I was wondering if the architects came from the Western Hemisphere. If they didn't travel through landmass, then there was a dream telepathy between the Khmer architects and their Mesoamerican counterparts. The bright sun made it clear to everyone who set foot on this ancient ground. Pre Rup was once a majestic pyramid. And then someone brought me back to the humid afternoon. He was asking me if I knew of anyone or any organisation that would need volunteers.
I was savouring my burger and fries the other day when an amiable couple greeted me. After asking me about my travel plans, they told me that they were on a mission. They wanted to brighten up the day of some impoverished children in Siem Reap by giving them new football kits. It was a sweet gesture, but a startling idea came to mind. Poverty was the other main attraction in this northern community. I reckoned that lending a helping hand in Indochina had started here.
I have nothing against a good cause. In fact, I participated in the Dogtober campaign last year. (Adorable puppies helping people with physical disabilities. It was hard to pass it up.) And I learned to admire people with good intention. What if these noble acts were part of tourism? I was at a loss, such that I recalled the novels I read at the University. Would Charles Dickens see an Oliver Twist begging for a dollar (or two) at the entrance of Angkor Wat? Could George Orwell foresee the causes of totalitarianism in the less-touristy areas in Siem Reap? What about J. K. Rowling? I was skeptic about the warm reception to the Harry Potter novels in this part of the world, but a slight modification might be needed in this case. A young Buddhist monk ending up as an accidental student at Hogwarts.
It was the last thing I wanted to see
My tuk-tuk driver brought me to Banteay Samre, which was a Hindu temple in Angkor Wat style. And I was glad that the place was practically deserted. I was about to enjoy the silence when I heard a chant. It turned out that a small group of older tourists was praying inside the temple. I managed to enter the other rooms, which filled me with curiosity. If these walls could talk, what would they tell about the place? It didn't take an hour to find out the answer.
A young laddie came up to me with a few paperbacks. He was selling it for 20 pounds apiece. A book was the last thing I wanted to see especially if it would come with a hefty price. He was insistent, even quite desperate, as he hasn't sold a copy the whole morning. I wasn't interested, but I ended up handing him five dollars. I might have turned into a softie; I wanted him to go away. (And rudeness wasn't an option. He was neither annoying nor obnoxious.) I don't want to think that I made a difference on the lad, who might be a few years younger than me. But it had to start somewhere. He ended up giving me one of the books.
Related posts
Popular articles
Golden Age is Twelve: How to Analyze a Young-Adult Novel ( May 9th 2019)
You finish reading a novel, and you lose count of the number of books that you read. You've learned that protagonists can ... Read more >
Why University Students Must Start Binge-Reading Right Now ( May 8th 2019)
Winter is around the corner, and it means one thing for university students. They must spend more time in binge-reading, ... Read more >
5 Skills You Need to Master Literary Criticism ( May 2nd 2019)
You learned from Stephen King that you must read a lot and write a lot, which didn't surprise you at all. Not a few students, ... Read more >
How to Become the Best University Student Out There ( Apr 30th 2019)
The university can be a path to your dream job if you have the right mindset and attitude. It's a well-known fact that ... Read more >
5 Ways to Avoid the Sophomore Slump (and Other Excuses) ( Apr 22nd 2019)
Do second-year university students suffer from sophomore slump? The question may seem ridiculous after first hearing ... Read more >
-
FreeOutline$5
-
FreeUlimited Amendments*$30
-
FreeTitle page$5
-
FreeBibliography$15
-
FreeFormatting$10
-
Preparing orders314
-
Completed orders115
-
Active writers215
-
Proofreaders21
-
Discount programs available for customers6
-
Chat operators are online10
-
Phone operators are online27
-
Satisfied customers95.2%