Our first day was planned to understand the Cambodian history before we enjoy the beautiful country, the culture and its people:
Visiting the Killing Fields and S21 Prison was a profoundly moving experience that left me reflecting deeply on the resilience of the human spirit. Our tour guide, Baboon, was incredible—his knowledge, compassion, and personal connection to the history brought an emotional depth to the experience.
One of the most powerful moments was meeting Chum Mey, a survivor of S21 where only 12 out of 20,000 prisoners survived. His story was unimaginable: enduring conditions and punishments that nobody should ever be subjected to, but his ability to fix typewriters for the guards became his lifeline. His survival is a testament to human strength and willpower in the face of unspeakable hardship.
It's hard to describe the impact these sites had on me, but I left with a deep sense of gratitude for the resilience of the Cambodian people and a renewed commitment to never forgetting the atrocities of the past.
The bravery of those who lived through these horrors, like the survivor we met, reminds us all of the importance of peace, understanding, and empathy in today's world.
