Cambodia is a land of many stories, and one of contradictions. The Khmer people are incredibly warm, friendly and ever-ready to chat with strangers, despite the country’s recent dark chapters. Drivers of the ubiquitous auto-rickshaws (endearingly called “tuk-tuks” because of the noise the engines make when idling) learn English and often speak it fluently, largely thanks to YouTube videos they watch in their free time- necessity forces them to do so in the face of mounting competition from the relentless onslaught of a tourism boom. However, a common narrative — and a misguided one, largely propagated by outsiders — is that the daily lives of these Cambodians are as bleak as they were just after the Khmer Rouge disappeared for good. The reality is somewhat different- indeed, the political system in unstable and the education system and poverty levels are of deep concern, but there are bright sparks of hope! Little Angels is one of these sparks and this book is part of the new story of Cambodia: one not just of hope but of change and renewal.
2020/08/30 17:22:18
