Tuol Seng Prison

Today was aimed towards a serious type of a day. I was trying to brace my self for this experience that I knew I wouldn’t walk away laughing. We walked into the Toul Seng Genocide Memorial and we were handed a pamphlet to give us background knowledge on what went on in this prison / torture camp. This camp once was a high school, I couldn’t comprehend that this was a school like mine and I couldn’t help thinking what I would be like for this to happen to me. As I walked though the buildings, which were covered in barbwire, I could see the beds that people were tortured and killed in that very spot. The whole day was full of thought and sadness. It was a very unique experience and I will never forget it.

-Piers

Genocide Memorials

Today we visited both the S-21 (Tuol Seng) Prison and the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge. (Between 1975-1979 the Pol Pot regime killed close to 2 million people.) It was a very intense and powerful experience to say the least. It is one thing to read about such tragedies, but a whole other thing to be exposed to the environment of the horrors that happened there. One thing that really struck me was the memorial at the killing fields, which is essentially a tower of real human skulls nearly three stories high. I found myself stuck staring up at these skulls, transfixed by the sheer numbers. The emotion such a memorial raises is indescribable. The realization that these were all once real people presses heavy on my chest. These people were all murdered, consumed by the thousands. No amount of documentaries or books can prepare you for that.

-Kessie

National Museum & Royal Palace

Dec. 30, 2011

Y-A-W-N. Today everyone has been so tired and there's nothing better than waking up at 6:00 a.m. from construction when you're allowed to sleep in until 8:00. However, most of us managed to keep our eyes open for the entire day.

In the morning after eating breakfast at the guest house, we stopped at the ATM before heading off for the big day. First we went to the National Museum. The history of the country through thousand year old relics was told there. After that it was lunch at "Friends the Restaurant." It is connected with an orphanage and the waiters were orphans and their teachers. We took a tour of the Royal Palace which was amazing. In it was a statue of Buddha that was made entirely of gold and had over two thousand diamonds. Using our good math skills, we figured that if you melted down the statue it would be worth over $60 million!

We took a tuk-tuk to dinner where we met up with people from Cambodian Living Arts. There are an organization that helps bring traditional music, dance, film and art culture back to Cambodia. Back to the guesthouse, a little debrief and then to sleep. A FULL day.

-Martel

Visit to Royal Palace & National Museum

Checking out the Royal Palace (the King is home...flag flying in the background)

In the garden of the Cambodian National Museum (Phnom Penh)

The Long Journey

Well it’s day one at 11:15 p.m. and we’re in Cambodia! Right now we’re all sitting in the Golden Noura Villa (our hotel) waiting to go see what our rooms are like. We left Prescott at about 2:15 a.m. and caught our flight to L.A. We then took a 15-hour flight to Seoul, South Korea. The plane was awesome and super comfortable but the flight took WAAYY too long. After that we got on our last flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We were then rushed through security, customs, and a huge crowd of people into the small confines of our Tuk-Tuk. Tuk-Tuk’s are the cambodian equivalent of a taxi. It’s a 4-seat, open cabin strapped to the back of a motorcycle. They were super fun! We drove through the city for about 20 minutes. The city was huge! Even at 11:00 p.m. the streets were crowded. Eventually we showed up at our villa and that’s where we are now!

~Adam Smith

We've made it!

The flight weary but enthusiastic Northpoint students are safely tucked into their accommodations in downtown Phnom Penh (after an exhilarating tuk tuk ride from the airport.) It might take awhile to get used to the humidity though. We'll all have our flip flops on tomorrow!

You'll hear more from Adam and Martel shortly.

Heading to Cambodia

Northpoint students will soon be traveling to Cambodia for an agenda-packed 15 day experience. The ten students on this trip will be writing a daily blog describing their experience. Follow these students and their group leaders as they share with the world their revelations! The group departs on Dec. 28 and returns to the U.S. on Jan. 12.