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22 June 2002 |
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| It's great to be back in Cambodia! We enjoyed China and met up with lots of wonderful old friends, but the pace over there is too fast these days. Everyone has the same concerns as their counterparts in the west - money, qualifications and careers. Students take extra courses in the evenings in an effort to gain a competitive edge, as do many working people. Others have second (and third) jobs to increase their income. Yet as their standard of living increases, their quality of life goes down in equal amount. No one really has time for their friends any more and we can see that people are not so close now. When we asked our night class students whether love was a good basis for marriage we were told in no uncertain terms that money is far more important! No doubt Cambodia will suffer the same "progress" in years to come, but for now it's still quite a relaxed place to live and the people seem far happier, despite their poverty. If only it were possible to find a balance between wealth and happiness, one which allowed people to live satisfying lives. Unfortunately, big business needs unsatisfied desires to keep the wheels of commerce turning, so we are all taught to be greedy... | ||||