Two sets of photos today, enjoy!
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My name is Phoebe Leung and I am going to pursue an MPA-DP at Columbia this Fall. I am a student from Hong Kong. My pictures are all taken from Cambodia, where I have been working for about one year.
Cambodia is a country of contrasts. Some people see the country as one of the least developed in the region, while others speak of the country’s rich cultural heritage. Developers talk about business opportunities with the newly rich, while many others are still left behind in the rural areas and remain reliant on subsistence agriculture. The country’s most renowned province, Siem Reap, is also part of these contrasts. Tourism developments around the Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have brought in many foreigners, such as those waiting for the sunset on Bakheng Mountain in this photograph. However, the province remains the second poorest in the country.
The Mekong River is the country’s lifeline, providing an essential source of water and food. The river meanders through Kampong Chhnang province, where houses built right on top of the river are commonly found. As indicated in this picture, many houses are raised above water and boats very often sail by under them in search of fish, lotus and other aquatic plants.
Many Cambodian families live by the Thai border and travel between the two countries every day as day labourers and porters. This picture is taken in the K’bal Koh Village of Poipet, a border town where many residents are poor migrant workers. Since the adult members of these communities tend to move around with their work, they can only afford makeshift houses made with wood, metal, plastic, etc.
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The next set of photos was submitted by Justin Eldridge Otero, an incoming MIA student.
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