The Children of Angkor

As you walk around the temples, children approach you to buy their wares. This can be anything from a beaded bracelet to a bamboo bell or recorder to a good quality- photocopied guide book of Angkor. There business tactics are amazing and their bartering ability is far stronger than mine. At first, everything is "1 for $1" If you are at all interested and begin to discuss the item in question, the price instantly goes up to $5.

As you enter or leave a temple you hear shouts from across the road " Lady, you need cold drink!!?" which is more of a statement than a question. The sellers haggle and push their items as you try to enter. Then comes the key phrase. "OK... you remember me and buy when you leave." One evening, a little boy, who looked 4 ( who was probably 8) followed me around wanting me to buy a flute. When I say followed, he was not really behind me, rather, every 5 minutes he would pop out from another corner. Obviously he knew his way around much better than I.

The sweetest girl wanted me to buy a bracelet while I was leaving a structure inside Angkor Thom. She was proabably 4 based on her language abilities. W hen she understood that I was not going to buy, she asked for candy. (Whenever the children realize they will not get any money, candy is the next best thing.) I told her I did not have any so she w anted money. I offered her 500 riel for a bracelet and s he confidently shoo k her head and said it was more. I gave her another thousand which should have been good. She cal led her brother and motioned if it was enough. He confidently said "another 500." I only had 1000, so the little girl got 2500 riel (about 62 cents) when the going rate among the temples is 4 for $1. I got taken for a fast one, but she got money for food and now I have a cool beaded bracelet. All in all it was a win-win, but I never bought an other thing while exploring Angkor.

On the t op of Ta Keo , I spoke with a girl at length... after she understood that no money would be coming. One o f her lines was "I need money for school." This was actually quite true. I asked her why she wasn't there at that moment. She informed me that school is in the afternoon and she comes to the temple every morning before school. I asked about her age which turned out to be 12. She did not look a day over 8. She said foreigners always think Cambodian children are younger than they are, simply because in Cambodia they are "too small." She told me she would gladly accept pens from me if I did not have any candy or money to give her.

Besides the place being spiritual and moving, the people and children who make it their home live lives I cannot even imagine. They know the tourists have money and it really is an income that they work hard to get. I personally could not bring myself to give money, although I did let myself be over charged by children for little trinkets. Rather, I would give water or food whenever I had it. With this I was comfortable and believed I did some good.