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Julia |
Todd |
Cambodia Road Trip Part 3
Julia talks about the hardships of biking across Cambodia on bike.
Todd: So what was the hardest thing about the trip?
Julia: The hardest thing was seeing this country which is so beautiful with such amazing people but struggling in so many different ways with so many different things. You know, historically the legacy of Pol Pot on the country and this huge discrepancy between the rich and the poor. So as we're cycling along these unpaved roads beside farmers on carts that are being pulled by water buffalo, there's these huge four by fours screaming through not paying any attention to anybody. There's no law, there's no road law, so they could drive whatever speeds they wanted, tearing up the earth, causing accidents. I witnessed an accident and that was particularly hard to deal with. The car that caused the accident didn't stop and the guy that was left in the dust didn't have much chance. You know the locals I guess tried to get him to a hospital or whatever but the medical conditions, there's not much going on in terms of rural hospitals. People are still dying from poor sanitation, water, malaria, these kind of things that we should be able to eradicate, you know, instantly. We have the knowledge and the know how to do but still struggling with that. And, you know, being aware that education is so important and that people aren't getting it.
Todd: Yeah. What was the best thing about the journey?
Julia: The best thing about the journey was going to this place that was so, that seemed so exotic and getting to see, you know, how people lived there and how they smile at everybody. You know, everybody in Cambodia was so friendly and so peaceful and so, I don't know, welcoming. It made me realize like how privileged I really am in life and things that I take for granted. You know my education and the choices I have and things like that. And the beauty and mystery of Angkor Wat is, I mean it's an incredibly, it's one of the world's, it's one of the seven wonders of the world I think these temples, these incredible temples, getting to go there and we took some of the kids from the school there. These kids who live in the area who never actually ever been there. We went on a school trip with them and took them and they got to go through, going through these temples and the jungle with these young kids and it was really awesome.
Todd: That's a great experience.
Julia: Yeah.
struggling
The hardest things was seeing this country which is so
beautiful, with such amazing people, but struggling in so
many different ways.
When you are 'struggling' with something, it means that it is difficult or impossible for you to do.Notice the following:
- Can I help you carry that? You look like you're
struggling.
- I have been really struggling with math this year.
left in the dust
The car that caused the accident didn't stop, and the guy
that was left in the dust didn't have much of a chance.
When you 'leave someone in the dust,' it means that you leave them behind. In this case, it is literally leaving someone in the dust, because the roads were dusty. Notice the following:
- You'd better hurry up, or you're going to get left in
the dust.
- As soon as the race stated, he left me in the dust.
eradicate
People are still dying from poor sanitation, water,
malaria, these kind of things that we should be able to
eradicate.
You can 'eradicate' a problem by removing or destroying it. Notice the following:
- Water shortages are big problems that we need to
eradicate.
- There are many issues that we need to eradicate before
this company can expand.
take for granted
It made me realize how privileged I really am in life and
things that I take for granted.
If you 'take something for granted,' you act in a way that shows you think it will always be there or it is something you will always have. Notice the following:
- He is always taking his girlfriend for granted.
- Having a washing machine is something that is easy to
take for granted.
temples
Going through these temples and the jungle with these
young kids...
A 'temple' is a religious building. Notice the following:
- These ruins used to be an old temple.
- You should spend about 2 days exploring the temples.
Vocabulary Quiz
granted • temples
