How Lucky I Am

Artit Lekaphanrat
Thailand
ESOL 400
Fall 2007

You never realize how lucky you are until you know how unlucky another is. This is what I learned from an experience in Cambodia, which blew my mind and changed my life forever.

In the summer of 2004, I experienced one of the worst moments of my life. My best friend died in a car accident. One week later, I lost my job without any reason and broke up with my girlfriend, who had promised to be by my side forever. I was depressed, frustrated and felt like I had nothing left. Then, I started drinking. I rarely went out. For six months, I was spending most of the time thinking about the past, and asking myself why I was so unlucky. One day, my dad, who could not stand my behavior any longer, thought that I should visit Cambodia with him. That was where my life started again.

I had never visited Cambodia; however, my dad visited Cambodia couple of times a year for his business. Despite their ancient civilization, nowadays Cambodians lack basic health care, food and even clean water.

One day, we decided to visit Ton Lay Saab, the largest lake in the Asian Pacific, where I saw a little girl’s eyes that changed my life forever.

Taking the bus throughout the area, I saw houses without a living room, kitchen, or even a bathroom. They were made of clay and palm leaves.

“Most of the houses here have no toilet,” my dad said.

Countless children were gathering on the street asking for money and food from the tourists.

“Thousands of children lived by the streets and most of them are orphans,” he added.

At the port, there were homeless children in dirty clothes were yelling and aggressively begging for money. We had to make our way to our rented boat. While I was walking, I saw a pair of sad but bright eyes looking at me. There was a tiny tanned girl with short dirty hair. She wore no clothes and no shoes. She was the smallest among those children. With a sense of pity, I decided to give her some money. “Do not give them money! The older homeless will hurt her,” my dad shouted from the boat. Instead, I gave her one ripe banana that I did not want anymore. By the time I got into the boat, I looked over my shoulder and saw a scene that I will never forget. All of children started fighting for that banana, trying to grab it from her hand. Sitting in the boat, I saw she was lying down on the ground without anything in her hand. She had blood in her hand instead. She was crying. I felt very sorry for her.

Sitting on the boat, I felt numb. I asked myself what I had done. They were fighting for a banana that I thought was a leftover. Not only the scene I saw at the port but also throughout the trip was appalling. I saw people lived without electricity and clean water in the shelter surrounded by their own waste. Their children had no food, no clothes, and no education. Being on the boat, I forgot my problems. I only felt stunned and wanted to throw up.

My dad did not say anything until we went back to the hotel. During our dinner, he stared out of the window and asked me how I felt about the trip. I did not say a word. Then, he looked into my eyes and said that I had to learn from the Cambodians and realize how lucky I was.

Thinking of what my dad said made me unable to sleep. The next morning during breakfast, I told my dad I realized that my situation was nothing compared with their problems, and I really appreciated what he had done. I felt that I had grown up and could have dreams again.

Every time I am in difficult situations, I always think of the people who live by the lake in Cambodia. Every time I can help others, I will because of those little eyes at the port. My life has changed since I visited Cambodia.