Fishing with Friends: A Cambodian Anecdote | Our Travellers Stories
For this weeks Traveller Stories, Alex Echols recalls his special #HandsOnJourneys moment…
“When I was younger, a fishing rod was passed on to me.”
In my hand, I held that metal pole adorned in majestic blues, reds and yellows, with fishing wire and a hook that I knew could snap up some of the largest fish. A person believed in me enough to give me that fishing rod, with hopes that I would take what I was given and one day, do the same for many to come.
Enter Hands on Journeys.
It was not that long ago when I was disembarking my plane in Siem Reap that I looked forward to my experiences and imagined what would life be like in Cambodia. I knew I was in for some adventure, but up until that point, I had not understood the breadth of humane service I would be providing to the people of Cambodia, namely the little boys and girls of the villages we first visited.
It was a warm, humid day when our group loaded our coach in route to a place where we would spend two days working with a village that was lead by a matriarch and beautiful soul, Yeay.
On arrival, we were met by many young boys, small and even smaller, running towards our coach with anticipation for our participation and presence with them. Over the span of the next two days, we would work with the village to provide them with new infrastructure for their grounds, their shacks and for their water filtration systems. We were empowering them with tools that would allow them to grow and sustain well past our short stay with them.
Our work with them was something that we were thanked many times for, and while I enjoyed helping in that way, it was the passing of the fishing rod to the little boys and girls of the village that brought me my biggest joys.
Toothpaste to toothbrush.
Seeing some of the young children brush their teeth for the very first time in their lives and the grins they had on their faces as they gleamed at us with admiration and cleaner smiles, we soon ushered them to their brand new seats where we taught them mathematics and writing.
When I was younger, I was taught a phrase that has since remained with me:
“Give a friend a fish and they will eat for a day, but you teach a friend how to fish and they will eat for a lifetime.”
I’ve always kept this motto with me because I believe in the power of paying it forward.
Years ago, someone believed in me enough to pass me my very own fishing rod. And now, I’ve been able to do the exact same thing through sustainable tourism with the help of Hands on Journeys.
Forever grateful. Forever fishing.
Alex
#dreamsmatter
