Today, MARL Class X ventured outside of the capital city of Phnom Penh with a 6 hour bus tour to Siem Reap, the home of Ankor Wat. The morning began with a recap of participant’s goals for the trip and a discussion on the larger vision for rural, and urban Cambodia as communicated by its leadership.
Once outside Phnom Pehn a different world came to life! Our first stop brought intrigued and insight into regional delicatessens. We enjoyed fried tarantellas, seasoned insects, dried and fresh fruits, fermented eggs, and whole baby birds. A big part of MARL is understanding leadership in a variety of contexts. The group had an opportunity to meet Mr. Leng Hour, Tami village, Samporoth commune, Tang Kok district, Kampong Thom province, a Cambodian cattle producer. He is raising a breed from India for local consumption. He graciously shared his insights on using rice stalks for feed and his vision to expand the farm. Even during the restroom breaks, the group continued to push outside its comfort zone as many were introduced to “squatty potties”.
The remainder of the drive included a quiet lunch break with eel and other Cambodian fare. Once in Siem Reap, MARL participants explored the Cambodia Cultural Center, stayed curious about the country’s history, and engaged in live presentations about various regions of the country. One participant even had the chance to be selected as the “Fire and Water God” during one of the shows.
To end the evening with a bit of extra adventure! The hotel and the surrounding neighborhood lost power, but no worries…one of the tools of a leader is learning to be flexible!
Comments