End or Beginning of the Journey

It depends on how you look at it, right?

As I have mentioned before, I became intrigued by two concepts while in Cambodia: the concept of memory and of the power of question. I wrestled with the idea of memory and how is is situationally different. While I feel there are some tragic events in the United States, that we have struggled to preserve the memory of (i.e. 9/11), I feel in the reverse has occurred in Cambodia. I saw how Cambodians struggled to forget the genocide, in order to move towards the future. To forget, in order to survive. To sweep up all the pain and suffering into a movie or book, that could be sold on the street by a little child for a few bucks. So it no longer had to be part of your everyday history, and so that you could detach yourself from it, in order to have the courage to continue on.

Secondly, I remain intrigued by the power of the question. As I have previously written to my phenomenal and very supportive family of donors, before leaving the United States for Cambodia, I had the overly ambitious hope that I would come back knowing exactly how and to what I would devote the rest of my life to. As I have been contemplating law school, during my trip, I spoke with lawyers who told me to avoid ever becoming a lawyer. I spoke with others who told me that I should definitely consider it. I also spoke with students, international non-profit managers, activists, artists, cooks, doctors, dancers, and many other types of interesting people. Thus, I remain more confused than ever. But I have realized it is okay, as I am fortunate enough to live in a world where so many opportunities even exist. I remain steadfast in my commitment to human rights, yet have become inspired by others to understand that in life, there is often more than one path in the journey. A journey that, in many ways, has just begun.

"We see the chaos and beauty in misdirection." El-P