Shrewsbury Daily Voice
SHREWSBURY, Mass. — Jen Tylock hopes to be able to share what she
learned this summer in Cambodia about human trafficking and the Khmer
Rouge genocide with classmates at Shrewsbury High School.
Tylock, who will be a senior in the fall, spent a second summer
traveling with Global Explorers, a program that offers students
opportunities to learn about international issues through cross-cultural
exchange. Last summer she traveled to Peru.
Tylock and other students from around the country traveled for nearly
a month, from Cambodian capitol Phnom Penh to different temples, making
10-day stops in two villages. The Global Explorers program teaches
leadership with a focus on sustainability and conservation.
"In the first village we worked with high school students, donating
our time to pick up trash and plant trees," Tylock said. "In the second,
we taught English and worked to restore a temple."
Her time in Cambodian made her appreciate her American education, Tylock said.
The most powerful lesson was the one learned about the Khmer Rouge genocide from one of her tour guides.
"He lost family, and it's amazing how he's so resilient," Tylock said.
She hopes to hold educational seminars at the high school on the Khmer Rouge and the current problem with human trafficking.
"Staying with people really taught us how little they have," Tylock
said. "They have squat toilets and take budget showers. Cooking dinner
takes a long time because they do it over a fire under the house."
While they may not have much, Tylock said, the Cambodian people are grateful for what they do have.
"I think I'll be more grateful for everything," she said. "We're so lucky to have it so much easier here."
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