Reflecting on a Journal Entry

While reading through my journal from my time in Cambodia this summer, I found an entry regarding a discussion we had as a group regarding corruption—within our own societies and countries, and those in relation to Cambodia—on a rooftop overlooking Phnom Penh. Within three days of each other the following events took place: one, the Dallas shootings and riots against police brutality, two, a local journalist for the Phnom Penh newspaper was shot, and three, the Nice attacks occurred. My group included myself and a friend from Austin, close to Dallas, and a handful of Europeans, one of which had friends in Nice at the time of the attack, and several other insightful members from around the world. However, at this particular moment, we were all in the same place, experiencing a new thing. This congruence across the events which took place left its mark on me; after many weeks of reflection, I have realized it wasn’t just a coincidence. I may not live in Cambodia, a country ridden with corruption in and out of the government, nor in a country where a handful attacks have occurred in the past year, but I can relate. We all can. We have each been affected by corruption, or injustice, in a certain form—whether through our government, school, or even neighborhood community. These issues are manifested universally, but some of us land in areas where they aren’t as detrimental. This experience gave me some insight into what injustice looks like abroad vs at home in the United States.