Music in Different Worlds
Music has always been a part of Cambodia. The life styles were limited, among these musicians, there were the Khmer rouge, full time labor workers, and politicians. A large percentage of Cambodians were forced into poverty and underpaid jobs. Their lives were constantly troubled by daily escapes from robbers, guerrillas, and powerful armies that disagrees with the laws of the country. The Khmer rouge, former guerrillas and the most powerful army that had ever opposed the government had taken more lives than natural deaths over a decade. During times of hardships and warfare, the only escape from reality was music. He,, Samphoun Em, was only fifteen years of age when he first picked up a guitar. Knowing he had to be able to make a constant payment to afford and keep his only source of entertainment, for there are no personal rights involving one's property. After three years of full time labor, he was then able to claim and bring home his most prized possession. Keeping good care of the picks and strings he had access to, for if he had lost or broken any of the two, it would've meant more months of hard labor. Every so often after work, he would spend at least two hours to catch up on lessons and surpass his latest talent. He
During this time of rejoice and music, the Khmer rouge did not approve of gatherings. They would not stop these gatherings until happiness was shown throughout the faces of each laborer during work. The Khmer rouge had never appreciated activities that didn't involve them in any way. A couple months after the first gathering, the Khmer rouge had disallowed it in the future, showing the punishment by executing a fellow worker who was behind on his job. Yet, each musician still gathered to show off and escape from reality, knowing that if they were caught they'd receive a severe punishment, a punishment that was irrelevantly taken into consideration. He had been the leader and heart of the neighborhood, both in music and spirit. For if they were to get caught, he would be punished to the harshest degree. 1986, a year of grief and departure, he gathered his wife and sons and made his way to a new world. A new music experience and a new way of life, looking at the photographs of past remnants, reminiscing of the 'music in different worlds'. A past that was never reborn or relived and hopes it remains unforgiven and stays stored away in his music, for which his music still remains. After years of experience, a lot of disappointed times, hard work and persistence, he was ready to show his talent to his fellow Cambodians. Gathering around a circle after school sessions, his classmates would show their talents and receive applause from talent-less students who envied. It was always the same students who needed something to prove and wanted to show off. Skipping all the other students and not expecting anyone else to have any musical talents what so ever, the usual musicians would start their song, the same one song played over and over. Although everyone had smiles on their faces with pleasure during the song that they had been relatively obscured to throughout it's length. He then raced back home to bring his guitar, with visions of their envy. He raced back to the crowd that had gathered, pulled out his instrument that had been so rare in his neighborhood, and played his first chord outside the comfort of his home. Seeing the glows in the eyes of his fellow students and
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1474
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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