My professor took me to Angkor and a brothel!!!!!

Hello again - What a crazy night! First of all we visited an agency today that helps girls at risk for human trafficking to learn a better way of life and new respected skills so that they can reintegrate into their communities and make a living. The agency also utilizes grassroots efforts and community organizing to educate local communities about the trauma of domestic violence, which may lay the framework for trafficking. I purchased an intricate silk scarf that one of the girls made. It took her about a week and I met her. All of the monies made from the purchase of the scarves and material goes directly into an account of the girl who made the product, therefore she will have money to begin her new life from.
After visiting this agency, we began our adventure to Angkor. If last night was not awesome enough (the sunset at Phnom Bakeng was amazing!), today we visited two temple complexes: Bayon and Angkor Wat!!!! I had to literally pinch myself so that I would know I wasnt dreaming! I was in awe of the magnificance around me and the history that unfolded centuries before. I took several pictures, but to just climb and roam around the complex by myself and experience the spiritual side was more important to me. I just took it in, I cant explain the experience....just understand that pictures would not have done justice.
We had an active day and ended it by celebrating Chi's birthday at the Cambodian Kitchen. Then we were invited to partake in something that few will ever have the opportunity to experience from an outsider's view: We visited an open brothel! I have to admit that I was scared, but as with all activities on this trip, the professors have taken measures to assure our absolute safety! Due to our studies on trafficking, particularly the sex/human trade, this activity was more research than an evening out. We split up into groups so that we would not look as obvious and played the parts of tourists out to have a good time. I had no idea what I was walking into: From first impression it looked like a bar, much like we see at home. However, as we made our way through the bar, we soon saw the horror that we had been studying! A fish bowl full of women, most younger than myself, on display with numbers attached to their scantaly clad bodies. We had built a rapport with the bar workers and made our way into the fish bowl area where we observed the behavior of the workers as well as masses of men who came and left quicker than paying for a meal through a fast food drivethrough. It sickened me to see this, but after talking with a couple of the women (girls) there it was obvious that not all were there because they were debt bonded, but because they can make more in one night than they could in a month having a trade or education. How do I process this.....I am still processing it. It angers me. It brings out the hate I have for the men with money who throw it around and humiliate these women, girls and young boys. I am still processing it.....more to come.
Ash