Cambodian treasures: displaced

Today we went to the Asian Art Museum for it's first sunday of the month Free Admission day.

I woke up at 7am, pretty much ready to go immediately, excited about the sunshine and the free museum visit, which saved $12 per person. I dragged J out of the bed and we eventually set off at just after 9 am and still arrived before the museum doors opened.

I started my tour of the gallery at the top of the building, on the third floor. South Asia - The Persian Word and West Asia - Southeast Asia - The Himalayas and the Tibet Buddhist World - China. And that is just the third floor!

My absolute favorite was the Southeast Asian Gallery, with it's beautiful Cambodian and Thai artifacts. I saw some things there that I have not seen before. Like these hammock carrier adornments, for hammocks in which noble folks would be carried around in, this must have added so much weight to the shoulders of the bearers.

What these displays from Cambodia together with all too regular views on the streets of San Francisco also reminded me of is how I wish I could be economically in a better position. I say that I care about others and that I would like to help, but by my choices I also say that my own life matters to me more. But I am increasingly feeling the sense of responsibility that we don't live just for ourselves alone but that instead we ARE part of a wider community, even if we are possibly oceans removed from it. Each person's choices can impact tremendously on others, regardless of if we have met them or not. But let's use my case, I have met friends from around the world. Some I met as I visited other places and others I met as they came to Europe to study. Yet others I don't personally know, but I see them on street corners, abandoned looking and lost. 

I imagine how great it would be to have the financial freedom to share choices. How? By means of helping somebody out with those things that could be cheap but still might be outside their reach. Things that can affect the qualities of lives.. Be it education costs or paying a phone bill for a month so that somebody can squeeze through until they get on their feet (without being disconnected from the world by being unreachable).. Or maybe sponsoring a month pass for the public transport or simply helping with a one off need, the fulfillment of which will enrich somebody's health and/or life.

I have worked as a professional Artist for a long time, yet my income has been insufficient to save the world. Now I am wondering if my sense of social responsibility will take over and see me subscribe to a Teacher Training Course in England in autumn 2013.. 

But for now let's return to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The monthly free Museum days are amazing. I am so pleased that they have them. I do think it is a shame that some are during the week. As if everybody who worked could afford to pay admission to a museum and therefor wouldn't need a free admission offer on the weekend.. I think this is a little sad. For me, the short term visitor it is of course fine. I will make use of each and any free day and make the most of it all. 

I also just realized that people have different work schedules, so of course, some people will be working weekends while others will be free on let's say tuesdays or thursdays..

A great resource for Free and Cheap activities in San Francisco is this site: sf.funcheap.com

apologies about the terrible layout.. Blogger has become very difficult to control. Isn't it so curious that displaying images in a simple grid format is so difficult to do now.