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Published: August 27th 2009
Hi everyone, and sorry for taking so long to get started!
Although most of you know, my plan is to be here in Siem Reap, Cambodia volunteering with children for 12 weeks (four of which have passed) before moving on to other regions of Cambodia and Asia for a following 2 or so months.
The reason I have not done this earlier is because I have been flat out since day one, and have had little time to get my head around things. The first day I arrived, after being shown my room in the Globalteer Guesthouse, I was promptly given an orientation to this place they call Siem Reap (meaning 'Siamese Defeated'- a very insulting term for the Cambodians.) It was raining heavily nonstop and didn't cease for over 24 hours (something pretty much unheard of even in the monsoon season, as it is now), so my first visions of the town were slightly chaotic and it was hard to get a true picture of the place. The orientation made it clear that there would be no hesitation in getting stuck into the projects. And I was to start the next day.
Globalteer, the organisation I am
with, is currently supporting and working with three projects. There used to be about five or six, but with support they became able to function independently, which is a great achievement. These projects are all based around education, namely teaching English, and helping local Cambodian children in the poorer areas of Siem Reap. They all run on volunteers (most of which stay between 2 weeks or a month, making me the longest term volunteer) and without the donations the volunteers give, none of the projects would be possible at all. So thankyou so much to all of those who gave donations, I can confirm that all of your money is going to a very worthwhile place.
One of the projects is centred around an army base, so most of the men are at the Thai border, and people are struggling to live on the tiny patch of land the army has been 'generous' enough to give them. It is a school where they offer everything from English to sewing and woodwork etc, to help to give basic skills to the children so they can make a living in the future. Apparantly this project is extremely tough to work on,
and has a bleary and sad atmosphere in the town. Many of the girls are prostitutes, but come to school during the day. This is school is called New Hope.
There are two more projects, one of which is the one I am working on. Formerly called GCDC, but now called Grace House, we are gradually growing every day and starting to spill over at the edges with children. The village is a 20 minute bike ride from the centre of town, and almost all of the kids are extremely poor. Apparantly most of them (although I question this) go to school, which is either held in the morning or the afternoon, and we have struck a deal with their families that if they come to us at the time of day when they aren't at school, and we pay for their education costs, then they will be kept off the streets. This year, none of them have been seen begging on the streets at all, so this is another good achievement.
The kids are lovely (the same as kids all over the world) and I am getting to know them more every day. They do 2 hours
with us every day, so I teach 2 hours in the morning, and then 2 in the afternoon. One hour is an English class with a Khmer teacher, and we work together, me with the better pronunciation and them with the translation. The other hour is my class, assisted by the Khmer teacher. I think of a new theme every week, which we learn on Monday and Tuesday, and try to follow up for the rest of the week. My class are beginners, but with a wide range of ages, making it a bit more of a challenge (4 - 12 years old!) On Wednesday I teach Maths (I never signed up for this one!) and Thursday is craft day (fun fun fun but stressful) and Friday is activities. I have been dragged around the yard for four hours straight on occasion, in the middle of the humid and hot sticky day, and have also taught dancing classes which are exhausting but lots of fun. The kids affectionate name for their teachers is CHA! (short for teacher) which I hear all day constantly to the point where I go home and can't stop hearing it echoed in my head on
repeat. One of the best days so far is when we painted our families, most of them couldnt fit their whole family on the page. They were excited to see pictures of my family, so it will be great to introduce them to the real thing when they visit me here.
One of the most interesting things I have done is riding home on the opposite side of the river. Cross the river and you are in a completely different world. A world away from the tourist buses and trucks and concrete. There are small stick houses and trees and red dirt roads, mangy looking dogs and potholes making it almost impossible to navigate. There are whole families living their lives out with nature, and it seems odd and invasive that you can simply peer right into their daily lives. There are kids jumping into the river and everyone gives you a smile and a 'Hello!"as you go past. This is the area that most of my kids from school live.
All I can say is that I have been having the most amazing time. Every single day (and I mean EVERY SINGLE DAY) something new and exciting
happens here. Just when I think I must have exhausted oppurtunities for amazement something else surprises me. So I have begun to accept that this is the way it will be.
Although I am technically here alone, I do not feel alone at all, as everyone here is really lovely. There are lots of people from Ireland and England and Australia, and all are friendly. I have made a very good friend my age from Sydney called Kimi, who arrived four days after me, so we have been doing most things together. Tomorrow is her last day (and we are having a party with the kids at school all day!) so next week we will leave together for Sihanoukville, a beach on the coast of Cambodia. I am taking a week off to be fresh for my next stint. Every now and then I have to remind myself that I am on a trip alone, because most of the time it really doesn't feel that way. I am looking forward to some more alone time travelling though.
Although the temples of Angkor are the 'thing' to see here (which I haven't even yet visited! Waiting for the family)
I am amazed at the rotation of tourists. Most people will stay three days if that, and then leave. But there is so so much to do here, and so much more, that it can be a little frustrating (but I suppose there is so much more everywhere else as well!) I am really enjoying being able to soak up the true nature of the place, and being stationed here lets you in to a side that noone else is privileged enough to see. I have a tuc-tuc driver who will always be looking out for me at night, and will take me home if anything happens to me in the notorious 'Pub Street' (literally called Pub Street), and I know the bartenders and managers at my two favourite places, so I will always have someone to talk to and to introduce me to people. I know the girl at the airconditioned retreat where I get my mango shakes as we teach each other our native languages. The woman I buy my morning baguette from waits for me every day. The smiley man at the dollar stalls (the cheap option for dinner) is ever reliable and knows me well now.
I have arranged $1 special meals with the rooftop restaurant/bar here are Globalteer House to make my stay more affordable. And my internet cafe man will give me the occasional free hour. So, I'm fairly set up now, and loving this style of travel. It's quality, and I love the depth of experience.
An example of one of the advantages of being a relatively longer-termer is Khmer Aerobics!! I have gone where no other westerner has gone before! And experienced the wonders of the local gathering of old men, women, cool slick young people, mums, etc at the local school who do a synchronised dance consisting of what to me looks like random feet movements, but that at the same time seem to be completely organised. My aim is to have mastered these moves by the end of my time here. Although I stood out like a sore thumb, everyone was welcoming, and I even got a special mention on the microphone.
Some of the odder moments of the trip:
Teachers at school confessing their love in a very forward manner. They very soon apologised when they realised this was too far (one is 34 with a child!).
Having the years we were born and our personalities read by one of the teachers (coincidently the 34 year old.) Read: your life will be hard because noone will help you, you are independant and the leader of the group, and you will wander far far away from your family.
The Butterfly Garden where the kids catch the butterflies and bring them and release them on Saturday morning, when one immediately decided to fly up my skirt and stay there (happened to be the biggest butterfly in the whole place.) Traumatised for life!!
Getting lifts into town with Tuc Tuc drivers who have been drinking rice wine all day.
Mum, stop reading now.
Being in a tuc tuc crash in the middle of the night in a dark street. Technically, there were 8 of us volunteers (oldest in their forties, so it wasnt all the young peoples fault) in some hand welded together trailer, wider than the average tuc tuc. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Noone was hurt, but not recommended.
Another highlight was yesturday when in out lunch break (a painful 2 hours) some of the kids (CHA!) beckoned me to follow them down
a little road. So, with one on the back of my bike, and others running or biking we set off. What I was to find a short 5 minutes down the path was a hidden temple. By temple I mean OLD, Angkor Wat style. Just many big stones piles on top of each other, worn down through the years. With an altar in the middle, burning incense. It's an amazing secret place, FAR FAR off the tourist trail, and surrounded by monk dwellings. And all that time it was right there! Siem Reap is really a facade of tourism behind which many more interesting things lie. More of which I look forward to discovering.
Hope everyone is well. Missing everyone a lot, and thinking of everyone at home.
Love Zoe
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Pete and Rob
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Great stuff
Hi Zoe Sounds like you're getting fully immersed in the whole thing. Your tales of locals looking after you and striking up friendships sound just so much like Vietnam. It's bringing back so many happy memories.