There are a lot of things I have enjoyed about being in a place for so long where it starts to feel comfortable. One of the most pleasurable things is the drive to volunteering. I have gotten used to the randomness of the driving and people yielding as vehicles venture across at all moments, cars driving the wrong way down traffic, and the wild and crazy of the city and I have just started to notice small things. Every day I see a different shop, the group of men always on the corner smoking and waving their arms as they talk to each other and these traveling green houses (See picture). I wish I was a drawer and then I would carry a sketch book instead of a journal and have no need for a camera. ... read more

Welcome to Yvonne this week...a new volunteer who works as a tour guide in Belgium and has traveled all over Europe and made a living sharing the history of places. If you sense some envy in my text, you are CORRECT! We asked Yvonne to join us to our day out at West Baray and spent the 30 minute Tuk Tuk ride hearing her incredible stories of volunteering with the Mercy Ships (boat hospitals) which have brought her to the Congo, Madagascar and also her volunteer time in India (again yes a little envy...but only a little maybe). West Baray is a reservoir outside of Angkor Thom and was built around the 11th century and is the world’s largest handcut reservoir measuring 2.1 km by 7.8 km. There is a small island which you can boat ... read more

We had the unique experience of going to a school opening. Trailblazer Foundation has fundraised and constructed 8 schools now. They work with the government to identify where new school are needed (population increases or lack of access) or school rebuilds because buildings are no longer safe. This week there were two school openings both due to dilapidation. It ended up being like a ribbon cutting ceremony. The school provided breakfast bread and water for all the students and the community families. The monks gave a blessing, governement and school officials and large donors gave speeches. The main donor came to the U.S. as an illegal immigrant and now owns a multi-million dollar company. His daughter threatened him to give away his money or she will just buy cats with all her inheritance. So he has ... read more

One of the highlights of this trip has been the street food. Whether it was vendor carts in London or goat on a stick in Uganda, every country seems to have some street food creation. Siem Reap has been a street food gold mine of street food opportunity. Here are some basics to help increase your chance of successful dining: It is a good sign if people are eating there, this not only means people enjoy the food, but more importantly it means the food hasn’t been sitting too long Covers, plastic wrap or containers holding the food means the flies probably haven’t had an opportunity to get to it ICE...either food sitting in it or a cooler (if you are eating meat) or no meat sitting out The picture is what Den (our Trailblazer supervisor) ... read more

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. This phrase kept running through my head as we went on yet another sunrise journey. Today we went to Phnom Bakheng which is known for its sunsets, but also ended up being my favorite sunrise spot. It is suppose to be a 30 minute hike up to the temple, but our driver Pairon would have none of that. He hiked us up in 15 minutes flat. There was a group of people gathered at the bottom of the temple and Pairon went right past and started climbing the stairs with Shelby and me chasing after. A woman goes, see them those girls know what they are doing follow them...I almost fell down the steps laughing because we had no clue. Pairon told us to ... read more