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Published: March 30th 2010
Wow I cant believe the 10days is already over... it went sooo fast... too fast!!!... I'm now back at Phnom Penh, staying at Hostel Happy. Man this place is full of foreigners, typical backpackers place. But the place is really nice and the rooms are so cheap. $3 a night with own bathroom and fan. I'm here for the next 2 nights which I will then be heading off to Hong Kong.
I'm gonna make this entry very brief.. just want to give you guys a quick update. I will go in more detail in due time.
On Sunday 21Mar I arrived at Takeo, Wat Opot orphanage. It was a 1.5hrs Tuk Tuk drive. The drive down was very interesting.. going through the little villages and slums.
I was greeted with a warm welcome by Wayne (the director/founder) and the other volunteers, Carmen (from Germany), Marika & Hank (from New Zealand) and Mark (from the U.S). Lunch was waiting ... a yummy Khmer meal indeed. After lunch Wayne took me on a tour around Wat Opot.
- There is the volunteers quarters, it is one small house with 2 sides - one for women and the other for
men, each with one shared bathroom. Very comfortable and very cosy.
- There is the children's dorm, also with 2 sides - one for the girls and the other for the boys.
- There is the art room, the craft room and classrooms where they have primary classes, English classes for the adults, youngsters and teenagers / young adults. The classes are not only open for the Wat Opot children but also for the whole ChamBok community.
- There is a conference/museum where there are wall pictures of Wat Opots journey from the beginning. Wat Opot has only been running for 10years. Very touching pictures.
- There is the treatment room/hospice where people go to get treated and where people have died. This is also the medicine room where the kids come every morning at 0700 and evening at 1900.
- There is Mr Chhangs place which will be turned into a cafe. (more on this story later)
- There is the crematory & prayer room. The prayer room is full of pictures of the people that have died at Wat Opot. Wayne and some of the children come here every night after dinner to pray and pay respect
to the dead. They say a Buddha chant as well as a Christian prayer. They also do the sign of the cross and the Buddha sign. Wat Opot is both a Christian and Bhuddhist org.
Wayne and us volunteers always eat together , 3 x , we get fed really well. I'm definately sure have put on weight. Errr I'm dreading to get on the scale.
I usually dont sleep very well away from home but for some reason I slept like a baby everynight. And each morning I wake to the sound of the Monks Chanting and the children. I'm gonna miss it so much.
Yes, of course ... I have fallen in love with all the children. Its hard not to. They are so wonderful and adorable. And they are still normal kids.. little shits sometimes.. LOLzzz... I have plenty of stories about the children and I cant wait to share them with you. But I'll save that for another day as it will take me hours.
Most of the days were really really hot... min. 40 degrees.. all day. I had to come during the hottest & dryest month. During the rainy season
Jun-Aug/Sep is a better time to come as days are cooler and more green.
FYI - Wat = Temple / Opot= Lake. The land that Wat Opot is on is a Temple Land and is owned to the Monks. There is a big beautiful temple (Wat) right next door. And once upon a time the whole land was under water, it was a huge lake. Hence the name Wat Opot.
The other volunteers are wonderful. I'm actually here now at Phnom Penh with Carmen. We have grown so close. Carmen, from Germany is staying at Wat Opot for 3months. She's still at a tender age of 20years old. She is truly inspirational for the youth. Marika & Hang, (husband & wife) from New Zealand are staying at Wat Opot for 6months. Marika is getting the craft classes going and is teaching the girls and young women to make jewellery which they can sell and earn income. Hank is getting the cafe going "Mr Chhangs Place"... where he will teach some of the older kids hospitality skills and will be serving coffees and stuff to tour groups that are interested in visiting an orphanage / Aids village, and will
be potentially coming through to Wat Opot for either morning tea or afternoon tea on their way to visit the Mountain which has a Wat (Temple). The Wat is much older than Angkor Wat. Me and Carmen visited that place (I'll tell that story another day). Then we have Mark, from the States who has been at Wat Opot for 5months and plan to stay much longer.
Anyways, I best be going now. I've been on the computer for the last 2hours. Dont really want to spend my last nights on the computer. Me and Carmen gonna go for dinner... mmmm $2 steak and happy hour drinks @ 75cents.. LOLzzz...
I'll continue my blog another day. Thank you guys for following me and for letting me share my experiences with you.
Bye for now!!!.....
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