Our whole morning was spent with scholarship-funded university students, including the young woman my partner and I help support. They presented to us, and we to them, on our programs and where voluntarism (for them) and internship (for us) fits in. I visit this group whenever I can, and was sad not to see some faces, but happy because I know they've graduated. There were about 30 students, 1-2 staff, and 9 of us in the room at any time, and though breezy enough, it was also pleasing to get out after 3 hours. It turns out that former colleagues had just arrived with their own tour group, so K and I lunched with them at Anise Hotel's restaurant. It was fun to meet their group members as they arrived, and at a certain point we ... read more

We began our morning at Royal University of Phnom Penh, which I visit fairly frequently. For a pleasing change of pace, my assistant K graciously offered to present. He lectured on PTSD to an attentive audience of 4th year psychology students. We next had coffee with several long-term volunteers, who offered insight and opinions on a variety of topics. We concluded our time at RUPP with a visit to the new library, which I believe was still under construction when I last visited. It's very beautiful, and quite an accomplishment. After lunch, we went to Daughters of Cambodia, which has a visitor center, shop, cafe and women-only massage area. Many ate pastries; I did not (though the did have an excellent-looking gluten-free chocolate cupcake). I did have a foot massage, Khmer-style as compared to the reflexology ... read more

We began our morning at Somaly Mam Foundation/AFESIP (http://www.somaly.org/ and http://www.afesip.org/), both of which are related and work on human trafficking issues. They've recently started to offer informational talks, and we were fortunate to be able to schedule one during this visit. A speaker from their Voices for Change program (survivors of trafficking) also spoke with us about her own experiences and how the organization has helped her. It was a meaningful and moving visit, stimulating much discussion about the status of women in the world. We attempted to visit Le Rit's/Nyemo for lunch, but it seems to be closed. I hope they're planning to re-open; they're my favorite hotel in Phnom Penh. We wound up lunching at Blue Pumpkin above Monument Books instead. The students went to the Palace and Silver Pagoda or the National ... read more

My morning began at 12:02 SAM, when my assistant arrived and needed to be vetted before the clerk would let him into the room with the sleeping student he's rooming with. Up again early and then a group trip to the Russian Market, where several kramas, pairs of pants, and bags were purchased. Lunch at a Taiwanese place (Candy Taiwan Tea House), then a brief rest at the hotel before tuk-tuks to the Foreign Correspondents Club. A slow walk up Sisowath Quay, with a temple and some restaurant scrutiny, then I gave everyone some time on their own. I went first to Artisans Angkor to look around a little, then to Seeing Hands, a massage business that employs blind masseuses, and had an hour-long reflexology foot massage ($7). The man on the table next to me ... read more

Here's a version of my intro write-up for other purposes: I’ve been to Cambodia a number of times now—as a professional, as a volunteer, and as a tourist. I’ve visited with other psychologists through People to People International, on one of Friendship with Cambodia’s socially responsible tours, and on my own. I’ve even met a couple of my university students there. But even though this is my 6th trip, it’s the first I’ve put together to share the experience with a group. I’ve wanted to do this since 2006, and I’m very excited that it’s finally happening. My assistant K and I both have a background in psychology and the students are undergraduate juniors and seniors in a service-related major. This means that all of us are interested in people and the sociocultural contexts that help ... read more