Hola!

I'd like to start today by thanking everyone who reached out after the last blog post. Your kind words and thoughts really helped me, and cleared my head of the negativity I was feeling. THANK YOU!!!

The last 4 days have gone as such:

Thursday and Friday felt largely uneventful with more training, and mindless classroom sessions. Then Saturday came, which marks us having officially been in Mondulkiri for a week! This weekend was brilliant and exactly what I and the rest of my team needed. On Saturday, I woke up at a leisurely pace, did some stinky laundry, and met the UK vols in Green House (a local hostel/restaurant/free wifi hub) for hours of video chatting Ewan (the boyfriend, in case people were wondering), and replying to emails and messages from back home. (So sorry if I have not gotten back to you yet, it's on my to-do list!) The afternoon flew by, and really boosted my mood after a dreary week.

Sunday, wow, what a day! The UK vols and a few Khmer decided to walk 10km to see the smallest waterfall in the Mondulkiri province. It was amazing. Swimsuits were on, and suncream was applied (although not as carefully as I thought) and morale was up. The walk was hot and sweaty, but the waterfall was more than worth it. We swam for 2 hours, trying to avoid swallowing any of the off colored water, and I was finally at peace. This little waterfall was surrounded by a forest of trees and so tucked away, you wouldn't have found it if you didn't know where it was. We spent the majority of the day chatting, eating fresh mango and enjoying each other's company, especially while everyone was in such a happy mood. The walk back to town was tough and hot (not surprising as we left at 2pm, after hours of swimming), but the food that we ate on the way back was just enough to re-energize everyone enough to continue walking to their host homes. On the walk home, I remarked to Flo (one of the lovely UK vols, as well as a dear friend) that walking back, I felt so clear headed, and ready for the week ahead. I had spent so much of my first week trying to adjust and not freak out, that a little breather to sort myself out, had done wonders. I can now say that I am ready for the next 10 weeks, and not feeling so bummed out.

Having lost my phone to the torrential rain of Sen Monorom and a Chinese storm, I am going to have to rely on Flo (who also lives near me) and her camera to take some pics of my host home, and my surroundings. So pictures should follow this post soon (hopefully!)

While I am 100% missing my UK/USA creature comforts, there are a number of things that I am really enjoying:
- Mangos are 1000 Riel ($.25) for a kilo. This means I bought 3 huge mangos for $.25 . Fruit is ridiculously cheap and easily accessible, making it a #1 pick on my way to and from work.
- Cold showers after being covered in dirt and dust all day.
- Cool nights, which make sleeping a bit easier.
- The amazing fried egg, beef and veggie combo that my family makes for me every night. In Cambodia they have green tomatoes that have become my fave (they taste similar to peppers)!
- My host family's generosity and understanding, especially when it comes to my weird "western" habits.

After a lot of thinking, and soul searching, I know that the hardship I experienced last week, was needed. It will make me a better person and give me the best background I could ask for. Once I have finished my studies, I really want to work in development, and this has given me a great perspective of the challenges I will face. Even if I do not agree with the program's techniques or their method of delivery, I know I am gaining invaluable knowledge and understanding.

Thanks again for all the messages and the kind thoughts. I am really so grateful for all the love and support.

xx

Hi all!

I'm not really sure where to start with today's post- I've been writing this post in my head for a few days.

I arrived in Sen Monorom a week ago, and it's been a very emotional week. We stayed in a guest house (hotels in Cambodia are mostly called guest houses), for the first two nights. 

On Sunday afternoon, we met our host families and saw our host homes for the first time. I have never felt more uncomfortable with my surroundings. I have been placed in a traditional host home, a raised house with pigs in the garden and a bathroom with a squat toilet at one end of the property. In Cambodia, they are comfortable living in the dirt and with the bugs- I am not. The learning curve for how to shower, what you eat at dinner, to how to use the toilet properly (without a hose) has been very steep. We have been fully immersed and forced to quickly adapt to the cultural norms. 

My host family is lovely. Both the parents are farmers with the father seeking additional work as a security guard. They have four children, and the three eldest are married. They have been very accommodating to me- even giving me a sarong (a cultural item of clothing- worn around the house,and to shower, by men and women)! Unfortunately they don't speak any English, which means that all conversations or questions have to be communicated through my counterpart, who doesn't have the highest comprehension of English. Last night I spent two hours teaching them some English, and it was great to use my brain in a different way (than the past 2 weeks).

In terms of my program, we haven't started our work yet. This is mostly due to the fact that we have to set everything up from the ground, as no ICS vols have ever been to Mondulkiri. It is also because there is just so much to cover, and learn before we can start. Personally this has been too long for me. I was very keen to work in education, but the delayed start has also helped me settle in. There has been a lot of sitting around, getting spoken to, with not very many breaks. I left uni for a summer break, only to feel like I am back in primary school, with the way we are spoken to and treated.

Emotionally, I have felt very down. Like very down. My iPhone got waterlogged on Monday, and I am feeling very disconnected from my loved ones. With no internet at my host home, or at the office, the only internet I can get is in a cafe with my laptop. The culture shock and huge discrepancies in personal boundaries, I have really been struggling to keep myself happy and motivated. I know this is not what people back home want to hear, but I've been suffering with these thoughts for a while now. Logically I know it should get better, but at the moment it's pretty hard for me.

I love you all, and thank you for the continued support from my family and friends everywhere.

xx

 

Wow, this week has gone by fast!

In Phnom Penh,we had 5 days of training at the CKCC (Cambodian Korean Cooperation Center) at RUPP (Royal University of Phnom Pennh). These days were filled with learning new and old material, breaks in which we tried new food (delicious fruits in weird casings, coconut pastries buns filled with hot dogs) and desperately trying to stay in the air-con.

We also ventured to the night market on Sunday, tried out tuk-tuks (which are great and scary and involve a lot of haggling), tried out Cambodian interpretations of western food (I had a DQ ice cream and a delicious pepperoni pizza), and a one hour Khmer massage (fun fact: don't take off your underwear, they take offence to it).

The three volunteer groups (ours, Ratanakiri and Stung Treng) were all together for the training, and I shared a room with a UK volunteer called Hayley from Devon! It was great and reassuring to be partnered up with someone from my own culture, who wouldn't mind me hanging up my freshly washed knickers up on the window rails, or seeing my naked butt cheeks.

In Phnom Penh, it was muggy, and wet and dirty and moist and sweaty and foggy. We only had rain on one night and it was wonderful. The amount of rubbish in the streets was astonishing. How people are able to live among the dirt was slightly disturbing. Whilst in the tuk-tuk on our city tour, we saw kids playing in the road works (ie the dirt on the side of the road, with the cones, in holes, etc), and clearly didn't have the same concerns as a westerner would have.

This week has been very eye opening, disorienting, and wonderful.

I just arrived in Sen Monorom, the main town in Mondulkiri province, after a 7 hour bus journey through Cambodia. We will be living and working here for the next 10 weeks, and it's great to finally get settled.

Lots of love to everyone back home,
xx

Hi errybody!

That's us arrived in Singapore, after a 13 hour flight from London! We are all thoroughly tired and fed up. But on the plus side, I've already had a great meal ( HUGE chunks of garlic mixed in various green veggies with coconut rice) and bought some duty free Korean beauty products!

Our next stop is Phnom Penh and then we will hopefully be able to shower and sleep before our first day of training tomorrow.

Everyone is so nice and we have really bonded, especially with the bad turbulence on the plane 😖, and it's really nice to know I'm half way across the world with people I get along with.

xx

Hi everyone!

Thought I would kick this off, seeing as I am waiting for my first flight onto London. Today is the beginning of my 12 week trip!

First a little background:

I've never done this before, but wanted to be able to show my family and friends, what I was experiencing in Cambodia for the next three months. I don't know how much I will post, and how long they will be, but I want to try and put up at many words and pictures as I can.

I want to thank all the family and friends that have supported me (with donations, warm wishes, alcohol filled parties or just a hug) and the trip. For those who know me well, you'll know that I have never done anything so far out of my comfort zone. The big positive thought I keep holding on to while I'm sad about leaving everyone I love, is that I can't wait to come out on the other side with new insights and a bucket load of experiences. I really hope to grow as a person, and get an eye opening experience of what poverty looks like.

The gate is beginning to open, and they will shortly be calling for us to board.

Thank you for following this blog/ your interest in my travels.

See you in 3 days Cambodia!

(And a mandatory backpacking selfie- my bag was 15kg, just 5kg short of the max weight!)

xx B