Motorcycle Diaries in the Cambodian Countryside

A part of my job is to go to neighboring villages and both observe classes and offer pedagogy training. 

Getting there has been interesting.. 

With the floods, a lot of roads have turned into a mess; the staff take me via motorcycle but I'm not sure if it's culturally appropriate to grab them 'round the waist so I just bear the bumps, break my neck and hope that the weight of my backpack doesn't topple me backwards.

Despite this, the Cambodian countryside is so picturesque, imagine rust colored dirt roads, naked children running free, cows with over sized bells, chickens with their gang of fluffy brown chicks (yesterday I counted 25), palm trees and homes with bright cobalt blue doors nestled in bright green (almost neon) rice paddies. If you look closely, you'll catch water buffalo head deep in water..

The students are adorable, chubby, tweety-voiced characters who repeat everything the teacher says, 47 of them rammed on benches, with pencils and notebooks, dressed in white shirts tucked into dark blue shorts, focusing on everything except what they're supposed to. Again, I don't teach the students, I teach the teachers to teach so the changes are more sustainable. Right now the focus in on shifting from rote learning to critical thinking, although it's funny when you have your glasses and laptop, looking all astute and making a point about multiple intelligences and a cow interrupts you with a moo ..

Back on the bike and to the main center (which seems like a resort in comparison - gardens, bottled water and wireless internet), the roads are bumpy but who am I to complain when I pass a tiny tot on his father's lap, all of age 2, disheveled hair and flushed cheeks, with the same look, same white knuckled grip, seemingly thinking the same thing .. "when is this shit gonna end"..

:S

Siem Reap Floods + Images

Sept/Oct 2011 

This year's floods are especially bad. The river has swollen to twice it's size and water has seeped into the streets, making it difficult to get around.

Residents by the river are knee/waist deep in water and most of the hotels and restaurants are vacant. I passed one furniture store with steel gates that didn't offer any protection, the water had seeped in and was encircling the legs of the tables and cabinets. The kids seem to love it though, for them, the city has turned into a swimming pool.

This year's water festival, a holiday to celebrate the end of the rainy season, has been canceled. The only thing we can do is offer our business and wait for the water to recede.

Volunteer Mission : Cambodia 2011

'Volunteering' is often associated with giving back, personal satisfaction and doing something in your free time. The right volunteer work though, also requires hard work, planning and effective time management.

What I do

I work with a local organization to provide education, training, medical and social support for Cambodian children that would otherwise find themselves out on the street. The Sangkheum Center for Children (SCC) extends its care to both resident and non-resident children.

I have 3 distinct tasks:

1) Find new ways to revise the curriculum and provide training on effective teaching methods, including bringing 'creativity to the classroom' and moving beyond the top down model of instruction. I'll meet with the staff (2 from the center, 3 from neighbouring villages) and put together a workshop, first presenting it to the group of 5, then spending time with each individual teacher to ensure proper instruction and implementation.

2) Work with the resident young adults who have left SCC and moved into a transitional home to find jobs and re-integrate into society. This is a crucial stage since they have been 'institutionalized' from a young age and are sort of being pushed over the cliff, assuming they know how to fly. A lot of them speak basic English and have good manners but lack confidence and leadership qualities. I'll be conducting another workshop to provide life skills training on such things as motivation, communication, problem solving, self-realization and good citizenry.


3) Work with a graphic designer to re-vamp the website, re-writing the text and incorporating elements of social media. We are the chosen NGO for a unique MBA project led by a professor who has made frequent trips to Cambodia, the focus of which to develop promotional materials which will be circulated to donors/visitors/volunteers etc. I'll be working in tandem with this group. 

Cost Operations 

The way most of these organizations operate is that any money secured is spent on a) local salaries, b) child care and c) resources toward running the center. Volunteers are asked and expected to cover their expenses, including:

• flight over
• accommodation 
• transportation to and from the center
• meals 
• insurance 
• specific work materials (books etc) 

Choosing to do this work involves stringent financial planning on your side. Since I left Toronto, I've been putting aside funds and managing my budget. I've officially turned into a 'cheap charlie' ;)

I stay in a $6/night room, booked a R/T flight for $300 and am on a $10/day budget, including transportation, meals and other necessities. (US dollars)

And all this for the single purpose of exploring a different area of work where I hope to find myself connected to the bottom line/end goal.

Lets see how it goes ..

Keep you posted.

Ever Wonder What it Costs?

Childhood and Development (Cambodia) 

• Summer Camp (2 weeks): $80/10 kids
• Education Kit: (6 months): $260/10 kids
• Art Supplies: (1 month): $25/300 kids
• Sports Equipment: (1 month): $300/1 team
• Food: (1 month): $350/8 people
• Home Kit: (6 months): $270/8 children
• Medical Care (2 months): $100/55 children
• English Class Package: (1 month): $200
• Music and Dance Set:: (1 year): $1000
• Paint and Center Maintenance (1 year): $2000
• Bicycle: $30/1 unit   
• Scholarship University/Vocational Training (1 year): $1200
• Laptop: $600/1 unit

Source: Sangkheum Center for Children  

Initial Thoughts

I never thought my blog would start of like this, but I want to honour the work I do and the experiences I gain here to my loving grandfather, a kind and gentle soul, whose life’s purpose was to make the world a better place. He has inspired many around him, myself included and will be fondly remembered for the person he was.

How it all began

Somehow, life led me from my job in Toronto, half way around the world to Singapore, where I took some time to reflect on my strengths and interests and pondered the question, “where can I best contribute my efforts?”

I knew for certain that I liked helping people, enjoyed traveling and using those experiences to open the minds of those around me. I began to look further into development and education as a means of sustainability. I carved out some time when I could volunteer in the area of South East Asia /South Asia and decided to see where it would take me.

A few months later and I’ve found myself with an organization that supports sustainable development; it is a center for at-risk children located 10 km outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia a country with a long and dated history.

Simply being in Cambodia (or India, or Nepal etc.) moves you. It has a soothing way of tantalizing your senses, with its sights, sounds and smells. I hope to share a few of those experiences with you.

The purpose of this blog though, is not to talk about me, but to try and achieve some social consciousness around our lives, the things we think we need and can actually do without. It’s part self-discovery, part tiny-strides to see what I can do and learn with my time in these 6 weeks ahead.

I hope something here this has piqued your interest and will keep you following my posts.

d.