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Take chances, a lot of them because no matter where you end up and who you are with it will always end up just the way it should. Your mistakes make you who you are, you learn and grow with each choice you make. Everything is worth it, say how you feel, always be you and be okay with it.
So this morning I left England to complete the final leg of my travels. I left packing until the last minute so no doubt I have forgotten something...let's just hope I haven't forgotten anything important! I really hate saying goodbye, even though I am only away for 5 weeks I still cried when I said goodbye to Mum, Dad and Cynny! After taking about 20 minutes to get through security because my entire bag was searched and scanned twice....everything emptied out, and I was questioned as to what 'tampons' were, really!!....After that awkward conversation I was through and made my way to the gate without even getting the slightest bit lost! And now I am on the plane excited and very nervous for the next 5 weeks. I have always wanted to volunteer in a school in a less developed country so this will be another thing ticked off my bucket list!
During my second flight I constantly played elbow wars with the guy next to me as he was a larger guy and had no awareness of his size and the size of the chair.
Flight 3 was amusing because the plane was tiny! So I was preparing myself for a bumpy ride but in fact it was fine! I arrived in the tiny Cambodian airport to be greeted by a man from the school holding a sign saying 'welcome nina Bedwell'
We rode in his tuk tuk to the house accommodation which I would be staying in. As soon as I left the airport I had a good feeling about Cambodia. It was relaxed yet exciting, it felt clean but there was rubbish in various places. There were children cycling on bicycles everywhere, most bicycles were occupied by more than one child. Mopeds and motorbikes take up the roads with trucks and buses bustling through occasionally. They drive on the other side of the road to us yet it seems when they want to they drive in the middle or on the wrong side. There doesn't seem to be many rules!
When I got to the house I was greeted by many fellow volunteers including a builder called phill. The headmaster Rady then came to meet me and showed me to my room. My room is shared with 3 other girls and is primarily 4 mattresses on the floor with Mosquito nets over each bed and two fans. It is basic but comfortable. That afternoon I went to a school and helped to teach two classes. It was great fun, the children are full of character! I then went to the new school which had 3 classrooms and a computer room, library and a room where someone lives! The classrooms surround a football pitch. There was a class going on in every classroom and a few volunteers where helping out by building fences and gardening.
That evening we all had dinner together which involved rice, vegetables and eggs. The communal area is lovely. From 7-8 every evening a meeting is held to discuss everyone's lesson, the students and their progression.
I went to have a shower which was amusing, I stood in the shower room for about 20 mins trying to figure out how to get water, I finally admitted defeat and went to ask someone who told me that it had temporarily stopped working so I was to have a traditional Cambodia shower instead which involved a bucket of water! Great fun!
Today has been great, 4 of us have been sent to the 'support school' which is about 25 minute tuk tuk away from the main house. This school has only just been taken over by the charity and is just two classrooms next to each other. Slyvia and I taught the younger group. We taught them colours and played games with colours, then we focused on the alphabet and sang the alphabet song and played more games and then after their break we practiced counting and then sang the song 'if you're happy and you know it'. These children are so exciting and vibrant and full of life. They are excited to learn but like most children they struggle to keep concentrated so think injecting games into the lesson gives a good mix. At break time the children come up and hug and hang off of you! So our lunchtime consists of 4 hours spent chatting, laying in hammocks and having some pre prepared lunch! :)
- comments
Mum Brilliant Nina - knew you would love it and that they will love you - just like we do :)
diane yates So glad u r enjoying yr self Nina keep the blogs coming xx
stu sounds amazing, so glad your enjoying it x