Written by United Planet volunteer Jennifer Hicks on her trip in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Anthony, Theresa, and I went to a concert in the evening. I got in the tuk tuk thinking we were going to some free concert like the one Val, Ta, and I went to, but I got there and realized it was a classical cello concert!

The concert was really great. The cellist was Beat Richner, who has opened four children’s hospitals in Cambodia, three in Phnom Penh, and one in Siem Reap (I bicycle past it twice every day). The hospitals are completely free for children 12 and under and they save 85,000 lives every year. While Richner rotated playing and talking I learned some sombering facts:
- 65% of Cambodians (all ages) have tuberculosis
- 85% of Cambodians make 50 cents a day
- JEV (Japanese Encephalitus Virus) vaccinations aren’t allowed in Cambodia
- Until 1992 most modern vaccines weren’t brought to Cambodia because it was thought that because the people are so uneducated, they wouldn’t understand how to administer medications

Richner said something else that I really liked, “The high mortality rate of the poor is not caused because of poverty. The mortality rate is caused by discrimination against the poor.”

The hospital is free for all children 12 and under and families who have to travel very far to get to the hospital are also compensated for gasoline on their trip. The hospital delivers about fifty babies a day, performs sixty surgeries, and has lowered its mortality rate from 6% to 0.5% in just 17 years. And, no child is rejected. After all I have learned, I have an entirely new appreciation for the hospital. There are lines a mile long every day comprised of families with sick children waiting for their number to be called. What an incredible thing Richner is doing.

The free cello concert is something that he started years ago in order to raise money for the hospital. Two million dollars are donated every year by the Cambodian government, three million by the Swiss government where Richner is from, and the rest of the funding comes from private donations. It costs around 80 million every year to run the hospitals and his cello concerts, alone, raise eight million each year. I thought his story was incredible and I bought his classical cello CD to listen to while I study in college.

To read more about Jen’s trip to Cambodia check out her blog at http://jensgapyear.blogspot.com/.

Written by United Planet Volunteer Abbie Mood.

“Fight with words, not with bullets.” ~Phally, the Director of Khmer Chewy Khmer

It was 6 p.m. and Kristen and I had just arrived at Khmer Chewy Khmer English School in Siem Reap, Cambodia. There were probably 100 children running around, and more were on their bikes outside. Phally, the School Director, immediately showed us to separate “classrooms” to either assist or to teach a class. Even with my experience as a teacher in the United States, it was a bit overwhelming, but the students were so welcoming and so interested in learning that it was hard to feel uncomfortable. Many of them were interested in practicing their conversational skills, and hearing native pronunciation of English words. Phally’s goal is for the students (or “his children” as Phally affectionately calls them) to learn English so that the children of Siem Reap can have more opportunities in their lives, and to foster cross cultural understanding.

The students come from all over Siem Reap to attend this school, which is at Phally’s house. He has turned his home and his property into a free school for children who cannot afford the $5-8 monthly fee that most private schools charge. The school has gone from 50 students to almost 1000 in just a few years. Phally’s work has inspired his students so much that many return to volunteer as teachers. They will work all day and then travel for an hour or more to teach at the school at night.

We also volunteered at the school during the day with two other volunteers, Erin and Merrill. We would help Phally with tasks around the school, such as moving dirt to level the land for a new classroom or digging a ditch so that the grounds don’t flood during rainy season. Every day, we would start a task, but not have time to finish it, and tell Phally that we would finish it the next day. Every day, we would come back, and the task would have been completed, and there would be something else to do.

Phally’s dedication and love for his town (and his country) was so apparent that Kristen and I knew we needed to do more to help him when we got back to the United States. We talked to the Country Coordinator and found out that a classroom costs approximately $2000 to build. A classroom consists of a cement floor, two brick walls, a roof made of aluminum sheeting, wooden tables with wooden benches, a white board, and a few lightbulbs. I promised Phally before I left that we would raise money for him to build that extra classroom, and I have every intention of fulfilling this promise. Kristen and I are planning a couple fundraising events at the beginning of the year, so check back for updates on how you can help out, too!

Abbie’s continuing to fundraise for the extra classroom now that she’s returned to the US. To plan your own inspirational trip to Cambodia visit our website.

Written by United Planet Volunteer Carrie Schramm.

I live on the third floor and spend a lot of my time in the living room (across from my room) or on the roof (the sixth floor) where I can see the top of some of the mountains on clear days.

Photo taken from Peter Akkermans, Flickr

The students at my school all ask for science experiments so I am thinking of small things that I can buy for the school that allows them to do science experiments. Even a beaker or graduated cylinder would be great. Any ideas? So far I’ve planned measuring water flow, playing with magnets, and some math games with flashcards and dice. I need help.

So there are two important things I forgot to mention because I am already getting used to them. The first is electricity. A comic was in the paper the other day that depicted two travelers getting shown to their room. The caption below read “This is your room. don’t worry about turning off the lights, the government does that for us.” The government turns out the electricity for eight hours a day (two – four hour segments). It usually is in the morning while I am at school and then when it gets dark from around six to ten. Most nights we eat, cook, talk, and read by candlelight. I actually like the simplicity. When the lights turn on there is a quick cheer and then everyone continues with whatever they were doing (or turns on the TV). It is a fun little surprise and makes a person appreciate the little things in life.

Photo taken from Dmitry_Sumin, Flickr

The other thing is the traffic. I have to cross the road to get to school and every day I feel like I should be so elated that I made it. Nima told me to “just walk, they won’t hit you.” So far that has worked! There are no traffic lanes and there are no traffic rules. When going around a corner they honk to see if someone is coming on the other side and they honk if they are coming. That way they know to try and stay on their own side. Very very few people drive something other than a motorcycle. They are the best because they can sneak through stalled traffic, lots of fun. I don’t almost scream when I’m in a taxi anymore because with this kind of traffic they never really get above 25 miles per hour. It is just a little scary at times.

Photo taken from ah_zut, Flickr

Well, I best get home and take a shower…I mean a “bucket bath.” There is no hot water so we heat up water in buckets and use a cup to rinse off. It is difficult to wash long hair in a bucket…but not all that different from camping. It is better than a cold shower!

Carrie Schramm is currently volunteering in Nepal. you can read more about her experiences on her blog. To plan your own adventure in Nepal, please visit our website.

Written by United Planet volunteer Megan Renfro.

Last weekend, for my first holiday since I arrived here, I went to Jinja with my friends Sidsel, Judith, and Henna. It was absolutely fantastic and much needed as Henna had diagnosed me with “bush fever,” meaning the kind of restlessness acquired after being in the villages for an extended period of time. Jinja is the source of the Victoria Nile, so it’s all very green and ridiculously beautiful (like belongs on a postcard beautiful).

This was the view from our hostel porch.

We left Makondo early Friday morning (5am early), arrived in Kampala late morning, spent a few hours there running errands and grabbed lunch before catching the Matatu to Jinja. We got to our hostel around 6:30pm and promptly went for a swim in the Nile River at sunset. Afterwards, we got dinner and crashed early. Saturday morning Sidsel and I went bungee jumping above the Nile! (Hence the “sorry Mom” and Grandma too!) We were both a little nervous but had so much fun.

Bungee jumping above the Nile!

Afterwards the four of us (Henna and Judith had watched us jump) went into town to walk around and check out some of the craft shops. Then we headed back to our hostel and spent the rest of the evening, as well as Sunday morning, just relaxing, swimming, hanging out, and eating. We headed back home (way too soon) on Sunday early afternoon, changing taxis in Kampala and Masaka, before ending up back in Makondo late in the evening. Overall, it was a wonderful trip and we’re planning to go back again soon!

To plan your own adventure in Uganda visit our website!

Photos taken by United Planet Volunteer Leesa Fallah.

Leesa has just returned from her memorable Quest to Cambodia where she helped teach English to local students! Here are just a few of the amazing photos from her trip!

The Apsara dancers performing a traditional dance at the Temple Bar Restaurant. Apsaras were originally dancers for the royal court.

Students anxiously await the beginning of English class at Khmer Chewy Khmer. Leesa assisted the teacher, Bunleap, who is in the blue shirt.

Students on Tonle Sap Lake returning home from school. For many Cambodians, both school and home are on the lake!

The Les Chantiers Ecoles Silk Farm, which displays all of the stages of silk production, including the cultivation of the worms! Here the silkworms are eating mulberry leaves.

The gorgeous Ta Prohm Temple at Angkor Wat!

Leesa's farewell dinner at a local Cambodian restaurant. After selecting food choices, the diner grills meats and cooks soup in a pot that is placed on top of burning charcoal!

To plan your own Quest to Cambodia, visit our website!