Today we went deep into the countryside past more lakes and lily lakes. We were going towards the Kiriron National Park so it was getting hillier and very green. As usual the road got worse but never too bad and I arrived without having to dust myself off. The school was lovely, built into the hillside with views of hills, water and rice fields. For the first time the children were really shy of me and just stared and stared. I don't think they had seen many wes...

I started yesterday thinking I would write an account of a day in the life of a VSO volunteer in the provinces (wanted for the website to help new volunteers). I actually wanted to make it clear that you have to accept you are alone and that some days you will speak to no-one and that you have to be content with your own company. Early in the morning I went for a bike ride through the rice fields taking photos as I went along - see album. It was great the temper...

Well here I am back in the Royal Hotel in Battambang. It is, to me, where I started this adventure and is, in my opinion, a very special place. For the first time I am here for work. I am at a three day workshop about ECE (Early Childhood Education). Monday - Really interesting as they all said the right things - that is young children should be playing as they learn, they should have practical activities, the environment should allow them to move around etc e...

Tuesday - Today has been good. We were invited by Beata to support her when she introduced VSO to Koh Kong, where she is working as an EMA. As I said the journey here was long and very very wet. This morning was even wetter with thunder - however Beata said it was nothing I should have been here a couple of weeks ago!! Yet again I sat and watched Bunthorn presenting this time about mentoring and coaching - I was very pleased with the session as it just said exa...

The journey to Koh Kong was lovely but sadly in the rain - not surprising really as it is the wet season. I know that for a fact as today I have got wet 3 times. First time walking to the end of the road to be picked up by the bus that Bunthorn was already on - he was coming from PP. He sent a text saying they would arrive in 15 mins so off I trotted, not wanting to hold the bus up, into the rain. Very wet - 30 minutes later the bus was there!!!! That sounds wor...