Yesterday was my last day of school, and as it was Chinese New Year I brought coloured paper and glitter glue into school so we could make Chinese lanterns. There was no scheduled classes for the day and when I arrived the children had already been drawing pictures, but they loved the idea of the glitter glue and by the end of the day we all had glitter everywhere! Some of them grasped the idea of the lanterns, but mostly they were happy to make cards and draw pictures using the glitter glue to decorate. It was only about half way through the day that they realised it would be my last, and so at that stage I was smothered in hugs and commanded not to leave. All the kids grouped together so I could take a photo and then I was given so drawings before I left. Most volunteers who are at their placements for several months become really attached to their kids and are often tearful when they leave, but because I have only been there for just over a month I am not as attached as I probably would have been if I had been there from the start. In many ways though I am glad that is how it is because I would hate to have been really sad to leave as that may have overshadowed my future travelling in the next few months, about which I am really excited.


I have not made a fuss about my last weekend in Siem Reap because I am coming back again in a month. Last night everyone went out for dinner, and tonight we are going to karaoke which should be interesting...


On Monday I leave for the Cambodian coast and by Friday I should be entering South Vietnam. I will then spend 3 weeks travelling up to Hanoi before flying to Bangkok and making my way back to Siem Reap. I will probably have a few days relaxing in Siem Reap and catching up with friends before flying to New Zealand. All in all things are going to be quite hectic for the next month!