What an incredible week! I've met the most amazing people <3

I've been in the volunteer house all week with no wifi that's why I've been rubbish at updating my blog. Sorry guys!!

The school was very interesting to say the least. I left Monday morning in a tuk tuk to find the school and it turns out that the address in the handbook is wrong which explains why I was driving round for 2 hours looking for the place - poor tuk tuk driver. Eventually I found wifi and emailed the organiser who came and found me.

After dropping my bags at the volunteer house (which was in the middle of nowhere!) I was dropped at the school. School = wooden shacks on a dirt/grass "playground". I ended up joining in with a class that 2 Austrailan guys were teaching. It was there first day too so they were happy for the help. After the chicken ran in, we did phonics and then some other bits and bobs.
I went into town that night on the back of a moped to say goodbye to my homies. England reunion?!

After class I started to hear horror stories about the man who ran the organisation. Everything promised in the handbook (wifi, western toilets and a SHOWER) were not included. We did have a squat toilet and a dirty bucket shower. Though it looked more like a swimming pool for the flies and bugs. Gross! Mentioning flies and bugs, the place was swarmed at night. The amazing mosquito nets also had big enough holes to let them through to your bed (thin mattress on the floor). I spent the night wrapped up in my sleeping bag liner sweating buckets because I didn't want the bugs crawling on me! The natural alarm clock was very interesting too. Across from the house was a pig slaughter house. So screams and squeals of pigs was what woke us up in the morning!

By Tuesday a girl had left as she was sick of the man and the system. There were no resources for the children, not even a pen! He didn't seem to care. There was such a negative atmosphere in the house.

Despite the problems, school was fun. Me and the Aussies worked out a system where I took some children out for a while and they taught the rest of the class. It was working well until I got my own class haha. Again I decided to teach them how to read.

The children were fab. So lovely, didn't speak English. Excellent at copying everything you say. "Hello my name is Sanchez, Hello my name is Sanchez, noo my name is Sanchez, noo my name is Sanchez". So funny trying to think of things to do with them.

On Wednesday 3 more people left! This time they asked for some money back because an 18 year old girl paid $720!!! The guy organising lied through his teeth and said the other man was in control of the money. He wouldn't give any contact details so she found them online and one of the guys called him. Turns out he quit in July!! Wahhh the organiser is clearly stealing the money. Deffo bought his snazzy new phone with it. We ended up having a big talk with him and basically telling him how what he was doing wasn't working and that he's a lier and that he should give the girl some money back. He didn't listen and the convo finished with him saying he was going to quit hahaa. Wasn't quite what we were looking for. After afternoon class that day he didn't pick us up so me and Karolina started to walk. About 45 minutes later Argi and Niki rock up behind on a locals truck and we jump in. The joy of hitchhiking!

The next few days got better. The other volunteers were amazing. There was me, Karolina from New Zealand, Ben and Pete from Aus, Argi from Greece, another Pete from Aus and Niki from Canada. As there was nothing to do in the house, we improvised. We lined dance, we played cards, we played crazily annoying mind games with sticks! Me and Niki taught the group the cup song so we bashed cups for a while too. The family downstairs deffo must have been annoyed. Luckily they still made us breakfast haha! We had so much fun playing games and getting to know each other. One night Ben and Pete took us over to the back of the temple for some training. My arms are still hurting!! The monks came and watched us and some had a go in the rings!

My last lesson on Friday afternoon was awesome. I joined Ben and Pete to teach the monks at the temple opposite! It was such a rewarding experience. They were so funny and loved learning!! If i was teaching them I would have stayed longer.

We all went to Siem Reap for the weekend to visit Angkor Wat for sunrise. It was so beautiful! Lovely day. In the evening we went out for drinks and to danceee. Somehow I ended up trying snake and cockroach. It actually didn't taste that bad but i won't be trying it again. We spent Sunday playing games in the pool which got slightly aggressive. Omgosh I forgot hahahaa on Saturday night I was telling Pete about this kid in the city who swears at people and we walked past him and he decided to punch Pete hahaaa he was like karate kid! "Pure" thought he was going to stab him with his stick Hahaa crayyyy!

I decided to quit a week early and venture into Laos before planned. I was so happy when I suggested that the other guys should join me and Argi and Karolina said yes!!

I've made the best of friends this week and hopefully will see them in Aus next year!! It's been such an amazing week, so much fun. It wouldn't have been the experience it was if my new Cambodia family were not there. Love you guys!

And now I'm in Laos ready for more adventures with Argi, Karolina and our new friend Andrea. We're currently in Don Det in the 4000 islands and were greeted with the most amazing sunset whilst arriving on the local boat.

I will update in a few days!

Peace and love

<3