Volunteer in Cambodia!

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Hello (or, "soos-die" as they say in Cambodia)! If you are looking to volunteer or travel authentically, Cambodia is the place for you! Since the end of the Khmer Rouge in the late '90's, this country's people have worked hard to move on with their lives, despite the many memories and reminders of the holocaust that occurred here between 1975 and 1979. Today, Cambodia remains deeply impoverished, with some of the most undiscovered land mines in the world littering their beautiful countryside. Each year, many children and adults are injured, crippled, or killed by these wartime remnants. Many children are also being trafficked for sexual - and other kinds - of slavery. Many foreigners come to Cambodia to take advantage of some of the world's hungriest children, while the children who have escaped their clutches must beg for their daily bread or school fees. In spite of this, Cambodia's people are some of the kindest, gentlest souls you will ever meet. Everyone has a smile for you, especially the loads of children running around. Just being here will uplift your heart, not just break it. People are eager to get to know you and are quick to extend an invitation to their village homes in the beautiful countryside in order to share their lives and what little they have with you. The countryside is gorgeous, not to mention the temples: one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Angkor Wat, is in the little town of Siem Riep.

Besides the delicious food and the wonderful cultural opportunities, one of the best reasons to come to Cambodia is to VOLUNTEER! There are countless street children, orphans, land mine victims, and impoverished people to help. There are hundreds of NGO's that need as much help as they can get and most orphanages are eager to have people volunteer their time to teach English, play with kids, hold babies, or do other projects.

If you have time (and making some will be one of the best things you can do with your time here), then find something you're interested in to get involved with. My husband and I were in Cambodia for a month and we spent most of it in Battambang- a great city near the border town of Poi Pet. While there, we volunteered at an orphanage called C’ite D’Enfants, better known as ASPECA. ASPECA is a French organization with orphanages all over Cambodia. There are two in Battambang and we volunteered at the one that is not by the river. The staff was incredible and they were willing to let us start helping the day we came. In our time there, we spent each day helping out with the babies in the under-staffed nursery and taught two hours of English classes a day with the wonderful English teacher there named Baht.

Our experience volunteering was enriching and enlightening. We had no idea what an orphanage was like and were surprised to find the children to be extremely happy, inquisitive, and loving. I saw a lot of smiles, playing, and kindness. In my English classes, I was constantly surprised by the ambition and work ethic of the students. Many of them wanted to be doctors, scientists, or teachers! I felt that the nurturing environment at ASPECA has made it possible for these children to realistically dream big and I was honored to be a part of their journey into adulthood.

If you want to work at an orphanage but don't know which one you want to work at, just tell a moto driver to take you to the ones they know of (and they know where they are) and you can go from there. Again, I highly recommend ASPECA because they let you be as involved as you want to be. It’s a good idea to bring school supplies for the kids in your class as a small gift, as they are always needed and appreciated. Teaching at ASPECA is great – especially if you are inexperienced with ESL because you assist Baht, who will allow you to decide how much you want to be in front of the class. Mostly, he will want you to practice with the students so that they can improve their conversation skills.

A German traveler spent two weeks at ASPECA and actually spent each full day at the orphanage and slept there. She is committed to returning later to volunteer for three solid months because she enjoyed her experience so much. If you’re interested in staying on – site, the staff is more than willing to accommodate you. Many of the local NGO workers stop by daily to spend time with the kids, who are happy and really seem to thrive in the beautiful and caring space the orphanage has been able to provide. These NGO workers are great resources for future volunteer work. Another place to find out about opportunities is at the Sunrise Café, a cozy Western – run dive with amazing food. It’s the place for expats and travelers alike. You can find it in the Cambodia Lonely Planet or ask anyone when you get there.

Volunteering is a great way to get to know Cambodians better because you get to spend some quality time with the locals. This can lead to some amazing travel experiences. Baht, ASPECA’s English teacher, was eager to get to know us and he invited us to his family's home, where they cooked us a delicious meal and spent quality time with my husband and I. Encounters like this are common in Cambodia if you are open and willing to accept an invitation. I find that most travelers who volunteer there end up having a much more fascinating adventure.

Teaching English is a wonderful way to volunteer your time, as everyone in the world wants and needs to speak English. For Cambodians, being able to speak English changes their lives dramatically. These people can get better jobs and become more educated, thereby raising the standard of living for themselves, their families, and their communities. Cambodians are eager to learn the language and you don’t need to be experienced in order to teach. The most important thing is patience, kindness, and attentiveness. It’s easy to make flashcards or make up games, but just conversing and talking about yourself is a big help. School supplies and cheap copies of English textbooks are available all over Cambodia to assist you, but most orphanages will have copies too. One thing I wish I had brought with me is a stack of children’s books. Reading to kids is so helpful for them because they can hear your pronunciation. In addition to that, most orphanages and schools don’t have many books in English or Khmer, so story time would be a big treat. If you want to be extra prepared, you can always get TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or ESL (English as a Second Language) certified. These are basically the same thing and you can do your course online, if you wish. I used TEFL International and really liked it. In addition to orphanages and English instruction, there are many NGO's in Battambang, Siem Riep, Phnom Penh and all over Cambodia that could use your help. We really liked the Land Mine Museum in Siem Riep. Pick up a copy of Stay Another Day Cambodia, a free booklet you will see all over the country in restaurants and hotels that is full of information about different NGO's that need volunteers. They also have a great website with information for Vietnam and Laos as well. There are many opportunities for skilled and unskilled volunteers in different fields all over the country. If you don't have time to volunteer, you can support the many stores, restaurants, and entertainment options that support good causes that are also listed in the booklet. Many hotels will also have announcements about different volunteer opportunities, so check out those boards and talk to other expats! Many orphanages and NGO’s would be happy even if you only had a day or a few hours to spare and the volunteering we did enabled us to meet wonderful people that really enriched the trip itself. It allowed us to have an authentic travel experience, hear personal stories about the Khmer Rouge, and allow us to give back to - and help - this wonderful country. We were very sad to leave Cambodia and can't wait to return. The nation and its people have found a very special place in our hearts in large part because we volunteered.

Here are a few helpful websites to get you started:

For Teaching Ideas and Materials:

Dave’s ESL: This is the website for teaching English abroad: Dave's ESL

Getting TEFL Certified: TEFL International

Cambodia Specific:

Stay Another Day: Stay Another Day

ASPECA Orphanages:

Main Website: ASPECA

Contact Info: Yellow Pages Cambodia

Kampot Office: Kampot ASPECA

Volunteering in General:

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