Volunteering in Cambodia - Page 2 - Ajarn Forum

Piece Train · 21st October 2007, 09:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loxley

Sounds great but I dont have a masters which rules me out of most

Thanks for the offer BTW I may well contact you about that in time

Just out of interest, those christian projects, they dont discriminiate againist non Cristians do they?

Sure, I invite you to contact me anytime. The guy I know would not discriminate against a non-Christian, that I know. However, from what I have heard from someone who works at World Vision, one must be Christian to be a manager there, but the lower level staff does not need to be.

The place where I worked/volunteered is open to people of all faiths, or no faith, that is certain.

Some of the NGOs all you need is a bachelor's too. Or, in my case, they wanted to know about quality control and I had an ISO 9001 certificate.

ScorpioPower · 21st October 2007, 10:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loxley

do you want to clarify that a bit?

The days of walking into NGO jobs in Cambo ended in the late 90's. I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but they're very rare.

If you haven't worked for an aid org before and/or don't have the right degree [Computer Science will get you absolutely nowhere for example], NGO's won't hire you in Cambo.

But none of this changes the fact that they're unregulated and uncoordinated. They couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. Heads of these orgs were frequently being fired for corruption. Absolutely incredible that this Danish ecology twat from the Mekong River Commission could blow his career over a relatively small amount of money. I did shag his daughter however!!!!

phuketbound · 21st October 2007, 10:29

Loxley

Quote:

PB let us know how you get on mate? would be really interested to hear whats out there in the way of volunteer opportunities

I will most definitely let you know how it goes, but it won't be till after March 08.
If you do a google search you can find tons of volunteer agencies and opportunities. Here are a few that i've found quite good.

http://www.volunteerscambodia.com/
http://www.volunteerincambodia.org

Piece Train

Quote:

If you do end up wanting the contact info on my Cambodian friends there (and I do know of a philanthropic company I did some nearly volunteer work for as well in Phnom Penh), PM me. Anything I can do to help is my pleasure. The company I volunteered for was not an NGO but rather a company that helped the disadvantaged get training in computer skills. It was set up entirely by philanthropists from Great Britain.

Thank you. I will pm you regarding this. Your volunteer job teaching computer skills sounds interesting.

Piece Train · 6th January 2008, 01:55

See you soon!

grasshopper · 6th January 2008, 03:21

MA International Relations any good?
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like the quote btw, reminds me of one I read which I think was written by a WW2 German High Command member!

'it's not what people see you do but the things you do when no-one's looking'

Well · 6th January 2008, 04:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by grasshopper

MA International Relations any good?

they really want more practical things...i.t. specialisms, engineering, medicine, large-scale project management...

grasshopper · 6th January 2008, 06:37

fair enough - wasn't really thinking Cambo on job front anyway, like to go there tho'

rogerman · 6th January 2008, 08:06

[quote=ScorpioPower]The days of walking into NGO jobs in Cambo ended in the late 90's. I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but they're very rare.

I worked in Cambodia during the last uprising in the war for World Vision. I was driving a truck and trailer from KDD camp in Thailand, over the border, and all over Cambodia. I was delivering rice as aid support mainly in western Cambodia. I still own a house and farm in Battambang. I had also started a project that taught farmers different methods of rice farming, for when there wasn't flooding and sustainable farming. Worked better than originally thought......nice fertile land and huge rice yields.
I really love that country....would prefer to be there.

grasshopper · 6th January 2008, 09:34

[quote=rogermanI really love that country....would prefer to be there.[/quote]

why? just curious

rogerman · 6th January 2008, 10:21

I have sooo many memories there....all good.
Sooooo peaceful living with the natives in the backblocks. Before i bought my house i was living in my ex-mother-in-laws house on stilts on her farm. Food was great (spicier than thai) and more healthy. People were the best. Life on the whole was wonderful. Still is if you keep away from the westernised and touristy places like Phnom penh and ankhor wat.
I have been to the genocide museums etc...was very humbling....got the photos and thats enough.
Once you have seen what the people have been through, especially if you have lived with them while you were going through those hard times you very quickly understand.
I changed soooo much while i was living there. I learned so much about survival, hate, culture, love.
When you go through the refugee camps that were in Thailand your heart just cries when you see dead people, hungry kids crying, etc....

The main thing i learnt was.....

We foreigners have so much.....and we are never happy
They have sooo little................and they are the happiest

What can you learn from that?

Try living off $1000 per year and be totally happy......they can so why can't you?

phuketbound · 6th January 2008, 10:41

^ Very nicely said. Were you there during the Khmer rouge genocide then?

I've also read that about Cambodia, and hear that they are very appreciative of what they have, and it isn't much. I can see how you would learn so much being there.

It is amazing how much the country has been through, and they seem like very strong people to get through all of that. I can't wait to go. I will probably be going up to Battabamg, and Krati provinces during the first week. Any tips?

rogerman · 6th January 2008, 10:54

Ankhor wat is a nice place to go to....it's rather touristy tho. For me...when i go to a country, i leave my own cultures,food, loves and hates behind and become as close to being "one of them" as i can. Same as here....i don't eat farang food and haven't even bought a loaf of bread for months....now i'm living totally thai.
Theres many nice temples there. In phom penh theres toul sleng and the killing fields museums. Toul sleng is REAL and very humbling.
Battambang....is great....not very touristy. Not a great lot to do there if you don't have family to be with. Has a couple good temples etc.

food.... My fav is char gidim barang kineer saik droob -fried onion with pork
or bobor mon...... basically khao tom gai but a lot nicer

phuketbound · 6th January 2008, 11:20

^Sounds good. Angkor is a 'must see' for me. Have you stayed in Siem Riep?

rogerman · 6th January 2008, 11:37

I have been through it many times back when i was working there..... only slept on my hammock under the truck and carried on after. Have been to Angkhor wat but thats a long time ago

grasshopper · 6th January 2008, 22:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogerman

I have sooo many memories there....all good.
Sooooo peaceful living with the natives in the backblocks. Before i bought my house i was living in my ex-mother-in-laws house on stilts on her farm. Food was great (spicier than thai) and more healthy. People were the best. Life on the whole was wonderful. Still is if you keep away from the westernised and touristy places like Phnom penh and ankhor wat.
I have been to the genocide museums etc...was very humbling....got the photos and thats enough.
Once you have seen what the people have been through, especially if you have lived with them while you were going through those hard times you very quickly understand.
I changed soooo much while i was living there. I learned so much about survival, hate, culture, love.
When you go through the refugee camps that were in Thailand your heart just cries when you see dead people, hungry kids crying, etc....

The main thing i learnt was.....

We foreigners have so much.....and we are never happy
They have sooo little................and they are the happiest

What can you learn from that?

Try living off $1000 per year and be totally happy......they can so why can't you?

the Cambodians I've met were well ok - was incarcerated with a few of them in Hat Yai, take them over the local inmates any day - polite, undemanding, generally decent

having said that the locals with whom I was friendly, almost family in fact, in Hat Yai were the best - and living on 100 baht a day was normal - never had a problem with it myself - we were happy and didn't worry about much
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back in UK 3.5 months now but I miss it - a lot
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Quote:

Originally Posted by rogerman

For me...when i go to a country, i leave my own cultures,food, loves and hates behind and become as close to being "one of them" as i can. Same as here....i don't eat farang food and haven't even bought a loaf of bread for months....now i'm living totally thai.

miles better that way isn't it?
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the place I will never ever forget is Pattani - 15 months there, the last 5 being the first 5 of 2004 i.e. the first 5 of the current upheaval - still didn't have a problem there, far from it - it's a place a hell of a lot of people will avoid like the plague but it's also the place where I learnt more than I've learnt in any other place in my life