Volunteering in Cambodia

[phuketbound]

Originally Posted by peelieorion

I'd be reluctance to pay any volunteer organisation a penny. Many i know know nothing about education and when you arrive here you'll soon wonder what you paid for. Go into any poor school in North East Thailand and they'll love you to do voluntary work. these organisations may start off with good intentions but often the volunteer gets thrown in a school where out walks the teacher. You later find out that some organisations have also been taking sweetners of the school. If you want to volunteer, come to my school or one in my area and you'll get you food, accomodation for free. Always volunteer on your own terms. you also realise in Thailand that you can rent your own 3 bedroom house for 15 bollars a week so why pay an organisation 50 dollars where you'll probably be sharing a house with 10 others.

Thanks for the concern peelie. I'm not going to pay any money, to wherever I volunteer. I'll only pay for my accomodations, and food. I'm not going there just to teach, anyway. I've been wanting to see Cambodia for awhile. The school you teach at sounds great. Free accomodations eh?

[Bigsky]

Sorry PB, I'm not smart enough to post links. Haven't figured it out yet. You can google M'lop Tapang and probably get it though like I did.
I didn't work for them, I was teaching at a language center and got to know many of the kids on the beach. Got to know the folks at M'lop at the Starfish Bakery,they were just starting it at the time. They only had a few staff. I did help do some painting at the new building one Saturday. It seems they have really grown from the website!

[Piece Train]

Originally Posted by phuketbound

Thanks for the concern peelie. I'm not going to pay any money, to wherever I volunteer. I'll only pay for my accomodations, and food. I'm not going there just to teach, anyway. I've been wanting to see Cambodia for awhile. The school you teach at sounds great. Free accomodations eh?

I hope that with the recommendations that I gave you in our exchanging of PMs that you will definitely try one of them. On none of the recommendations that I gave you do you have to pay any money. They can also use skills other than teaching.

By the way, make sure if you go to Angkor Wat to see Tao Phrom temple there. It was there that I saw the most magnificent trees and their root systems growing through the temples that I had ever seen. Angkor should be one of the Seven Wonders of the World if it isn't already. (It has the largest religious structure in the world).

[ScorpioPower]

Also go to the Tuol Sleng museum in Phnom Penh. It's hideous for two reasons.

1. because of all the people who were murdered there, and 2. because some tourist twats have put graffiti on the walls and stubbed cigarettes out in the exhibits.

There is a glaring error in that museum and it completely contradicts history.

Let me know if you spot it too phuketbound!!!!!

[phuketbound]

Thanks for the suggestions SP, and PT. I have seen pictures of this Tao Phrom temple, with tree roots growing right through the buildings. It almost looks like something you would see in a fantasy movie.

Scorp, I'll see if I can find the error. The museum sounds horrific, but still part of their history.

[rogerman]

go to the silver pagoda in Phnom Panh.... is very nice

[Piece Train]

Originally Posted by ScorpioPower

Also go to the Tuol Sleng museum in Phnom Penh. It's hideous for two reasons.

1. because of all the people who were murdered there, and 2. because some tourist twats have put graffiti on the walls and stubbed cigarettes out in the exhibits.

There is a glaring error in that museum and it completely contradicts history.

What's the glaring error SP? If you don't want to post it, PM me.

I went through Tuol Sleng, which was a high school not unlike the high schools in Thailand in appearance. Inside were hideous stories and many other things that I will not reveal here because I don't want to spoil the surprise. Sometimes it's best to go without reading up a lot about things and just experience it.
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Originally Posted by rogerman

go to the silver pagoda in Phnom Panh.... is very nice

I agree. A floor lined with pure silver tiles. Sure was nifty!
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Originally Posted by phuketbound

Thanks for the suggestions SP, and PT. I have seen pictures of this Tao Phrom temple, with tree roots growing right through the buildings. It almost looks like something you would see in a fantasy movie.

[rogerman]

I have been to toul sleng a couple times.....once when they were actually digging the bodies out of the mass graves ......and once when i was just there on holiday.......well worth visiting the old school

[Siameseness]

Nice to see this information. Thanks

[Piece Train]

Originally Posted by Siameseness

Nice to see this information. Thanks

You're welcome. Now go there, darnit!

[High Five]

I am so sick and tired of those "volunteering" projects.... Govt are loaded with cash, use it to buy penthouse in Manhattan, and always find good apples to work for them for free...

Right, like if the dolphins or trees were going to see a cent of the "project" ....

[jonny danger]

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

mate you'd be better off posting this at: khmer440.com
i'm certain someone over there could enlighten you.

Call and tell your mother, PB. She would be proud of you. We aren't. Yah, go and stink up 440 with your grammar.

[ScorpioPower]

Originally Posted by High Five

I am so sick and tired of those "volunteering" projects.... Govt are loaded with cash, use it to buy penthouse in Manhattan, and always find good apples to work for them for free...

Right, like if the dolphins or trees were going to see a cent of the "project" ....

High Five, I'm just quoting you to get something off my chest. Cheers for the post mate!

With the state that Cambo is in at the moment, most/all organisations are not in a position to help from their top-down level. There's just too much crap to cut through.

I'm all for people like phuketbound who are going there as individuals, because that's where the lives of Khmers can be touched. From a bottom-up level.

People going there thinking that they can change everything are kidding themselves. It aint gonna happen.

While I was there I helped put a motodup through school. It worked.

Another guy I knew gave his cleaning lady enough money to set up her own market stall. That worked too.

I reiterate, it's from a bottom-up level that we, as individuals, can help that dire little country.

[High Five]

Originally Posted by ScorpioPower

High Five, I'm just quoting you to get something off my chest. Cheers for the post mate!

HA??????? where is my Green?

[Cyrille]

Originally Posted by Piece Train

Sometimes setting the example on here is a good thing to stimulate others though, I believe.

I don't think being so up yourself is likely to stimulate anything, except maybe your own nether regions.

Can you two conduct your mutual self righteousness ceremonies elsewhere, please.