Chapter 11...The Cambodian VSO experience!

I'm currently jet-lagged from my 30+ hour journey back home from Cambodia (via Korea), but as my blog has been neglected for a while I have decided to dedicate a good few minutes to this post...

I have spent the last three weeks visiting Daniel at his placement in Mongkol Borei and boy was it an eye-opener to VSO and volunteering life! Daniel lives in a very small village where you are highly unlikely to see a backpacker passing through let alone a volunteer renting a house and working in the local hospital!

Walking through the village and getting stopped to be given fruit!

Attracting some attention!

I spent a day visiting the hospital and within minutes was in tears as I saw the conditions that people are being cared for in. I saw a young lady who had just had some surgery on her womb and would not be able to have children because of it. She was lying in a metal bed with a thin mattress, dressed in her own clothes with a blanket laying on her stomach as post surgery comfort. She was clearly still under anaesthetic, but I could see pain and sadness in her eyes, which hit me hard! At this point I was dreading walking in any further, but 'manned-up' to visit the other wards. It got considerably worse as we entered areas where patients families were living in the hospital - sleeping, cooking and doing their washing there - because, as I got told, there are not enough nurses and doctors to provide care so families have to do it themselves. It was a draining and emotional day, but one I needed to experience to realise just how lucky I am!

The morning song and flag raising ceremony! Spot the odd one out?!

The first ward we walked into...

Meeting with the lady in charge of paediatrics

Paediatric ward

I spent a few weeks living with Daniel in his four bedroom house and realised that I could not live alone like that on my own placement. The house is huge and can be quite scary at times with all sorts of creaky noises! I felt very proud of him that he has managed to survive two months out there and as time went on the house became less scary so I know he will be fine for the next four months!

The front gate of the house that gets padlocked at all times!

The essential mosquito net!

Enjoying the balcony :-)

After all that intensity we decided to treat ourselves to some fun too with a little holiday at the coast...

This three weeks has given me a huge insight into what may lay ahead for me in Ghana over the next year! I just hope I have as much support and meet as many amazing people as Daniel has! 16 days until I find all these things out...