One of our partners took time out from buying garden products to volunteer at a rural school in Cambodia. Below is an excerpt from his blog.
“We have lots of mature volunteers going on our schemes, so don’t worry, you will love it there” explained the young lady at the other end of the phone, “our eldest was 73, so you will be fine”.
My pre-conceived idea was that overseas volunteering is a gift of the young. The pre/post or gap year students looking to find themselves, help others and have lots of moon parties. Whatever their reasons, could I, at my age, having spent over 25 years in a cooperate world, gain the same benefits? What would I get out of it? Would I make a difference?
As we drove out of the city, into the countryside, in my mind, I had thoughts of this rural village being like Walnut Grove from Little House on the Prairie. A small number of wooden houses, a shop or two, and maybe a “saloon” where the locals gather to chat and laugh at the end of a hot day. The big difference was that Little House was set in the 1870s, this is 2017. Could/should people still live like this?
The taxi driver dropped me just through the school gates, a play-area, classrooms made from different materials to the right, and a new school block under construction in front of me. This was my new home for 2 weeks, and my attitude to life was about to change….!
Click here to see the full 3 part blog.
Have you ever done anything like this? Would you or a friend/family like to? We would love to hear from if you have, or would like more information on how Ian organised his trip.
