Newcastle Nursing's Final Week in Phnom Penh

PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: University of Newcastle Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Molly Batinic

From the hustle and bustle of the city of Phnom Penh, to the serenity of Siem Reap, and the exquisiteness of the countryside, Cambodia was all we hoped for and more. Between the first day and the last day, we never once lost sight of what we were there to do, to help the beautiful, endearing and deserving children.

Our last full day in Phnom Penh was spent doing more health checks at COLT (Cambodian Organisation for Living and Training). COLT currently houses 22 students and gives them a place to live, eat, learn and interact with others. They teach the children English and computers at the centre, whilst they attend the local schools in the countryside. In less than 3 hours, we managed to see and treat over 100 students around the local community, which was extremely gratifying. Much like PIO and Chibodia, the outcomes from these pop-up health clinics are immense and highly appreciated by all. They have all been remarkable and exceptionally rewarding experiences in which we have all learnt a great deal, not just Nursing-wise, but also about the culture and people in a completely different country to ours. 

As we finished up all of our work at these three clinics, we still had many supplies left over that we wanted to make good use from, so we decided to donate them all. All of our medical supplies were given to the local doctor, Dr. Prak, who helped us out throughout our entire journey. The rest of our supplies, such as children's clothing, head lice treatments and fun games for the kids at the Coconut School. The memories, the experiences, the knowledge, the culture and the everlasting friendships made from this trip will forever remain in our minds and our hearts, and our final dinner summed up all of these aspects.

We spent a wonderful evening at the ‘Spark & Tawandang Microbrewery’ for dinner and a show, with amazing company on our very last night in Phnom Penh. It was the greatest way to end such an extraordinary trip.

Until next time Cambodia … Ah kon and chum reap leah (thank you and goodbye)!

Must-Do's in Phnom Penh From Newcastle Nursing

PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: University of Newcastle Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Molly Batinic

Last week in Cambodia, and we have ticked almost everything off of our bucket lists, plus some. We not only saw the last of the kids at PIO and started work at a new school, we also took our long weekend as an opportunity to explore Siem Reap … And it was worth every minute! The top 5 must-do’s of the week are almost all in this incredible city. 

 First of all, no one can miss the chance to see Angkor Wat, more specifically, at sunrise. From the history, to the beauty of this famous landmark, it was a fantastic way to start our Siem Reap adventure. After a long day of exploring that and many more temples, we decided to hit up Pub Street. And yes, it is exactly as the name suggests. We ate delicious food and danced the night away with both locals and tourists on our first night away from Phnom Penh. However, after an excellent, but long first day there, it was time to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Kulen Mountains. This involved three different stops on our tour, including a visit to the big Buddha, a hike along the underwater carvings river and finally a swim in the ever so enchanting waterfalls. It was simply magnificent! Next on the list is a visit to the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital for an amazing and eye-opening Saturday night. Due to this chain of hospitals in Cambodia, millions of children’s lives have been saved that would not have without sufficient treatment.

And finally, our last to do for this week is based in Phnom Penh, however it is most certainly not for everyone. As we have been enjoying supporting the many dining-for-a-cause restaurants in Cambodia, we decided to continue this and have dinner at ‘Dine in the Dark.’ The idea is to be placed in the same shoes as a visually impaired local and eat a 3-course meal whilst having no idea of what you're actually eating. Like I said, it's definitely not for everyone. However, it was a great experience and although not all agreed, some of us girls would most certainly go back again.

Now onto the work part … We didn't quite manage to get through all of the 500+ kids at PIO, but we came extremely close and a everyone put in a huge effort. Although, our last day at the school was a bittersweet one and a few sneaky tears were shed whilst saying goodbye to all of these delightful children. But lucky for us, we were onto a new a school, where the children were just as wonderful. Chibodia is an afternoon school where children from the countryside can go to learn English, sewing and computers. We did basic health checks here, as well as educating the children about proper hygiene standards, which they absolutely loved! On our own time, some of us girls also visited a school in which one of our translators volunteers for, which teaches English and computers on an island just outside of Phnom Penh. It is called the Coconut School and it has changed the lives of many children and broadened their minds and futures, which will indefinitely change the future of Cambodia for the better.

We now have one more school to attend and get through as many kids there as possible, before we say our final goodbyes and leave this incredible country. You could say, we are feeling quite sad about this prospect already!

Feeling At Home in Cambodia – Newcastle Nursing in Phnom Penh

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: University of Newcastle Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Molly Batinic

Sous sdei! (Hello)

One week down and we're almost locals. This week we have spent much time absorbing the culture of beautiful Cambodia. It's Tuesday afternoon and we are currently getting pedicures after a long, but rewarding, day. We have seen over 500 kids, with only the teeny tiny kindergarten students to go. Each grade has its own profoundly unique characteristics and personalities. 

The grade 6 students are extremely smart and caring of both the younger children and us foreigners. The infant children are much louder, however, but their endearing smiles and everlasting happiness take us by the heartstrings. We have poured out heart and souls into trying to help these children and the outcomes have been absolutely incredible. Watching these children smile and laugh, as well as holding their hands when they cry has been extraordinary and inspired us to continue to do such great work each and every day.

However, this week has not all been about hard work and no play, we also had the weekend to explore the everlasting sights of Phnom Penh.

 Our top 5 must-dos from this weekend included a visit to the heartbreaking killing fields. Our Saturday morning was spent touring the place where millions of Cambodians were slaughtered only 40 odd years ago, and was a life-changing experience, especially hearing the survivors’ stories. On a happier note, that lunchtime we immersed ourselves in some traditional Khmer food... Tarantulas. Huge, scary and hairy – but delicious – spiders.

 Another must-do in Cambodia is to get a massage. They are super cheap and perfect for anyone who wantsto relax for a peaceful hour. We decided to go to one named seeing hands, which employs blind locals and gives them a stable job to live by. Another highlight was the night markets. The setup of these was unexpected in an extremely delightful way. They were completely different from any markets back at home, with live music and so many food options to choose from, we were absolutely in our element whilst bartering away for cheap shoes, clothes, jewellery and everything in-between.

But after a couple of nights here, our wallets were begging us to stop. So the last must-do for this week was a free and eventful night at the Olympic stadium. But no, it was not for soccer or football, or even athletics – but rather, for aerobics. Every night locals spend sunset swaying and Cha-chaing the night away whilst listening to all types of music. It's the funnest way to burn away all of the food we have been eating.

Speaking of food, we have been getting to know each other, as well as our translators, much more this week over lunches at the mall. These were done throughout the week in the middle of the days at the clinic. The air conditioning and good company has been a great way to split up some of the difficult days. The translators are incredible locals who all attend the university for either medicine or dentistry. We laugh hysterically on a daily basis when we are together, and they are absolute lifesavers with both their translating and medical knowledge. They will surely be missed when we leave.

Ah kon (thank you) to them all.

A Typical Day in Phnom Penh – Vibrant, Unique, Chaotic

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education
WRITTEN BY: Timothy Fuller

Vibrant. Unique. Chaotic

These are three words that describe the city that is currently my home – Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

For the last three weeks I have been teaching English in a school in Stung Mean Chey
(the name of the municipal garbage dump in the northern part of Phnom Penh).

In an excerpt from their website, the People Improvement Organization shares the origin of the school I am now volunteering in.

“PIO opened its first schoolrooms at Stung Mean Chey in August 2004, running classes around the kid’s work schedules at the dump so they could still earn a living. As the school was located right in the centre of the community and is provided free of charge, more and more parents are allowing their kids to attend … Today it is a different story with over 400 children attending class – we are now struggling to keep up with the demand for more classroom space.”

Now that you understand a bit of the context of where I am, I want to share with you what an average day in the life of a volunteer teacher looks like.

7am: Most days I will wake around 7am and continue preparing my lessons for that day.

Whilst we only spend 3 hours teaching a day, the students are able to get through a surprising amount of content, so I always feel more comfortable having an abundance of teaching activities up my sleeve. This time is spent printing new worksheets, marking the work from the day before hand or laminating resources to use around the classroom that day.

10am: Breakfast. I always seem to sneak in just as the staff are trying to close up.
Maybe next week I will be more on time …

11am: Lunch! No I am not kidding, because we start teaching at 1 and don’t finish until
4 our only option is to have a really early lunch. Most days we will have lunch at a local restaurant.

However, once or twice a week we get to enjoy a meal at Friends the Restaurant. Friends the Restaurant is run by Mith Samlanh, which has worked to build the futures of former street children and marginalized young people in Phnom Penh since 1994. So that is a nice treat every now and again.

~12pm: At around 12pm we will jump in the minibus and start our journey up to Stung Mean Chey.

As I said above, Stung Mean Chey is in the northern part of Phnom Penh and travel times to the school range from 20 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the – often insane – – traffic.

1pm: At 1pm we jump into the classrooms and begin our lessons for the day. I have been lucky enough to be given Grade 4 and their local teacher, Teacher Sreymom is a simply tremendous teacher. I was lucky enough to observe her teaching on our first day and she has stayed with me in the classroom ever since. She is always there to help me translate some more complicated concepts, to give me advice on what activities are working, and what are not, and finally to help me keep the riff–raff in line. The lessons are around 50–55 minutes each, with a 5–10 minute break in the middle. I absolutely love my students! It is completely unlike teaching in Australia. As English is not a compulsory part of the curriculum until Grade 7, every student that is there is there by choice. The students actually want to learn, and I love it! The students are always full of energy, excitement that makes teaching so much easier for me, as I often find myself feeding off their positivity. I would love to go into more detail, but I will save that for another entry.

4pm: The school day finishes at 4pm and the students go home. Trying to navigate from the classroom to the ground level is often a challenge with the sudden rush of 400 students coming down a single staircase. But being 6’5”, almost every will stop in awe and without fail say “Teacher so tall!” It is through this crowd of gaping mouths and a wash of high-fives, fist bumps and the occasional hug that I make my way onto the street, where each day a new student will take my by the hand and walk with me to our minibus to begin our journey home.

6pm: Most nights we will go out as a team and find a new local restaurant to try (with varied levels of success). Our dinner experiences are the most unique I have ever experienced and whilst we may sometimes leave the restaurant still hungry due to miscommunication or due to some highly suspect ‘mystery meat’, we will normally leave with a smile on our face, having at least enjoyed the new experience and each others company.

Finding True Happiness in Cambodia

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education and Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Divya Jamdagni

To sum up, teaching at PIO has been a life changing experience. After getting off the plane 4 weeks ago I never would have guessed what was waiting for me on this exciting journey. Being the first time I had been travelling, by myself, overseas this adventure has been greatly rewarding.

For a person travelling for the first time, alone, and to a country overseas, Antipodeans is definitely a rewarding and exhilarating opportunity. Not only to engage in a great international volunteering experience but also for personal growth. With trips where you are thrown into a situation with no other option but to adapt, the end result is eye-opening and full of memorable moments. These moments (if you’re as lucky as I have been) are shared memories with the other travellers in your group that you will never forget. Not only do you get to meet like-minded people with travellers wanderlust and a passion for volunteering, but also you will find a new group of friends who you probably never would have met if it hadn’t been for the Antipodeans program.

The group of 6 girls that I’ve gotten to meet and share stories with has definitely been a highlight for this trip. If it hadn’t been for them this program definitely would have lacked a particular element of fun that could only be made possible by the craziness of Balpreet, Isabelle, Julia, Nami and Sunny.

I’ve never felt so glad to have meshed so well with a group of girls in such a short period of time. Special shout out to my teaching partner Isabelle, couldn’t have asked for anyone better! Antipodeans has provided me with an international volunteer opportunity that has definitely let me learn so much about myself while also creating a new perspective from which I am able to view the world.

Just by watching and participating in simple school activities such as sports and life skills, I have gained a new appreciation as to what it means to live your life simply, savour every moment, and treasure what you have. The fact that the PIO school has emerged from a former dump site is astounding, the progress that they have made shows the dedication of the school and is definitely a motivator for volunteers to continue wanting to work with the children. The overflowing happiness of the children is also overwhelming.

The true happiness that radiates through them when they see you, learn something new or get something correct is absolutely worth every bad feeling of ‘funny tummy’ that you experience on your trip.
Despite some illness, mosquito bites and the constant question of “lady you want tuk-tuk” you are gifted the chance to see some spectacular sights and true happiness in the eyes of children who have so little but have so much to offer the world. Antipodeans has given me wonderful chance to broaden my horizons and I would definitely encourage others to grab onto this opportunity with both hands and never let go!

Week 3 Cambodia: Beauty and the Beasts

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education and Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Isabelle Khaicy

Culture
The Royal Palace offered beautifully detailed architecture on their luscious green grounds. Our tour guide was fantastic as she explained, in detail, every aspect of the Palace and how time haschanged certain traditions and practices.

Children of Bassac Cambodian Dancer Performance is a must see! The vibrant colours and energetic performance proves to be very entertaining, from traditional movements to country/folk tell­tales. We were all cheering for more!
Angkor Wat offers both breath­taking beauty and culture in one massive compound. Unfortunately our sunrise view was clouded by some overcast weather, but I would recommend the early start to anyone who wants explore the temple before they get swarmed with tourists. We opted for a short temple tour and filled our cameras with pictures of ancient remains. Many selfies to come!

History
The National Museum shows great detail of Cambodia's religious findings. Many artefacts in the museum are left intact and are attached with English blurbs so we were hooked onto every word.
Visiting the S21 Killing Fields Genocide Museum is not for the faint hearted. Walking through the killing fields with our tour guide, who was a survivor of the Pol Pot regime, we were told horrifying stories of what the Cambodian victims had to endure. It's was an extremely confronting morning as we walked through the mostly ­untouched fields and prison.

Food
I've experienced cuisines of different forms during my stay here. From bring introduced to road-side food by locals, that were interesting to say the least, to dinner at the Foreign Correspondent's Club, I'm delighted to say that I haven't been disappointed. The most adventurous I've been was having a red- ant salad at the Friends Restaurant. I'm glad I took a bite before our tour guide pointed out the 'juicy leaders' and how succulent they look. The Friends Restaurant has been a regular destination for our group, and we've vowed to tick off everything on the menu before we leave. Only 20 or so meals to go!

Adventure
For someone who loves a rush of adrenalin every now and again, I was impressed with what Cambodia had to offer. Zip­-lining through treetops and quad biking into the sunset were on our agenda for our weekend away in Siem Reap, although I was only able to experience one of them.
Julia and I jumped on a tandem quad bike and rode for an hour through Cambodian fields and took a few failed jumping shots (mostly hers) against the sunset, before riding back and signing our names against the centre's signature wall; #AwesomeExperience #Antips2015. The rest of our group had the opportunity to go for the treetop zip­-lining and came back with great reviews, so that's definitely on my list for next time!

Entertainment/Leisure
Aeon Mall is a new shopping mall, which caters for many entertainment options. After our late afternoon dips in the hotel pool, we have headed to the mall on numerous occasions to fill up our spare time, ticking off karaoke, ice skating and 4D movies off our list. The mall is also great for shopping, if you're willing to spend a little extra, although I'd still recommend the Russian and Central Markets for bargain hunters. Working through our 'Cambodian Bucket List' we still have a number of items to tick off!

A Day in the Life of a PIO Teacher

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education and Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Nami Wickramatilake

A day in the life of a PIO teacher can be tough, challenging but also inspiring and rewarding when you are greeted so loudly by your adoring students. By tough and challenging, I mean it was hard putting behind an Australian understanding of an educational system completely alien to me. From enforcing behaviour management constantly in Australian contexts, the theorised positive behaviour for learning module was definitely shining through here at PIO.

Instead of constantly probing students, it was suddenly so easy to ask a student a question. You begin to quickly understand that these students are here to learn, that these students are here to see you and only you, because you become the instiller of all knowledge in their eyes. Their eagerness is something that attracts myself to PIO. Despite living in poor living conditions, I have come to realise these students are still nothing but happy, always smiling, always sharing with each other a single pen. There is no such thing as bullying here. A harmonious environment is what I'd definitely call PIO.

On my third day at PIO, I had grown attached to my Year 6 students, and noticing my hair was out of its usual bun, they had offered to braid my hair.
I was so touched by their desire to help me (look decent enough to teach). These kids have an amazing set of skills, commonly unnoticed unless monitored and I could not believe the amount of creativity these students have.

Each day I left carrying a present from a student, mostly drawings, sometimes origami and these were not simple everyday paper aeroplanes type of origami, I'm talking paper cranes, frogs and even roses. Creativity does not only lie with their ability to beautifully craft origami, but their strong desire to sing.
They knew more songs that I did! (A little bit embarrassing, I felt incredibly old) From the Frozen soundtrack, to Jesse J's Price Tag to Happy by Pharrell Williams, these kids knew how to belt out an amazing medley of songs.

So that's when I decided to integrate music into teaching English - hence, all the theory of engagement through a deeper understanding of the intrinsic interests of students really paid off! It does get tiring... 3 hours of English a day can be tiring for both students and teacher, especially in the dry Cambodian heat, but it is definitely a rewarding experience; a definite life-time changing experience.

Welcome to Phnom Penh!

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education and Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Isabelle Khaicy

First Impressions
As soon as you leave Phnom Penh Airport, you are greeted by a bustling city full of life and colour. A wave of humidity washes over you and you are overwhelmed by the busy streets and the smell of the food vendors by the side of every street. As you move through the heart of the city, you see the beautiful architecture of the Khmer-style temples and pagodas, and begin to appreciate the history of the city. Welcome to Phnom Penh!
The first few days in Phnom Penh have been about getting know the city, it's rich history and culture, and visiting the school we will be teaching at for the next few weeks.

Day 1- Tour Day
After an early wake-up, we took a Cyclo ride to visit the Royal Palace, followed by a visit to the Silver Pagoda and the Wat Phnom temple. Lunch was at a restaurant serving traditional Cambodian food including the national dish Amok- a delicious fish with curry.

The next stops were the Choeng Ek killing fields and the Genocide Museum located at the former Tuol Sleng Prison. Both are sites of the torture and execution of thousands of people at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. This was a confronting experience; viewing the remains of many of the victims and the mass graves they were found in, as well as the prison cells where horrific tortures were enacted. Our guide also related her story of growing up during the Pol Pot regime and being separated from her family and forced to work in a camp at only 8 years old.

Due to the recent nature of this history, the majority of people here have been touched by it in some way- and yet the Cambodian people are well known for their resilience and happy nature. This is a nation emerging from a dark past with a great hope for what the future holds.

Dinner was at a restaurant with beautiful views by the Mekong River serving more Cambodian classics.


Day 2- Training Day
We undertook Child Safety Training at the offices of Friends International. Here we learnt about the exploitation of vulnerable children living on the streets and the measures being used to prevent this. Friends International provides training and certification to people at all levels, from corporations to hotel staff and tuk tuk drivers.

They also support their cause while simultaneously providing vocational training for youths in their various establishments, such as Friends restaurant- a popular place to eat. This is where we had lunch and among other things tried a beef with red ants dish!

The last leg of the day saw us learning some of the Khmer language that will be useful during the program, especially in the classroom.


Day 3- First Day at School
We visited the Stung Mean Chey Centre for the first time, and were given a tour by the manager, John. We saw firsthand the location right next to the former dump, and the number of students that the Centre both educates and houses. A crash course in lesson planning later, and we were assigned our classes and sent to observe them.
I will be team-teaching a class of about 35 Grade 2 students. They were very happy to meet us and the observation soon turned into the kids climbing all over us and playing clapping games. We have been given the curriculum and now it's up to us to lesson plan and start teaching!

Our Last Day In Phnom Penh Was The Hardest Day Of All

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Sarah Bensen

As the saying goes, 'all good things must come to an end'; however, in our instance this experience can't begin to be covered by the word 'good'. Our weekend was spent around Phnom Penh and as a group we ventured to the night markets on Saturday night. The lovely food arena, coupled with an abundance of shopping stalls, made it an ideal outing for us to share as a group. My favourite taste sensation (which was shared amongst the group) was the devilishly tasty fried ice cream. How can something that tastes so good, be so bad?!

"I could not have imagined a better way to start 2015 and am so grateful for this experience"

Our final week was punctuated with illness, resulting in the challenging task of some members of our team teaching alone at times. Everyone rose to the occasion to ensure that classes ran smoothly, and our group supported each other beautifully throughout these testing times. It became clear to us that this journey was just as much about our team as it was our students, and the compassion and support from our team went the longest way to help everyone get through.

By mid-week everyone was back at school and it dawned on us that this was the last week. We'd only just settled in and here it was ending. As a group, we decided we wanted to buy some sporting equipment for the school as the children had nothing to play with at break times. We got balls of all sizes, jumping ropes and Siobhan donated an insane number of tennis balls and balloons, while Emily donated 2 beautiful books to the box. We decided instead of having a last hour of class we would unveil our gifts to the whole school and I think I can say this was truly a highlight of the trip. While we quite literally had to place the items on our heads so they were out of the children's reach, their excitement was contagious. Some of them had never played jump rope before and the balloons, I think, were a real novelty for some and the books were read and thoroughly enjoyed. One little kindergartener was distraught after not getting his hands on a tennis ball. However that sought to make him even more elated when he finally got a balloon, which he guarded with his life.

It was particularly hard after the morning session as it was our first goodbye. The bus ride back to the hotel was just filled with tears as many of us said goodbye to some of our favourite students; the uncertainty of knowing where they will end up in life made it particularly difficult. We all want so much for these students, but we will probably never know if and how they succeed. Siobhan's famous last words to a group of students and we climbed in the bus 'go, to, university!' The second session we repeated the same unveiling with just as much excitement. Even the teachers got in on jump rope! We exchanged emails with a number of teachers, as many of us made strong relationships with them throughout our time. Again it was hard to finally say goodbye as gifts, notes and drawings were again given to us from students. It was again a bit eerie driving away for what was now the final time and we had a group of students waving at the bus as we left.

We all got to experience a final dinner together, along with what we think was an impromptu extra hour of site seeing thereafter (our driver seemed to not want to take us home) which essentially marked our last time together as a group. I think the hardest goodbye was between Siobhan (New Zealand) and Paige (Australia), who had been roomies for the trip. Everyone could see the instant connection that was made between them and tears were shed as Siobhan, Luke and I waved Paige goodbye at 6am.

The end of what is I'm sure one of our most treasured experiences, simultaneously marks the beginning of our next adventures of 2015. Five of us are now off to Thailand and beyond and while the other 3 are returning to Australia: a new year brings with it new experiences and conquests! I could not have imagined a better way to start 2015 and am so grateful for this experience, the people I've met and to Cambodia for showing us all it has to offer.

Exploring in Cambodia continues

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Sarah Bensen

Friday marked an exciting day as the kids had health checks in the afternoon, so 6 of us jetted off to Siem Reap for a long weekend.

Saturday morning was an early start to see the magnificent sunrise over Angkor Wat followed by a day of temple hopping (see above pictures). Although it was very hot, and there was a lot of walking involved, the incredible ruins were worth the struggle and we now know why they aren't to be missed.

The rest of the weekend was spent taking in the sites like the market streets, taking advantage of the cheap shopping and Cambodian pancakes before we caught the night bus back home for class on Monday morning. Luke and myself had already been to Siem Reap so elected to explore Phnom Penh instead.

The city of Phnom Penh is incredibly big, however heading over to celebrate central market, Riverside and it's surrounds made us feel more at home as we caught more of a grasp about what this city is all about. We indulged in some of the best food thus far at central market, which of course was local produce in a makeshift cafeteria. Not only was it delicious but we were paying 50c to $1 for meals!

Being Friday now, we've successfully made it through our second full week of teaching. Again we've faced sickness and injuries, as Cambodia takes its toll on us, but there is no denying the joy that it has been to start to really find our feet within the school and as teachers. Most of us know our students by name now. We know their personalities as well as their academic strengths and weaknesses and as we look towards next week I think we're going to find it difficult to say goodbye.

Recently the school had health check-ups where all the children were inspected by nurses. Dehydration and teeth issues were by far the greatest issues faced by the majority of students and I found myself worrying the entire time about my kindergarteners. There's no doubt that the time has flown by and we're looking now towards what we give back to the school as we leave.

After the checks this week the whole 'wanting to change the world' notion has definitely spun around my head. I want to get rid of the lolly carts that sit outside their school, to have them all know how to brush their teeth, to have them do it everyday and to make sure there's always water available for them. But the shortness of our time here has really sunk in and we can only put as much as we can in place and teach them as much as possible in such a short time, in the hope that maybe it will change their futures for the better. While it's a sobering thought, I think it only makes us want to work harder as we head into our final week.

An emotional first week in Cambodia for Newcastle students

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: University of Newcastle Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Justine Nicholson and Nikki Smith

What an adventure it has been so far! We arrived safely in Phnom Penh on the night of January 11. Straight to the hotel and I think we were all so tired that none of us realised that Cambodia is left hand drive and we got on the bus on the right side!

We woke up a little jet lagged and headed out for our day trip at 8:30am. We had the pleasure of doing the first part of our tour on a cyclo, which is literally a chair on wheels in front of a bicycle. Being able to look around and take in the city this way was amazing. We went to the palace (right where the king actually lives) and learnt all about Cambodia's past governments and leadership. We went to the national museum and were able to observe the art, Buddha statues and historical items. It was very enlightening to learn about the beliefs within Cambodia's culture.

After this we hopped on a bus and went to lunch at the Friends Restaurant that supports children and adults living on the street by teaching them skills in hospitality. 40 minutes away were the Killing Fields. I don't think any of us were prepared for what we were about to see! There was a building that was full of bones and skulls, weapons and some clothing in glass boxes. The Fields were a shocking experience, as was the Genocide Museum. This was in the main city of Phnom Penh at a place that used to be a school which was turned into a jail during the Khmer Rouge. A lot of the shock came from the fact that we were able to walk straight into rooms used in torture and captivity. A positive was meeting a survivor and showing our respects to him, all getting photos with this incredible man and purchasing his book to understand his story.

The next day was much quieter. We visited the school and refuge to see where we would be operating for the next 5 sessions. The school is incredible. Its founder and manager are inspiring for the work they do here for struggling families and orphaned children of the garbage tip workers here in Cambodia. The school operates for 2 large sessions a day, with classes as large as 80 students! The children are eager to meet us, as we are them, and we can't wait to get started tomorrow! The refuge is unique and an imperative support for children attending the school. It provides a safe sleeping place and home environment, supported by their lessons and regular meal they receive during school days. The organisation is truly incredible. To end the day we had a lesson in the local language, Khmer, and hit the pillow early to rest up for the big day ahead.

At the school we really hit the ground running. Making do with what we had available to us, we set up a makeshift clinic that consisted of several nursing stations. After only an hour to set up the students started filing in. The excitement on their faces as they came through was unbelievable and filled us all with pride for the work we were yet to do.

The last three days has been full on with many emotions ranging from heartbreak, joy and the frustration that comes with working in a low resource environment. But our amazing team have pulled together to make the most of the resources we had. Doing health checks on children, we are finding that there are a lot of the similar problems in this community. Some of the conditions we have commonly encountered are head lice, terrible dental standards, some minor wounds and fungal infections and a lot of dehydration, dietary and bowel issues. This hands-on experience makes us all appreciate the luxuries we take for granted back home such as sanitation and basic health care.

UniBreak update from Cambodia

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Sarah Bensen

Our first weekend saw us explore the wonderful city of Phnom Penh. We ventured off to Oudong, the old capital of Cambodia where we climbed 500+ stairs which saw us reach a magical vantage point across the landscape. Although it was beautiful, I think we would all agree our highlight was on the drive over when our driver took us down back streets into a true Cambodian neighbourhood. We stopped at a house where the family carved beautiful ornaments and jewellery out of silver by hand with basic utensils. Definitely a highlight.

Having now reached the halfway mark of our adventure, all of us have experienced some sort of sickness; sore throats, head colds, upset stomachs. Lucky for us we have Luke who is a nurse and Paige who works at a chemist so have been able to pop down to the Western pharmacy knowing what to look for. Future travellers, as long as you're prepared there's nothing to worry about. We've all soldiered on spectacularly; it's hard not to in such a beautiful city!

Sunday was dedicated to some shopping at the Russian markets and lots of lesson planning for the week to come.

This week at school has seen so many advances. We've started to really get to know the students in our classes; their capabilities, their personalities and we've maybe even made favourites (secretly). We've been able to settle into the classroom more and our lesson planning has become more routine as we've gotten a better feel for how and what to teach. The students are a lot more settled as our presence has become a regular occurrence as opposed to a novelty. I feel like the weeks are moving way too quickly and I'm not looking forward to having to say goodbye. Nothing else to do but make the most of the time we have left!

A challenging but rewarding first week in Phnom Penh

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Sarah Bensen

Wow! Great! Exhausting! Those were the overriding thoughts after our first day of teaching, where we were really thrown into the deep end.

Our week began on Monday where we were lucky enough to be guided around Phnom Penh by the most amazing Cambodian tour guide. While we saw the generic must-see sites such as the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, Tree's personal stories relating to his experiences during the Khmer Rouge regime gave us direct insight and lineage to the atrocities and hardship endured. This made visiting S-21 prison camp and the killing fields in the afternoon much more difficult.

Having spent Monday being uncultured, Tuesday meant it was time to be taught some Khmer, meet John from PIO and to visit the schools. Meeting John and seeing the living conditions around the school gave us a greater understanding of the role we would be playing and instilled in us a drive to give everything we can to these kids; if they can be as resilient as they are, then they only deserve the best from us. It also put into perspective how truly lucky we are. Our accommodation is incredible, and the outdoor pool area is quickly becoming the communal 'chill out zone', which is in stark contrast to the uneven, garbage littered streets and shanty houses or singular rooms that these children and their families would be living in.

Wednesday was Genocide Day and so a public holiday, which after our crash course in lesson planning, meant we spent hours preparing for our first classes which were first up Thursday! Our classes are kindergarten and grades 2, 3, 5 and 6, and regardless of the year level we all had hours of planning to do!

Thursday, as mentioned, was challenging in different ways for all of us. As none of us have education degree backgrounds the nerves heading into the first lesson could be seen. Although it didn't take long to settle in (with the help of our lesson plans) by the end of the day there was definitely an exhausted yet satisfied feeling among us all. We actually taught classes English! While Friday was again off to a great start; a power-outage from 9am meant that classes were cancelled for the rest of the day. However this too had advantages, as it gave us plenty of time to connect with the kids in an informal environment. There were an abundance of games being played, smiles and laughter, which really just capped off the end of the week.

This week has not been without challenges- with about half of us feeling sick at some point- and at times feeling overwhelmed. While I'm sure next week will provide it's own unique challenges I have no doubt that alongside them there will be incredible memories and accomplishments.

Adventures in Phomn Penh, Cambodia

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: UniBreak Volunteers


Our time here in Phnom Penh is going so quickly- we all can’t believe that we are already half way through our teaching placement! Everyone has been learning students’ names and trying to make lessons interactive and engaging. We have been covering topics including colours, weather, seasons, clothing and household objects, and have tried incorporating visuals, flash cards, songs and games in our teaching.

The children at the school are all so willing to learn and are always smiling and excited to see us each day. During break times students are always asking us to play games, particularly the kindergarten students who swarm Christina and Bella in the classroom next door. Stickers and stamps are also a bit hit, with students competing for the highest amount collected. This can be quite overwhelming for us at times when the whole class swarms us with their workbooks at the end of each activity for stickers and stamps.

Temperatures in Phnom Penh have been quite hot, making teaching quite tiring some days. Catering for students’ varying abilities in each class has also been quite challenging due to language barriers. We have tried to overcome this by working with students one-on-one and by collaborating with the classroom teachers.

Apart from teaching we have been exploring the local restaurants, shops and markets. During our weekend we also travelled Kep to explore Rabbit Island. This involved catching at bus a 4 hour bus to Kep from from Phnom Penh and then a 30 minute boat across to Rabbit Island. We spent the weekend swimming, exploring the island, eating seafood and relaxing.

We are spending this weekend here in Phnom Penh to explore local shops, markets and museums. We shall keep you posted on all our teaching and upcoming adventures.

Jess Harris and the November Team