a volunteers life...

Volunteering overseas is great.
Apart from the homesickness and missing your loved ones and maybe missing out on important events back at home, it is for me the best time of my life.
It might be because I chose the right organisation (VSO) or because I chose to come to Cambodia. Whatever it is, it makes me very very happy every day.

a rainbow!

Now as time goes by very fast here, I experience the most extraordinary things and meet the most interesting people. I live and I can feel life and enjoy it to an extend, which I never felt before. I am very greatful to this mind-opening experience and I have learned a lot from it. With other words, I am dreading the day I am going home.
But fortunately I still have 6 months here before I travel back to Europe to find out, if I can cope or not.

Meanwhile, back in Stung Treng, Rambo and Tilda growing and growing closer to my heart...

maybe they are coming home with me?

my two boys

A local boy named Binyan started together with Rachel (VSO volunteer from Stung Treng), the first ever exercise classes in Stung Treng. Those classes are very popular all over the country. They are usually held at 5 am and 5 pm every day. I have seen them before in Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh, but even Kratie hasn't got them! Now, Stung Treng got a bit more modern because of that I would say. So far, I've managed to drag myself out of bed twice for the morning classes. But it mixed up my running patterns. So now I only go in the evenings at the weekends. It's great fun!

exercise class in Stung Treng

this is a local dish called: Njam Bay Chock - white noodle with green sauce and bananaflower

and another magnificent sunset over the Sekong river

afternoon light

Wat Luer

my road

Tom is going to a party

she's going with Papa, he will look after her at the party

the "restaurant baby"

And we had again our North-East volunteer meeting, this time combined with Ingrans housewarming party.

time to finish, no?

after our Stung Treng - Kratie Health meeting

the two neighbours Linda and Ingran

I hope Rek-smey had a little bit of fun at the barang party

the new german Stung Trengers Patrick, Josh and Caro

with Godfrey, Maria and Ingran

Chantra, Dani and Rek-smey

Mr. and Mrs. Dukes give their best

the germans in Cambodia!

We also started a guitar club in Stung Treng. After me, Carol and Ingran both got themselves also a guitar. Now we try to play regularly together. It's great fun.

The Stung Treng Guitar players Carol, Ingran and myself

my guitar

Last month, Oli and I went to the 4th annual Nursing and Midwifery Conference in Phnom Penh, where one of my teachers from the RTC gave a presentation. It was very exiting and he did well, although the conference was rather chaotic.

the official opening ceremony of the conference

Here we go, the Minister of Health

me and teacher Narem

The photographer was the best!

a mosque in the middle of Phnom Penh

Ja, ich habe auch mal wieder meinen Senf dazugegeben

the translator was funny...

Mrs. Sophany, Mr. Narem and myself at the Nursing and Midwifery Conference

David and Koehn knew a russian restaurant where we ate good food!

those pictures at Meta House made me feel homesick

In the evening, we went Lindy Hop Swing Dancing with Abi, Sarah and Ingran.

Because of the Waterfestival, we had a long weekend off, so Oli and me decided, to go to the beach.

I've made pretty horrible experiences with Shianouk ville, but nevertheless, Oli hadn't seen it.
So we went this time to Otres Beach. The quietest and most natural beach of all.

along Otres Beach

and now some pizza!!!

Our bungalow was just 15 metres from the beach away and simply lovely.

our beach hut, 15 meters away from the sea...

Yes, nearly paradise...

come in and snorkel with me!

Oli removes rubbish from the beach...

We spent 3 days there and had a wonderful time. The only thing that happend this time was that my sunglasses got stolen...

strange looking jelly-fish

VSO Cambodia makes us happy!

biking in Phnom Penh

and another phenomenal sunset infront of my house

Two weekends later, we went to Siem Riep to attend another conference, this time it had to do with Pro-Technical Work Groups for Health and the Annual Operational Plans.
We made the best of it.

for the big event, the streets were decorated

before the bike ride

To treat our sore muscles after the 30 km bike ride and the 10 km run the day afterwards, we chose our nest this time in the Terasse des Elephants.

this fountain was in our room, together with two bridges

on top of Terasse des Elephants

njam bay chenang!!!

fancy dinner at the poolside in Siem Riep?

The next day I really had to rush back, because we had a group of preceptors coming from Kampong Cham to do a Study tour in Stung Treng. We did the same thing several months before and now it was their turn. It was very successful again this time.

The Study tour group infront of the new Stung Treng Hospital

The director, Dr. Sovann and Mr. Narem

The RTC bus

The Study tour group from Kampong Cham infront of our RTC

The cat selling buisness doesn't go very well at the moment. Nobody wants a cat. If I would be offered, how could I say no to such cute fluff kitties?

3 weeks old kittens are just adoreable...

These are: Cuddles Shorttail and Hugsy Longtail

Sita sleeps at the bottom of my stairs

here is the proof, it's cat heaven!

Shortly after Srey-Niem gave birth, I called the vet and asked him to come with the contraceptive injection. Finally he came and Srey-Niem got the injection. It has to be repeated every 3 months.

Yes, and over christmas and New Year, Oli and I are going to South Africa to see Antje, John, Matilda and Sophia. Haven't seen John and the girls for 19 months now. It will be absolutely mindblowing...
So we can all look forward to a South Africa blog next time!
Lots of Love from your Katja!

written by

katja-horsch on December 9, 2010 from Phnom Penh, Cambodia

from the travel blog: a volunteers life...

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