Sunday 17 August 2014

VOLUNTOURING IN ASIA



After travelling to Cambodia many times over many years, l had become quite disillusioned with some of the charities that l had become involved with. I was beginning to question where the money was going from all the donations. And l was not getting clear answers. I was tired of seeing NGO (Non Government Organisation) personnel,  driving around in luxury 4WD cars while the local people walked. 
Cambodia has become a centre for 'voluntourism' and  there is a considerable amount of exploitation developing. Or maybe it was always there & l just didn't open my eyes enough to see it. I began researching more for legitimate & worthy organizations for myself and also for other genuine volunteers coming to Cambodia who wanted to be more involved than just having their photo taken at an orphanage. 


Anyway that's when l met Jimmy. While sitting at a bar one evening, pondering which way to turn next, l met a bright American girl, Bernie. She had just finished class and as l questioned her about her volunteering, my faith in humanity was resurrected. As she explained to me Jimmy's story & about his big dream, I knew I had to meet this remarkable young man Jimmy. And I had the good fortune of being  introduced the following afternoon.


Jimmy is a young Khmer man who is devoted to teaching the local children English.  He works as a tuk tuk driver while studying English at the university, thanks to the sponsorship of an Australian couple. His English is excellent and he opens up his family home every evening between 5 and 8, to dozens of studious children who appreciate what Jimmy is offering them for free. He tells them that English is the torch that will lead them out of poverty. And inspires them with his words as well as his own living example.



When he was much younger, he began by sitting outside his home, reading out loud from an English book, in the hope that some Western tourists would hear him and stop to talk  & correct his English. And of course that is exactly what happened. Now years later, Jimmy invites anyone who has the time & the ability to speak English, to visit  his little school and interact with the children. Jimmy generally takes the class or sometimes a visiting international teacher. Then I, and other volunteers help correct the children's written work and speak conversational English. This is an awesome opportunity to understand & appreciate the lives of these Khmer children and for them to hear & learn about life outside of Cambodia.

Volunteering in Asia is rewarding & life changing and in the best possible way It's impossible to return home with the same view of the world that you left with. All the trivial things that use to annoy you become even more trivial and less annoying. And a new appreciation develops for hot & cold running water and flushing toilets. And a realization of how many litres of fresh drinking water we just flush down the toilet!

The reward in volunteering is many times more than the effort of giving. The gratitude is humbling. And for something as simple as speaking English which is the only language l can speak anyway. How wonderful it must be to have a skill or a degree in medicine that can really help their health & welfare. l remember how good it feels to take soap, panadol & antiseptic to an isolated village in Cambodia.

Firstly it is very important to find the right place to spend your time. It should be somewhere or something that you feel passionate about. l have met people who have unfortunately left Asia feeling disappointed with their volunteering experience. Mostly because the organization they have been involved with were merely milking them for money. Sadly this happens. So before anyone commits their hard earned money that they have already spent a big chunk of time accumulating, and before committing another big chunk of time in volunteering, lots of research & responsibility is required.

Personally l have the time to go where l am passionate about & research it first hand. l have no special skill just the ability to speak English (with an Aussie accent) & the desire to immerse myself in a different culture. Community schools are excellent for this and l have several favourite places that I attend & return regularly. But if time is limited, the internet offers lots of information, recommendations & feedback. I have never paid for the privilege of volunteering & I am in two minds about organizations that charge. Sometimes it is legitimate & it's a form of fundraising. But I am also a bit wary because l have seen so many Lexus cars being driven by NGO personnel. And l have seen orphanages that allow 'sleep overs' for a price!


The best organizations require a police clearance if it involves children. And usually require a commitment of a reasonable amount of time. If you only have a few days here & there on an extended holiday, or even an hour or so, the community schools are the best. And a great opportunity to learn about their culture as well. Also some Buddhist monasteries encourage Westerners to help with conversational English and that's an awesome opportunity to learn about Buddhism & their lives as monks. Of course there are a few rules if you are a woman, like not touching them or their things. I kept forgetting & kept picking up their pens & books. But it was ok.

I have formed heart warming friendships in many countries & thankfully through the internet & facebook, l have managed to stay in contact with them & their families. So if anyone is interested, please contact me. I cannot recommend it highly enough, there is no feeling comparable. I volunteer mostly in Laos & Cambodia. But l have volunteered in lndia, Sumatra, Thailand, Myanmar. Philippines & Kenya. And l also have alot of contacts if that can help.

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