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Thailand and Leaving Cambodia
“People don’t take trips . . . trips take people.” – John Steinbeck All good things must come to an end and so must also my seven weeks of volunteering at a microfinance NGO in Cambodia. But first. I had a few more Cambodian adventures to be had and a Thanksgiving in Thailand where I took the holiday to heart. I didn’t eat any turkey but I ate just about everything else. All the foods. Getting out of Phnom Penh After several weeks in Cambodia’s capital, I needed at least one weekend the hell out of Phnom Penh. There is so much more to see of Cambodia. I had already seen…
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Finding Fun in Phnom Penh
“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” – Clifton Fadiman Staying Awhile Cambodia holds a soft spot in my heart. Like meeting a new friend, there is so much more to the country than what meets the eye. It’s only after staying for awhile that I got a real appreciation for the qualities below the surface. The truth of its sad and often violent history, its resilient but reserved people, and constant, almost forceful push forward to catch up with it’s more economically advanced neighbors. When I arrived here I had been…
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Volunteering Abroad
The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your CONTRIBUTION. – Kurek Ashley Getting Started When I first planned my year (ish) of travel, I always knew I wanted a portion of it to include volunteering in microfinance in a foreign country. I’ve read every book I can find on microfinance, the principals of social enterprise, and the economics of poverty reduction policies in developing countries for YEARS. There’s a reason why I spent 10+ years on a career in banking. Yes, I’m throwing that all away now because I need a change of scenery, but I’m still a giant econ nerd. Plus – why not volunteer…
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Back in Cambodia
“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard Same Country, New Experience Cambodia. I’ve been here before and this time I’m coming to stay for awhile. I’m volunteering in the capital of Phnom Penh for seven weeks working with a local microfinance enterprise. A US based volunteer placement organization called Ubelong hooked me up with a Cambodian volunteer placement organization called Star Kampuchea, which then placed me with a microfinance social enterprise called Mitt Kaksekar Financial. Whew. Ten steps to progress. I’m looking forward to this experience. After seven months of…
