You are on page 1of 3

Youth Motor Projects educational & cultural exchange to Cambodia- February 2013

It's early February and the temperature on the Island is in low single figures. Imagine the shock to the system if the next time you're not in an airport it's 40 degrees and around 80% humidity... That's what awaited a contingent of the islands young people as they disembarked in Siem Reap, Northern Cambodia for the first day of their expedition to spend a week working in a Manx-based charity school in Phnom Penh. First, though, you can't visit Cambodia for the first time without taking in the famous temples of Angkor. Braving the scorching sun and 7 hours in front time-wise, with little sleep on the 15 hour flight, a few hours spent in awe of the construction of Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm (famous for the scenes from Tomb Raider) temples set the standard for an amazing and astonishing trip of a lifetime.

Organised by the IoM Youth Motor Project who have close contact with the school in Cambodia's capital, having arranged exchanges annually for the last few years, the plan was to experience a little of the country before starting work at the Cambodian Children's Refuge Centre School (CRC) which is a school run solely on donations (and free to its students- a rarity in Cambodia). The first day, a baptism of fire maybe, was just the start as the group headed for the capital by bus (7 hours!) arriving just in time to introduce themselves to the students they were to spend the following week with. The next day being the start of the weekend (school closed) the group headed off towards to the coast. Stopping on the way at famous sites and historical venues, the group arrived at Kampot for a night to take in the experience of Kep's renowned crab market, where the seafood literally comes straight from the sea to market stall to barbeques for consumption (the spicy squid tasted like nothing else!). Then it was to backpacker's paradise: Sihanoukville. The visit here was to sample the beach and party lifestyle offered by South-East Asia, to answer the question of whether a gap year was better spent partying with westerners or working with and for locals in a charitable way...

Monday morning entailed a 6 hour bus trip back to Phnom Penh; pity the poor member of the group who had to sit on the seat above the engine without air-conditioning, unlucky for some! The group alighted near Kintouk Village, where CRC School is sited, for the first evening of lessons. A few hours later, after fielding many questions about language and culture, teaching in 3 classes and observing in the kindergarten, everyone felt drained yet exhilarated. The week followed a similar pattern of visiting a Phnom Penh sight or historical venue in the morning, planning the day's lessons and then after lunch (when the temperature supposedly began to fall- yeh, right!) a tuk-tuk ride to the school for classes until 8pm.

The cornucopia of goods for sale at the Russian and Central markets (from guns to brass Buddha's); the harrowing tales and exhibits of the genocide museum, S21, recounting the Khmer Rouge era; the beggars, street children, the hawkers and Tuk-Tuk drivers ("atay akun": "no thanks"),the smells and sounds around the quay on the banks of the Mekong; the people, oh, the people- a true land of smiles amongst some of the worst poverty and deprivation you can imagine- the heat and humidity in February, the enthusiasm of the young people at CRC... it's why the group went. It was a real trip of a lifetime, and, hopefully, not a one-off experience!

The Youth Motor Projects workers arrange trips to teach at CRC School each year. It is open to all ages from 16 upwards. It is completely not-for-profit, run on a cost basis, and participants do not subsidise organisers and leaders' expenses; its purely for the culture and experience and education

The Isle of Man Youth Motor Project, charity number 734, is an educational & diversionary project for young people aged from 13 to 21, supported by the IoM Government Departments of Education & Children, Home Affairs and Economic Development. Contact: Peter Hodgson, manager, on 07624 460601 or email youthmotorproject@manx.net

You might also like