Cambodia Trip: Day 4, 8-12-2008 (Baray)

On the first day of our voluntary work,we helped to build a road for the villagers. We had a few lorries of sand and soil for our road. Our job was to put the soil on the muddy road and flatten it. For some parts of the road, it was quite easy as the earth below was firm and strong. But for some parts of the roads that were near the pond, it was muddy and unstable. No matter how much soil we put it and how hard we hit to flatten it, the soil kept on sinking. As we result, every time the Cambodian modified lorry passed by, it left two deep lines on the road. Since that was not something in our control, we had to be contented with what we had achieved. At nigh, it was time for English lesson. To our surprise, the villagers who came were from various age groups. Some were pre school students while there were also adults. Luckily, Serene was quick to react. She managed to entertain the class while learning some simple English. The response from the crowd was good and they clearly enjoy themselves. It was a rough and tiring day for all of us. However, we had learned a lot of things and helped the villagers. This was the important thing.

Cambodia Trip: Day 3, 7-12-2008 (Phnom Penh – Baray)

We left for Baray from Phnom Penh in the morning. The ride was an unforgettable experience. All the luggages were stacked at the back seats. Me, Sherri and Swee Leong who sat behind were constantly under the threat of falling luggage. A few times some of the luggage fell and hit our heads. At long last, we reached Baray Khmer Village Homestay. As it was our first day at Baray, we enjoyed ourselves before starting our work on the next day. We went for a horse ride in the village. It was fun and enjoyable. We also visited factory where they produced all the souvenirs to be sold in the city. The factory was opened by Auntie Esther and it gave job opportunities for the villagers. At night, we watched the performance by the locals. They performed some of their traditional dances and we were also invited to dance together. After the all the entertainments, we went to sleep so that we could get enough rest for tomorrow.