Let's go volunteer in Cambodia!

After living in Thailand for two and a half years without ever visiting home (maybe I didn't feel the need because Thailand became home) I was about to fly back to Europe to see my parents and friends. But I realized that, despite having crossed the Thai-Cambodian border to Poipet two times in order to arrange my Thai visa, I hadn't neither visited the renowned Angkor Wat nor explored the country itself. I had been to Laos several times and lived with Burmese people for half a year in Mae Sot, but I was missing the Cambodian experience. So I decided to head to Cambodia before buying a ticket back home.

The thing is that I don't like to go to a new country, follow the same path as every other tourist does and move on. I don't like it and I don't have the need to, as I'm not attached to a regular job or other obligations. Does everybody go to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh? Let's find some other place to experience the real Cambodia. And searching for that “other place” is how I found about BCDO:

“BCDO (Botumsakor Community Development Organization) is a Non-profit organization, established to offer foreign languages and vocational training to villagers and poor children, and to raise awareness on environmental and biodiversity protection. An important part of BCDO’s mission is the education of the young generation about the impact of deforestation and poaching and advice about environment-friendly alternatives.
To obtain an extra income for the people of Andong Tuek, tourist information is provided to travelers and guided tours are set up.”

Volunteering in Cambodia sounded like a good thing to do, as from leaving in Mae Sot I've seen the huge difference that having some English knowledge can make in young people's future, and I've also seen in some places in Thailand the wrong way to develop (and right way to ruin) beautiful natural spots to get the most money from tourists in the shortest time possible.

On this blog I will relate my experience as a newbie volunteer in Cambodia. I hope to learn from veteran volunteers and give something positive to this country and its people.