... and that's it!

So after a proper break in Europe, I had another 7 weeks in Cambodia in the rural wild west in Oli village or also called: Thmar Pouk.
At the first hospital meeting shortly after my arrival the staff made clear that they would like me to help implementing the Ministry of Helth Infection Control guidelines and to work with the staff on the new pediatric ward.

this is not good...

new paint was given and this was the result

patient kitchen and medical ward

Together with Oli’s support we managed to do some good workshops for the cleaners and staff about general cleaning and handwashing. We developed posters for all sinks to give easy guidance and we even went on a long trip to Phnom Penh to get dispensers with alcohol gel, affordable through donated money from Oli’s friends and family. It was a very satisfying moment seeing all dispensers fixed to the walls and being used (of course not as often as we would like) by staff, patients and visitors to clean their hands. After 6 weeks we had a round of refilling the dispensers already. The alcohol gel is now bought by the hospital and refilled by the pharmacy.

our pride, the alcohol gel dispenser with the sighns on

this cricket found a new home and has from now on always clean hands

The role models

Oli also sprayed bins to indicate the different use.

yellow for 'infectious waste'

Now, what goes into the yellow bin???

there we go, even the hospital director smiles!

more and more visitors and patients attend the weekly health education

what a great team! Oli and his VA Sokpha

On the childrens ward I worked closely together with a helpful nurse and together we run the ward at the end on our own. While working with her I could give her tips and advise on how to do things better. We had our up’s and down’s but in general I was very grateful to have this experience after working for 2 years in a nursing school.
The children on the ward had mostly Dengue Fever, Diarrhea or Bronchitis. Severe cases could not be treated and were sent to Siem Riep by taxi. One time I got really worried when a staff nurse turned up very drunk for work. I just about could avoid him do harm to a baby by injecting something directly into a babies arm. I never found out what happened to him but I heard that this is nothing unusual and I’ve seen the staff playing cards and drinking under the tree or playing volleyball instead of being on the ward. It’s just a normal thing.

We also had visitors, one of them was Kath who came up from Phnom Penh to do some workshops for the midwifes.

lunch on Olis balcony

Kath, Oli and Sokpa

Kath visits the children ward

meeting in Thmar Pouk

On the maternity ward I got insights of laboring women and freshly newborn babies which is always exiting and heart warming. Unfortunately during my time here we also had still births and maternal deaths, usually due to eclampsia.

little Angel Alisha

Alisha and her mum Chanty

and this photo was taken only a year before...

We also raised seedlings from little seeds of the magic 'Olifera' tree and gave them to the hospital kitchen to use the nutritous leaves for the patients in future.

lets hope they grow tall and strong

Mary (an education VSO volunteer) introduced us to the prison in Sissaphon where I facilitated three health sessions covering relationships, sexually transmitted infections, contraceptions and condom use, for male and female prisoners and I educated about smoking. Especially the woman prison was poorly to see. Inside the prison the 120 female inmates who have done from stealing to killing are crammed into 6 cells. Some are pregnant, some have children and those 18 children run free around the prison complex without education or other stimulation. Nobody takes care of them.
Fortunately Mary and a handful of other dedicated NGO’s try now to improve things there for the prisoners.

together with some prisoners (on the right)

typical Cambodian photo shoot posing

the prison in a rainstorm

it was raining very badly

the prison in Sissaphon

and that morning it was unbearably hot but no other place to go...

I had the great opportunity, to also learn more about Thmar Pouk and to see more beautiful and real rural Cambodia.

the 'famous' very wobbly bridge

we just about made it over

relaxing after breakfast

which way shall we go?

a pig on a leash!

Rice harvest or planting

to be passed on the way to work

not for eating!

friendly dogs at daytime

the tree with the hidden giant Chameleon

lovely houses

... in a very calm way.

and life goes on in Thmar Pouk...

I also made some new friends, this is Sophat whom I worked with on the pediatric ward.

with the Doctor, Mr. Sovann and Sopath on the ward

She invited us one afternoon to eat my favourite Cambodian food, Ban Sum.

After 4 weeks being in Thmar Pouk, I also went up to Stung Treng to see my friends and family again for the last time.

I never ever have to come here again, to Snoul!

Cow bum!

my beloved Srey-Niem

I cooked my curry for all of us

Rek-smey

I stayed with Carol

my lovely Vandy

from Carols window

meeting at the river for the 5pm drink

say cheese!

Carol looking radiant

with my Cambodian sisters Tida, Tom and Rek-smey

hopefully it will help lots of RTC students in future

this is the new student accommodation building, nearly finished

my favourite view in Stung Treng

a moto goes into the bus

Stung Treng from a distance

beautiful sunset

my last time on Spean Sekong in Stung Treng

with Wendy at her local po-cha-nea tan mee

While Oli was up in Anlong Veng to do some work whith Wendy, we decided to take the opportunity to visit Preah Vihear Temple, the one that had be fought over by the Thai. I can confirm that the fighting has stopped and that it is definetely of Cambodian ownership.

a bullet-proof statement

The temple is on a mountain and they are just in the process of building a new road to get up there more easily.

We also had a big cloud sitting on the temple all morning which gave the whole szenery a kind of mystic touch. The funniest thing was that as soon as we arrived, the bored soldiers came up to us and one took Oli by his hand and took him around. As if I wouldn't exist!

a little treat to keep the energy flowing...

Dr. My won't be very happy!

Last time we were in Siem Riep, Oli dragged me to cycle to the Butterfly farm with him. It was a hot day and it took nearly 3 hours each way, but it was really worth it.

after hours of cycling, we finally arrived

cycling to the butterfly farm in Angkor Wat

We went through the Angkor Wat compound because that is where the farm is. So it was also my very last time to see the great temples...

shy children in Angkor Wat

and? What does this remind us of?

waiting for Capitol Bus in Siem Riep and this was what I saw

inside the Fraginpany's

I have the feeling something big is going to happen...

anyway, do they have pizza with gherkins?

and this is how we drink beer in Cambodia! Take a lemon or lime,

spritz the juice into your beverage,

dry your hands with some tissue

and then ask for more ice, or a toothpick

drink after saying: cheer-moi or soka-pe-ap la-or

Saying goodbye wasn't easy...

On my last weekend in Phnom Penh, we went to the Bear Sanctury in the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park and Rescue Centre.

Oli and I were volunteers for the whole day and had the chance to find out more about these absolutely adorable sun-, moon- and asian-bears. We were even preparing little snacks that we then hid for the bears to find. It was wonderful.

this one is a bit older and was suffering

I love bears!

two cuddly bears

a cambodian goat!

making little treats for the bears

looking comfy

nearly feeding time!

the peacock with only one leg

she wanted me to hold her hand all the time

this mega python was found at the river in Phnom Penh

hiding food for the bears to search for

this is Brandy

this little one is all on his own but hopefully in good hands

he was found in Ratanakiri

only 3 month old

this is Georgi

I loved the bears!

Ingran has also finished his VSO placement, so we had another little goodbye do in Phnom Penh.

Ingran left also

Dave, Paul and Tak

another leaving do in Phnom Penh

the last time in the Pav

on Street 19 in Phnom Penh

around Phnom Penh

our new VSO Programme Office

Bye Bye Sareth, my lovely friend

We stayed with lovely Alison and Paul.

from VSO volunteer to Expat - our Alison and Paul

On my way back to the UK, I popped to Switzerland, Lausanne, where Antje and John live now. It was absolutely stunning there. We also went camping for a few days.

enjoying home made food

Sophia and our tent

Switzerland at its best

with the Alps behind me

ice-cream always helps with small children

Now back in Oxford, live goes on.

I have a beautiful view out of the window too

my new room

... and that's it!

Phnom Penh, Cambodia