Diary

2008-05-28 - Sunshine, clouds and a memorable trip

Already in the very beginning I was amazed of the spontaneity and enthusiasm of the children. It was already my second day at work when they ran to hug me and I felt very welcome. Now, after being here for a few months, these children of the orphanage have had an ineffaceable influence on me. They really need attention and affection of adults. From my perspective children, except the smallest ones, hardly get any tenderness from the staff of the orphanage. As volunteers, we have tried to be with the children as much as possible: we have taught English to them, been singing and playing different kinds of indoor and outdoor games together and been there for them. Sometimes I feel that the staff of the orphanage can’t see the importance of giving our time and tenderness to the children or playing with them. Many times we can’t play outside because according to the staff, the children make too much noise and disturb their work at the office. Despite all the surprises, those beautiful little smiles and warm hugs brighten our every day at work

One Sunday in April, we made a trip with the children to Phnom Tamao zoo, which is located about 50 km from Phnom Penh. The children had been very excited and waited for the trip asking every day when the trip day will come. In the morning of our trip the most excited ones had waken up at three! Even the bus trip was a great experience for them! All the adults and bigger children had their own groups consisting of five younger kids. With those groups we were wandering around the zoo, amazed by all those animals from apes to elephants and from jaguars to snakes. I have to admit that I didn’t know many of those animals! Children were enthusiastically teaching me the names of the animals in Khmer. Eating rice and meat from our lunch boxes, being together, talking, eating snacks and taking pictures were part of the trip. During the way back to Phnom Penh some of our tired wanderers were already asleep! I believe that our trip was a memorable experience for all of us.

It seems that rainy season has begun in Cambodia. Yesterday when we were teaching English to the children it started to rain so heavily that the floor started to flood and the rain was drumming on the roof so loudly that it was impossible to hear even my own voice. So we finished our lesson, the books already started to get wet, not even mentioning the children! That is our normal life here in Cambodia – full of surprises.



Wishes from the middle of sun and rain,

Anna-Mari Voutilainen