Cambodia June: The first blog!

We are happy to announced, that despite the lack of internet, we have received our first blog from our Cambodia June team! For the latest updates, be sure to follow our blog and social media – Facebook and Instagram! 

Our first day of construction went great. It was amazing to see all the progress we made even on just the first day. Construction was hard but in the end it was rewarding. After a long day of work we got to play with the kids and learn a lot from them. They taught us numbers and dances all while teaching us the value of friendship. Being with the kids has been the best part of the whole trip, it makes us realize why we’re here. -Sophie, Service Year Student

After the long traveling day, our first full day in Cambodia we jumped in the deep end and went straight to to killing fields. The fields refreshed our memories and informed us deeper on the Cambodia genocide and why we are needed here in Cambodia. After the fields we went to a war camp, this had a different approach on the genocide and felt more raw. Both experiences were incredibly humbling and seemed to help us focus on what is important. -Charidan,  Service Year Student

My job this morning was a group leader, meaning that I would, theoretically, keep track of a group of about thirty Cambodian children and lead them from classroom to classroom for their brief English lessons.  Completing this task with a group of English speaking kids would be difficult enough for me, let alone those that had no idea what I was saying.  I had no option except to embrace the chaos—keeping track of the kids that I could and grabbing stragglers along the way.  During this time, a most unique and spontaneous moment occurred in my life.  I found myself in the midst of about eight giggling Cambodian children and—of all things—paper airplanes.  They were a feature of one of the English lessons.  Throwing the paper airplanes and (mostly) failing to catch them when they were returned to me proved entertaining to the kids, however I quickly found that in the heat and the humidity I was not only dripping with sweat but—literally—feeling like I was going to pass out.  So, I suppose as I stumbled to the shade, my head pounding, only to find the children still eagerly interested in me—a stranger—I learned that race, age, gender, language, or especially heat, is simply irrelevant to those who care about each other.  Oh, and children are exhausting. -Ryann,  Service Year Student

As the week goes on, I have started to see the impacts that Youthlinc makes in-country. As I look around and hear the chatter of everyone around me, I hear about the generosity of the villagers who don’t have much to begin with and I hear the children relaying the information our lessons have taught the kids. With kids helping out with the construction work and the laughter shared between the villagers and us, it i very amazing to see the and relationships and community we have contributed to. -Sophie,  Service Year Student