Hi my name is Carly Atkins and I am the new Volunteer Coordinator for the Diving and Marine Conservation project on Koh Rong Samleom, Cambodia. I am from Melbourne, Australia. In 2007 I graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in zoology and reproduction and development.

I fell in love with the island, back in April last year when I was one of the first volunteers to join the project.  I had the most amazing experiences and saw the potential for this new project. I completely adored the village and all its characters and knew that three months was never going to be enough.

I returned to Melbourne for four months and then bought a one way ticket back to Cambodia. Returning back to the island was perhaps my most favourite thing that I have ever experienced. All the villagers welcomed me back like family and the project had grown and achieved so much in the short time I was away. I completed my PADI rescue and dive master training and helped out on the project for another seven months. As I was leaving I was offered the opportunity to return and work for Projects Abroad apparently ten months was still not enough time to get Cambodia out of my system. So I had a three week holiday in Australia and returned to my new home on the island.  

Cambodia, the island and the village has completely got me hooked and I am proud that I can now work on the island and continue to watch the changes and be part of the incredible achievements that are still being accomplished.

Donation can be everything which is useful for the reciever. Projects Abroad Cambodia, recently, has donated money to making iron frame window to VDTO placement. VDTO has many class rooms but only one library and the library settle on the top floor of the schoold building. We made window for the library because it is very important to prevent any unexpected problems which may occure because the  children's careless which can upset their life.

There are six windows and we have spent 240 US dollars to made it. Director of VDTO thanks Projects Abroad that help to made the window for them because it is urgent need to protect children from risk.

Friday yester night was the last night of our some volunteers in Cambodia. We went out for a soft drink and dancing. There are around 25 volunteers and two staffs of Projects Abroad Cambodia participated at that night. We absolutely had a wonderful time and great dancing time at the local restarant in Phnom Penh. As some of our volunteers are a new comer so we introduce to each other and chatting about this and that and taking a lot of pictures.

Time coming to go back to apartment, we said good bye, good night and keep in touch to the volunteers who will leave tomorrow Saturday.

Sad and happy are at the same time :-).

Last week, group of Projects Abroad Cambodia had decorated the library of a placement call VDTO. We really did a good job. To finish decoration we spent around 8 hours to do and think how we should make it. The decoration was about the painting and drawing the picture on the wall and colouring the picture that we had drawn. Our volunteers had drawn the picture which suitable for our little children at the school, to make them happy when they see the picture and to encourage them to learn in the library. Not only the volunteers, but also the children at there had chance to help and draw the picture on the wall.

At the end of, we had done all as our plan and we also took a great picture together.

Nothing will keep forever lasting besides friendship. One of volunteer, Claudia Urban, who had volunteered and stayed with Projects Abroad Cambodia around 10 months had left on 15th July 2010. Of course she did not want to leave yet but she had to because she needs to pursue her studying and to stay with her parants, sister and brother at her hometown and to earn money to support herself.

Well, before leaving there were a lot of thing she had done especially with the children. She made a party for her children at the placement and spend all her last day and time in Cambodia with her children. In the party some of our volunteers had join and helped her to make the party. Consequently, around 300 children and our volunteers had a smilling face to each other and they really enjoyed at that time. Also, what was suprised her was the cake party that the children and the staffs of the placement made for her. She told us that it was amazing and she felt very excited with sadness because it was her last day with them.

Besides having party with children, she went shopping for purchasing some souvenir for her family and friends at home and spend time with some volunteers and said good bye. 

The time arrived, some staffs and volunteers who are her close friend in Cambodia, took her to airport, that was so sad to say good bye and take care.

Now she arrived home safely and she still stated that she will come back to Cambodia again when the time come.

Starting in 2006, Projects Abroad Cambodia has just only a few of placements or orphanages. Year by year, the amount of volunteers has increased, and we try to fine out more placements for our volunteers working. Until now we have around 20 placement for Care and Teaching project. All of those placements always need help and support. So we keep allocated our volunteers to all those placement according to requirement of our volunteers.

Recently, as the number of volunteers increase in June 2010, we have new cooparation with a new placement which name Riverkids. It take care of around 200 children who was abused and trafficked.

In July we have allocated our volunteers to work at there and hope that they will happy to help and work at the placement. And hope the children have a good time with them.

Last month we had done a Dirty weekend, the activity was about the planting trees and grass. For this month, we plan to do a Dirty weekend at CFC orphanage. It is a neccesary need for our children at there. The activities is about reparing classroom and creating recreation ground for the children.

It plan to be done on 18th July 2010, and we hope that all volunteers can help to join this activity.

To me, I will keep you update how it will be with a pile of photos.

Most parts of the world are coverd by the ocean, so a lot of country have beach and most of that beaches are awesome. A part of of that, Cambodia also has its beach and it is a famous place to tourism and local people. 

For special holiday, such as Khmer new year, International new year or Water festival etc... a lot of people intentionally will visit there and it will be full of tourism. And hotel, guesthouse, restaurants will be ready to served their guests. Among some those tourists they may prefer to have visit some islands which locate nearby the zone and those islands are wonderful with fresh air and good scenery. However, for normal days, it also has some tourists and not so crowded.

For our volunteers almost all of them have experienced to be there and they have said that it is amazing and nice.

Again, last week and this weekend some volunteers have visited there and they have a full of enjoyment at the beach.

Do not miss to visite the beach of Cambodia, and it is located in Sihanouk Ville province. It takes only 3 or 4 hours to arrive. We should mention that our Diving and Conservation project also have been processed at Sihanouk Ville province.

We believe that most of tourism will want to taste a Khmer food when they are in this country. Meanwhile, some of them also look for the other interesting restaurant. It means that after tasting the Khmer food they also prefer to eat such as Mexician, Italian food in Phnom Penh.

Along the river side, if you observed carfully, you will see the small of Italian restaurant which call Pop Cafe, there are a lot of varities of food item and wine to choose and they provided us a good service. The charming of the restaurant has attracted some of our volunteer. For example, one of our volunteer who left today had spend her last night at the restaurant, she said she like Italian restaurant so much and she was happy to find it once in Cambodia. Therefore, before leaving she went there with some other volunteers. If you have time to visit in Phnom Penh and you like Italian food, we recommend you to serve it at Pep restaurant. It is amazing:-).

Saying good bye is very commend in general life. But for Projects Abroad Cambodia this word means something. Today, I took two of our volunteers to airport, one of them was our Human Right volunteers for two months and the other was our Care volunteer for one month. Even, one or two months, we felt that the time flied so fast, they just arrived and now it was time to return back.

Before leaving they had a party at their placement, and said good bye to students. Also, they also said good bye to everybody at the apartment which they lived while they were in Cambodia. Meanwhile, out volunteers also felt happy to see their family who is waiting for them at home. And there are a lot of thing they need to sort out when they return home.

Wish them a luck and thank for their time in Cambodia.