My name is Begoña. I am 52 Years old and this time last year, I was heavily vaccinated; my bed was covered in red soccer T-shirts for kids I hadn’t met yet, and I was sleeping on the floor to test if my fragile bones could bear the Cambodian experience awaiting me. They did, easily. In addition to preparing myself mentally and physically, I was getting mixed feelings: I was nervous, fearful and excited all at the same time, but also felt so much anticipation for this trip.
I was part of a great Communication team last year, along with Thibault and Nati. Our mission was to share PSE’s work in Cambodia during the Summer Camp and to show hundreds of monitors meeting thousands of kids. Their mission is to support the NGO’s goal in ending misery for Cambodian children and in result, to give them opportunity and hope for the future.
“It is not possible to go to Cambodia and not fall in love with it. Cambodia cries and smiles at the same time and reminds us of human difference and kindness”
Acting as PSE’s voice in Cambodia is definitely something special. You have to expose the country’s poverty whilst at the same time showing the faith and joy of a new generation. A generation that is building a new and positive history, ridding itself of heartbreak and trauma.
The laughter of these kids is contagious. You not only have a constant smile on your face throughout the day, but enjoy the excitement of shower time as much as they do and the calmness of nap time whilst they sleep soundly. You feel their joy when telling them a story and in return feel incredible when you connect with them despite the cultural and linguistic differences. Egotistic thoughts disappear and get replaced by positive and considerate ones towards others. You also become quite emotional, due the display of pain and poverty surrounding but also love and joy. You then have to translate all your thoughts into words and photos. In the end, however, you realise that although this country is surrounded by misery and chaos, the people carry with them the purest and most humane qualities.
It has already been one year since I took those red soccer T-shirts in my suitcase along with all my fear and excitement. I then lived the most intense and human experience of my life, leaving a part of my heart in Cambodia. When I close my eyes, my mind still lives the experience. It truly is impossible to go to Cambodia and not feel a sense of hope and pure love.It is not possible to go to Cambodia and not love it. Cambodia cries and smiles at the same time. It reminds us of human difference, kindness and generosity.
The truth is that Cambodia is still there, even if I am not. The children are still there, waiting for us to come back every summer, and PSE is still here fighting every day to give them a better future. The excitement of the monitors is there, the showers, the naps, the moments of praying, the breakfast, Friday’s Olympic Games, the bags of rice for the families, the rain and the greenery. It’s all here. The teenagers who want to play without sweating, the pensionnaires sleeping at the camp who dream a little bit more with every cultural outing, the kinder-garden babies holding the safety rope to get cross the road unharmed and the kids of Sen Sok searching for great stories. Sannag is here smiling whilst Rotanak gets songs ready for the OBK kids who cry desperately when shower time comes. The kids are all here, the ones from Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Takmao, Phum Russei, Smile Village, hoping for the simple chance to live a normal childhood. They still need help to know about health and to forget some myths they were previously told. They need people taking care of their teeth, finding a decent home and making them forget the harsh realities of their lives, at least for a summer.
“Cambodia is always here. The children are here, waiting for us to come back every summer. So much to do”
Cambodia is waiting for us all. So much to do this summer as if winter never went by. After months of continuous fundraising, selecting volunteers, training them, working hard to set the month in motion, everything is finally ready for the PSE Summer Camp 2018. My first memory of Cambodia is in an airport full of yellow T-shirts, welcome signs and happy faces. Paula, Marina, Gabriel, Robin, it is so good that you are welcoming the volunteers this year too.
After a whole week of training, on Monday the 13th, the PSE Summer Camp will start. Three weeks of absolute frenzy and magic are waiting for you and PSE’s positive energy and excitement will reach many of the poorest areas of Cambodia.
There are a few changes this year. The camps will only last three weeks instead of four due to the National elections in Cambodia on the 29th of July. Preak Toal, the first camp founded by Christvian and Marie-France des Pallieres (nicknames Papi and Mami) located next to the Phnom Penh dumping site will not be open this year. Another NGO is working close-by so PSE prefers to cover other of need. Veal Sbov camp will be closed as well, since the 54 families that used to live close by have been transferred to different location. However, a new PSE centre located next to the dumping site will open in Phnom Penh. There will also be a new centre in Sihanoukville and the Siem Reap camp has changed.
The medical team is different I’m sure Xavier, Blanca and the rest of last year’s team will be missed. There are new coordinators and I wish them the best of luck! PSE will also miss other core members of the NGO such as Ángel, coordinator of the handicapped team, Mario from Logistics, Apolline from Takmao, Almudena from Kindergarden and Marta from OBK. Pse is lucky to be able to count of so many amazing volunteers like you and the rest of monitors that have been and still are part of this project.
Despite the year long absence, the excitement and joy is still there when returning to PSE. More than 200 volunteers are going to Cambodia this summer and they are already preparing to give their all to the kids.
“So much to do and still so much to tell”
Every year, the PSE summer camp blog is different than the previous one, as the children, the volunteers, the style of the blog and the stories we tell change.
This year the Communication team will consist of Jose, the photographer and our eyes in Cambodia, Laura, the writer portraying each camp’s identity, and Lana, photographing, writing and also in charge of coordinating posts and making sure all stories are published on time in French, Spanish and English. A big challenge, believe me!
W big challenge to visit all the centres but not belong to any and nonetheless still falling in love with each and every camp’s identity and charm. When returning to the main camp in the afternoon, it is also a big challenge choosing to walk away from moments of bonding between monitors to translate everything you’ve seen into words and pictures for all to see.
Jose, Laura y Lana, it is now your turn to show the daily routine of each camp along with all it’s special moments. But most importantly, it is your turn to propel us into this incredible experience as if we were really there. You will have to observe, feel and write from the heart. I wish you and all the other monitors the best of luck for this year’ summer camp. We will be following your journey from here.
-Begoña, blogger of the PSE 2017 Summer Camp.