General Impression
Overall Rating: / 10
At first, everything came a bit as a shock: the traffic, the people, the volunteer house, the interactions, ... We felt a bit lost in the beginning. But after a few days, we came in the 'flow' and met the other volunteers. Everything went on on his own tempo. Overall, it was a real eye-opening and impressive experience!Country
I didn't have any expectations when I left home, but still it came as a shock. I was suprised about how the people live in Cambodia: the dirty streets, air pollution, the small shops along the drive ways, the unsafe traffic, ... I think it's very hard for the local people to live there because of the poverty.
The people were all so kind to us, in the hospital of our program, on the streets, during our weekend trips, ... So it was really nice to communicate and interact with the locals eventhough they couldn't speak English very well.
The people were all so kind to us, in the hospital of our program, on the streets, during our weekend trips, ... So it was really nice to communicate and interact with the locals eventhough they couldn't speak English very well.
Project & Staff
In the hospital of our program, they were very glad to have us. Most of the doctors and students were very kind and explained us a lot. A few doctors were not really open minded, but maybe, that's someones personality and not the vision of the hospital! They were also very interested in the hospitals of Belgium. We told them a lot about our experiences in both the Cambodian and Belgian hospitals.
Tips
Tips for the house: wait a few days before making a definite opinion about the house and the staff. At first, you can feel a bit lonely because you didn't see much people. But at the end of the first week, everything is different: you have met the other volunteers and have heard about their experiences, you have had an orientation day in the house, you have spoken to the local staff, you've settled in, ... You will feel much better than the moment you arrived after a long flight ;)
Tips for the program: with a smile and an open mind, you can get everywhere. Just ask the local team if you don't understand something or if you don't feel right about something. Probably, they will try to make things better for you because they are very glad to have you there. Some people cannot speak English very well, so they are a bit shy to start talking to you. So remember: it's not because they don't like you, but because they feel unsure.
Tips for the program: with a smile and an open mind, you can get everywhere. Just ask the local team if you don't understand something or if you don't feel right about something. Probably, they will try to make things better for you because they are very glad to have you there. Some people cannot speak English very well, so they are a bit shy to start talking to you. So remember: it's not because they don't like you, but because they feel unsure.