Category Archives: cambodia

Cambodia Countdown – week 1

New Continent. New Country. I STILL HAVE TONS TO DO & AM FREAKING OUT! Cambodia.

do i look ready? well, i’m NOT

it’s so strange how similar the emotions of excitement & nervousness feel. i’m BEYOND EXCITED about this big adventure i’m about to go on. BUT, i’ll be honest, i’m nervous too. my mind is racing with all that i still need to accomplish before leaving and what all i’ll need to do while away too. i’m finding now that i’m even having a difficult time sleeping because my mind is so busy with all the to-do’s.

i’ll be doing something like this in a little over a week

i think i have my packing mostly figured out. i still need a few odds & ins from the drug store, etc. but surely i have the rest covered. otherwise, i’m just guessing wrong and wouldn’t know it until experience tells me that i packed all wrong for a Buddhist Asian country. i’ve been told that i can buy clothes there & drugstores have most everything i need but you know that saying “it’s not like you are traveling to a 3rd world country”… well, I AM!! and for over 2 weeks. if it were one week, i think it would seem less daunting.

then i’ll be seeing this!!

what’s worse, is that i’m having short-term memory loss because i have so much going on! has this ever happened to you? so, anyway, a week from today i leave for Cambodia!

i’m going to look at my Cambodia Countdown: week 3 post and remind myself of the R&R that awaits me post-house build.

alright, LOLA, now take a deep breath. say another OM. AND get back to your thousand post-it notes with tasks to be completed.

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Cambodia Countdown – week 2

New Continent. New Country. NEW FRIENDS! Cambodia.

friendships in the works! i’ve got some incredible friends yet to meet…

so, you’ve probably noticed, making friends during my travels is extremely important to me and very meaningful. people ARE what make the world go round! so, i’m beyond thrilled to be a part of team of 100% Australians (besides me) because i’m going to me making a heap of new friends during my Habitat  for Humanity build.

thank goodness for technology. i’ve been Facebook messaging with two gals from my build now for a couple of months. i’m already sure we will get along famously. we have BIG plans to whoop it up in Siem Reap together – among other things. all i can say is the world is such a small place and i’m super excited to meet more of its amazing inhabitants who also want to do something good and explore a new space in the world. i’m a happy girl.

meet my two new friends: the M&M’s

the hilarious Malinda or ‘Mal’

the other half of the M’s – Melanie or ‘Mel’

look at these work gloves that Malinda got for the 3 of us! can you believe they make lola-pink work gloves? FABULOUS!!

can you even stand it?! my boa will match perfectly!!

AND my friend & lovely team leader Mitch!

he’s a self-confessed crazy man – Mitch

post-build i’ll have loads of photos to share of me with all my new buddies from the land down under!

some pals at my FUN-raising cocktail party! thank you!!

i also want to take this opportunity to thank all of my current wonderful friends & family in my life. i am so blessed to have many great friendships. in particular, i want to thank my friends for their generosity in this endeavor of mine. i could have fronted this project on my own but it means so much more to me knowing you also recognize and support Habitat for Humanity, Cambodia and me in this adventure. i hope someday that many of us can do a build like this somewhere in the world together. i’ll be sure to give you the down-low upon my return!

XO – lola 

 

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Cambodia Countdown – week 3

New Continent. New Country. Prepping & Preparing! Cambodia.

three weeks away from going to a new land. i’ve started pulling out potential appropriate work clothes for my Habitat for Humanity house build in Phnom Penh and have made a pilgrimage to REI to buy “roughing it” stuff. ya know, like a clothes line because i’ll be washing my unmentionables in my hotel sink. this is a very UNLOLA-LIKE adventure.

this money belt is sexy and you know it!

BUT before you worry too much that i won’t make it out of Cambodia alive, i want to reassure you that while i’ll be working for the first week of my trip, the second week will be filled with touring and staying at VERY LOLA-LIKE places.

i’ll have the best of both worlds. GIVING & GETTING! i have a feeling i’ll be getting more than giving. like getting gratitude. getting a sense of accomplishment. getting new friendships. AND certainly getting mosquito bites! (this is my biggest fear – i’m a mosquito magnet!!)

allow me to show you my roughing it supplies

    

no wait! there’s more…

what IS all this stuff, you ask?

hand sanitizer. prescriptions for malaria & a potential bout with stomach troubles. tissues for potty breaks. sunblock. all kinds of mosquito stuff including something to treat my clothes with. electrolytes. a headlamp. (yes. you read that right) what the hell have i gotten myself into?

AND i bought extra travel insurance yesterday. ya know, should my bag get lost or stolen. should i have to leave Cambodia because of an emergency back home. emergency evacuation insurance. medical stuff including dismemberment & death. YEP i’m insured even for the double “D”.

OK enough drama! now let me show you my posh stays

in Siem Reap i’ll be spending a couple heavenly nights at La Residence d’Angkor that i booked through my favorite & trusted luxe travel site – Jetsetter!

Overlooking Siem Reap’s shady, lazy river and a 10-minute stroll from the bite-sized town’s bright and buzzing central market, this Khmer-styled Orient Express hotel, decked out in varnished teak, split bamboo, gleaming silk and natural cotton, provides sophisticated comfort without forgetting to be cozy. A short tuk tuk ride from the jungle-buried ruins of Angkor Wat, the large pool, superb restaurant, sweeping grounds and spa form a welcome haven after a hard day’s visiting temples. YOU FEEL RELIEVED NOW, RIGHT?!

then there’s a few nights where i’m still working out where i’ll be staying…AND THEN i go to 4 Rivers Floating Lodge in Tatai. also booked through Jetsetter. this is glamping at its best!! how could i go wrong?!

Like a rare butterfly, Cambodia has emerged from a troubled past to show off its beauty.

Away from the tourist trail to ancient civilisations there is another country… a land of unspoilt virgin forest, rare orchids and fragrant frangipani, the startling colours and calls of birds of paradise, secretive jungle creatures and a perfumed air of peace and solitude.

This ecological miracle deserves an environmentally friendly resort that captures the imagination while offering the luxury and high-end facilities of a four-star boutique resort.

Peaceful seclusion, privacy, luxury, exclusivity… I SAY YES! 

i may return home dismembered but i’ll be refreshed by posh stays and beautiful nature!

XO – lola

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Cambodia Countdown – week 4

New Continent. New Country. Cambodia!

4 weeks until the biggest adventure of my life yet! i gotta say i am more than a little excited and overwhelmed at the same time. i have been getting ready slowly, over time. BUT, now it’s really starting to sink in.

plane tickets 

accommodations (mostly )

transfers (mostly )

shots 

prescriptions 

fundraising (mostly )

visa 

BUT i still have a lot of preparing to do. i need to read up on what all i should be bringing with me. like, first and foremost, mosquito repellant and sunscreen. AND other items i’ll need specifically for the Habitat for Humanity build like work gloves, dust masks & safety goggles. i have to think about what i’ll wear too because there are so many rules around modest clothing. then there are sanitation concerns as well so purell & kleenex packets are on the list for sure.

outside of physical preparations, i have also begun to think about emotional preparations. i really don’t know what to expect.

1. it’s a third world country. i’ve never visited one.

2. roads may be bad. i’ve heard stories of flooding and wading through water.

3. internet access and phone use will probably be limited. this is something i’ve not had too much trouble with up to now. albeit, this may be a welcomed break!

4. this country’s people have suffered terribly. something i’ve never really seen with my own eyes. yet, i hear the people are so gentle, kind and lovely. i look forward to their smiles.

there will be SO MUCH MORE to do to prepare. lists will be made and crossed off – at least for the physical needs. emotionally, i think there’s little i can do to prepare. i’m so excited about this journey of putting myself into an unknown world. i look forward to sharing what i learn and hope that it inspires us all to go out on a limb a little more often.

XO – lola

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why Habitat for Humanity? why Cambodia?

at the beginning of 2012 i announced to myself and to anyone who reads “where in the world is lola?” that i was going to go to Cambodia in late August through early September to participate in a Habitat for Humanity house build. if you missed this post or are a recent reader, now you know my late summer plans.

i’m sure some of you are wondering why i chose to do this and why go there? there are plenty of places in the world that could use a hand in building homes & better lives for people in poverty. even here in the USA. well, it was a combination of things that led me to this decision.

  1. i know the team leader organizing this build and feel better about going to a new country and participating in a new kind of activity for myself knowing someone in the group who has done this before.
  2. i want to participate in a Habitat for Humanity house build because it’s a good thing to do. i know i’m so fortunate to be able to travel and want to give back in a way that ties into my passion. doing this will make me proud of myself and i feel that it will not only broaden my horizons but also those who know me.
  3. i didn’t seek out Cambodia, the location was already picked by the team leader. to be honest, i never even considered traveling there before this opportunity came across my radar. that was part of the reason it was so appealing to me. i thought, why not? why wouldn’t i want to go to Cambodia?

i truly want to travel beyond my own thoughts and known limits and this choice seems to fit my goals. since making this announcement i have learned a little more about Cambodia and i think i’m really going to love it. people say the country is just beautiful and Angkor Wat (ancient ruins near Siem Reap) is supposedly one of the top must-see things to do in one’s lifetime.

if you like, you can donate to my fundraising minimum here:

Lauren’s Habitat for Humanity Global Village Fundraising Page

HOMEWORK – some tidbits about Cambodia & Habitat for Humanity:

Cambodia is a country in South East Asia, less than half the size of California and twice the size of Scotland. once it was the center of the ancient kingdom of the Khmer, and its capital was Angkor, famous for its 12th century temples. between the fall of Angkor and the rise of Communism, Cambodia has a complicated and sad history. in 1970 a communist guerrilla group known as the Khmer Rouge emerged and created strife in Cambodia. along with civil war, the Vietnam War and a period known as “three years, eight months, and 28 days” of tyranny, more than 2 million people lost their lives, many through the act of genocide.

Khmer Rouge embarked on an organized mission: they ruthlessly imposed an extremist program to reconstruct Cambodia. so, at short notice and under threat of death, the inhabitants of towns and cities were forced to leave them. all political and civil rights were abolished. children were taken from their parents and placed in separate forced labor camps. factories, schools and universities were shut down; so were hospitals. lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers, scientists and professional people in any field (including the army) were murdered, together with their extended families. religion was banned, all leading Buddhist monks were killed and almost all temples destroyed. music and radio sets were also banned. it was possible for people to be shot simply for knowing a foreign language, wearing glasses, laughing, or crying. one Khmer slogan ran ‘to spare you is no profit, to destroy you is no loss.’

in the wake of this devastation, Cambodia is now looking to overcome its misfortunes. according to the 2010 Human Development Report published by the UN – about 26% of the population lives on less than $1.25 US dollars a day. in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, 20% of the population lives in squatter settlements or slums. people lack secure living quarters or basic services.

Habitat for Humanity’s vision & mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.  they believe in a world where everyone has a decent place to live. the Global Village Program is a vital part of Habitat for Humanity‘s work. one is able to be involved at a grass root level and work alongside partner communities and families. it’s an exciting opportunity to learn about another culture, travel to destinations that are off the tourist track and enhance the ongoing work of Habitat for Humanity. it also gives an insight into certain areas of international community development.

Habitat for Humanity Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Housing and Community Development Project is currently operating in 8 communities around Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city. they are delivering housing solutions through construction of houses from the ground up, repairs, renovations, water and sanitation facilities, electricity and water connections, livelihood training and construction skills training. since the program began in 2004, it has provided over 600 safe, decent houses.

community members in need of decent shelter apply to local Habitat affiliates. the affiliate’s selection committee selects community members based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the no-interest loan of approximately US$22 per month. every affiliate follows a non-discriminatory policy of community member selection. neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families who receive Habitat houses. when community members are selected to participate in Habitat’s program they are required to meet certain conditions, for example, complete ‘sweat equity’ which is labor on Habitat work-sites helping to construct homes for others as well as their own home. this philosophy helps transform homeowners‘ lives by instilling a new sense of dignity and empowerment and promotes ownership for the partner families.

please consider helping me raise my minimum donation toward this organized build project. i’m to raise $1000 of which i have $100 so far. you can give on my donation page. THANK YOU!

Lauren’s Habitat for Humanity Global Village Fundraising Page 

no donation is too small!! XO – lola

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