Holiday In Cambodia

Day 68: Siem Reap, Cambodia
This is now the fifth time I have written this post but due to the ultra slow internet speed in Cambodia everytime I go to save it I have lost my internet connection.
I suppose if that's my biggest problem this week then I am doing okay....
So I am staying at the Globalteers guest house at the moment, a beautiful French colonial building, 4 storeys high with a magnificent view of the town and a spectacular photo opportunity at sunrise (so I am told). It's interesting how European colonisation has left it's footprint on the countries in which they settled and subsequently left, the British in Malaysia, the Spanish in the Philippines and the French in Vietnam and surrounding countries. Thailand is the only one which hasn't been conquored by a foreign power, the impact on the culture, the food, language and architecture lingers to the present day.As I got in late on Friday I missed my first day at the project, I was allocated to Anjali House which is where all the streetkids go to learn English. I am teaching English to the kids which hasn't been too hard, after 18 months in Malaysia my accent is at a 7/10 now and I have a really good rapport with the students who are also right into their sports and music like me, although I tried to teach them a bit of Aussie Rules but it didn't really translate. I was an assistant coach with the Malaysian Warriors under 18s side when I was living in Malaysia so I thought it would be worth a shot, I gave up and taught them how to play some Powderfinger songs on the guitar instead so no harm done.
Its pretty tragic what these kids have gone through, makes me really sad but there is a light at the end of the tunnel for them. I can't see any of these kids becoming a doctors or lawyer but if they can get their English right then they should be able to support themselves through the hospitality or tourism industry which is increasing massively day by day. Hopefully maybe their kids will be able to take it to the next level though as it looks like this generation has successfully broken the cycle of poverty that has gone on since the civil war in the 1970's. They have fixed the road into Siem Reap from Bangkok and the Airport has been redone so that will mean lots more tourism meaning more bucks coming into town, and more of the right sort of tourist rather than the wrong sort that has been all too prevalent in their lives up until this point.
Too tragic to think about, there but for the grace of God go I....
Theres an interesting phenomenon with the volunteers situation in that there are 10 females for every male at the project, you would think a single guy would enjoy these ratios. Unfortunately the reality is that most of them are tree hugging save the pink whales feminists so haven't really spent much time socialising with the crew as I would have thought. Each to his own.
All in all it's been a really good experience, although it really kills a cynic like me to say it but the NGO's are making a big difference in Cambodia and the country is all the better for it. A bit unorganised at times but their hearts are in the right place and the town really appreciates anyone who makes an effort to help out. The only thin I didn't know is That Siem reap/Cambodia has some of the best trails in the world for dirt bike riding, if I had known that I would have extended my stay for an extra week, unfortunately I uncovered that piece of information right after I booked my fare to Laos. Oh well, another thing for the ever increasing To-Do list, off to Luang Prabang tomorrow for the the backpacker paradise of Vien Vang for a week of relaxing, finally going to stay in one place for a reasonable amount of time to chill out before my Asian travels come to an end.
Bye!