Goodbye and Good Luck

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Hello all,

Tonight its Joseph and Orso for the last blog of the Cambodia 2012 service project. Today was the finale of Friends Forever and it came with many tears and some very tough goodbyes.

The morning started with us going to a Kindergarten in the Angkor Thom District with all of our friends. Today there was no teaching but instead a goodbye party for us and the Cambodians, who have returned home to their own districts this afternoon after spending the duration of the project at a hotel in Siem Reap not far from where we were staying. The morning began with some great Khmer games and some serious tug of war which almost broke the rope.

We also evaluated the program with lists of pros and cons to try and benefit future trips. We then had our last lunch together as group, which in itself was a very touching experience. After lunch there was a series of speeches in which Will and Monique thanked the Cambodians for their participation and friendliness during our week together. After this two Cambodian students, Pon and Mey Mey both expressed their gratitude with amazing speeches in English. Following the lunch we exchanged small gifts (some quite amazing, with Lucas and Keiren receiving home made fishing traps), and email addresses and we signed shirts with all of the students so that we would be able to stay in touch. With all of us starting to feel quite emotional, we did some singing and dancing – both traditional and some more dancing familiar to us.

Though all amazing things must come to an end and before we knew it the day was drawing to a close.  We got into lines and individually said our goodbyes to each student, this bringing almost all of us to tears and before we knew it the day was over and we were getting into our buses and starting the journey home. Once back at the hotel we all got into the pool, still with the thoughts of the students clear in our heads though with an hour-long massage lined up for all of us we would soon be all quite refreshed and relaxed. Later in the evening we stayed at the hotel for a beautiful buffet dinner, the last dinner in a hotel for the trip. Soon though we will be on a plane all heading back to Melbourne (minus Steve ‘Stevo’ Ward who is staying behind to have a holiday). In approximately 36 hours we will be back on Australian shores and can’t wait to see our families again.

Signing out for the last time, Joseph and Orso.