Why did you decide to volunteer with DWC in Cambodia?
Amanda: I first heard about the trip with DWC through my university. Our team leader had put up recruitment posters and when I responded I didn't know any one else going on the trip, but that soon changed.
Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Amanda: My day to day activities as a volunteer varied with the projects that were going on in the village at the time. We spent our time on a number of projects, including building a modest house for a widow and her son. We also built two latrines and planted two fields of peanuts. We'd bike to the work site, which was sometimes as much as a twenty minute ride. Once at the site we were instructed by local tradesmen on how to accomplish the task at hand. They showed us how to use the basic tools at our disposal, from using the back of a hatchet as a hammer to completing simple brickwork. We'd return home for a two hour lunch break with our housekeeper and then work for the remainder of the afternoon.
We spent our evenings teaching English at the local school, which taught four morning, four afternoon and two youth group classes. When we returned home we had electricity for three hours in the evening, which we mainly used for light to read or play card games with.
How has this experience helped you grow personally and professionally?
Amanda: The experience I had in Cambodia impacted me deeply in all aspects of my life. I made friends in Cambodia that I will never forget, and forged a connection to a village that is as much a home to me as my own in Canada. The sheer strength and willpower of the people of Cambodia has taught and inspired me so much, and encourages me to strive and work for my goals, even if they seem impossible. The trip expanded my horizons, not only personally but allowed me to experience a wide range of work.