Mid Phase review (MPR) (24th-28th December 2014) marking the halfway point of my VSO 3 month placement in Cambodia, is a crucial time to relax and enjoy time away from community whilst an opportunity to evaluate the past 6 weeks. Being on the MPR committee with, Alex, Samnang, Navy and Setha we were in charge of organising the event and leading two days worth of sessions on: cultural issues, work placements, counterpart reviewing, host homes and team reflection in the tourist hot spot and party city of Siem Reap in north-western Cambodia.
Aims for MPR in Siem Reap
Helena and Gemma posing
Cultural questions: Khmer vs UK
Siem Reap, most famous for being the home of the spectacular Angkor Wat and the many surrounding temples, finished construction during the most powerful period of the Khmer empire in the 13th century. To see Angkor Wat at its most impressive, sunrise, we arrived at 5am on Christmas day. The wait for the sunrise was incredibley exciting, despite being exhausted, with the anticipation from thousands of other spectators increasing the excitement levels further. As the sun creeped over the sky, the majesty of the thousand year old temple was revealed, definitely making this a Christmas morning to never forget.
Angkor Wat at sunrise
Afterwards we spent the day investigating and climbing around the ruins of the other temples in the surrounding area: Ta Prohm, Prasat Bayon, Angkor Thom and Prasat Kravan.
Prasat Bayon
Ta Prohm temple
Bayon temple covered in the expressive stone carved faces had to be my favourite, most exciting when I discovered a dark hidden passageway of one of the walkways.
Despite MPR falling through the christmas period, the festive season passed me by unnoticed , not surprising being that 90% of Cambodia is Theravada Buddhist and living in an Animist community where Christmas is unheard of.
In the precious free time over MPR I visited the pagoda’s of Wat Bo and Wat Prohm Roth, trawled through the expansive night markets with the vast array of spices, clothes, jewellery and other trinkets imaginable and ate amazing food at the vast number of café’s in Siem Reap. Naturally, I tried my hand at bartering in the night markets with my limited amount of Khmer, to the great amusement of the locals.
Sister Srey Cafe: Breakfast salad with a honey, cinnamon, banana and oatmeal shake. Could happily eat this everyday for the rest of my life.
To celebrate the end of Christmas day and training on the 27th, I hit the infamous Pub street visiting Angkor What? and Temple Bar with: Alex, Josh, Steph, Gemma, Helena , dancing and enjoying cocktails into the early hours of the morning.
