Update with Volunteer Dates!

I've started a new donation campaign on gofundme for people who didn't donate last time, and I've officially booked my flight!I'll be in Asia or travelling there and back from 9/18-10/8 of this year. Because I cut down the duration of my stay, I'm doing quite well budget-wise, but there's always extra, unforeseen expenses, and I'll have to travel on land from Phnom Penh to Battambang and back, so I am anticipating some budget items to cost more, some to cost less, and others to rear their ugly heads at the least ideal moment!

I've been selected to receive the Spirit of Goddard Scholarship because of my promotion of the college's mission statement. Although it will be awarded to me after I return from my trip, I plan to use the money to help defray the cost of the unforeseen or over-expensive budget items that I'm sure will arise. I'm very relieved to have this safety net and have sent out a grateful letter of appreciation to the donors.

I'm so happy that my dream of volunteering is coming true.

Review: Lonely Planet Cambodia

My copy of Lonely Planet Cambodia came in the mail today. It said it arrived yesterday but I couldn't find it anywhere. For a second I was worried about mail snatchers, but, seriously, who would go around doing such a thing in Boulder? Anyway, the book appeared today by our door in the usual Amazon order drop-off location, so maybe the tracker just couldn't tell what day it was.

The guidebook is everything that you would expect from a Lonely Planet. It's got travel by region since it covers an entire country rather than just a city, and it includes overviews on what to do, where to stay, where to shop and eat, and even some information about leisure activities. Everything from large chains to small, expat-run businesses make the cut, and it's well-researched by people who know Cambodia, inside and out. However, the culture, history, and information sections in this LP go above and beyond; there's a full overview of Cambodian history and a lot of cultural information that goes beyond Dos and Donts. I was very impressed (and LP is my go-to for guidebooks) by how thorough this guide was. However, that does make it quite heavy; at over three-hundred pages, it's also very bulky for a travel guide.

Since sections are organized by content, it's easy to find whatever you're looking for; I read the book cover-to-cover to get a feel for the entire guide. In my review of Responsible Travel Guide Cambodia, I noted that the book failed as both a travel guide and a comprehensive overview of Cambodia. Now, choosing between a book that's put on by a nonprofit and a LP series book is like choosing between shopping at your local mom-and-pop or at Walmart in some ways, but I can't recommend the former after having read the latter. The writers are well-aware of the special problems a traveler faces in Cambodia, and they have passed their knowledge on to a ignorant tourist in many ways that I found commendable:

• Ways that tourists get ripped off in various circumstances (border crossings especially; taxi fares, etc) and how to avoid them
• Knowledge that the sex trade in Cambodia runs rampant, and tips on how to avoid dicey establishments including massage parlors that offer 'special' services
• Reminders about pedophilia/illegal drugs/all the other things irresponsible and reprehensible tourists go to Asia to do
• Many, many, MANY warnings about landmines and how to avoid them, including very helpful tips on what to do if you find yourself or someone else stuck in a potential landmine-containing area. If you read this guide before you go to Cambodia and you blow yourself up anyway, you probably deserve it
• How to deal with children who are begging or selling items, and how to 'help' the people you see around you (some of this is general stuff, like, give food rather than money, but some is Cambodia-specific)
• A long list of nonprofits that take volunteers and/or help with further research on volunteer organizations, and a list of responsible shops and restaurants. The guide even proclaims its desire to list organizations that help disadvantaged Cambodians, which means it has the same goals as Responsible Travel Guide, but its execution and comprehensiveness are tons better
• Ways to interact with everyday Cambodians, such as homestays in remote areas, rare or dying crafts that you could purchase, and other tips to help direct money to honest, hard-working people rather than exploitative or underhanded ones

In short, if you are travelling to Cambodia, you need this guide. I don't care if you'll be staying in the luxury of Phnom Penh and never leaving the city--in fact, since Phnom Penh is known as a tourist destination, your chances of getting ripped off, stolen from, or encountering some unsavory people/practices is high. If you're coming to volunteer, I can't think of a better reference. And it does all the things a guidebook should.

One final note: the guidebook contains far more phrases than Responsible Travel Guide Cambodia, including some 'make it yourself' constructions, and a pronunciation guide to Khmer, making it an excellent resource for beginning Khmer students (there is a decided lack of textbooks and phrasebooks). Even Lonely Planet's phrasebook is for Southeast Asia, not just Cambodia itself. However, if you just need a bit of Khmer in a pinch to be understood or to be polite and learn a couple phrases, the guidebook is all you need.

Pros:

Excellent information, goes above and beyond a travel guide. Good detail about Cambodia's history, culture, people, and current problems; great compilation of activities, suggestions for what to do, and responsible travel hotels/stores/restaurants/tips.

Cons:

Very bulky and long, especially for an LP. Some people may not want to read so much in depth. Sometimes esoteric organization. Still not enough of a cuisine guide, more highlighting exotics than what you might eat every day. It may terrify 'ordinary' tourists with its frank admissions about Cambodia's sex trade, drug trade, awful state of the roads, child exploitation, etc (although I think an ordinary tourist might prefer to go somewhere else). If you're a worrywart, remember that it's better to know the possible worst than to travel in ignorance, and try not to lose sight of the phrase 'the possible worst.'

Final Verdict:

I'll be starting to make travel arrangements soon; I've heard from the school about some details of my teaching practicum and they're just waiting on me to set dates! I will also be planning my itinerary using my new guidebook and thinking about possible side trips and other fun stuff for this blog. I'm going to use the phrasebook section to kickstart my Khmer learning efforts, though I haven't decided on a definitive course of study yet.

The future seems wide open with possibilities! I'll be keeping the blog updated as I go along.

Review: Responsible Travel Guide Cambodia

I bought this book out of curiosity, because it's hard to find reliable Cambodia resources. My feelings are mixed, partly because the book itself is a kitchen-sink mixture of information about various aspects of Cambodia, its history, travel information, and nonprofit organizations.

It's available through the nonprofit that wrote it, Friendship With Cambodia, for $11.95 plus $3 s/h (the site says $14.95, but if you click the Paypal link it charges a lower price). You can read a sample here. Since the book is $14.05 currently via amazon, I encourage you to buy via the nonprofit's site. There are corrections and additions, current as of March 2014, available on the nonprofit site as well. This is very useful, since businesses in Cambodia can be fleeting and the problem with any travel guide is its relevance. Edit: It's also available as a $6 ebook from the main page of the site, not the book page, if you scroll down. Very confusing.

Who should read this book?

Anyone who is traveling to Cambodia, especially the main areas of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, and wants to spend their money responsibly either by shopping, dining, or staying in franchises that support Cambodia and whose money does not leave Cambodia. Anyone who wants a general overview of Cambodia the country, including travel information, timelines and history, and customs.

How useful is the information in the book?

As a travel guide, the book has a strange melange of information. I think it's worth knowing some decent places to spend money while in Cambodia. You may pay a higher price but you can feel good about where your money went. However, the book fails as a travel guide in two major areas. 

First, it doesn't include enough information about what to see in Cambodia. For instance, the Phnom Penh section highlights the "cultural treasures of the Royal Palace" and the "outstanding collection of ancient sculpture at the National Museum" (11). It includes a suggested three-day itinerary with bullet points such as "Visit the National Museum (ancient sculpture)" without saying anything more about the National Museum (11). For opening times, more details about its exhibits such as what famous/recommended pieces are in the museum or even what there is besides sculpture and more logistical information, you need to do further research. That's fine if you're planning a trip, but not so great if you are in Cambodia and chose to make this guide your only in-country resource.

Second, it is not comprehensive. You can, as long as you are willing to pay slightly more, get along only patronizing the recommended establishments in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, but I would have liked more comprehensive coverage of other regions or nods to other choices which, if not worthy of a 'responsible' label, would guarantee that a traveler could get along solely with this book.

As an informational resource about volunteering in Cambodia or making an altruistic impact, the book seems to have succeeded. Though I would have liked a list of organizations and tourist traps to avoid, they cover topics such as sex tourism, the exploitation of children, and reliable places to volunteer along with contact information and what type of volunteers the places need (including length of stay). Since Cambodian websites are sometimes untranslated, poorly-formatted, and full of uninformation, I'm very happy I bought the book.

As an informational resource about Cambodia, the book is a mixed bag. Basic information about customs and holidays lives side-by-side with a heart-wrenching 'sample' account of a survivor of the Pol Pot era. The food section is more an infographic than a real guide with names and recommendations, and given the difficulties of Cambodian script and the often vaguely-translated menus for tourists, a detailed menu guide would have been appreciated here. There's a basic section with a few Khmer phrases, but no guide as to pronunciation. In general, I would have liked the information included to be more focused, both on the travel aspects of the book and on the education about Cambodia. Most of the information isn't as good as what you would find in a Lonely Planet introduction, for instance. However, it is more comprehensive and focuses more on responsible tourism than a LP guide would.

The book also includes a bibliography of books about Cambodia, a good starting point for further reading.

Conclusion:

Any travel guide should include more details about food, places to stay, tourist attractions, and alternative options, especially in a country where public internet is tricky and expensive, and corruption runs rampant. The book is clearly the work of a team of amateurs; some of the sections seem included just because someone wanted to write them, and others could have used a critical eye to amend some of the glaring omissions or lack of specificity that plagues the guide. It's put out by an organization that deals intimately with Cambodia, not a worldwide organization that can't afford to check out Cambodia-specific venues, so its generality is disappointing.

Also, the guide does recommend some travel tour companies with Cambodian offices, but if you check out the Friendship with Cambodia website, you'll see that they run a tour of their own. I appreciate the parity in recommending other tours, but the book does serve to advertise the Friendship with Cambodia tour and encourage readers to donate to its programs and buy its book of Khmer Rouge survivor accounts (hence the sample excerpt). I would have preferred more information and less advertising, but I will probably buy and review their other book to support this worthy nonprofit.

Financial Update

Here's an update about finances, since we have new contribution information!
--------------------------------
Original Budget:

Flight $1800

Baggage Fee $150

Visa $25

Ground transportation $50

School Supplies $250

Living Expenses $900

Total: $3175

Funds:

Indiegogo $1723.36

Donations: $100

Total: $1823.36

--------------------------------

Deficit: $1351.64

My Contribution: $1250

So I'm still a bit in the red. However, I plan to see how much I can raise on my own! Here are some of the ways I plan to put money aside:

• Selling assets
• Grants and funding
• Odd jobs
• Saving each month (which I have already started)
• Birthday contributions
• Garage sale!

I'm hopeful that I'll be able to make up the difference, and I'll have more information soon about how to get a souvenir, how to contribute now that the campaign is over, and what my plans are! This is the beginning of an exciting time.

Again, thanks to everyone who helped out!

Donor Acknowledgements!

Hello everyone!

Here's the blog shout-out that I promised you. For those of you who chose to remain anonymous (even though I know who you are), if you want an acknowledgement just send me a message and let me know!

First, a fuzzy shout-out to my anonymous funders:

Family and friends, thank you all! I couldn't have done this without you. I'll be keeping in touch when it comes time to leave, and I appreciate what you've done, even if it's behind the scenes. People in <Aisthesis>, sorry about losing your GM for a couple of weeks and putting up with our officer corps running things, but let it be known that your suffering will be for a good cause!

Thanks to:
RBR
Grace
Harmony
Aunt Tess
Super-nova
Darren
My wonderful godparents
Uncle Rudy
Uncle Steve and Aunt Debbie, who chose to send checks rather than contribute on Indiegogo, adding to my campaign total after the fact!

And of course my parents and boyfriend, who have pledged their support to me and contributed in ways that go beyond donations.

Thanks to everyone who shared my link and put up with my social media spamming (sorry!).

*A special thanks to Daharel, who pestered the people around him tirelessly in support of my cause.*

For those of you who want a Cambodian souvenir, I'll be working out details in the upcoming months. Please follow my blog for details about trip planning, syllabus planning, and goodies!

And, we're done!

It's late, so this will be brief--but a huge thank you post is coming later, plus the blog acknowledgements for anyone who donated who chose to put their name on their donation.

After fees, my campaign raised $1784.51. (Edit: I forgot about Paypal fees on top of regular fees. The actual amount is $1723.86). I'm thrilled that we made it as far as we did. That puts the sum total of positive projected money at $3035 (Edit: $2974), if I throw in a contribution of $1250.49 (Edit: $2973.36) (I have some spare change somewhere, I'm sure).

Money: $2974
Estimated Cost: $3175

Total: -$201

As I said this weekend, a deficit is somewhat of a big deal, because making my portion of the bargain isn't a number I came up with spontaneously, but a monthly target. I plan to sell some assets and to work as much as I can given my schedule. However, I think everything will work out in the end. Either I will not end up bringing donations with me (I was planning on bringing a beat-up suitcase and leaving it there) or I'll bring a small bag's worth. It really depends on the cost of the lesson plan materials on my syllabus. But anyway, here's what having the money allows me to do:

1) Talk to the school and commit to dates. I'm so, so, so happy about this.
2) Start planning lessons based on what they expect me to do.
3) Figure out my end of the finances.

To everyone who wished me well, even if you didn't donate, you're the best. Thank you all so much. I'll be rolling out the red carpet for my donors in the coming days.

My Indiegogo Campaign Closes on 5/19/14

Hello everyone!

I'm so excited about the campaign contributions I've received so far, but my campaign is about to come to an end, and I need your help! Please like, share, and donate if you can. I've thought about my budget and put the conclusions below. If you don't want to read about the itemization and rationales, just skip to the summary section. Thanks for reading!

Current Budget
+
Indiegogo $1826-FEES=$1661
Expected Contribution $1250
Total +: $2911

-
Flight $1800
Baggage Fee $150
Visa $25
Ground transportation $50
School Supplies $250
Living Expenses $900
Total -: $3175

Total Difference:
-$264

So, I'm in the red. If I don't make my campaign goal, I get to keep the funds, but Indiegogo keeps 9% of the contributions instead of 4%. I knew that going in, but I decided to reach for the stars anyway.

Now, I know that some people may contribute to my campaign at a later date in a manner that doesn't involve fees. I would be very appreciative of that. $1250 is a stretch goal for me in terms of money to save up over the next few months, and I may have to push my travel time back a bit to help save over a longer period. When I outlined the budget on Indiegogo, I reached for the stars in terms of classroom materials and expected donations, whereas I went for almost the bare minimum when it comes to living expenses (I did opt for a place with hot water to live in, though). So the question would be, where to cut?

Sample Revised Budget
Flight $1800
Visa $25
Ground transportation $50

These three categories are set in stone, since I still need to get over there in order to teach.

Required Total: $1875

Baggage Fee $150
School Supplies $250
Living Expenses $900

Here's where things get tricky. I calculated living expenses for one month's worth of travel. Let's assume we're trying to keep that as long as we can, since length of stay > donations to school in this case.

I can pack the bare minimum, which means I won't be able to donate books and laptops to the school, but completely removes the baggage fee. I can also cut out the school donation, but I still need teaching supplies. Let's assume I can halve the supplies budget.

That leaves me at $1025, giving an overall expense of $2900 and making the campaign affordable.

If we go the other way and assume that I want to keep the donations, gifts, and VIP supplies, on the assumption that objects linger longer than presence, then I would have a starting cost of $400 plus living expenses. My total target is $1025, so I would have $625 to live on. When I calculated living expenses, I estimated $15/night for lodgings, and $15/day for food and transportation to and from the school, which is doable. How many days, then, could I afford to stay?

The answer is 20 days, so, with weekends, I would be able to teach for about two and a half weeks, but I would have to leave in the middle of a week.

Summary
What does that mean for you? It means that a donation of $30 adds an extra day to my trip, a donation of $150 guarantees I'll be able to collect items to donate and bring them safely with me to Cambodia, and a donation of $250 guarantees school supplies and a small donation to the school. Please do what you can. I appreciate it.