August 2015
The bags are packed and we are ready to go. We have 2 bags full of t-shirts,
shoes, books and crayons (50 kilos+) We also have $2,275 in donations.
Thank you to all those who have supported us.
Mr Fotheringham has also secured a pledge from his company to support 2 teachers for one year at a cost of $70 per month each person.
We are off. Heathrow to Singapore then connecting flight to Siem Reap. Its a big plane - just like a double decker flying bus and we are on the top floor.
It's a long journey - simply - morning fight - straight to dinner and then breakfast - and a lot of films in between (including the new Cinderella!)
Arrived in Singapore early Thursday morning with an hour to get to our connecting flight to Cambodia - but we made it by the skin of our teeth.
Thursday
We landed in Siem Reap and after lots and lots of paper work we managed to get to the baggage area and there to greet us were our two bags of Lympsham goodies!!
On arriving at our hotel we went to bed for a half an hour nap - two hours later we were cooling down in the pool. They are waiting for the rainy season to start so the air is hot and humid most of the time.
In the evening we met up with Syden and his lovely new wife, taking with us the two bags from Lympsham. He was so grateful. We went out for a Kymer meal which was delicious. Then back to bed for 7.30 pm. We slept until 6 am without a break!
Friday
Today has been very busy. Up at 6 for a 7 am start. Our first visit was to a village government school. It was prize giving. It was Syden's old primary school where his father had been the 'principle' (headteacher) He told us that he had been invited to give the gifts at prize giving. He said that because we were his guests we were very important. We had to wear special scarves round our necks.
Nothing prepared us for what happened next. We arrived to a crowd of children , parents and teachers. We were formally introduced to the government district officer for education. We were given seats on the top table and after, what seemed like hours and hours of speeches in khymer, we were asked to help give out all the prizes.
After that we followed a very bumpy road to the school that Syden is establishing. It is still very much in it's early days. As we were sat talking children started to appear as if from nowhere. It was time for their English lesson. Mr Fotheringham was very impressed by their writing - but was a bit taken aback when he was asked to mark it. Syden then asked me to talk to the children- so we sang a song and I told them all about the children at Lympsham and showed them your pictures!
Saturday
Our time in Cambodia has come to an end. We have completed our task for now. Syden has promised to keep us up to date with progress and send pictures through to us.
Today we flew back to Singapore - it has been a very very long and hot day.