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Tag - coronavirus

January 2020

February 1, 20203 min read

It started off as a slow start to the year. Having lots to prepare ready for the next few months meant I was focused on other things and therefore I didn’t realise we were progressing quickly.

The Chinese New Year brought an end to the month and a new threat in the form of Coronavirus which crippled China in the blink of an eye made me focus more clearly. Things like this is more apparent when, as a Westerner in Asia, you are closer to what is happening and therefore you see how quickly things develop.

Every Volunteer brings something different

During this month I have found myself comparing life to what it was like the year before. I guess it is why you should never stay too long in the same place. Last year was an awesome experience made more so by the volunteers that arrived.

And whilst this year’s volunteers are just as important and dedicated to helping on the farm my mind brings up memories.

Memories

I guess that first shared experience with the likes of Paul and Natalia back in December and early January. As well as the unforgettable Olie and Caroline who we shared our first Cambodian Wedding together are always going to bring back good memories.

Then came the turn of our first French volunteer and arguably one of the best ever in Lucie( certainly in the top 5 volunteers ever)

She really epitomised the role of volunteering and workaway cultural immersion like no other.

Along with the comical Teddy from New Mexico.

Who left an action-packed two weeks etched in my memory of the fun we had. We shared many nights playing cards and discussing the world in general. Not to mention the many beers and rice wine parties we had with the family and workers.

A 20 something French girl, a 30 plus guy from New Mexico and Brit in his 40s  living on a farm in the middle of South East Asia is a definite recipe for a sketch show in my opinion.

A younger group followed then in the form of Chloe from France. David from Switzerland who I have kept in touch with since he left and although he is back in his country studying hard, I am sure we will meet again on our travels.

This year’s journey will be a different chapter in my life and that of the farm. A lot as changed this year and when I do leave the farm, it will be hard to let go but I am sure that I will always leave a part of me here.

 

 

 

2020

December 29, 20193 min read

New Year New Me

I believed things would improve, but this year took a turn for the worse for everyone around the world.

I think we will remember 2020 for a long time; it will go down in history as one of those years when humanity had to endure a global catastrophe.

Beginning of the end?

It had all started well enough. I attended my fourth wedding in Cambodia, where Mr Sok, one of the cooks/ tour guides at the pepper farm, got married in March. It was a joyous occasion for everyone, and it concluded a beautiful chapter of my experiences in Cambodia—one that I will cherish forever.

Pre-Covid Plans

After travelling for over 15 months and entering my third actual year of travel, I felt it was a good time to leave and discover new things.

I originally left the UK in September 2018 and spent most of 2019 living in Cambodia. Initially, I had expected to be back home by now, but I suddenly felt the urge to visit friends and family.

This year, my plan was to explore Vietnam and Laos, possibly concluding my journey in Myanmar, where I hoped to experience more of its beauty.

However, before all that, I began with a trip back to the UK in mid-March to surprise my mum for her birthday. It turned out to be a memorable surprise for both of us.

23 March 2020 will be a day I remember for a long time. I surprised her after being away for 18 months, only to be unexpectedly faced with COVID-19 and lockdown restrictions that left me stuck in the UK indefinitely.

Long Stay

It would take almost two years for me to finally get back on a plane and return to Cambodia, where I had initially left for a two-week holiday.

The sad part is that I lost several good friends who, like so many others, succumbed to Covid-related deaths.

During this time, we experienced lockdowns, mandatory mask-wearing, and witnessed many caring and compassionate individuals stepping up to help others.

Suddenly, we found ourselves away from the pressure and stress of everyday life, which allowed us to support our fellow beings.

However, this came at a price, the effects of which we are only beginning to fully comprehend years later. Inflation, the rising cost of living, and food shortages are all consequences of the economic shutdown during the pandemic.

This means that people’s lives will be affected for decades as we face the aftermath of COVID. Additionally, speculation continues about the origins of the virus, with some suggesting that it may have escaped from a man-made laboratory.

LOVE IT 😀

Thanks @jodilmorris for this perfect quote