Cambodia countdown

It´s only four weeks until I arrive in Phnom Pehn. Here is some infomation that I´ve compiled about the country and also about what I am going to be doing there.

Besos,

stevieg

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The Kingdom of 

Cambodia 

 

Capital city: Phnom Pehn, population 1,300,000 

Population: 15 million (2010) 

Religion: Most Cambodians (95%) today are Theravada Buddhists. This strict version of Buddhism became prevalent in Cambodia in the thirteenth century, displacing the combination of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism that was practiced previously. 

Average monthly salary: £32  

Life Expectancy:  62 years (men) 65 years (women) 

The fate of Cambodia shocked the world when the radical communist Khmer Rouge under their leader Pol Pot seized power in 1975 after years of guerrilla warfare. 

An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died during the next three years, many from exhaustion or starvation. Others were tortured and executed. 

Today, Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world and relies heavily on aid. Foreign donors have urged the government to clamp down on pervasive corruption. 

Cambodia is burdened with the legacy of decades of conflict; unexploded land mines - thought to number in the millions - continue to kill and maim civilians, despite an on-going de-mining drive. 

Historical Overview 

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887.  

Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh (the capital) and evacuated all cities and towns. 

At least 1.7 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT.  On December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war.  

UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance.  

This photo shows a Cambodian child working and living in the landfill just outside of Phnom Penn, one of the most toxic environments in the world. Around 700 tons of waste arrives here each day (and burned), including used medical equipment.  HIV, hepatitis B, respiratory and skin diseases are rife. 

An extract from a report of a visit to Cambodia by Felisa Tibbitts, Director of Human Rights Education Associates. 

“Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Most children don't complete more than five years of education - if that - because their families need them to work on the farms. The priority is survival, in a country with limited health care and economic resources. At the national level, the problems loom even larger. Thousands of landmines are still unexploded and thousands of people are maimed or killed each year - thirty years after they were planted. The country is being deforested, affecting the environment in all of Southeast Asia. Sex trafficking is a huge, largely unchecked problem, along with HIV/AIDS. As one human rights worker told me, if you have any interest in human rights problems, just come to Cambodia. They are all here.”  – Notes from Cambodia,  Felisa Tibbitts

How am I going to help there?

• I will be responsible for creating new ways to promote and raise funds for the organization (SOLS 24/7) as well as gathering information and updating the newsletter and social networking sites and website. I will be working closely with corporations, multinationals and business people that support the SOLS 24/7 cause, education programs and social enterprises. And also I will be responsible for organizing formal and non-formal functions for the institute.  

• Additionally I will be using my knowledge and skills to give some media classes to students interested in entering that field of work. These classes will include the teaching of basic journalism ethics and laws, how to research and gather news and write a news/magazine story, how to conduct an interview, photojournalism skills and putting the work into practice. 

• Also, I will give a few special English classes such a Business English and Conversation Skills using the experience that I have gained over the past two years working as a teacher in Spain. 

• During my time at SOLS 24/7, I will be part of a very hardworking team who have a lot of responsibility to train and educate children and young adults 

• It is a non-paid position. I will be provided with accommodation and food. I will be sleeping in a shared dormitory with around 5-9 other people and sharing a bed. I will be provided with three meals a day - rice, rice and more rice ;)
  
  
  

VIDEO: How will Nato exit from Afghanistan?

As Nato prepares to leave Afghanistan in 2014, questions on how this withdrawal will logistically take place have yet to be answered. 

With the road route through Pakistan blocked, and instability and hostility from neighbouring countries making air and rail exits difficult, will it be possible to transport all the weapons and hardware of nearly 100,000 troops from this landlocked country?

INTERESTING

Source: bbc.co.uk

Did you know...? North Korea

How I wonder. 

Location

What a daunting place it seems to be. North 

Korea. 

 For me, this is simply for the fact of having no idea what is actually going on inside the shut off communist state. How are the people being treated, are they suffering? Perhaps they’re living it up? The facts arn't known. Take a look at some information and statistics I found that are said to be true. For those of you who don't know much or anything about the country, it could be interesting.

North Korea ranks amongst the worst human rights offenders in the world.

• No freedom of religion (you can be executed for possessing a bible)
• No freedom of press (the government is state run and often reports complete lies of government propaganda)
• Citizens are not free to move about(vehicles and fuel are often reserved only for the political elite
• They currently have the worlds 4th largest army with 1.1 million active soldiers
• Education is state run and the literacy rate is said to be 99%
• The state allegedly runs re-education camps to correct people who have committed crimes against the government - 50,000 people are said to be political prisoners.
• Citizens have to right to vote at 17, however there is only one party to vote for.

It has also been reported that public executions take place at stadiums in front of thousands of spectators. And allegedly you could be executed for making an international phone call or hoarding food.

It kills me not knowing the hard facts!

This is an article by the BBC today which talk about how the people are managing to get hold of news from outside their country and how it's becomming much more common and the people less fearful in doing so.

BBC ARTICLE - NORTH KOREA MEDIA CHANGE

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Barack Obama declares his support for gay marriage (Obama en favor del matrimonio gay)

Well ladies and gentlemen, another history record for Obama has been made. About 4 hours ago he sat for an interview and publicly declared for the first time that he supports marriage equality.

This is an historic moment with huge implications globally and in the United States. As many countries around the world continue to ban marriage and 76 nations criminalize people because of it, President Obama has just stood up to boldly say that all love is equal.

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Otra historía political para el presidente del EEUU. Hace 4 horas, Barack Obama hizo una entrevista y admitó publicamente, por la primera vez, que es en favor del matrimonio gay.

Es un momento histórico con implicaciones mundiales grandes y en los Estados Unidos tambien. Muchas países por el mundo siguen a prohibir el matrimonio gay y 76 países criminalizan la gente que practicarlo.

El presidente Obama ha defendido valientemente para decir que 'todo el amor es igual'

NEED HELP PACKING?

Thanks to Ms. Anne Giles for sharing this treat for the last-minute, ULTIMA SEGUNDA, traveller. ^^

Check it out (link is below). Answer a few questions and it makes a check-list for you - just so you don't end up on a long weekend in Valencia without any underwear... *cough, cough* I must remember to use this next time.

For the record, this piece of information was provided to me by a blonde...

....she'll give me a slap for that one, I'm sure! xD

The Universal Packing List

GLIMPSE - a few of my travel pics

GLIMPSE, a set on Flickr.

A whole lot of NEW.

I've given in to the blogging world, yes! And that's all to be said on that matter.

As the obsessed traveller I am, I'm off  on a journey this summer that I believe could conjure up some interesting content, to please your 'wee' eyes and minds.

CAMBODIA is the place and there I am to be working as a Media and Communications intern for a non-governmental organisation called SOLS 24/7 in the capital of Phnom Penn. SOLS 24/7 PAGE

After two years living and working here in Zaragoza, Spain, it is time to move on. The city has given me as much as it can, with haste and abundance. A lot of experience, a lot of challenges, a lot of mistakes (that were well learnt from) and most importantly a lot of friends with whom I made A WHOLE LOT of memories that will forever be cherished.

After my extensive/obsessive travels over the past couple of years I really should have created a blog earlier. But my stubbornness restrained me until now.

Anyway, the old candle is burnin' out. Time to hit the sack in my neighbourhood of dreams. OH, San Pablo, how I will miss you.

Sign up and stay tuned.

Besos,

Stevieg

 haha xD