Goodbye Siem Reap, Hello Bangkok

From mama pigs by the outhouse to skyscrapers, mega malls and an extensive subway system, I was not fully prepared for the culture shock I would feel transitioning from Cambodia to Thailand. And just when I had learned a few phrases in Khmer, I need to forget them all and try to learn some Thai. Sawasdee kha! 

To wrap Cambodia, thanks to all the work the teams did after we left, we were able to finish both houses and latrines and have blessing ceremonies that got the families off to a good start. Not only will their houses better protect them from the rain, they are solar powered so they have light and a fan inside. Cooking will happen downstairs and there is also a water filtration system. It's quite a change for both families. 

Saturday, the team went to Angkor Wat. It's not just the temple you've seen in all the photos, it's a complex of over 72 major temples. We started outside the gate to watch the sunrise then began our tour at the main temple before taking a break back at our hotel and visiting two more - including Ta Prohm, which many will recognize as the Tomb Raider temple. It was a wonderful way to wrap up my time in Cambodia. 

Now in Bangkok I have been navigating the subway system semi successfully and yesterday I went on a whirlwind tour of the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun. All stunning in their own ways. The Grand Palace houses the Emerald Buddha, which is very cool but photos aren't allowed. Wat Pho is where the famous reclining Buddha is. He is 150 feet long - that's half a football field! Amazing. And Wat Arun is another spectacular structure covered in people wearing rented traditional Thai outfits and having their photos taken. 

After all that I met my friend Matt for dinner and he showed me around his neighborhood. We met at work 27 years ago and after promising I would visit him in Thailand, I finally made it. 

Today I walked around a less touristy, more hipster neighborhood and I'm getting ready for a food tour of Chinatown. Then it's off to Chiang Mai. What a whirlwind.

As always, the photos are showing up most recent to oldest in a giant stack below. The first picture is a bit of a spoiler alert for the subway sign I took on the Bangkok train when I first arrived but still worth including!

Feel Good Friday - Volunteer Building Cambodia

With my volunteer trip to Cambodia coming up and 2026 being the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, I'm excited to spotlight Volunteer Building Cambodia this week.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Volunteer Building Cambodia (VBC) aims to improve the living conditions of families in need in rural areas by providing them with wells, toilets, and safe, dry housing. You can find details about this work and their partnership with the JJoy Foundation in my post from December. Today I want to highlight VBC's education programs.

In rural Cambodia, inadequate education and lack of skills mean many people remain jobless or struggle with unskilled labor, resulting in limited opportunities for families to break the cycle of poverty. VBC established the Volunteer Building Cambodia Community Centre (VBCCC) in 2017 to provide a crucial step on that ladder out of poverty.

Located about 25 kilometers outside Siem Reap in Bakong village, VBCCC teaches English language and computer skills to children and teenagers who have limited or no access to these classes at their own schools. These programs complement the local Khmer curriculum and open doors for young people looking for job opportunities as well as students planning to attend universities that use English language textbooks and require digital literacy. Through their English classes, VBCCC also provides education on hygiene and sanitation, the environment, and other important subjects.

VBCCC has had a big impact in the community. With only four full-time teachers, the school serves around 200 students every day and more than 50% of them are girls! In addition, VBC has plans to create a vocational training facility starting with basic building skills to help adults in surrounding villages gain greater opportunities to find work and better provide for their families.

If you'd like to support Volunteer Building Cambodia, there are many ways to do so. You can make a donation, join a volunteer trip to build homes or teach at the Community Centre, and amplify their message on social media. Follow VBC on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and share their stories of hope and opportunity with your network. I'll be sharing photos and stories from my trip on my Hey Miss K blog so stay tuned!