Position: Works at the Co-operative Childcare in Rose Hill, Oxford
What made you decide to travel to Cambodia to work with children in an orphanage?
I've been working with children for 15 years; it's a passion of mine. For my 30th birthday I wanted to do something memorable, so my husband and I decided to do something abroad. I have a friend who lives in Cambodia, so I looked at volunteering in that area and found the orphanage online.
How was the experience for you?
Amazing. It was wonderful to see that children are just the same - no matter where you're from, children learn and play the same way. We had very few resources out there, but the children were happy with what they had. They found fun in the simplest activities. It was so interesting to teach another culture.
How did you involve Rose Hill in your trip?
The children and their families were great, bringing in presents for me to take. They brought small toys and pretty bits like hairclips - the orphanage saved some of these so it can give each of the children gifts at Christmas.
What's next for you?
Unfortunately I will be leaving Rose Hill, but I'm planning to move out to South East Asia to work with children next year. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time and being in Cambodia confirmed this for me.
