March is supposed to be near the height of the hot dry season but we have had 4 torrential downpours in the last week with cloudy weather most days. Instead of getting hotter it has steadily been getting cooler and this evening it was actually chilly outside!
I just realised this is my second post about the weather but it is very odd and I feel I must keep up the British tradition of mentioning it nearly every day.
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Phnom Penh
I took a couple of days off and went to Phnom Penh and back by bus, which took 6 hours each way.
Phnom Penh is bigger, noisier, dirtier and has much more traffic than Siem Reap. It had to be experienced but I was glad to get back.
The S21 genocide museum based at the old school that was used as a prison by the Khmer Rouge and where they documented and took pictures of the atrocities carried out is not only very sad and sobering but helps you to understand that the Cambodian economy and society were almost completely destroyed and why Cambodia is still recovering from this today.
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Volunteers
I have talked to quite a few of the volunteers here and there seems to be a recurring theme. Being volunteers they are in a unique position to observe things going on here. People have shared stories from the medical side which can easily be compared ( by me, another volunteer) with the things happening on the administration side, but this generally only happens volunteer to volunteer over dinner etc.
I am wondering how we can share all this really useful information with the hospital. Most of this information leaves with the volunteers as they don't know how to share it with the management here or think it is not their place or role to do so.
I am wondering how we can share all this really useful information with the hospital. Most of this information leaves with the volunteers as they don't know how to share it with the management here or think it is not their place or role to do so.
Shadow Puppet show at hospital
We had a fundraising shadow puppet show at the front entrance of the hospital on Tuesday ( luckily it only rained at night that day).
It was interesting but all in Khmer so didn't know the story. There was a big bonfire at the back of the screen which was a bit disconcerting and it must have been incredibly hot for the actors.
Tropical storms
So much more to add but there have been 3 tropical storms in the last three days and I have had trouble accessing the internet especially to download pictures. Spent three days trying to download a picture of a tuk tuk, now I give up! It isn't supposed to rain until July!
Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm etc ,etc
(I am having to do another catch up as there doesn't seem to be enough time to keep this up to date!)
I can't do justice to the temples here with my limited photograhic skills. They are all amazing.
I have been three times now. The first with with Pol, the accountant. Last weekend with another volunteer, we travelled by Tuk-Tuk, basically a rickshaw pulled by a motorbike, it is actually a very pleasant way to travel,also it may be an illusion but it feels safer than the back of the motos or motorbike. The third time by bicycle which was extremely hot and tiring and I got slightly lost so went much further than planned.
I was so glad to get back to Siem Reap and the swimming pool of the Prince D'Angkor which volunteers at AHC can us can use at a special daily rate. As you can see I am not exactly roughing it here ( Why am I admitting this!)
I have been three times now. The first with with Pol, the accountant. Last weekend with another volunteer, we travelled by Tuk-Tuk, basically a rickshaw pulled by a motorbike, it is actually a very pleasant way to travel,also it may be an illusion but it feels safer than the back of the motos or motorbike. The third time by bicycle which was extremely hot and tiring and I got slightly lost so went much further than planned.
Monday, 21 March 2011
Accounting matters
Thursday & Friday the finance team from one of the donor organisations came to check that recommendations had been implemented following their previous audit. There was a meeting at the end to discuss the report with about 20 people from AHC present (which seemed to be rather a lot).
After a lot of research I found out how to design a limited number of reports on Intacct , the online accounting system here. At first glance it is an impressive “cloud” accounting system implemented by the treasurer of the umbrella charity Friends Without Borders in New York.
I don't find the Intacct system that user friendly and I haven’t come across anyone knowing of any other organisations using it. (if anyone out there reading this has, please let me know). AHC in Cambodia do not have access to Intacct's functions which makes for a slow and frustrating process here as any queries have to go through New York, which is difficult when there is a 12 hour time difference. I have been looking at ways of doing more in Cambodia so that more information can be accessed here.
After a lot of research I found out how to design a limited number of reports on Intacct , the online accounting system here. At first glance it is an impressive “cloud” accounting system implemented by the treasurer of the umbrella charity Friends Without Borders in New York.
I don't find the Intacct system that user friendly and I haven’t come across anyone knowing of any other organisations using it. (if anyone out there reading this has, please let me know). AHC in Cambodia do not have access to Intacct's functions which makes for a slow and frustrating process here as any queries have to go through New York, which is difficult when there is a 12 hour time difference. I have been looking at ways of doing more in Cambodia so that more information can be accessed here.
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