donderdag 9 januari 2014

One month on Koh Rong island!

It feels like it was a week ago when I first arrived on the island, instead it's already been one month, even more. In this blog I will write how life was on Koh Rong. 

Working in the White Rose Guesthouse:

I saw the sign "western staff wanted" and the next morning I woke up at 7.00 to start working! Actually.. most of the day talking and chilling with the guests and eating the delicious food from our kitchen. I was working in the guesthouse in return for a free bed and free food. I could eat whatever I want that's on the menu. So my mission was to try everything! One month of delicious food everyday. I'm a food-lover and I was in food-heaven! Omg, the nacho's... I will never forget those nacho's and of course the yummy chicken curry. Delicious foos combined with the most friendly people. Most of the staff working there are Khmer. Even though I couldn't really have a conversation with the girls, I had a great laugh with them anyway. Hugging, boxing, putting icecubes in each others shirts and a lot of smiles. My boss Lee is also from Cambodia. He is just as young as I am and running a successful guesthouse.  He is good with people, generous, always happy (sometimes hungover lol). The guests just love him. Jasmine, my German colleague and also one of my best mates on the island. It was always relaxed working with her. After work going out for one drink... ended up not remembering how much we had, ah well.. keep on smiling at work and people will forgive us for messing up their orders. At some point, during highseason, the island got crazy-busy and it started to feel more and more like work instead of a holiday. The guests were different, wining a lot more. I would like the island to stay the way it was three months ago. This easygoing hippy-vibe  going on (who cares your food takes one hour, this is Asia and you're on a holiday!!),  and more quiet time instead of party people all over the place getting shitfaced. I wish David the best. He will replace me. I think he will almost be just as hardworking as I was ;) he's a cool guy. Just what White Rose needs; a guy, who will tell people to shut the f up because people are trying to sleep. Even though it got busy, I 'm really going to miss this lifestyle and especially my white rose family. One love! 



Volunteering for "friends of koh rong":
After my morning shift  in the guesthouse (if I was not too tired) I would walk into the FOKR house to see where I could help out. I helped out with an art class, did a music class with the kids, helped out painting the house (see picture above, I painted some trees and the sea) and  I did some drop-in classes. The music class was so much fun. I had a class full of kids (about 25?) from the age of 5 up to 14 years old. I did the famous English childrens song B-I-N-G-O, the ABC-song and a Christmas song.   Soon it was x-mass holiday,  but since this island is 75% kids walking around, you could never get rid of them. Always playing, dancing, laughing with one of them in front of the guesthouse. The Cambodian kids are not only cute and beautiful, but they are also so happy! They will climbe you like monkeys, hug and kiss you.  I will never forget the girls working at FOKR. They are just awesome. I will miss having colleagues like them! 



My pets on Koh Rong ♥

There are not many cats on the island since it's ruled by dogs. Lee doesn't really like animals in his guesthouse (understandable) so I couldn't adopt a cat :( I am a cat-person but I love all animals so..... I couldn't help myself and started feeding two dogs the leftovers we had from the guesthouse. One mommy called "Lucky": she was so skinny when I first saw her. All her backbones were sticking out.Then I heard her life-story and it made me want to take care of her even more; she was living at the dive center and she got pregnant many times. Most of her puppies died of course, like most puppies do on the island. RIP: Megatron, Bongs' puppy. Died right next to me while I was watching a movie... they tried everything to save this puppy, but once puppies get sick, it's hard to keep them alive.
Lucky got very weak because of being pregnant all the time. The other dogs scared her away and no one was taking care of her after that. Such a shame because she's got a wonderful, warm personality (not aggressive at all like some of the other dogs there, eventhough she's been through alot!), and she has got the cutest face and eyes.
Then there is Hunter (not Jack, Tiara!! His name is Hunter!!) He's a totally black puppy with one blue eye because he's blind on that eye. On new years eve, right after 12 o'clock I suddenly see Hunter running my way, wiskeling his little tail like he always does when he sees me. He actually found his way through the big crowd and found me!! I picked him up and he started licking my face like he wanted to say; happy newyear, I love you (for giving me food ;) )
I'm gonna miss these two dogs!! I know they will be alright, Luke promised to take care of them. Thanks Luke! You're the best!

This is Hunter <3 . Lucky is sleeping in the back under the table.
Movie nights, crazy nights and beach chill sessions 

I spend many nights in the dive center, watching movies with Luke and the rest of the dive center crew. All of them are so friendly and welcoming people. If you go diving on Koh Rong, I'm sure you will have a great time with them. Thanks Luke,  for making my stay on the island so wonderful and always inviting me over to movie-nights, beer-pong nights and chillings on the pier, drinking wine and watching the stars.
I found out that I have a talent for beer-pong. This actually feels more like a sport than a drinking game! Just trying to hit balls in plastic cups. My first game I hit the last cup standing and I did it BLIND!! With my hand in front of my eyes! I couldn't believe it! Ever since  me and Luke were partners every beer-pong night. Classic nights out. Will never forget. 

A night out on Koh Rong was mostly in coco's but also a visit to my favorite bars with my favorite people: islandboys, Bongs. Vagabonds and mango's when it got very late..
My best lunch breaks ever: eat some fruit on the beautiful beach and take swim and a nap..
Every single day on Koh Rong has been wonderful. I miss it already. But now it's time for an other new adventure! I'm studying in Phuket- Thailand! I'm doing the TEFL course (teach english to foreign learners). I already had a crazy start. I will write this in my next blog. I don't know if anyone is still reading all of this, if not, I don't really care. It's the  memory that counts. By writing all of it down, I will never forget this crazy beautiful life I'm living right now.



2 opmerkingen:

  1. ofcourse i read it! Thanks for writing, looking forward to the next one.

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  2. you are so amazing, island girl, SMILE-VOICE-BEAUTY IS REACHEL :)

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