It was 8.30am and I was waiting for Rosanna White in the early morning sunshine, sheltered in the shade of a palm tree in front of the Independence Monument. Rosanna is the volunteer co-ordinator for the Sunrise Children's Village, a Phnom Penh orphanage with a high profile, due in no small part to the extraordinary efforts of its founder and patron, Geraldine Cox. Described by some as 'larger than life', Geraldine was on one of her regular trips abroad seeking out funds to keep the orphanage afloat and the day to day administration was in the capable hands of Rosanna. I'd been in e-mail contact with both of them for a few months before my trip and they'd kindly invited me to visit the orphanage, temporarily located in Takhmau, some fifteen kilometres south of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

Geraldine's high profile – she's written a book, there's an award-winning documentary about her life and a feature film in the offing – and her tireless work go towards providing a home for around fifty disadvantaged Cambodian children between the ages of 3 and 18. Most are orphans, all have sad tales to tell, but the orphanage provides them with love, food and shelter as well as regular schooling and extra English, computer, sewing, music and dance classes, designed to give them the chance of a brighter future. It’s a worthy cause that many Australians support with individual and corporate sponsorship. However, as Rosanna explained on our drive out to Takhmau, a great deal of extra funding, as much as $600,000, is needed to fulfil the Sunrise dream envisioned when Prime Minister Hun Sen donated ten hectares of rent-free land to the orphanage. It's certainly an ambitious project and the publicity created by the support of some very famous Hollywood names is currently giving it real momentum, while Geraldine's powers of persuasion continue to play their part in making the dream come true.

A toot of the horn and the gates of a nondescript villa opened up as Sopheun, the orphanage’s housemother, welcomed us. Rosanna received an update on the latest batch of cuts and bruises, tantrums and colds (and the theft of a bicycle) since her last visit a couple of days earlier before giving me a guided tour of the tidy, but cramped house and grounds. On the ground floor were the girls’ dormitories (the boys sleep upstairs), with hammocks and mattresses taking up most of the space and a few of the girls busily drawing pictures with coloured crayons. Outside, the more boisterous boys were playing games of tag and marbles and I joined in a game of football with Chanry and Sin Long, two eight year olds, who were obviously best of friends and who hammed it up for my camera. I also showed my skills, or lack of them, with another group who were playing 'tot sey' (foot shuttlecock).

Nearby was the well-stocked computer room, where Phalla, the computer teacher, was fixing a PC on his day off with the help of a couple of the older teenagers. He showed me how the recent rains had flooded the room and damaged the wooden computer stands and was very keen to hear about my website devoted to my travels in Cambodia. Outside, I met Sok An, the head cook, who was preparing vegetables for the children's lunch with some of the older girls under an awning in the concrete yard, when Sary and her wheelchair (she's the only disabled child in the orphanage) whizzed past and came to a halt at the water tap, where she began washing some clothes. Rosanna explained that Sary, a polio sufferer, is now learning to walk with the aid of callipers and a brace and is fiercely independent, but an absolute sweetie.

Upstairs, we visited the volunteers’ room, which also houses the medicine cabinet and is where Geraldine, the patron, sleeps when she's in town. Next door, the dance and music practice was already in full swing. The children are working hard in preparation for a once in a lifetime visit to Australia for an arts festival, and rehearsals form a key part of each day for those lucky enough to be going. The orphanage is home to about fifty children and over half of them will be making the trip to Adelaide in March. Today was a Sunday, so no school meant extra practice sessions for the dancers and musicians. In a cramped room, I grabbed a seat to watch the dance teacher, Monitha, guiding a group of the youngest girls – six to eight year olds – through their traditional Khmer dance routine. They were delightful and were followed by the youngest boys who danced and banged their coconut shells in harmony as Srey Mao, the youngest of the girls with a smile and a nature guaranteed to melt any heart, sat on my knee to watch her friends perform.

At the back of the room, some of the children were playing traditional Khmer instruments to accompany the dances and were being tutored by 70-something year old Mr Chea and his daughter Thierry, both outstanding musicians in their own right. Next on the dance floor were the teenage girls and particularly 17 year old Srey Mich, the orphanage's leading dancer who glided across the floor with grace and poise in abundance. Following them, as the tempo increased, were a mixed group of four boys and four girls who moved in well-rehearsed unison and who rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable hour watching the children perform. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I forgot to take any photos until near the end. I was mightily impressed. This wasn't a performance staged for visiting guests but a daily practice session, yet the timing and elegance of all the dancers, whatever their age, was a joy to watch. They'd worn their normal clothes for the practice, so I'm sure they'll look even more professional when they wear their hand-sewn costumes for the real thing.

I had another quick kick-about in the courtyard with Chanry and Sin Long as Rosanna did her final rounds of the villa with most of the children giving her a goodbye hug. Then it was back in the 4WD and out into the busy back streets of Takhmau and our return to Phnom Penh. My visit to the orphanage had been a brief but thoroughly enjoyable one. The children I met were happy, the level of laughter and their playful nature made that abundantly clear, but their temporary premises are simply too small. It’s a stopgap until the Sunrise Children's Village and the dreams of Geraldine, Rosanna and the children themselves become a reality. I sincerely hope that's sooner rather than later.

To visit the Sunrise Children's Village website, click here.

For more information on Andy’s travels, visit his website which has lots of travelogue stories with pictures: http://www.btinternet.com/~andy.brouwer/index.htm

Writing this sat at my university desk I can’t help frequently glancing up at the picture painted in Mikindani and the various photos of my gap year experience.

Having gone over the whole experience with true friend back home, I can’t say that I was overly enthused about the prospect of having to talk through the whole ‘year out’ thing to several strangers in fake bids to find new friendships. But even after thinking over what the visits to Mikindani have done for me, it wasn’t until I chatted about everyone else’s gap years that I realised just how valuable they were. Past volunteers will have all contemplated the commercial organisations and weighed up what volunteers are gaining but I’d like everyone to think about these again.

When I talked to people about my gap year, it was hard to sum up just how much I went through with George and Emily. The work we partook covered everything from teaching in the primary schools, running a tree nursery and planting program, teaching sports to the locals, improving vocational training in the hotel, and researching and writing for a guide book. Our cultural experiences were, for me, highlights of the stay; the learning of a new language, staying with a host family, going through Ramadan, Christmas abroad. The learning of a Swahili is something, which is pushed at Trade Aid, and rightly so, it is after all a key in developing our work and provides a great deal more scope in possibilities for volunteer input. But the thing that stuck out the most was purely being a little part of the village. In such a scale a project as this, your input is very direct and results or improvements are clear and achievable. At the end of the six month stay I could regard many locals as friends, not just people who had provided me with an experience. With huge mountains, natural wonders of the world, and exotic islands ahead, it was hell having to say goodbye to these people I had spent so much of every day with for some time. Not one person here at university has seemed to show as much sorrow as our group did when leaving and they all are impressed at how personal my experience seemed. It has sparked a true interest in Africa and the situation in developing countries, I would now definitely consider it as an option when working in healthcare once my physiotherapy degree allows me to.

Others tales tended to take two main routes. First were the ‘round the world’ people. An air ticket bought several thousand miles and covered a path generally following China, Australia, New Zealand, Los Angeles, and home again. All very well for getting lots of stamps in your passport but I often question how much these people got to know a place. In addition to getting off the plane, completing a quick tourist tour, and maybe eating a local dish, I heard little else of what they gained. Any past volunteer will know exactly how much of an opportunity is granted to get involved and mix with Mikindani’s people. The second lot arranged experiences through commercial companies, set up to provide students with trips and work in developing countries. Much of their work and goals were similar to those I aimed towards with Trade Aid and the satisfaction of doing something active to help others out was obvious in most. The contrast seemed to be in the socialising once the working day had finished. Those in bigger groups told of many nights together and parties in foreign beauty spots, fun but not on the same level as sitting on Bomani street joking and chatting to the locals during the evening hours, and not going down to Doa’s bar on a moonlight night with the Boma staff.

Of course although my opinion on things has been favoured towards what I found, having only experienced a year with Trade Aid, I realise also that every single person has had a ‘time of their life’ and each and every one is much the wiser because of it. Since returning home to study I have kept very much in touch with the charity and look forwards to revisiting in December to carry on with some work and maintain my interest.

For more information about Trade Aid, volunteers and their work, please visit their website www.mikindani.com or e-mail Sherie on tradeaid@netcomuk.co.uk

Meeting news from our branches around the world.

When going to places like South Africa, Singapore, etc. you might want to consider getting multi-entry visas if a visa is required. Although they usually cost a little extra, it is worth the hassle of having to queue up, complete the paperwork, provide photos etc.

From South Africa I went to Zimbabwe by bus to Bulawayo and then by train to Victoria Falls, walked over bridge to Zambia and then took train back through Botswana and then to South Africa. Also one might want to make a side trip to Namibia. (I met a South African soldier in South Africa that delighted to tell me he had been stationed in Nam. I thought he meant Vietnam and then he smiled and said Namibia.) From Singapore using it as headquarters, I made side trips to Bali and back, India and back, Malaysia and Thailand and back.

While you might be able to get new visas getting a multiple entry might save you some time. From Johannesburg I also took a bus trip to the township where they then allowed gambling and had a small Las Vegas. The township and I cant think of its name began with b long name and they had distinctive stamps for sale. A small diversion if you have the time. Happy Travelling Mac.

If you would like to contact Mac, a 78 year old retired military, and extremely well travelled, he is happy to answer any questions even if his information may be out of date. Mac can be e-mail him on: macsan400@yahoo.com

Globetrotters meeting Saturday 7^th December 2002 By Padmassana

This afternoon our first speaker was Damian Welch, Royal Geographical Society (RGS) winner of a “Journey of a Lifetime “ Award, who took us to Tokelau, a group of remote Polynesian islands located north of New Zealand. His talk and slides demonstrating to us the effect that the 21^st Century has had on the islanders way of life. Tokelau’s population of 1,500 souls crowd onto just three islands. Damian's graphic photos demonstrated just how dependant the islanders are on the imported barrels of oil, petrol and diesel, which arrive like everything else by ship. The islanders life revolves around the ship’s comings and goings. The islanders share everything, from the oil, to the work and the food that sustains them. Though this system is rapidly being overtaken by the introduction of money, people are asking how much?, before doing tasks they would previously have just done. Fishing is one area where the old way carries on, the fish are caught and shared equally among the people when the catch is landed. Tokelau’s women folk prepare the food and then play noisy games of dominoes. Afternoons on Tokelau are often spent playing volleyball under the scorching sun. Unfortunately the once healthy Tokelau diet of fish and coconut is being replaced by imported corned beef, beer and vast amounts of sugar, resulting in the 21^st century diseases of obesity and diabetes. Damian’s idyllic photos of the islands peeping out of the blue sea and thought provoking talk on daily life made for a very interesting and educational 40 minutes.

Our second speaker was Robert Twigger, whose talk was entitled “Putting the adventure back into travel”.

Robert’s wanderlust was instilled in him by his Grandfather, who had returned from his own travels with Naga spears, which Robert has inherited, just as well as I don’t think you would be very successful at bringing them through Heathrow airport in the current climate.

Roberts’s plan was to try and replicate the epic 1793 journey of Alexander MacKenzie, who crossed Canada from east to west. Robert particularly wanted to repeat the last section down the Athabasca river in a birch-bark canoe. First though Robert and his friend Ben had to get the canoe to their starting point. They achieved this by delivering a van 3500 miles across Canada in three days, before being dropped off in the middle of nowhere to begin their journey. They set off paddling often against quite strong currents, seeing nobody else for days on end. Though they did see a lot of bears, which were not intimidated or scared off by the bear horn they carried with them. The locals all carry a gun for this job! Robert and Ben camped by the river and we saw some beautiful sunset photos, however this didn’t tell the whole story, as wherever they stopped they were set upon by millions of mosquitoes. Unfortunately Robert’s trip was limited by time and they have had to leave the canoe in storage having completed 600 miles until next year when he hopes to complete the trip all the way to the Pacific.

London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month. There is no London meeting in August, but we will be back in September. For more information, you can contact the Globetrotter Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk

Novodevichiy Convent (Nunnery) is one of the most beautiful Moscow convents. By studying its history we discover many facts about the history of the State, which is extremely interesting.

It was founded in the early 16^th century. Its main cathedral was consecrated in honour of the Smolenskaya Icon of the Mother of God Hodigitria. According to the legend, St. Luke himself painted the icon, and it is closely linked with the convent’s foundation.

So Great Prince Vassily 3 founded the Novodevichy Convent in 1524 in honour of the seizure of Smolensk. The Convent stood on the road leading to southwest, in the direction of Smolensk, a small town 300 km away from Moscow.

The convent is like a miniature Kremlin. Its cathedral church was built with the Kremlin Cathedral of the Assumption as a model, perhaps by the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin, and in 1525 the copy of the Smolenskaya Icon was placed in it. The convent’s fortified, toothed walls and the towers were added at the end of the 16^th century in the reign of Boris Godunov, and their design was also based on the Kremlin. In the 17^th century the towers were decorated with splendid tracery crowns.

It was the richest convent in Moscow. Noblewomen of the time became noviciates in it- wives and widows of the tsars and boyars, their daughters and sisters – and on taking the veil they handed over their jewels, pearls, gold and silver. Women were secluded into this convent for several causes: either if they couldn’t get a divorce, which was impossible at those times, or if they became widows, also if they were to be devoid of their political rights, like it was the case with the sister of Peter the Great. It was here in 1689 that Peter the Great confined the intelligent and power-loving Sofia, who did not wish to concede the throne to her brother after he had attained adulthood.

The same fate was in store for Yevdokia Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter the Great and mother of Tsarevich Aleksei. In 1727 she was brought here from the Shlisselburg Fortress in St. Petersburg after Peter’s death, and not long before her own. Both of Peter’s relatives are buried in the convent’s Smolensk cathedral.

It was here, in the Novodevichy Convent, that Boris Godunov was «summoned to kingdom» in 1568. In the fire of 1812 the convent was nearly ruined. At the beginning of September numerous French soldiers were billeted here and later on Napoleon himself visited the place on horseback. Without dismounting he looked round at the convent and gave orders for the Church of John the Baptist to be blown up, then he departed. On the night of 8 October the French troops were getting ready to retreat. Before leaving they stuck lighted candles on the wooden iconostases and threw them on to the floor where they had scattered straw everywhere. In the cellar of Smolensky Cathedral the nuns discovered open barrels of powder with smouldering fuses. With only seconds before a terrible explosion, the nuns managed to put out the fuses and prevent a fire in the convent.

A picturesque pond with ducks just near the convent makes it a wonderful place.

Novodevichy Convent has been witness to many historical events in its time, but it managed to go through it, endure it and not only preserve but also multiply spiritual heritage with centuries.

After the revolution the convent was secularised, then it housed a branch of the State History Museum. Today it’s a convent with 2 museums but it has been given back to the church.