First, so sorry I’ve been a super slacker on writing blogs. For some reason it’s getting harder and harder for me to set aside the time to dedicate to this (sorry Evan!). I’ve got less than a month now, so you can expect several blogs from me before I enter back into the United States. It’s in writing now, so I have to do it!
For now, I want to recap our time in Cambodia. My team was assigned to the Overflow Guesthouse in Siem Reap. Overflow is an AIM run guesthouse and depends on World Race teams. They opened their doors just five months ago, and are in the process of improving the building. As many homeowners know, problem after problem tends to arise at the most inopportune times. Scott, the director, has been busy putting out those fires and unable to focus on aesthetic improvements.
Other teams that have come in the past few months have not been equipped to do the work that was needed, of no fault of their own. Team Eden just happened to be a perfect fit for what Overflow needed. Allison has a background in marketing and customer service, I’m a designer with experience in real estate, Shrena and Catherine are both passionate about cooking and organization, Haley is a drinks connaisseur, Tabitha, Lindsay, and Allison are all artsy, Lindsay is a ‘handy-woman’ and Nicole – well, Nicole will do what you tell her and save your life if necessary. We quickly realized our team was made for this place!
We spoke with Scott on his vision and his needs, and we quickly jumped into action. Tabitha, Allison, and I worked together on a vision for the aesthetics of the building. We’ve observed in the past that different teams coming in constantly can result in a hodge podge of decorations and, frankly, bad murals. We got to work and developed a vision statement, corresponding vision boards for each aspect of the guesthouse (rooftop terrace, pool area, bar, etc.) and what we felt we could accomplish during our time there. We made visible improvements, but also took action to make sure that the guesthouse remains cohesive and relaxing.
My previous job before coming on the race was a lot of marketing materials, print materials, and web design for corporate office building, and I loved that job. My time at Overflow Guesthouse took me back to that and I came alive. The guesthouse already has a great logo made by the AIM office, so I took that and ran with it. I so enjoy brand development, and that’s exactly what I was blessed with doing last month. I got to do so much design, which is something I’ve been yearning for the whole race. I was able to do things I was comfortable with, and things that challenged me, like the website. I fully realize that my talents are God-given and desire to give them back to him. I was able to do that this month.
Often on the Race we don’t get to see the fruits of our labor. Our whole team could see the fruits of what we did at Overflow, and it was such a sweet reward. We all worked our tails off and can confidently say that we left the place better than we found it. Some of our fruits include:
- Vision boards for guesthouse, including bar, pool, rooms, and lobby
- Brand Assets
- Brand Standards
- Instagram Photography for Overflow Guesthouse IG
- Website w/ SEO and analytics
- Two print-ready Tuk-tuk advertisement
- Print materials: Letterhead, food and drink menu, guesthouse signage for the numerous different signs located around the guesthouse
- Templates for all print materials
- Vision Statement
- Working to-do list for future teams
- Painted accent wall by pool area
- Painted accent wall in stairwell with brand mark
- Painted bar area
- Developed drink menu and purchased all necessary ingredients
- Painted huge lattice on the rooftop
- Refined food menu
- Created standards for hygiene and cooking in the kitchen
- Began teaching English to some of the staff members, particularly those in the kitchen
- Painted logo on the front of the building
The fact that this list is so long is a huge testament to what we were able to do at Overflow Guesthouse. I so, so enjoyed my time there and loved getting to do what I love! HUGE shoutout of to our ‘blue collar workers’ last month who worked their tails off in the heat to achieve our (the ‘marketing team’) vision.
