HARD WON WISDOM - Phnom Penh, Cambodia Mar 2017

HARD WON WISDOM

Phnom Penh, Cambodia  March 2017

Such sweet faces

As with many of our volunteer stints, we never really know how they will be until we get there. But from the time that Mr. Sarath and his director Veasna greeted us at the airport we knew this would be a rewarding experience. 

Mr. Sarath talked at length about the need for hope and inner strength for the Cambodian people who had been through so much. The goal of his school, founded on his Christian beliefs, was not only to teach the students English so they could better their lives, but also morals and "life wisdom" to ensure their success. Hence the name: The Wisdom School.

Sarath and fellow volunteer

Our free accommodations at one of his friend's homes looked promising since it was a short walk from school with a majestic view of the Mekong River. But as we became increasingly uncomfortable, from the termites eating away the floorboards and the red ant attack, to the lack of refrigeration and Internet, we decided to move to a nearby hotel, L'Elefant Blanc, and pay the modest  $25 per night--with breakfast, Internet, and a pool.

We were still welcome to dine at Sarath's wife's restaurant for lunch and dinner. The meals were made with fresh ingredients from the local market and we were treated like honored guests.

Hanging on every word

In terms of teaching, Mike got to work with the 5-8 year-olds, where the teacher basically let him run the class. This teacher, like all of them, had surprisingly basic English with a strong accent. It quickly became an opportunity not only to teach the students but the teachers as well. 

The students, for the most part, were eager (loud!) learners and absolutely loved being read to. Teaching methods remain very old-school with strict discipline. He saw a ruler come out a few times but thankfully was never used. 

Sitting still for one second

Eileen was assigned the 3-5 year olds--not her favorite age group. Not only did they amuse each other by pulling out the plastic chairs whenever one of them went to sit down, but they only lasted in said chairs five seconds at a time.

She taught them every camp song she knew and somehow managed to throw out her back doing "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes" one too many times at rapid speed.

But they were undeniably adorable, which counted for a lot.

The wise up-and-coming leaders

However, when the volunteer who was helping out the older class ran off with his French girlfriend for a week, we got to fill in and do the work we love best.

We taught our "Global Citizenship" course to the group. Although we were concerned that some of them were too young to grasp it, our fears were unfounded. They loved discussing issues that were both global and local, surprising us with their willingness to speak in front of their class. 
They were both inspired and inspiring.