It has almost been two months since I arrived in kampot and I have loved every minute. There has been a few pot holes along the way but all have been easily dodged and i still have a big smile uopn my face.
My days are quite busy for the Cambodia lifestyle. I spend my mornings planning for my school lessons and ensuring that I have resources ready to go for the afternoon. The weather is HOT and HUMID so I'm coping with a mid day power snooze to revitalise. Then I'm on my way to a hectic afternoon of work. First, I cycle 3km out to the learning centre, where I spend 3 hours with children from the local school and village. We fill in our time doing fun, English based, educational activities, craft, gardening, developing environmental awareness and introducing the kids to healthy hygiene practices. You never know how many kids will drop into the centre. It is on the local school grounds and students come during their breaks, but it nice to know there are always the regular smiling faces and dirty uniforms waiting.
For the last week, a Rotary group from Western NSW has been at the centre to donate funds for and help build a new toilet block for the school. Previously there were 4 toilets for the schools enrolment of 1000 children. The group (including a few teachers) has also been helping to program activities that promote healthy hygiene practises within the community, so it has been very helpful to have some other teachers on board. It is such a challenge to overcome the childrens shy nature and even the simple task of teaching them how to wash their hands with soap has proven to be very difficult as washing with soap is a completely new thing to them. Most families wash in local water dams filled with lotus lillies or a water jar and scoop outside their homes. You can see that the children are envious to have a turn to use the soap but it is the uncertainty of trying something new that is very scary for them. Espeacially the young children. But yesterday I saw an 8 year old boy approach the water tub and wash his hands without being prompted by anyone. So it takes time but it is happening. :)
After being at the learning centre, I then cycle 3km back into town and then 1km out the opposite side of town to the orphanage. By this time I'm covered in sweat and my classroom has no fan. Often the kids poke my hot, pinkened skin to see how the colour changes to white. Quite amusing, their skin doesn't do this! My English teaching at the orphanage has been extrememly rewarding and I am loving that I can give these kids a fun approach to learning English. However this in itself has been a challenge. My style of teaching is so different to the Khmer way and it has taken me and the kids some time to become used to this. If Aussie teacher think behaviour management is hard in their classes try coming to teach Khmer kids when they are first given freedom to learn interactively. Wow, stickers and stamps have been my best friend and bribing companion. But like everything in cambodia I have come to except that everything happens slowly, slowly.
I am so thankful to all the people who have donated money towards my fundraising for the kids. So far I have been able to buy the children in my English classes a note book each, class sets of pencils, scissors and glue. I have been able to make learning resources to help provide visuals for the English topip that we are learning. I was even able to give each student a photo of themself when we were learning how to tell some one their name. The children loved this. It is so exciting for them just to see a photo of themselves on the digital camera but to then have a personal copy was something very special for them. Although we did try to have these on disply in the classroom however the value of their photo became apparent when some students took down their photo over the weekend to put in their personal space in their dorm room. At first I was very disappointed that the photos had gone but then I realised why they had gone and gladly gave the other students their photo also. It is a learning process for me too.
I have developed a great relationship with these kids already. And this can not be made more obvious than when I arrive or leave the orphanage. Each time I am confronted with how much of an impact I have made upon their lives already. The smiles and hugs they give to greet me or bid me farewell are so heart warming. The enthusiasm they are displaying in my class shows that they are loving learning English with me. But the most important thing is seeing their happiness through their smiles and knowing that they are learning to respect themselves and value education. Their is no greater gift than this. I am glad that I still have so much to give them.
