Cambodia #3

Love. Unconditional love. Every single morning we are greeted at the orphanage with hugs, kisses, and smiling faces. There is never a dull moment from the minute we arrive until the minute we leave. It’s hard to explain, but every child at the orphanage has the ability to view others without judgment. They don’t care about what you look like, the clothes you are wearing, or the language that you speak. Each child has been through so much, but it seems as though their past pain has only inspired and increased their current love in everything that they do.

Yesterday I was able to use our translator, Meng, to talk to one of the older girls at the orphanage. Her name is Srey Po, and she is 14 years old. Srey Po arrived at the orphanage six weeks ago because her family could no longer take care of her. Her brother teaches at the preschool in the Andong Village. Srey Po said that she has eleven brothers and sisters, only one of which who she has seen or contacted in the past year. She said that she had not talked to her parents since she arrived at the orphanage. If you had met Srey Po with no knowledge on her background, you would never be able to guess that such a hard-working, helpful and kind soul has been through so much. She told me about her plans to finish school, attend college, and become a doctor.

Such goals and aspirations are some of the things that make every child at the orphanage so intriguing. Their courage, attention to detail, independence, and charismatic nature are like none that I have ever seen before. Regardless of what you are doing, you can expect to be given constant love and appreciation, With only five days remaining at the orphanage, I plan to return the unconditional love to these amazing individuals whom have impacted my life on such a large scale.

Cambodia

The past few days I have spent teaching in Cambodian schools. The schools are very different here than they are in America. School is not mandatory, and parents would rather have their children working to earn money for the family than spending a day learning. The few students that do show up to school every day are very smart and eager to learn. Students attend three different schools, one in Khmer, one in English, and one in Japanese. School is 6 days a week. The children all thrive to learn. They are interested in any and all new information given to them.

Yesterday, we began teaching in a preschool. The preschool is in the middle of the slum village called Andong Village. There are 23 students, all of which were dressed in clean white collared shirts, with blue shorts or skirts. I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say these are some of the smartest children I have ever met. They have only been learning English for 5 months, however they know as much as any preschooler in America would. There are quiet, they wait for instruction, and they are very disciplined. While asking questions, I was surprised to see 100% participation from all of the students. The preschool is dismissed at 10:30 for lunch, and resumes class at 2:00.

Four of us were fortunate enough to be invited back to the school for parent teacher conferences occurring later that day. We returned with no expectations. Slowly, parents began to arrive. We all sat barefoot on the floor in a circle. A young male, who works in the school, was there to translate the conference for us. I stood up and gave the parents an introduction about who we are, what we are doing, and where we are from. Looking around the room, I made many observations of the parents.

The parents were of all ages, some very young, others very old (probably grandparents). Everyone was dressed up very nicely. Regardless of crooked and rotten teeth, these were some of the most beautiful people I have ever seen. The teacher had a ranking system, ordering students from best to worst. As each name was called the parents stood up and you could tell how proud of their children they were. This proved to be a very cultural experience, as some parents even sang songs. Everyone was clapping and happy. They asked us to sing, so we lead them in Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, with full participation. Each parent took turns thanking us for both the work we are doing with their child, and with the community. As each family left, the school provided them with a large bag of rice in order to keep their family healthy.

Today I resumed teaching in the English School with levels 1 and 4. Teaching in the school has been such an amazing and humbling experience. I am so grateful to have met such amazing individuals. In the past week I have learned both so much about myself, and about the amazing opportunities I have been blessed with. The students have taught me that knowledge is universally power and freedom. Knowledge is their ticket to a better life, and I should take advantage of the same opportunities afforded to me here and at home.

Blog #5 Cambodia

Do you ever pay attention to the signs along the road warning a fine for littering? I have never been so thankful for those signs. As a matter of fact I have never been so appreciative of all road laws. It didn’t take much time before I realized how chaotic a society is without them. In Cambodia, the primary method of travel is by motorcycle or “Tuk Tuk” (a small 5-passenger cart pulled behind a motorcycle). Traveling by Tuk Tuk around the city of Phnom Penh is one of the most authentic experiences you could imagine. There are vehicles everywhere, moving in all different directions at various speeds. There are no stop signs, no speed limits, no vehicle regulations, and there is absolutely no police enforcement. Mayhem to say the least! Although, the intriguing part doesn’t come from the hectic traffic patterns, as much the crowded sidewalks. Every inch of available space is covered. Mainly by vendors, who sell any possible merchandise imaginable out of little huts, which often times double as their homes. As you ride along, the most distinct thing that you notice is the smell – always changing and always very strong.

            From our hotel it takes around 45 minutes via Tuk Tuk to the orphanage. When we first arrived on Thursday afternoon, I couldn’t believe the conditions. There is almost nothing there. The orphanage as a whole consists of an old wooden stage, a small kitchen, two bathrooms, and two very cramped dorms, housing over thirty kids. Trash is everywhere, the roofs leak, and it is unsanitary to say the least.

            However poor the living conditions, they do not detract from the beautiful children one bit. When we first arrived, the children rushed to greet us. They welcomed us barefoot with loving eyes, and the most amazing smiles I have ever seen. Immediately they grabbed our hands, gave us hugs and kisses, and a tour of the orphanage. Despite the language barrier, they were anxious to play, and you could tell how excited they were to have love and attention.

            As we started working, I have gained a whole new appreciation for the luxuries I have at home. Yesterday one of my chores was collecting stray clothing and washing it. While completing this, I reflected on how grateful I am for a laundry machine. But later, I thought of the bigger picture. I get to go home from the orphanage and wash my clothes. I have a home, and I have parents. Today we started a project of expanding the girl’s house and adding a bathroom. The girls are so excited about the addition, and while working I realized that I was digging a hole in the ground. A simple hole in the ground is dramatically improving lives. This was both a humbling and a true realization of how fortunate I am.

            After bring around the children for a few days, I have picked up on their finest qualities: strength, hard work, courage, love, and acceptance. I have already learned so much from my time working with them. I am so excited to spend more time getting to know each and every child, and impacting their lives as much as they have already impacted mine.

Entry #4 ~ Before the Trip

The preparation for my trip to Cambodia has been very eye opening. While researching the history, watching documentaries, and looking at pictures, I have realized so many things about myself, and the lifestyle that I live. After watching the documentary “Living on One Dollar” I have been much more conscious of my lifestyle: the food I eat, the clothes I wear, my home, my car, my family. All items of which I depend on every day, but never really take the time to appreciate. I have also become much more aware of every-day wastefulness. This reflection is very difficult, because you truly do not know how much food, water, electricity, etc. that you waste on a daily basis, and how much these resources would mean to a person in a third world country.

I have many fears that are starting to appear as my trip is approaching. Much like before any long trip, I’m nervous of getting homesick. I’m nervous about being away from my family and friends for so long, and the lack of communication we will have. Although this may be hard for me at times, I think it will allow for me to grow as a person, learn about myself, and gain independence. Another fear that I have is being in such a different culture with a language barrier. I worry about this, because I am scared that a language barrier between the children and me will affect our relationships; however, I have been studying the language and culture, and plan to continue studying much more before I arrive.

A few of my friends have been on service trips to Cambodia in previous years and they all have told me to go into the trip with “no expectations”. With this in mind, the only goals that I have set for myself are having a positive and accepting attitude towards everything and working as hard as I can. I think that these goals will really help me to get the most from my experience and will push me both mentally and physically.