Volunteers Stories
Judy Barret
I have no illusions about working with children. Children rule my family, they run amok screaming, shouting and crying. So after the usual visit to the Angkor temples, myself and my friend Kate were wondering what to do next when a poster caught out eye in a local Internet place. An orphanage was looking for volunteers....and for once it was not a big gap year company looking to bleed their volunteers of money. There was something more genuine and more needy about Chres Village School and Orphanage. We nervously called the number on the little poster and were told that we'd be picked up in half an hour. We rushed back to our guesthouse and waited. Soon, arriving on his bike, Fiphon arrived and shook us warmly by the hand before telling us about the school and orphanage. It was owned and run by his family and although they struggled with money and getting volunteers he was clearly passionate about it. And so thankful, I just hoped, given his gratitude that we could be of use to the place. I worried that having just left school ourselves, we would be inadequate as teachers.
When we arrived at the school, all the children were in lessons reciting phrases at the tops of their voices. As Fiphon showed us around, the children would stand and bellow "Good Afternoon Teacher!" at the tops of their voices much to our delight. Then their faces would drift back to the board and they would sneak looks, or waves at us or just simply stare. When break was called, the children swamped us asking in excellent English all about us, excited and inquisitive and we felt the same. All of them were happy and smiling, even when some of them told us that they had no parents. Later we discovered that the majority of them had lost their parents to traffic accidents or illness due to bad healthcare. As we returned to our guesthouse completely in love with the orphanage, we counted our blessings and looked forward to when we'd start teaching.
I taught at Chres Village School and orphanage on and off for about three weeks. And these children changed my life. Gone were my ideas about kids, I didn't need the patience that I felt I could devote to them because they were so enthusiastic. I didn't feel I had to win them over because they were so caring and kind of their teachers and each other. I didn't feel like I was working - because they showed me the time of my life. We worked hard - I'd invent exercises to teach them English beyond what their textbooks showed them - and then we'd play hard in the sun. My class was of mixed ages and abilities which initially daunted me as to how I'd teach them, but with the help of the Cambodian teachers who sat in the lessons, I was able to explain and connect without a problem. I laughed at the accuracy with which they repeated words I taught them, but had to be careful pronounce everything properly! We'd play games or sing songs towards the ends of lessons and occasionally they taught me Khmer. I began to wonder if I was getting more from the kids then they were getting from me. But every day at the end of a lesson, one girl in particular would chirp "Teacher I love you!" and I knew that everyone was gaining from this unique experience. I enjoyed too talking with the older students who were around our age, as well as the teachers. Their English was excellent and I like to think that we slowly became friends.
I couldn't help thinking of home and how some children were when they were so lucky. I even berated myself for not appreciating everything when these children, who were brought up in a less privileged society were happier than I think I have ever been. I will never forget the kindness of the people at Chres Village School and orphanage. Kate and I hope to get local schools or businesses involved at home to raise money for them. Hopefully people at home will be as generous as the children and staff in the school. I wish them all the best for the future...may they become the tour guides and teachers they wish to be....let them be anything they want because if anyone can do it, it's them! With just a little support...
I will never forget my time spent there.
Love Judy
