This internship was definitely an enriching and rewarding experience, one that widened my parochial perspective of life and living. It shed light on the chasm between a first world nation and a third world ASEAN neighbor. The difference was very ostensible in all aspects; from culture, language to societal norms and expectations. I saw for myself the stark contrast between the sheltered lifestyles of Singaporeans and average Cambodians.

I was truly humbled by the simplicity and sincerity of sheer genuine relationships and the warmth of Khmer hearts. Whenever I cycled into the school gates, the students would run towards the gate and run into my arms. One sweet girl student, would tug at my skirt and ask for me to bend down so she can plant a good morning kiss on my cheeks. The words of a teacher are treated like gold, upheld and respected and deeply embodied. Being with children and inspiring these precious individuals to the best that I can, this is something I really want to do in life.

I learnt that happiness can come in many forms, definitely not in the material form that many of us are accustomed to. Happiness can be derived from acts of love from the depths of sincere hearts; truly made me happy was the look on my children’s faces when they learnt something new, the thirst to learn more each day and the earnestness and vigour they welcomed every brand new day with. My children taught me more than any guidebook can prep me.

I truly appreciated the Cambodian teachers’ help, especially Mr. Long and Mr. Thoeun, both of them were amazingly helpful and tried their best to make me comfortable (not that I wasn’t, I was feeling immensely at home all thanks to my sweet lovely students). In class, whenever I had problems trying to explain difficult words, Mr Long would intervene and assist me, doing more than just translate. He would elaborate and gave examples in Khmer ensuring that the students understood. Mr Thoeun was exceptionally caring, the first day I was there, he bought me baguettes as I wasn’t prepared with a plan for lunch and I didn’t want to risk being late for the afternoon session.

(Anecdote) On children’s day, I was invited to my student’s houses for a cooking gathering. We cycled from school for about 10 minutes to their dilapidated village. It was clogged with heaps of accumulated rubbish, the stench from leftover scraps was overpowering and the interior of the house was a like a baked oven. We ate from the floors and shared a plastic bag of Maggi noodles; water we drank from the tap and games we played with mini insects.

Despite the simplicity of this event, my heart was brimming with richness and sheer bliss, although they had nothing else to give except their hospitality and graciousness, my students gave me all the love they could muster. I was deeply touched by the earnestness and sincere warmth they exuded, just to make sure I was comfortable in their wooden shack.
“ ‘Cher (short for teacher), you like noodle. For you!”

One kid scooped up whatever was remaining from his plastic bowl and gently lowered it into the metal bowl I was holding, the special crockery they saved when distinguished guests visited their humble abode. There were many beautiful instances where the village spirit shone and touched my heart brightly, so many that I would do anything to go back there and do what I can to make their lives a more meaningful one

I am so fortunate that the universe brought us together and am constantly thinking of ways to help and to get more involved.  You have taught me that so little is so much and that is a valuable lesson.  The happiness in your eyes and that of your extended “ family”, in every photo I see speaks volumes for the joy you truly feel for being able to do the things you do.

I appreciated the students for being so keen to learn. And it made me happy to see them learning English enthusiastically. I also really enjoyed the conversations with Mr. Raksa and Mrs. Ann, and various staffs which gave me a better understanding of the culture in Cambodia, and for being so friendly and hospitable.

I think the experience I’ve gained here is valuable in shaping what I want to do in future, pursuing studies/jobs related to sustainable community building. I think the bonds in communities here are far stronger than those in Singapore neighborhoods, ironically, though we live nearer to each other.

The internship gave me a more realistic insight to the challenges of trying to improve the students’ English standards. Different students have different abilities and educators have to try to cater to them. This can be done by trying out different ways of teaching or paying more attention to weaker students. In addition, the experience taught me to work with what I have and seek to make the best of it. It has forced me to learn to manage things that are within my control whilst letting go of things that are not within my control.

I learned a lot from my internship in Cambodia, it’s one of the most meanings full experience I had so far in my life. My life in Denmark is so different from the life in Cambodia, I have brought heaps of knowledge back home; professional as personally. The teachers at Ruby International School are really ambitious, inspiring, clever, knowledgeable, informed, have an ambition to get better to their job, good mentality and very helpful. They really want you to be a part of the staff, family and team. I learned a lot from them, which I brought home.
In my professional life, the most important I learned was to reflect about my own pedagogy. I have a lot of values from Denmark but in Cambodia I found out, that I can’t always apply the values I brought from Denmark. I did something different in Cambodia compare to my future Danish job, but it was really interesting, and it opened my eyes to think in a new way. In the end of my assignment I wrote: “Even if you are in Cambodia or Denmark children and young people have the same needs, of love, recognition and attention.

Despite these pleasures of being back home, I am still missing Cambodia and all of you.  A comfortable flushing toilet doesn’t compensate at all! Such a fond farewell at Raksa and Thida’s –  so please convey once again how much I appreciated their hospitality throughout, and especially that very special goodbye banquet.  I wanted to sign in and once again express my thanks for all everyone did to make me so happy during my stay! Amen and God bless us all. As I said, looking ahead, these students are our future…and if their classmates are half as sharp and motivated as they are, I have no fears for the future of Cambodia.

I appreciated the atmosphere at the village learning center. The host family was very welcoming and hospitable. They treated me like a part of their family, and it’s very heartwarming to feel part of a big family. I think my experience was made so memorable also because they host family had a spiritual foundation, so I didn’t feel that I had to do anything against my value system, instead my faith was made even stronger as I journeyed with them through the 3 weeks.

This time has made me become more passionate about my own goal to help the poor and children in developing countries like Cambodia, Thailand and South Africa. I think the love and patience that I’ve developed these past few weeks, and the knowledge gleaned on how to teach students effectively would be very helpful.

It really means a lot to Lena and I to know that the parents, staff, and especially the students enjoyed having us there and it is heartwarming to feel like our presence and efforts have contributed or made a difference in some way. We have been back in New Zealand for a couple of days now. We are still trying to adjust back into a different lifestyle, with a different pace of life. The month we spent with Family Care Cambodia really was a very special experience that we will forever cherish. We have both grown and learnt in so many different ways… We want to sincerely thank you, for your help in making this possible. Something that we were thinking about the other day was how oblivious most people (including us prior to this month) in ‘the West’ are to what life is like in places in the world such as Cambodia. We read headlines in the news, books and articles – and even see pictures and videos… But it’s not really until you live there that you really start to appreciate the differences. We really wish we could share our experiences, thoughts and feelings with more people

I really enjoyed how the village school is just like a family. The kind of relationship that the students and teachers share goes beyond just studying and educating. I could see how the teachers are genuinely concerned about the children’s well-being, treating them just like how they would treat their very own kids. I also really appreciated how the project managers trusted me enough to give me the freedom to freely explore and try out different teaching methods to teach the children. They never really doubted my ability and affirmed me, giving me the confidence to carry out my lessons. Besides the above, I am really thankful that I was given the opportunity to teach kids of various age ranges, something that I have not tried before. I am really pleased with all the help and assistance that the project managers and teachers have provided me with during my three month stay.

The different kind of experiences and knowledge that I have gained during my internship with Family Care Cambodia are indeed valuable. Besides the skill sets that I have acquired with the help of the teachers, the kind of personal growth I experienced is something that I value a lot. Going to the village school alone and staying there for three months have allowed me to be more resilient and independent. Not only that, it gave me the courage to be more open-minded as I became part of a different culture from that of mine back home in Singapore. The village life is very different from a city and having lived in the countryside for a relatively long period of time has taught me to be more appreciative of not only the luxuries back home in Singapore but also of the cultural uniqueness of Cambodia, and any other culture in general.

I never expected that I would enjoy teaching older children this much. All along, I have always loved being around children and thus, being a teacher is one career option in mind. But, I was never confident of teaching older children as I thought that I would not have the capability to handle their periods of disobedience and misbehavior. However, I experienced something really different and unexpected during this internship. As I spent most of my time teaching the older kids ranging from 10-12 years old, I realized how much I enjoy teaching them as well. Due to their older age, they are able to respond to me and carry out conversations with me. The games played with them, learning methods utilized were clearly different from those of the toddlers.

I enjoyed the experience of communicating with people from a different culture. Despite the language barriers, this opportunity has allowed me to gain greater cultural awareness and an appreciation of different cultures. It also allowed me to explore and experience the unknown.

The children at the school in Siem Reap were smart, hard working, & enthusiastic about learning – it was so refreshing! Volunteering with Family Care Cambodia challenged me to see the world in new ways & to truly acknowledge the suffering that many people around the world face every day. Those two weeks were some of the most formative weeks of my life. I will never be the same…thankfully.

I can’t begin to tell you how much we loved being a part of your small community. The girls won our hearts and the work you have done is incredible. I am so impressed by all you have accomplished and the things you continue to do for the girls. I know there will be future groups going and I will make sure when they are looking for places to volunteer, your place is at the top of the list. Please know, although I will not be returning soon, I would like to keep our relationship and know how “our” girls are doing. The nurses and volunteers who came with me, felt working with your girls was “the most rewarding” part of their entire trip. You are a blessing and a true gift to those you serve. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your world and meet these lovely young women, even if only for a small amount of time.

Teaching the kids was a great experience, they all seemed eager to learn & teach each other. It was also nice to see how genuinely happy & thankful the villagers are for any help they receive. I really don’t deal with impoverished people very often but helping them released a happiness inside of me I have never felt before.