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on Mary In Cambodia (Cambodia), 18/Nov/2009 13:21, 34 days ago
Wed.11 Nov.Today we’re off to District Two---Prey-net-prey-a( it means eye of the god) Sokpa arrived promptly at 7 30. I donned the biking gear and we set out. It was a 40 min journey, but the road was tarred and straight, so it was easy going. We were greeted as yesterday,but today we were more relaxed. I remembered all the rules and felt quite pleased with my little speech in Khymer.Once again we asked to see a school that needs help, but as yesterday we were taken to their idea of a model school.It was a lovely building, built by‘Save the Children’. We were shown the library, books still in plastic wrappers. There are 261 pupils and 3 teachers, one of whom was out sick today,so that class had been sent home. They had a pre-school group—beautiful children,they sang a little song for us,there was nothing in the room, no toys, no story books, no paper,crayons, not even enough seats for them to sit on.Just see their lovely smiles.Thurs. 12 Nov.Today we visited the third district in my area. I have just discovered that I am to be responsible for nearly 200 schools.I need to see as many as I can and then decide on priorities.We visited one very needy school today. There are 680 pupils and 27 teachers. The classrooms were wooden shacks with tin roofs and mud floors. There were gaps of up to an inch between the wall slats and many roofs were dotted with holes.There were no windows so the classrooms were vandalised regularly. One very interesting observation, female teachers take their babies to school with them. One lady had a 4 month old baby in her arms as she taught her class. There was a hammock stretched across one corner of the room for the baby to sleep in and another corner curtained off for nursing purposes. To be a model, child friendly school the classrooms must be decorated, that means strings stretched across the rooms with things hanging from them. The things can be pictures, bits of craft work, christmas type decorations,words, they don’t have to be of educational value or made by the children. I admired some pictures coloured with crayons in one class and asked if the children had done them(the colouringwas neately inside the lines) the teacher proudly informed me that she had done them. However the Director(Principal) impressed me. He had a very good relationship with the children,he believed in putting his best teachers in lower classes to prevent the young children falling behind early in their school lives. The only request he made was ,if I came across a really good teacher of grade one to inform him so that his teachers could learn from him/her.I must visit many more schools before I can decide which schools to choose, but I would love to row in behind this young man who is earnestly trying to do the impossible.Friday 13thNovember.Meeting arranged with Provincial Office of Education for 8 o’clock this morning. Suitably dressed( which means sweating buckets in long trousers, long sleeves and high neck,)I arrived promptly to find the office locked up. Meeting cancelled.With a patient smile as is the custom, I went back, changed out of work clothes, donned the bikers gear and set off house hunting, without success.Sat.14th. Nov.Today I went to visit with a group of volunteers. It took an hour by bus to get there. The 9a.m; bus departed at 9.40.after the usual loading of cargo. The town is about the same size as Siem Reap, and quite clean.We rambled around for a while, had coffee and danish, and then found a nice hotel that allowed us use their swimming pool for a small fee.We spent the rest of the day like proper holiday makers, sitting around the pool, WonderfulJen, who will be working with me gave a house-warming party on Sat. Night. It was a good opportunity to meet all the NGOs in town. They are all very friendly and promised to find me a house.Sunday 15th. Nov.Left Sisophon 9 o’clock bus for an 8 hour journey to Phnom Penh. Bus was air-conditioned, so it was quite comfortable. We made many stops and arrived before 5 p.m.Monday; First Aid training.Tuesday; Visit to British Embassy.