We have been in Cambodia for more than a week now. Our focus has been on providing a quality training program to both the primary and secondary school teachers in Cambodia, therefore we didn't spend much time sightseeing. However, there was one thing I always insist on doing whenever we are in Cambodia - meeting up with my online English class students in Phnom Penh!
I have been teaching an English class to some Cambodian adults interested in improving their English. These are professional people working full time during the day but will come to my online class in the evening after a day of hardwork. They are upwardly mobile professional adults working hard to improve their careers in the future. I appreciate and admire their hardwork and determination. Therefore, a few days ago I made an effort to meet with them presenting each with a small gift and to encourage them.
Since a few of my students live outside of Phnom Penh we arranged to meet at a coffee shop so that we could catch up with each other. It was so good to meet these delightul students again! Over coffee and some nice desserts, we caught up with each other face to face! Sov just gave birth to a new baby girl and she looked so radiant and happy! Ki. informed me that she started her master program and was making good progress! I also learned that Vi. has gained so much confidence in his English that he just completed an interview in English! All these news was encouraging to me!
The country of Cambodia and its people went through a lot of traumas and destruction both from outside forces and from within. An entire generation of educated Cambodians was killed in the 1970's civil war. It will take a long time for Cambodia to rebuild its educated labour force. Meeting my students and the new educated next generation gives me hope that Cambodia wll be like the phoenix rising out of the ashes in the future! May God bless Cambodia and its beautiful people!
RT, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
012026
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