Volunteer’s Blog: Notes from Cambodia

Read a first-hand account of what it’s like to work with an F2F program in Cambodia.  Volunteer Tao Li shares her experiences working in Battambang, Cambodia in her weekly blog.

Rowing in Battambang

It’s been exactly two weeks since I arrived in Battambang, and I am happy to report that things are off to a great start! I started my first day of teaching last Monday without any clear idea of what to expect. I knew – from meeting the students briefly the week before – that they had a very basic knowledge of English words.

However, both Ms. Sokkanika and Ms. Sorey Touch told me that there is a variation in English comprehension in both the morning and afternoon classes. We started the week off with a preliminary exam to gauge the students’ levels of English knowledge.  The more advanced students would study in a separate class with me on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while the beginners would study with the other two teachers.  Through interactive games and exercises (ex: hangman, charades, short skits), I was able to successfully review last year’s concepts with my small group of students.

The agenda this week, however, was not merely English.  This week was a guinea pig for the possible addition of music and art courses into the curriculum (the teachers and I agreed to try “musical English” classes on Tuesday and Thursday).  I have to admit that I felt an enormous pressure for the first music class to be a smashing success. So when eight o’clock rolled around on Tuesday morning, I walked into the classroom with a minor case of stage fright. The primary thought in my head was, “dear voice, please please please don’t crack”.

Thankfully the lesson went without a hitch. The first song we tackled was “Row Row Row Your Boat”. After working on pronunciation, diction, rhythm, and pitch separately, we were able to combine the various parts together. The kids were overjoyed when they finally mastered the song! In fact, several students even volunteered for solo performances in front of the whole class!

To be continued…

Tao Li

I'm 22 years old and have just graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan (majored in political science and psychology, minored in music). I will be attending the University of Michigan Law School next fall, and hope to specialize in International Human Rights and to continue my work with nonprofit sectors.