I spent four days in Siem Reap about three years ago as a side trip while visiting one of my best friends in Thailand. My friend had recommended Cambodia as a must-experience while I was in that part of the world, with little other commentary. On first impression I assumed high regard was attributable to the several nearby temples, or in Khmer - "wats," which still today remain the most impressive design and engineering works I have personally visited. But within just a couple of days I realized there was something much more remarkable about Siem Reap than its architecture. Even more impressive was the widely shared optimism, openness and ambition of the Cambodian people I encountered during my visit. Each interaction was consistent with the prior, time and again supporting and further reinforcing what I have concluded is not just the character of a few but the culture of the community. Most inspiring - for certain, a "must experience."
The first time I visited, I knew little of Cambodian history, and certainly not the details of the atrocities Pol Pot committed against this People only 30 years prior, overlooked in Western texts though more outrageous than most other widely publicized human rights abuses of the 20th Century. The recent genocide and displacement of millions has left a severely impoverished, disabled and orphaned population behind. As I continue to learn more of Cambodia's recent experiences, their strength and spirit becomes increasingly impressive to me. Since the day I left Siem Reap, I have often thought about when I might return and what I might do to help Cambodians rebuild the country...no question they are giving their best each day in this attempt.
Critical to any honeymoon itinerary Emily would endorse was a volunteer component - "voluntourism," as it is labeled in her business. When it was decided that Southeast Asia would be our focus travel zone, Cambodia immediately came to mind and we agreed that Savong's School and Orphanage in Siem Reap presented an excellent opportunity.
We arrived on a Monday night in Siem Reap by 11-hour bus from Saigon, as Vietnam Airlines runs a monopoly on this flight route and charges the cost of airfare from Heathrow to JFK, despite the trip being an hour. (Emily and I decided my contributions to this journal would begin post-Vietnam so that my obvious distaste for their socialist operation of infrastructure did not overwhelm the tone of our entries and undermine the tremendous culinary experience we enjoyed there.) As we entered town, I was struck by the brightness of neon lights, the volume of motor traffic, and the build-out of luxury hotels, none of which I could recall from three years prior. Lonely Planet recently wrote that Siem Reap is among the "hottest" tourism destinations in Asia, and as we transferred from the bus station to our Guest House by tuk-tuk, I hoped these initial indications of influence were not warnings of a People changed from what I last experienced.
The following morning, Emily and I shared a nervous breakfast. First day on the job for which we had no training. Neither of us had ever before written a lesson plan or even stood in front of 50 children for an hour, let alone any such thing in a foreign country. Would Savong be disappointed when he met us? Would we be wasting everyone's time? We returned to the hotel and awaited Savong's arrival and the first day of class. 11:00 a.m. - a Lexus SUV arrives. A slight Cambodian man is driving. In the front passenger seat is an older white man, well-dressed with a white safari-brimmed hat and wire-rimmed glasses. Immediately, suspicion arose as to who actually operated Savong's School and how charitable donations are deployed...I had notions of a re-shaped French colonist again exploiting Cambodians. Thankfully, five minutes in the backseat proved otherwise and dispel a world of worries: The driver is Savong, a sharp young man with a smile that connects his ears and his passenger is Holger, a quirky cultural transfusion specialist from New Mexico with 30+ years of experience teaching Native Americans and whose professional and volunteer work included meetings with the Dalai Lama and Mother Theresa. Emily and I stood massively under-qualified by comparison, but our inferiority complex quickly transformed into relief once it was discovered that Holger would lead us in the classroom. As to our initial concern regarding funds, it became quite clear in the days that followed that Savong lives a very modest lifestyle and that the Lexus (in addition to being a donation registered by the School) is actually a very common truck in Cambodia (the result of Japanese investment and development) and really the only reliable thing running on 4 wheels there.
Our first stop was Savong's Orphanage recently built in 2008. Emily and I were clearly more apprehensive as out initial meeting than the children were. As the truck pulled up, it became engulfed with children ages 2-12, smiling, laughing and competing to be picked up, all while being respectful of Savong and his new guests. We were then given a tour of the facility which included two classrooms, three dorm rooms, a health center, an athletic yard and catfish pond. The following three hours were spent learning new games of the children's creation, some requiring equipment as simple as a strand of rubber bands. I tried my best to win any of these games but my 6-year-old competitor's strategy proved too much each time. From there, we drove a short distance to Savong's School.
Savong's School is a purely volunteer program for those who teach and attend. Children of all ages spend their morning in Government School learning a core curriculum and in the afternoon choose to come to Savong's School where classes are devoted to teaching English. (Savong's motivation stems from his belief that Cambodians stand a much better chance of career success by learning English as a second language.) Classes vary by skill level and are sized anywhere from 10-80 students on any given day.
It is an intimidating thing to stand in front of so many children anxious to hear what you have to say. The challenging thing was to engage the students while developing their English skills in a short period of time. Emily and I were thankful to have Holger present that first day to provide a lesson plan and exemplify effective interaction and communication with the varying skill levels of the students. Throughout the following days, we became rather comfortable modeling conversations in English for the students and role playing certain dialogues with them. As we saw students return day to day and class sizes grow, we felt encouraged that our efforts, albeit brief, were appreciated and perhaps even somewhat productive.
On our final day with the children, it was much harder than expected to say goodbye. The sincerity of their gratitude and invitations to return soon made lasting impressions that we will never forget. In fact, we're sure we will return someday to spend more time at Savong's School and Orphanage. There's no question that what Savong is doing is helping the children of Cambodia. You can see it in their smiles and eagerness to learn, interact and participate. We feel lucky to have been a small part of it.
Savong's efforts are ongoing as he is now organizing a new project to provide young adults with career opportunities. This includes a technical school teaching small engine repair to support Cambodia's ubiquitous motobike community. To learn more about his projects and read volunteer testimonials, visit www.savong.com.
