My second session with the CLEW students went a little better. I remembered that they have a map of the world posted on one of the walls so I had them sit around me in front of the map and we talked about different countries compared to Cambodia. A few of them could point to Cambodia on the map. I enjoyed the session and later that evening Bunna told me that the girls had enjoyed it, too.
I often ask the girls if they have any questions for me but they usually don't. Just when I was thinking they are still too shy, one of them piped up that she had a question. I wasn't too sure what to expect but it wasn't this. "How old are you?" she asked. This seems to be a very common question here and I am always somewhat taken aback by it. Bandol's mother had asked me the same thing. I think age is respected so it is not something to hide or dismiss. So, I answered her (honestly) and there was a bit of a look of surprise from the students and a ripple of discussion. Then they said, oh, you look so much younger! How can I not love these girls!!! :-) I then asked them to tell me their ages and they range from 17 - 22.
Wednesday afternoon, Phallikol Phok, the manager of CLEW's finances in Cambodia, came to visit me. We had to go together to the bank to get money out to pay the deposit for the new dorm. I also had to get money out to pay for my apartment lease. Phallikol had no problem getting the CLEW money, but we had to go to 5 banks for me to withdraw a large amount of money. Everything is done by cash here so I always have to withdraw cash at an ATM to pay for things.
I often ask the girls if they have any questions for me but they usually don't. Just when I was thinking they are still too shy, one of them piped up that she had a question. I wasn't too sure what to expect but it wasn't this. "How old are you?" she asked. This seems to be a very common question here and I am always somewhat taken aback by it. Bandol's mother had asked me the same thing. I think age is respected so it is not something to hide or dismiss. So, I answered her (honestly) and there was a bit of a look of surprise from the students and a ripple of discussion. Then they said, oh, you look so much younger! How can I not love these girls!!! :-) I then asked them to tell me their ages and they range from 17 - 22.
Wednesday afternoon, Phallikol Phok, the manager of CLEW's finances in Cambodia, came to visit me. We had to go together to the bank to get money out to pay the deposit for the new dorm. I also had to get money out to pay for my apartment lease. Phallikol had no problem getting the CLEW money, but we had to go to 5 banks for me to withdraw a large amount of money. Everything is done by cash here so I always have to withdraw cash at an ATM to pay for things.
Wednesday evening, I had dinner with Susan Green, the Law professor from Vancouver who is teaching at the English Law program at the Royal University of Law & Economics (RULE) where our students attend. We went to a Vietnamese restaurant, Magnolia, which is right next door to my apartment building. It was a nice open air patio and the food was good so I'm glad to have it close by. After dinner, Bandol picked us up and took us over to the dorm to see Bunna in action teaching English to the girls. Susan has also graciously offered to help the girls with their English.
Tan Try is a lawyer here and he was one of Chuck's first students. Try interned at Bennett Gastle in Toronto in 2007 and has been a good friend ever since. Try has been helping us negotiate the lease with the landlord of the new dorm. It has been quite a lengthy negotiation and we hope to have it completed this weekend. Try suggested we drive around the area of the new dorm at night to make sure it is a safe neighbourhood for the girls. So, Wednesday night, he picked Bandol, Susan and me up from the dorm and we drove around the new area. We determined that it is okay but the girls should still be home by 9, 10 at the latest. We saw police patrolling the area so that should be good. Try talked to them and said they were okay. We drove around a number of areas and I have to say that I wouldn't feel comfortable walking around any of these streets at night. All of the houses are behind locked gates, essentially their garages at the front of the house, so there is nowhere to turn if you need help.
Tan Try is a lawyer here and he was one of Chuck's first students. Try interned at Bennett Gastle in Toronto in 2007 and has been a good friend ever since. Try has been helping us negotiate the lease with the landlord of the new dorm. It has been quite a lengthy negotiation and we hope to have it completed this weekend. Try suggested we drive around the area of the new dorm at night to make sure it is a safe neighbourhood for the girls. So, Wednesday night, he picked Bandol, Susan and me up from the dorm and we drove around the new area. We determined that it is okay but the girls should still be home by 9, 10 at the latest. We saw police patrolling the area so that should be good. Try talked to them and said they were okay. We drove around a number of areas and I have to say that I wouldn't feel comfortable walking around any of these streets at night. All of the houses are behind locked gates, essentially their garages at the front of the house, so there is nowhere to turn if you need help.
Thursday morning I met with the Women's International Group (www.wigcambodia.com) which is a group of ex-pats who meet regularly for various events and social outings. They have coffee every Thursday at this lovely coffee house. They also have fund raising events and donate the funds to various charities in Cambodia. I have joined the group and also plan to submit CLEW to be considered for funding. It was an interesting group of women from all over the world who live here in Phnom Penh.
I am loving my new apartment! I was very excited to discover that the furniture has arrived by the pool. Although there is still construction going on, I have turned this area into my office. There is a lovely breeze in the afternoon so it is a nice place to relax, read or work on this blog.
I ended Thursday with a delicious sushi dinner with Karine Dallaire, a young teacher from Quebec who is teaching primary students here and has offered to help the CLEW students.