school is in

This week I began teaching English II at Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia (PUC). I have a group of 28 students in various undergrad programs. It feels funny having a title as a professor, given education isn’t my formal training.  Typically the school (like most I imagine) requires an applicant to have a masters degree or at least a TESOL certification, but since I know the founder of the university and have a longer time connection to PUC due to the academic bridge with Cal State Long Beach, I have an easy in! For friends who don’t know, my first trip to Cambodia was a study abroad course in summer 2012 with the art education department at CSULB where we volunteered with NGO schools, all coordinated by the service learning program at PUC in Phnom Penh. 

Teaching in classroom feels refreshing and just... good. I’ve only taken the one class for now to get my feet wet and also allow time to volunteer with my NGO school in the mornings, FKC (Future of Khmer Children), and allow time to work on design projects. I’m still working through my schedule and laying out overall goals for the kids. I’d like to create a gallery or exhibit to display collaborative projects between the classes. I’ll be spending three days a week at FKC and splitting my time between grade 1-3, and going between their two different campuses. It’s a handful of kids! My highlight of any day so far is seeing all the smiling faces and getting never ending giggles out of them. 

My homesickness is starting to fade somewhat, I think the last-weekend escape to Jakarta and having a LB design reunion was helpful. I was reminded how relaxed and peaceful Siem Reap is after spending a few days in Jakarta which is just a massive commercial capital city. Proof... I just looked it up and Jakarta is the seventh-most-populous national capital with more than 10 million residents. Driving around in taxis basically felt like a video game. They drive like they’re trying to escape Godzilla or something... no thanks! There are also way too many shopping malls for my liking. Anyway, I’m appreciating the small city life again and just feeling more settled. Siem Reap has just under 140,000 residents by the way. I bought a bicycle yesterday and I’ll possibly have a scooter by next. Wheels really make things easier. 

The design and dance connections here feel endless but trying to learn how business works in Cambodia is a separate story... for another post!