Friday 15 January 2016

New year, new blog

I've made the decision to come back to England because I've been enjoying teaching so much, I know it's what I want to do in life. In the process of applying for university I said I write a blog and have my own style of writing, whatever that is. However knowing I said this I feel it is necessary for me to at least try to pick it back up again. Hopefully in the coming months I will be able to write a little bit more frequently about life out here.

Since it's been over half a year since I wrote a blog. I'd like to say why. Mainly it's because I haven't had the inspiration nor the interest to write about life out here. Although since my recent trip back to England for Christmas, it became glaringly obvious how much I had assimilated into life in Cambodia. Things that are normal for me, just aren't normal for others.  I would like to try and write about those things no matter how long or short. Although this blog will mainly be about my teaching over the past couple of months.

Phnom Penh's consistently long dusty days that drift lazily by; me drifting with them. My only anchors being work and volunteering. My work starts as it always does in the cool mornings at 7.30 and finishes at the peak of the heat at 12. This, of course, runs from Monday to Friday. It's never a fight for me to get out of bed in the morning. The only fight I deal with on a regular basis is the one of chiselling children into  being perfect sculptures with all those perfect human imperfections. Half way through the year I have been pleased with how my sculpting has gone.

I was first enticed by the job because when it was first offered, apart from it being part time, was that the children really do become mirrors of yourself. This thought interested me and it pushed me towards accepting the job. Having now had 6 months on the job I can honestly say that they have. To show that I have 3 stories.

1. One day, I saw a student arriving at school. I quickly ran into the classroom and made all the children play dead. This went well and everyone played it to a tee. The student came in and after a while everyone started laughing. Now I didn't think much of it until a month and a half later. I quickly nipped out to get something from the office and returned to all of my children pulling the same prank on me. Couldn't believe it! Cheeky wotsits.

2.I was sat enjoying my breakfast (rice and pork) one morning when a student came up to me. He saw my food. Took a bit of pork. At this moment, may I just say I was sat gobsmacked in the fact that this student had had the gall to take some food and then jokingly put it back. But then he didn't put it back, he ate it with the smuggest smile i'd ever seen. He then left. Not one word had passed in this interaction. I couldn't say anything out of pure dumbfoundedness. Boundary pushing cheeky wotsits these children are.

3. For Christmas, my brother bought me a lovely pen set. I told the children to keep their 'dirty mitts off of them because they'll break them.' This past week I left them out in the classroom for break time, not too bothered as the children would more than likely leave them alone. At snack time a bit later on, I came out to check on them and a child came up to me and said 'Your pen broke.' I was perturbed to say the least. My reply came sharply 'Who did it? I knew I should have put them away!' The student then went on to say 'only joking!' Then off she scampered confidently.
So not only are my students boundary pushing and cheeky wotsits. They're lying boundary pushing cheeky wotsits that I love dearly and will miss upon my return to England next year.




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