The school and Khao San revisited

Ludwig and I ended our Cambodian leg with a unique opportunity, one we couldn't pass up. We were randomly asked on the street to teach at a school for orphans and underprivileged children. Wa Ha, an orphan himself, had created a school for children to learn English in the rural countryside and was soliciting people by motorbike around the temples of Angkor Wat. We, seasoned in the ways of the tout, ignored him as he tried to stop us on the street. Waving our arms as if in deep conversation and we just couldn't be bothered. If a tout reaches his hand out, you never take it. You might think at first "a friendly soul" but he will simple hold it until he is done trying to sell you his wears. Or you might have to ask for it back and then you only get it back 50% of the time without some sort or wiggle maneuver. Common is the "where you go?" "where you from?" "Tuk Tuk?" Anything to get you to stop so they can have your attention. Its best to look busy and keep moving with a polite "no thank you". It might sound harsh, but if you don't, you will never make it five feet and there is a good chance you will literally turn into a broken record. "up the street, United States, no thanks i can walk" repeat.  When Wa Ha approached us we were ready with our defense but as we passed waving out hands politely he said softly, "I'm not selling anything". We stopped, our ears had never heard those words before. We listened to his offer. Three hots and a cot for teaching English to those who really needed help, a three day minimum was required and one only needed to pay for transportation. We said we would think about, we never discussed the merits of an offer in front of anyone for obvious reasons. My mind however was already made up and after half a block Ludwig's was too, we would go to the school. Now i know the ironies of me teaching English, i know if Wa Ha had read this blog he might have thought twice but verbally, i aint to bad. We were picked up by motor bike and driven an hour in the the back country outside of Siem Reap. Where farming and handmade crafts were the only source of their very, very small incomes. It was apparent when we arrived that they had nothing really except for curious looks and some odd smiles. We got off and looked around, we saw this.

 Stilted houses and the school straight ahead. The school, created with the donated monies from travelers like me wasn't much. We had three sessions a day, ruffly three hours total. One hour before the children went to regular Khmer School and one at lunch when they were given time off from there normal school and one in the afternoon before they went home. We were just in time for our first lesson. Wow. i stepped into the school which was nothing more that a concrete floor with a few old and weathered dry erase boards some tables and plastic chairs. We were given a sort of text book if you could call it that, the "listen and learn series". this particular learning series required all student to have a copy and to listen to an audio tape, we had only two copies and WE were the audio tapes. Ludwig and i looked at each other, this was going to be hard. The book had a lot of pictures that would have certainly helped the children if all 30 of them could have seen them but they couldn't. I was to start the day with the teaching of "Nouns". Imagine explaining what a noun is but first having to explain the words person, place and thing. It was very hard, that first hour, i felt like maybe i didn't know any English either. Ludwig was worse, his English was good but not great he opted for "getting drunken" and "packing his clothes" "Making party" i stepped in and with some pictures and hand gestures and a little luck we survived to teach again. Most hours it was the same, trying to figure out how to translate the lesson from the book to the white board, then translate that to the children, make them recite it, then ask them to copy it down. After the third or so i found my groove and the children warmed to me. Ludwig and i were separated and worked with smaller groups. My favorite was the early session, it wasn't that hot, the kids were in a good mood and not exhausted from a days full of learning already. 

Most of the time they behaved and seemed eager to learn. There was a lot of chatter between them sometimes and i, not knowing what they were saying, figured it was a wise crack about the teachers big nose or smelly cloths but i let it slide, after all i was a substitute. My job was to pick up where the others had left off as best i could without over reaching my authority. I have seen many substitutes make that mistake and they're never able to regain control of the class again. Our least favorite time was the afternoon when Ming would join us, a local college kid, studying English, who donated his time, he was too harsh on the children, had a bit of a temper and needed a little more patience. He also spoke terrible English and we decided was probably doing more harm then good. He would recite the words that i was writing on the board and it would be a terrible version. i would have to wait for them to all repeat it, then gently recite it for them all, even Ming. Ming and the frustrations over the notebooks aside. it was all worth it when you got one of these.

Try not to focus on the growing hole in my hairline but the smile on this kids face, i know its hard. it melts my heart even now looking at him. He could draw a mean bird and i know if he was given the chance of a good education he could really do something with it. he could go far, most of them all could. He was one of my favorites and i miss him. After the lessons were over I taught them every children's game i ever knew, freeze tag, Simon says, musical chairs but the one that they took to the most was, well i don't remember what it was called, i could have combined it with three others but i made them all stand one foot on a log.

I would always ask if there foot was in fact on the log and catch the cheaters (my favorite part). Ask if they were ready to play after i had heard them yelling loud enough for my satisfaction i would start. I turned my back and shouted go! then Freeze! those who hadn't frozen by the time i turned around were out. those who advanced to a downed banana palm first without me seeing them move, won. I played until my voice was horse and sweat poured down my face, it was so hot under the sun and they always wanted to play. "Jack! Game!!!! Jack!!! Game!!!!" they chanted. Its a testament to how good i am at teaching English when i can't get them to say Jake isn't it? It would start with 5-10 kids and before you knew it, we had spectators.

After playing, Jack always needed some rest, they wouldn't stop playing until i had to quit. Seeing their disappointed faces always made me play at least a few more rounds. I left with a heavy heart, donated some money but its not enough. Three days was just enough to get attached, get them listening to you and break your heart saying goodbye. I wish i had stayed longer. There was a little awkwardness with Wa Ha and Ming and i think Ludwig and i let it get in the way of the good feelings we felt by helping. I truly hope to go back. These kids live in the shadow of there countries greatest treasures and have never seen them. Much like children who live near Disney world but have never had the money to enter. They have nothing, they really ask nothing of you but the deserve so much, imagine choosing to to come to school for three extra hours a day. I wish i had stayed. I think about there faces a lot. I think about how i could help them when i get home maybe some of you reading this will join me in that mission.

I arrived back in Bangkok a week ago, said goodbye to Ludwig as he departed to Nepal on day two and i was on my own again, after a month with Ludwig, that awesome German was gone and i was walking the streets of Bangkok for maybe three hours by myself before i heard my name and felt a large hug. Friends from Laos, ridicules really but really cool all the same. It had been a month since i had seen them and there they were. we had one last hurrah as they were off to the islands the next day and i promptly got the sickest i have been on my trip by far and spent the whole day in and out of consciousness and the shared bathroom. My room at 6 dollars a night could be compared with a closet that doubled as a oven. i have a fan that felt like a blow dryer and my first encounter with bed bugs. It was the worst 24 hours i have had in a long long long long time and it took me about two and a half days to fully get over it. I have recovered now and feel fully ready, ready as i ever will be, to concur India. i have 41 days there, i am eager to start. This time tomorrow i will be touching down in Delhi. OK so i am sort of nervous, well, really nervous actually, but my beard will protect me.

Peace, love, blessing to you all.