Being teacher is not easy

For two weeks I've worked as an part-time English teacher at Hello American School. It's the first time I work to earn salary. Quite nervous and worrying on the first few days! I don't have many students. From 9 students on the first day to 6 now, I don't know if I'm not a good teacher or the students just didn't want to study there. I have tried to bring the class to talk during class, but most of them seem to be not willing to open their mouth at all. As I can remember the time I was studying at Hello, I also didn't talk much during class. It's the reason why I didn't improve speaking skill at all at Hello but instead at NWI where I was taught by native speakers. Therefore, I want to encourage them to talk more so that they will not follow my previous step. These six students include 4 rather outstanding ones and the remaining two is not quite able to catch up with the lessons I teach. I believe that my teaching pace is slow, so I want to increase it, but the students will have difficulty.

Hello is considering changing the policy. Class duration for each day will lengthened to one hour and a half and the school fee will also increase, and so does teacher's pay. However, I'm afraid that my students will quit their class. Hope that New Year brings good luck and success!

UC Mid-term Exam Over

After five days of hard work, the mid-term exam at UC finally comes to an end. The first stage of this term is over after all. Most of the subjects are not perfectly done; there were some questions that were answered based entirely on guessing. Hope everything will be fine.

Scholarship from Mitsubishi UFJ Foundation

December 9, 2010

It's the second time I have received the scholarship provided by Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Scholarship Foundation from Bank of Tokyo, Japan. The first time was on December 16, 2009. Mr. Hideaki Taga, the executive director of UFJ Foundation, came to Royal University of Law and Economics, Cambodia, to grant us this precious funds to support and facilitate our study.

It's the fifth time that UFJ Foundation has granted the scholarship to Cambodian students studying in RUPP and RULE; each time 10 students are granted.

I was very delighted that I was chosen to be the nominee of this grant because it's a kind of acknowledgement of my hard work and great motivation and support for my learning. Additionally, I feel extra grateful because I have received the scholarship for two years subsequently.

'The Foundation was established in 1953 with endowments from Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation (originally the Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corporation) and continues its activities in grant programs for scholarship and research every year.


There are more than five thousand domestic and international students who accomplished their study with grants from the Foundation during this half century and are now contributing in various area of society all over the world.'

For more information, go to: http://www.scholarship.or.jp/Engindex.html

The Final Year at University

I will graduate from UC before from RULE. In this final term, I still have five courses remaining. I have to take two English courses including Introduction to Linguistics and Practical Language in Use II. It’s going to be a very exhausting term in which I have to deal with several assignments that I have never done before. Recently I’ve started writing a research paper under the topic of ‘Effects of the Creation of Securities Market’. This research paper was assigned by Teacher In Sophal who teaches me PUB101 in this final term. There is another assignment under the topic of Language given by Ms. Davy. The latter one has been done at all. In addition to these two assignments, there are two more given by lecturers at RULE. The load of assignments is very heavy in this term.

However, I believe I will be able to pass through all of these obstacles and successfully and satisfactorily finish the courses. After UC’s graduation, I will fully concentrate on thesis writing for the accounting degree. This is a great challenge for me. It will also be a great turning point for me to change from a merely student life to a real life in the society.

The Final Day of the Term at UC

September 23, 2010

This is the final day which I have class at UC. I'll have three day break and start the final exams on Monday. At the same time, RULE is also supposed to start class on Monday as well. The coming academic year at RULE will be stressful, I think.

All exams at UC will be over by 2nd of October. After that, I will have a two-week off to prepare for the new term, the final term at UC!!!

Bad Luck

It was like a nightmare last Monday when I lost my purse in front of the office of RULE. I wish it had been just a dream that nothing had actually happened. Losing the money is not very troublesome, but the driving license and motorbike identification card are essential. Once we lose it, we must report to the related authority about the lost cards and, at the same time, have it made again.


It may be unbelievable for people living in other countries that, even in school, students are pick-pocketer even robbed. Here in my university is an example where you have to extraordinarily be careful of your pocket and being alone in a quiet room, particularly in toilet. This post is not to criticize anyone, but it is to give my personal impressions toward today’s society in Cambodia.

Several cases of pick-pocketing and mugging have occurred within the university recently. The thieves are more and more rampant. It has turned out that pupils and students have become their target.

I will never let it to happen on me again!

I wish my curse will work!

Job Test Cheater

Two young engineers applied for a single position at a computer company.

They both had the same qualifications. In order to determine which individual to hire, the applicants were asked to take a test by the Department manager.

Upon completion of the test, both men missed only one of the questions.

The manager went to the first applicant and said, "Thank you for your interest, but we've decided to give the job to the other applicant."

"And why would you be doing that? We both got 9 questions correct," asked the rejected applicant.

"We have based our decision not on the correct answers, but on the question you missed," said the Department manager.

"And just how would one incorrect answer be better than the other?" the rejected applicant inquired.

"Simple," said the Department manager, "Your fellow applicant put down on question #5, 'I don't know.' You put down, 'Neither do I.'

Retrieved from http://www.jokeswarehouse.com/cgi-bin/viewjoke2.cgi?id=20011021

Exhibition visit with friends

September 11, 2010
Danith proposed to go to the exhibition of ICT, career, and education which are to be held for 3 days in Koh Pich Center. I thought there would be four of us (Danith, Nareth, Lak, and I) who would go to see the exhibition; however, Visal, Vin, and a friend of Lak also joined us. We walked from one stall to another for almost two hours. After that, we went out and walked around Koh Pich for another one hour or more. In spite of the exhaustion, we were happy to gather like this and had chit-chat about this and that. We also took many pictures.

Vin, Nareth, me, Nith, Lak, and Visal

 

These photos were taken outside the center after we have seen the exhibition.

Problems around

Whenever the new academic year at RULE starts, there are always some problems that delay the registration. We have to go to the school several times before we can successfully have our name registered although we are always a student of the university. The problems include unclear dissimination of information, no registration receipt, teacher's absence, and the like.

The registration process is too bureaucratic and resource-wasting. Why do we have to buy the registration form every year to sign in when we are not a transferring student? Why do the copy of the foundation year certificate and high school certificate have to be handed out every year to be checked? Why do the persons in charge of the registration is not at his/her place when it's already in working hours? Why isn't there a clear duration of registration? and even worse than these, why don't we know the exact date of starting the new class? Students are asking each other for updated information, while this updated information is subject to change any time.

When can this situation be improved? I wonder if it will be improved 10 years after my graduation if no one comes up to complain! Students' voice is not heard!!!

Farewell gathering at Teacher Manashi’s House

Teacher Manashi has been in Cambodia for more than 5 years, and she used to teach me three subjects including English Language Media Studies, Asian and American Literature, and Advanced English Grammar. The courses were fairly difficult, but she still tried to explain the lessons to us.

Receiving the information that she will be leaving Cambodia to Thailand, we felt sad and thought that we should have a farewell party for her before her leaving. After discussion, we finally set the party on last Sunday when we brought some Khmer dessert to her house and chat with her for the last time.
People who went there include Chetra, Sunheang, Mouyhour, Dalin and her husband, Sovanna, Sophorn, Vutha, and me. We stayed until 6 p.m.

She was so moved that I could see tears almost fell from her eyes when we said goodbye to her at the last minute. She is such a friendly and considerate teacher who we really appreciate for her kindness and patience when she taught us.

When there is meeting, there is parting; however, it is important when we can make the time when we were together meaningful.

Students of T. Manashi joined the party. From left to right, Hour, Sunheang, Vutha, Sovanna, me, Dalin and her husband, T. Manashi, and Sophorn. Chetra was not in the picture.

These were the food eaten on the day.

Since Meng's departure

It has been five days since Meng, my younger brother, has left for Singapore to pursue his higher education in computer engineering. I felt very sorry that I didn't spend time with him when he received the air ticket at Intercontinental Hotel and even when he left Cambodia.

Every member in the family misses him much since his departure and wants to know about his current living condition and environment in Singapore. I'm in charge of contacting with him for information to report to my family, particularly my mother, who feels very upset when her beloved son is so far away from her. Perhaps having internet connected at home is the solution to the problem, but I'm afraid Meng will not have much time chatting with us. Still, my mother has to get help from me since she has no idea of using technology.

Hope she can get used to the absence of my brother faster.

Study Tour to Kompong Chhnang

After having studied the theories of non-formal education, three classes of students from different sessions (morning, evening, and weekend) were given an opportunity to see the real practice of NFE, particularly the community learning center which is organized by the local authority in the commune which responds to the Cambodia’s national policy on NFE.

Led by teacher Sangvath, teacher Darin, and teacher Im Keun and supported by the university, we went to Kompong Chhnang province in which CLC management is evaluated to be the most successfully throughout the country. We witnessed the establishment and implementation of CLC in Teuk Phos district.

The study tour took place on Friday 27th August, 2010. There were 43 participants, 12 of whom are from my weekend class, studying with teacher Darin. The bus was planned to leave from UC at 6 a.m., but it was finally delayed by a student (Bong Sophorn) from the weekend class. As a result, we left UC at 7 a.m.

As we arrived at Prek Gdam bridge, we stopped over for a while to have breakfast. A small group of morning session including me already had breakfast before getting on the bus, so we sat together and waited for others finishing their breakfast. We continued our journey at 9:00. Around 10:00, we arrived at the Department of Education, Youth and Sport based in Kompong Chhnang Province. We were led to the room where the Vice President of the department, Mr. Pich Sambo, gave a presentation on the history, education situation, and local residents’ way of life of Kompong Chnnang Province. We reviewed the origin of name of the province, historical events, and Khmer literature related to the province. At the same time, we were presented about the organization and management of CLC as well as the purposes of its existence.

After listening to the presentation, we left the province center to Teuk Phos district where is 30km away. We arrived at the Am Lieang village, Choung Oaung commune, where one of the CLCs is being operated, at almost 11:00. The CLC is quite small, consisting of only 3 rooms where only 3 skills are being taught to the trainees. The 3 skills include playing Pen Piet music (a kind of Khmer tradition music), make-up and wedding decoration, and hairdressing. After interviewing the trainees and the facilitators, we gathered under the trees and listened to the talk of the representatives of the community including the vice president of the commune, the principal of the school and the center, and other related members.

This CLC was established on October 25, 2007. The training period is 6 months per year, and so far two training groups (2008 and 2009) have been completed, the one operated in 2010 is on the process. The organization of CLC is cooperated with the provincial department, village leaders, masters of pagoda, and other influential people. The funds are partly from the national budget and mostly from local community.

The trip covered only one CLC within the province, and the visiting duration was not long enough for us to fully understand how it is implemented. However, this experience enables us to compare the theory with the practice. From the study tour, personally I feel that CLCs in Cambodia focus mostly on income-generating skills such as sewing, Pen Piet music, machinery repairing, motorbike repairing, mushroom growing, hairdressing and so on, while other general knowledge such as of health, sanitation, environment protection, legal understandings, culture, and so on is not highly promoted. According to the leaflet delivered, Pen Piet music training class is offered in all the three training periods in the same community. This may be one of the weaknesses of the CLC management.

After this tour, all the participants are assigned to write report on the trip by showing our impressions and suggestions on the management and operation of CLC in Teuk Phos district. For weekend class, the report is due on September 11, 2010.

Days after the trip

Two days after the trip, I caught a serious cold. I had had a fever for two days and it reached to 39.1 celcius. I was terribly in bad conditions both physically and emotionally because I couldn't do anything instead of sleeping, and it ruined my plan of playing badminton with friends. I could not do my group assignment until Saturday morning when I could read a bit of it and went to school unprepared. Luckily, my group presentation is delayed to next week. God always love me than anyone else!

A Trip to Kompot

After the stressful three-week period of lessons review and final examination, the trip with classmates at RULE that I’d been longing for finally approached. This has been a class of strangers although we’ve studied together for three years. In fact, this trip was intended to strengthen the relationship of the people in this class; it is to make us closer and to know each other more. Sadly, this intention failed—only 9 out of 64 members of A3B1 joined the trip. Luckily, the trip was still successful with the composition of various groups from different universities.

This was a trip to Kompot—Nataya Resort and Teuk Chhu—and was organized by Malay, our class monitor. Through invitation of our friends from high school and other universities, there were 31 participants. Malay and her cousins were the main organizers. We gathered in front of RULE at 6:00 and left Phnom Penh at 6:30am, and then we arrived at Nataya Resort at around 11:30 where we stopped over to take some pictures. After that we continued to Teuk Chhu and had lunch there. The weather was not very good since it rained slightly on the way and especially when we prepared the BBQ.

The food was delicious; we should be thankful to Mina, Malay’s cousin, who prepared all of it by himself. I was quite full and very enjoying. Some of us went into the water, but I didn’t. We stayed until 3:30pm and started our journey back home.

If asking me how I felt about this trip, I would say that it was a real unforgettable experience since it’s the first time I have travelled far from Phnom Penh with my friends. However, I didn’t feel very happy because we spent too much time on the bus where I felt very bored and uneasy.

My Birthday 2010

My birthday fell on the mid of the final exams at RULE; therefore, the celebration was delayed by one day to 06th August when I just finished the exam on the day. We planned to eat something at Song Tra and to play badminton after that. The most frustrating thing happened on the day was the rain which destroyed the badminton plan. No one knows how much I wanted to play badminton rather than any other thing else. However, we did laugh alot on the day under the building that was being constructed. We had been standing in the strong wind for an hour and a half, and then we returned home at around 6:00.

Non-formal eduation, a short summary

This is a doc file on non-formal education. It includes:
- how NFE emerges;
- Summary of discourses and framework of how NFE is defined--Deficit, Disadvantaged, and Difference; and
- Discussion on how formal education should be reformed--redeemable or irredeemable.

http://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1Aua17MxCl-CCFEQQSyYt8VAdzXtuPXkQH3LgHw6RsWU&hl=en

Confusing, Worrying, Questioning.........

Who knows what I am thinking about?
Who knows why I want to shout?
I am stuck in the world of sadness,
Looking for a window of brightness.


Who knows how I can get out of it?
Who knows when I can succeed?
No commitment, no ambition,
No passion, but questions.

Bad feelings

I have been experiencing very stressful weeks after UC started the new term. Studying four courses in this summer term is absolutely exhausting, especially when I choose courses that out of my major. Along with the final exam at RULE, I have almost run out of power. Recently, I also feel the pressure of the coming graduation from both universities. Many classmates are working right now, and some have found the opportunities to participate in internship programs. For me, I’m not thinking of applying any vacancy—still a professional, full-time student!

I was given a special chance for internship in a UNDP project recently. I was called to have a test on 19^th July. Until I was given the test paper, I had always believed that the internship test and interview would not be a problem for at all, and I would be selected. With too much of confidence, what I was worrying about was how I would reject the internship if it would not be in my convenience. It was a written test and is to be done on computer. I had to answer six questions—three theoretical questions and the others are practical problems. Answering the accounting-related questions in theory was not difficult for me, but I was stuck with the practical ones giving situations to be solved. I had no idea for them. I came to realize that my knowledge is very limited. With the lessons at universities, I can only reproduce from my memory of the theories, but when comes to apply it, I fail. I could not even pass the first round!

Nith’s Birthday Gathering

This was July 11, 2010, from 2:30pm onward at Lucky Burger when and where we (Nareth, Lak, Chetra, Visal, Tey, Danith and I) were having a gathering on the occasion of Nith’s birthday. It is a surprise party we call it because Nith didn’t know in advance that we were going to have this party particularly for him. Actually said, only Nareth, Lak, Chetra and I knew beforehand that this is a birthday meeting. We also invited Phorn, Pheak, and Vin to go there, but they were not available due to exams and study. Tey and Visal were not told about this until the last minute though they were quite enjoying the party.

This is the second time we have celebrated birthday party for Nith. Last year we had it at Kea’s house. Obviously we have different atmospheres, additions of new friends, and of course different feelings.

From left to right: Visal, Lak, Chetra, Nith, Nareth, and me.

2010 Local Development Forum

Launch of the Local Development Outlook on Cambodia
Fifteen students, five of which from my class, from RULE were sent to participate in the launching of the Local Development Outlook which is prepared by UNDP in Cambodia and UNCDF on the 1st of July 2010 from 8:00 to 13:00 in the Intercontinental Hotel. It was our honor that we were given the chance to widen our view on how to develop our country proposed by the organizations.

Friday 25th June, Teacher Chrin Hai came to our class and informed us of the program. He needed five volunteer students to participate in the program. Malay, Sros, Daly, Danith, and I seized the opportunity. For three years, the university has never given any chance for the College of Economics to participate in similar program. We were excited because it was our first experience to represent the school. Especially, it was also our first time to visit the Intercontinental Hotel.

After registration we were provided with the hard copy of the summary of the local development outlook in both Khmer and English and a CD on the detail of the report. The program was divided into two sessions; first of which started at 8:30 and the second at 10:35. There were many distinguished speakers from UNCDF, UNDF, Ministries, World Bank, New York University, and Acleda Bank. Each of the speakers gave meaningful and remarkable speech on how to develop locally so that development on national level is available and effective.

Though limited knowledge doesn’t allow us to catch the underlying concepts of each speaker, we did learn something from it and at least we could read the outlook by ourselves to further our knowledge.

Here is the ball room where the forum is held. Participants sit in round tables.

From left to right: Sros, Leng, Malay, Daly.

Here is the room at 3rd floor where we had lunch after the program.

Many kinds of dessert taken by Danith (Em).

Gift from Elina, a classmate from Finland

A card and a necklace!

IYF Certificate and Complaints

On June 15 all World Camp participants including IYF volunteers were given a certificate certifying our presence and participation in the World Camp held from 16^th to 20^th of May, 2010. At 5:00pm, we gathered at NIE again and were anxious of receiving the certificate.

Honestly most of us were very disappointed of the World Camp program which was far different from our expectation. What we were told before the camp did not exactly happened such as the Mini Olympic program, interaction with international students, and especially the i-pod prize for group report winners. I believe these are the biggest expectations of most participants from the program which unfortunately didn’t happen at all. In contrast, the lectures took longer time than we had expected. I am not saying that it’s not good to have the lectures, but since it’s given too often, it makes students have an adverse feeling toward it. Obviously, students have been complaining that it’s more about Christianity promotion rather than the general teaching of the world of mind. Personally, I also have similar feeling.

The World Camp report was actually graded and ten groups were given a prize. Unexpectedly, the prize was not an i-pod but a DVD of Gracias songs. I’m not eager for an i-pod, but they should have kept their promise. No matter what it was, my group report was not selected.

Some students didn’t receive the certificate of participation on the day due to the improper preparation of the organization. I was just doubtful why they didn’t prepare it all before having the ceremony. On June 26 afternoon, we were informed of going to CJCC to attend the IYF’s day and to receive the certificate of IYF volunteer. Similarly, not all volunteers received it either. For others, I’m not sure how they feel, but personally it’s quite frustrating. Fortunately, mine was ready.

To be a volunteer is good for people themselves and for other people, but the organization should be more well-organized and truthful. If not, it will discourage the volunteers from continuing serving them.

Duan Wu Jie 2010

This year Duan Wu Jie (端午节) or Dragon Boat Racing Festival was held on 15^th of June. Around that day, I have watched a piece of news in a Taiwanese channel inquiring several youngsters in high school about the history of having this festival. None of them could answer correctly. When I was a student in Chinese primary school, we had learned about the history and the reason on why we ate rice dumplings (粽子) and had boat racing. And now it still remains in my memory. However, these days the real meaning of this festival has gradually been forgotten. Despite of this, in this post I’m not planning to write about the history of this festival again since I already wrote about it last year. You can search ‘My Duan Wu Jie’ for the information.

In fact rice dumplings or Zong Zi can take many shapes and have different tastes based on the custom of place and people who make it. In Cambodia, rice dumplings are more on the Khmer traditional style. As I’ve observed, it’s quite simple as to have only sticky rice, green bean paste and a long piece of fatty pork. We can also find a common rice dumpling, called ‘Num Chang’ which is as simple as sticky rice wrapped with bamboo leaves. People would buy this kind of rice dumpling for the festival. For my family, the way of making the rice dumpling is passed on from generation to generation. My grandmother was very good at making kinds of Chinese snacks and this rice dumpling is the only one that my mother could learn from her. However, the taste and the way she makes it are not exactly the same as my grandmother did since it has always been modified and improved based on the taste bud of family members. She has been making it several years and makes it at least once a year. However, I have never learned from her.

The following pictures demonstrate the main components of our rice dumpling. Perhaps you can try to make it by yourself.