A Typical Day at Site

Although no day in Cambodia is typical, I will attempt to summarize a common day I have here. My schedule for school changes, as I teach with two teachers and follow their schedules:



Sunrise over the Mekong River
Typically I wake up at 3am because my parents get up to start preparing their vegetables for the market They also wake up the roosters, who do not have the good sense to go back to sleep. I dose until 5 or 5:30am and get up and get ready to go to school. I try to eat at the stall next door, (she makes the best pork and rice I have ever had). If she is not ready yet I go to eat noodles or porridge at the market. This time of year it is dark well until 6:15am, so it makes everyone late.


Breakfast lady


Deliciousness

I teach a private class at 6:15am on a high level English book. It's so much fun, I wish I could teach out of this book all day. Teaching students that do not speak your language (and I do not speak much of theirs) is not easy. These kids make it easy. I have about 3-6 kids per day.



The next four hours I teach with two co-teachers in public school. I teach grades 7-10. Its difficult to teach with another person. Sometimes I think it would be easier to teach alone, then I realize the students have no idea what I am saying. Some days it is great and I am glad I have someone with me. The book they use for English teaching is not the best, but the teachers make due. The school is small, although I hear they are building a new building (maybe they will break ground before I leave??). I hope to see something done in the future. Each class period is supposed to be 50 minutes long with 10 minute breaks. Lets be generous and say that class is tough 45 minutes each hour.


By far the best building at my school


My lunch break is from 11am-1pm. This goes by very fast. I have Khmer language tutoring from 1pm-2pm everyday. My tutor is another English teacher from my school. He is great. Aside from being a really slow learner, I have a good time. From 2pm-4pm I go back to school to teach my clubs. More good times. It is very hot outside at this point.

I then come home and shower and check my e-mail. I try to hang out with my neighbor downstairs before the mosquitoes comes out. Eat at 6pm. I spend the rest of the night doing paperwork for future projects, reading, watching movies and/or playing games. It sounds like a good time right??

Most of the time it is. When I need a break, I call someone, or go to my district town or the capital.