Each year, a group of Kennedy students and staff travel to Phnom Penh to work alongside Transform Cambodia, I am always so impressed by the character and abilities of our students. On Friday 26 June we left a freezing cold Perth at 2am and flew to Cambodia for two unforgettable weeks in a country where so many have so little.
Through our ongoing partnership with Transform Cambodia, our students have the opportunity to work directly with the children from the low socioeconomic areas of Phnom Penh and assist in the vital work of developing English language skills, with our particular focus being on pronunciation. Our Year 10, 11 and 12 students who came on the journey spent many months developing effective lessons and developing their own capacity to lead a group of children aged 6 to 18. While the teaching days focused on language skills, we also had lots of fun. We played games, ate, worshipped and danced (a lot) with the students and the staff from Transform, developing lasting friendships. A special time was shared on the last day, where we held a craft session and exchanged bracelets with the students and staff alike. Further to this, a highlight for many of the staff and students was the opportunity to share lunch each day with the Transform Staff over a cooked meal.
While teaching was the main focus of our time in Phnom Penh, there was definitely more to the tour as well. We shopped in markets and mega malls, looking for “I-love-Cambodia” shirts and little statues of elephants. Some of our highlights included Tuk-Tuk tours through the national monuments of the city, visiting the sites of the Khmer Rouge campaign, building relationships with one another, Dairy Queen, Carl’s Junior and the infamous Kung Fu Kitchen dumpling dinners.
During the middle weekend, the students are given an opportunity to experience the majesty of the eighth wonder of the world and one of the largest religious monuments on earth, Siem Reap and the wonders of Angkor. Greeted with balmy weather and some rain, the tour team visited 4 different temples, as well as a wonderful opportunity to take on a 1 hour jungle walk through the Angkor region. On our bus ride north, we also had the chance to stop at Skun, which is famous for its local pets and dietary delicacies, Spiders. For the brave at heart, these spiders were able to be held, an experience we certainly don’t have in Perth!
When asking the students what their highlights were, the feedback was consistent. Firstly, the Cambodian people who shared so much of what they had with us and welcomed us in like family. There were many tears of goodbye and “see you next year” at the end of our trip. The other common highlight for the students and I was the relationships formed with one another on the tour. The love, strength and care that was displayed amongst the group when students needed support and encouragement was a highlight of the time away. This culminated in a new initiative, Year Group Dinners on the final nights. From Japanese to Western, to high rise karaoke, the students all embraced time within their cohort and celebrated their time away.
I would like to share my sincere thanks to the team of students who attended this year’s tour. As we heard at our combined Church service, “continue to show Christ in all that you do; the rooms you leave, the people you love and the time we spend with one another, do people see Him? With this, you are all fearfully and wonderfully made and are loved beyond measure.”
To the staff, Scott Britza, Caitlin Carey and Suzie Warwick, thank you. Your sacrifice, leadership and friendship made the trip so special for everyone. We are thankful for this journey together and are far richer for the experience.
Mr Chris Bolton
Health and Physical Education Teacher / Cambodia Tour Coordinator
