Samart School

I came to Cambodia end of February, 2012. I stayed at I Win Hostel in Siem Reap those first days. I toured Angkor Wat, visited Pub Street at night, ate at the cheapest places with the locals. By this time I had already been traveling for four months. I had been in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. I had seen so much, met so many people, but I got to this point that every backpacker experiences at a certain point: I needed depth. Depth in my contacts (not just the hey, where are you from, where have you been), and depth in my experiences (not just the touristy places). There always comes a point where you’re getting spoiled: you’ve seen the prettiest waterfalls, sunsets and have met so many amazing people, that nothing feels that ‘new’ and ‘exciting’ as it did at the beginning of your trip.

 

I was thinking about this when I sat at the terrace of I Win Hostel, where I met Song. We were sitting outside, talking. He was telling me about how he had started a school for orphans and kids whose parents couldn’t afford their education. It was outside the city, about half an hour by tuktuk. He asked me if I wanted to come by and take a look. I felt like this was exactly what I needed at that time. Something new and exciting.

 

I had been to two schools in South East Asia before that: one in Vietnam and one in Thailand. In Vietnam we came upon the school by accident; me and this English guy I was traveling with got lost and decided to take a look and see what went on in a classroom in Vietnam. The kids and teacher just sat there looking at us and didn’t understand a word we said. After half an hour we decided to leave. Then the teacher immediately started class: they had been waiting for us to leave. In Thailand I was invited by a Thai friend. His kids went to school in a village a few miles from Ao Nang, near Krabi, and they had this day where all the kids were going to perform something. He invited me to come and take a look. During the day I felt like I was the one performing: it was like they had never seen a white person before (maybe they hadn’t), cause they all just stared at me.

 

This is why I decided to come with Song and Bunhak (who at that time I just knew as the driver) and try and get a better look at what went on at an Asian school. We drove for about half an hour, on these small dirt roads, along all these typically Cambodian houses. I was already loving it. When I arrived at the school, I was surprised by the ‘building’. It was basically a roof. That was it. There were benches and tables, but not at all enough for all the kids that were running around. I was full of questions. Song had obviously just started this school, and wasn’t very organized yet.

 

The kids got to me the first minute I saw them. There they were, poor as can be, no education, no future perspectives (in the sense that we know it), but happy as can be. I have never seen kids so happy. And they didn’t own anything. As time went by, I noticed the kids all wearing the same thing every single day. There was this one boy, about 12 years old, who wore the same thick red sweater every single day (in 110 F/40 Celcius weather!). But they were perfectly happy, just smiling, all day long. They had all these really simple games that they got all excited about, like placing one rock on the ground and trying to throw another one on it from a few feet away.

 

I knew right then and there, the minute I arrived, that I wanted to stay. This felt so amazingly comfortable and amazing, and I wanted to experience more of it. I asked Song how I could help. He asked me if I wanted to teach. Well, I had never taught before. I always thought of myself as being a very impatient person, and not at all ‘good with kids’. But hey, isn’t traveling about trying new things? So I told him yes, I will stay. It turns out, I am actually pretty good with kids. And not at all impatient. I loved them, every single one of them.

 

Bunhak very kindly offered me to stay with him and his family, in the house right across from the school. They made up a bed for me in the house, in a section right next to their living room/bedroom. I felt kind of bad about this: they slept in a room with 6 people, and I got this whole room to myself. They even strung up a cute pink curtain so I had some privacy. I had a bucket in which I could pee during the night, because the only ‘bathroom’ was outside. No toilet paper of course, and the ‘shower’ was one of those big bathtubs filled with water, and a bucket that you can use to throw water on yourself. When I saw all this the ‘Western’ and ‘first world’ part of me was like wait… Can I do this? But hey, you can get used to any situation you put yourself in, as long as you are open to new experiences. So I did. I got used to it, and now, while I’m back in Europe with all the comfort in the world, I sometimes look back to this time in Cambodia and wish my life was that simple again.

 

I had stayed with Song for a few weeks when an American guy I had met in Tonsai, Thailand, came to see me. Chris and I met up in Siem Reap where I stayed in the weekends, and when I told him about the school he wanted to come with me to check it out. He did, and we taught together from then on. Cool fact: we kept traveling together and he came back to the Netherlands with me. We got engaged in March 2013 J

 

Chris and I both felt very energized by the kids and Song and wanted to make sure we could help them even when we weren’t teaching anymore. So we decided to open up a bank account and donate money to the school. My dad and aunt wanted in on this, and all of us were able to donate 500 USD to the school. Song, mr. Chhan (Bunhak’s brother in law, who owns the ground the school is on), Bunhak, three drivers, Chris and I all went to the bank in Siem Reap and organized everything. We were all smiling all day. I still have a picture of the moment we treated all of them to a lunch afterwards: pure happiness.

 

Song and I still talk every week, and I try and keep in touch as much as possible. The kids and Song and Bunhak and his family… They are on my mind a lot. They have changed me. They have made me see what you really need to be happy (nothing!). They have made me realize that there is a lot you can do to help others. And it feels SO good to do so. You get so much in return. I have made such good friends out there in that village near Siem Reap, Cambodia.

 

Whatever the reason is you’re in Cambodia, I want to invite you to come by and check out the school. I want you to meet Song and see how wonderfully selfless a person can be. He will be the most generous person that you’ll ever meet. He will make you smile every time you think back to him. I want you to meet the kids, and realize how happy you can be. I want you to realize what a small donation can mean to all these people. Our 500 USD were used to build walls so the kids can go to school in the rainy season, to buy fuel for the generator so they have light at night and to buy school supplies in general (pencils, books). But it has lasted them for almost a year.

 

Being the second volunteer ever at the school, I want all of you to know how amazing all your help has been. The school wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for us. Song has had times where he has done everything all by himself – but he needs our help. And we can help him. We have come so far since February 2012. Come. Be a part of it. Teach. Build shelves. Bring toys, clothes or supplies. Make the kids laugh. Donate money. Whatever suits you. And, most importantly… share your story.

 

-Hildr Vogelesang, Netherlands