30th March 2009
Things continue at a pace, well for Cambodia anyway! We are trying to introduce a new (and impose) a new concept, punctuality! We are attempting this ambitious feat by introducing what we have called UK-Khmer time (for VSO who love acronyms, perhaps it should be UKKT or UK2T). The former, or as I should write UK2T, as opposed to Khmer time, or KT, which is the actual time + anything from an ‘acceptable’ few minutes to two hours! This applies to all sectors of Khmer life except the local bank which seems to have adopted UK2T as good working practice. This is an interesting ‘battle’ as we have found schools operate on KT. General findings include: not turning up for teaching a lesson, arriving whenever, to finishing lessons anything from 15 to 60min early because they have finished reading the text book, literally, and thus have covered the appropriate part of the curriculum so what’s the problem? Lesson review, formative and summative assessment (although we’ve not used these terms), monitoring pupil progress, what strange views us “VSO Barangs” have; weirdo’s!
Even a recent TTM, (oops another acronym, which stands for Thursday Technical Meeting where all Primary teachers gather for training, discussion or information) began a creditable thirty minutes late! This despite the presence of three Phnom Penh ‘men from the education ministry’, the chief of inspection from the Provincial Office for Education and me! One even turned up over fifty minutes late which was better than some who had not turned up (at this compulsory meeting)at all (according to my translator who had espied them at breakfast that morning!) Jan and I attended a Saturday meeting (Primary schools are open
on Saturdays) starting out on our moto (motor cycle) at 0620hrs to arrive 0720 hrs (Jan’s closest school) for a 0730hr start only to begin at 0800hrs! After experiencing this numerous times we still grate our gnashing teeth and display the VSO synchro-swimming smile, as we have always prided ourselves on being punctual. This is a skill I have learned, to my amazement, but patience wears thin! On discussion with Khmers at all sorts of levels in their social strata they reply, with resignation, that’s the way it is. When I reply that that is not the way the bank does it or what’s the point in bothering because if people accept this ‘as the way it is’ then what’s the point in any NGO or anybody else in trying to change things! This is how it has been, how it is today and how it will be tomorrow and so on, and on………. . Make a stand and sort it out. People can do it; it is just sloppy.
We have seen some excellent teachers working in very, very difficult circumstances trying to move the education system forward, making a difference, who need, and ask for, support. To complete this rant some teachers leave days early prior to a holiday and return a week late or more afterwards, with seeming immunity from comment or sanction! Invited to speak at the Saturday meeting,
we said that to improve they have to work as a team, support each other and act as role models for the children and each other by turning up on time etc, etc i.e. pull your b _ _ _ _ _ fingers out and take responsibility for their own actions. Then perhaps things will start to get better rather than blame things that cover up their inadequacies (hope they don’t read this – oh sod it let ‘em! it might, just might make things happen more quickly and jump start some of them from their malaise – it could also be a quick way to get the sack from VSO!). The children have such a thirst and desire to learn. They even remain in lessons with no teacher and have a go at teaching themselves – I can see that happening back in the UK!
STOP PRESS STOP PRES STOP PRESS
As we enter the week prior to the Khmer New Year it seems that the recent pep-talk from the “men from the ministry”, the province director (and us) has had absolutely no effect on them at all. Despite prior arrangements we have both had to cancel meetings as teachers have already left the province to visit friends and family. As a result ‘most’ schools are now shut! So much for “capacity building”.
OK what else has happened in our non-educational life beyond t
he usual extreme shopping? The cat was de-wormed via a, very quickly applied, injection ( I had to look away biting my finger) from a very nice Australian lady who introduced herself recently as the wife of a colleague of the people we rent the home from (it becomes very tortuous so I’ll omit all the details to prevent you glazing over). True to form Zaccy the cat didn’t bat a eyelid, took it (unlike a man) without any fuss except a knowing glare and a big yawn as he had been disturbed from his nap! Other excitement included a swim at a local waterfall. Jan opted out, wimp, while I of course, braved the luke-warm water and potential reptilian residents to ‘gingerly’ wade in from the rocks and battle against severe currents that would have washed a lesser man to his doom down river – sorry I’ve just completed Tim Butcher’s
account of retracing Stanley’s journey down the Congo river, got a tad carried away. To reassure readers, there are no dangerous reptiles or even potential pathogens likely in the waterfall pool and I’ve lived a week afterwards to tell the tale.
Oh I nearly forgot. I’m soon to audition for the internationally renowned troupe “Circque de Soleil”. I sent them a series of photographs and two minute video of me repairing a leak to the water supply system at the house. This consists of climbing, or is it scaling, the balcony railing, squeezing through a narrow, two foot, gap between 5000 litre stainless steel tank and, the house planking, to squat legs akimbo
three by two joists risking potential damage to manhood and gut. Then, carried out hack-saw surgery to three quarter plastic pipe, solvent welding new joints (including new tap and connectors) all at difficult angles. All this at great personal risk of solvent abuse and four metres from terra firma without a safety net.
It’s no wonder that “The Circ”, as it’s called to those in the performing family, have already started on the performance detail. I think I’ve still work to do on the balletic choreography and I’ve suggested music to open by “Robbie Williams” – “Let Me Entertain You” as the spotlights play on a lofty steel water tank, with copious leak, in the performance arena! The music continues, the tank, and I, revolve seemingly out of control, to the Bond theme, “Wings” track – “Live and Let Die” as I afford timely repair. Spotlights go out and only relight showing a successful completion and me being slowly lowered to Handel’s Water music and a crescendo of applause. How could they resist? Jan is currently having a garment made in the market. However, I’m still uneasy where all the sequins will go, perhaps on my cape? Her drawing of Borat’s “mankini” together with our “excellent” standard of Khmer does not bode well for the result (bet you can’t wait for the blog photo, perhaps younger readers / viewers should be warned). If all goes according to plan, I will have to take a break from VSO to fulfil my world tour commitments!
On the other hand I’ll be writing next month, see you!
Things continue at a pace, well for Cambodia anyway! We are trying to introduce a new (and impose) a new concept, punctuality! We are attempting this ambitious feat by introducing what we have called UK-Khmer time (for VSO who love acronyms, perhaps it should be UKKT or UK2T). The former, or as I should write UK2T, as opposed to Khmer time, or KT, which is the actual time + anything from an ‘acceptable’ few minutes to two hours! This applies to all sectors of Khmer life except the local bank which seems to have adopted UK2T as good working practice. This is an interesting ‘battle’ as we have found schools operate on KT. General findings include: not turning up for teaching a lesson, arriving whenever, to finishing lessons anything from 15 to 60min early because they have finished reading the text book, literally, and thus have covered the appropriate part of the curriculum so what’s the problem? Lesson review, formative and summative assessment (although we’ve not used these terms), monitoring pupil progress, what strange views us “VSO Barangs” have; weirdo’s!
Even a recent TTM, (oops another acronym, which stands for Thursday Technical Meeting where all Primary teachers gather for training, discussion or information) began a creditable thirty minutes late! This despite the presence of three Phnom Penh ‘men from the education ministry’, the chief of inspection from the Provincial Office for Education and me! One even turned up over fifty minutes late which was better than some who had not turned up (at this compulsory meeting)at all (according to my translator who had espied them at breakfast that morning!) Jan and I attended a Saturday meeting (Primary schools are open
on Saturdays) starting out on our moto (motor cycle) at 0620hrs to arrive 0720 hrs (Jan’s closest school) for a 0730hr start only to begin at 0800hrs! After experiencing this numerous times we still grate our gnashing teeth and display the VSO synchro-swimming smile, as we have always prided ourselves on being punctual. This is a skill I have learned, to my amazement, but patience wears thin! On discussion with Khmers at all sorts of levels in their social strata they reply, with resignation, that’s the way it is. When I reply that that is not the way the bank does it or what’s the point in bothering because if people accept this ‘as the way it is’ then what’s the point in any NGO or anybody else in trying to change things! This is how it has been, how it is today and how it will be tomorrow and so on, and on………. . Make a stand and sort it out. People can do it; it is just sloppy.We have seen some excellent teachers working in very, very difficult circumstances trying to move the education system forward, making a difference, who need, and ask for, support. To complete this rant some teachers leave days early prior to a holiday and return a week late or more afterwards, with seeming immunity from comment or sanction! Invited to speak at the Saturday meeting,
we said that to improve they have to work as a team, support each other and act as role models for the children and each other by turning up on time etc, etc i.e. pull your b _ _ _ _ _ fingers out and take responsibility for their own actions. Then perhaps things will start to get better rather than blame things that cover up their inadequacies (hope they don’t read this – oh sod it let ‘em! it might, just might make things happen more quickly and jump start some of them from their malaise – it could also be a quick way to get the sack from VSO!). The children have such a thirst and desire to learn. They even remain in lessons with no teacher and have a go at teaching themselves – I can see that happening back in the UK!
STOP PRESS STOP PRES STOP PRESS
As we enter the week prior to the Khmer New Year it seems that the recent pep-talk from the “men from the ministry”, the province director (and us) has had absolutely no effect on them at all. Despite prior arrangements we have both had to cancel meetings as teachers have already left the province to visit friends and family. As a result ‘most’ schools are now shut! So much for “capacity building”.
OK what else has happened in our non-educational life beyond t
he usual extreme shopping? The cat was de-wormed via a, very quickly applied, injection ( I had to look away biting my finger) from a very nice Australian lady who introduced herself recently as the wife of a colleague of the people we rent the home from (it becomes very tortuous so I’ll omit all the details to prevent you glazing over). True to form Zaccy the cat didn’t bat a eyelid, took it (unlike a man) without any fuss except a knowing glare and a big yawn as he had been disturbed from his nap! Other excitement included a swim at a local waterfall. Jan opted out, wimp, while I of course, braved the luke-warm water and potential reptilian residents to ‘gingerly’ wade in from the rocks and battle against severe currents that would have washed a lesser man to his doom down river – sorry I’ve just completed Tim Butcher’s
account of retracing Stanley’s journey down the Congo river, got a tad carried away. To reassure readers, there are no dangerous reptiles or even potential pathogens likely in the waterfall pool and I’ve lived a week afterwards to tell the tale.Oh I nearly forgot. I’m soon to audition for the internationally renowned troupe “Circque de Soleil”. I sent them a series of photographs and two minute video of me repairing a leak to the water supply system at the house. This consists of climbing, or is it scaling, the balcony railing, squeezing through a narrow, two foot, gap between 5000 litre stainless steel tank and, the house planking, to squat legs akimbo
three by two joists risking potential damage to manhood and gut. Then, carried out hack-saw surgery to three quarter plastic pipe, solvent welding new joints (including new tap and connectors) all at difficult angles. All this at great personal risk of solvent abuse and four metres from terra firma without a safety net.It’s no wonder that “The Circ”, as it’s called to those in the performing family, have already started on the performance detail. I think I’ve still work to do on the balletic choreography and I’ve suggested music to open by “Robbie Williams” – “Let Me Entertain You” as the spotlights play on a lofty steel water tank, with copious leak, in the performance arena! The music continues, the tank, and I, revolve seemingly out of control, to the Bond theme, “Wings” track – “Live and Let Die” as I afford timely repair. Spotlights go out and only relight showing a successful completion and me being slowly lowered to Handel’s Water music and a crescendo of applause. How could they resist? Jan is currently having a garment made in the market. However, I’m still uneasy where all the sequins will go, perhaps on my cape? Her drawing of Borat’s “mankini” together with our “excellent” standard of Khmer does not bode well for the result (bet you can’t wait for the blog photo, perhaps younger readers / viewers should be warned). If all goes according to plan, I will have to take a break from VSO to fulfil my world tour commitments!
On the other hand I’ll be writing next month, see you!
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