My senior spring of college was made memorable for many different reasons. The people I spent time with, the memories I made and the grand finale of graduation will forever be entities that I will look back on an remember with a smile. When I think back to only a few months ago, numerous events come to mind that make me extremely happy. Many of these unforgettable moments were crafted on a somewhat sandy but mostly dangerous area that my fraternity brothers liked to call a beach volleyball court. Countless hours were spent out in the sun playing volleyball, laughing, drinking a few beers and just being college seniors who were enjoying life. For the record, I have never really been taught to play volleyball, I sort of just picked it up along the way and honed my skills outside of my fraternity house as well as on the beaches of Israel went I spent a semester abroad there. In no way am I the best volleyball player, however, I do consider myself someone who can hold their own on the court. While settling in to Siem Reap I was delighted to not only find that volleyball is HUGE here but also that there are two volleyball courts right next to my house. Even better, the courts are equally as dangerous as the one I am so use to; I felt right at home.
I started noticing that around five o'clock everyday a group of tuk-tuk drivers would be playing volleyball, laughing and enjoying themselves. I figured I had to try to join them. What I subsequently found out was:
1. They have never had a westerner play with them or even try.
2. They play for a bit of money to make it interesting.
3. They rent the court space from a nice fellow who charges $.25 per set.
4. These guys had skill: they comfortably controlled the ball and hit with great power and meaning.
5. They thought I sucked and didn't want me to play.
This would turn most people away to never return or even attempt to to get in on a game. Not me, I am a Minerva Fellow and that is not in my blood. I stayed, watched patiently and made friends with those who could speak English. Eventually, I was given my opportunity. Talk about pressure...The first serve came over the net and one of my teammates set the ball to my other teammate (we were playing on teams of 3) who then lofted up a perfectly high and perfectly placed set for me to spike. I excitedly jumped in the air, powerfully came down on the ball and hit it straight out of bounds. I guess you have to fail before you can succeed. The next serve was much better and the games I played were extremely fun. More importantly, it gave me the opportunity to show these guys that I didn't suck...they invited me back to play whenever I wanted.
The most rewarding part of this entire experience was not defending my manhood on a sandy square in the middle of a Cambodian city. Although that was invigorating and worth the price of admission (I spent $.75), it was not the reason I went back the next day. Instead I returned because of the wonderful conversation I had with a extremely welcoming Cambodian man. We talked about America, the New York Yankees, English and all sorts of random topics. He essentially just fired questions at me and was genuinely intrigued by the answers. Little did I know I was just scratching the service with this person...
The next day I saw him again and we began chatting as we watched the games that were already in progress. He began to tell me about his family, where he came from and what he enjoys about living in Siem Reap. After some more discussion we started talking about learning English. He had learned English in high school and studied a little on the side as it made him a more attractive tuk-tuk driver for tourists. He admitted to me that he wished he could learn more as well as return to school to get his bachelor's degree and eventually go to grad school. He was tired of being a driver who only made $10.00 a day and wished for a life where he could get a hourly salary. I felt for this gentleman but am not going to act naive. There are a lot of people in his situation. It is the reality not only in this town and this country but in many places throughout the world. His dream of a different life was not what got to me. Instead it was what he told me next that affected me (which I will summarize from memory):
"I met a wonderful husband and wife from the United States while driving them to the temples when they visited. They were going to be in town for a while an employed me as their driver. Both of them were extremely nice and extremely generous. They took me out to dinner and treated me with respect. I built a friendship with them and by the end of their time here I was not just the driver. Before they left the American couple asked if they could sponsor my education (the only thing really keeping this man out of school is the money, he is intelligent and has qualified to begin by passing the necessary tests). I was very excited. They got all of the information from the university of how to pay for my education and then left for America. That was a month ago. I haven't heard from them since and they won't return my email...."
This kind man had his dream crushed by a couple from America who was taken a back by the situation on the ground here in Siem Reap. They felt implored to do something, made a promise and then returned back to a comfortable lifestyle in the states and apparently (I really hope not) have forgotten about what they said they would do for another human being whose life could be changed by this educational opportunity. From what I have observed, and heard from many other volunteers, Westerners (not only Americans) enjoy travelling to places like Siem Reap for vacation, attempt to make a difference by promising they will help and then do nothing. I have pondered a lot about why I think this is. I am not an expert on this topic, or anything for that matter, but, after all, this is my blog so I will share some insight.
Those of use who have grown up in free, prospering nations (Westerners) have been given a lot of things in our life just for being members of a certain society. For example, in America, most children are given a promise of a future through education. And yes, many of you are thinking: "there are plenty of kids in America who don't get the proper education and have a worse life because of that." This is completely true and I will not argue that. However, the overall majority of children under the age of 18 in the United States are provided an education that allows them, if they choose, to succeed in life. I grew up on Long Island where the promise of education was a central part of everyday living. Not only did I attend public school but I also attended Hebrew School. Two educations. During my final year in high school I spent a lot of time thinking about and researching the next education I would receive. I inevitably ended up at an incredible place of higher education, Union College, which has given me this opportunity. Education, learning and knowledge throughout my life has been expected (and often promised to me) so that I could one day succeed in the "real world." The constant flow of education for most people in America (myself included) creates a situation where we, Westerners, very easily take learning for granted. Not appreciating the ability to go to school is easy when all you have ever done is go to school...
Teaching at The Global Child, although only for a short period of time so far, as well as interacting with my volleyball friend and the owner of McBuddha and his friends (who I now teach English to at 6:00pm every other day), has shown me how much education and more important the simple opportunity for education means to people who aren't promised it. Learning here is a privilege, not a right. Yes, there are government schools that kids "must" attend but the regulation and enforcement of this rule is more than lax. Instead, children grow up working to support their families, missing school to make money. Eventually many end up like my friend the tuk-tuk driver, wishing that his dream of becoming an educated member of society would come true. My students at TGC are the lucky ones. They HAVE been given the opportunity for a more promising future. The best part is: they still don't take anything for granted. Not their education, not the money they make to come to school, not even the pen they write with.
As I sit here and write this I can't help but think about how I didn't always appreciate school. I went, I got decent grades and I did what was expected of me: went to a wonderful college. I very much appreciated my college experience and all that Union offered me both academically and socially. I can not say the same for my high school and middle school years. We all have regrets in life and not taking school as seriously as I should have (sorry mom and dad but I have to be honest with myself) is one of mine. This is a reality for many people, including a lot of my friends We simply took school for granted. Maybe this is why people come here and make promises. They don't know what it is like to be on the receiving end of a broken promise. Moreover, they don't understand what it means to not have education in their lives, making it hard to comprehend how much damage promising education to someone can do....
I am not making any promises, because promises are just words. Promises can be broken and so too can the dreams of REAL people. Instead, I will make lesson plans, English games, and smiles. I will play soccer, be a role model and a mentor. I will help a child learn vocab, a restaurant owner edit his menu (markarita=margarita) and a tuk-tuk driver go to school. Finally, I will make sure to learn from these people who do not take anything for granted so that I too can truly appreciate all that life has to offer...even if its just a game of volleyball.
No comments:
Post a Comment