The Cambodia Rural School Project
The Siem Bok Nippon
Foundation School
In front of a classroom
Van Nary, 18, is a fifth grade student at Siem Bok Nippon Foundation School. In her interview she detailed some standard concerns of young Khmers today.
| On the new building: | I like this school because the building is new, beautiful and comfortable to study. Although I always attended classes at the old school, I feel more motivated now. I want to learn and know more about my country. So far I am top of my class, which has 16 other students.I take particular care with applied science, as it is fun to find out about animals and trees. I hope we can have more classes in the future and I thank the donor very much for the opportunity to study.
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| On her spare time: | I listen to news on the radio; nobody in this village has a TV, so radios and newspapers are important information sources for our small society. Unfortunately, I am usually too busy doing some work at home to find time to listening to the radio. I normally get up at 5 am or 6 am, clean the house, cook rice and boil water for sanitation. Back home from school I have to cook, feed pigs and take care of my small sister and brothers while my parents are off working in the field. I have two elder sisters, one elder brother, one younger sister and two younger brothers. Four of them are staying here with the family. The youngest brother is still 6 years old and needs a lot of care. As my days are such that it is hard for me to find time for my study. I manage to find time to study from 8 pm to 9 pm using a generator or a lamp. But my family helps each other well, and also has understanding for my study.
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| In the future: | I want to be a Khmer teacher and teach in this village. I want to learn English, too, but there is no English teacher in this village. So I bought a book to study by myself. If I had an opportunity I also want to go to France, but I know that my family does not have an ability to let me study abroad. If I had money, then I would use it to continue to study until university. Now I am asking my parents everyday if I can continue my study for another three years at secondary school. The problem is that I would have to take a boat for two hours to go to the secondary school. It’s too far for me to commute and so I will have to stay in that district town for a while, which my family doesn’t like. I have never traveled out of this village and am also a little afraid. That is why I want to teach in this village because this is the only place I know well. Another reason is my family. If I want to leave, my family would let me go, but I have never left my family and I am not willing to leave them either.
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| If she could do anything: | I will try to learn hard and then I will think of what I can do. |
