Today’s early start at 6am felt somewhat different to the previous ones, it’s
the last day of our two week Boot Camp. Cycling through Kampong Cham at
7.30am on the way to the library, taking in all that the morning has to offer –
children waving and greeting, dogs wandering the streets, women doing their
laundry on the front steps of their huts with a smile on their faces and their
little toddlers climbing all over the place.
This is my second Boot Camp that I’m privileged enough to take part in,
I therefore knew that this day was going to be emotional to say the least.
Teaching the last grammar lesson for 2013 , as we discuss phrasal verbs
and why they are difficult, but absolutely crucial to learn, the teachers keep
implementing the fact that this is the last day and they don’t want us to leave
and will miss us, little do they know that those feelings are completely mutual.
It’s not easy to then move their attention back to the joyful world of grammar,
however they did use phrasal verbs expressing their feelings, which lifts the
heart.
After lunch, all English teachers made sure that the goodie bags that each
Cambodian teacher was going to receive, containing chalk, a notepad, a CD
containing various materials such as grammar work sheets, Jollyphonics
material and teaching ideas as well as their certificate stating that they
had part taken in the 2013 English Boot Camp, were ready for the closing
ceremony.
Shortly afterwards 65 Cambodian teachers and 9 English teachers
gathered in the fairly small downstairs hall of the library. Each school had a
representative saying a few words about their impressions of the Boot Camp,
this was then followed by giving out the certificates to each of the teachers.
Some of the speeches were very moving, the Cambodian culture being very
genuine and open and listening to them openly sharing their feelings in front
of everyone, filled us with a mix of emotions.
Just before we were about to take a group photo, one of the Cambodian
teachers came to the front and said she wanted to sing a song for us. Up to
this point almost all of us (yes, Ella I’m excluding you) had managed to keep
it together. But when the girl started singing and two other teachers came
to the front to support her, I could feel the tears taking over. All 65 teachers
joined in, the library being filled with voices signing Take me to your Heart by
Westlife (of all bands).
“Take me to your heart take me to your soul
Give me your hand before I’m old
Show me what love is, haven’t got a clue
Show me that wonders can be true.
They say nothing lasts forever
We’re only here today
Love is now or never
Bring me far away”
It was simply beautiful and very moving!
I’m now sitting at the airport in Phnom Penh, after a bumpy and slightly scary
2 hours ride (overtaking an overtaking car while having lorries coming towards
you is not as thrilling as it sounds…). Looking back at the last two weeks, I’m
very grateful that I could be part of the 2nd English Bootcamp and I would even
go as far as to say that it was the 2nd successful English Bootcamp!
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