Volunteers and Visitors - Comings and Goings

An AP volunteer catchup - (from left to right) Darley,

Marcela, Emma, Hayley and Cath.

Emma Horsfall:

This weekend we said our farewells to Emma who headed home to the UK after six months of living in Cambodia. She brought fun and laughter to our beginner English classes as she taught the youngest students of AP during her lunch breaks, while also working at another NGO in Phnom Penh. The children enjoyed learning new English words and phrases with creative lessons that always included singing and creative artwork. Emma will be going back to find work in her field of high school teaching. Thankyou Emma for always bringing in your smiles to Aziza’s Place – we wish you all the best!

 

Hayley Carter:

Welcome to Hayley who arrived in Phnom Penh at the beginning of November. Hayley is the first volunteer to take on the role as English teacher for three classes and is doing a great job at coordinating the different levels. She will provide valuable feedback as to the feasibility of the new approach to our English program. Hayley is from the UK and has adapted quickly to life in Phnom Penh with her easygoing personality. She has already ventured into the city traffic riding a bicycle, has joined a netball sports team and has taken to meditating with monks. Hayley has a background in Human Resources and will work with the staff and children at Aziza’s Place during the next three months to enhance communication and team-building strategies as we all fit into new roles with the transition into new management.

 

Marcela Grenados:

Marcela is in Cambodia for two weeks of intense mathematics teaching. She arrived from New York and immediately joined us in a fieldtrip to see the water festival activities. With this introduction to Phnom Penh and to the kids at Aziza’s Place she jumped right into teaching the next day. Marcela has incredible energy and enthusiasm for mathematics which is quickly spreading to the children! She has decided to spend her vacation time teaching tricky maths calculations and solving complex maths problems at AP, for which our older students are particularly grateful. Our maths teachers are also enjoying working with Marcela as they learn new ways to explain challenging problems. We are all enjoying Marcela’s passion for learning and will all look at mathematics in a new light after her time here. 
 

This month we also welcomed many visitors to Aziza’s Place. Visitor Kevin Ferguson was inspired by the children’s film productions and generously provided funds for the purchase of an upgraded television to enable the children to view their films clearly. Alex Dahlstrom and her mom heard of AP through connections with Ali and came to see the latest activities of the children. Fiona Poulsen and Ken Wilson from New Zealand joined us in taking the children out to see the water festival activities. They also generously gave some books and games for the children to enjoy. We thank you all for your support and for bringing your energies to the world of Aziza’s Place.