Teaching English to Make a Difference

Roseville team member Molly Patterson worked for a month in Cambodia recently and taught English in two schools. She sent a wonderfully detailed account of her experiences, a small part of which I’m happy to share here. “The people of Cambodia are trying to move from a country of factory workers to a more industrialized country. The way that I and others can help with this development is through a more substantial education for the youth of Cambodia. The children and the people that I had the opportunity to meet and interact with were some of the most wonderful and thankful people in the world. The little huts where the people in the village live do not have any running water, no plumbing, no electricity, and they usually house about ten to fifteen people.  The only way to live better lives is through education and the learning of a second language. What we worked on during the time that I was at the school was just some of the basics: alphabet, numbers, songs, and colors. The children were always enthusiastic and always had a fun time in class. Unfortunately, there is still so much more that can be done. Poverty is one of the worst plagues in the world and seeing it first hand is something that everyone should do in order to truly understand how these people live. I cannot wait to go back to see how all of my students are doing and also to volunteer again. It was the best opportunity and the most wonderful time of my life. Again, thank you to the BJ’s Foundation for helping to fund this incredible, life-changing opportunity.”