Friday 9th March

I cycle into town and meet Mr Thy at the office. His lunchtime class is still going so I take a ride around Kampot and have a coffee at the Rusty Keyhole. It is good coffee! We moto out to Mr Neil's land with the petrol. Its a nice big plot by the river.

Mr Thy out at Mr Neils land:



We have a long debate with the local farmer about how to work the pump. I think we figure it out but there are a couple of things we're not sure about (there was no instruction manual) so we'll ask at the shop we bought it in. The farmer is looking after the land and asks for 6 dollars to buy bamboo cane to prop up the branches on certain fruit trees. These particular fruit (I can't recall the name) go for up to 3 dollars a go when they are ready so I'll make my money back when we take them to market.



There are also coconut trees



We head back into town for a staff meeting where I meet the teachers for the first time. They are Mr Sokal, Miss Chenda, Mr Umdard, Mr Saopon and Mr Rekha and they all seem very enthusiastic about their teaching roles.

Teachers:



We head off for the school. There are two evening sessions, one at 5.10pm and one at 6.10pm. Each teacher has a class of about 20 I think. I pop into each class and introduce myself. The kids ask me questions and in some classes I read sections of the study guide. I'm amazed by how well some of the younger kids speak. The older kids and the young monks are a bit more shy, but everyone is smiling.



So after almost a week in Cambodia I am smiling too - it feels somehow a privilege to be spending time in this amazing country.