The Rotary Melbourne International Committee has provided a report on the success of the Cambodia Rural Students Foundation.
Rotary Melbourne donated $3,000 to the above project via the Rotary Passport Melbourne club.
Following is a report from Tangly Ton,
It’s nearly close to the end of the rainy season in Cambodia, and this time, most Cambodians who are farmers are starting to harvest the rice from the fields. This month, it’s also the big national holiday called the Pchum Ben ceremony. Everything was awesome to me, so I would like to bring some updates on my life, such as my current situation in education, Pchum Ben days, joining interviews with students, and meeting in Rotaract.
It is a good time for me to study for my final examinations. I have finished one subject, International Business Transaction. I am not sure what my outcome will be because I am still waiting for an update from my professor. In terms of the exam, I can image how confusing the tough multiplication questions would be. However, despite a few incorrect answers, I think I cannot get better result. I am still proud to give it my all. There are two more subjects I need to study before the final exam. My ASEAN class has been assigned to write a final paper about Myanmar and Malaysia, but this assignment must be detailed and include additional comments from my professor during our presentation about these two countries, such as ASEAN solutions to Myanmar controlled by military power and issues in the South China Sea. It sounds like it would be interesting to conduct research on these topics. Finally, the health education class is required to take the exam in class; however, I am not aware of the exact date. I am only waiting for my professor's announcement and am well prepared for it. I will let you know my results in the next email.
Pchum Ben Day is traditionally the most important festival for most Cambodians. It lasts 15 days, but the three days of our national holiday are the most memorable. We also take food to pagodas to pray for our ancestors. We got together at CRST to make Ansam (Khmer cake). Maybe you can try it later, when you are in Cambodia. I am not sure if the taste is good for you, but it is a great Khmer cake for me and our locals. Creating a healthy environment at work is beneficial, so this is the greatest family gathering to build fun and memories when we are together. We went to a pagoda on Phnom Bok Mountain, which is around 20 kilometers from our school. When we do anything special together, I feel comfortable and joyful. After leaving the pagoda, I also went to Pre Rub temple, Bapoun temple, and Balilay temple. I took a lot of photos with the temples and would like to share a few with you.
This year, as a member of the Senoir Leadership team at CRST, I also assisted in selecting new potential scholarship applicants, which will be completed in November. On the 19th of this month, there will be a large congratulations and integration day, and I cannot wait to see the new exceptional students for the next generation. I also shared some photos from the home-visit stage, as well as my excitement at finding students who meet our goals and criteria. This reminds me of a time when I was in grade 11, and our previous senior leadership team came to my house. In high school, I was in my class, so my friend who was in a different class told me to go back home. This is the best experience I have ever had. I recall being nervous at the second stage of the interview since I had to utilize English. Back to work today; it is an honor to be a part of this position. I have traveled much to visit students’ houses, yet I never get tired of working here to assist students who need our help.
The Rotaract Club is usually full of exciting activities. We have a special meeting with our club advisor, Aviv, who was in Siem Reap last week. We had discussed several potential topics together, particularly community services in our society. We had several active ideas, and I plan to discuss them with the club's leadership team to explore further development. I am delighted to have received numerous confirmations from a diversity of clubs to visit us this year, both before and after the Rotary convention in Singapore. This is the power of Rotary and Rotaract clubs to bring more people together to make a difference.
That’s all for now, and I appreciate your reading my email this month. I will send you an update next month. All the best to you and everyone!
