6th december 2018: last day in Phnom Penh

This morning… no chocolats in my shoes! (In some European countries 6/12 is a celebration of  Sint-Nicolas; a good friend of the children".  When children have been brave during the year, they get chocolats, special cookies and toys when they put an empty shoe at the fire).

This morning I had a meeting with VVOB in Phnom Penh about the internship of the students, the collaboration with VIVES university college and the future goals. After this positive meeting, I went to the TEC (Teacher Education Center) in Phnom Penh where taskforce members of the project STEM (collaboration between VVOB and VIVES teacher training college) had a meeting about the new manual of maths.  We had a little talk concerning the integration of STEM into their lessons at teacher training centers (in differents provinces) and the challenges they are dealing with.  They had some suggestions, which I take back home to discuss with the responsable colleagues.

This evening I have my flight back to Belgium.  I experienced a lot interesting and amazing moments during this stay in Cambodia.  Thank you to everyone, involved to realise this trip!

4th/5th december 2018: Battambang with VVOB

In Battambang I met some staff of VVOB (https://cambodia.vvob.be) Cambodia, Belgium and a colleague of HOWEST.  VVOB (https://www.vvob.be/en)  is a governmental organisation who support education in different countries of the world.
Together we visit a primary school, who is busy to work on the TIGER project (= Teaching for Improved Gender Equality and Responsiveness).  We had a good talk about integration of the topic gender in Primary education.  We understand better the traditions in the Cambodian society and the "differences in opportunities in the future" between boys and girls.

In the afternoon I visit another bigger primary school and I talked to the principal about needs for the school and education in general.

On wednesdaymorning 5th december I had a positive and constructice meeting at the TEC (Teacher Education Center) in Battambang.  With VIVES university college we wants to work together and exchange staff and students in the nearby future.  This in both direction and maybe with e-learning?
During the meeting we discussed about our programs, our mission/vision about education and the future teacher.  I will take all the information back home and share this information with my colleagues to write the application for European funding.

In the afternoon I had lunch with father Ashley, the ex-principal/director of Xavier Jesuit college.  He is now teaching in Battambang and have a lot of good projects f.ex. support of AA-meetings,...
After lunch I took the van to Phnom Penh.  It was a long drive and I will never understand the way of driving in Cambodia... BUT I was glad I arrived safely and well in the big capital.

3th december 2018 - "coming home" in Chup Vary

After my day off in Siem Reap, where I visited some temples by bike, I travelled to Chup Vary.  It feels always like "coming home" because it is allready my 4th time staying with the host family.  In previous times I teached in the schools but now I only visit the secondary and primary school and have a meeting with the principals and some teachers.   2 Students of Vives are doing their internship in Chup Vary.

After my visit and lunch with the family I travel to Battambang for 2 days.