An Inspiration to us all – Christmas 2011 in Cambodia

I am sharing this story with you in the hope that it may just inspire one person to follow their dreams.  This is a story written by my 17 year old daughter whilst in Cambodia. She is a strong, brave and fearless star! She has worked all year to save for her 5th trip and we are all so incredibly proud of her.  She continues to grow and transform into the most beautiful, caring, open hearted, selfless being that I know.  This is her story……

“I find myself back here in Siem Reap, Cambodia for the fifth time now. It all started back in August 2009 at 15 years old, when I had the opportunity to come out here with close friends of my parents, and their 14 year old daughter who planned this trip. I came out to the rural village of Bakong, half an hour from the town of Siem Reap to teach English at a school and orphanage run by a poor man with a big dream to give the gift of education, and life.

It wasn’t until I was in the classrooms of this free education school that I realised how important education was to these children. With good skills they can one day move from the poor village of Bakong, into town where they can find a good job to support themselves and their family. The innocent laughter and willingness to learn was something so foreign to me, it was hard to comprehend.

In January 2010, September 2010, July 2011 and December 2011, I have returned to Cambodia to learn from the children who once learnt from me. I am still convinced that they teach me more than I could ever teach them.

My love for the Khmer lifestyle and culture goes so much further than the classroom, and this time so do I. This trip my goal was not to come here for 2 weeks and stand before the kids in a classroom, some of which are my age, and teach them what I know. My goal was to extend my stay to 2 months and to experience the way in which these people live. This trip I work closely with both Savong’s Orphan Center (SOC), the orphanage I have been going to since 2009, and Honour Village Cambodia (HVC). HVC is run by an English lady who has opened her doors to me coming in and helping. There, I have taken on the duties of the house mothers; cooking, cleaning, washing, playing and looking after the children in the orphanage. I couldn’t be more blessed to be here and experience what they do daily. I feel honored to be welcomed into their home and their life.

I have learnt more in these short stays in Cambodia than I have in most of my life.

I couldn’t have been any more blessed with the family and friends I have and the experiences I have been given.

There isn’t a better feeling in the world than feeling as though in the heart of poverty, in a third world country, that there is somewhere that is home to me.

I will be forever grateful for what I have been given and for the people who are sharing my life with me.”

Alexandra Brkljacic.

 

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