Tabea says 

I learned about Cambodian culture and Buddhist religion 
what broaden my horizon a lot.

Name: Tabea Schaarschmidt

Date of report: 30.07.2012

Work place/community at SCC: Head Office Phnom Penh, SCC schools

Position/function: English teacher, office assistant

Education: job training as retailer in a natural health store

Years of post-graduation work experience: -

Work experience abroad: 10 months in Vancouver, Canada

Duration of voluntary service: 1 year

Accommodations during voluntary service: apartment (self-arranged)

My activities at SCC: 
teaching English, editing reports and emails, updating SCC facebook page

Feedback:

I am happy about my volunteering with SCC who became my Cambodian family. They helped me to learn about Cambodian culture and Buddhist religion what broaden my horizon a lot. It was interesting to work in a very different work environment as I knew so far and I learned socializing is really important to my Cambodian colleagues and I was really overwhelmed by their friendliness and felt welcome all the time.

Even if it was sometimes challenging for me to teach – as I never taught before – I learned so much about my student's daily sorrows and joys and I got so much happiness back from them. Beside of teaching I provided information on our SCC facebook page, edited reports and emails of my colleagues. Furthermore I created students profiles in English and organized a handicraft workshop. I joined SCC events such as rice-, school material and school uniform contribution what gave me a deeper view into SCC's work. It was really joyful to join SCC meetings, meditation and the annual staff retreat in Sihanoukville. I was able to visit the other SCC branches in Siem Reap and Battambong and SCC partners what was very informative to me. Moreover, I assisted in finding a suitable school for a disabled student of SCC school and financial support which covers the transportation to his new school. 
 
Overall, my experiences are positive and I felt very pleased to live and work in the bustling city Phnom Penh.