Positivity Prevails: Advice For an Education Volunteer in Cambodia

An interview with Michelle Berjikian

Step into a different world as we chat with Michelle Berjikian. She is an Education volunteer in Cambodia. Michelle’s story is all about wanting to make a positive impact. Learn about her daily adventures, from getting used to a new family to overcoming language challenges and surprises from a different culture. Michelle shares the ups and downs of diving into life overseas. Through projects that empower local communities, she’s making a difference. And she is also growing as a person. Come along as we discover the triumphs and challenges of Michelle’s journey. And see how being a part of the Peace Corps can bring about meaningful change.

Table of Contents

• An interview with Michelle Berjikian
• Volunteer Experience and Motivation
• Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
• Surprises, Challenges, and Personal Growth
• Community Projects and Interactions
• Advice and Support
• Practical Tips and Language Learning
• Impact of Media and Final Thoughts

Volunteer Experience and Motivation

1. Can you provide an overview of your experience serving as a Education volunteer in Cambodia?

I’m a PCV teaching English as a foreign language at a Siem Reap, Cambodia, primary school. I teach seven classes with seven co-teachers, totaling about 300 students, in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Coming into this, I had no experience or prior background in teaching or the education sector. However, that quickly changed, and I find myself learning new techniques and methods of teaching that keep the students engaged and having fun.

2. What motivated you to join the Peace Corps and choose Cambodia?

I’ve wanted to volunteer with the Peace Corps since High School. Initially, I applied for the agricultural position in Nepal since my background is in sustainable agriculture and food systems. I was planning on redeveloping more sustainable methods of farming that are more compatible with climate change. I had my interview and was working towards that post, but things slowed down once COVID-19 hit. 

Everything was canceled. So, when I heard back two years later that the Nepal post was postponed indefinitely, I chose to do the “serve where you’re needed most” option, and Cambodia was one of the first countries welcoming volunteers back. I knew if I wasn’t going to do it now, I would never do it. So, I took advantage of the opportunity, accepted my invitation, and here I am now, one year later, still happy I did it.

Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration

3. Are you currently live with a host family? Can you tell us about them and how you cross that cultural divide while being a member of their household?

Yeah, I’m currently living with a host family. My host Dad is a retired teacher in the community but continues teaching private lessons. My host Mom is a Tailor. And my host brother teaches Physics at the local High School.

There are some cultural differences, but they were easier to adjust to than I initially thought. I’m very introverted, and my host family is too. Peace Corps did a great job placing me with a host family that I could better mesh with. 

Also, my Khmer language skills could be better. Yet my host brother speaks fluent English. So, whenever there might be times when it’s challenging to communicate with either my host Mom or host Dad, my host brother can help me with this. 

There were certain things to get used to and learn as a new household member. For instance, when’s a good time to do laundry or when to eat dinner. But I learned to adapt to these changes by going with the flow.

Surprises, Challenges, and Personal Growth

4. What has surprised you most (or least) about Cambodia or culture?

What surprised me the most about Cambodia’s culture is how mentally strong the people here are. In contrast, I’m very expressive; if I’m stressed, happy, overwhelmed, etc., it will be apparent, and you’ll be able to notice. Yet, from being here, I’ve seen how everyone’s calm, serene, and always keeps their composure. This has been inspiring to not sweat the small stuff.

5. What challenges did you face while working with community members?

To be honest, I haven’t had many challenges at all. Everyone is supportive and helpful. However, if I had to say one thing, it would be dealing with all the attention you get as a foreigner in a community. This is a challenge for me because I’m an introvert. Social settings, although rewarding, can be exhausting. Especially as time goes on, the staring never really stops. So, it’s been a challenge trying to navigate around this. As for overcoming it, you can say hi, smile, and wave, which tends to lighten things up. It’s not a big deal, but for challenges, it is my main one.

6. How have you personally grown and developed during your time as an Education volunteer in Cambodia?

I’ve grown so much since I’ve been here. I’m a completely different person now. I’ve always been independent, but this experience made me realize what I can do by going outside my comfort zone and putting myself in a new environment. It’s been hard, but with each challenge has come a growing experience where I feel proud of myself and more comfortable being uncomfortable. 

I couldn’t even make a small speech in front of a handful of people before this. Now, I’m giving speeches to hundreds of students, parents, and teachers at my school’s opening (in a different language), and teaching hundreds of students a week in large classroom settings. Public speaking was once my crux, and now it’s almost nonexistent.

Community Projects and Interactions

7. Could you share some of the secondary projects you have been involved in?

For my secondary project, we want to build more student bathrooms at my primary school. The current bathrooms are frequently flooded, so we want to build a new set on the other side of the school to be more accessible to more students. I’m excited since this project will be practical for the school and be of great use. We’re still in the beginning stages but plan to involve more community members in the coming months.

8. Can you tell us about any memorable experiences or interactions that have left a lasting impact on you?

With my co-teachers, they’ve already left such a positive impact on me. From the very beginning, my school director, co-teachers, and host family have done nothing but try to make me feel happy, comfortable, and supported here. It’s heartwarming to realize how kind everyone is and how much everyone does for each other. 

When I arrived at my site, my co-teachers and school director chipped in to take me on a tour of all the famous temples in Siem Reap. They showed me Angkor Wat, and we saw hundreds of monkeys running around, like what squirrels do in the US. I have a lot of good memories from that day. Like when a monkey ran after one of my co-teacher’s aloe vera drinks, unscrewed it, and drank from it like normal. They’re so clever. I was blown away. 

Also, when I first started teaching English to the primary students, my co-teachers wanted to learn English from me, too. So, we would have several lessons each week, and no one ever missed a day. I’ve seen so much improvement, and it makes me proud to see how much they’ve grown and how hard they work, all in such a short amount of time.

Advice and Support

9. What advice would you give to someone considering joining the PC and serving as an Education volunteer in Cambodia?

My advice would be to stay positive. Being an introvert, I didn’t think I would last this long. But now that I’m halfway done and at the one-year mark, I can confidently say that I’ve grown so much, and this experience is unique and one of a kind. If you’re open to transformation, self-discovery, and pushing yourself to see what you’re capable of, then Peace Corps service in Cambodia’s Education sector might be right for you.

10. What skills or qualities do you think are most important for an Education volunteer in Cambodia?

Being friendly is super important. Also, being a self-starter who takes initiative and can adapt to changing environments is essential, too. There are times when lessons flop or the kids have low energy, and it’s these moments when I’ve improvised that created my most successful classes where students were happy, learning, and excited.

11. How has the PC provided support and resources to enhance your service experience?

I think the Peace Corps has provided us with a lot of support and resources. I can contact different committee members, friends, and my program manager if I ever need to talk to someone or vent since you will have good days and bad days. Not only that but if I have any questionable health ailment, the PCMOs are quick to respond to any question I might have. Everyone wants you to succeed, and it’s about using those resources to support that better.

Practical Tips and Language Learning

12. Anything yet that you packed or didn’t pack that you’d like to tell future volunteers?

When I was first packing, I was told that we should pack light because a lot of what we can find in the U.S., you can find in Cambodia. This is true, but not to the extent I initially thought. If I were to return and repack, I would only bring lightweight, moisture-wicking clothes since the heat and humidity can be debilitating, and I’ve never experienced weather like this. 

It was shocking that I packed so many long-sleeved and thick clothes, which was the worst idea in this environment. Also, sunscreen might be hard to find; the PCMOs will supply you with one, but I like mineral sunscreens that don’t sting my eyes, so maybe bring some of that too. Also, a personal fan? I use mine every day, and I find it worth it. Even the ones you wear around your neck, although dorky, are super nice in the extreme heat.

Lastly, something to occupy your free time with. My mom sent me coloring books, which are fun to work on. The kids love them, and I make photocopies of the pages to share with the students to color as well.

13. How has learning the language been? Any advice to future volunteers?

Learning a new language can be challenging, and I understand more than I can say. But the LCFs teach you the language in fun and unique ways that help you retain the information. For advice, I recommend you learn IPA before getting here. I didn’t do that, which made me a bit behind the other volunteers with my language skills.

The best language learners have at least a basic familiarity and understanding of IPA, and if you thoroughly learn and review this before coming here, you’ll be ahead of the game. This is good, considering there is so much to learn and take in during the first three months of training. So, knowing IPA makes learning the language so much easier. 

Impact of Media and Final Thoughts

14. What advice would you give to volunteers who are considering starting a blog, YouTube channel, or Instagram account during their service?

For my Instagram account (@laikaroll), I take film photos of my friends and current environments. I like to share fun stories. I’ve taken photos of my host family and other volunteers that turned out interesting, and these photos can help connect others to an experience. Film is art to me, so I’m sharing my Peace Corps experience directly through that medium. 

If you want to share your experience, you should. Social media is meant for connecting with others and relating to their experiences—or seeing the world through a different lens. I’m on the media committee, so we try to share Instagram and Facebook posts that contribute to PC’s three goals and that demonstrate the integrations we’ve all had within our communities. So, I think it’s great to want to share that, and you should do it when you come to Cambodia and during your service.

15. Any last comments or observations you’d like to pass on to future Cambodia volunteers?

I’m only halfway through, but I’ve already realized a lot of my co-teachers and community members have become my friends, and I look forward to keep growing and learning with them. So, keep an open mind and understand that there will be challenges-it’s unavoidable, but you can always take a break. There is no perfect volunteer; we are all different, representing a unique and diverse quality and aspect of the American population. You will face cultural, social, and environmental challenges, but don’t stress yourself out. Go with the flow. Adapt to your surroundings. Take everything day by day and remember that you’ll leave here with far more than you came with.

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The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Cambodia Government.