Poum Steung Dream Project

Feb 21st, Sophat, Chey, Thai and I have a meeting to discuss 'Poum Steung Dream Project' in which, i suggest, the children can practice their right to dream the future. It was Patrick originally who suggested a large collaborative painting onto the class room wall, then i also got an inspiration from the art class held by Funky Munky bar owners where they had school children print their hands with the paint.
I suggest that, first the children AND the teachers do the handprints onto the large sheets of paper, then second, they would think of their future and draw or write those 'dreams' onto the paper, and third, according to the collaborative drawings they made, thay could come up with some kind of stories or plays to act. they can develop and practice the plays, improve by weekly rehearsal and feedbacks, then i tell them i shall come back in autumn to follow up.
i give Sophat, Thai and Chey flyers and guidelines nicely written with drawing and sophat is more patient and attentive than ever to understand and translate me. Seems that they are all interested in the idea.
Following Saturday when i visit the school, i see Thai passionately explain the projects to the children. My time in Siem Reap is running out and i can't help expecting a good 'success' from this project.

Sophat come and join to help for the afternoon classes. using his amazing skill to make the children want to listen, we manage to even convey such ideas like 'that future does not mean only job and career', as each teacher is different from one another, try to be imaginative and think of the future as whole life, not just what your jobs would be. furthermore, Sophat had a few children play a small scene between a moto driver, a police officer and a doctor. laughter and shy hesitation, but they are obviously enjoying. i get more confidence that this will turn out to be a great experience for them...

Meanwhile on lunch break i post flyers of the project to let them anticipate. It's to be taking place on my last three days in Siem Reap, coming tuesday, wednesday, thursday Feb27-Mar1. i also excercize a little drawing workshop with the children. The kids normally just curiously observe and watch me draw for ever, until, after my 20th time of me encouraging them to take pencils and paper to draw, slowly one by one, they get really into it. i hand one of the kids my video camera to shoot. all this art forms and expressive activity, i really want to explain to them that, doing and learning from questioning your own result is most important thing and it's not about doing the right thing, right way. The education in Cambodia is strictly pragmatic, Khmer, Math, Science... with all the subjects taught straight off the book and never gives the children a chance to have their own opinion. And this has partially got to do with overwhelming development by tourism and NGO's. People here have gotten used to follow the foreigner's lead as long as it brings them quick wealth. However I worry that i can see a great lack of confidence within this kind of mentality. I do believe, that it is the confidence which makes you able to question the existing social system, and it is these persistant questionings that changes society, and it is these changes in the society that brings them hope and confidence. The healthy and internal development of society evolves with this perpetual cycle of questioning-change-confidence. like a spiral form. Ryan Gosling said that in Half Nelson!


Feb. 27th, so now that paints, brushes and papers been bought, we started preparing for the 'Poum Steung Dream Project'. Kids watch from inside the classroom as Thai, Mr.Eng and I tape up 11 sheets of paper on outside wall of the school. And my time in Siem Reap is really running out. (to be continued, to the posting above... due to the counter-chronological posts of this blog)