08/07/2026
๐Hello, friends!
My name is Teacher Sokna. I teach English here at Sustainable Cambodia. I have been teaching here for seven months and it has been an amazing adventure!
๏ปฟEvery day I learn new things and I have so much fun working with my students and team. I am so happy to be here, helping kids learn English and making our school a great place to grow. Recently, we had some special visitors from Youthlinc! I was so thankful to work with them. We had a great time sharing stories about our homes. We learned from them and they learned from us!
I recently sat down with one of my 3rd-grade students, 10-year-old Vida, for a heart-to-heart in Khmer. I translated her words into English to share the impact the visitors had on her:
๏ปฟ"Hello, my name is Lai Vida! This visit was amazing. I finally got the chance to practice my English with real native speakers! Learning and playing with the Youthlinc team made me feel so brave and happy. We didn't just learn words; we got to know what Utah is like, and the differences in our cultures. My favorite parts? Sculpting clay animals and learning about the 'Water Cycle' by actually making a rainbow together in our groups. Seeing that rainbow... wow! I loved that!"
As a teacher, witnessing this transformation was breathtaking. I watched shy students blossom into confident, brave English speakers who eagerly jumped into class activities.
How did they bridge the language gap? Through sheer determination, colorful flashcards, highly expressive body language, and the patience of the visiting teachers who made sure to speak slowly and clearly. The classroom was buzzing with joy as the kids realized they could share their own ideas and confidently raise their hands to ask questions.
The growth we saw went far beyond English speaking and listening skills because this experience ignited their critical thinking and boundless creativity. Our students truly grasped concepts that can be hard to teach from a textbook alone. They dreamed big by exploring what university life looks like and celebrated cultural exchange by discovering the fascinating differences and similarities between Utah and Cambodia. Through hands-on science, they brought the Water Cycle to life by making a real rainbow together. They also made wonderful real world connections by comparing the pets we love in Cambodia to pets in Utah.
The best thing I learned from our new friends is how to make lessons super fun and active with cool games. It allowed me to grow as a teacher, improve my own English, and bring fresh energy to my classroom. It was a profoundly meaningful, deeply beneficial, and incredibly joyful adventure for both the students and the teachers, and we can't wait for the next one!๐
