Same, Same ...but Different

Same,
The opening ceremony was speeches by important people saying important things. The hundreds of Cambodian teachers and us few Aussies had the same look on our face. It spelt "endurance". I have little idea what was literally said because it was in Khmer, but I could write the script because it was a universal language.

Same,
In our class (which was supposed have 20 students and blew up to 27), one middle aged man sat in the front, told all within earshot how important he was, what position he held, who he was in charge of etc. He then proceeded to answer all questions in English even though at least half the people in the room have no English and the class was meant to be conducted in Khmer. He misunderstood every question that we asked, but nevertheless answered at great length. When we asked about how they teach writing, he told us a never-ending story about Cambodian New Year. It involved a very long conversation between two eagles. He was absolutely determined to tell the whole story replete with actions.

Now, for any of you who think that I might be the tough nut and Genevieve the sweet-heart; please note: it was Gen who cut him off. She very politely told him that we only wanted a short answers and our focus was on teaching, not on displaying the knowledge that we may have. Like everywhere in the world, the whole class broke into the sort of slightly submerged laughter that students exhibit when a real show off has been put in his place.

Same,
The teachers, who, like all teachers everywhere when put in the position of being students, behaved a little bit like Year 9s. They took phone calls (this includes the translator), they asked to get out early, they talked among themselves every time they had a chance, they laughed at how stupid I was, and walked out to do go the toilet at will.

...But Different
The whole time the opening ceremony was on, there was Mr Whippy ice-cream truck sound: tinny music being blared out of a loud speaker. Then the whole time we were teaching, we were subject to a recorded speech on a loop accompanied by drumming coming in from the road, where a bunch of teachers' college students stood collecting money for the building of a pagoda.

The students do not read and cannot afford newspapers, books are for the rich, only one student has a computer, three have an email, two have a Facebook. Teaching text is pretty hard when you a have not got text. Some of them have learned English from Australian television and radio. This, it seems is the easiest and cheapest way to learn English.