Amok around the clock: a day in the life at our Siem Reap project

Life as an intern with the Siem Reap Education and Community Development Projects is rewarding, varied and genuinely good fun. The first week or so takes some adjusting to. The heat and humidity are a real challenge, and a Cambodian monsoon storm bears no resemblance whatsoever to English drizzle. Once you settle in, though, a daily rhythm takes shape and you begin to thrive on it.

The day usually starts around half past seven. We head down for breakfast with the other volunteers, then take a last look over our lesson plans and gather any resources we still need. Our morning classes are held at a nearby pagoda, where we teach a group of young monks. The grounds are beautiful, decorated with intricate carvings of dancing Apsaras and scenes drawn from Buddhist lore, and the walk in past all of it never quite becomes ordinary. We are always glad to get there, tuk-tuk ride and all.

Back at base, we plan the following day's lessons. The internship here also includes a leadership module and an individual research project, which is one of the things that sets it apart. One of us is putting together a short booklet on the survival of Cham culture, Cambodia's largest minority group; the other is researching the significance of the country's many national holidays. There is time in the day to make real progress on this work, usually with an iced coffee close to hand.

Lunch is where the hard decisions happen: do we order the chicken amok for the third day running? The answer, reliably, is yes. Then, before we know it, the afternoon session is upon us. The younger learners and the older ones are split between us, and each class opens with tooth-brushing, a simple habit that doubles as a lesson in everyday hygiene. After that the room comes alive. The students are enthusiastic to the point of competitive, every hand shooting up at once, and teaching them is an absolute pleasure.

By late afternoon the heat has done its work and a cold shower becomes something you actively look forward to. There is time to rest before dinner, which we usually take out with the group. The days can be tiring, but the striking thing is how quickly they pass. That is the honest takeaway from an internship like this one: the pace is full, the routine settles fast, and the experience is over sooner than you expect.

If you are drawn to teaching, to community-led work, and to a place that will ask you to adapt and reward you for it, an internship with the Siem Reap Education and Community Development Projects, part of The Impact Network, is worth a serious look. Make the most of every day, and take the time to reflect on it as you go.