Global Voices Online

In July, Somongkol Teng will leave Cambodia for the United States to pursue a master's degree in Higher Education Administration. Under the US State Department's Fulbright grant Somongkol plans to earn his graduate degree from Boston College of Massachusetts. Formerly an undergraduate of Royal University of Phnom Penh, he later became a lecturer for the English Department within the Institute of Foreign Languages.

The 23-year-old speaks English crafted with an American accent cultivated from his first English lessons in 1993. After the 1993 UNTAC-organized national election in Cambodia, English literacy has enabled greater international job and scholarship opportunities. Only 10 percent of Cambodians who speak English are sufficiently fluent to use computers. According to estimates by the International Telecommunication Union as of 2003, only 25 in 10000 Cambodians accessed the internet.

Not many Cambodians, especially so young, have travelled to foreign countries- the outside world. Somongkol also is a happy traveller and amateur photographer.

Q: You are leaving Cambodia soon for the U.S., how do you feel now?
A: Well, I'm extremely happy and excited about the upcoming departure. It was my second time applying for Fulbright Scholarship and I've finally achieved it. I believe you can imagine how one feels when his dream is finally realized. At the same time, I am also rather nervous. This is going to be my first time away from home for such a long time. Unlike the previous exchange programs in which I took part as a contingent, this time, I will be all alone in a completely new world of unfamiliar faces and experience. For sure, I am going to miss a lot of things here. Despite all these anxieties, I still believe these two years away will enrich my knowledge and experience, and most important of all, make me a more independent person. I really can't wait for the day to come.

Q: Can you describe what have you done so far (both education and work)?
A: I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Education (TEFL) from the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL), Royal University of Phnom Penh, in 2003. Upon graduation, I was recruited to be a lecturer of English for this same institute. Last year, I was chosen as a full-time staff for the Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. During my free time, I also work as an online-based translator for proz.com and Pasarawee Translation Service in Bangkok, Thailand.

Adding to these professional activities, in the past four years, I've also taken part in several international exchange programs and volunteer work. In September 2002, I was part of the Cambodian delegation for the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP), at the end of which I was chosen to present the results of the onboard SSEAYP discussion to the World Youth Meeting in Singapore. Since then, I have been a member of SSEAYP International Cambodia (SIC), an alumni association of the SSEAYP program in Cambodia. I am now its Head of Information and Webmaster. As part of SIC's activities, I, along with other members, have run several book donation and penpal projects with several schools in Phnom Penh and Kandal Province. We are seeking possibilities into getting more support and moving other charity projects further into other provinces. If you have any used books and are interested in donating to our projects, please feel free to contact us anytime via sseaypcambodia@yahoo.com. Your kind support and cooperation are highly appreciated.

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