Be the Change You Want To See in the World

 

 The month of June was a very busy and productive month. I got to be apart of a traveling health fair with my fellow volunteers who live in the same province as I do. We each biked to each others site, a total of four schools, and gave a workshop on different health topics. I taught a course on Yoga and the other volunteers taught sessions on nutrition, traffic safety, plastic burning and germ prevention. We spent four intense days traveling and teaching but it was so much  fun. 

Another weekend was dedicated to the Traveling Art Show. One month prior to the show several students through out Cambodia got to participate in a drawing contest called Be The Change. The students were instructed to draw an image that closely related to the "be the change you want to see in the world" theme. The top three drawings from each school that participated were submitted to travel to different schools. Each school invited their students to come and vote which drawing was their favorite. I was really happy that I had over four hundred and fifty students come to the library and submit their votes. In the end, I had two students who won the contest. These talented two ladies are in my art club and they have been outstanding students since the very beginning. 

The winning students came together in Phnom Penh and spent a day with

Sokuntevy Oeur, who is a well established artist in Phnom Penh. Her work is amazing http://javaarts.org/artists/sokuntevy-oeur/ and it was such a great experience to have her come and speak with the students. We met at a coffee house where her art work is currently being displayed and she lectured about her style and background. The next day the students went to the Meta House Art Gallery and she taught a course on how to paint watercolors as well as how to think outside the box. 

It wasn't until the next day when we returned to site and we had our art club meeting that I realized how much these girls got out of the workshop. They not only talked to the other students about what they saw and learned they also taught them the new art skills that they gained. I am definitely proud of them and everyone else who helped make this experience happen.

 

 My counterpart extraordinaire, Vanny. Not only is she my teacher counterpart she is also a dear friend. Without her my village life would be more stressful and half of my projects wouldn't have been remotely successful without her guidance and help. Thank you Vanny!

 Vanny and Sokuntevy.

 The final drawings from the workshop that was taught by Sokuntevy. These drawings will be displayed along with the winning pieces at the Meta House Art Gallery (http://www.meta-house.com/main/exhibition).