PSA Training

Last month, we had 2 weeks of memorable time learning the PSA (Preparation for Social Action) Program. It’s a FUNDAEC program that is used in UniED as part of our courses. They’re great courses to study and the learning experience was very exciting. The studies were conducted by 2 tutors from Colombia and Costa Rica, Joel and Ugo.

There were 2 groups. The larger group, learnt the books Classification, Properties and the Heating and Cooling of Matter. Our group learnt the books Additions and Subtractions, Environmental Issues and Growth of a Plant.

As with all FUNDAEC inspired materials, these are courses with integrated subjects. So, as we were learning Additions and Subtractions, we also learnt accounting! The idea is for each of us who attended these trainings to become teachers at UniED.

Samnang, rapt in reading

Mr Jun, never too late to learn. Sessions wouldn’t be as exciting without him..will explain more later!

Cool stuff! I know we were supposed to have learnt this is high school but I don’t recall having so much fun with it. By the way, picture right above is a view of my blood cells through a microscope.

We even had experiments with the elements, to test reactions between substances. Hehehe..Sodium reacts strongly to water and we didn’t just learn that from the lesson! A little piece of sodium had fallen onto the table as Joel was burning it. Ridvan had wiped it up with tissue and threw it into the waste-paper basket. What she didn’t realize was that the basket had lots of other wet tissue papers (used to wipe the slides for microscopes clean)! Soon enough, everyone noticed the basket in flames and while Mr. Jun comically kicked the basket out of the room, onto the balcony and off the 1st floor onto the ground, Elyssa had run to get a mat (which would’ve burned) and Samnang tried to empty a paint bucket to snuff out the fire! I had of course, grabbed my camera, while Joel calmly continued the experiments on other elements! And what became of the waste-paper basket?? We were hoping to make it a monuement for our training but it was thrown out already!

The culprits in the waste-paper basket story (L-R):Mr. Jun, Sopheap, Samnang, Chayya, Elyssa, Prema, Joel, Ridvan.

The training sessions also happened to overlap on the Pchumben Festival, 2nd largest occasion in Cambodia. It’s an equivalent of the all-soul’s day or Cheng Beng. Everyone prepares this tasty delicacy (rice wrapped around bananas or beans with pork fat in banana leaves) the day before and visits the pagoda (where the urns of their ancestors are kept) to pay respect to the dead. They also have the culture of exchanging these yummy food among different households. So, on this day, Ugo rented a bike and we (Elyssa, Joel, Ugo and I) rode out to Samnang’s house for a visit.

Along the way back, the rented bike gave problems and we had to take it to a mechanic…all the fixing cost only 2000 Riels!

And then, we headed out to the Ek Phnom temple ruins. I love this place because it’s so serene and a relief from the busy-ness of work and life. Imagine me sitting on the stone at the top left corner in this picture…enjoying the breeze and looking out onto the lake abundant in lotuses.

As all good things have to come to an end, so did this 2 weeks of training in September. Closing speeches, presentation of gifts of appreciation to our tutors and their wives (who patiently waited at home for them) and FUNDAEC, and of course, group photos… the usual farewell things to do!

We’re gonna miss our tutors and the wonderful time we had. Besides seeing them for the whole morning and afternoon in sessions at UniED, they had dinner with us at our home, with tea and games..sometimes, even with ‘the Nanny’ and ‘the Amazing Race Asia’! We hope to see them again!!