My name is Chhang Sreymik. I am 24 years old and Cambodian. I was born and have lived in Siem Reap, Cambodia my entire life. I have two sisters and a brother, and I am the youngest in my family.
When my siblings and I were young, it was not easy for our family to survive. My mother does not have a job, and my father’s job was not stable. To support the family, my parents rented out our house.
Fortunately, we all had the opportunity to attend school, which was very close to our house. I would walk there with a few close friends, and we would hang out together after school and on the weekends. I started studying English in 6th grade at Children’s Dream, the school I later worked at.
In secondary school, some of my friends moved away or switched schools. I would walk to school with my cousin and then ride my bicycle to after-school classes. I enjoyed going to school, but I was not always the best student. Secondary school had its challenges, but also many fun memories.
In high school, I made several close friends that I still keep in touch with today. My dad would drive me to school since I didn’t know how to ride a motorcycle yet. I started learning to ride a motorcycle in 11th grade, but only used it to get to my extra classes, as my parents needed the motorcycle for going to the market. I had to quit my English classes to focus solely on Khmer in preparation for the diploma exams.
Fortunately, I was able to complete high school. I immediately started searching for a job and got my first one at a private school, though it was challenging being new to the work. I then found a job as a kindergarten teacher at the NGO I had studied at as a child. I really enjoyed this job and learned a lot. The school even sponsored my university studies, which I am very grateful for.
After finishing university, I didn’t want to waste my evenings, so I took a tailoring course. I had thought I would be good at it, but it required much more practice and patience than I expected. I’m still not sure if I will continue with it.
I then got a new job at REACH Siem Reap, which is all new and has so much more for me to learn. It’s my first day, and everyone here has been very friendly and welcoming, though meeting new people is still a challenge for me.
About six months later, I transitioned into a new role as a Trainee Social Worker. This is completely new territory for me, as being a teacher only allowed me to know a small side of my students. This new role gives me a much broader perspective. I’m really enjoying the work and hope it will be a great opportunity for me to give back to the community.
