Study Abroad in Cambodia
by Erin Cantrell, Nursing Student

Today (Sat 5/23) we were warmly welcomed to the Asia Institute of Sciences in order to teach other nursing students:

We were each split up into groups and taught the following topics: SBAR (a communication tool for nurses at shift change), physical assessment, vital signs, hand hygiene, signs/symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as physical therapy techniques.  There were several classrooms full of students eager to learn our topics.  As we finished each presentation, we went to the next classroom to meet more smiling faces.  The students were great in that they had many questions to ask which kept us on our toes.  It was nice to work alongside my classmates and even more fun to work with Jenni Massie, who is currently in the Masters program:

Jenni wants to be an educator and it was wonderful to see her thrive in her element.  You could easily see the joy in her face when a student had a question and she was able to help them understand our topic.

Luckily, we were provided with translators for each group to use in the classroom.  Our translator (which I feel awful because I can’t remember her name) was amazing.  It was great having her there with us because not only did she help us convey our information but she gave us affirmation that we were doing a good job.  It was definitely challenging to teach to students who are not fluent in English, but we made it work.  One thing to take away from today is that these nursing students want to learn and value their education – which is something I think we take for granted sometimes in America.

After we finished teaching, we all gathered outside the school and took pictures with the staff and students.  I have never seen so many people want a picture with me or the group.  For a tiny moment in my life I kind of felt like a celebrity, which is pretty comical when you really think about it.  Because here we are, a bunch of sweaty American girls and people want to take a picture with us.  Not quite the glamour shot we may have hoped for but it still felt nice that people found us so interesting.

For lunch, some of the school staff went with us out to eat at a place called The Spoon.  There was a huge buffet available to us compliments of the college which was so nice of them.  After we finished lunch we took a van back to the hotel for an afternoon of free time.  Some of us took much needed naps, while others went to the Russian Market or Tabitha’s (a boutique whose proceeds go to an organization that helps women in the community).  Today was a really great day; it was just the right amount of work and play along with meeting some really great people.