Home away from home

Ana Fuster Galban from Spain joined Harpswell in August as a Leadership Resident at our Phnom Penh leadership centers

When I first arrived at Harpswell's Boeung Trabaek dormitory, I thought I had come here to teach, but now that I am leaving, I know I also came here to learn. There are many levels to being a Leadership Resident (LR): you are a teacher, a counselor and a friend – and I believe that is what makes it so special. We are able to connect with the girls on so many different levels, through classes, meetings, cultural activities and friendly conversations. 

During my time at Harpswell, I had the chance to teach several classes and clubs to different groups of students. While facilitating their Debate Core class for the second-year students, I saw the shyer girls gain confidence and develop their leadership skills, which will definitely be useful for their future careers. I have no doubt that they will achieve great things in the future. Teaching French club allowed me to also interact with the students at the Teuk Thlar dormitory. Every week I was surprised at how fast they learned and integrated the concepts from our previous sessions. IELTS class with the fourth-year students taught me about their motivations, their projects and their aspirations. Lastly, CD classes were probably my favorite ones to facilitate. My background in Political Science, International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies was particularly useful in this case, as it allowed me to give the girls the context of the complex topics they were dealing with. For example, one of the sessions focused on the current war in Sudan, which was the topic of my thesis!

Moreover, cultural activities were also a great way to connect with the girls at the dorm. We organized a great range of them; from going to get ice cream in Koh Norea, to a boat ride on the Mekong, multiple movie nights and a visit to the National Museum. These varied experiences are a core part of our role as LRs: ensuring that the girls can relax outside of the dorm, deepen their sisterhood and add to their education and leadership skills. 

I had the chance to come at a time where we were able to experience two Khmer holidays: Pchum Ben and Water Festival. That allowed us LRs to discover other cities across Cambodia – and meet with some of the girls in their hometowns. We went to Siem Reap, Battambang, Kep and Kampot and I fell even more in love with this beautiful country and its traditions. Later in the four months I worked as an LR, I had the chance to go back to Siem Reap with a group of students, LRs and management team for the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon. We had so much fun and I truly enjoyed spending quality time with the girls during my last weekend in Cambodia.

I believe that the most special moment I lived as an LR was the welcome ceremony for the new first-year students. It was so emotional seeing them start a new chapter of their lives, understanding their fears and excitement, but the best part of it was seeing the older girls (their “bongs”) welcome them into their family. Being able to help in their adaptation process in the dorm was so gratifying. Now, almost two months after that day, I am proud to see the bond they all have.

These connections, experiences and lessons will stay with me forever, and I am sure that they will guide me in my next professional steps. In the future, I want to focus on the coordination of humanitarian aid programs, especially from the EU to the Asia-Pacific region. I also hope to come back to Cambodia soon to see my Harpswell family again.