How Teaching in Southeast Asia Ignited My Passion for Education and Change

After resigning from my graduate role in finance—the one I landed straight out of university—I decided to embark on a trip to Southeast Asia. During my business degree, I had dreamed of doing humanitarian work overseas, but I lacked both the funds and the time. When I started my 9-5 job, I accepted the idea that a humanitarian trip was unlikely and let the dream fade. However, upon resigning, it was one of the first things that came to mind.

A trip like this clearly meant something to me. At the time, I didn’t fully understand myself or my values as I do today, but my pull towards humanitarian work abroad was telling of the path I would eventually follow. I chose to go to Thailand, where I stayed in a rural village for a month, doing animal conservation and some teaching at the local primary school. While the animal conservation work didn’t ignite much passion in me, teaching the kids English and basic math lit a spark I didn’t know I had.

After Thailand, I traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam, where I stayed with a Vietnamese family for a week. They ran a private after-school tutoring business from their home, and I taught young children basic English for up to four hours a day. In my free time, I explored the vibrant city of Hanoi, immersing myself in the local culture.

About a year and a half after returning home, I packed my bags and headed back to Southeast Asia—this time for an extended stay. My initial plan was to spend six months in Cambodia, but I told myself I could stay longer if I found fulfilling work and enjoyed the lifestyle. That plan turned into a 1.5-year stay. I lived in Siem Reap, Battambang, and other parts of the country, traveling from the beaches of Koh Rong to the bustling streets of Phnom Penh, and even to the rural countryside of Salah Lek Bram.

I started working as a digital marketer for a hospitality and technology company that ran volunteer programs. I managed programs ranging from medical care and education to building homes. After a year, I sought a change of scenery and connected with an NGO in Battambang. The NGO operated a free school for underprivileged children and teens from rural areas who otherwise couldn’t afford basic education. This school provided not only housing and community but also job-readiness training for city work—crucial for breaking the cycle of poverty that traps so many in rural Cambodia.

While working as a business development manager for the NGO, I also taught at a local private school. I taught all ages, from preschoolers to university students, covering basic math, science, and English for the younger ones and advanced English for the older students. I fell in love with teaching.

When I reflected on my time in Battambang, I noticed a recurring theme: education. I was building a school, teaching students, and immersing myself in a journey of personal learning. Education was the underlying thread that connected everything I was doing. It was also the reason I had come to Cambodia—to learn. I wanted to learn about foreign cultures, wealth inequality, happiness and suffering, human nature, altruism, and my own place in the world. I was searching for purpose and meaning, and education was at the heart of it all.

It was during this time that I started creating content for a page I called Skoolin’. The name felt fitting—I was schooling in every sense of the word: building schools, teaching, and learning myself.

A career advisor recently helped me articulate why education resonates so deeply with me. She asked me, “How do you solve problems in this world?” I replied, “The first thing I do is educate myself on the matter.” She said, “Then you see the world through the lens of education. That’s the field that aligns most with how you relate to the world.”

She was right. Looking back, education was always the cause that resonated most with me. While I could have pursued other causes—like building homes, medical care, or animal conservation—education stood out because it offered the most lasting impact. As the saying goes, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

My Cambodian friend Kim is a powerful example of this. Growing up, he juggled school and street vending to make ends meet. Eventually, he saved enough to fund his university education, lifting himself out of poverty. His story exemplifies the transformative power of education. When people from disadvantaged backgrounds gain access to education and a clear career path, it can permanently break the cycle of poverty.

Since then, I’ve been on my own educational journey. I’m about to complete my psychology degree and have registered Skoolin’ as a business. I’m now dedicated to providing tutoring and coaching services to teens and university students struggling with academics, career direction, and mental health. My goal is to combine my psychology background with my passion for education, taking an interdisciplinary approach to make an impact.

I’m also committed to addressing the global education crisis, which has left 258 million children without access to schools. Lack of education perpetuates poverty, and my mission is to help as many people as possible receive the education they deserve.

Soon, I’ll be launching online, live, and interactive courses for high school and university students. These courses will cover topics like psychology, personal development, academic skills, and mental health. Alongside this, I’ll be fundraising to sponsor the university education of a high school student I’ve connected with through my friend Kim—a young aspiring accountant who currently lacks the financial means to pursue her degree.

I’m excited for this next chapter in my mission to empower students and improve access to quality education globally. Stay tuned—there’s much more to come.