During our second day in Cambodia we visited Sala Baï. Sala Baï is a hotel school located in Siem Reap that educates young people from Cambodia to work in the hotel business. The students are selected on their background. This means that most of the students come from very poor families or have some other kind of social background. The students are divided into four different groups: front office, restaurant, housekeeping and kitchen. They follow an intensive 10 month program in which they learn their skills in practice. At the end of these 10 months the students are guided into finding a job at one of the many hotels in Siem Reap.
We were expected at the school at 12.30 as we would first receive a delicious lunch served and made by the students themselves. Afterwards, we got a tour through the hotel school and to finish it off we met with the students to share experiences and learn something about each other’s culture.
To us this meeting with the students of Sala Baï was very interesting and educating. We now have a better understanding of the position of youngsters in Cambodia. We hope they will all have a bright future ahead.
