2013 Fellow, Cheryl Fernando wraps up her Teach For Malaysia Institute experience, reflecting on eight weeks of learning, teaching, inspiring and being inspired in return.
“Last year, at this point, I didn’t feel complete. While I was happy doing the things I love, there were parts of my life that were missing. But being here has brought clarity to my life like never before. The whole idea of belonging to an organisation that is driven to make changes in the lives of young people around Malaysia makes me feel honoured. This is where I belong. This is home for me.
Talking to my kids, listening to their dreams, hearing their stories gives me a strange happiness like never before. At times, it breaks my heart to hear the stories and I have to do all I can to stop myself from crying, but knowing that I am this position to help them achieve their fullest potential makes me oh-so-happy. As [fellow 2013 cohort member] Charis aptly put it, these kids have it within themselves to succeed – we are just facilitators helping them along the way.”
Cheryl is now in her first week of teaching secondary English in Kuala Muda, Kedah.
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