A True Story
Hi My name is Sim. I have a big story but I’m only little. I’m 15 now, my birthday is 17th March 2003. I remember the day I came to SIS with my grandma and grandpa. I was so scared I wanted to just cry but I didn’t. I remember Dons saying we don’t take children we are not an orphanage, we are a school we teach children. I was happy when I heard that because I wanted to go back to my village with my grandparents. My mother died when I was 6 months old. I don’t know why maybe after having me I think. My father cant hear or speak and he never looked after me or never cared about me. He died this year but that’s ok. Sometimes I lived with my auntie, sometimes I lived with my grandparents. I love my grandparents and I love to go back to visit them when I can.
So back to that day I came to the school, Dons kept saying NO NO NO and then she said please excuse me for 5 minutes. I know she cried big tears because she was so sad for me, She went to see Jack and Jack said Mum just say yes you always wanted lots of children we should give her a family.
So when Dons walked back into the room she said ok yes I’ll take her. She didn’t even know my name, my real name is Simhor but Dons always calls me Sim then everyone just called me Sim and now my name is Sim Cooper. I love my name Sim Cooper. I love my family. Now I have Dons my mum and E my dad but I don’t see him much as he lives in Australia. Jack and MC my brothers and Indi and Boara my brothers and Sam my sister. They all lobe me so much and I love them.
But when I first got to the school it wasn’t like that I wanted to go home to my village. I was scared of Dons and Jack. Then Dons had to go to Australia and I only had Jack. I was really sick and Jack took care of me. Never before did someone take care like that I knew he was a good boy and I thought I was going to be ok but I didn’t talk I was just quiet always. When Dons got back she bought Indi. I loved Indi and wanted to talk to him so I tried to speak English to talk to Indi and when he left he would write to me and had to learn to read English so I could read his messages and then I could write back to him. In 3 months, I could speak and read English so fast because I wanted to talk to Indi. Sam would send messages to me because Sam and indi live in Australia.
At first, I was still sad because I wanted to talk to Dons and my brothers and Sam all the time. I didn’t like it when Mishcam came because Dons was to busy so I was not nice to them and a bit grumpy and naughty. But Dons told me if I wanted to be a Cooper I have to be a good girl and help the Mishcam. Dons said if you want to go back to the village go. I was so sad and cried. But she said if you want to stay and just live in the school I can. Or I can be a Cooper in the family but if I wanted to be a Cooper I had to be a good girl and help people and really take care and love the Mishcam who came to help us. Dons told me to go and think a lot she said. I didn’t want to be sad and grumpy I wanted to be a good girl and help people so I told Don, sorry I want to stay and I promise ill be a good girl and be like the Cooper family, they all help people and so nice.
"When I finish my school I'm going to be a teacher"
I started to be a teacher even I was 12 years old now. I could teach the little children. Dons didn’t allow me to go to public school but I wanted to go. She said no because the teachers at public school hit the children and yell at them and Dons said no one can hit me or yell at me so I can’t go. I taught my class in the morning and went to Georges class in the afternoon and then Dons class in the ight time. I learnt so much and my English was getting better and better now I can speak to everyone and Dons, Jack and MC gave me a job to help the Mishcam too. I got a sponsor and my sponsor is Pete and his family. Dons said I had a very special family but I have never met them so its like I have 3 families, my grandparents, the Cleary Family and my big favorite the Cooper family.
This year I turned 15 years old and Dons said I’m strong now and its time for me to go to school. I dreaded to leave SIS school and got o live with Jack at Jack’s home in Phnom Penh and go to a very good private school in Phomh Penh. I love to live with Jack and Srey Touch and myniece and nephew Khemi and Oscar and Jack.Srey Touchs family member live with us too, she is the same as me and we go to school together. We are family and friends. When I knew I was going to go to Phnom Penh to live I cried because I didn’t want to leave my brother MC, he is my great brother I love him. I thought he would be lonely without MC but Dons said he is 26 years old and a big boy and I need to think about what is best for me so I decided to go to Phnom Penh.
So now I am in Phnom Penh and I go to school and I help my brother Jack to play with Khemi and Oscar and when the Mishcam comes I help to prepare everything and help them go to the killing fields and to ONE our day spa and help with cooking and help everything to help our family. Dons says I’m only little but I can help a lot.
When I grow bigger and older when I finish my school I’m going to be a teacher like Jack and MC and maybe I’m going to be a doctor like my brother Indi or maybe I will work in Sewgood with Dons and Sam. I don’t know, Jack and Dons say I can do anything I want but I only know one thing I want to choose the job that helps our family and help the children in our village and at SIS. I am a good girl and I am happy to help.
I’m going to Pete and Charlie this year and I’m going to say thank you for them helping me. I have today because the Cleary and my Cooper family. I’m a lucky girl. Some girls in Cambodia are not lucky like me so I’m going to help when I get big that’s my promise. That’s the end of my story to now but I have lots more story coming soon.
