My Southeast Asia Ventures: Here’s how I went from Normal stream to running an international school in Cambodia
Mr Wang Junyong, 32, is a managing director of an international school in Cambodia. He is seen here with some K2 students and a teacher during an outdoor activity.
"Do you have to carry a weapon when you do business in Cambodia?" Are there still lots of landmines in Cambodia?' "You siao ah, move to Cambodia for what!"
Those were the exact questions I faced when my friends knew I was moving to Cambodia in 2018. I first went to Cambodia in 2010 when I was 20 years old as part of a seven-day school community service project to help villagers in rural areas.
After spending the next 10 years as a Taiko drum trainer, an adult student of mine asked if I would be keen to explore running a Taiko drumming programme in Phnom Penh.
To understand more, I flew there for a market assessment where I met some Cambodian partners in the education industry.
At the end of the trip, I concluded that Cambodia's enrichment market was not ready as parents focused more on academic development. Still, I was fortunate to receive an invitation from the Cambodian partners to join their international school as a shareholder.
