Professor Humphreys
Posted by John Humphreys on November 29, 2005
I just got a job for next year. No, no — not a real job. I’ll be working as a volunteer economics lecturer at Maharishi Vedic University (MVU), Cambodia’s only rural university. MVU is supported by the Australian Aid for Cambodia Fund, who arrange volunteer “professors” to help prepare teaching material, give classes and teach the teachers.
I found out about this from a flyer on the side of a Cambodian restaurant in Hobart and now it’s changed my plans for next year. I will start in February next year and will work for a few months.
MVU is not a rich university and rural Cambodia is as undeveloped as it gets. Students are funded to attend the university through sponsorship schemes ($36/month) and MVU relies on charity to get computers, vehicles and new buildings. I really like this form of aid and look forward to being involved.
And just to make it more fun — MVU is a religious university. The university emphasises transcendental meditation, has total bans on alcohol and cigarettes and serves only vegetarian food.
Sam Ward said
Every one of those three things would be a deal breaker for me, but then I guess they aren’t going to ask me to lecture on anything anyway, unless they have a Jelly Wrestling course…
John Humphreys said
Actually, I was going to mention that MVU was almost the perfect opposite to you.
Jamie said
Yobbo and John Humphreys together again (http://www.geocities.com/nudgerules/Perfect-Strangers.mp3)
You’re a good man John. As for me, I’ll be drinking and doing shit all. You make me feel guilty for some reason, not that it will make me feel like doing something other than drinking. But yeah, keep trucking mate. I didn’t even know you stopped over in Adelaide recently, I could’ve shouted you a few local beers, oh well… keep me up to date on your travels.