Expat partner Paul Boucher initially planned to continue his career for a global engineering firm in Phnom Penh but instead he has taken a sabbatical and found a fun volunteering role.
Recharge the batteries
“My employer and I did everything we could to find a way for me to continue working for them in Cambodia but it just wasn’t possible (for corporate compliance reasons). Although I didn’t rule out consultancy work or finding a job locally, eventually I came around to the idea of taking a sabbatical for a limited time,” says Paul, a father of two girls. “Honestly, it’s been great – I’m here for my wife and daughters. I’ve been able to free up my mind from the corporate workplace while leveraging the support I received from my wife’s company to develop into new business undertakings. I’ve also been able to get involved with the community, which is an important part of Phnom Penh life.”
State-of-the-art facility
“Compared to many other capitals, this city is like a village – you quickly hear about activities to join and, not long after we arrived, another expat invited me to play roller hockey. I’m from Montreal so I grew up playing hockey but I definitely didn’t think I’d be making a comeback in Cambodia! What I didn’t know is that the Canadian International School here has a state-of-the-art, 1,800-sqm roller dome,” says Paul.
Part of a community
“At first going to the roller dome was a fun way to play sport and make some friends but I quickly got more involved with the club. Now I’m coaching the Cambodian women’s team. We have our own league of mixed teams that play each other week in, week out but we also just hosted an international tournament with teams from across Asia joining. The Khmer kids, many of whom come from less fortunate backgrounds, take real pride in being part of this community while developing new sporting, leadership and social skills. That’s wonderful to see.”
Down by the river
“In a developing country with a strong NGO presence, we do our bit to support the community, continuously working to secure sponsorships and give young Khmer opportunities to join the club,” says Paul. “Some members even went to the banks of the Mekong river, where young kids go rollerblading, and recruited some great skaters that are now good hockey players. And if any expats are coming to town and want to get involved, everyone is welcome at the Roller Dome!”
* Name changed at request of interviewee
Photo: Cambodian women’s roller hockey team
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