Online English classes

Learning English will always be difficult for non-native speakers, and in Cambodia it is unusually expensive, as well. But if you go to http://www.english-test.net/forum/ you can not only improve your English through tests, tools and interactions with native speakers, you don’t have to pay a cent. Along with tons of fun and informational learning tools, this site also provides a fertile ground for discussions on a variety of topics and an opportunity to share your writing and read the work of others. Next time you have a free moment online check out this site.

Douert Sai (shuttlecock)

Costing less than 1,000 riels, these shuttlecocks, or birdies, which are made with a few feathers and plastic discs, can provide unlimited hours of entertainment for people like my classmates. They will often spend about an hour in the evening playing until they start to sweat. A birdie is really cheap but can have a noticeable impact on your health. It costs a few dollars to go to most of the gyms around Phnom Penh, but bouncing around a birdie costs nearly nothing. It might be frustrating at first. However, practice makes perfect, and the enjoyment and health benefits in store make your time worthwhile.

To-do lists

In this fast-paced world, time management, planning and preparation are indispensable to keep up with the people around you. Making a to-do list is my favourite thing to do before I hit the sack. Waking up to this list makes me feel like I can control my life rather than allowing unseen forces to influence me. Before going to bed, I jot down activities I want to achieve the next day. Don’t get down on yourself if you fail to check off every item on your list, just keep in mind the chores and long-term projects you need to complete. Without my to-do list, I would feel like I am wandering in a big world.

Blogging

Who would have thought that you could create your own web page without knowing anything about HTML? Blogs, which come from the term “weblog”, have given non-computer nerds the opportunity to establish an online presence since the 1990s. I have personally kept one (www.blueladyblog.com) for nearly five years, and found it useful in several ways. It has enhanced my ability to write, express my opinions and think. Blogging is like keeping an online diary that can’t be destroyed by fire or water. Write your personal history there now so the next generation will have something to remember you by. Start your own at www.wordpress.com or www.blogger.com.

Rubber wrist bands

Are you looking for something to give your group of friends a visible identity? Perhaps you weren’t thinking about it before, but you are now, and what better way to bring your crew together aesthetically than wearing the same coloured wrist bands. The range of colours available span the rainbow, and although taglines are popular alteration to the stretchy bracelets, you can buy them without a message. Wear one on your own and it will already make you cooler; coordinate your wrist accessories with a group of friends and you’ll be the talk of the town.