In January this year, he and his parents visited a school participating in the “One Belt, One Road” China Charity Project. He was fascinated by the beautiful school building and the atmosphere of studying. A Cambodian internet star who speaks more than a dozen languages ​​has set

Source: Beiwan New Vision

Do you still remember that Cambodian boy who hawked tourist souvenirs in multiple languages ​​and became popular on the Internet? Sali ? In January this year, he and his parents visited a school participating in the “One Belt, One Road” China Charity Project. He was fascinated by the beautiful school building and the atmosphere of studying. In May, he came to China to study as he wished. He cherishes every class. He said that his next goal is to be admitted to Peking University.

According to a report by the Hong Kong English-language South China Morning Post on June 23, a Cambodian internet star who speaks more than ten languages ​​has set his sights on universities in China. The 15-year-old boy is studying full-time at Hailiang Foreign Language School in Zhuji City, Zhejiang Province, instead of attending half-day classes and then spending the other half selling goods to tourists at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

reported that Sali earned money to pay for his and his siblings' school fees and to pay off his family's debt, and he learned multiple languages ​​while selling souvenirs to tourists at Angkor Wat.

"Studying is not tiring, I like it. In the past, I had to sell things when I wasn't in school. That was tiring," he said in English mixed with Chinese.

"I like the school here very much because the campus is very beautiful," he said with a smile. "I like learning English and Chinese. I like the classrooms here, I like eating rice, and I like my room."

"South China Morning Post" "The report stated that Shali's experience attracted the attention of China's Hailiang Education Group . Li Ziqiang, the group's public relations director, said that the school promised to fund Shali's high school, college and subsequent education expenses, and to pay half of his education expenses. Living expenses until he starts graduate studies - if he chooses to continue his studies.

He said: "His family started to feel hesitant because if Sali left, they would lose an important breadwinner - especially since he is so famous on social media."

At Angkor Wat , Sully said that he could earn 15 dollars a day before becoming a celebrity, and he could earn more after becoming famous.

Wang Weihong, Sally’s art teacher, said that Sally is very interested in Chinese culture, especially calligraphy, painting and sculpture.

"I want to be a businessman and make friends in China and Cambodia."

"If I stay in Cambodia, I will have very little time to go to school and may not be able to find a good job (in the future). But when I study here, I'm learning a lot and maybe I'll get a good job," he said.

Netizen comments

In response to this, netizens expressed that "it is really hard to imagine that a teenage boy can master so many languages" and "he deserves a better education"

Changing his destiny due to his popularity on the Internet: meeting 15 countries Sali, a Cambodian boy who speaks Chinese, received funding from a Chinese company to study in China

According to previous reports by Observer.com, on November 9, 2018, a Malaysian female netizen named Venus (Venus Gwc) posted on Facebook. When I visited Angkor Wat in Cambodia, I met a boy who was selling goods. In order to seize "business opportunities", he spoke 9 languages ​​​​to her at once, and even sang "We Are Different" in Chinese.

When asked where he learned so many languages, the boy said calmly that he actually learned them by asking tourists from all over the world...Venus was finally moved by the boy and bought a souvenir. She also hopes to use this experience to arouse everyone's attention to the environment in which Cambodian children grow up.

After the video was posted online, it immediately attracted the attention of netizens around the world and was heavily forwarded on Chinese social networks.

According to Hangzhou.com, people learned through media interviews that Sali’s family is poor. His mother is a stay-at-home mother and his father is a painter. However, it is difficult to sell his paintings. The family’s debt reaches US$50,000 (approximately more than 340,000 yuan). ). But in such a difficult environment, little Sally's academic performance was very good. He also told reporters that he likes China very much and likes to speak Chinese the most. When he grows up, he dreams of going to Beijing to study at university.

The attention from the outside world has brought Sali a life-changing opportunity. Not only have more people bought paintings from Sali’s father, but there are also netizens who are willing to support Sali’s family. There is even a rich man in Cambodia who took the initiative to donate his in Phnom Penh. The townhouse is free for Sali and his family to live in, making it convenient for Sali to study in Phnom Penh. But Sally's parents were always a little worried. "Since Sally became famous, he often missed school because of interviews, and his grades were obviously affected. We still hope to have a long-term plan for the growth of our children."

According to the Zhejiang News Client, Sally finally accepted the job of Zhejiang Hailiang Group The company decided to sponsor Shali to complete his high school, undergraduate and even master's and doctoral studies. In January 2019, Sali and his family made a trip to China. He visited Zhejiang University, the West Lake, and experienced Chinese martial arts and other special cultures.

html On May 12, @Khit Chhern, a wealthy man who has been supporting Sali, posted on Facebook that Sali will study abroad for further study. He also wrote that he hopes Sali "can work hard to become an excellent and kind person."

According to the Beijing News our video report on May 15, accompanied by his family and Chinese personnel, Shali boarded a passenger plane bound for Shanghai. Before boarding the plane, Sally said goodbye to his family and wealthy people and thanked them for their continued help.

html On May 13, at 2:45 pm, Sali's flight landed at Shanghai Pudong Airport. Sali's head teacher and the children from Hailiang Foreign Language School held a brief welcome ceremony for Sali at the airport. The song "Learning to Meow" accompanied by dance welcomed this Cambodian "prodigy" and welcomed him to officially start his study career in China.