A short video of the ICS Cambodia volunteers -Cycle 2-Stung Treng -July-October, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zScZta9Nb7c&feature=youtu.be

VSO/ICS programme, July-October 2014, Stung Treng Cambodia

Experiences during the ICS programme

The workshop on the Effective Readiness for Job employment Opportunities, 7-8 September 2014

After the ICT, the team departed to Stung Treng province to work with the NGO I had selected. My team has 3 Khmer volunteers and 2 UK volunteers worked with PyD which focus on job employment and to promote the Women’s Development Center service. The group had to move away from the initial ICS team plan which had a focus on supporting the work of the job employment service. This was due to PYD making it clear to us that they felt the service was not at a stage yet where they could handle an influx of interest in it, which would be generated by holding events promoting it. As such, it was brought to the group's attention that another focus of PYD’s is supporting the work of local CBO’s, especially around issues to do with gender and education. Cycle one had also highlighted in their handover report that lack of education was a major impact on jobseekers. As such the group moved its focus to working on the proposals of the local CBO’s.  We worked with the CBO on their proposal with two activities. For the first, we focused on the importance of the education for children which was conducted on August 28th 2014. It was run successfully, since we cooperated well with CBO, or CWGG.

To achieve this the team and I had a meeting and negotiated for almost 3 hours, to discuss and find out the point which one CWGG wanted to do and which one PyD team want to do on the session (meeting was in Khmer due to CWGG could not speak English). On the other hand, all every event succeeds because of the team work, even I sometimes had challenges in the team, but I still worked with the team to find the solution. In the team, I had worked so hard, although I had different language barriers with the UK volunteers. I tried to listen and think carefully. I had good relationship not only in the team, but also with the NGOs I worked with. I can say that my communication has been improving throughout this program. For instance, before doing the event the team and I always had the meeting with CWGG and BBU to hold the workshop. I had contacted and talked and chit-chatted along in a good way; it was great that I could do it with my team to run the events smoothly. Moreover, it taught me about the public speaking (even on GCD, events run by team..). I did not believe that this program gave me a lot of opportunities to talk in front of many people. I did not feel confident enough before giving a talk, yet during the GCD session I could make the session more interesting to all volunteers. My other partner and I worked and understood each other so that my GCD run smoothly and the other pairs followed the activities of my session. On the other hand, during the workshop I could do it, especially when I was giving a talk at the University event that I could make all participants laugh and interested in my session. More experiences were learnt from cross-cultural; as we were born with different perspective, I  still learnt from each other as from the UK volunteers that some of them worked very quickly and came up with many ideas that I sometimes really appreciated them so much. Last but not least, about solving   problem and exactly, whatever we do, it always has mistake or problem, just it is small or big. Even it is small if we do not deal with it in time, it would become a big one that affect to the whole team. So as I experienced during working with the team or with the other, the team and I discussed to find the solution. Example, One of the small issues was when the team had a meeting with CWGG about the event, first the team thought that it was great that we can make the event with them, but after the meeting, CWGG had talked with PyD that CWGG should have involved more than this. However, after the team knew the problem, I had phoned to CWGG to have another meeting again in order to know about the main problem and share the responsibilities equally. That’s why the team and I had a long meeting due to the team had many things to discuss. And lastly, both teams found the solution and we worked together well during the event. All in all, I have been changed because of joining with the ICS program for three months and this was another step that I can move myself to be more productive in the near future. Everything can be changed and changing started from me. Try it do it, face it solve it with positive thought even it cannot be solved a hundred percent, yet at least it is better than nothing. 

And this video shows you about the activities what we had done! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zScZta9Nb7c

VSO Cambodia

International Youth Day-VSO/ICS 2014 (ទិវាយុវជនអន…: http://youtu.be/Plw8bav9xSg

Community Action Day-VSO/ICS Cambodia

សកម្មភាពរបស់យុវជនស្ម័គ្រចិត្តរបស់​VSO/ICS Cambodia: http://youtu.be/2j8bFjSuRsE

VSO/ ICS Cambodia-Stung Treng Team

VSO/ICS programme

After a week training, on 25 July 2014 our group left Phnom Penh to Stung Treng and Ratanakiry province where we are going to work for three months. A day after we arrived, in the morning the team had a meeting in order to set up team contract and team committees (MPR, CAD,Debrief, M&E, Social, Media and communication). At the night time, the team prepared some stuffs to welcome our host families who we are going to live with. Welcoming pictures drawn by UK counterparts as they are at the first time in Cambodia, yet they could do it well, like how to bow when we meet old people. In the morning, before we met our host family, we traveled by tuk tuk to see where our NGO is which we base and to see some places in the town of Stung Treng. Around 10 am we arrived at the guest house where we temporarily stayed to meet our host families. We waited them around 2 hours, th

en at 11.30 am our host families arrived, however, we had not known who are our host family.  Host families arrived we said the welcoming words to surprise them; they were happy. The first thing, the team was given a game in order to play before knowing our host family.  After playing game, my UK counterpart also another national were provided a piece of paper which was written fingers on it and so did our host family. We did not know who our host family, we called them host dad/mom, unless we found those who had the same sign. Spending a few minutes to find our host dad/mom then we found our host brother, he does not have wife so we call him host brother, he is handsome, friendly, and he also has his own small business whose name is Guitar Milk; it seemed that we were very lucky to live in this host family. We talked, shared some knowledge and introduced to each other; my host brother can also speak English well, so we did not have any difficulty in conversation with him and my UK counterpart. After talking we had lunch together at that guest house with the other host families before going to our host home. Lunch time was gone, we all were sent to our host family separately. Arriving at the host home, we felt very excited to be at this host home.

My host home in which i live during this programme.

First day here, we were welcomed by host family and the best thing is that we were provided a free of green tea for each. In the evening we had dinner with host family and seemed that we have known each other and talked happily.

My UK counterpart and another national volunteer had dinner with the host family together .

International Youth Day ICS 2014 (ទិវាយុវជនអន្ដរជាតិ​------0- -202014- 2014-ICS)

hhttps://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=rZ-sE2VRrbk&video_referrer=watch

VSO/ICS Cambodia

VSO Cambodia/International Citizen Service program (ICS)

A short brief of VSO-Cambodia/International Citizen Service program (ICS):

VSO/International Citizen Service (ICS) is a volunteering experience for young people who want to make a real difference in some of the world’s poorest communities. In Cambodia, ICS runs projects in the North-eastern part of the country. Twelve Cambodian youths will spend three months working alongside twelve youths from the United Kingdom (UK) in a team to tackle issues that really matter to the local community (for this circle we are working at Stung Treng and Ratanakiry province. (Source from VSO’s page)

For more information about how to apply this program:

http://www.eurocham-cambodia.org/index.php?option=com_jobboard&view=job&id=33&catid=1

Or

https://www.facebook.com/304557379666133/photos/a.334094906712380.1073741827.304557379666133/557161661072369/?type=1&theater

 This is my experiences during the ICS for the second cycle (started from July 18^th, 2014 to October 08^th, 2014) in Stung Treng province, however, for those who went to Ratanakiry is the third cycle. The training from July 18th, 2014 to July 18^{th 2014} for Cambodian and Uk’s volunteers. The first day, Cambodian volunteers prepared stuffs to welcome UK counterparts for their arrival in Cambodia. We, Khmer volunteers, sang Khmer song, danced, we did a great job, to welcome them and UK volunteers were very excited, yet UK volunteers said Khmer words, Chom Reab Sur, means how do you do to Khmer volunteers; we, Khmer, also excited for their their speaking Khmer words! --A day after, both Khmer and UK counterparts were trained together in the Karitas's office, in Phnom Penh, for a week. During this training we did learn many things about ICS program, learned how to adopt the other culture. Khmer-UK volunteers learned how to live with indigenous, community people. Being told that some host families could not even speak Khmer or English (some families are Kreung, Jaray, Tom Poun...), we still felt well with these challenges. We also had many activities such as energizing to break our bad feeling that we felt sleepy because of the long days training, some were exhausted, and some got sick. Yet, we enjoyed it. For breaking time, either Khmer or UK talked to each other about its culture, studying, and experiences and so on. After a week training, on July 25^th, 2014 we, except me, leaved Phnom Penh to Stung Treng(2nd cycle) and Ratanakiry province (3rd cycle)  to know our host family in which we live, NGO which we will be working with to start our project on Awareness Raising in Stung Treng and Training in Ratanakiry.  

Welcoming UK volunteers arrival 

Activities during In Country  Training days (ICT)

តើទិវានៃសេចក្ដីស្រលាញ់ យុវជនពិត ជាបង្ហាញនូវសេចក្ដីស្រលាញ់ដល់អ្នកម្ដាយយ៉ាងណាទៅ?

យើងឃើញថាថ្ងៃនេះយុវជនមួយចំនួនបានបង្ហាញនូវសេចក្ថីស្រលាញ់របស់ខ្លួនតាមរយះបណ្ដាញសង្គមហ្វេសប៊ុកជាច្រើន។ យើងឃើញថាអ្នក ខ្លះបានបង្ហោះនូវ រូបភាពជាការដឹងគុណ​អ្នកម្ដាយ​ដែល​បានខំចិញ្ចឹមបីបាច់ថែរក្សាតាំងពីបានកកើតរហូតដល់ធំពេញវ៏យ ខ្លះក៏បានបង្ហាញនូវ ការ​អភ័យ​​ទោសចំពោះអ្នកម្ដាយនូវរាល់ទង្វើដែលខ្លួនបានប្រព្រឹត្តកន្លងមក រីឯអ្នកខ្លះបាន​បង្ហោះ​នូវ​រូប​ភាពជាការថើបចំពោះម្ដាយបង្ហាញពីទឹកចិត្តស្រលាញ់គ្នាដល់អ្នកមានគុណរបស់ខ្លួនជាដើម។ តើការបង្ហាញនូវអ្វីដែលពួកគេបានបង្ហោះទាំងនេះពិតជាចេញពីក្រអៅបេះដូងឬយ៉ាងណា? ប្រសិនបើនេះជាការបង្ហាញដោយចិត្តជ្រះថ្លា នោះគឺជារឿងមួយដ៍ប្រពៃក្រៃលែង ដែល​ជាការ​ធ្វើឱយអ្នកម្ដាយសប្បាយចិត្តរកអ្វីប្រៀបផ្ទឹមពុំបាន។តែសូមឱយការបង្ហាញនេះបន្តជា និរន្តរ៍ អ្វី​ដែលសំខាន់បំផុតនោះ គឺគាត់ចង់បាននូវការប្រព្រឹត្តរបស់កូនៗដោយត្រឹមត្រូវ មិនមែនតែ​មួយ​ថ្ងៃទេ​តែសូមឱយការបង្ហាញសេចក្ដីស្រលាញ់នេះ មានជារៀងរាល់ថ្ងៃ. ..។

នេះគ្រាន់តែ​​ជាការសរសេរលេងរបស់ខ្ញុំតែប៉ណ្ណោះ បើមានការខុសឆ្គងសូមមេត្តា  អភ័ទោស​ចំពោះ​ពាក្យពេជន៍មិនសមរម្យណាមួយ ។
រីករាយថ្ងៃនៃសេចក្ដីស្រលាញ់ចំពោះ អ្នកម្ដាយនិងលោកឳពុកគ្រប់រូបលើសកលលោក។

Damode Tailor ហាងកាត់ដេរដាម៉ូតថៃល័ មានទទួលកាត់ដេរគ្រប់សាច់ក្រណាត់ គ្រប់ឯកសណ្ឋាន

មានទទួលកាត់ដេរគ្រប់សាច់ក្រណាត់ គ្រប់ឯកសណ្ឋាន
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Damodetailor-Foreign-Fashion/186343418164877?ref=hl

Foreigners always like reading book wherever they go, they can read

Some reasons why they like reading books:

1. They want to know more about the other cultures:

2. They like traveling 

3. They do not want to waste their time free

If you are in the right career it will give your life a deep sense of satisfaction. Luck plays a part, but it takes a lot of work to achieve a successful career. The harder you work, the luckier you will get!!
Everyone has had jobs that left them feeling empty at the end of the day, and dreading the start of a new work week. You want to find something that is more than just a job or even a career: It’s important to you. You want to look forward to every day at work. Enjoy what you do and you never do a day’s work!
http://www.whatisacareer.com/what-makes-for-career-success/

Sport

Kids in rural area are playing football. Even they are so young but they play energetically with their heart.
Great job kids, keep doing but don't put your money much if you lose.

*** The more you play sport , the more good health you get.

Happy Khmer New Year 2014-Coming Soon!!

Comparing The Pearl, American Novel, and Chao Chak Smok,Khmer Novel,.

The feature of The Pearl, and Chao Chak Smok, a man who weaves boxes with the palm leaves of Khmer novel, the authors deny the main characters of both novels, Kino and Chao Chak Smok, to change their role in life or to against fate. Steinbeck and Khmer novels’ hopeless view of their failures and poverty because two of the characters had opportunities to change their fate or role but failed.

 Kino found one of the most valuable and precious pearls in the world and being convinced of its worth was not going to be cheated by only changing his condition of life. Instead he wanted to break the fixed life and role that he and his family had and always would live. Kino refuses the maximum offer of fifteen hundred pesos that would easily ease his and his family’s pain and suffering for the coming months. Kino is then determined to move to the capital to find a fair price. Kino continues determined through the mountains after an attempt at the pearl, his canoe is destroyed and his brush house is fired. Continuing to put his family’s life on, it eventually takes the death of his beloved son Coyotito to make him realize; he needs to stop being so greedy, no matter how hard he tries and to shut his mouth and know his role since then.

 About Chao Chak Smok, he has a dream about having money while he was sitting on the top of the palm tree and weaving Smok, he had many dreams at the same time and thinks that if he makes a lot of Smok, he will sell them to the store and buy a hen. Unfortunately, he fell down. A man, elephant-driver, tries to help him, for Chao Chak Smok promises to serve him if he can save his life. He and the elephant - driver caused other four men died because of their promising to be the servers if these men can save them.  Chao Chak Smok and elephant-driver dropped down together on the net. Unluckily, four bald men are dragged to hit each other's heads and crushed their skulls, and then they died. The end, Chao Chaksmok and the elephant-driver either get nothing or feel remorse for killing these men.

Things that are similar about the two novels and how both of their dreams and each find or meet something that can help their dreams come true, the pearl and Smok. Furthermore, the realizations of their dreams coming to an end are caused by the death of someone who is a part of the dream, Coyotito and four men. In both novels they have everything planned out to their benefit but both plans go completely wrong changing the rest of their lives. Both novels had dreamers and dreams, their intentions were not different. Kino and Chao Chak Smok’s ideas were unrealistic, and whereas Kino and Chaksmok dreamed of instantly going from the bottom to the top. Kino would no longer have to work and his family would be treated like royalty and they would immediately have anything and everything. As he says “We will be married in the church, Juana with a new shawl and skirt, himself in new white clothes, new hat of fine felt with shoes, has a rifle, my son will go to school”. Anyway, Cao Chaksmok also says “When I make a lot of boxes, I will sell them to the store,  I shall buy a hen, then  I will buy a pig..,  I will buy slaves to take care of my children. When my slaves cannot take care of my children, I will hit them."

At the end, these dreams could not have come true for these two men and only caused people to die, Coyotito and four men. Furthermore, the message of these novels there is nothing you can do to change your life, it just happens. These novels represent certain people’s feelings, and human nature will stand out in the end, if you give them something, they want more even affect the other.

The End

 "You need to learn how to live by yourself without parents, child, mom and dad just born you, yet we cannot live with you in the long way, so try to live independently" mom said.

Yes, that's true. Don't be hopeless and try your best to do what you love to do. You do it wrong better than do nothing...

By so and so!