I’ve just realized that my article from many years ago was published on the Writing Alliance. It’s a good reminder of how I fell in love in social volunteerism and always keep on doing it matter where I am.
Volunteerism: Je t’aime. Je t’aimais et Je t’aimerais!
At the end of grade 10th, I volunteered in a ten-day-project of South East Asian Leadership Network’s project (SEALNet)….
I’ve watched this video for countless times and still cry every time…. It makes me miss my mum from here, the UK….. and mainly it reminds me of how I have been taught by her when I was little….those lessons have largely contributed to the core structure that makes me able to stand on my own and go this far…..
In the video, when they showed the woman who could not afford just an ice-cream for her daughter and later helped her daughter learn and discover way to earn income out of that ice-cream selling, it reminded me of my story with mum when I was in elementary/primary school. That was the time she could not afford such things as pencil cases or new clothes for me. Mum exaggeratedly told me that we were poor and couldn’t afford those things. In other word, we would not afford those new things/clothes because they were considered as unnecessarily luxurious things. The priority was to save up for a better education to have a better future. Therefore, when the other kids had new clothes, new toys, new scholastic materials and cool stuffs, I often got some reused clothes from my older relatives or those from the mountain of dumped clothes at the rail way stations where rich people dumped their not so old, but out of fashion clothes to be used to clean the floor or the machine at the train station……I remembered my dad brought me to that place every month to dig up for clothes that fitted and didn’t look that old, and some actually looked new. (“ New” according to our definition was those clothes without the stains that couldn’t be washed). I often saw the other people who didn’t seem to be that far better off than us afforded new clothes. For some poor/decent families, their parents might have just told their kids to never compare themselves to people at the higher level or dream about all of the high goals or what Khmer proverb says “If you’re small and in a lower level, don’t try to hold the mountain”…..the English translation might not sounds so beautiful, but I think khmer people know what proverb I refer to….haha….. anyway, back to the point! My mum didn’t teach me to not dream of reaching high goals. She didn’t teach me to not compare to those people, but she has taught me to have all of those in my wish list, make the plan to achieve it, and work hard with high level of persistence, responsibility, ethics and commitment towards that goal. One day, we will make it there!
While the girl was selling pineapple ice-cream in the video, I had a different way of earning pencil case……
Here’s my interview with Post Khmer news on scholarship and education. Thank Rachna for approaching me for the interview and writing this article. There were so much more I’ve shared through the interview questions. However, due to the limited space for news article, this article has not covered all aspects of the questionnaires with full detailed explanation to each point. With this regard, I am going to post more sharing in full elaboration in the up coming posts.
The article could be accessed via this link
COMMUNITY/COUNTRY/WORLD LEVEL
Activists / philanthropists/social servants with great sense of devotions and determination
Malala Yousafzai, a girl who advocates for girl’s education
Who are your role models?
What qualities/attributes make a person a role model?
How you do actually define what is a role model?
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Having discussed about individual/family level, let’s look into the next levels now.
COMMUNITY/COUNTRY/WORLD LEVEL
Teachers who are really passionate about building human resource/ young leaders
Ex. my high school Sunday tutors for Geography, Moral studies, and History
No matter what profession they do, role models don’t just let their life gone by with routine tasks. They make a difference in their field. They raise awareness, inspire actions, lead solutions and do something that last longer than their life.
Here are some examples:
Who are your role models?
What qualities/attributes make a person a role model?
How you do actually define what is a role model?
Think about these questions and figure out the answers by yourselves……
——
To me: Role models can come from anywhere and they are the people who genuinely put efforts to make a difference at any levels, whether it’s individual, family, community, country or the world level.
Let’s take a journey to different parts of the world to learn about Role models!!!
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
1. Life is short to just let it pass by with the routine tasks and die…. I think the purpose of life is to live it with meanings….
2. Beauty is the inside :
Avoid being judgmental based on what you see or the limited information you have.
I think role models do the RIGHT things and stick to principle despite the wrongful criticism by the mass.
3. Start from you : Small actions that inspire others
Not only people in the top positions can make a difference! As a youth, you can also make it happen! Why not start contributing and leading positive actions from NOW?
I hope you will also become one of the outstanding young leaders who will genuinely contribute to develop our country and the world!
Prezi presentation is available at : https://prezi.com/vlsx6nazimlh/as-a-youth-what-can-i-do-for-my-country/#
“As a youth, what can I do for my country?” was one of the modules that I designed for the Young Leaders Programme of Innovative Project @ Transparency International Cambodia.
An interview with Radio France Internationale: (Please click on the link below to listen to the interview in Khmer)
(Youth’s participation is one of the keys to a better society)
It’s now the season for Chevening Scholarship application and many more! I would like to share this post in responding to the questions/doubts according to my personal experiences/encounters. Meanwhile, it is very important to note that each outstanding scholarship recipient is unique in her/his own way and has different strategies and approaches towards application. This post would only cover my perspective/experience and should not be generalized as a must-do list for all or one-size-fit all. Please also note that the condition, requirements and application process varies from year to year, and there are some changes for this year process compared to last year! The tip is to always read all of the information on the program’s website very carefully and send the direct questions to the program’s support team/ coordinator where clarifications are needed.
Here is a sharing of my experiences for the frequently asked questions I got and I hope my sharing would some how help you with your application!
For such question, please simply check www.chevening.org ! All necessary information is there! Outstanding leaders would be very proactive to read all details carefully line by line and multiple times with great attention to details and analytical thinking, as well as doing extra searches on the facebook, instagram, twitter, youtube, and general search on google! There are quite a lot of information and sharing going on in different social media! You just need to be proactive and industrious!
In my opinion, personal statement is one of the measures used by the committee to understand about the applicant’s talents, skills, values, goals, purposes, expectations, leaderships, as well as the potentials, so that they can decide whether he/she is one of the most outstanding candidates who match the expectation of their program.
There are various ways of writing it. Different candidate has diverse way of expressing her/himself in a way that best represent their personality, potential and purposes. I think it might be helpful to hear from expert, a person who has spent her life reading countless personal statements. Here’s the video that I think very useful and comprehensive!
Meanwhile, it’s important that you search several other sites on the internet! There are plenty! Don’t just believe and follow everything the video above says or just listening to one point of view. Each program is different…Even in that same program, each of the committees has different view on what statement from whom is better than the others. The key is to do extensive search on the tips from different people and institutions, and put your effort to identify which combination of strategies that work best for the program you’re applying and are suitable for your personalities and plan.
Continue reading
As the title says, Personal statement is a statement about each of us as a unique person. I think there is no rule to this and people would have different interpretation and approach to this! Here’s what I think:
Some of the things that I notice to be mostly included in the personal statement are:
Choosing university can be a great dizzy puzzle and it was of course a hard time for me!
Having learnt from the experience of previous exchange programs, I have been paying large amount of attention to the choice of university for the postgraduate application because this is one of the most important aspects to optimize the experience during this 1-year postgrad program. People have different criteria of judgement and priority in different career path and life mission. Below are my criteria and they should not be used to compare to the choices that the others are making because each of us is so different! For me, direct and formal education in class is important, but I have observed that there are so much more important aspects that also contribute to the experiences.
For my case, here are some points of my consideration:
University life can be a tough, yet an exciting experience. I hope this video could help you with your study and career.
Here’s the video i made as a part of University of Cambodia’s Welcome Week:
I was asked to share the list of my top 10 favorite books, but i can’t make it to 10 because they are equally great to me.
Here’s the list of ma top favorite 12 books.
. 7 habits to highly effective teen by Stephen covey
. The present by Spencer Johnson
. The world is flat by Thomas friedman
. Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
. The leader in you by Dale Carnegie
. What I wish I knew when I was 20 by Tina Seelig
. Achieve success and happiness by A.P. Pereira
. Globality by Harold L.Sirkin, James W.He merging, and Arindam K.Bhattacharya
. Les miserables by Victor Hugo
. Chicken soup for soul series by Jack Canfield
. I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou
. Oliver twist by Charles Dickens
And many many more…….. !!!!
Please also share your list!!! 🙂
Merry Christmas!!!
Wish everyone all the best!
Christmas is more beautiful when it’s shared with others, especially those who were not lucky enough to enjoy it.
Thank SYC Alumni Cambodia and Transparency International Cambodia team for the kind donations of material, time and love to the kids!
I’m glad to be requested by the Loy9, the best youth-led media program sponsored by UNDP to educate youth and the society about democracy, education, volunteerism, and other important social issues, to contribute an article to share my leadership journey and inspire other youths on the issue related to “youth and social changes”. Here it is! Hope you’ll learn something useful and a little piece of inspiration to start your own project and making positive change as well if you haven’t!
And if you have already done something, please don’t forget to share your journey with me!!! I am so eager to be inspired by you!!!
——
The original post can be found at the Loy9 site as followed:
People used to ask me, “What are you going to do when you grow up?”
And as I was growing up, I started asking myself “Can I start making changes now without waiting till I become an adult or hold a big position?”
The answer came in grade 10th when I discovered that as a youth, we have more power than we could ever imagine.
When I joined the SEALNet project at the age of 15, I found myself gaining more confidence and I was able to join other students from different countries to host the Khmer traditional arts concerts at my school and one other school, which aimed to change the perspectives of 1000 students and brought them to appreciate and value the traditional arts that they used to consider as old-fashioned and boring.
Following this time, I began volunteering with more youth organizations to contribute to society through raising fund and donation to help poor students in rural villages to go to school, distribute food to poor people living on streets, and organizing events for youths to learn about various social issues.
It all starts with a simple idea and a strong commitment that we, as youths, can begin to make the changes.
Hope this will help giving you some clues on how to prepare yourself to be a winner of scholarships to study in Europe and particularly through exchange programs of Eurasmus, which is sponsored by the European Commission.
I don’t own this record. I was only the guest speaker of this show, which is organized by FUSAAC and Vayo radio. My purpose of uploading it here is just for the hope of sharing knowledge to the other youths, and hopefully my alumni, FUSAAC, wouldn’t mind having knowledge shared for free! 🙂
Thanks FUSAAC for choosing me to be the speaker on this topic!!! I do love the question parts and wish there were more time to take more questions, to answer more and learn more from every caller!!!
Best of luck for you with your study and life journey!
Hello Khmer New Year Season!!!! It was a fun and great time for family reunion at the pagodas! We have enjoyed listening to the monk preaching us to do good things, to follow up with the principle to reach peace and to contribute society that we are living through doing work, donating to social projects, helping each other and so on. As I have been observing that nuns, which are females, have only been the assistant of the monk in this mission by preparing the food, arranging the place, facilitating the communication of people and monks and playing other roles that facilitate the monks’ work, but not directly taking the leading role in preaching people. I started to reflect what have been their role in this field of Buddhism? How about in the past? Why women have been only assisting, but not being the leading person to preach the message? Has there been discrimination against women leadership in Buddhism religion?
So I googled as I came back home to figure out my wonders and found this article giving a contrasting view points to my skeptics. According to “Buddha net” site , “Buddhism does not restrict either the educational opportunities of women or their religious freedom.
Happy Birthday to me!!!! Another year older! hehehe…..
Here’s my interview with the UC’s Writing Alliance,as my Birthday Gift to you! Enjoy!! =)
The original source of article is: http://writingalliance.blogspot.com/2011/11/student-wins-scholarship-to-study.html
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Sunday, November 20, 2011
Student Wins Scholarship to Study Abroad in France
By San Boromeichan
Nara Sokhema, a Term VIII student majoring in economics at the University of Cambodia (UC), was recently selected as a recipient of the Erasmus Mundus Mobility with Asia (EMMA) program, which allows her to study in France for one semester. EMMA is an exchange program between universities in the European Union (EU) and Asia, and is sponsored by the EU Commission in partnership with Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP).
Khema will attend the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in Nice, France, for six months starting in September 2011. She plans to take courses in economics, and all of her courses will be conducted in French.
She said she is very excited to have an opportunity to study in France because it has always been her dream to study in Europe, but she also expressed some concern. She said that some of her family members are very conservative and do not believe daughters should travel far away from home, even if they are pursuing higher education. Seeing this as an important opportunity to grow and develop, Khema reasoned with her family to convince them to let her go, and after much discussion, her family finally approved.
“I am so thrilled and look forward to learning about education, lifestyles, and development in France, as well as customizing the lessons learned and applying these new ideas to help develop Cambodia” said Khema. “I also feel a bit scared because I have to be a good representative of my country to compete with students in the developed world.”
Let’s try a new work!!!!! In the search to find out what you really want to do for life, you sometime gotten to try it out and see how you feel about it!!!!
This year, I challenge myself to do a new type of work I had never done before, which is to be a reporter or so called Journalist!!!! In spite of the super busy time with at least 4 main volunteer work with 4 different youth groups and NGOs, I take this task as a challenge to my time management skill, and see how much i can manage to do them all in the 24 hours days to learn something new, while holding on with my passion in contributing to the society.
Joining the Writing Alliance with at my University of Cambodia is a wonderful experience!!!!! I love my advisor! She is wonderful, incredibly talented, helpful, nice, and she has been teaching me so much about writing skills, professional ethnics, reflection skills, approaching people skill, viewing issues from different eagles and responding to life as a whole!! I am glad I made this absolutely right decision to take this work knowing that my two hands are already too full to take more tasks.
Being reporter has taught me about the sense of curiosity and eagerness to learn and find out the fact that impacts the life of the interviewee and their society as a whole. I have learned so much about
We were bargaining for the discount of tuk tuk cost to kilo #8 ( an area that is in the outskirt of the town) for our SYCA-Cambodia’s workshop for high school students (mostly muslim students) about how to choose university majors, prepare for scholarships, and other skills like internet usage, public speaking, team work, volunteerism and so. After the negotiation, the cost was reduced by 2000 Riels ($ 0.5) ….but this is not the reason why we were so happy and post this post!!!!…..Actually, the most amazing thing is that the tuk tuk driver bargained with us that, he’ll reduce the price by $0.5 given that we accept his request to allow his son to join the workshop to learn from us !!!
We were over the moon that he valued and invested in education for his kid !!!!!
That’s why we love doing community project. HOW ABOUT YOU????
Browsing through the news on grist.org, I find this a great move! Wow, Al Gore is so smart to move with the wind!
Yes, the new generation love using the internet, facebook, portable gadgets like phone, iPad,….so why not creating app that teach them about climate change, its impacts, solutions through the fun and interactive application!!! It’s so fascinating!!!!!
Al Gore's green App to save the world from climate change!
Here’s the link to read the full article:
http://www.grist.org/climate-change/2011-04-29-want-to-save-the-planet-al-gore-has-an-app-for-that
nothing can explain how impressed i am by the google’s innovativeness!!
daily, what i like to do is logging on to the google.com to see the new pictures reflecting the world’s events!!! It’s just so smart!!! It operates so globally, but thinks so locally!!!!
Google Search engine, May 01st 2011
Here’s my Interview with the South East Asia Weekly on ” Youth Environmental Leadership”. The original article can be found at : http://thesoutheastasiaweekly.com/?p=471
Posted on admin on February 7, 2011 // Comments
Nara Sokhema pictured with certificate while attending the Youth Camp for Asian Future in South Korea in August 2009
Nara Sokhema, 19, is a third year student majoring in economics at The University of Cambodia (UC). She was also a recipient of the United States Institute for Student Leaders (SUSI) scholarship program in July 2010. SUSI is a study abroad program in the United States focused on environmental issues. After returning from the study program, she has committed to being a devoted activist for environmental conservation. She has volunteered, contributed, and shared what she has learned about building a greener society to other citizens.
Q: Why should people care about the environment?
A: The environment affects everyone’s life. If we pollute the environment, there will be changes in nature, such as climate change, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem loss that will, in turn, harm the economy. It will affect the living standards of people and of society as a whole. Moreover, it will intensify natural disasters—such as floods, droughts, storms, and other disasters–that can claim human lives.
Q: What do you think about Cambodian people’s awareness of environmental issues?
A: Many Cambodian citizens know that the environment is important, but they have taken it for granted. They do not take much action in responding to the problems. Some people may think it is the responsibility of the government, or there are not enough environmental laws in place. A lack of proper incentives for and education focused on conservation are also major problems for environmental issues.
Q: How can an individual contribute to creating a greener society?
A: Actually, everyone can make a difference.First of all,
Happy birthday to me!!!!!! Here’s a gift from me to you!!!
Having walked a quite successful learning journey where I have mostly been on the top 5-10% of the class/school and winning a number of scholarships based on my superior academic performances, plus my extra volunteerism and leadership experiences, I observed and discovered some keys that might be also useful for other learners. Being a successful learner, especially when we are doing many extra social work or working, is not easy and involves lots of time management skills, as well as smart tactics in addition to working hard.
Thanks Radio 99.5 FM for having invited and allowed me with the platform to share and interact with another awesome guest speaker and great audiences. I hope our discussion might help you learn more effectively and successfully!
In case the Sound Cloud Plugin doesn’t work properly on your browser, please click on this link to view the record on my Sound Cloud Account!
Note: I don’t own this record. It’s the property of Radio 99.5FM. I just repost this for the purpose of sharing knowledge. I was the guest speaker, so I should be having the right to share this since I have already put the reference about the owner!
Hello world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m Khema (Sokhema NARA), followed by countless nicknames like Challie, Charrie, Cheers, Cherie, mama, GB, baby, honey, sweetie, monkey, Phumba, Koun train, … and more…..depending on people’s mood and sentiment, but it’s fantastic since behind each name lays a memorable story between us! ^_^
I’m just a student of International studies at IFL and Economics at University of Cambodia, a youth project’s leader for SYC alumni, and a volunteer mainly for Initiatives of Change Association (ICA), South East Asia Leadership Network (SEALNet), State Alumni of Cambodia, YESWECAN, and a few more social organizations.
I used to be a lonely and shy little girl who were afraid of talking to stranger or doing sth without my parents, of course except going to school, taking bath or dressing and sth like that!lolz 😛 Until a few days before this blog was created (in july 2007) came the time I was transformed! Yeah, you don’t need to tease me: the one thing I don’t actually change “ I’m still a little girl”! hey, on the bright side, being little is good since you never look old! So…..since the SEALNet project, I’ve become more cheerful, confident, out-going, open, adventurous, creative, and most of the time talkative little girl. And of course, everyone, including me, experiences some bad things or challenges, that makes us feeling down. But I believe it’s up to us to let it destroy us or build us, or to let it make a hard time on us for long or short period before we finally find our way back on track.
Discovering, learning from anything around, helping people learn, doing or initiating something new ranging from nature and science, to arts and culture are what I love. There’s so much to do with the Environment because it’s everything around us!
Buddha, Zig Ziglar and other people always say “ do unto the others as you want the others to do unto you”. This has inspired me to do what I’m doing and will be continue doing. I was transformed to be a more useful citizen by a 10 days project, so my ambition is to be able to create something- can be project, equipment, policy, or what ever that can help the people find their potentials or make something good for the society. I’d actually never realized that I’m passionate in volunteerism and running youth social projects until one day my dear friend suddenly exclaim “yeah…..that’s the power of passion, like ah khema being so crazy about volunteerism and project!”! People around smile, success and passionate in what they’re doing is my smiling pills. Isn’t it good if we all spread the smiling disease? That’s a great epidemic anyway! 😛 Like everyone, I do make mistakes that make people not happy or annoyed, so please apologize, help me correct and we move on together ☺
Anyway, this blog is just to share ideas of what me and you think and learn from the world, with the hope that some of the contents are useful for someone somewhere somehow some time! These posts are just the reflection of what I, as a small person in this big world, has experienced, so it is not a generalization of a particular things, because there a whole lot parts of that same things I haven’t seen. “Anyone, regardless of who he/she is, can have an idea”, so any ideas, comments are welcomed. As high school musical song said “We’re not the same, we’re different in a good way……(and) together where we belong….”.
Thank for spending 5 minutes of your time skimming through this page 😛 and hope you would interact via commenting or sharing ideas!!
Cheers,
Khéma
Oh my god!!!!!! i’m on the news!!!!! I feel like i’m not that super good enough to be a role model for other youths yet, but the the time comes sooner than expected as they called and said to me ” Khema, We have found out that you have been a great role model for Cambodian students and Youths!! Can we feature you on the LIFT page of the Phnom Penh Post as a student of the week?”. I was over the moon and couldn’t still believe that I can now join that role model list!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, i make it sooner than I had dreamed to be!!!
What’s even more exciting is when they asked ” May we call your mum? Well…just to tell her about what we/and our society think of/feel about you. and Ask her how she feels about you…”!!!!! I said “yes please”!!!!! I hope she would now understand the value of why her child has been doing when she has almost never stay home during the weekend or barely sleep at night for!!!!! and hopefully, she’ll know that she’s been a great mother to have raise such kid!!!!
Thanks mum!!!!! and Thanks the person who recommended me to the Post, and thank the Post & reporter for choosing me to join your role model list!!!!!
I do hope that I can inspire even one person in this world through my work and journey!!!!!!!
and here’s the full article on Phnom Penh Post : Student of the Week : NARA Sokhema
Student of the Week : Nara Sokhema
This is ma favorite story of all time!!!!
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That year, winter in New York City lingered lazily into late April. Living alone and legally blind, I tended to remain indoors much of the time.
Finally, one day, the chill was gone and spring stepped forth, filling the air with a penetrating and exhilarating fragrance. Outside my backyard window, a merry little bird kept chirping persistently, beckoning me, it seemed, outdoors.
Aware of the capriciousness of April, I clung to my winter coat, but, as a concession to the change in temperature, discarded my woolen scarf, hat, and gloves. Taking my three-pronged cane, I stepped out cheerfully onto my open porch leading directly to the sidewalk. Lifting my face to the sun, I gave it a welcoming smile in acknowledgment of its warmth and promise.
As I walked down my quiet dead-end street, my next door neighbor called out a musical “Hello” and asked if I wanted a lift to where I was going. “No, thank you,” I called back in return. “These legs of mine have been resting all winter, and my joints are badly in need of an outing, so I think I’ll walk.”
Reaching the corner, I waited, as was my habit, for someone….
I think this story is very inspiring….and wanna share it with you.
Hope you like it like i do! 🙂
The Present- by Spencer Johnson
This is one of ma beloved books and authors!!!!! Whenever i’m sad, this is the first thing i have in mind!!!!! Here, i’ve extracted some of the points that i like the most!!! Hope it can be useful for you when u’re sad too!!!!! but you better read the whole book to fully absorb the message!!!!
Enjoy your reading!!!!
It has been long time since the section of the ERP members and Assistants (on 02-04-09) that we finally get together. ok, first of all, find out what ERP is first:
ERP: Extensive Reading Program.
Actually, this program has been planned for years, but finally takes action this academic year 2009-2010, so this mean, I’m in the 1st generation of this ERP pilot program. Before the selection result, I didn’t know anything at all and not even the fact that they choose 100 members and some more assistants, so I applied to be the members. When the result is announced, I was quite amazed what does it mean that that I’m the 12th ranked assistant amongst other 90 assistants. The ERP coordinator then explained that the assistants are the outstanding youth amongst all that are chosen to help the program to success!! I was extremely happy to hear that!!! wow….it’s was so unexpectedly happen….cos I was so scare that I would not even be chosen amongst hundreds of students who apply to be the simple members.
Extensive Reading Program
The very first workshop that we have in the ERP club to improve the reading skills has finished and I have a number of documents, but I can’t find the way to upload it here. If you want to get it, please contact me and borrow my hard copy of the document to copy.
It’s been a long and highly committed piece of work!!! 31 days to be exact! 1 month invested in 6 pages writing, but that’s really worth the effort! I love this journey and its meaningful moments:
The moment i was called to present this writing to the judges and audiences.
The moment the judges & audiences asked me so many challenging questions
The moment the judges counted down the name of winners from top 10 up to top 1st
The moment those senior students of Cambodia Student Association in Japan hand the first medal i’ve ever received in ma life
and especially
The moment I called the audience to stop while they were about to leave the room to request for a chance to speak out openly… to thank my parents, especially my mum for everything!
It was the moment I cried on stage in front of big crow but fearlessly and shamelessly.
It’s a very happy night, tonight!! even I don’t totally accomplish my dream of winning the first prize in the CSAJ essay contest 2009, I at least get the 2nd prize. (certificate and 150$ prize. Plus, a silver medal that I didn’t even know beforehand).
It’s not the prize that is my dream and makes me so happy, but it’s the chance to show gratitude to my parents, especially mum, and prove how far her little kid can go.
Anyway, this blog is getting a little too personal somehow, and as a matter of fact, it’s not about what i do, but about how we can all share moments and grow all together. Let’s get to the point that might be useful for you.
Here’s my 2nd prize winning essay! Hope it might be useful for you and please share back your ideas or comment if anyone in this world happen to discover this post or this blog 🙂
Now….it’s time to take another challenge!!!!! I’ve never known these people….. i just saw the announcement asking for donation at IFL, so i called them if i can join the trip to Svay Rieang with them. Even when they said yes, i was still feeling butterfly in my stomach because I don’t know even one of them, how can i trust them, how can i get along with them? Luckily, my friend, bong sang and Treatra are also going, so at least i have 3 people to talk to if i can’t integrate myself into the alumni of the SSEAYP program.
Phew…..things turn out cool!!!! Far better than my worries……. !!!! It was an awesome community service i’ve done, as we all had a lot of fun, learning about the community and serving it at the same time, especially all of bong bong CPY (Cambodia Participate Youth in SSEAYP program) are very friendly (oh…and especially, bong thisal, is extremely funnnnnny, cheerful, enthusiastic and always make all of us happy all along the trip !!! ) and nice to us, the outsiders. oh…but maybe next year or the year after, I’ll be able to be SIC’s real members too. (ha ha….hope so!!!) Actually, this year we (Treara, sang and me) applied for SSEAYP too, but 4 of us drop out at the 2nd stage and Me,….i dropped out too at the final stage…..(ha ha…that was so closed)…..but we’ll try again next year for sure!!!! Never give up!! I’ll keep trying my best until I success in getting to join that loving and warm SIC family!!……
]All IFL students and lectures on the entrance of the organization.
Sunday morning at 5:30am, my alarm clock rings and wakes me up to get ready for the trip. God!! Unbelievable that I can get up immediately in spite I’ve slept only for 3 and a half hours last night. It’s just so exciting!!! Well…I’m still late….Everybody of my class M1.1 is already there while I’ve not depart from home yet. Fortunately, I still arrive a bit before the bus departs. It’s so bad that we can’t take the same bus, but taking many different buses. Me and my family (Mummy didi, Aunty kim kim, Uncle Eang, Grandma Sang) are in the back seats of the bus number 5. Surprisingly, we are with bong Sovan (SYC05) and her other classmates. Oh la la…our bus is full of M3.6, a few M3.1 and a few M1.1 ISP (my class)…….
SEALNet was the very first social work I’ve even participate, but that time I was told and pushed by my friend, to apply for it and it later become a life changing experience of my life! So…hey, this time, i should challenge myself to get across the fear of being a stranger to go to somewhere I’ve never been too and do sth that I know it’s good but hard to start because of my fear of the outside world…….and finally get addicted to the volunteer work ever since…….
The story started a week ago when I ……………..
Wanna find a marvelous destination after High School Graduation???
IFL is one best choice!!!
I used to be told that the best school to choose in Cambodia is IFL and it is super duper cool, in term of environment, academic discipline and extra activities …but I did not believe….and I said…Nah…it still the same to others school….Let’s just say it’s a bit better, but not that super duper out of the planet 😛
Now…I’m made to be totally agreed with those who told me this. I’m now so soooooo so in love with IFL. I spend 6 days a week there and join in whatever programs exist there!!! IFL is now my beloved school, even better than ACE.
Just a suggestion or recommendation to anyone especially the High School Students to be graduating soon, I strongly strongly recommend IFL to you. For those who want to achieve solid academic knowledge and life time experience by spending agreeable amount of money(550USD a year). If you can’t afford or don’t wanna struggle to pay 1000$ a month or hundred thousand a year to study overseas, IFL is your best solution. If you try very hard and be part of any IFL activity, you’ll soon find yourself a very useful youth now and a great leader tmr.
Well….I cannot wait to gather more information! This is just enough to be inspired to write about the admiration and inspiration I’ve gotten from SYC experience in Singapore, as well as from my own research on Singapore Art and tourism for the Sociology presentation assignment.
Ok, start from the big event!! Chingay Parade: According to my ISE research, it is said to be the yearly event of Singapore targeted to attract that vast amount of tourists, oh…I think it is also for the entertainment and inspiration for the Singapore citizen, especially for the new generation. WoW!! this event is even bigger than my imagination!!Ha….see….that is why I keep saying in the SYC application form that learning from books is not simply enough, you’ve got to see it by your own eye in order to have a very clear vision of it!! Now, I really really open my eyes bigger and even too big and that even makes my eyes drop down (just like in the cartoon!!ha ha)
Chingay Parade
Ok, now get back to my 1st step of the Singapore inspiration. Well…I remember the 1st time I visit Singapore when I was after finishing 9th grade, I just knew that..well…Singapore is modern, cool with those tall building, safe and ect…I thought there’s nothing so super special about Singapore if compared to Malaysia. Hey, but I am totally, completely become so into the Singapore from the SYC program. Why? The 1st time I’ve been there, I was so young and I didn’t get that full experience of Singapore from that skimming and rushing arranged tour. Compare to the SYC, it’s totally different. I’ve got the chance to see
Apart from my very very first and the seed of success “the SEALNet PC07”, SYC is another rocking moment, unforgettable time and inspiring experience!!!
Location: Singapore
Date: 07-13 December 2008
Who: 8 Cambodia youths (16-18 years), around 100 youth from 10 ASEAN countries + Kazakhstan, India, China
How: Application through the Youth Office (Around May)
Cambodia youth Group and our Singaporean friends
ha…..this is one of very first competition that I’ve ever joint. It’s the essay competition of an English improvement program on the radio PM 97.5. The “5 steps 2 English” had launched an essay competition for students to share their ideas under topic “Problems faced by Cambodian learners of English and suggestion to solve the problems.”
A few days ago was the announcement of the result. At that time, they announced the result back from the number 16 to number 1, and I was praying “not me now, not me now…..it should be later”….Then, when it came to number 4, they called my name already……oh la la….it’s would have been better if they just wait a little bit longer to call my name. lolz….. because the 1st to 3rd price is more exciting than the 4th upward!! 😛
Anyway, here, as a learner who also faces a lot of trouble, I’d like to share my essay with you guys. Oh! And please apologize for the mistakes in writing of a 15-year-old kid like me!
Hope you enjoy reading it!!!
Life is a Journey with mission...// Make it worthwhile :) 