Enough with the Stereotype

Born in rural area of Cambodia, which is culturally conservative, I had always been told not to be influenced by any foreign cultures regardless where they came from, making me regard any cultures different from mine were wrong. Politically, the hatred toward Vietnam, the neighboring country, had ingrained in me since birth because I am surrounded by the society that regards Vietnamese as our enemy due to countless cruel treatments and political influence from Vietnamese government on Cambodia as the history suggests.

Talking about my perspective toward the world, I branded western countries the heaven of democracy, peace and humanity. I defined Islam the religion of terrorism, so every Muslim, to me, was the terrorist. I stereotyped my fellow Asians the most selfish people of the humankind, and by Asians, I mean Chinese. All of my views toward certain race, culture and religion were shaped by people around me and local and international media, which the low interest in doing research on the matters also plays a role. I believe that the hatred or misunderstanding on Vietnamese, Muslims or Chinese exist not only in me but also most Cambodians, which lead us to nonsensically discriminate them in our daily life whether in school, workplace or international platform.

Not until I was selected to join programs abroad, with the participants from different Asian countries, I was able to interact with individuals who are Muslim, Vietnamese, Chinese and the like. I got my eyes open, realizing that not every Chinese is self-interested, Muslim is suicide attacker, or Vietnamese is obsessed with invading Cambodia. I felt guilty for having judged them the way I used to, for most of the people I encountered with were open-minded, respectful and selfless.

Therefore, I started to change my mind completely with the commitment to also change Cambodians’, starting from the family member, friends, neighbors to my students by advocating them not to jump into conclusion on certain race, culture or religion by the manipulated information or news the mainstream media and others wants us to know, because a lot more positive aspects behind the scene are not displayed.

Letter to the Minster of Education, Youth and Sports

Dear Your Excellency,

I am writing to raise my concern about the application to join 16th ASEAN-Korean Future-Oriented Youth Exchange Programme.

The deadline of the application is Monday 12, January 2014, but we, Cambodian youth just got the information today from the MoEYS Facebook page, which gives us, especially youth in the provinces, a very limited time to apply since Monday, the deadline day is all we have. I checked the MoEYS website regularly, but I did not see anything.

Isn't it obvious that the Ministry of Education is trying not to share it to the public to keep this opportunity for some exclusive people like it has always been rumored?

I don't know whether you have taken noticed of this matter or not, but please help us since there are a lot of young potential youth out there who are really qualified for the programme.

I wish you a very happy new year and success in leading the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.

Please excuse me for my informality in this letter since I'm so anxious to share to you. I look forward to your reply.

Best Regards,

CHEAB Puthika

2013 Review

Looking back at how I’ve lived my life in 2013, I just feel so blessed. I didn’t get anything I wanted, but everything I needed was supplied by God. I have the family that can’t be exchanged with any priceless things on earth. And the besties around me never failed to cheer me up. I got friends that always taught me how to smile and to laugh like wild. I’ve received so much love up to the point that I forget how to hate people except my sh*tty government.

However, there’re still many problematic things that cost me heartbreak, headache, sickness, disappointment, stress, sadness, loneliness, and stuff. But who cares? Those sorts of things were sent to make a stronger me. I might have been disliked by some or even many people because of my wrongful acts or straightforward speaking, and I’m sorry for that if I hurt you to whatever extend. But if the inconvenient truth I spoke happened to make you feel uneasy, I’m sorry that I have no intention to stop me from expressing it out.Talking about the remarkable achievements, I think there’s nothing much. I got employed as a part-time English teacher which is the brand-new experience for me. Because of this job, I can live on my own, but still, I needa ask for extra money from mom for partying and shopping. More than that, I also left me some spaces for voluntary works that I’m kinda addicted to them, and thank God for exposing me to the right people that become my friends later on through those works.

The mission in 2013 is accomplished, and I’m ready to rock another one in 2014. Thank God, family (especially mom and dad), besties, friends, mates, and everyone I know for being around me just because of who I am. Happy New Year and GOD bless you all.

Change???

My Indian friend once told me, "you don't have to emigrate to America if you love America that much. Make your country the second America for you and your people." Honestly, I think it'll take eternity to make Cambodia become like America, but I positively believe that we, Cambodians, will make a better Cambodia if we're committed enough not to place our own interest in the first priority.

"It's not the real happiness when enjoying your material comfort while people sharing your nationality are fighting for the basic needs."

My Faithful Buddy

Literally speaking , we've been together for more than three years, but I feel like it's just a second. You're from the country superior to mine, but you didn't stay up high like a boss but a good buddy instead, who always accompanied me to my destinations whether it's in the sunny, stormy, windy, rainy or cloudy day, or on the smooth, bumpy, paved, unpaved, wide, narrow, straight or curved roads. You didn't care what the people said how outdated, slow and crap you were. All you cared was to help me through every path I chose to drive on. Now I'm sorry that I have to send you away, and by any chance will we meet, I hope we won't be strangers but the best friends who are physically far but emotionally, spiritually, and mentally close to each other.

You'll always be in my heart and brain.
Good bye, my Honda Super Cup 50...!

Moments

Applying to study at IFL was not the original decision of mine; it was my dad’s. He did insist that I had to take the entrance exam of IFL, no matter what. At that time, I pessimistically believed IFL was too far to reach, so I’d better not to waste time on taking the preparation course. By GOD’s grace, I was admitted to be an IFLer, whom many people want to be. With just a blink of an eye, I’m a senior now. I have made countless memories here, both breathtaking and suffering.

Honestly, stepping on IFL’s campus for the first time, I felt not belong at all, as to my two eyes, I saw everyone was so intelligent that I, for sure, was not. I did ask myself a question, “who am I daring to study here?” All I could answer was I was just a country youth who came to pursue my study in Phnom Penh alone in the most challenging environment with the low percentage of success. But the longer I spend times at IFL, the deeper I explore myself and people around me. Compared to who I was back to 3 years ago, I have improved a lot in terms of English language even if it’s not satisfying yet. It’s like watching a comedy show when I read my past English writings. Read it yourself, “……I am so happy today in my life. I become friend with a lot of many friends……” Funny enough? Not only do I improve my knowledge, but I also have gained many beautiful-hearted friends. We laugh at the same jokes, we cry when mountains of assignment have been placed upon us, we desperately stay up all night cramming for exams, we cooperatively procrastinate when deadlines nearly come, we eat, we sing, we gossip, we fight, we pull each other’s hair, we tease each other, we go on trip together, and most importantly, we all are going to graduate from IFL, the moment when we can’t do these things anymore. Thinking of this does turn me into a flood of tears, but the truth is true. I can’t change anything but count those moments as the dream that I together with my fellows used to dream.

I believe everything is not the coincidence. It is arranged by GOD. He led me to IFL, He’s brought me greatest friends, and He’s made every single day of mine at IFL the masterpiece. If possible, I’d like to store the feeling in those moments somewhere in order to charge it into my heart whenever I want to feel it. Am I too emotional? Yes, I am.

Cambodia’s Music Industry Nowadays

In the 1960s, Cambodia was very prosperous. Every sector was very well developed, and what amazes me the most was entertainment industry. At that time, movie and music industry did make many countries in Asian region jealous. We had Sin Sisamuth and Ros Sereysothea, whom Cambodian people of all generations regard as the Golden-Voiced King and Queen respectively. And there were so many talented filmmakers, song writers, movie stars, traditional dancers, and so forth.  What about nowadays? When talking about this, I’m deeply disappointed. If I’m not wrong, 90 percent of Khmer songs are plagiarized from Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, China, or the US. Is it true that today Cambodians aren’t creative enough to compose our own songs? NO, absolutely not. There are a lot talented people out there, but they don’t have chance to show up. Why? Because Cambodia doesn’t have official modern art school that trains people to be the professional song writers, singers, or musicians. All we have is Royal University of Fine Art that is believed to be national conservationists that pay more focus on traditional dance, music, drama, play, and the like, and the new generation are not fond of that. That forces unskilled music composers to illegally copy the melodies from others and write their own lyrics or even translate the whole meaning from the original works in order to please the audience which are mostly youth. Some are happy with those songs without caring where they come from, but some are so sensitive with the act, especially the plagiarism from Vietnam and Thai, the neighboring countries of Cambodia. One of the reasons is no matter how hard they try to make the original songs, they can’t make satisfying amount of money from their hard works. That’s because people don’t buy the original CDs but the copied ones. This should be blamed on the unforceful intellectual property law of Cambodia. In short, without the encouragement and cooperation from the related institutions of the government, Cambodians will never ever hold our heads up high when coming to talk about entertainment industry especially the music.