Business in Cambodia

I am currently in Cambodia working in a provincial not for profit organization with a friend. With this in mind I felt an international taste this month was in order.

My friend, Melina Chan, is a fellow RMIT Business graduate. She started working with the Cambodian organization SABORAS in February 2008 as a participant in the annual Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) program. Her main role here is to ‘capacity build’ the organizations managers and develop their professional English, business procedures and proposal writing.

Cambodia is certainly in development mode with over 500 international and national not for profit organizations at work, including the highly publicized ‘Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation’ which works at improving the areas of environment and children. A lot of the hardships these organizations are working on addressing have taken place after the 1975 Communist Khmer Rouge regime which systematically executed over 1.5 million of the countries most educated and influential people.

Despite these startling obstacles the Cambodian people are extremely beautiful and gracious. Their history has left a cautiously resilient and young population to rebuild a new culture, education and industries. Recent elections sustained the slow reintroduction of democracy to the country. International delegates, including Australian parliamentarians oversaw the Cambodian People’s Party (who has been in power for 25 years), get reelected for another five years.

The countries average economic growth of 5% has been largely driven by expansion within the garment and tourism sectors. Clothing exports were fostered by the 1999 United States of America and Cambodian Bilateral Textile Agreement guaranteeing Cambodia a quota of US textile imports. Currently, the US receives approximately 50% of Cambodia’s total exports. The agreement also offered a bonus if Cambodia could improve working conditions to meet international labor standards. Cambodia also exports to Germany, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and Canada.

SABORAS is a small local not for profit organization hoping to take advantage of such international opportunities. Established in provincial Battambang they are funded mainly by various international donors. Strains on the international economy have hurt funding for one of the organizations most successful initiatives, the ‘Apprentices for Youth’ Program (AYP).

The AYP has received only 40% of necessary funding this financial year and may be forced to drop the number of apprentices from 30 to 12. The US$16,000 of funds not received would have been used to educated and train 18 potential mechanics, electricians, IT professionals, beauticians, dressmakers and bakers. Previous years has seen intakes achieve a 90% success rate of graduation and future employment.

As the Cambodian population lacks education and new skills (particularly in the above jobs) programs like the AYP are essential for the countries development for two important reasons:

1) To assist build regional areas who suffer a drastic lack of infrastructure

2) To skill the emerging labor forces of 1million young people

The handicrafts project I am assisting with as apart of the SABORAS AYAD program offers vocational training and accommodation for disabled women. The students learn how to design and sew kromars (traditional scarves), shirts, hand bags and more. Products are currently sold at local hotels, markets and shops in Battambang and Phnom Penh. The mission of SABORAS Handicraft is to build a handicraft centre in Battambang to fair trade standards while delivering a sustainable livelihood to its students and community.

This month the organization will sell their first products overseas and pursue growth opportunities in the Australian market. My hope is to secure these channels in time for the busy Christmas period and create a sustainable future for this great project. The organization aspires to sell their innovative products via their website, mail order and Australian community markets.

If you are interested in supporting the ‘Apprenticeships for Youth’ or handicraft projects by purchasing some of their products or donating money please go to www.saboras.org or contact me directly at lindamargaretscott21@gmail.com for more information. You’re support is greatly appreciated.

Cambodian Facts and Figures

Interesting Cultural Facts

The Days
The Cambodian business day is based around the hot afternoons and history in agriculture. Most Cambodian people get up every morning at 5am for morning stretches and exercises and begin work at 7am. Everywhere from banks, to temples, to offices and tourist attractions have a two hour lunch break from approximately 11am to 1pm. Most people spend go home and spend these two hours sleeping and eating. The afternoon is spent at work from approximately 1pm to 5pm. Most Cambodian’s, particularly women, do not feel safe traveling after 8pm and prefer to be in bed by 9pm.

The Weather
There are two seasons in Cambodia, the wet and the dry. As the climate changes there is a lot of discussion about when exactly these seasons begin and end. But generally November to May is the dry season (more popular tourist season) and June to October is the wet season. During the wet season the rain is usually very regular and will rain heavily from 1pm-4pm every day. The whole country stops while it rains as people prefer not to travel for fear of flooding and poor visibility.

Number Crunch

Cambodia 2006 figures
Population
Approx 14million

Gross Domestic Product
Approx $27billion (Less then the Beijing Olympics)

Real Growth Rate
Approx 5.5%

Employment
Labor in agriculture 75%
Unemployed 2.5%
Below poverty line 40%

Aid Donations
Approx $500million

Religion
95% Buddhist

Age
Medium age approx 20 years
Only 3% over 65 years

SABORAS
Handicraft Wage
US $40 a month

Commissions per item
US $1

Item retail prices
$4 - $8

Handicraft Students
6

Funding met
40%

Further required funding
US $16,000

"Eat, Pray, Love" - Book Review

Extract from page 23

I was actually feeling kind of delighted about all the compartments of time and space that were appearing in my days, during which I could ask myself the radical new question: “What do you want to do, Liz?”

Most of the time I didn’t even dare to answer the question, but just thrilled privately to its existence. And when I finally started to answer, I did so cautiously. I would only allow myself to express little baby-step wants. Like:

‘I want to go to a Yoga class.’
‘I want to leave this party early, so I can go home and read a novel.’
‘I want to buy myself a new pencil box.’
Then there would always be that one weird answer, same every time:
‘I want to learn how to speak Italian.’

Eat Pray Love

This month I had three good friends recommend me a book, the same book, at the same time! An omen that even I could not ignore. Suddenly the four of us were calling each other as we read and found ourselves holding impromptu book club meetings that involved whiteboard markers and excel spreadsheets!

‘Eat Pray Love’ is a brilliant snap shot of Elizabeth Gilbert’s year of self discovery that every female can relate to. Gilbert shares her methods and ideas for improving one’s life. Her honesty is so contagious that I too found myself wanting to write a pledge, meditate and eat pasta! The book itself has been translated into 30 languages, has sold 5 million copies worldwide and is about to star Julia Roberts in a blockbuster movie. So, you know, it’s doing ok.

About the Author

Elizabeth Gilbert was born in Connecticut in 1969. Her older sister, Catherine Murdock is also an author (‘Dairy Queen’ and ‘The Off Season’). Gilbert’s writings have appeared in popular magazines and were the basis of Disney’s ‘Coyote Ugly’. This year she was voted by Time Magazine as one of the ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’. Wow!

Her books include:

‘Pilgrims’ - New York Times Notable Book, Pushcart Prize Winner, PEN/Hemingway Award Finalist

‘Stern Men’ - New York Times Notable book

‘The Last American Man’ - 2002 The National Book Award Finalist, The National Book Critic’s Circle Award Finalist

Frankie’s Top 5 Favorite Leanings

1. Grow four legs

One of Gilbert’s first insights is a story of meeting an Indonesian medicine man. She expresses her desire to have a ‘lasting experience with god’ and he procedures to draw a beautiful picture of a women. The woman in the picture stands with hands ready to pray and four legs. Where the head should be there are wildflowers and ferns and over the heart is a smiling face.

I love this image of a woman with her feet firmly placed on the ground but watching the world through her heart. I get excited thinking about women embracing this confident yet faithful way of living!

2. Write a petition

In amongst the humor and story telling is Gilbert’s own pain and tough times. She has a moment of clarity on a long drive with a friend. Gilbert is encouraged to ask for what she wants. Not a new idea but one that many women often don’t do.

Gilbert writes a petition to the universe asking for her husband to sign the divorce papers. She then lists everyone she thinks would agree to sign this petition.

My fellow book club members and I now have lists of petitions and found its amazing how many people want to see you happy. It’s more then you can imagine, literally.

3. Standing still

I often feel I am in a race to ‘get happy’, filling my time with hundreds of pursuits that will supposedly make me feel more deserving, more fulfilled, useful etc. but often make me tired or angry. Gilbert travels across continents to find peace and self acceptance and in India she stays in an Ashram to learn meditation.

My favorite Zen master quote she ponders during her stay is, ‘You can not see your reflection in running water, only in still water.’ I know we can’t all disappear to India but for a few minute every day we can practice being still.

4. Be Your Own Best Friend

Throughout the book Gilbert talks and writes to herself, lending to a lot of the books charm as readers are allowed to hear her personal dialogue. She begs, laments, sooks and screams at herself but also cares for herself and learns to be more loving.

My favorite line in the book is when an exasperated Gilbert tells herself to simply, ‘Go back to bed Liz’. A sensible suggestion a kind friend would advise.

5. Four Brothers

For the times you need more then one best friend the book recommends you solicit the help of your four brothers, your guardian angels of sorts. Gilbert learns that Indonesians believe that we are born with family spirits whom we can ask for help.

Whether you interpret these spirits to be real or metaphoric, I like the idea that even when you can’t see anyone around you, you’re not alone.

Hopefully these tasters have inspired you to read more of ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ and begin, complete or continue on your own journey. And if you do, it might be nice to get a girlfriend in on it to, who knows, you might need someone to sign your petition any day now.

Written by ‘Frankie’ Linda Scott

Dear Frankie: The chicken or the egg?

Question

I'm in a bit of a weird situation. I am in my final year of university following which I will be moving home for a year as I am contracted to a graduate job there for one year. My boyfriend does not want to move to my hometown and I do not want to do long distance especially seeing as he is likely to head to Australia. We have painfully admitted to each other that while we love each other we cannot see ourselves being together in the long-term so there is no point trying to negotiate a way of working our relationship into the next year’s changes.

My predicament is therefore what do we do in the meantime? Currently we have decided to stay together till then as we live only houses apart and share the same group of friends therefore would be miserable seeing each other but not being together. My best friend thinks that I should start moving on and break-up with him now however I think that the break-up would be easier when we are living apart and will not be seeing each other constantly.

I’m 22 almost 23 and am worried that I shouldn't be wasting my time when I could be out there finding someone who is my future. What do you think? Are we stupid for just delaying the inevitable?

Thanks,
Anonymously torn

Answer

Dear anonymously torn,

Your name sums the situation up perfectly. ‘Anonymously Torn’ you must become ‘Accountably Decisive’. To do this you need to:

- MAKE decisions based on facts, not assumptions

- STICK to your decisions

You haven’t pleaded your case that you love him, only that you will miss him from a front row seat. Causing me to think you have two options.

Option One – You feel moving cities is a comfortable way to leave him, but not the real reason. You are confident this is not a lasting relationship. You are looking for a way out that won’t hurt people’s feelings. If this is the case, don’t waste another second and end it now!

Option Two – You feel you are in a good relationship and the change of location is the real reason you want to break up. If so, try and enjoy your time together and diplomatically separate when you leave. This will be the easiest way to move forward.

It sounds like you have based current relationship decisions on a lot of assumptions.

- You assume now that you do not want to be together in the long-term.

- You assume he will move to Australia.

- You assume he will not go to your home town.

- And, you assume that your graduate role will work out and you will stay there.

If a single assumption changes the decision you make now will be useless, and on the table for constant change, opening this emotional wound again and again.

Therefore, it is important to trust your instincts and stick to them. I know I’m being hard but you are still young and you must protect your heart as best you can. Whether that be from leaving a boy you love, or staying with a boy you don’t. It’s your decision.

Good luck,
Frankie

Frankie's 5 Men You'll Meet Before Mr. Right

If you've ever felt a sneaky suspicion he's not quite right for you, then you need to read our guide to the five boys that aren't forever material...

Generation Y dating habits swing between chronic impatience and the need to ‘try before we buy’. We all want to find Mr. Right NOW but don’t believe in settling for the first guy that comes our way. What? Basically, we are our own worst enemies. Most of us try on many partners to learn about ourselves, what we like and confirm our final choice is the absolute best available.

But for how long do we window shop? I often worry that if I wait until I am 30 to settle down all the good bargains will have been snapped up! OK, enough with the shopping metaphor but you see what I’m getting at. So, I have devised a ‘top 5 boys’ list of guys you should date before you settle down with the one.

The bad boy
Think Tyler Durden from Fight Club or ‘Mad’ Max. He’ is intense, rough around the edges, a leader but also a bit of a loner, detached and a hard arse (hopefully has hard abs too!)

What’s attractive?
Bad is hot. Big muscles, car grease, devil may care attitudes – yum yum! They ooze confidence and you love them paying attention to you. Everything they do is exciting, spontaneous and risky.
What’s not so attractive?
His spontaneous behavior will also apply to you, he’ll stand you up, treat you mean and even embarrass you. His unreliable nature will wear thin pretty quickly as you begin to feel used and ignored. Intimacy is not a strength of his and the more you want it, the less he gives.
What he’ll teach you?
Once you’ve seen the other side of the grass is not greener, you will be more content to stay on straight side of the wild side. You will appreciate the steadiness and loyalty of your final partner and truly understand that you cannot change people.

The passionate lover
Think Leo in Romeo and Juliet. The passionate lover is absolutely besotted with you, and you with him. You will want to spend every minute together and fulfill each other’s every need. A very intense emotional relationship with amazing highs and soul crushing lows.

What’s attractive?
You feel like a goddess! You feel loved, worshipped and your estrogen levels are going crazy. Your world is filled with sunshine and lollipops.
What’s not so attractive?
Suddenly the attentiveness becomes needy, overbearing and you feel suffocated. This kind of love is unsustainable and unhealthy. Many women will feel that they loose their sense of self and isolate loved ones.
What he’ll teach you?
You will tackle the question ‘is love enough?’ and discover what else is important to you. Things such as compatibility, unconditionally support, truth and reality will lead you away from the fragile Disney picture of happily ever after.

The box ticker
Think Aidan Shaw in Sex in the City. The box ticker is the kind of guy your mother would pick, and your family will love him at Christmas dinners. He has a respectable stable job, is good with cars, can kill spiders and will always tell you your bum looks great in that skirt!

What’s attractive?
It’s easy, everyone will love him and on paper, so do you. He treats you with respect and you can map out the rest of your blissful life together in a committed adult relationship.
What’s not so attractive?
Predictable can be boring, life is too short not to reach for the stars. Your heart does not always agree with your head, and you may feel repressed and resentful in the future.
What he’ll teach you?
This time the question, ‘is sensible enough?’ will plague you. Suddenly new things you hadn’t thought of before are important to you - like being challenged, learning and having passion.

The Chloe Handbag
Think Hollywood’s A list - Jude Law, Orlando Bloom or Jesse Metcalfe. He usually dresses like a model, is swarve, charismatic, charming and everyone will be so jealous of you!
What’s attractive?
He is! And so are you when you are showing him off. Your photo album never looked better! You feel the need to introduce him to everyone you’ve ever met referring to him as ‘your boyfriend’ every opportunity you get!
What’s not so attractive?
You know you deserve the finest in the world but you are secretly worried. Worried he’s going to cheat, you’re not attractive enough, why he is he with me at all and that it won't last. This leads to an insecure foundation and eventual heartbreak.
What he’ll teach you?
Once you’ve proven to yourself you can get the stud you can focus on a 'good personality'. Personal priorities appear, ‘am I willing to spend that much time maintaining the outside appearance?' Your grandmother told you, but now you believe her ‘looks aren’t everything.'

The diamond in the rough
Think poor Albert Brennaman in Hitch or Harry Goldenblatt in Sex and the City. The diamond in the rough is an old-fashioned fixer upper. He is endearing, makes a good friend, is a tad socially awkward and usually has some random specialty.
What’s attractive?
His comfortable and loving nature puts you at ease. You find his little flaws, that only you understand, charming. You value each other and smile when you think about him.
What’s not so attractive?
It may be difficult for your friends and family to understand the attraction and to accept him straight away. His faults will become too hard to look past making you frustrated, and the rough may mean you are not as attracted to him as you want.
What he’ll teach you?
He will teach you the value in getting to know the genuine individual within and that nobody is perfect, even you.

Once you have been with these five you will have experienced a variety of the highs and lows that love offers. You will have learnt what’s truly important to you and the strengths you can offer to your Mr. Forever. Don’t forget, he’s out there trying to find you too!

Good Luck!

Frankie