Category: 2017-2018

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Unite To Save Our Environment_ SAIMUN 2018

The Saigon Model United Nation 2018 is my second model united nation events abroad. I was strongly committed in preparing for this event. This SAIMUN 2018 would be my third time being apart of the environmental commission, two of them is in Vietnam. I decided to be on this commission because of my passion for science. The day that my teacher told us about the trip, I am then started to look at different topics in a different committee. Some of it is awesome and I kind of wanted to do a research and debate about it. Well, of course, there are some that I didn’t like. When it comes to the Environmental Commission, the four topics are:

  1. Creating a framework for the transfer of technology to low-income countries to combat the effects of climate change
  2. The reduction and management of electronic waste
  3. The question of the erosion of land rights through global land-grabs
  4. The reduction and responsibility for ocean transboundary pollution

Again, I love science and what is more important is that I wanted to solve problems that would benefit the environment. Climate change is a very important issue that no one should neglect it. Electronic waste is very harmful to both human health and environment. The indigenous minority are suffered from the issue of land-grabs. Once the lands have been stealing, the company usually invest different activities to it. Almost always, those activities have adversely affected the environment. There are 1.4 billion tons of rubbish that has been dump into the blue heart of the planet each year. If the amount did not decrease, by 2050, there will be more trash in the ocean than fish.

I love to debate and I care for my environment. I was always been taught to save and make our surrounding clean. I am a change agent. By involving in the events, debating and coming up with resolutions from the issues, it might also change the world. I know for a fact that that resolution won’t go to the United Nation, but as a student, being able to discuss it would also be a change.

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Say No To Drugs

It has been a while that the exploration associated with drugs prevention were creating educational videos, writing down lessons, and brainstorming ideas for the workshops that will be held in the four provinces on the issues of drugs. I was assigned to be the mentors for Prey Veng province. 

On the 19th of March, our mission in Prey Veng began. We leave schools at around noon and arrived at our target around 5 in the evening. We began to look at the location that the workshop with be run and make sure that we have all the supplies that we need. 

On the next day, the workshops began at around 7:30am. We divided the audience into four groups then each mentor took them and starts their lessons. The activities in the workshops went so smooth. I saw a smile on everyone face. It made me happy. Beside their engaging in the events, they also learned a lot about the issue of drugs. I am sure that each and every one of them will be another change agents and continue spreading the awareness of this problem. After the workshop, our next activity is to reach out to villagers at their home and invite them to come and watch our educational video at night. As a result, around 60 people came for the movie. 

The 21st is our last day in Prey Veng. Like yesterday, we start the workshop at the same time, did the same activities, and we receive a similar result. In both days, there are a total of about 190 students participating. 

Say No To Drugs. Spread the words. 

 

 

 

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The Shattered Bridge_ Men’s Gender Roles In Advertisements

Are we going to manipulate the future of gender stereotypes or will the gender stereotypes itself, shape our future?

The Huffington Post reports state that gender roles are immensely used in advertisements which frequently retain hidden depth and unperceivable messages. In accordance with Medialit, it claims that the division of gender roles are deeply rooted for some groups of people. Right beneath our nose, almost every advertisement are encompassed by gender stereotypes which both men and women are adversely affected by it. For men, gender roles and stereotypes are very influential in term of shaping their beliefs and attitudes, especially when it displays anti-male stereotypes.

“Virtually all groups of people suffer from stereotypes and men are no exception. Stereotypes are powerful because they capable of affecting our expectations of what men should and should not be like.”

Medialit also remarks that there is a high probability of seeing male as the first person when you turn on the television. The Krytyka states that outdoor environments are mainly used for men, while characterizing them with a common interest and enjoy of spending time together with friends and family. Additionally, lots of advertisements are presenting men in the fields of being professional, successful, athletic, caring and supporting to his family. In contrast, men used to be viewed and portrayed as stupid, foolish, oafish, and clumsy.

In regard to the Men Are Becoming the Ad Target of the Gender Sneer article, it states that anti-male stereotypes are leading young boys to experience the lack of development and growing up with a weak foundation of their identity. These stereotypes are telling them what they should be and what they should not be; what is right and what is wrong. Men are discouraged to express their feeling in a range of emotions; hurt, fear, and hopelessness, if they do, they will be considered as unmanly, weak, coward, or even gay. Contrary, men are profoundly pushing to cooperate in teams with the need for control, and predominantly, violence is a great way to solve conflicts.

“I tried my best to live up to the masculine stereotype, more often than not quite successfully, despite it making me painfully unhappy”_Jake Milli

Those male victims that were getting affected by the stereotypes are messily struggled, depressed and lost. The anti-male stereotypes causes them to be frightened and viewed themselves with negatively, and feel atrocious for being man when they can’t meet the criteria of being a “real” man. that come with being male.

“…as men, we have to conform to stale and damaging expectations of what it means to conform to this stereotype. By forcing ourselves to abide by ridiculous guidelines, we’re hurting ourselves and those.”_Independent.

Men are incompetent, faint, and pathetic growing up seeing those stereotypes displaying on television every time they opened it. They felt like they are not strong and powerful enough to be standing on their ground and going against those anti-male stereotypes; being who they really are.  

Dr. Nathanson, in an interview within the Men Are Becoming the Ad Target of the Gender Sneer article, stated that “how do boys form a healthy identity?” if they are constantly exposed to anti-male stereotypes.” Has it been done accidentally or with purposes? Some industries don’t even realize that the path they walked on to build the relationships with their customers are abhorrent not only to the users but to everyone who watched, saw, and experienced it, the nightmare.

 

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The Guinea Pig_ IELTS Test Sample Subjects

Many different university in the whole world require their students to have a high point in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  For Harvard University with the acceptance rate of 5.4% in 2016,  required the undergraduate or graduate students is get at least a 7 out of 9 in the IELTS test in order to be selected. English is my second language, thus I need to work hard in order to earn high point on those English Language Proficiency Test,  IELTS,  TOEFL, CAE, OET, and PTE. Four of the Liger Senior and I were chosen to be the IELTS test sample subjects. The goal is to see how many points in average can the Senior earn for now and what factor need to be improved in order to earn higher points. I am now studying for the test and are excited to take the test in the following month, the 20th and 21st of January.  

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The Learning Holiday_Kampot Readers and Writers Festival

On the day for Water Festival holiday where Cambodian will take a break and comes celebrate the holiday, I spent my time going to Kampot for a special events. I think that the four days trip to Kampot is a very effective use of my time. The event called the Kampot Readers and Writers Festival (KRWF), which is so obvious that it is about reading and writing. The essential ideas behind the trip are to learn, to have fun, and to get inspired. Without going any further, I did learn a lot, I have a ton of fun and especially, I was surprised and was inspired by all the inspirational workshops that I was apart of. 

I had to admit that I am not a big fan of writing, but this trip has changed my writing path. Not that now I fall in love with writing or that I get addicted to writing but, it changes my perspective on writing. Actually, writing is not that hard. Here is how I think about it. Let’s compare it to your favorite activity and for me, playing basketball. At first, all I need to do is to have the mindset of practicing because practice become skilled. The more we write, the better our writing. The more we practice shooting, the better shooter I can be. Second, I need to gather the materials. It can be pens, pencils, books, or even a laptop. To basketball, it is like finding my sneakers, socks, and the ball. Third, we just need to get our mind concentrated into it. In basketball case, it is like jogging to the basketball court. Lastly, we just need to write, keep writing and keep writing. When it comes to a point of getting stuck, don’t know what else to write or if you can’t score, paused and try to find others creative idea to solve it and then finish it strong. When you compare a difficult task to your favorite activity, soon you’re going to enjoy doing it too. Remember, many people can run downhill, but not that many people can run uphill, so work with your best. 

 

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Now They Can See Again_Khmer Sight Foundation

On 18, November 2017, I was there in my homeland, volunteering in a very important mission. The mission is associated with the organization called Khmer Sight Foundation. My friends and I were there in Chbar Jros, Kampong Speu, to help with translating, organizing, helping, and making the events to go smooth. The essential idea of the events is to check the villagers eyes sight and if a surgery could be done, Khmer Sight Foundation will provides it for free. We were there helping the foreign optic doctors to translate some of the advice to the patients and making them feel comfortable. We communicated very well with the patients and at the end of the day, we help to find more than 10 patients to bring for their surgery. 

On the way back to school, we brought 5 prioritized patients that their eyes are in a very serious state. We brought them to the eye clinic located near the independent monument and were also there helping to doctor with their procedures. As a Cambodian, we were taught to help people until the mission is done. So, we were there near the patients until they get their surgery. I felt so happy helping them and especially, bring their sight back and actually, lighting up their world.  

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The Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC)

In August of 2017, at around 1:30 pm, I went and visited CEDAC head office with my first Exploration. CEDAC is an organization that promotes organic farming in Cambodia and helping farmers to have healthy life. We went there to understand more about their pesticides monitoring projects. We get to learn more about it and the connection between CEDAC and the farmers. CEDAC have it own offices in 18 provinces in Cambodia. It is a fantastic experience and we get to learn a lot. Now that we get to know about about pesticide monitoring, we are a step closer to our goal.  

 

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Tahkmao Market Mission

In August of 2017, I went on a trip to Takhmao market with my first round Exploration. Part of our project is to understand about different types of pesticide active ingredients and the relationship between farmers and sellers. We visited Takhmao market to interview agrochemical shop owner to get their experience selling the pesticides and to observe more variety of pesticide that were sell. We stopped and interview 4 different agrochemical shop. It is a very interesting trip and the information we gathered are amazing.

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Nightmare of Cambodian People| Killing Field

On October 13, 2017, I went to the place where many Cambodian, who experienced the Khmer Rouge regime, are afraid to go, the Choeung Ek Killing Field. I went there with two friends, Sreyneang and Kimseng and two teachers from Melbourne Girls Grammar school in Australia, Nathalie and Matt. It was hard for me as a Cambodian new generation to visit such a painful, and crucial place. I visited it once and I already experienced it. Before I went there for the second time, I am aware of the events and things that I will see. But everytime I step in the killing field, I felt like I was in the regime and I can see everything that happened on this place. Last time I visited it, there is a tour guide touring us around the campus. This time, I get to use the audio. It is a very different experience. By listening to the audio, it dig me deeper into my heart and I felt more pain as I listened to victims explaining and sharing their own experience. How would you feel walking on the grass and stepping on the place where ten of thousands of Cambodian includes, intellectual, soldiers, women, and kids were executed. Sad, depress, miserable, sorrowful, and more feeling causes me to stop the tour. But, I kept reminding myself that I have to be strong and I should continue my journey in this because by learning about it, I can prevent the history to repeat itself. As a change agent, I would change Cambodia and won’t let this horrible events happen on my country again.    

                

     
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Pchum Ben’s Research Paper

Pchum Ben is one of the Khmer Traditional Ceremony. Cambodian people would go to the pagoda and celebrate together. Students would pause their learning and employee would go to their hometown to have fun time with their parents. Before the ceremony started, in Khmer class, we receive a task to put researches together about this events. The research should encompass the history, folklore story, practises, and some key words. After the research, the team would come together and share their information. Even though the information is similar, but the way that different group display their research is so distinct. I get to learn a lot after listening to different presentation.

 

As a Cambodian students, I believe that everyone other students should learn about different ceremonies. Practices the ceremony is not enough. Sometimes we need to stop and ask yourself, why did we do this? So, by understand different stories and the history of the ceremony, it would make your action more reasonable.