How to be good to myself?

Being selfish is something good people trying to avoid, isn't it? I have been an un-selfish person for ages. I put lots of effort to help family, friend, boyfriend, and other young Cambodian. It is time now that I lose a lot of energy!!!!! I'm awear that I'm starting to be so weak. When I try so hard to please and care for others, my heart keep telling me "Nana, you haven't care of me enough", therefore, I told my heart back "ok ok, I will put more care for you" while my brain said "But Nana, how can you be selfish?" if you don't answer his phone, you are hurting him.

A sentence said "Put yourself first, you can't be anything for others unless you care for yourself" Nice sentence but how to put it to practice ?

Making a different in Phnom Penh

Most of us including myself keep complaining about traffic situation in Phnom Penh nowadays. How many hours do we have to spend in traffic jam each day? Isn’t it a waste of time? Being stuck in the traffic jam wasted our time, plus affected our feeling, isn't it?

So what can we do instead of keep complaining and being angry?

Please find in attachment file for the announcement of fund raising for printing T-shirt (campaign), Please make best used of your few dollars/riel to make a small different in Phnom Penh. We all wanted to tell people to respect traffic light, this T-shirt will help to tell them. This campaign is NOT a project of any organization, association, or government agency; it is truly a project initiated by young people of Cambodia who care to make a simple practical step toward better Cambodia . The T-shirt will be done by the end of June 2009.

Those who make contribution will get one (or more) T-shirt back! Good deal?

If you wish to make contribution, you can contact me at anytime (7 days a week, 24 hours a day). Please include your full name, telephone number or e-mail and most importantly the amount of money you wish to contribute and how the money can be delivered. Please note that any amount (1$ or 1,000 reil) is counted.

A better Phnom Penh start with me and you !

The Heart or The Brain?

Have you ever experienced when your heart and your brain are fighting each other? What will you do if for example, your heart like to do something but your brain said to you No you can't do this? will you follow what your heart want or follow what your brain said?

Give me some advice, please!

Difficult decision

If you have only one choice and have to choose between Hurting yourself and Hurting other, which one would you choose?

In life, sometime we do need to make harmful decision. In theory, we all try to choose the win-win solution, however, in practice sometime we can't always be win-win, someone need to lost. isn't it?

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul

I read a book last night "Chicken Soup for the teenage soul". Here are some interesting quotes:

"Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all"
Isn't it the oppisite from Khmer culture??

"Treat yourself as a whole person, not half a couple"
Many young Khmer women think that they lose their half when they broke up. Why can't they treat themselves as a whole person by themselves??? My boyfriend is an extra part of my life, but without him, I am still a whole Nana. I might lose the extra part of my life, but not half of my life.

"You never lose by loving, you always lose by holding back"
If you feel loving someone, let him or her know. Trust their answer no matter Yes or No, rather than he or she didn't know at all.

What do you think?

Thanks to a friend of mind, Pahnarath for giving me the book. I have learn alot from it.

Nana

Democracy is dying?

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Knowing me better

Thanks for visiting my blog. This is the first time to have my own blog, it is kind of excited. For those who haven't know me yet. Beside my full name, some people called me Nana. I'm 23 years old this year which is kind of scary, I have just realize that time run so fast. I'm a first daughter in my family. I have other two sisters and one youngest brother who are living with me in Phnom Penh. My mum is a clothes seller and my dad is a human right activist. I was born is a very poor family in Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. Having born in a poor family, my parents have struggle a lot for life, yet they have never give up my education. I'm so grateful for that.

I got my first job in the age of 14 years old as a part time volunteer, than at the age of 15, I have earned my first salary of USD 30 for translating during the election. My first salary was unforgettable. Just by having good English and strong commitment, I got selected to a youth exchange program to Sweden for a few month when I was 16. At that time, I considered my victory as it has been a real good luck and I have never imagine that I would be able to travel abroad again. After returning back from Sweden, I went back to my high school and continue my volunteerism with Khmer Youth Association. I finish my high school in 2003 when I was 17. Right after high school, the decision was clear that I can't continue my study in Phnom Penh. So I never consider of coming to Phnom Penh for university. Than, I became an English teacher at a school with the salary of 60,000 Real which equal to USD 15. Being a volunteer at KYA, offered me a lots of chances to attend workshops, meetings, trainings, and other youth activities. At the same time, I was somehow playing the role of my father's personal assistant and driver. By doing that, I learn how to write report, how to organize events, and how to handle pressure. Five months later, I applied for a job at KYA head office in Phnom Penh. I came twice for interviewing, than got accepted. Knowing that I got accepted for the work, my parents allow me to move to Phnom Penh in 2004.

2004 has been a new start of a new life. I live in my own apartment alone for about a year. Than, allowed some friends to live together. Everything I have today started in 2004. As a project assistant at the Peace Building project at KYA head office in Phnom Penh, I received more capacity building and got to know many people and network. I than started to be involve with Citizen Action Net for Social Development and Initiative of Change in 2004. Than, Friedrich Naumann Foundation in 2005 and Global Peace Initiative of Women in 2007. Knowing these organization, I got invited to different programs in Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Malaysia, Philippine, India, and Germany. By now, the dream of traveling is not a problem anymore. I moved from KYA to work for FNF in 2007 after returning back from Germany.

I am now a Program Assistant/Accountant at FNF, a BoD president of KYA, a Core Team member of Citizen Action Net for Social Development, a Core team member and president candidate of Initiative of Change Association, and a Team leader of Cambodian Youth for Leadership.

There are really a lot more to write about life. Let me stop here, I'm open for any comments or questions. I've been always very interested in life story of other people.

For whatever reasons, don't give up. If you can't handle life alone, I wish I am there with you to support at least to be a good listener.

With Love
Sovathana Neang