Out of the Ordinary

Browsing through the net over a year ago, I read some really great articles about how an entrepeneur from Canada created an organization in Cambodia to help those that are disadvantaged and otherwise rejected by society. I was quite intrigued and fascinated by the actions accomplished by this person and the organization he was able to create, though many said it would never come to be and that it was truly impossible. Just because people say it is not possible, should that stop us from trying? Of course not.

I visited this organization's web site and was even more impressed by the social impact accomplished by them. So I thought to myself, wouldn't it be more meaningful to use my IT skills to help people who would truly benefit? In my quest as an idealist and philanthropist, I sent out my best resume and best cover letter I have ever written to the CEO. Lo and behold, the CEO contacted me shortly after I had sent my email. We exchanged many emails, and he even introduced me to many of his contacts and colleagues. Unfortunately, after a couple of months, my endeavor to join this organization came to a stall.

During that same time, I now remember that I had gone to Boston and visited the campus of MIT and Harvard, which are respectively the schools of the CEO. In addition, I had bought a book with regards to the flattening of the world. This book discussed the global economy of today's world. A rather thick book it is, that it took me several months to finish it. When I did get to the end, it even talked about the organization I had contacted several months before. Just a coincidence of course, but that was a year ago.

Just a couple of months ago, I again was searching through the net, and saw an opening at this very same organization. The job opening was for project management, requiring the IT skills that I have acquired throughout my career. What is interesting about the job posting, is that it was posted on a site called idealist.org, on the day of my birthday. People always say that I am an idealist and that I am so picky. Coincidence obviously.

So again, in my quest to also fulfill a childhood dream of helping my country of origin, I contacted the CEO of this company. To be honest, I thought I was just throwing another message in a bottle into the deep blue sea. The CEO quickly replied and had his colleague contact me for a possible job interview by phone. Ring, ring, I got the phone interview. I was a bit nervous at first, but all in all, everything went rather well, and lead to another phone interview. But this time, with the CEO himself!

In my first interview, I was caught by surprised, for I thought the person who would be calling would be a man, for I did not know the gender of the first name. In the second interview, I was also surprised, for the CEO initially spoke to me in French! I knew he was from Canada, but not Montreal. Interesting. So we spoke about the possibilities, responsibilities, and the details. Things appear to be a good match, at this point in time ... The CEO talked about his background, and how his family survived the Holocaust. In fact, it seems that our family share some of the same historical events and tragedies, but during different periods in history.

My friend always said to me to do something out of the ordinary. Guess what? I'm going to take a leap of faith and actually do something out of the ordinary! Tip originally means miracle in Cambodian. By no means do I think I will be able to perform miracles or save the world, but at least some of us are trying to make a difference in this world.

Come and Go

Looking at the vast blue sky above our heads, we see the clouds gathering to form shapes and symbols that only our wildest imagination can envision.

The fluffy white clouds come and go from afar, separate from one another, to again come together to be united as one.

Whether it be in the near or distant future, people from afar come and go to meet again.

As with clouds, the unions and gatherings of people symbolize memories to be cherished and to entertain our imaginations.

Busy, busy week in France

The busy week has finally ended in France where headline after headline, things are finally coming to a calm.

It all started with Thierry Henry's record breaking game against Lithania last Wednesday, October 17th, . With the French national team, Henry scored 2 fantastic goals in the last 10 minutes of the game to bring France closer to a qualifying bid for next summer's European championship in football (soccer for Americans). In doing so, Henry became the best striker in French history surpassing Michel Platini, who was until now, considered the best of the best. As they say, records are made to be broken. Final score, France 2 - Lithuania 0.

Ah but that same evening, all of France was preparing what was called a black day. Throughout France, they were numerous strikes in the public transportations. Consequently, many people were not able to work, and traffic jams were all around testing everyone's patience and nerves. Even until today, people are still struggling to find their way home with the public transportations.

Not only that, after several weeks of speculation by the press, it is official now. Our newly elected president is now a single man. Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife are officially divorced. It was indeed a black day for many, and for our president as well.

But bad news never come alone. After having defeated the so called best team in the world in rugby during the Worl Cup quarter-final against New Zealand, not only did the French rugby team lost in the semi-final against a mediocre English team 17-9 last week, but it got man-handled and humiliated by Argentina 34-10 during the 3rd place game. The French flare flamed out after France's emotional and tremendous game against the All Blacks.

All in all, the press in France and its people have many things to talk about. It is time now for Sarkozy and the French rugby team to start all over again and write up new stories and legends to inspire and intrigue us. Soon, we'll be talkin bout a revolution ...

Nothing Is Impossible

For the past 4 years, New Zealand's rugby team ,the All Blacks, has dominated the world of rugby. The All Blacks have terrorized and crushed all of their opponents with so little effort that they are highly regarded by many as the best team in the world. In fact, by looking at the scores of their past respective games, it seems that most of their effort thus far has gone into their traditional and trademark Haka ritual pre-game dance. The Haka alone frightened their opponenents.

Throughout the world, it was a foregone conclusion that the All Blacks would beat France in the quater-final of the World Cup 2007. Who are we the kid, France was no match against the All Blacks in their last 6 games. And if the first round of play proved anything, the All Blacks looked invicible in the current World Cup. Of course, when the going gets tough, and the tough gets going, the All Blacks' invicibility ended tonight against France in the quater-final of the World Cup 2007!

Experience is what we call past mistakes. While France had been embarassed and humiliated by the All Blacks for the last 4 years, it has finally learned from its past encounters against them. France finally proved the rugby world wrong by brilliantly applying a strategy to defeat the best team in rugby tonight. In 1999, France had beaten an arrogant and over-confident team in the semi-finals of the world cup back then, when the All Blacks were also considered the very best in rugby. As the saying goes, those who do not learn history are condemened to repeat it.

For the past week in France, the slogan has been Nothing is impossible! Indeed, nothing is impossible in life, espcially in sports! Allez les bleus!

4 Agreements

I have stumbled upon an interesting book entitled "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz. While the four agreements may seem quite obvious to any soul, it goes without saying that it goes a long way in finding peace of mind in this world. The four agreements are as followed:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

Heroes

Watching the incredible science fiction series Heroes, I found an uncanny relationship. Really, I never thought I would appreciate a series that much, and it is rather refreshing. I believe many people can relate on how difficult it is to carry so much weight on one's shoulders, much like Peter Petrelli. What to do when outsiders dont understand you, but yet, every step or decision one makes, has an impact on so many people, whether we realize it or not? Everything happens for a reason right? And eventually, we find our place and role in life, much like the heroes of the series, who gather to save the world. But you know what? There are real heroes around the globe, who also dare to make a difference and help people in dire need of help.

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles"----Christopher Reeves

Things That Make You Go Hmm

Is it not strange, that certain events that take place in life, all seem to happen at once? For instance, when things go bad, everything seem to go bad like a domino effect. On the other hand, when things go rather well, everything seems to be going so smoothly. Oddly enough, after 8 years of searching for a new employment, I now have oodles of choices for my next potential job. Go figure, but all these opportunities just seem to all pop up at the very same time. Hmm ...

The question is now, which job should I persue among the 3 choices I have:
1 - Stable job in a big company that will allow me to work and travel around the world.
2 - High paying job in the land of the dreams.
3 - Fullfilling and benevolant job that will enable me to utilize my skills for the better good of mankind.

This is one of those things that make me go hmm right now. Questions, questions, I have some questions ... I want to know ... Certainly, I am going to carefully think it over. Perhaps after my skydiving experience I will see the light!

Time To Move On

After 8 successful years at Arsenal in England, Thierry Henry has finally decided to move on to play for Barcelona in Spain. In England, Titi, as we call him in France, is a living legend and is amongst the best strikers in the premier leauge. Of course, he could have stayed in England and be in a confortable position for the remainders of his career. But instead, Titi seeks new adventures and mountains to conquer in Spain.

By no means am I like Titi at all! However, like him, after 8 years of loyal service to my current company, I feel I have nothing to prove anymore. Everywhere I have been, every client or project I have worked for, I have more than shown my talents and skills. Like Titi, I believe it is also time for me to move on and look for new horizons to defeat!

Do the Right Thing

After having graduated from the university back in the US, I had set my eyes to return to France. At the time, most of my chum friends did not understand why I would even consider doing that. They say, in the US, we can make so much more money. Truth be told, they are absolutely right, but there are some things not even money can buy. After all this time, no matter the adversities and difficulties I have encountered, I have no regrets with the choice I made. It was the right choice at the time.

A couple of years ago, my French colleague asked how is it I still lived with my mother. I replied that I could not just leave her by herself being my mother. Obviously, the mentality among Americans and French is different from that of Asians or Africans. The Western mentality has always been that of a bird leaving his / her nest and making it on its own. Whereas in Asia for instance, children stay with the parents for quite some time. At times, even living with the parents after marriage and having children. In China for instance, you would even see even 3 or 4 different generations in the same household!

Several years after I had returned to France, my other friends also followed and returned to their homeland. Some, like myself, had returned due to family obligations. Others, while they were also making lots of money, returned to their home to be closer to their family and friends. After all that has been said and done, it goes without saying that money is not always the most important thing in life, contrary to popular belief.

So part of me is French, as I am somewhat of an idealist, and often think too much like your typical French person! Part of me is American, for I am a dreamer at times, and always yearn for the impossible and the great adventures. Last but not least, part of me is Cambodian, for I have always been there to help my family, no matter what the sacrifices. What we must always remember, is that we are who we are today thanks to our families, and we should never forget that.

Parents in Seoul

My mother just called from Seoul. She and my father have been there for the past week. She enjoys it a lot. Of course, she says it's just OK. Ah, once you know Paris, it is a rather difficult task to compare any other city. In fact, she says that there aren't alot of people who speak English.

Hmmm, that reminds me when I visited Seoul in 2002. It is true though, only the new generation spoke English, even after the world cup. What was awkward for me then, during my 3 days in Seoul, it was that I never saw another person who even came close to my tanned skin. I felt I was the only colored person in the whole city! It was even more awkward for my Korean friend, who is a girl.

What made this trip most memorable, was the fact that a total stranger that I had met in Paris a few months back, took the time and had the courtesy to welcome me in Seoul and tour me around. I have not met a nicer girl ever since!

Failure and Possibility

As with everything in life , sometimes we must learn to accept failure and move on in order to evolve in this constantly changing world. It is not always easy to accept failure, especially after having put so much effort. Obviously, moving on and getting past the disappointment takes time. Personally, in everything I have endeavored, I always did my best and have no regrets, regardless of the outcome. The most difficult part of failing of course, is the fact that one truly believed in a given goal or objective. Sometimes, it does not matter how much effort one puts into something, it is just not meant to be, and we must let things carry out naturally. But hey, there is nothing wrong with chasing stars. Who knows, maybe one day you will catch one! There are always other opportinities in life. So always yearn for the best and the impossible!

Dreams be Dreams

While I was attending elementary school in France, during recess, my friends and I would regularly attempt to conceive and dream up a plan to drive off the evil army that was occupying and harming Cambodia, and help its people. At the time, my friends and I were only about 6 years old, but yet politically aware of what was happening around the world. It is funny, for I had not thought of this childhood dream in such a long time. Not since I was 3 feet tall. Who knows, maybe one day I'll have the chance to accomplish this childhood dream and actually help people in Cambodia. As Jack Johnson says, "Don't let your dreams be dreams."

How Old Are You?

Last year in Cambodia, I once picked up my niece and nephew from school. Upon picking up my niece, her teenage friends said I barely looked 20? Several months later in the US, while shopping with my teenage niece, her friend thought I was her cousin. She said "No! He's my uncle!" LOL. Just recently, I met this female doctor in Cambodia. She's a couple of years older than I, and inquired about me and my age. Likewise, she was surprised at my age, and thought I was barely 20??? Then my mom would go ... "Ah it's your fault, you look too young!" Huh?! How is it my fault if I look younger than my age? Shouldn't it be a compliment? Moms. Go figure.

Follow the Current

In France, the laws are rather strict when it comes to firing or laying off people. As a matter of fact, it is quite a hassle to let go of personel. So much, that there are so many consulting/service companies that exist to provide the necessary and competent work force in a timely manner to other companies. For those that work in these so called consulting companies, going from one mission to another, one client to another, is always a surprise. Some good. Some bad.

Changing regularly from client to client allows some of us to see different projects, people, environment, and technologies. It is rather intriguing at first. However, with time, some prefer to look for something more stable and fix, and not worry about what the next mission will be, or which client he or she will end up with.

When I started working for my current client several months ago, other consultants had arrived in my team before myself, and were quite interested in being hired by the client. Naturally, they worked and invested alot of their time to please the client. As for myself, like Jack Johnson says, "what will be, will be, and so it goes". I really have a don't care attitude, but I do my job professionally regardless, and everybody seems quite content.

Content may be a modest adjective, for they have asked me today if I wanted to join the company. Strangely enough, the people who have been showing off and doing everything to please the client have not had any official proposition. In the end, it is the very discreet, don't care person that has this opportunity. I suppose sometimes we should not try too hard to impress others, and just be our best naturally, and just let things be.

Hmmm .... according to the person responsible of the department (2 levels above my project manager), there are 3 reasons why they wish to hire me:
1 - I have good rational and communication skills?
2 - I have the necessary skills for the new generation of projects to come.
3 - I am very mobile.

My name keeps coming up in the list of consultants to be hired, and it seems everyone agrees about appreciating me. OK that is nice to hear this. Well of course they appreciate the fact that I dont complain like your typical French person!

In joining this company, I will be able to work on many international projects, thus travelling and discovering many new cultures and countries. In addition, I would have more vacation holidays, more bonuses, and a higher salary. Sounds nice huh?

So my answer? Let me think about it ...

Learning the Guitar

One day before Zizou's famous head bud during 2006's world cup final, I had just bought myself a folk guitar. During that summer, I had just happened to find the inspiration to learn to play the guitar. Don't ask me why, but it happened. In my quest to master this absolutely magnificient instrument, I set out to buy numerous DVDs and books to learn.

I must admit, things look rather easy at first sight, but it is far from it, believe me. Not only must you memorize the different notes, but for each note there are different chords to strum. Not to mention the steel chords on a folk guitar are quite painful to the naked fingers. But once the chords memorized and the ability to change notes correctly, I was able to start playing a couple of easy songs. Yet for some reason, the songs I played never sounded quite right. My endeavor to play the guitar lasted a couple of months til I broke one of the chords.

Fastforward 7 months later, and I finally got my guitar fixed. I now realize, though I knew the basic chords, I had played them wrong all along. While browsing through Youtube, I found this guitarist, Justin Sandercoe, who was kind enough to give free guitar lessons on the internet. As a matter of fact, his lessons are great as he give pointers on what to do and not do. The URL is the following: http://www.justinguitar.com/

So here I found myself learning to play the guitar all over again. The steel chords still feel rather painful, and my fingers are not as flexible and long as I would like them to be. It is rather difficult to play the different notes correctly, that many times, I have felt like giving up. But with practice, my fingers are starting to get used to the chords, and are becoming more flexing as well. To be honest, with all the stretching and flexing with my left hand and arm, I now feel muscles I never tought I had. In some ways, with my left arm being stronger than before, it feels as if I have found balance between my natural right arm and my left. It goes without saying that practice does make one better, so we'll see how things progress. I just need to take my time to do things the right way.

Whether it be learning to play the guitar or doing anything else, we can always find ways to improve ourselves in our everyday life or society. Nobody is perfect, and there is always room for progress and evolution. Sometimes, we just need to look into the mirror to make a change in this world.

Russian Dolls

Quotes from the French movie Russian Dolls:

If I think about all the girls I've known or ... just desired, they're like a bunch of Russian dolls. We spend our lives playing the game, dying to know who'll be the last. The teeny-tiny one, hidden inside all the others. You can't get to her right away. You will have to follow the progression. You have to open them, one by one, wondering, "Is she the last?"

I know you're not always perfect. I know you have tons of problems, defects, imperfections... but who doesn't? It's just that I prefer your problems. I'm in love with your imperfections. Your imperfections are just great!

Different Ground

Not long ago, I met a really intriguing and charismatic person. For some reason, we never seem to be on common ground. No matter what I did, nothing seems to work out and we often argue. It is not so much about who is right or wrong, but I believe it is more about misunderstanding and miscommunication. Yet, after all the efforts and good deeds I may have done, this person overlooks any good qualities I may have and only see the faults in me. As they say, it is not about finding a perfect person. It's seeing an imperfect person perfectly.

So my friend explains to me that we are on different grounds. This person vibrates on a different frequency than me, and that this person does not feel me, according to Buddhism. My very wise friend says that I probably vibrate on higher frequency, and that this person needs to bring him or herself up. I asked why is it that I vibrate higher? It seems that I have been to the West. According to Buddhism, there's a Western world where Amitabha Buddha resides. In the Western world, it's easier to reach enlightenment.

Of course, as my other wise friend says, I should be thankful that my heart was touched by someone so special, and be thankful as well for the opportunity and excitement of getting to know one another, regardless of the outcome.

I must admit, good reasoning and advice! Thanks guys!

Sarkozy

Two and a half years ago, my nephew and niece from Cambodia came to visit Paris. It was their first time travelling outside of Asia, and they were at awe with everything they saw. Everything was such a great experience to them. It was a once in a lifetime experience.

During their stay, I had shown them all around Paris. And before they left, I took them to an auto show. At the auto show, we ran into Nicolas Sarkozy, who was just a minister then. M. Sarkozy shaked the hands of both my nephew and niece, and is now the new president of France. Upon my last trip to Cambodia, I shaked the hands of both my nephew and niece, just in case I'd get lucky like M. Sarkozy.

Ever since my return, I finally got my guitar fixed ... 6 months later. Today, I even played the lottery in the Euro Million. Let's see if the wheel of fortune finally turns. One thing is sure, I still got 39% chance of luck for the end of year ... we'll see if the tables start to turn ... talking about a revolution.

Million Euro Solution

The colossal project for which I currently work for in Kobenhavn encompasses several platforms for which certain milestones and payments are due. The system on the platform for which my team and I are working on, is up and running well, and is considered the model for the other platforms. Yet, for some reason, the other platforms have not had their full system working properly for now two months, thus blocking any kind of payment. Numerous experts and other competent people have attempted to fix this problem. Noticed how I used the word attempted? That's because so far no one has succeeded to solve this enigmatic problem that is causing so many headaches, stress, and sleepless nights to so many managers.

Like any good superhero in the movies, I took upon myself the challenge to do the impossible and find the million euro solution. After several days of analyzing and investigating, and learning upon other people's trials and errors, my colleagues and I finally found the million euro solution to the little bug that's been bugging everyone. After having two absolutely gorgeous Danish women smile at me this week in Kobenhavn, I knew something special would happen, especially on Friday the 13th! I can tell you one thing, the blood pressure of alot people finally dropped! Yes Thomas Edison! You are absolutely right! We should never be discouraged, for every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward to finding solutions for today's and tomorrow's problems!

Chaul Chnam Thmey

Chaul Chnam Thmey, as they say in Khmer, is the Cambodian New Year from April 13th to April 15th. It represents the end of the harvesting season for the farmers, who take the time to enjoy the fruits of their labor before the start of the raining season. Happy Cambodian New Year to all! May prosperity be with you!

Silver Surfer

When I first saw the movie trailer for the sequel of the Fantastic Four, Rise of the Silver Surfer, I was at awe at the sight of seeing the Silver Surfer. The Silver Surfer has always been one of my favorite comic book characters growing up. With a simple designed armor, coated in silver and a surfing board to travel in space at the speed of light, the Silver Surfer puts the cool in the word coolness.

Unlike so many super heroes before him, the Silver Surfer's special abilities did not come at birth, nor through mutation or any accidental event. Rather, they come from a choice of responsibility and morality. In order to save his home planet Zenn La from Galactus, the devourer of planets, Norin Radd sacrificed himself for the good and the sake of the ones he cherish and love so much. By serving Galactus as a herald, Norin Radd became the Silver Surfer with cosmic powers, and prevented his planet from being destroyed.

Every once in a while, people in their lives must take responsibility and sacrifice for their love ones. It is almost a universal condition in mankind. Whether it be the parents working a dead-end job to make ends meet in order to support their children, alot of people can relate to the Silver Surfer's sacrifice and responsibilities one way or another. As best said in the Spiderman comic book, "With great power, comes great responsibilties." With his great powers, we come to see the Silver Surfer evolve with even greater responsibilties.

1/2 empty or 1/2 full?

Is this glass of water 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? In everything we may see, encounter, and experience in our everyday life, it is easy to criticize and see the negative aspects in any given situation or person. With so much negativy that we see on TV everyday, like Jack Johnson, I also ask myself "Where did all the good people go?" What distingishes many artists and good photographers around the world, is their talent for finding creativity and beauty in everything all around us, even in the simplest things in life. It is a talent that can be learned by just about any good soul on this heavenly planet. So like an artist or photographer, if people can learn to focus and find more positive issues or attributes in today's world, we'd see this glass of water as 1/2 full rather than 1/2 empty.

Chankrisna

Life is full of adversity. There will be times when we ask ourselves, why in the world is this happening to me? No other human being has it worse! What have I done to deserve this?! I'm so tired of this life. We may not know it now, but everything happens for a reason. Only in the future then, can we look back at our paths, make the connections, and understand all that has come to be.

We all make mistakes one day or another. But you know what? Experience is what people call their mistakes. The choices we make may not always turn out as hoped. Everything is a learning experience, though the lessons of life are not always easy to accept, especially those that we have no control over. All we can do is learn from our mistakes and the wrong choices made, and aspire for a better tomorrow. For the rest, enjoy and appreciate each moment in its own sweet time.

Life has its cycles, like the spring, summer, autumn, and winter seasons that pass us by regularly during the course of a year. Like a tree, we must withstand the heavy rain, harsh wind, and chilling temperatures that we may encounter. Only through such adversities can a tree become stronger and survive to see the spring, and blossom to its full potential during the summer time.

Chankrisna means tree in Cambodian. Humanius est deridere vitam quam deplorare (from Seneca in Latin, it's better to laugh at life than cry over it). So courage in yourself, and keep smiling and laughing!

True Colors

Chatting around with my colleagues during a sunny spring day at work, I kid how a vacation would be welcomed at this time. Especially since I need to find my true colors. "The harsh and cold winter here has made me look pale", I say to them. My colleagues laugh at the irony of me needing a tan, and say "Hey, you're lucky cuz you're tanned all year". Well, only in Europe and America my chum friends.

In many Western countries, it is quite in vogue to be tanned. To Westerners, people who are tanned like myself represent a population from one of those exotic islands. We also represent those who seem fortunate to vacation and travel often to sunny destinations. There are numerous Westerners who spend quite a bit of their precious time attempting to look tan. Some Westerners have had great success in getting nice tans, while others, well, let's just say not everyone was created equal.

On the other hand, Asians in general, especially in Asia, prefer white people or light skinned Asians. To many Asians, being white is a sign of great beauty, high class, and elite. That's why we see so many white Asians on TV for instance. Even if a white Asian was not more handsome than a tanned person, the white Asian would nevertheless be considered more handsome. It is such a trend to be white, that in Cambodia, although this not healthy in the long run, many girls would regularly peel of their skins in an attempt to look white.

In the West, people try to look tanned, while Asians who are tanned try to look white. My friend from Senegal says it's the same thing with African girls. Hey, like Sting sings in his song "Englishman in New York", "be yourself, no matter what they (people) say." People who are truly sincere will see and accept our true colors shining through. So we shouldn't be afraid to show our true colors, like a rainbow ...

Public Opinion

Like everyone else, I have always been compared to people within my circle. Those who don't really know me, have been quick to judge me, not knowing the truth. Some of us don't go around bragging or venting of the things we do. We do the things we do to help people, not out to show off and impress everyone. Often, I usually ignore comments and opinions from such judgemental people.

Recently, whether it be stress or something else, I lost my cool and got mad. I mean, who are these people to judge us? Of course my reaction was uncalled for. People only see what we portray to them. For those of us who are discreet, people will always have a misconception about us. Sometimes I feel I have to prove to people or justify what I do due to all the misunderstandings and misconceptions. It is tiresome at times, and now it really does not matter anymore. I suppose that goes back to my post with regards to the Wickhams and Darcies of the world. We live in a superficial and materialistic world, and people will always look at the surface of a person, and not into them.

Dr. Seuss once said the following: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." It is true that we should never be enflamed with public opinion. With what people may say, some hold water, and some don't. Only those that really know us can truly understand and be of good judgement.

Running Out of Time

Patiently sitting and waiting for my plane to Copenhagen, I set my eyes upon the static blackTV screen: Copenhagen on time. No indication of boarding, yet it is almost time to board the plane. Sitting, waiting, I hear my name being called for boarding! So I rushed to the counter in order to board the plane. Apparently, the TV screen displaying flight information was not functioning correctly. So much for high tech.

This reminds me of last year when I had returned from Cambodia via Singapore. I had to transit at Singapore, and retrieve my boarding pass for my final destination. In order to retrieve my boarding pass, I had to take a number and wait to be called. Patiently sitting and waiting for my number to be called for over 2 hours, I see on the TV screen that my flight is boarding! I was running out of time! So I rushed to the counter in front of everyone to announce that I had to get on my plane and board. Immediately, I got my boarding pass and rode a golf cart with an Indian employee from Air Singapore. The man zigzagged the golf cart like Ralph Schumacher throughout the airport for over 1 km, while honking and screaming at everybody to get out of the way! "Hello!" "People!" "Excuse me!"

When I had first arrived to Cambodia, a cousin of mine had just passed away on the very same day. For those that believe in superstition, absolutely not a good omen for the rest of my vacation. So it was only fitting that my trip would end on a stressful note as well. My last trip to Cambodia is by all means one to forget. Although difficult at times, I have learned my lessons now, and so has the Airport of Singapore. It now seems that people are given their boarding pass right away upon transit. Upon my next trip to Copenhagen, I'll be sitting right next to the boarding gate ...

Upside down

I read this article with regards to an African country called Guinea-Bissau. Talk about things being upside down and opposites with the rest of the world. In Orango Island in Guinea-Bissau, it is the woman who proposes to the man for marriage. While a man in the West would get down on his knee with a ring to propose, a woman from Orango Island would prepare a distinctive and traditional dish with fish as a way of proposing to a man. Yet lately, some of the men have followed the ways of the West. Ever since then, it seems that the divorce rate has risen quite considerably? Many of the elderly suggest that the young generation should go back to the traditional matriarchal ways where women propose to men. They argue, women make better and stable judgement when it comes to marriage. Nonesense right? Right.

So Different?!

At first glance, my colleagues and I working in Copenhagen seem to be quite different from one another. Whether it is the way each one of us dresses, speaks, behaves, or our personal experiences, it is without a doubt that we are all unique in our own way. As a matter of fact, we all belong to different generations.

Yet, as we get to know one another, we are not so different after all. We all enjoy eating exotic food like sushi, Thai, and Indian food. In fact, I have come to learn that many of us have travelled and worked in Hong Kong. Consequently, we have alot in common when it comes to talking about travelling and Hong Kong. I always knew that "momentai" meant no problem in Cantonese. Now I have learned from one of my colleagues that "yaomentai" means big problem in Cantonese!

If we look deep enough and take the time to understand one another, we come to find that although we all are unique in this world, we do have many things in common. So regardless of what religion or country we may come from, we have so many similarities to build on. We should respect our differences, but use our common bonds and interests to build a better tomorrow for the common good.

Sushitarian

Every once in a while, as my friend always says and the saying goes in French, it is really nice to please yourself. If you dont pamper yourself, who else will right? So occasionnally, let me correct that, everytime my colleagues and I come to Copenhagen, we treat ourselves to some absolutely delicious sushi. I take a gourmet plate of sashimi thank you.

I have finally found her!

One of the most famous tourist attraction in Denmark is the statue of the little mermaid immortalized and inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid”. In the summer of 1995, my family and I were passing through Copenhagen. For hours we drove around the capital in search of this famous statue. Alas, we never did find the little mermaid.


For the past three months, I have been to Copenhagen seven times already. Rarely did I ever see the sun shine as much as this week. According to the kind and gentile taxi driver I met yesterday, he informed me that the little mermaid was not far off from where I was staying. Upon sunrise, I set out on foot with my camera in search of the little mermaid. On my way, I encountered numerous beautiful white swans, also immortalized by Hans Christian Andersen’s tale "The Ugly Duckling". After walking 20 minutes, and inquiring a kind Danish jogger, I finally found the little mermaid, seating upon a rock ...

I've Got Sunshine

Believe it or not, there's actually a sun in Copenhagen during the month of March! At the first sight of the sun's ray of lights, I rushed out of my hotel with my new reflex EOD350 to photograph whatever decent picture I may be fortunate to capture. Close to the harbor, I noticed I wasn't the only one with a camera. As I came across another photo hunter, we greeted each other with our respectful cameras in our hands. Rare is the sun in this harsh weather.

More photos here.

Zen

Have you ever been to a place and had peace of mind? When I first visited my new work last fall, I felt absolutely zen. I felt as if I were visiting a Japanese garden. The man-made lake is filled with numerous fish and ducks, to which my colleagues and I would feed everyday after lunch. Peace of mind you see. Zen it is.

Travels

Travelling offers us experiences that are absolutely priceless. It goes without saying that there are things not even books can teach us.

I remember visiting Brazil not long ago. Leaving the airport of Sao Paulo, everything was green and a jungle. I'd see the local police upon my arrival, but they looked more equipped than your local reserve guards or militia. Many of the apartment buildings were surrounded by walls that looked like prisons. Yet inside, people never lock their cars ... The people there were quite warm and friendly, despite the high crime rate. Everywhere you went and met someone, you'd see someone giving you a thumb up. I was like, me number one? But really, it was their way of greeting you and saying hi. Eating at a grill restaurant was even more interesting. The waiters would bring an entire piece of meat for you. Every 5 minutes, they would bring another meat before you could even finish. Sometimes, even an entire roasted animal! In America, we often talk about the melting pot. I can tell you one thing, Brazil is also definitely one big melting pot. Many of the married couples there are interracial marriages between the local Indians, Europeans, Africans, and Asians.

Hong Kong was interesting as well. Based on all the movies I have watched, I always envisioned Hong Kong as a city full of skyscrapers. Upon my arrival, what I saw were beautiful green mountains. The transportation is quite efficient, and simple since there aren't too many stations. The must see sight is Victoria Peak. It is not bad, but the most beautiful view is from one of those tall skyscrapers. The view from one of those buildings is simply and absolutely breathtaking. There's so much to say about Hong Kong, the nightlife, the food, the people ... once in a while you run into some celebrities. Supposedly, I once was eating desert next to some famous DJ, and ran into some TV host at a local restaurant. Cool huh? What impresses me the most about Hong Kong, is not so much the touristic aspect, but the cultural or camaraderie among friends. My friend there had a network of friends everywhere. We had someone to tour us in Shenzhen, and another person who specifically took the time to show us Macau! Wow, I felt quite special la. And in Hong Kong, friends are always fighting to pay over the bills, even when they’re broke or unemployed! Absolutely unbelievable.

Cambodia is different though since I had no expectations at all. When visiting a developing country, it is better to not have any, and just appreciate and enjoy each moment as they come. If anything, travelling to a developing country is an experience no book can teach you. One thing that really shocked me in Cambodia, is the camaraderie among men. I mean, men would hold hands or put their hands on your lap! If those things were to happen in the west, I’m sure I’d be running as fast as I can! You say crazy right? If we recall ancient history, it was very common for Greek men to be intimate then.

Ah, the joy of travelling and discovering other cultures.

Free at last ... Almost

One thing that has shocked many tourists around Paris, France, is the fact that public restooms were not free in shopping malls and other public places, contrary to America or maybe Hong Kong for instance. Say what you will about the nutrional meals by McDonald's, but at least the bathrooms were free for the many tourists visiting Paris! Nowadays, it is very common for many shopping malls to have public restooms. I must admit, I was quite surprised to learn this recently, and a good surprise it is. So all you tourists wanting to come to Paris, come on down. Fear not, there's a free public restroom near you just in case you dont have any change ... well at least in the shopping malls.

Listen and Communicate

I remember growing up watching all these romantic comedies. In those movies, it seemed no matter what the odds are or how difficult it is to win another person's heart, as long as a person tries really hard and is truly sincere, he or she eventualy finds that one transcendant love. It is like in sports, where an athlete gives his or her best in a given event, and the end result is gratification and glory! The public is always in awe with althletes who accomplish great feats, especially if they are underdogs.

Alas, the dating game and dealing with relationships is far from being a sport's game. So you can forget what all those romantic movies have inspired us guys. There will always be those that are attracted to the really famous, handsome, rich or powerful. What's essential to most people is communication, being a good listener, and gaining another's trust. Those are the basis for any good relationship.

It is easy to make the mistake of being a macho man, or do whatever may seem cool and romantic as in those movies. The truth is, no matter how sincere or genuine one may be, it can send the wrong message. Once things get started on the wrong foot, it is rather difficult to make ammends and correct the foolish things that were done, unfortunately. So listen and communicate well, for real life stories like "Pride & Prejudice" do not really exist. First impressions are like egg shells, once they are broken, it is almost impossible to put them back together, regardless of your good heart and soul.

Dream Team

Working in the IT field as a consultant, we often meet and get acquainted with so many different people. The adaptation is not always easy at first, but getting to know the people I have met thus far has been quite gratifying and an absolutely great experience. When all is said and done, the hardest thing to do is to move on and say good-bye.

I onced worked on an extremely strenuous project, where I had the chance to meet some really great personalities. In the team, each one of us had his or her own skills, and we were all complementary to one another. Our egos were always held in check, and we got along extremely well. So well, we now refer to ourselves as the "Dream Team". Through good and bad times, we supported each other no matter what.

But as with every mission, there comes an end. When my time had come, I never realized how much I was appreciated by my colleagues, and other peers within the same project. After several years of work, it is nice to hear sincere and honest compliments from your peers. It really does mean alot.

Life is full of surprises, some not so good, while others memorable ones. Upon my last day, my colleagues had offered me several gifts. I was really surprised by their gesture, and was quite moved by this! And when the time came to walk the line and leave, they even accompanied me all the way to the exit, and see me walk away into the sunset.

Thank You

According to Wikipedia, "thank you" is an expression of gratitude, gratefulness, or politeness, in response to something done or given. In the west, whether it be in America or Europe, it is accustomed to say thank you to people not only to those close to us such as friends and family, but in restaurants, shops, and even strangers. It is quite natural you say. Strangely enough, it is not custom to do so in developing countries.

Travelling on several occasions to Cambodia, I noticed how people there seldom say thank you among themselves. I found this to be quite odd coming from the west. In Cambodia, there's such a huge gap between the haves and have-nots. It seems as if being sincere and polite is a sign of weakness. Gratitude or courtesy to the have-nots appears as if a person lowers his or herself to the same status. It is as if those who are less fortunate are completely meaningless. Perhaps I am completely wrong, but it is my observations and interpretations on what I have seen and experienced. And when you do say thank you for a service or out of gratitude, people would ask why you say thank you to them???

Several years ago, while a friend and I were touring Paris, we met this really charming Korean girl with curly hair, who was touring by herself. We asked if she wanted to tag along, and she agreed. She tagged along with us the entire day, and truly enjoyed herself, as she was able to discover other parts of Paris she would not have seen otherwise. By the end of the day, she was quite grateful and said "thank you", and offered me a necklace from Insadong market in Seoul, South Korea. It was the first time that someone I barely knew, was this nice to me.

For a long time now, I have always been a big fan of HK and Korean movies. So it was natural that when I had the chance to visit HK that same year, that I would stop at Seoul as well. I had kept in touch with my Korean friend, and for a couple of days, she in turn gave me an absolutely wonderful tour guide of Seoul. I say "thank you" Sue for being such a great host!

For we have come from so far

Working on a project of a colossal budget, the pressure is on to deliver the goods to the clients! It is during those same times you see the true colors of your beloved colleagues. Everyone, each department, each team, is out to prove to the world that he or she is doing his or her job well. Whatever problems that may arise, comes from someone else. In times like these, what will be will be, and so it goes.

With a whole new package ready to be tested and installed, it is my responsibility to install an entire system! Let's do it! So everyone is waiting patiently, constantly inquiring on the process throughout the whole day: "is it ready yet?" This version is absolutely crucial, for it will be the version used for the site acceptance test by the client. More importantly, it is one of those milestones in a project where you here the ching ching melodies chiming. You hear me, pay time. Ah, but with such pressure, one can only feel like the Titan Atlas, who carries the heavens on his shoulders.

As with work, it seems I've been like Atlas throughout my life, with so much weight on one's shoulder. But at what price? You say it is a choice? Yes, it is a choice, but a choice of morality, compassion, and responsibility. Yet, after carrying and handling so much on one's shoulders, life still appears empty and unfulfilled. Certainly, it is better to live each day as if it were your last, with no regrets.

Corneillie, a Canadian singer originally from Rwanda, best sings it in his French song "For we have come from so far":
We are our own fathers
So young, yet so old, it makes me think you know
We are our own mothers
So young and serious, but this will change
We spend our time making plans for tomorrow
While the beautiful weather passes and leaves us empty and uncertain
We spend so much time working and exhausting ourselves
What good is it if we are not certain to see tomorrow
None

(chorus)
So we must live everyday as our last day
And you should do the same if only you knew
How many times did the world nearly come to an end
So we must live everyday as our last day
For we have come from so far away

When the times are hard and the tough gets going
We say to ourselves: " Stories worse than ours do not exist"
And when the winter arrives
We simply say the warm weather will come back
And it's easy like that
Day after day
We see how everything is transitory
So even when it comes to love
I will love each queen
As my last one
The wind is too heavy
When we only live on prayers
I cherish every moment
Before the light disappears

(chorus)

Day after day
We see how everything is transitory
So let's live while we still can
My dears

As my friend always said, we work to live, and not live to work. So enjoy each moment as it will be your last.

Kindness in Another's Trouble

Adam Lindsay Gordon once said:
Life is mostly froth and bubbles,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own.

In the movie "Battle of Wits", Andy Lau portraits a great strategist who defends cities from invaders. He is a hero among heroes who helps those in dire need with his wit and tactfulness. Indeed, he successfully defends an entire city of 4000 people from an overwhelming army of invaders. Yet, it seems, the people whom he has helped are never content with his efforts, nor do they fully appreciate all that he has done and sacrificed.

As the saying goes, "Give a man a fish and he has food for a day; teach a man to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime." This is what organizations such as DDD (Digital Divide Data) have accomplished in Cambodia. Teaching people, otherwise rejected by everyday society, new skills to survive in this global economy. It is an absolutely great feat.

Pride & Prejudice

In Jane Austen's novel "Pride & Prejudice", Elizabeth has to choose among M. Colins, M. Wickham, and M. Darcy. M. Colins is a fine man with a very stable yet bland life. He represents convenience and practicality in life. In other words, not someone to get excited over or losing sleep for. On the other hand, M. Wickham is the charismatic and dashing handsome man. Smooth talking and the charmer, M. Wickham easily impresses everyone. Of course, as we eventually find out, M. Wickham is only an illusion and a façade with only words to show for. It is like those bridges in developing countries. Looks good at first, but after a couple of years, will depreciate quickly due to its lack of proper structural design.

Contrary to M. Wickham, M. Darcy lacks the charismatic persona. He seems cold and unfriendly initially, yet mysterious. But like a gift with a not so impressive wrapping, we find out that M. Darcy is someone who is an absolutely sincere person. A gift full of good surprises. Not out to impress everyone with his wealth and with what he does to help others, M. Darcy is a genuine person, reflecting today's nice guys.

Regularly at work, we often are reviewed annually by management. My management claims that I am hard-working, trust-worthy, and a highly competent person??? Humanly speaking they say, never change, for I am a sincerely appreciated for my personality? However, they say, I lack communicative and assertive skills to be in the spotlight, and should improve on that.

I have seen many assertive and communicative people throughout my career. Many have indeed evolve quite rapidly, and many of them, quite deservingly. It is true that with the flattening of the world, many of us need to acquire new skills to survive all the outsourcing and offshoring that is happening today. Does that mean we need to be self-promoting and show-offs to evolve in this constantly changing world? For all the Wickhams of the world, people eventually find out the truth one day, and come to appreciate all the Darcies around.

In the end, our dear Elizabeth, in Jane Austen's famous novel "Pride & Prejudice", chooses the sincere and romantic guy over convenience and illusion. Who says nice guys never win?

Knockin on Heaven's Door

In my attempt to learn the guitar like the likes of Jack Johnson, I tried to learn and play the song "Knockin on Heaven's Door". The chords are rather simple and the rhytm easy to grasp. No, I'm not talking about your Guns N' Roses' version, but of Bob Dylan's original song from 1973.

While growing up, I never paid attention to the lyrics of the song. Little did I know, until recently, that the song's theme was about war. It is about soldiers, unwilling to go with the killing of innocent people, and hoping to avoid opening heaven's door prematurely.

People have often asked me, how in the world did the Khmer Rouge killed over 1.8 million of its own people? They say to me, Cambodians seem so friendly and kind. During the Holocaust they say, the Germans took the lives of 6 million Jews. Over 10 years ago in Rwanda, about 800 000 were killed in 100 days. The genocide in Rwanda involved the Hutsi doing an ethnic cleansing of the Hutu. People of different origins.

To be honest, I have no answer to that question. Really, how can anyone justify any genocide?

The World is Flat

Christopher Columbus proved to the world that the world was indeed round after all. With today's information highway enabling to connect everyone around the world, it seems more and more that the world is now flat. This is what Thomas L. Friedman points out in his book entitled "The World is Flat". In his book, Friedman discusses the globalization of the world, with many jobs from America and Europe being outsourced or offshored to countries like India and China. Working in the IT field for many years, I have seen how international companies have been doing this.

One of the companies I used to work for had been outsourcing its development long before Friedman's chronicles. As a result, the transition period and efficiency with its outsourcing has been exemplary. So should everyone follow in order to save money? Not so fast my friend. Other companies that have been recently adapting this strategy are struggling mightily.

The company I am working for has outsourced part of its development in China. China is a country rich in culture, with hard working and smart people. China is everywhere, even in Africa now. Yet, in the Chinese culture, people are afraid to lose face. Well, at least in this Chinese branch of my current company.

When an engineer of that branch has any question or problem, instead of asking their Chinese colleagues for answers and lose face and look like complete idiots, they rather get stuck and bogged down with their problem until it becomes urgent. When that stage has been reached, they request for information back to Europe or America. But by the time the information is found in Europe or America, several weeks or months have gone by. Eventually, the European and American management discovers that the answer was back in its Chinese branch.

This has been going on for over a year. Many of the questions the Chinese engineers have, can be found right next to his or her neighbor. But because they are afraid to lose face ... So now it has come down to where my company needs to deliver an entire system in time. As a result, the development that was being outsourced is coming back to its roots.

Of course, this is probably an exception to the successful outsourcing so many international companies have accomplished. It just takes time to obtain the efficiency and quality work anticipated. Like wine, things only get better with time.