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.