“Sharing Experience”, Graduate
Student in Japan as First Secretary of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Japan
Interview with Cambodian Students Association in Japan, CSAJ Newsletter, Issue No. 3, Sept.-Dec. 2010
Q: Could you tell us how you
think about your student life in Japan?
A:
Well, when I first came to Japan, I had to learn from zero. I observed
everything and did what I could do here, which I could not in Cambodia. It was
a mission of my study, which was not only studying at school but also involving
with working environment and social activities. When I saw my Japanese friends
did a part-time job, I followed them; when they did internship, I did it, too,
and I also joined the club activities at school, went to the international
conferences, and went travelling. My concept was that we had to absorb the
knowledge and experience as much as we could, save it little by little, because
it was a rare opportunity to get a scholarship to study abroad, especially at
an industrial country as Japan.
Q: As you have said previously,
upon your returning to Cambodia, did you found the job immediately?
A:
As I returned back to Cambodia, there had not been governmental job
applications yet for applying until 6 months later, so I decided to find part
time job as a teacher. But unfortunately, I could not find one. Owing to my
experience, it was not an easy task. As I returned as a student, I knew nothing
about job skill, especially, my major is not business management or accounting,
which is relatively easier to apply for companies and NGOs. Until 6 months
later, I passed job application into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Q: What do you think are
remarkable obstacles and achievements in your career life that you want to
share to our students here?
A:
As I observed, upon our returning to our home country, some of our students
usually feel irritated to our country, see things in a negative way because
they have still have the perception from Japan. I do not think it is good to
look at our country in that way, since we have yet to understand our country
well and by thinking negatively, it does not contribute in helping anything. We
cannot ask the whole institution to change for us, but we should change
ourselves for the institution. Work first and try to change later. Criticizing
without action is not a healthy development. We need to be humble in our
working place, do not show off your idea too suddenly because we have not known
our job situation clearly yet. Also, it is not a good idea to be proud of
ourselves much as we come from Japan in front of other people; otherwise, we
will be left with negative impression for people around.