The 2nd Defeat 

I have a mission for 2012, which is to make it come true that 70% of people in Pakse know "What is Phat Lao" in the end of this year. Because Laos is said that there are quite few Laos Food in Laos, I as one of ODOP members try to promote Laos fried noodle with Laos Black sticky rice as National Laos food. In doing so, it makes farmers income generation.


After I came back from Japan on 1st of June 2012, when I experience the 1st Defeat under the name of Laos Festival, we planed to open Phat Lao Restaurants in 80km from Pakse city on road-side-station(道の駅). I planed and looked for the manager of the restaurant and buy the material and talked to owner within 7days. And we went to the place as a 2weeks trial of 1st Phat Lao Restaurant with a big DREAM and HOPE. But........

1st day, Manager (his name is Van) and I bought vegetables in a market and take the needed material and stand at the back of truck and headed to the place. We were so excited to open the 1st Phat Lao Restaurant. We arrived there around 12am and start preparing,
at the time, a big bus came to the road side station, and 40 passenger (Thai tourist) going to KhonPhapeng water fall, came down to Toilet. But we were still preparing. and they have gone. Around 1 30PM we finished preparation, and wait for the next bus, wait and wait and wait... But no more bus came to the place.... Actually we didn't search where we can stay over night and around the place, where is no guest house..... and no cars to go back.....

2nd day, we set up at 8AM, and wait for the bus stop. 1st  big bus stops 9AM. Most of the Passengers is monk, so we can't sell them. 2nd bus came around 11AM, and we start cooking Phat Lao, and we shouted "this is Phat Lao shop". And 2,3 Thai passenger came to see our cooking, but still cooking and cooking. Just after bus left, we finished cooking Phat Lao........ 3rd bus came around 12AM, and we started cooking faster and faster, and a few people came to see again, but they are not interested. and the bus left again.... For lunch we ate two Rads...... and another bus came and we tried to sell, but we couldn't get their attention...... And we decided to go back around 3PM, but they said there is no bus going to pakse city..... And decided to hitchhike.... after two hours, we finally succeeded it going back. But in day 2 out ot 2 weeks trial period, we decided we don't open Phat Lao restaurant here.  at least have to wait for high season.

Honestly speaking, my will was almost broken because of 1st defeat on Laos festival in Tokyo and this 2nd defeat. I also started thinking if Phat Lao can be the famous. And I asked Van (manager) like this, "should we continue Phat Lao promotion?" and what he said is "Yes, just keep going".

I know I learn many things from this experience.

I know this is just a beginning of Phat Lao story.

I know continuous defeat makes me disappointed. 

But we never give up,

and we try to get one victory after 9 defeat.

Yes, Keep going

Travel to new world!!

Many people in train, food, market, traffic, car

From 22^nd to 25^th of Dec, I visited to my Sister Nat and my friend Lei in Philippines. This county was the first county for me. It was short time, but very good experience. Stay in Philippines in X mas day. Lei was hosting us very kindly. I could go to Nat’s University, Ocean Park, Star Park, beautiful restaurants, Chinese food, the best pie shop in Manila, the most famous night club Fiamma, and Church for X Mas eve and her house for X mas eve Dinner thanks to Lei and Nat.

This is just a few pictures of Philippines, if you guys have chance to visit Philippines in X Mas days, you would get a best experience.

Word from X mas Gift from Lei

Do not go where the path may lead,

Go instead where is no path and leave a trail

Focus On the journey,

Not the destination,

Joy is found in finishing an activity,

But in doing it.

Working, Working and Working, but for what??

Working, Working and Working, but for what??

Recently I worked harder and harder. And my task has come to me. And all of my brain and body is always moving. Management of 5 new members coming for our project, following up each project, coordinating and arranging expert coming from Japan, accounting stuff, new product research business meeting and Public Relations.

I have stayed in this project for a year and 5 month. I know little by little I came to be able to do many jobs. And even I could see some positive progress and changes based from my actions.

First time when I was interviewed by my boss, he said“If you want to survive yourself in this working field (Social working), you have to develop yourself every seconds in many ways. Many people want to work, but number of positions is limited and once you joined in this field, you may not be able to change the field but they can come into our field always. But if you keep making effort until 40years, you can see the big difference between you and the others”

Now I’m working and more working. But for what??
Coz I wanna be strong and I wanna make a difference for people and for society. Coz I want to develop myself more than the other people.

From next project on April 2012, I will be kind of core expert and project manager (not project leader). I can’t run away from responsibility. I always keep saying to myself that it’s the time of training for next step. Many tasks come to me for the reason, to develop myself, to make big impact for society.

I never betray myself
I never give up my dream
I always challenge the vision
This is me Yuki

This is why I'm working!!!

New Bakery course opened in Savannakhet.

A few month ago, our team decided to create new curriculum with Savannakhet Vocational and Technical School. The curriculum is Bakery business course!!! Because of the French colonization, Laos has culture to eat bread. In this course, student will do real business in bakery, which is constructed with ODOP financial supports. In the process, they have to learn how to manage bakery, customer service, marketing as well as high quality baking skill.

It seems very good opportunity, right?? Yes, I also totally agree.
But the thing is that School didn't manage this kinda course ever, so they don't know what to do. And One of our local staff and I has to think everything about this course such as what kind of training, a year plan of this bakery course, construction staff and so on.
It was hard work actually, and still not stable yet.

But We had opening ceremony on 9th of Sep with 5 students, and now they are in training at Saravanh province. We visited to the training last weekend and saw students. Then I totally realized why I did work hard for working on it.

Students enjoyed the training and got confidence about baking skill, and I saw their eyes shinning.
Yes. this is why we are working for this project.

Tomorrow they will come back from Saravan training, and from next week they will start practicing by themselves, and they will have another training soon and new bakery shop which they have to manage by themselves in Savannakhet will open next month. They must face tough situation on the way. But I'm sure they will overcome, because they have potential.

Doing something good for the others is good
It sounds good as well.
But maybe the person feel as good as the others.
That's why we can do it sustainably

Yuki

Chance to think about myself

I had one mission in this project from last three month, and I worked on the mission. But yesterday I realized I couldn't succeed it, even felt couldn't do anything for my mission....

I realized that I had too much pride and confidence for what I have = my ability. I was think I have ability to do everything for this project, I could think what experts is thinking. But now it is the time to admit that I have to improve myself more to reach the level of our experts.

I work for this project as local staff, not as expert. But I always tried to work in the level of expert, be the part of the expert team, cause I think I can do it. But the result was that always they amazed me. their way of thinking, their knowledge, their management and their way to make decision, and whatever.

Even I sometimes feel I'm useless in this project, they can do anything without me, I can't do anything without them.

Last three years in AIESEC, I worked with very smart guys, but I am as well as you are. I had so much of confidence of my ability, and in real I think I had.

Now this project is challenging me. How much I can work like in the level of the experts. I have to admit my ability is not enough now. But I shouldn't depress for it, but I should think I need to develop myself more!!!!

thanks for this chance to think about myself again
this is the time to drop my confidence
and to be developing person!!!!
Be hunger!!

Study Tour in Thailand about OTOP !!!!

The concept of One District One Product (ODOP) is from Japanese One Village One Product (OVOP), that's why we as Japanese, are supporting to promote the ODOP movement here. In this time 11days end of July, we visit to learn OTOP (in Thailand). OTOP was highly promoted very well with a lot of budget in 10 years ago, and now the movement is considered as succeeded case.

Our team is formed with Gov staff, producers, ODOP staff and Expert. It was quite nice chance to see and think about the function and system of OTOP to utilize into ODOP in Laos for them.

And for me, there were a lot of learning, especially the new idea of products. We can decide any products as ODOP, so ODOP list is unlimited. But it means that we have to be innovator. And Innovation is mostly from the combination between experiences. To see and to mortice the possibility of the way to development new products is one of the responsibility of the person who support and suggest to villagers. In this way, I can feel self-developmet from this Study tour.

Reason why I feel enjoying my life more than before

I love my life here

Recently, I feel my life here in Laos is more exciting and more enjoyable than before.

Is it because I could get to speak Laos well and I can communicate with local people, can ask any question if I want to know something and can say what I want to tell them?? And I'm now proud of my Lao language skill ??

Or, is it because I almost spend a year here, and getting used to the life here?? I have a lot of friends to go out for beer everyday without hesitating. And I stared free English class and most of all students enjoy every time, which also makes me enjoy teaching??

Or, is it because I worked here for social projects for villagers and knew a lot of things that I wanted to but I had never known before such as living life of villagers, the way to support them, how they react on our support?? and I find that I can't stop keeping learning to develop myself because I'm not as useful person as I expected??

Or is it because I have responsible for PR of ODOP project and have much ownership to make a new thing, try and error?? And PR (especially Communication) was not my field before and it's something I escaped before, but once I try to make efforts, I realize it can be my field, I can enjoy working it because need to learn technical skill that I can utilize in my future??

Or is it because we may have ODOP 2 with larger scale (covering five province in south) from April 2011? And we have now a lot of things to prepare for the projects, and networking with many organization and people and agency, which makes me very very busy in a good way??

it's because all of the reasons happens to me now,

all of the reason makes my life here much more enjoyable and exciting.
I'm feeling that everything happening to me happens for my life =)

Anyway I love the life here.