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.

The way to enjoy Life here in Laos 1

The way to enjoy Life in Laos part 1

A few days ago, I visited to a project site of Wild Honey and Hoi Hom (Snail) in Savaranh Province. And one the way back from Saravanh to Savannakhet, this is shopping time for us !!!

(you can see how they sell product from this picture.)
From Saravanh to Pakse (around 120Km), we found a lot of Corns in this time.It's extremely cheaper price, because they can sell products directory. Normally the price of products we can see in local market, is with transportation cost, intermediary (coz mostly producers can't sell in local market by themselves due to lack of transportation cost and no car to take).

Each season, each time has different agriculture products we can find. And every time our Lao staff and driver teach me the knowledge of them. Because I myself don't cook at all unluckily, I don't buy much, but every time I also buy some of them for my host family to cook !!! In this time, I bought 15 corns at 7000KIP (less than 1USD / about 70Yen).

The products we found in this time.
I love to see characteristic products in local Laos.
And it will be hint of Product Development (ODOP).

雄揮 / Yuki / ยูกิ

creating ODOP activities movie

Endless human potential

Since I started to work as Public Relation (PR) in ODOP project, I have been trying to utilize and develop online promotion tool. Thinking back before coming here, actually online tools were all my headache, I really hated to use them. Now I realize that faced condition can change and develop my potential and ability !!!!

Movie !!!!!
Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Homepage.... and now I'm trying to utilize You Tube as PR tool. Thanks to my experience of Movie actor, I got to know the way to take Movie and how to edit movie !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzG-867y5k4

What I can say from this experience is
to develop my ability and potential is possible in any ways.
No need to limit our capability Challenge ourselves, and never forget to enjoy it!!!

ODOP Training Movie

Natural Power Part 1

Last Weekend. after I ate Lao food with Leo people in my favorite cafe (Lin's cafe, Look at pictures), I took a walk with one of my friends. Then she taught me about "Flower" and "Natural Power".

1st Pic : Name : Pak cham Pha :This flower is a symbol of Laos
2nd Pic: Name : Ton Hure Sikhi : lemon grace
3rd Pic : Name : Bai Teui : when we make ALOE Drink, they boiled and use it for taste and color.

4th Pic: Name : Dok Nuat : English Translation is "flower of Beard ". looks like bread,right?
5th pic: Name Hou Seua : when child get stomachache, it is used with tea to cure.
6th Pic : Van Chod : When we cut body, they will put this to stop bleeding.



Last picture : Name : Dok Kai : egg flower : flower is exactly EGG, 555. They just put eggs on for dry.

Recently I spent a lot of time inside,

But I realized once I look up to "THE REAL WORLD",
we have a lot of things to learn.

I didn't come here to stay inside, but to see the wild and real world!!
What do you wait, Yuki !!

雄揮 / Yuki / ยูกิ

Introduction of the LAO FOOD Part 1

Do you want to eat??

Look at the pictures, this is THE LAO FOOD that I had never eaten before coming here.
first picture Pin maa : Dig BBQ (Tasted by Yuki)
Second picture Pin mu : PIG BBQ (Eaten by Yuki)

3rd picture : Pin jilo : Crickets (Eaten by Yuki)
4th picture : Don't know name : Cicada　（セミ） (haven't eaten by Yuki yet)

Movie Star Life is coming soon??

Another Life

A few month ago, I received a call from my Boss, "Now promotion movie for Savannakhet team is here from Thailand, and they ask me to be a main actor". And I said "That's nice, I love to promote Savannakhet (where I stay), and just a few minutes movie, no problem!!"And I went to meet the actress and casts in the movie.

But at the time I didn't expect that this would be an extremely hard work and give me a incredible experience.

In reality
This Movie name :"Savanh(Savannakhet), I love you (Koi Hak Chao in Lao, Can ruk tue in Thai)"
Place : Savannakhet city
Actor Name : Yuki
Length : Around 90 Minutes
Numbers of Scene: around 50Scenes
Number of Cut in one Scene : around 4 Cuts
Number of Take in one Scene : 4 Takes
Number of actions : around 1000 times
Nationality of Staffs : Thai and Lao
Language in Movie : Lao (me as well)
Working time : from 4:30AM to 0:00AM for 4 days.

This is the first time and maybe the last time in my life to be actor of a movie. Of cause I didn't know how to play well. But the most important thing to play is to be the person in real. I have to feel what the actor feels, I have to understand what he work, and I have to love what he loves.
So only for 4days taking the movie, but I really could feel I live another life, which is really precious and excited life.

9th to 11th of April, I will be the actor again.
And next year 2012th, it's gonna be on air!!

Official ODOP logo for the future

New ODOP logo

Our project (One District One Product Pilot Project) will finish in this Nov. The purpose of this project was/is the first trial to see how the ODOP will work in Laos. It means that ODOP or these kinda of activities such as OTOP in Thai, OPOP(One Province One Project) in Cambodia and OVOP(One Village One Product) in Japan, have all different system and scheme, though the same and concept are smiler.

For example, Laos doesn't have much business inside, so we have to depend on the business of Thailand in terms of suitable bottle, making label or whatever, otherwise we couldn't make high quality product.

And Laos doesn't have much budget for ODOP, so small unit government is really hard to support this activities, not like OTOP or OVOP. So we may need to unit the government by the regions (called regional approach).

But good point of this activities is that we can access to some good cases in Thailand, so many cases on the processes of product development can depend on the technique and knowledge of Thailand easily.

Anyway this project gonna finish soon. But I hope that they can continue ODOP activities sustainably. And I hope I can help them in the future as well.

You can see the new logo of the ODOP. This is the one Laos government made by themselves for future ODOP. How do you think??