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