Business Network International - BNI

Vuth asked me to go with him to the weekly meeting of BNI. It's an international organisation which started in the USA. The idea seems to be to bring business people together so they can get to know each other, learn about ways of running a business, supporting each other etc. There are around a dozen chapters in Phnom Penh because each chapter can only have one representative from each occupation. Vuth is the lone travel agent and so he benefits because BNI people book flights through his office.

I had to leave the house at 6.30am so I needed a cuppa when I arrived at the Cambodiana Hotel. I helped raise the average age quite a bit as I don't think anyone was over 40 years of age. They looked very Western in their black suits and ties. One thing that always tickles me is that men in this part of the world wear short ankle socks and so they are always showing a lot of leg when they sit down. I was given a laminated sheet of the 20 different activities that take place each week and a dentist was supposed to translate for me; most of the time he forgot so I had to sit with a bemused look on my face. At one point I had to stand up to be introduced and then to get up again to say what I did in life. Later I had to say what I thought of the meeting; that was hard to do when I understood very little. I told them this and said I could sense a lot of enthusiasm in the group which got an applause.

It's definitely run on American lines with a ra-ra type event at the beginning to wake people up. They were very strict with time and there were two timekeepers; one man raised his fingers to show the minutes and a lady handled the bell. At one point members stood up and told the group how many people they'd referred during the week and how much business it had generated. This week they said around $150,000 of business had been created through the network so I presume it's working. At the meeting I learned that what lies in front of us, and what lies behind us, is nothing compared to what lies within us. Another motto was "Know, like, trust". The general motto of BNI is to change the way the world does business; if that's what they end up doing then I'm all for it. Vuth told me they also kick people out if they notice bad ethical practices. When we left, we were allowed to take the red roses and chrysanthemums that adorned the tables. I have given mine to the travel office ladies.

I couldn't escape going over to Vuth and Cina's home to have lunch with them and Cina's parents. The main discussion around the table was how to help a carpenter who has done work for them for years. The family have bought him a plot of land for $7000 (5m x 25m) and it's an interest free loan. They were discussing how to help him build the house and to help him pay back the loan. Cina said her dad is happiest when he's helping people.

A visit to the dentist

This morning, Cina asked me to go to the dentist with her, her mother and the three boys. This place is totally different to the UK where it's not always easy to find a dentist; here there are often one or two clinics in the same street or even across the road from each other. It's a different story in the countryside where there are none at all.

All I had to do was sit and wait. They all went into various rooms and came out one by one as the treatment was finished. Cina and her mother left, presumably to shop or return to the travel office. I was there for nearly two hours, twiddling my thumbs. The owner of the business kept trying to encourage me to have my teeth cleaned but I thought I might as well wait until January when the Canadian hygienist comes. In Canada hygienists almost always insist on having two one hour sessions with a client whereas here the cleaning job is over and done with in less than half an hour. It's also a heck of a lot cheaper here. The total bill for four cleaning jobs and about 10 small fillings was $120.

Later in the morning Luc came for a visit. He's a retired Canadian nurse who is married to a Thai. She decided they should move back to her home town in Thailand after he retired. Their home is 10 minutes from the border so he travels there by bus and then walks home. He helps Son Soubert with the children at the Peaceful Children's Home. Border crossings seem to be getting more complicated; the land crossings here have always been problematical, because of bribery, but now the paper work is taking over. Nowadays, he has to go into a back office and fill in a form that asks for information about the money in his pocket and even his bank account details.

Life is tough in Cambodia for those taking care of disadvantaged children. In their infinite wisdom the government has decided that all these children should be returned to their home. In many cases they don't have a family so it means finding a family to accept them. They end up in situations where there is poor education, little food and not many opportunities. At Peaceful Children's Home there are two mentally handicapped children and Luc has found a French NGO that would take care of them during the day time but not at night time. They also want $100 a month to care for them. It's a shame that charities can't do something for nothing.

I'm having problems with next year's dental programme. For some strange reason the dates, given by the powers that be in the NGO, allow for one less day in Cambodia. I normally have the group working seven days during their two week visit but this year it's down to six. I'm loath to allow them to travel so far to do only six days of work so I'm trying to find ways of getting them to change their flights. Some are staying longer in the area whilst others are returning and have booked their flights. Some will have to pay a penalty. The head of the NGO said I should reduce the tourism I do with the group but there'll be a riot if I did that. I can get them to start working a day earlier, and reduce the beginning bit of tourism, but I think they'd be exhausted after such a long flight from Canada. So now I'm in a "wait and see" mode as they try to figure out the best option. I'd like to start doing the logistics but it'll have to wait until they make up their minds.

It poured with rain during his visit so we had to find extra things to talk about. We avoid politics as it's a pointless exercise; we can't do anything about it and it's depressing. The rain came down so heavily it flooded both my balconies and lots of muck came down the spouts. I didn't mind as it gave me something to do when Luc left.

Visit to Takeo Province

I thought we were leaving at 10am but it was changed to 9am. I was doing my morning exercise but had to stop to get ready to join Vuth and his three sons to visit a school in Takeo. It's owned by a friend who had the school built and it opened a month ago. His teachers are from various sources; some are part time while others are students of English Literature at a local university. He wanted me to talk to the staff about education. Monday was yet another public holiday so the boys were able to join us.

We stopped for breakfast and I ordered an omelette. The cook had burnt the bottom so he turned it over, put lots of vegetables and meats on it and then folded in the sides so I didn't notice the burnt egg. I couldn't be bothered complaining. For some strange reason the lads constantly want to go to the toilet so we either stop at a garage to use their facilities or we find a place along the road.

Cambodia could have lovely countryside if it wasn't for the rubbish. I've no idea where it comes from. In the villages the local people either burn their rubbish or they just drop it somewhere in the neighbourhood. In the countryside, where there are no homes, I think a lot of the rubbish is dumped by people in vehicles. If I focus on it, it's totally depressing so I try to avoid thinking about it. Rubbish is a huge problem everywhere, even in the UK. When I walk with my sisters, we often come across rubbish that's dumped along country roads by people in vehicles. It's not unusual to find huge objects such as abandoned mattresses.

We arrived at the school and were met by Oun who is the owner. We then drove to a nearby restaurant complex to have lunch with the teachers. They'd chosen a place where platforms with bamboo floors and grass roofs were scattered around the edges of a large pond. I made a big mistake and sat with my back against the wall for support because I can't get my legs under the low tables and I can't sit cross legged for so long. The rest sat in this way on mats; my backside was sitting on the bamboo slats with spaces in between the slats. I realised afterwards, when the itching started, that my backside had become a feast for the local mosquitoes.

The meal was enormous and I faded away long before the young folk.  Some of the dishes included an omelette with meat mixed into rice and corn, there was a huge fish, absolutely enormous snails, large prawns, dishes of vegetables, plates laden with intestines of various kinds and chicken.  Fortunately, the snails arrived when I was already full so I didn't have to attack them with a wooden skewer to pull the corkscrew-like creature out of the shell.  I did have one shoved into my mouth by one of the lads and it was fine except very peppery.  Being senior I generally don't have to fill my plate with food - it's done for me.  It's good but, on the downside, I have to eat what's put on the plate.  I found the intestines a bit chewy, especially the tubular kind; the kidney, liver etc., I'm used to from my old days in Yorkshire. 

It's strange how we were told to stop eating organ meat as it was high in cholesterol etc.  Nowadays, in Canadian nursing homes, the elderly are given one meal of liver a week as it's now good for them. 

After lunch we went back to school and I met with the 20 or so teachers for a chat about education.  They had brought note paper but I didn't see anyone writing.  I wonder if they found nothing of interest, understood nothing I said, or were so enthralled they forgot about writing?  I find Asians very reticent to give answers or opinions so it's hard work having a conversation.  It was even hard to get them to say "Yes" or "No".  In these situations I always say to myself, "I'm going to enjoy this, even if nobody else does."  I did too.  I shared stories from my teaching jobs, discussed the happiness of the child and the teacher, cooperation among teachers, understanding the background of the child etc.  I tried to show them that even though the building was bright, new and modern, it didn't mean the education in the building was of good quality - it depended on the teachers. 

It took 2 hours to drive the 72kph back to Phnom Penh.  There was added traffic because many were returning from the holiday weekend.  Ponleu wanted pizza so we phoned home and it was waiting for us when we arrived.  I sat and enjoyed a few pieces with them.  3 year old Cheata wanted to know where I'd been.  She said she had gone outside and shouted across the road at me but I didn't answer.  My apartment is directly across from their travel office.

Back home I managed to bash my arm on the key sticking out of a door knob.  I started to bleed like a slaughtered pig.   Why is it, when I have to give blood at the hospital, the nurses have to stick the needle in a dozen times and wiggle it around in order to find free flowing blood?  When I bash myself I am the world's best bleeder.  So I'm ending the day with toilet paper stuck on my arm.  It works better than bandaids/plasters because the humidity makes my skin sweat and nothing sticks.