Bunly Meas

Some workplaces closed their doors and staff lost their income. Since Covid-19 pandemic started, I have travelled to many places in the countries. I have talked to some people about their livelihoods. Although Cambodia has not experienced community transmission of the disease, it is obvious to witness economical impacts on people’s lives. Their income is decreased or taken away when their businesses go slower, and their workplaces are closed. This means less money for rent, food and medical care. Each family member in particular children needs to limit their basic needs. They could be in such a situation for longer!  Those were the words I heard during my conversations with them. Thinking about their wellbeings afterwards makes me overwhelmed. I kept worrying about from one thing to another, especially about affected children and elders, which made me sad and exhausted. My sadness and exhaustion, according to neuroscientists and psychologists, could be an “empathy fatigue”. It is m...

កន្លែងធ្វើការងារមួយចំនួនបានបិទទ្វារ បុគ្គលិកបាត់បង់ប្រាក់ចំណូល។ ចាប់តាំងពីមានការរាតត្បាតនៃជំងឺកូវីដ ១៩មក  ខ្ញុំបានធ្វើដំណើរទៅច្រើនកន្លែងនៅក្នុងប្រទេស។ ទោះជាប្រទេស កម្ពុជាពុំមានការឆ្លងនៅក្នុងសហគមន៍ និងពុំមានមនុស្សស្លាប់ដោយសារជំងឺនេះក្តី ក៏យើងឃើញយ៉ាងច្បាស់នូវផលប៉ះពាល់របស់វាមកលើជីវភាពប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ។  ចំណូលរបស់ពួកគាត់ធ្លាក់ចុះ ឬបាត់បង់ដោយសារមុខរបរទទួលទានលែងមានដំណើរការ និងកន្លែងការងារត្រូវបានបិទទ្វារ។ ថវិកាសម្រាប់ជួលផ្ទះ ឬផ្គត់ផ្គង់ម្ហូបអាហារ ថ្នាំសង្កូវនៅពេលឈឺថ្កាត់ មានកាន់ តែតិចទៅៗ ហើយសមាជិកគ្រួសារនីមួយៗ ជាពិសេសកូនៗរបស់ពួកគាត់ ត្រូវរស់នៅយ៉ាងរឹតត្បិត។ ពួកគាត់មិនអាចស្ថិតនៅក្នុងស្ថានភាពបែបនេះបានយូរទៀតបានទេ!  ទាំងអស់នេះគឺជាសម្តីរបស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋមួយចំនួនដែលខ្ញុំបានជួបសន្ទនានៅតាមបណ្តាខេត្ត / ក្រុងមួយចំនួនកន្លងមក។ ការគិតពីសុខទុក្ខរបស់ពួកគាត់ជាពិសេសកូនៗគាត់ និងមនុស្សចាស់ បានធ្វើឲ្យខ្ញុំពិបាកចិត្តយ៉ាងខ្លាំង។ ខ្ញុំបារម្ភពីរឿងមួយទៅរឿងមួយទៀត មិនអស់មិនហើយ ដែលធ្វើឲ្យចិត្តខ្ញុំកាន់តែស្មុគ្រស្មាញ លែងសប្បាយចិត្ត និងមានអារម្មណ៍នឿយណាយ។ ទុក្ខព្រួយ និងភាពនឿយហត់ចិត្តរបស់ខ្ញុំនេះ បើតាមអ្នកស្រាវជ្រាវផ្ន...

ខ្លោងទ្វារសាលាបឋមសិក្សា ដែលខ្ញុំបានរៀនកាលពី៣០ឆ្នាំមុន នៅខែមុននេះ ខ្ញុំបានទៅសាលាបឋមសិក្សាដែលខ្ញុំបានរៀនកាលពី៣០ឆ្នាំមុន។ គ្រាន់តែឈានជើងហួសរបងសាលាភ្លាម អនុស្សាវរីយជាច្រើនបានត្រលប់មករកខ្ញុំវិញ ហាក់ដូចជាពួកវាមានក្តីនឹករលឹកដល់ខ្ញុំជាខ្លាំង បន្ទាប់ពីបែកគ្នាយ៉ាងយូរ។ ខ្ញុំឈរសម្លឹងទៅទីធ្លាសាលា ហើយនឹកឃើញដល់រូបខ្លួនឯងកាលពីកុមារកំពុងអង្គុយលេងដីខ្សាច់ជាមួយមិត្តភក្តិ។ យើងទ្បើងដើមស្វាយតូចមួយជាមួយគ្នា រត់ដេញប្រលែងគ្នាចុះទ្បើងលើជណ្តើរខាងមុខថ្នាក់រៀន ហើយយើងចែកនំចំណីដែលយើងចូលចិត្ត​ និងមានរឿងជាច្រើនទៀតដែលខ្ញុំបាននឹកឃើញ … ខ្ញុំនៅតែបន្តនឹកឃើញអនុស្សាវរីយកន្លងមក រួមទាំងរឿងរ៉ាវដែលលំបាកៗផងដែរ។ ខ្ញុំនៅចាំពេល ខ្ញុំអន់ចិត្ត ពេលគ្រូឲ្យពិន្ទុទាប ហើយខ្ញុំឆ្ងល់ថាហេតុអ្វីខ្ញុំមិនពូកែដូចគេ។ ខ្ញុំច្រណែននឹងមិត្តរួមថ្នាក់នៅពេលឃើញគេមានសម្ភារល្អៗដែលខ្ញុំគ្មាន។ ខ្ញុំរងរបួសរាងកាយ (មិនធ្ងន់ធ្ងរទេ) នៅពេលមានជម្លោះជាមួយសិស្សមាឌធំជាង ដួលនៅពេលរត់លឿនពេក ឬធ្លាក់នៅពេលទ្បើងកន្លែងខ្ពស់ពេកជាដើម។ ក្រោយពីនឹកឃើញនូវរឿងរ៉ាវលំបាកៗទាំងនោះ ខ្ញុំចាប់ផ្តើមមានចិត្តប្រតិកម្មភា្លមថា ខ្ញុំនឹងជួយការពារក្មេងប្រុសដែលជារូបខ្ញុំកាលពីក្មេងនោះ ឲ្យជៀសផុតពី...

The gate of my primary school, where I visited the first time after 30 years .   Last month I returned to my primary school, where I studied 30 years ago. After entering the gate, memories flooded my head. I saw my younger self playing sand with my friends. We climbed a small mango tree, chased each other up and down a staircase in front of our classroom, exchanged our favourite food, and the list goes on.  Flashbacks kept coming, including the downtimes. I was upset when my teachers gave me low marks and questioned myself for not being good enough. I was jealous of my friends having stuff I didn’t. I was physically hurt from disagreements with bigger classmates or fell from my attempts to prove to everyone I was the fastest runner or most talented climber.  My immediate reaction to those difficult times was to protect that boy, my child-self, from pain and suffering. I wanted to assure him everything would be alright. He did not need to worry or blame himself for anythin...

បដិមាព្រះពុទ្ធនៅភ្នំសំពៅ ខេត្តបាត់ដំបង ការចាប់កំណើតនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកាន់ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនាគឺប្រទេសកម្ពុជា មិនបានបណ្តាលឲ្យខ្ញុំចាប់យកសមាធិមកអនុវត្តដោយស្វ័យប្រវត្តិនោះទេ។ សមាធិ គឺជាការបដិបត្តិមួយដ៏ចម្បងសម្រាប់ពុទ្ធសាសនិកជន ប៉ុន្តែប្រជាពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជាភាគច្រើនរួមទាំងខ្ញុំផងដែរ ច្រើនតែគោរពទៅតាមវប្បធម៌តពីដូនតាមក ដោយប្រារព្ធពិធីបែបសាសនាច្រើនជាង។ ការបដិបត្តិសមាធិជាទូទៅ គឺសម្រាប់តែព្រះសង្ឃ អ្នកប្រកាន់ខ្ជាប់ និងអ្នកសិក្សាអំពីសាសនាប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ ជាបទពិសោធ ចាប់ពីខ្ញុំបានសិក្សាពីថ្នាក់បឋមសិក្សា រហូតដល់សកលវិទ្យាល័យនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ខ្ញុំពុំដែលបានរៀនអំពីការធ្វើសមាធិម្តងណាទ្បើយ។ កត្តានេះសមហេតុសមផល ពីព្រោះខ្ញុំក៏មិនដែលបានរៀននៅតាមវត្តដែរ! ប៉ុន្តែជាទូទៅនៅក្នុងសង្គម គេតែងតែជឿថាសមាធិ គឺសម្រាប់តែអ្នកទាំងទ្បាយណាដែលលះបង់ជីវិតរបស់ពួកគេ ដើម្បីស្វែងរកផ្លូវជីវិតមួយតាមបែបសាសនាប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ គំនិតបែបនេះ បានបង្អាក់ចិត្តខ្ញុំមិនឲ្យសូម្បីតែសាកល្បងសមាធិ។ ជាទូទៅ ខ្ញុំមិនដែលមានមន្ទិលសង្ស័យទៅលើអត្ថប្រយោជន៍នៃសមាធិទេ។ សមាធិបានផ្តល់ផលវិជ្ជមានទាំងទៅលើសុខភាពផ្លូវចិត្ត និងផ្លូវកាយ។ ការសិក្សាបែបវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តរាប់ពាន់បានគាំទ្រនូវផលល្អនៃសមាធិនេះ។ ប...

Mountain-carved Buddha statue in Phnom Sampov,  Battambang  Having born in a Buddhism country, Cambodia does not make me meditate by default. Meditation is one of the core practices of Buddhists; however, many Cambodians, including me instead, are culturally bound to religious rituals. The practice is primarily for devout monks, practitioners and scholars. Throughout my education from primary to undergraduate schools here, I never encountered any mediation teachings, not even once. That makes sense because I was not learning in Buddhist monasteries anyway! But socially, there is a belief that mediation is only practiced by those who scarify their lives to pursue a religious path. This thought alone kept me away from trying it. I have no doubts about the benefits of meditation. It positively impacts our mental and physical health. Thousands of scientific studies have supported that. Though knowing this in my head could not push me to sit down, close my eyes and focus on my brea...

ម៉ោង៥ទាបភ្លឺ មេឃនៅងងឹតនៅទ្បើយ។ ពូប៊ុនលី ភ្ញាក់ពីដំណេកនៅពេលនាទ្បិការោទ៍។ គាត់ប្រះខ្នងដេកទៅវិញ ដោយគាត់ដូចជានៅងងុយនៅទ្បើយ។  “ផាំង!” សំទ្បេងលាន់ឮខ្លាំងអមដោយពន្លឺចែងចាំងមួយប៉ប្រិចភ្នែក បានធ្វើឲ្យគាត់លោតចុះពីលើគ្រែ រួចរត់សំដៅបង្អួច។ “អូ! សំទ្បេងផ្គរ និងពន្លឺផ្លេកបន្ទោរទេតើ! ភ្លៀង!” គាត់ស្រែកហាក់ដូចជាភ្ញាក់ផ្អើល។ “តើខ្ញុំចេញទៅរត់ហាត់ប្រាណយ៉ាងម៉េចហ្នឹងកើតទៅ?” ពូប៊ុនលី កំពុងសម្រាកលំហែកាយនៅមាត់សមុទ្រ ហើយមានគម្រោងរត់ហាត់ប្រាណនៅតាមឆ្នេរនៅពេលព្រលឹមស្រាងៗ។ វាគឺជាសកម្មភាពដែលគាត់ចូលចិត្តបំផុត ហើយមិនអាចខកខានបាន។ “អញ្ចឹងមានន័យថាខ្ញុំមិនអាចរត់បាន?” គាត់សួរខ្លួនឯង។ “ចុះបើខ្ញុំរត់ ខ្ញុំពិតជាទទឹកខ្លួនជោក ហើយទូរស័ព្ទក៏អាចខូច ព្រោះខ្ញុំតែងស្តាប់ចម្រៀងពេលរត់។ ស្រួលមិនស្រួលអាចរន្ទះបាញ់ទៀតក៏មិនដឹង!” គាត់ដើរទៅដើរមករអ៊ូតែម្នាក់ឯង។ ពីរបីនាទីក្រោយមក គាត់ទំនងជាមានដំណោះស្រោយ។ គាត់ពាក់អាវភ្លៀងដែលគ្របពីក្បាលរហូតដល់ជង្គង់។ គាត់ដូរស្បែកជើងកីទ្បាជាទីស្រទ្បាញ់របស់គាត់ ទៅពាក់ស្បែកជើងផ្ទាត់ ដែលអាចដោះចោលនៅឆ្នេរខ្សាច់ ហើយរត់ជើងទទេ។ គាត់ក៏កំណត់ទូរស័ព្ទដាក់ “Fly Mode” ដើម្បីកុំឲ្យមានសេវា ដែលអាចស្រូបរន្ទះ ហើយគាត់ក៏...

នៅថ្ងៃដ៏សែនក្តៅមួយក្នុងឆ្នាំ២០១៦ ពូប៊ុនលីបានទៅលេងបាល់ទាត់ជាមួយមិត្តភក្តិ។ ពួកគេទាំងអស់មានគ្នា១២នាក់ ហើយត្រូវបែងចែកជាពីរក្រុម គឺក្រុមឯកសណ្ឋានពណ៌ប្រផេះ និងពណ៌ក្រហម។ ពូប៊ុនលី ស្ថិតនៅក្រុមពណ៌ក្រហម ជាពណ៌ដែលគាត់ពេញចិត្ត។ ការប្រកួតបានចាប់ផ្តើម! គ្រប់គ្នារត់ទៅវិញទៅមក ទាត់បាល់ទៅមុខទៅក្រោយ ទៅតាមតួនាទីលេងរៀងៗខ្លួន។ ពេលខ្លះមានសំទ្បេងហ៊ោកញ្រ្ជៀវពេលមានអ្នកណាម្នាក់ស៊ុតបញ្ចូលទី។ ពូប៊ុនលី​លេងជាខ្សែប្រយុទ្ធ។ រំពេចនោះស្រាប់តែគាត់បែរជាឈរធ្មឹង។ គាត់សង្កេតឃើញថា ការប្រកួតនិងបរិវេណជុំវិញតារាងបាល់ ហាក់ដូចជាស្ងាត់ជ្រងំ។ គាត់ក៏ដើរយឺតៗចេញពីតារាង ហើយមិត្តរួមក្រុមខ្លះក៏បានដើរតាមពីក្រោយ។ “ប៊ុនលី ឯងអត់អីទេ? ឯងកើតអី?” ពួកគេសួរ។ ពូប៊ុនលី ដកដង្ហើមកាន់តែលឿន ហើយមិនបានឆ្លើយតបទ្បើយ។ គាត់ដើរចុះដើរទ្បើង ដោយងើយក្បាលទ្បើងលើ។ “ខ្ញុំអត់អីទេ នាំគ្នាទៅលេងវិញចុះ ខ្ញុំគ្រាន់តែចង់សម្រាកបន្តិច។” គាត់តបវិញ។ មិត្តគាត់ក៏បានត្រលប់ទៅវិញអស់។ ឥទ្បូវនេះ ពូប៊ុនលីនៅតែម្នាក់ឯង! គាត់ថប់ដង្ហើម ហើយចង់ឲ្យអ្នកណាម្នាក់មកជួយ។ ប៉ុន្តែគាត់ស្រែកទៅរកមិត្តភក្តិវិញមិនចេញទ្បើយ។ ដូចមនុស្សទូទៅដែរ ក្នុងស្ថានភាពបែបនេះ គាត់នឹកដល់ម្តាយ តែគាត់ក៏នឹកឃើញថ...

ខ្ញុំបានធ្វើដំណើរទៅស្រុកកំណើតនៅសប្តាហ៍នេះក្នុងពេលឈប់សម្រាក។ ដូចសព្វមួយដង ខ្ញុំបានដើរទៅកាន់ចេតិយរបស់ជីដូនជីតានៅខាងក្រោយផ្ទះ ហើយចំណាយពេលប្រមាណ១៥នាទី អង្គុយគិតពីញាតិមិត្តនិងអនុស្សាវរីយទាំងទ្បាយ ដែលបានជួបប្រទះកន្លងមក។​​​ ការសញ្ជឹងគិតបែបនេះ បានផ្តល់ត្រលប់មកខ្ញុំវិញនូវអារម្មណ៍រីករាយរយៈពេលខ្លី ហើយសោកសៅនៅទីបញ្ចប់។​ ប៉ុន្តែ ខ្ញុំក៏មានអារម្មណ៍ស្រទ្បះមុខមាត់ផងដែរ នៅពេលត្រលប់មកភ្នំពេញវិញ។នេះគឺជា “អារម្មណ៍ស្រងេះស្រងោច” ដែលជាការរំលឹកពីពេលវេលារីករាយពីអតីតកាល ពីមនុស្ស (ដូចជាញាតិមិត្តដែលឃ្លាតទៅឆ្ងាយ) ដោយគិតថាព្រឹត្តិការណ៍នោះជាពេលវេលាសប្បាយបំផុត ហើយចង់ឲ្យវាត្រលប់មកវិញ។ មនុស្សភាគច្រើនមានអារម្មណ៍បែបនេះជាញឹកញាប់ ហើយជាពិសេសនៅពេលពួកគេមានអារម្មណ៍មិនសប្បាយចិត្តឬឯកា។ ចាប់តាំងពីសតវត្សរ៍ទី១៧មក មានការសិក្សាជាច្រើនអំពីប្រធានបទនេះ។ និសិត្សវេជ្ជសាស្រ្តជនជាតិស្វីស Johannes Hofer បានចាត់ទុកអារម្មណ៍ស្រងេះស្រងោច (nostalgia) ថាជាជំងឺផ្លូវចិត្តមួយប្រភេទស្រដៀងនឹងការធ្លាក់ទឹកចិត្ត (depression) ដែលត្រូវការព្យាបាល ព្រោះវាអាចបណ្តាលឲ្យមានជំងឺដទៃទៀត។ លោកបានសិក្សាលើទាហានស្វីសដែលមានអាម្មណ៍នឹកផ្ទះ នៅពេលពួកគេធ្វើសង្រ្គាមនៅបរទេ...

One evening I sat down with a group of five farmers in Preah Vihear province. We had a discussion of how to improve our livelihoods when the nature is no longer nice to us. "If I own a pair of cows, I will plow my field and turn it into a vegetable garden. They also give dung for fertilizers, " a woman said. "But I will buy them after the next harvest season," she continued. "There is no water for rice farming during dry seasons," a man talked to me. "Even you bring us a canal, we are not sure if we plant rice," he frowned. "Why?" I asked. "Because our habit is to farm once a year, if you do, you will be alone and people's animal will eat your rice. I cannot afford making fences around my field," he said. Another man replied promptly, "Fencing is not a big deal, but water is." "I already do farming around a small pond, where water is almost empty during dry seasons," he said as if another source o...

Are you people who are looking for ways to work smart? If yes, you are with me. For years since graduation, I have been a desperate seeker for how to do so. And the result is I found 'none'. My workplace invests resources to make sure employees know how to work smart and therefore increase their productivity. And what I have learnt is 'none' again. So I keep searching. I found a guy, Shawn Achor, who seems to change my perception of working behavior. I normally go with this rhythm:  Work hard --->  Productivity ---> Happy. Now what I learnt is: Happy ---> Productivity ---> Work hard (smart) I think I got it right:  

A couple of months ago, I was stressful from work and had to finish housework. I was tired and had no feelings to do it. I had no choice but started doing it slowly. I focused solely on each step from start till end and kept aside my earlier stress. After an hour, I got my housework done and more significantly I felt better, relaxed and calm. I asked myself what I had done to release the work stress. The answer was by doing housework! I was not convinced although it worked. I then shared the story with friends on Facebook just for fun and forgot it. These could be tools to release stress. Until recently, I came across a film on Buddha's life produced by the BBC . There was a scene where Buddha at a young age went out of palace with his father to join a farming festivity. He carefully observed a farmer plowing the earth. He saw worms were dug up and eaten by birds around. His mind came to analyse ...

For most of us, we admire other people due to their successes. We even approve them as our role models. We love the way they behave and sometimes imitate to get at least feelings of similarities. This is not necessary bad to follow good people. As long as we plan to work hard as they do, we might get something and hopefully better things. But the issue here is normally we see only the bright part of our role models. We know them because they are shining. And we never ask about or do not have chances to see their back stages. People who are entitled 'successful' feel comfortable to offer advices about their hard work or unique ways to climb to the top. Sometimes, they forget to include 'what else' contributed along their journey. These could be family advantages, social benefits, economical demands, and political helps, to mention some big things. Of course they are smart people, but their incomplete advice could create a misunderstanding among their peers w...

Our beautiful world gives us anything for survival and comfort. But the big mistake human returns her is landmine !

While Brother number 2, Noun Chea, is on trial in Phnom Penh, I had a chance to travel 600 kilometers to see his bigger brother's court room. It was exactly here more than ten years ago where Pol Pot was sitting and listening to a court's sentence on his guilt. Now the wooden room has gone and left only a few pillars standing to welcome visitors. It seems abandoned even by its villagers. A guiding billboard with "Pol Pot was sentenced here" text might remind passers-by but it could not compete with the losing interest of the locals. Though, it is still useful for outsiders, for example, like me. Right next to the site, there is a small market and a Cambodian-Thai border checkpoint just a several meters away. I could observe from the location why Khmer Rouge related matters are buried and forgotten here. It is all about business and livelihoods. People tend to care more about the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand and the current ...

A street vender in Kompong Cham today asked me to try this special dish. "Brother one of these snakes will fit well with a can of beer," she suggested. I was not convinced as snakes are always my scary creatures. They do not look delicious although they were cooked with promising ingredient. "No thanks, just looking," I replied and left. Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Last week, I was in Kratie province. What shocked me was the scene of a burnt market. It was the place I usually had meals any time I came here. But now it's gone! Local people told me it happened during midnight, and almost all stores were burnt into dust. Some people I saw were crying, but some were laughing as their hurt was too much to say! There was not much to see except smoke. So I decided to leave and let other visitors experience this sad view. Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.0

Then I headed to Kratie, another province stands by the Mekong River. It was a five-hour drive from Preah Vihear, and the journey was not really bad. I was accompanied with jokes and fun from my colleagues in the same car. And what really blocked my ears and isolated all my senses from the surrounding environment was my little pink mp3 player. It saved me from boredom and tiredness. When I arrived in Kratie, it was just another new page of painting flipping just in front my eyes through the car's windows. From a very dried and warm Preah Vihear province, now I encountered a landscape filled with green leaves and wet ground. That was a very sweet welcoming scene that made me stuck to complain about the long drive. The Mekong river contains its lowest water during this month, but this does not mean that everything around it should be quiet. The river bank was full of people jogging, selling varieties of fruit and food, eating, and chatting. (but I did not notice people smoking). ...

It was exactly one month last week when the border conflict erupted in Preah Vihear province. The situation is very calm now. People, who fled their homes during the conflict, are back and continue their businesses as usual. Though, the conflict is still the hottest topic of everyday conversations. But for me, it is not my visit's interest. I was there neither to visit the temple nor to find out what was going on. My purpose was to see my on-going environmental project's activities, helping farmers to adapt to climate change impact. It was my first time to actually be in the field and met project staff and farmers, who my every work is aimed for. I had a very good opportunity to learn from them and especially to see all beautiful sites. Below are some of the photos from the visit and check more here . This is one of the typical farmers' houses in rural Cambodia and notably they are renovated when people's incomes are increased.     A very convenient and c...

It has been a month since I started my work in a climate change project. I am not working as a climate change specialist but still a communication guy. Though, working in this project is my good chance to learn about this topic as the world is worrying about the global warming! Early this month, I had a chance to meet project staff from the fields of the two targeted provinces, Kratie and Preah Vihea. Those are the people who work directly with farmers and make results. I learnt a lot of their experiences through personal conversations. For privacy reasons, I will not show their photos here. But I still have some nice views of Kompong Cham, where I met them. (More photos, please see the photo section ) Waiting for the sunset or a boat? The bridge is for my cows too! Don't worry! We have the patrolling boats too!