It's All a Matter of Perspective

Everything is a matter of perspective. The glass is have full; the glass is half empty. Video games cause violence; video games improve spatial abilities. Trump is an awful president; Trump is an awful president. Everything around us is built on perspective, and the above examples demonstrate how people can view the same topic in an entirely different light. This may seem obvious, but rarely do we ever think about how our own perspectives differ from that of others.

For instance, yesterday I was showing some of the students a view of my street in the U.S., and each of them commented on how clean it looked. Now I never really noticed how clean my street looked when I was still at home, however looking at it now, after being in Siem Reap for a month, Center Street looks drastically cleaner by comparison. No heaps of trash. No stray dogs trying to make more stray dogs. And certainly not as many motorbikes. My perspective has changed in such a way that, when I return home, it will look and feel very different from when I left. And that's the best thing about perspectives, they're fluid! 

I just finished Ripples From the Zambezi by Ernesto Sirolli, a book I was supposed to read in my social entrepreneurship class, but you know how college works (I actually have a habit of reading books I was supposed to read in class, after the fact). But anyway, one of the major arguments towards the end of the book concerns education. Millions of children are forced into the same machine, regardless of their individual talents and abilities. We end up with children who fall through the cracks or think school is a waste of time because it doesn't provide enough challenge. While it is important every child learn the basics, once they reach a certain age they should be able to choose their own path. It is exponentially easier to teach a child something they want to learn, than what they have to learn because someone said so. To once again quote the GREATEST BAND TO EVER LIVE, 

"We don't need no education. 

We don't need no thought control. 

No dark sarcasm in the classroom. 

Teacher leave them kids alone. 

Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone. 

All in all it's just a-nother brick in the wall. 

All in all you're just a-nother brick in the wall."

- Pink Floyd 

While I don't agree with every word of Sirolli, I do agree with his general message, and I am trying to incorporate his philosophy into my classes. This afternoon I had the youngest students look up whatever video tutorial they wanted, and they would have to transcribe the instructions into English, as I'm supposed to be an English teacher. What ended up happening, however, was a few students were watching drawing tutorials, and I told those students they could draw instead of write. In a matter of minutes we broke out the crayons and markers and every student was following a how-to drawing tutorial. The kids had so much fun they weren't rushing out of class as they usually are, they actually worked on their drawings straight through their next class. This is an excellent example of Sirolli's words in action. From now on I'm going to do my best to incorporate the students' interests into the curriculum, as interest and passion bolster learning like nothing else. 

 

Photo Dump!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_U9DpQYzRfdSzZEOHlYWUNsMk0

On Instant Gratification

If you are someone who needs instant gratification to feel successful, or to know that you've done a good job, teaching probably isn't the best career for you. From my experience teaching thus far, I have noticed some students are always fully engaged and answer questions, while others are doodling or falling asleep or doing something else they shouldn't be doing. It's hard to tell whether the students are actually taking something away from my classes, or if everything I'm saying is going through one ear and right out the other. Most teachers are able to see their efforts come to light only at the end of the school year, as you can compare the students' knowledge now to when they first sat down in your class. But occasionally, teachers are able to see the fruits of their labor make a difference relatively quickly, and I was able to get a taste of that feeling today.

For the past two weeks I have had the pleasure of teaching Grade 12. A small, all girls class that graduated from TGC yesterday. Since I had full reign over their classes, I decided to teach them about the art of interviewing, something all of us have had or will have to do at one point or another. Interviews can be extremely nerve-wracking, especially if you've never had one before, so I wanted to teach the girls how to answer the most common types of interview questions, and some other interviewing tips that are sure to make them stand out.

I went over the classic "Tell me about yourself" question, which can be extremely difficult to answer without any preparation. I also discussed how to answer the greatest strengths/greatest weaknesses question, and even the onerous, "Tell me about a challenge you had at work and how you overcame it." (I think the hardest interview question I was ever asked was for the Minerva Fellowship interview, and the question was, "What is a trait you admire, but do not possess yourself?" I encourage you to answer this one for yourself) As I taught the class I could tell the students were interested. Nobody doodled. Nobody fell asleep. All eyes were on me. The trick to keeping students engaged is to keep the class interesting, and most importantly, relevant. I cannot tell you how many hours I have wasted trying to remember something I forgot moments after the test. That is precious time I could have spent studying a topic I currently use!

I concluded the last interview class by answering any last minute questions, perhaps the most accurate gauge of interest (or confusion), and sure enough there were many to answer. Feeling accomplished I ended the class with the notion that I would always be around to provide further guidance, and this morning I learned that one of the girls had an interview in less than an hour! Nervous, excited, and now prepared, she "passed" her interview with flying colors, as she was offered the job.

I asked her which questions came up, and sure enough two of the big five were employed by her interviewer. I felt extremely proud as I am starting to see the students, not as my own, but rather little siblings. And I couldn't help but think my classes had something to do with her success. Would she have gotten the job without my help? Most likely. The students at TGC are there for a reason, they're extremely unique in all the right ways. But knowing she went into that interview knowing what to expect and more confident as a result, lets me know I've done my job.

Time

"Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time. 

Plans that either come to naught, or half a page of scribbled lines..."

-Time, Pink Floyd

This isn't the first time I've quoted "Time" by the ingeniously creative Pink Floyd, and it certainly won't be my last. I've always found time to be a fascinating concept, as there are moments when it seems to crawl like a snail, and other times when you question if something even happened. Because, before you know it, "10 years have got behind you."

That certainly describes my thoughts regarding my time at Union. As a coping mechanism in times of distress or simply boredom, I like to tell myself, "It'll be over before I know it." Not that I wished Union would be over before I knew it, but I also do this whenever something exciting or positive is happening in my life. I can't help but think how fast time will go by. And sure enough, like magic, I'm in that moment where, whatever it is, is over.

I can still vividly remember when I first sat down in Schaffer Library as a freshman. There was a massive painting of a white winter forest to my left, and a few students with their heads buried in books to my right. At the table it was just me, my laptop, my Intro to Economics textbook, and Metallica. I looked up and thought to myself, "before I know it, I'm going to be a graduate, not a student."

And now, looking back, it's as if some magical force snapped its fingers and plopped me into the present. Where I am no longer a student, but a Minerva Fellow of Union College. Already my first month has gone by unbelievably fast. It feels like yesterday that I was unpacking my suitcases. I will never forget that feeling when I made the realization that this would be my life for the next year. I was terrified. Excited, nervous, unsure; it's hard to describe such a strong feeling you've never felt before. But I can tell you I truly know what it feels like to be out of my comfort zone.

Sometimes it still doesn't feel real that I am here. I was walking into the apartment today, and as I opened the door I just thought, "Am I really opening a door to an apartment in Cambodia?" Again, it's difficult to describe such a feeling, but the best description I can give is surreal. During my first month in Siem Reap, I have been telling myself that, "Before I know it, I'll be back home," as every day I long to see my friends and family. Especially my little dog, Soda.

But I must be careful, as time has a funny way of operating. When we want time to fly, it takes the bus. And when we want time to pause, it fast forwards. But surely enough, before I know it, I'll be back in Stillwater, New York. Ready to take on my next adventure.

The Art of the Deal

One thing that I've always wanted to try, and currently suck at, is haggling. I'm the type of person who has to take home a souvenir, and every time I pass a souvenir shop I can't help but ogle at all the odds and ends and little woodcarvings I've seen a million times already. They just don't get old. When I worked at Porsche customers would haggle with the salesmen all the time, and you could tell it got old. In the US, the price on the sticker is what you pay, however in the car business, haggling is excepted, although not always appreciated. I would even have customers try to haggle with me about service! But in Siem Reap, it's fun being on the other side of the coin.

Now traditionally, Cambodians (and really anyone in a developing/tourist region) have been known to inflate prices for foreigners. Sometimes as much as four times what a local would pay. I have read that customer service does not exist in Cambodia, as shopkeepers would rather squeeze as much dough as possible out of a naive tourist once, than retain a satisfied customer. A well known fact in business is that it's cheaper to keep an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. So why don't more business owners follow this advice? Maybe it's greed, maybe it's the fact the likelihood of seeing that person again are slim to none. Most people in developing countries just assume all Americans are rich.

I walked into a souvenir shop today after giving some English lessons at Joe to Go, and I stumbled into a store just around the corner. I walked in and perused the merchandise, all the same stuff I had seen before. As I got halfway into the store, the sensation someone was following me took over and sure enough, someone was following me. Taking note of my reactions to each item. I eventually came across the perfect gift for my little brother, with a hefty price tag of $56.

With my falconer on my six, I made sure to clearly express my disgust. Hiding my true thoughts of "I gotta have this." The inevitable negotiation was about to start, and I thought of my thesis and the concept of anchoring, a famous heuristic which causes the human mind to fixate on the first piece of information presented in a given situation. Anchoring has particular relevance in negotiating, as the first number exerts an incredible amount of influence on the outcome. Anchoring is just evidence that everything is relative. EVERYTHING. We can't judge something unless we have something to compare it to. For example, this post will seem much shorter if I enter down a bunch of times at the end, as you will see all the white space and make the connection that there is room leftover.

I shot first with an offer of $15 in an attempt to "re-anchor" the negotiation to a price more in my favor. The woman looked at me as if I had ten heads, and that seemed to be that. I put the item down and proceeded to look around some more. She approached me again and lowered her price to $35. I came up to $20. I started walking out the door, explaining I could find the same thing in another shop a stone's throw away, and she lowered once more to $30. I tried to stick to my guns, but came up to $25. She backed down to $28, and I struck the deal.

Even though I still probably overpaid significantly for the item, I felt good about getting 51% off, but I realize this is just anchoring in effect. Seeing an item for $56 and then paying $28 for it makes the transaction feel like a deal, and it's the same mechanism at work when you buy something off Amazon or in the store that has a "***WAS*** [insert dollar amount]" sticker. Regardless, I am happy with my little brother's gift and I look forward to practicing my haggling skills more. Maybe one day I'll be as good a negotiator as Trump, the stupidity of whom the world has never seen before.

The Golden Rule

Every time I talked about going to Siem Reap with someone who had already been here, they always made this remark: "the people there are so nice!" Despite all of the warnings of various scams and corruption that are abundant in Cambodia, I was able to see for myself just how nice people in Siem Reap really are.

I have been frequenting the Angkor Muscle Gym for a couple of weeks now, as I like to stay in shape and going to the gym has helped me deal with the stress of being in a foreign country for the first time, with still 8 months to go. Think for a moment about the sweatiest workout you have ever had. Now multiply that by ten, and then make that every workout. That's what it's like to workout in Siem Reap. Working out at the Angkor Muscle Gym feels like hot yoga but with weights, as the gym offers no salvation from the heat and you're adding vigorous exercise on top of it. It was hard for me to break a sweat at Union's sumptuous, air-conditioned fitness center, but now I break a sweat just walking through the...big opening I guess you would call it. But back to people being nice.

I have begun to recognize the same faces that have the same workout routine as I do, and one of those familiar faces decided to introduce himself to me as he noticed I had been coming to the gym long enough to indicate I was not just some tourist. He had moved to Siem Reap from Phnom Phen just four months ago, so we were in a similar boat. New city. Not that many friends. 

At the end of my workout I told him I was going to Tuk Tuk Tacos for dinner, an amazing taco joint with illustrations of different taxi variations from all around the world. The tacos were amazing as usual, and when it was time to head back, I noticed that for a third time, I had a flat tire. This guy I just met, offered to bring me back on his motorbike and tow my bike along for the ride. 

Knowing all too well how unpleasant it is to ride a bicycle with a flat tire on the cavernous roads of Cambodia, I accepted his offer and we rode back to the apartment. One hand holding on for dear life, one hand clutching onto my bicycle so it didn't veer off and hit some unsuspecting traveler. There were moments when the bike would lean too far and I thought for sure I was going to lose it, but I was able to keep correcting and keep the bike on course. Sometimes coming within an inch of other motorists and pedestrians. My tire turned out to be completely destroyed, so hopefully the replacement will bring with it a period of smooth riding. 

My new friend, Dara, had pals from Phnom Phen that were coming to visit tomorrow, and he invited me to come along for the fun. I told him I would buy him a round as a thank you for the lift home. We parted ways and I received a message from him awhile later expressing his disappointment that his friend came down with a case of food poisoning, but asked if I would still be up for a drink. 

Without a doubt I said yes, and his next question is where the story gets interesting. He asked me if I wanted to see a drag show, which I had never heard of. Was it a drag race? Did it involve drag queens? Turns out the answer was the latter, and my new friend revealed to me that he is gay, with a "hope that will be ok for you" attached. 

For a moment I thought about how sad it is that people feel the need to include these types of asides, and I mean that in the sense that there are countless people who feel victimized based on their sexual orientation, skin color, religious beliefs, or some other thing that truly shouldn't matter. I told him that while I was not, it wasn't a problem for me. I further expressed that I would be open to seeing a drag show, no matter how far out of my comfort zone it may be. The Minerva Fellowship is all about openness to experience, and I honestly cannot think of a better way to exercise this. Go to a drag show with someone you just met that helped you drag (pun intended) your disabled bicycle home. 

At the end of the day, we're just two people who are looking for friends in an unfamiliar place. Rarely do strangers offer to help someone in need that they just met a few moments prior, and I am grateful to have met someone who so perfectly exemplifies The Golden Rule: "Treat others how you want to be treated." 

Crazy Ideas: Are They Really That Crazy?

Today so happens to be Spiderman's birthday, easily my favorite superhero created by Marvel. I was reading an article about our friendly neighborhood Spiderman, and it turns out, Stan Lee's idea for a normal teenage superhero was, at the outset laughed at; Peter Parker was "hardly superhero material." Turns out, Stan Lee was right, and the publisher was dead wrong.

This seems to be a common theme in business, not just comic book characters or entertainment as a whole. Many ideas that are now considered ingenious were originally scoffed at and deemed nonsense. Take for instance, the light bulb, The Pet Rock, the umbrella, even coffee! Nowadays, we couldn't imagine our lives without these items (okay, maybe not the pet rock), but all of these ideas were considered crazy at the time of their conception. Why is this so?

What all of these items have in common is at one point, they were remarkable. Different. Nothing like them had existed before, therefore no one could wrap their heads around the benefit these things could bring. Publishers and CEOs don't know what consumers want. Even the consumers don't know what they want until it's staring them in the face in a red and blue suit. It takes a special kind of person to pursue an idea everyone else wants to criticize, but that's just being an entrepreneur.

Take Citizen Kane for instance, often considered the greatest film of all time. Why? When it was first released it wasn't met with much praise, so why now is it considered to be so great? It was remarkable. Orson Welles used cinematic techniques pretty normal by today's standards, but in 1941 they were anything but. His techniques can now be found in countless films today, but that's only because he was willing to do something different.

So if you have an idea most people think is crazy, chances are you have a great idea. Or, you're just crazy. But why not give it a shot and see for yourself?

The Mantra of Minerva Fellows

During my interview for the Minerva Fellowship, I was asked about my thoughts regarding teaching. To the Director of Minerva Programs, Tom McEvoy's dismay, I said I was not interested in teaching. Something about getting in front of a group of students everyday and "presenting" triggered past anxiety about public speaking mishaps, which fortunately I have since overcome. Fast forward a few weeks to decision time, and I received an email from Tom asking if I would be interested in going to Cambodia, to you guessed it, teach.

It didn't take much convincing because when an opportunity like this is presented to you, you seize it. I knew I would be completely outside of my comfort zone, and my suspicions were correct. Part of the reason I did not want to teach was because I didn't think teaching was entrepreneurial, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Teachers must be adaptable, creative with their lesson plans and activities, organized, persistent, effective leaders, and able to roll with the punches. All of these qualities are paramount if one plans to become a successful entrepreneur, and I am extremely grateful for my placement in Cambodia as I am learning more than I ever thought I would. Between working as a teacher and business consultant for Joe to Go, I am receiving a rather expansive education in the subject of life.

Since landing on the ground in Cambodia, the prestige that is typically associated with being a Minerva Fellow has dissipated. Many apply and few are accepted, but once a fellow is on the ground in his or her respective community, the work to be completed is all that matters. Most of the people Minerva Fellows work with have been through so much more, and have overcome far greater obstacles. Thus, the people we work with are the true inspirations. Lao Tzu said it best in his quote which has become the mantra for Minerva Fellows:

“Go to the people. 

Live with them. 

Learn from them. 

Love them. 

Start with what they know. 

Build with what they have. 

But with the best leaders, 

when the work is done, 

the task accomplished, 

the people will say 

'We have done this ourselves.”

2 Week Mark, Already

Today is the two-week mark and already I have grown pretty accustomed to living in another country 8,692 miles away. They say the human body is remarkable when it comes to adapting to new environments, and while my stomach still has some time to adjust, mentally, I am quite adjusted.

I have my daily routine pretty well established and between the new efforts with the restaurant, Joe to Go, and activities at TGC, my mind is always occupied. When I have free time I usually spend it exploring the city, reading, or catching up on the news back home. Most of the time it seems as if things are more organized here than in Washington. Every day there appears to be some new development in the cluster-fuck that is the White House.

By now I have a pretty good handle on all the ins and outs of living in Siem Reap: turn up the fan speed incrementally or else it will violently fall out of the ceiling, cold showers after sweating out all the water that was formerly in my body, listening to conversations in a language I cannot understand, with body language being the only thing I can understand, geckos on the walls of everything, and narrowly missing motorists every time I hop on my bike. If my bike has a flat tire, I know where to get it fixed. If I need groceries, I know where I can buy them. Life in Siem Reap isn't really life in Siem Reap anymore, it's just life, but there are still times when I think to myself, "am I really here?" While I still miss my friends and family back home, I have come to the realization that I am only an acting Minerva Fellow once, and I need to live every day in Siem Reap as if it were my last.

Being someone who loves souvenirs, I caved and bought my first two souvenirs at two weeks in. Souvenir shops in Siem Reap are like mazes. They appear the same in every which direction, and have countless exit and entry points. As I walk the long corridors filled with dusty old trinkets and touristy apparel, one by one the salespeople tear their eyes away from their phones and give their best attempt at a sales pitch. Best not you find a dead end, as you'll find yourself cornered between someone trying to sell you the elephant statue you happened to glance at for a fraction of a second, and a pair of cheap leggings.

In the coming weeks I will be focusing on Joe to Go's marketing efforts as the restaurant operates solely to fund The Global Child. While there is much work to be done, I look forward to the challenge and have already been able to put my design skills to use and offer input.