SIGNIS Asia - VJ Program

I left home in a rush after the scout woodbadge training course and heading to the bus station, I nearly missed the bus due to my latiness. After 7 hours journey, Phnom Penh capital welcome me in the dry and hot weather, not so many traffic, few bikes, few cars, there was Vietnamese sound around me when I got out of the bus, I started feeling homesick.

I met for the first time my new companions from Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Indonesia, I started confused, I cannot remember their names and where they said they were from, I was exhausted, my mind was so empty, what I wanted to do was just to have a tight sleep and a rest after the training, I even was not so sure why I was there.

We spent our first day just to make short presentations to introduce who we were, what we did, our family, friends, hobbies, ect. The workshop seemed so simple but I suddenly recognized how wonderful my friends’ journey of life, how hard they faced, how much effort they had to trade-off to come today. I must thank God for what I have granted so far, no more complain, feeling blessed. Then we learned how to take a good photo, up angle, low angle, long shot, mid shot, shade and light, square and circle, object and background; from now on, I know every photo has a meaning, every detail in a photo says something.

I used to blame technologies for my poor communication skills, I was sure that people had to have in hand hi-tech camera, fancy software, and awesome technique to create a fine-art production. But then I was required to make an interview just with my Nokia Xpress 3.2 mp, my team did it. It once said that “something just can be taught, others just can be caught”, moments are stuff like that, when you catch it, no matter what technology you have in hand, just capture it, and you have what you want.

Every assignment, I learned from my friends. I learned from Melissa and Edgar that thinking out of the box is old concept, they were thinking as there is no box at all, creativity is endless. I learned from Ngean and Sunny that verbal communication can be obstacle, but obstacle is to overcome, not to stop you; if you really want to work with each other, you can find a way. I learned from Ignatius and Lattana that at the end of the day, simplicity wins; effect will make things more attractive, but content makes delighted feeling, look and observe things in-depth rather that just the surface, learning is a progress, not a point. I learned from my teammate – Sam, for his commitment and humility, what a responsible teammate. I learned from the instructors – Dr.Magi and Mr.Sovanna that constructive comments always make good change, the do’s is better than the don’ts. I learned from Eljay that making a good film requires lots of effort, sometimes you have to push yourself and your team toward, and teamwork means working together, not to abandon anyone, because at the end, relationship is what you have.

I learned that there are chances just come once in a life time, take it or refuse it will make your life turn different direction. Four years ago, 2009 in Chiang Mai, when I took the chance to VJ program, it turned my life to commit with children. Four years later, 2013 in Phnom Penh, when I took the chance to VJ asia program, I think my life has reached a milestone to confirm the purpose of being.

I learned that when I sleep tight in my cosy room, with aircon and quality bed, there are many people who live with garbage and struggle everyday without a solution. I learned that when I am thinking of how to make my scouts happy and fulfill their wishes, there are many children do not even have a chance to go to school. I learned that when I complain about my government about their lack of support, there are people who live without any support from their government.

I learned that when I indulge my life in complaining for what I do not have, there are people who are thankful for everyday passed by and they can sell lots of garbage today.

I sat on the bus home, the whole week just kept passing my mind as a slow motion movie, it is kind of sad emotion, I realized there is noone would call me “Vi Chao”, there is noone would stay up late to edit film with me, there is noone would smile with me and recall my scare “P’Mak ghost”, there is noone would walk with me to Smiley hotel and stop at the corner to buy coffee. I just wished to have more time to correct our mistakes, to produce a better production.

Memories will live on as  treasure and become courage to move on. The trip is one good chapter of my life, writing new chapter connected to the previous chapter is my task.

Tomorrow is a new day, make it remarkable not a routine.

-ViCao-