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Solution for unemployment in Canada
Letters from abroad
There is a popular saying that “to live is to work”, and while life is not all about work, the saying seems to hold true in Canada, Cambodia and around the world. Most people cannot live without a job, but the approach from the governments in various countries to the problem of unemployment differs greatly. It might be interesting for you to hear about the ways in which Canada’s government and private sector have intervened in order to help more citizens get jobs and keep the ones they have.
First, there is a growing number of job search agencies who help both new and experienced workers find jobs suitable to their educational background and experiences. Enrolled students learn about networking strategies, curriculum vitae, cover letters and interviewing skills. These agencies also partner with private groups and the government to launch job fairs, which exist in Cambodia on a smaller scale, in order to bring together employers and employees. In fact, I was employed as a result of my participation in a job fair.
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Khmer Stylizing in Canada
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 15:00 Sophan Seng
April is a busy month for Cambodians all over the Khmer diaspora since Khmer New Year is fast approaching. Since the holiday is not recognised by governments in foreign countries, Cambodians living abroad must wait for the weekend to celebrate the holiday. Some communities celebrate the holiday at Buddhist temples, but more often than not, people celebrate the new year in public halls or other rented spaces.
While the location of the celebration may not be familiar to many Cambodians, the events themselves have changed little among Cambodians living abroad. Go to a Khmer New Year celebration in Canada and you are likely to see authentic food, religious ceremonies, popular games, and traditional arts and entertainment.
The thing that always impresses me most is the beauty of the women wearing traditional Khmer outfits. The graceful appearance of Khmer women and their styles of dress have remained intact. “I have always worn traditional Khmer outfits to attend Khmer festivals, wedding ceremonies and traditional gatherings,” said Kimleine, who has been living away from Cambodia since she was a toddler.
I would say that every Khmer family I know has plenty of traditional clothes for such events. Peddlers display different styles of Khmer cloths every time a cultural event is upcoming.
“I like the style a lot, especially Khmer traditional outfits for weddings,” said Kimleine.
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Critical/Analytical Thinking
Critical Thinking
One of the crucial goals of education is to permeate critical thinking for students. You are engaging in process of critical thinking when you weigh evidence, analyze points of view, and evaluate the outcomes of a decision. Critical thinking requires you to judge thing reasonably about issues by considering evidence and using clear criteria to guide your decisions. Those criteria including consider all relevant evidence, develops criteria for making reasoned judgments, make judgments on the basis of these criteria, and works on developing the character traits, or habits of mind that promote effective decision making.
Actually, you make choices every day — at school, at home, with friends, and at work. For example, you may need to decide whether to join an after-school activity, whether to support a friend in demonstration, or how to plan your courses for the year.
Utilizing criteria to guide your decisions will help you achieve in school. Furthermore, the benefits of utilizing criteria to guide your decisions go well beyond the social studies classroom. Developing effective criteria will ensure that you make the most effective choices when faced with challenges in all aspects of your life.
Habits of Mind
Habits of mind to promote critical thinking and effective decision making are essential. Whether you are completing a social studies assignment or dealing with other challenges, these habits of mind can help you achieve success at school and in life.
What habits of mind or critical thinking you have pursued?
Letter from Abroad: Struggling Life
It’s February in Canada and the temperature is below the freezing point. The people are shaking in the cold, harsh winter wind and the ground is entirely covered by a thick layer of white ice. Pheak Kdey, who is 30-years-old, drives his BMW through the blistering cold every day to work at his gas station. But today, he is taking time to join a meeting with other ethnic Cambodians to discuss their action plan for 2010.
The six-strong Khmer Youth Association of Alberta has contributed substantially to its community since it was founded in 1994 in Calgary, a sprawling city in western Canada. Pheak Kdey, who migrated from a border camp in 1983 during the civil war in Cambodia, was raised and educated here, and now runs a family business.
Pheak Kdey is one of many young Cambodians who have grown up in a foreign country, and he said that this hasn’t always been easy. “My parents had a difficult time adapting to a new life in an unfamiliar culture, surrounded by people speaking a foreign language,” he said. “But I enjoyed making new friends at school, and I became a coordinator between my parents and other people in our community.” After graduating from high school, Pheak Kdey began working at a gas station and seven years later, he was the station’s owner.
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