As a Cambodian, I am very lucky to be able to see and understand the stories and cultures of the Cambodian every day. However, just seeing is not sufficient for me to really understand deep to my country. Thanks to the opportunity that Liger has offered me, I am able to explore my passion for the environment even more. I have now realized the importance of protecting our environment.
In the city, the loud noise of transportation every day and remaining with a lot of wastes on the street — while I ride on the street. These are from human activity that when we do, we do not realize where those rubbish destinations are, will they end up in the ocean or will they return back to your home again? Do you know that you can create an impact on climate change since now Cambodia becomes sunnier and hotter?
Whereas in the community area, especially in the forest area, I often saw people destroying the trees in real life. I didn’t feel impressed at all with the way they treated life that cannot talk, but produces the needs for human, trees, and plants. Before, I knew that only me, a 12-year-old boy could not do anything to create his own shield for preserving these poor trees. In addition, I was taught to be quiet and hide my voice from all the people. Also, I was taught in school only about lessons but without practicing so the students including me didn’t really have time to focus and see the issues in the community.
However, things have changed between me when my Liger third-year of studying came. I was privileged to have learned the beauty of the environment in Cambodia. I got to spend my time, staring at my environment that I love. I am so grateful for those opportunities that let me explore and observe things surround me.
Outdoor Leadership Exploration, Environment observation and supporting the beauty of nature
This year (2018-2019), I was part of the Outdoor Leadership exploration; it allowed students to focus and observe more to the environment. It’s a new project for me to work on and I was excited to see and learn. Sit and Spot was a studying activity that helped me and other students to have sometimes alone. We sat inside the green world and stare at one thing such as a plant, a bird and more, that interested us. Their products could be a song, a writing piece, a poem, and a drawing. In addition, we also wrote our own reflection, including our mood and love toward the field. At the crucial point, I really got inspired by the exploration and I hope everybody did too; the precious life of the nature-world that’s beautiful and lovely until our eyes can shine with the one spot only, right there. Moreover, growth mindset and overcoming my fear were all I got. I was a person who always tossed the garbage everywhere but now I need to show my esteem toward the environment as much as I can. If my habit still didn’t change, I will start thinking to myself where will the trash that I throw is going to end up?. Overcoming fear was what I also met during the adventure. I used to stay in my comfort zone level; I tried not to push myself too hard with hiking while it might be so exhausting. Plus, sometimes thoughts may scare you. However, I pushed myself, worked hard, and put all my effort into hiking. I would never find difficulties or differences if I kept staying in my comfort zone. Therefore, we would never understand the true meaning of the environment such as trees, creatures, lake and more if we never take a rest and start thinking deeply about how their lives are going on.
Precious Plastic, raising awareness of the way of fixing plastic into precious ones and protect ocean life,
The environment started getting dirtier and messier because of plastic. Over the year, I have seen a vast amount of plastic drifted away everywhere. They got stuck to the trees and tall grass areas. I have always dreamed of transforming plastic waste into daily products for people’s usage. However, I didn’t have enough materials and specific ideas yet, so I stopped for an instant, but I still watched some DIY videos on Youtube about how they recycle plastic into a new fresh look. I felt quite satisfying while watching the videos because it seemed like magic of how attractive the waste looked after they have been recycled. I thought maybe some days I could learn and change the way plastic is being recycled instead of going to fly everywhere.
Precious plastic has presented me with what I love and want to achieve. In this exploration, I have learned the beauty of plastic. Instead of throwing them away, why not revealing their beauty initially; the true recycling power. I expressed my DIY skill through this very amazing opportunity for myself. As such, the environment every day is being harmed from our acts, so they need protection and it’s going to be all of us involving.
These were the opportunity, I can feel the change in myself. I will always remember, in life whether you win or lose, it doesn’t matter, the matter is to accept the change in who you are. Nature needs our protection to survive through these tough circumstances, but the changes I have done in this year were all served for them as I am a fairy; the fairy of nature. The mission of the fairy is to protect the world from evil-doing and to form a shield for the vulnerable ones. I truly believe I am a fairy even I am just an ordinary human being. This year, I have done the great changes for my own country and I hope in the future to create great changes as I did in this very spectacular year of 2019.
