The Team

Kou Sothea – Soksabike Manager

1979 Was the final year of Pol pot regime after this year it was my first life in the earth, I was born in 1980, the oldest of six brothers and sisters. At that time the civil war just finished but everywhere still unsafely jet .The sound of boom still booming in the country side. So it’s not better to live in that moment. After six year ago I became a student in the Andongchenh primary school in Battambang province. I finished primary school in 13 years and continued to secondary school in Sor Hore School. I studied here for 3 year ,and then I passed the examination for high school (Pras Monivong high school) I spent 4 year in high school but could not pass the examination anymore, so I stopped  studying  in 1999, every things was bad from me. I didn’t how to help my own life if I couldn’t have the high education. I feel bad for 2 years.

Fortunately, I met my old friend as an artist. That is why, I decided to study visual art with him in 2001 at Phare Pounleu Selpak organization, studied here for 3 years. In 2004 I became a drawing teacher in this organization for part time job. I work in the morning, so I worked in (…) until now because I love this place however I get less salary.

First job

In 2007 when I had some money from my work I try to pay it for my study at university. Now I’m a student at university Management Economic (UME) in third year for HRM (Human Resource Management).

In 2010 I worked as a part time for this Soksabike project, in afternoon I love this project so much because it is a best opportunity to make communication between me and some foreigners, and share culture each other. It means this project will tell some things about Cambodia culture to the tourist. This project, tourism can learn some lessons from cambodian in the country side such as, How to make massroom, how to make paper rice cake, how to make boom boo rice cake, and understanding Khmer rouge genocide. In Battambong, especially tourist can talk everything that they want to talk to the people in the community when they growth some plant, belong the way. All these things about can make tourist understand clearly about Cambodia . That is why I really love this work and hope our project will more funny in the future for tourist.

Oem Chean – Tour Guide

Mr. Oem Chean is a University student learning at UBB (University of Battambang). Previously, he stayed in Mongreusei District, and Battambang Province, He lived in a poor family. In addition to it, his father had to leave the family in order to work as a Motor Dub in Battambang City far from the family, approximately in 1992. When his father came back to reunite with the family, he managed to give only 100,000 riel or equivalent of $25 to the family for each month. At that time, there were six children in the family. Because his family was progressively deteriorated, his parents decided to move back to Battambang City in the hope that the children would have the better education and better futures. At last, it was definitely better since his brothers and sisters managed to get access to education at school. However, his family still couldn’t have his own house. His family needed to rent the house for years. Inaddition, because his family was still poor and had many children, his oldest brother was forced to work in Thailand until now (2010). Fortunately, his oldest brother called the family, and they now can contact with each other again.

University Background

Mr. Chean is nowadays studying at University of Battambang, and his major is in English Literature. Actually, it is impossible for his family to help him to study at the University, yet he can study at the University thanks to his struggle and tenacity until he managed to win the scholarship. Also, he can study there for four years free of charge. At the moment, I am learning some short courses at the University, and my university requires the students to choose another skill as their Minor (Secondary Major) for the students to have better opportunities to look for a job after their graduation. For my Minor, I choose the COUNTRYSIDE DEVELOPMENT because I like it and I can meet lots of people almost every day and can contribute to helping them, sharing some experiences, learning for some experiences for my society as a whole. To study this subject, I need to study on Saturdays and Sundays, but I think I still can have time to work as a tour guide the same because it provides me a lot of experiences and it can really help me to know more about the outside world.

Job and Hobbies

Concerning his work, he is working as a part-time English teacher at VODP from Monday through Friday. And he is working for the Soksabike Tour as well on weekends.

Min Chettra – Tour Guide

My name is MIN SOCHETTRA. I live in Battambang. I am 23 years old. Iam a student at University Of Battambang. On Saturday and Sunday I work as a tour guide. I ride a bicycle with tourists and show them around. It is a bicycle tour. There is a reason for that. There is much air pollution in these days, which is produced by many kinds of vehicles so we want to take some of the responsibility of this problem. Because of this, we decided to use bicycle for the tour.

While riding bicycle the tourists can see everything along the way, which is interesting and the tourists may have not seen before. We also want the tourists to look closely the landscape in the countryside of Cambodia, and what people do to support their lives. We want to share something we have to the tourists also..

We have seven places to see such as; rice paper, landscape of rice field, rice wine, Khmer Noodle, fish past, bamboo rice cake and memorial monument.

I hope that you will be happy with us on the tour. it is unforgettable thing for you when you are in Battambang. Don’t wait any longer,

Connect us:

Tel: 092 131 970

Email:chettramin@gmail.com

KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA.

Additional Information:

I am taking Community Development. I want to work with people who live in the Countryside. I want to help them. There are many uneducated people. I want to help them to

think in the right way. I don’t want them to walk on old way. 85% of people are farmers. They needed help. This is the reason that I choose this major.

Hobbies:

• reading book
• listening to radio and I used to run a community radio show to teach people in the countryside how to think for themselves and make decisions for themselves
• Researching on the internet
• Playing sport

Future Goal:

• I want to be a politician. because I want to help Cambodia. I like politics.
• I have just started a new community project with a group of my friends. We want to teach the children in the village. They will be so happy if that project work. In the project stated: We want to teach them some English language, teach them how to eat and drink in a proper way. And we also want to teach them about the basic traffic law. If this project work they would be so happy.

Moth Pheap – Tour Guide

Mr. Moth Pheap was born in 02/June/1991 in Bakur village Sresduk commune Kandeing district Pursat province. His father name’s Tat Moth born in Enchea village Ptousduk commune Bakan district Pursat province and his mother name’s Nut Seurn born in Poumthmey village Ptousduk commune Bakan district Pursat province. He has five siblings: one elder brother, two elder sisters, one younger sister, and himself.

Education Background

When he was six years old; he had studied at Preashteat Primary school. He very much wants to study, but teacher doesn’t allow him to study. Meanwhile, if student isn’t enough age, doesn’t allow to study. He cried and appealed his mother and then mother asked teacher for me again and the teacher allowed him to study. When he had studied, he is a clever student in the class.

English Education Background

He studied English language while he has been studying in grade 4. He studied Essential English Book 1 with the monk teacher. After he had finished primary school; he studied at Tonle Horm secondary school. He had completely successful grade 9 in 2006. Meanwhile his father had died; he still tried to study at high school. 2 years ago at high school, he rode the bicycle to study with the distance 10 kilometers. In 2009, he studied at grade 12; he asked his mother for staying at school; In order to, facilitate the traveling and save the time for studying. He stayed at school; he most always helps school works such as: clean the campus, look after the garden, and look after everything in the school.

Successful in Studies

In 2009, he had completely successful two things at one time. He passed grade 12 and passed scholarship at Battambang University. He very happy, because he thinks if he doesn’t pass scholarship, he doesn’t have money to carry on his studying as well. His father wasn’t knowledgeable person; he can read Khmer letters a little bit. Meanwhile he had born in Cambodia having war, so he had studied a little. In Khmer Rough regime it is the time that most of Khmer people was died and remain a lot of things thus: orphans, window woman, lost civilization, damaged many temples, and illiterate person.

Promises

In his life, he remembers one sentence that the neighbor had swear at him that “like is the like” means that, if your parents are farmers you are destined to become a farmer and cannot do anything else. This motivated him and makes him powerful, he tried to study hard and at here to remember everything had happened because he do not want to become a farmer like my parents and he want to become a professional tour guide. The strong aims that he always dreams about when he was children; he always keep in line. He has never given in, and tried to overcome all obstacles.

Hobbies

Including reading, researching, and listening to the radio VOA, BBC and playing volleyball. When I have free time, I love to sing. I am studying English Literature

Bun Horm

Hi! My name is Bun Horm, and my nickname is Yasyn. I live in Salabalath village, Omal commune, Battambang District, and Battambang province. In my family, there are six members: my mother, two eldest sisters, two youngest brothers, and the youngest sister. Presently, my youngest sister is learning at Salabalath Primary School. Now my eldest sisters live in separate houses. My two younger brothers are construction worker and carpenter. For myself, recently I have graduated from Samdech Ov High School since 2010. Unfortunately, after graduation in Grade 12, and because of my family’s living condition, I cannot continue my study to get higher education at university. I used to work as construction worker, carpenter, brick kiln worker, and petrol attendant. Before, sometimes I had to stop to work for two months while I was studying in the High School. So I had to give up my favorite subjects (English and Chemistry). And thereby, I did not get scholarship as I wished for at university. Anyway, I am now saving money for another two years in order to pay for the school fees. I must work to save every penny to support myself.

Guide work and interests

For me, I am interested in the guide work when I was studying in grade ten, and I really wanted to be a guide very much at that time. Especially, I really want to speak English with foreigners. From that day on, I have tried to study English hard in order to have a communication and exchange the general knowledge from one another. In my own opinion, this work is good because I can practice my English language, educate the foreigners about Khmer cultures, provide them with pleasure, learn something from them, and stuff like that. More than that, I can make them see my culture, religion, and tradition. Anyway, this work is suitable with Cambodian needs, and it also distributes the advantages to the communities. I want to say I love this job very much indeed.

Hobbies

In the free time, I like reading books, listening to the radio (news, songs….), searching for teaching information, chatting about general knowledge with friends, playing football, playing the guitar. I like music very much.

Van Chamroeum – Tour Guide

Battambang is my homeland. I am Mr Van Chamroeun and work for SoksaBike as a tour guide in Battambang. I was born in 1991 in Phnom Sampov Ledge Village, Phnom Sampov Commune, Banan district in Batttambang Province.

Education and Goal

From 2009 until now, I am an English Literature student at the University of Management and Economics. I choose to study the English language because if we know English well it is easy to find a job in private companies, international organizations and communicate with foreigners. Moreover, it is the international language in which is spoken and understood by many people all over the world and is used officially. Especially, I want to be a good Cambodian and English teacher because education can provide knowledge, skill, value, attitude to the students from one generation to one generation in order to develop my country.

At the same time, Soksabike is a place where I can develop my English language. Soksabike encourages me to practice, communicate and share my culture to the tourists from different countries.

I’m convinced to say that Soksabike and all tour guides can provide a beautiful countryside view, showcase the culture of living in Battambang and many Khmer local businesses and help develop good relationships between people of Khmer to the tourists.