Cambodian Student Association in Japan
Essay Competition 2008
Finalists’ Essays
1. What are the main problems in your village/ city? And what can you
contribute to solve them?
2. What do you think of the women’s role in the Cambodian society?
3. How should we protect Cambodia’s cultural and natural resources?
Topic: What are the main problems in your village/city?
What can you contribute to solve them?
Name: Ms. SOR SOPARI, Age: 15
Address: Phnom Penh
E-mail: [email protected]
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Essay Topic
- What are the main problems in your city, and how can you contribute in helping it?
Short Summary
Now a day, Phnom Penh is facing with great difficulties. The main issues in
Phnom Penh are traffic and the lack of hygiene.
People in Phnom Penh did not obey the laws and they disrespect others when
they drive. They do what they think is possible for them. Sometimes they do it just to
earn admiration, and the other time they do it because they feel too lazy to obey the laws.
Their carelessness caused many people into great danger and pushed their own country
into a deep ditch of obstacles.
Also, many people take less of the environment and their health by throwing
garbage everywhere. They did not even try to change their bad habit in throwing things
in inappropriate places. This makes the environment in Phnom Penh become disorder
and terrible.
In addition to all the problems above, I could contribute in helping each of those
problems by trying my best. I could help traffic in Phnom Penh by wearing helmet and
driving slowly. And I could help the environment by not throwing things everywhere,
etc.
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Problems in my City
In most cities around the world, there are always problems that occur in them.
Sometimes those problems are minor and are easy to solve. On the other hand, there are
major problems that are hard to solve. Those problems required much more than just
mere words or money. In the city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, the main issues that led to
grave consequences are traffic and hygiene, and as one of Cambodian citizens, all I
could do is to try my best in obeying laws and do what is right, despite the fact that no
one else is doing it.
Traffic is the source of problems in Phnom Penh, because it causes
many lives to suffer. Everyday people are traveling back and forth to different places.
They all have their own goal in which they aim, but unfortunately, not all of them get to
hit their aiming target easily. Traffic often hinders their processes, and sometimes,
traffic even swallows up their lives. Due to the smallness of the road and the ignorance
of the laws, many accidence and crazy traffic jam happening everyday. Many drivers
drive without caring about others that accompany them or even the traffic lights. Most
of the times, drivers try to sneak as much opportunity as possible to cross the roads,
even if the traffic light signals them to stop. According to their actions, it seems like the
traffic laws are nothing to them. Their actions do not just bring trouble to them, but it
also brings bad consequences to the innocence. For example, a taxi was trying to cross
the street while the light was turning orange. Then when the taxi got to half of the road,
the light suddenly turned red. Unfortunately, many vehicles from the other side were
starting to come; yet, they could not go through, because a taxi was blocking their way.
This caused many people to wait. As a result, many people were late for their work.
This common example shows that it is much better just simply obey the laws. This is
just an example of many problems that continuously happens in Phnom Penh; but the
misbehavior of most careless teenagers also makes the traffic in Phnom Penh worse.
Now a day, many teenagers drive their vehicles crazily as a way to earn
impression from their peers. Most of them tried to drive as fast as they can in a teeny
tiny street. As a result, they spread bad influences to other teenagers and put much more
burden for Phnom Penh by increasing accident rate and killing many lives. The above is
just a short description of traffic issues, but the lack of hygiene is also negatively
influence Phnom Penh environment.
Hygiene is greatly important for all lives, and it is the best way to get rid of
germs and bacteria. Yet, the lack of education caused many people to take less of it.
Many people do not care about the cleanness of the environment. After eating, their
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habit is to throw the trash at any possible places such as on the road, on the grass, and in
the water. These careless actions make the environment look disgusting; in other words,
it involves a big portion of anarchy. As a person, after observing all of these mistakes, I
felt greatly disappointed, but I believed that, even I am not a perfect person, I will still
try my best to contribute positive influences for Phnom Penh.
Regardless of what most people did, I forced myself to do what I think I should
do. It is really hard to try to do what most people do not like to do. I often thought that if
I have great power and authority, I will command all people to obey laws. Then later, I
realized that in order to change something, I do not need power and authority. Instead, I
should remember that changing the world starts from me.
Even though cooperation and unity help people to accomplish things, but if no
one is willing to collaborate with me, I will still continue to do what is honorable. There
are many honorable deeds that I could do to help Phnom Penh. For example, in order to
help reducing traffic issues, I could help by wearing helmet when I drive motto,
respecting others, and driving slowly. In addition to this, I should remember a phrase
that says “if you are drunk do not drive, but if you are going to drive do not drink”( a
translation from Khmer proverbs). This phrase is greatly significant, because it convicts
many drivers not to not get drunk if they are going to drive, for if they are drunk, they
will loose their conscious. Then their driving will be greatly dangerous. Overall, I also
could contribute to help the environment.
In Phnom Penh, garbage is everywhere, so I could help by not throwing trash
outside the trash-can, spit in public, or walking my pets out, for they will pope on the
roads and on the grass. This is the least I could do in helping my city, but I hope I could
do more than that.
Even the main problems in Phnom Penh are traffic and hygiene, I believed that
every single person has their individual power in contributing to help Phnom Penh.
Even though I have many advices and comments in helping my city, but sometimes, I
failed. In conclusion, in order to change something negative to positive is not so easy,
but firs, I believed that I myself also needed to be changed and be a good example for
others to follow.
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Schedule for CSAJ Essay Competition 2008
Mar 1, 2008 – CSAJ Essay Competition 2008 launched
Jul 1, 2008 – Deadline for submissions
Jul 30, 2008 – Finalists announced
Aug 30, 2008 – Final Jury in Phnom Penh
Aug 30, 2008 – Award Ceremony
Cambodian Student Association in Japan (CSAJ)
Standing Committee 2008
Mr. Dyna HENG, Mr. Dana KAO, Mr. Kanharith NOP,
Mr. Vandy LENG
Executive Committee 2008
Mr. Dyna HENG, Mr. Chariya EAR, Mr. Hay BUN, Ms. Lina EANG,
Ms. Sotheary NOM, Ms. Seilaroath YOS, Mr. Bunnarith NOM,
Mr. Piseth ITH, Mr. Kora VA, Mr. Yada SO
Cambodian Student Association in Japan
Essay Competition 2008
Project Manager: Ms. Seilaroath YOS
Editors: Ms. Seilaroath YOS, Mr. Dyna HENG, Mr. Hay BUN
Publisher: Mr. Chariya EAR
Webmaster: Mr. Piseth ITH
Assistant: Mr. Vireak SIM (Phnom Penh)
Finalist Selection Committee
Mr. Dyna HENG, Mr. Chariya EAR, Ms. Seilaroath YOS,
Mr. Hay BUN, Mr. Bunnarith NOM
Learn more about us at http://www.csaj-khmer.org/ .
All the finalists’ essays can be downloaded at
http://essaycontest.csaj-khmer.org/ .
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