Absolutely chuffed
I currently have a smile as wide as the Mekong River. My pal Eric at 4FACES Gallery in Siem Reap was looking for an assistant to help him at the gallery shop and with his admin, so I suggested another very good friend of mine, Now (pictured), who has up til now been selling souvenirs at Angkor Wat and Banteay Kdei, or more recently planting rice in her family's fields. Well this morning, she went to meet Eric for an interview, they got on like a house on fire, and she starts work on Monday as his assistant. Which is simply wonderful news. This will be a whole new experience for her though of course she already has good people skills having talked thousands of tourists into buying her souvenirs over the years. Her spoken English is pretty good, having taught herself by reading the books she sells and using her language skills to clinch a deal either in English, Japanese, French and so on, like many of the souvenir-sellers at the temples. She's on a month's steep learning curve as Eric has agreed a tie-in with the Raffles Grand Hotel and has to plan for an exhibition coming up at the hotel in October called Retrospective (2000-2009). As I type this my smile is getting even wider. I am so chuffed for my two friends. Link: 4FACES
Labels: 4Faces, Eric de Vries, Now
posted by Andy Brouwer at
12:28 PM
2 Comments:
Most excellent to see someone move up to better opportunities. i remember reading earlier entires about her on your blog and her 'dues' have certainly been more than well paid. Biggest congrats to her.
Absolutely Mike. Like my other Cambodian friends, Now has worked hard for other people all her life. This will give her an opportunity to learn so many new skills and will boost her confidence that she can do more than just sell souvenire. Coming from a village in the middle of the Angkor complex that's the only job for many of the girls (unless they get married to a foreigner and whisked away) and I've always believed Now can do much better. She has something about her, as well as having a gorgeous personality. This will be her chance and I hope she can grab it with both hands. She has my full backing and support, and she knows that.
Andy
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