Journeys Within celebrates International Women’s Day by honouring the many strong women we work with and by looking to the future…
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. Annually on March 8, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women, fight for social justice and to celebrate goals achieved. In honour of Women’s Day, we asked the magnificent ladies on the Journeys Within team a few questions about what it means to be a woman in 2015 and about their own experiences. Here are some of the poignant answers from our international team:
- What country do you live? Are you from this country or from another country?
I live in Cambodia but I am from Bosnia and grew up in Sweden. – Naida
I’m from Battambang province in Cambodia from and am now currently living in Siem Reap. – Kanika
I currently live in enchanting Luang Prabang, Laos. I am from beautiful North Carolina, in the USA. – Nicole
I live in Saigon in Vietnam, but I am from England. – Michelle
I’m from Northern Ontario, in Canada but I currently live in Siem Reap Cambodia. – Miranda
- In the country you are living, do you think it’s easier or harder to be a woman and why?
It is much more difficult to be a woman in Cambodia. They bear the brunt of the work at home, but are also hugely active in the work force outside the home. Domestic violence is a serious and prevalent issue here that is only starting to be addressed. Women have very little autonomy and in the poorest parts of the country have limited options. In addition, there are very strict traditions that dictate how a woman should act at home, in public and with her husband and those who don’t conform are judged very harshly, often punished. -Miranda
I think it is harder for a woman in Laos than the US because they don’t have as many social freedoms or career oriented opportunities. The majority of women in this country don’t graduate past primary school and if they do live near urban areas, it is much harder for them to find jobs to support their families. Since they don’t have many opportunities they will remain extremely dependent on the males in the family to financially support the family. However, interestingly enough, the wife is the one who typically takes care of the family’s money. – Nicole
Traditional life for a Vietnamese woman means agreeing to an arranged marriage, staying home, and in the first year of marriage you live with your husband’s family to learn from your mother-in-law how to be a wife and to conceive your first child. In a country that is presenting more education and career opportunities to women, and the cost of living is increasing rapidly, tradition isn’t always practical or desired by the younger generation. Arranged marriage and the first year with “in-laws” does appear to be declining, although respecting and following your parent’s wishes is still very common. For a foreign woman it is easier, although if like me, and you marry into a Vietnamese family, you of course have two cultures to balance. I am fortunate that the family I married into are really great and we work everything out together. I discussed with some of the Vietnamese women in my life and they think it is harder to be a woman in Vietnam because the women in Vietnam are expected to sacrifice themselves for their husband, children’s husbands, and their children and should observe the traditional feminine virtues. – Michelle
- In the country you are living do you think women are valued?
In my country, I think women are valued because now we have the same right to work and study as a man if we have enough ability to do all that jobs which we wish to do. –Kanika
In my personal opinion, I don’t think they are valued enough for what they do in taking care of the household and their family. Men in the family are not usually held responsible for any housework, cooking or child bearing so this relies solely on the women in the family. If they are valued then I believe it to be in silence. It is not Lao style to express emotions or gratitude. – Nicole
Yes, I think so as first they think women is working hard (for house work) like working at home, cooking and take care the baby. -Linda
- In the country you are living do you think women’s roles have changed in the last 10 years and how?
More women are choosing careers and work outside the home. Whether the role inside the home is changing is harder to judge. -Michelle
Yes, I think that women’s roles have changed in the last 10 years as before some parents not allow their daughters to learn much, as they worried too much about the security, they always want their daughters to stay nearby and to do housework and the follow in their footsteps. And they believed the girls had no need to learn much because after married they only stay at home to look after kids, and their husband will be the one that earn the money to support family. -Leak
Now in Vietnam we do not care about whether we have a son or daughter, and most of my friends want to have a girl more than a boy, and I am the same. That is the reason why now I have a very big family with 4 sons. J – Binh
- When you were a little girl what did you want to be when you grew up?
Well, when I were a little girl what I want to be when I grew up, I want to be doctor because I want to look after my mom as she often sick a lot. -Leak
When I was a little I want to be a “Prime Minister” which is funny but it’s true (this is when I was 6 years old) -Linda
I always had a list of 5 things I wanted to be and sometimes, depending on my mood, they would change slightly. I have at some point in my childhood wanted to be a choreographer, dental surgeon, writer, actress, oceanographer, veterinarian or Janet Jackson’s backup dancer. One dream that was always consistent was to travel and see the world. –Nicole
- Now that you’re grown up, are you happy with where you are and what you became?
I am very happy with my life and very happy that I had the courage to take the step that got me out in the world and to where I am now. – Naida
Yes, of course! I would have never in a million years thought even years ago that I would be living on the other side of the world from my country in Luang Prabang, Laos. I feel extremely grateful and happy that my life has had some surprising twists and turns and I have the freedom to make one of my dreams come true by exploring myself and the world. -Nicole
Yes, although like many people, balancing family, career, relationship and self is a constant challenge. –Michelle
- For the moms, how is it to balance kids and work?
Khoa’s parents and brother live with us and together we maintain the daily routine that children need around school runs, meals, homework. This is great as with a large family our children are not demanding as they have a lot of people there for them. We have found that 5am in the morning before school for “mummy and me time” is perfect for us as that is pretty much the only time of the day I can guarantee for them during weekdays. -Michelle
Well, I’m very busy but both are very important to me. I to wake up very early bring kids to school, go to market to buy foods bring it to home then come to work full day. Kids are excited to see me when I’m back from. I know it’s hard for them full day without mom and for me too without kids. In return we got some treats for weekend to hang out together with the whole family. -Linda
When I arrive home, it is time to play with kids and on the weekend, 1 day with homework and reminding them to do their lessons and one day just to let them do what they want to do. -Leak
- Are you glad you’re a girl? Why?
I got to experience the bond with my children that comes from being pregnant and their early infancy. – Michelle
I wish I could say yes. Unfortunately, the older I get the more I am risk aware, and in tune with how much gender-based violence, discrimination and passive aggressions women face. The world we live in is not an easy place to be a woman, particularly not for woman of color. – Miranda
There are a lot of reasons to appreciate being a girl, but by far being a mother has been the most incredible experience. -April
- This International Women’s Day what are you celebrating?
I’m celebrating the opportunities which I am so fortunate to have. When my mom was younger, she really had to fight for equal treatment. I’ve rarely had to face the struggles which she did, and the reason for that is because of the women who fought for women’s rights. They paved the way for the incredible life which I’m able to have. –April
I am going to celebrate a family dinner with all members. I also learned that my name means “Perfect Girl” and I feel more love for my mum who picked this name for me which helped make me lucky to meet and work with the perfect people. -Leak
I am celebrating opportunity! I decided a while back that the best way to challenge people who believe that you aren’t cut out for whatever you hope to achieve is to succeed and prove them wrong. -Courtney
- How is it working in a company that has so many women in it? What does it mean to you to be one of the Journeys Within women?
Growing up, I saw my mom climb the corporate ladder and really forge her way. What’s so wonderful about JW is that we’re setting the tone for the young women in our countries. You can be whatever you want to be when you grow up girls! –April
I am so excited to work in a company that has so many women in it because it shows that all woman can work together and form a strong team. I am so proud to be a part of Journeys Within. – Kanika
Working in the company that has so many women I felt so confident to speak and be myself which never happened when I was in high school. There are only 20-30% of students are women which hard for us to be in a big room and we got so much pressure. To be one of Journeys Within women is so much for me! It’s mean I am one of the lucky women who have such an amazing team and I feel proud of myself so much! –Linda
Tracy in Northern Vietnam wrote a very nice essay about her life so we wanted to share it in its entirety:
My name is Tracy, I was born in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. I love to live and work in Vietnam. I so happy I was born in a family which has 3 daughters and 1 son. My mom had to work so hard when she married my dad. They both worked for a construction company; my mom was worker and my dad was a doctor. I remember, everyone in that factory always looked down my dad because he is a doctor and married a worker. My dad did not care about it and their children were born by their plan. I am the eldest daughter in my family – my parents were so happy when I was born and when my younger sister born. They planned to have another child and wished for a boy but it was a girl again. My dad was still happy but from his heart, I know he wished to have a boy. Actually, my mom was more than serious than my dad as she thought having no son is trouble. After several years later, they decided to have one more baby, and my brother was born. We were all so happy.
For my mom, being a woman in Vietnam was harder than being a man. Woman is worked all day and night; they go to an office or factory. In the day time, and they would do all of the housework, taking care of children, teaching them and helping them to do homework, and having a son, etc.. Some men helped but most just drank beer, relaxed or played sports instead of helping their wife and children.
Nowadays, in the city, women have a big value for society and family, as they all want to have high education, an important position at work, they have incomes and everything a man does. Therefore, they are equal to man at work, but not at home. When they come home, it is another world. Women need to obey their parents-in-law and their husbands without condition. That is our culture; it goes deeply in our mind.
When I was small, I wished I could be like my mom, as she gave us anything we needed, she made sure her children were happy, could go to school with clean uniforms and food. My dad’s uniform was always clean and she made breakfast for him before he went to work ext. Now my wish has come true – I have a very happy family with 2 boys. My husband is always helping me with anything I need, even washing dishes, cleaning the house, etc. so I can spend time at the office in the day time, teaching our children at home in the evening. We plan to go out every Saturday, and don’t have homework or extra lessons on Sunday, as Sunday is our family time. I can cook something special for them, go to visit Grandpa.
I am so happy to be a girl and mom. I can do as a man, my family needs me, my husband needs me, my team needs me, my parents need me, and I know and understand that I have a big value with our society family and my country. Normally, we will go out for dinner, my husband will buy a special gift for me, or he see whatever I need then buys it and makes it a surprise. Sometimes we discuss what we need at home and go buy it together.
We usually organize Women’s Day in our office as we have more women than men. Our men in the office will buy flowers to give to us then we go to karaoke together. I am so proud to be Journeys Within Woman, as we are strong, independent, knowledgeable, modern and work by heart.