ScandAsia Southeast Asia - October 2011

OCT 2011

Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Philippines Vietnam

Moving:

How Will The Kids Change?

Successful Australian and Swedish Cooking ScandAsia.dk

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Coming Events Philippines Norway Networking Luncheon Date: 10 November 2011, 11:30 - 13:30 Location: I’m Angus Steakhouse, Makati City Following the success of the last two Networking Luncheons in June and September, Philippines Norway Business Council (PNBC) are planning to have another Luncheon on 10 November 2011. Venue will again be at I’m Angus Steakhouse, Yakal Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City.

For suggestions on topics or resource speakers, kindly email the Secretariat at info@pnbc.ph. More information will be announced in www.pnbc.ph.

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First Cambodia Club Networking

ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in South East Asia.

Date: 1 December 2011 Location: Himawari Hotel, Phnom Penh

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in China, Thailand, and Singapore.

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd. 4/41-2 Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Advertising : Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com Sasiprapa Silatham sasiprapa@scandmedia.com Chiraluck Maleekaew chiraluck@scandasia.com Graphic Designer : Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com Distribution : Pimjai Chaimongkol pimjai@scandmedia.com Printing : Advanced Printing Services Co., Ltd.

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Danish Business Delegation to Vietnam Date:

28 November - 1 December 2011

The Confederation of Danish Industry, The Danish Agriculture & Food Council and The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark are organizing the visit of a Danish business delegation to Vietnam in the fall of 2011. The purpose of the visit is to explore business opportunities in the emerging market The business delegation taking part in this export promotion tour will visit Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The visit offers a unique opportunity for Danish companies to promote their technologies and products, meet potential collaboration partners, customers and decision makers. The delegation visit takes place in connection with the celebration of the 40 year anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Denmark ensuring broad media coverage.

If you have any questions, please contact Jeppe Solmer (Commercial Counselor) E-mail: jepsol@ um.dk Tel. (+84 4) 3823 1888 EXT. 134

The Royal Danish Embassy in Bangkok launches the Cambodia Club and the first networking on the 1st of December 2011 at Himawari Hotel, Phnom Penh. Because of the growing potential of the Cambodian market, and following the success of Danish Days in Cambodia in January 2010, the Embassy has decided to start a Cambodia Club for Danish companies interested in Cambodia. If you are interested to be member, please contact Secretarial contact point: Ms. Narumon Posinsomwong, Tel: (+66) 2343 1180, E-mail: bkkamb@um.dk and cc: narpos@um.dk.

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Scandinavian Christmas Dinner Date: 2 December 2011 Location: Hilton Kuala Lumpur All members of Scandinavian business councils in Malaysia are invited to the 13th Annual Scandinavian Christmas Dinner. The party will be held on 2 December 2011 at Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

This year will be a remarkable and entertaining Christmas Dinner. Mark your calendar and look out for the official invitation that will be announced on http://www.masba.org. If you have any inquiries, please email to swebiz@tm.net.my.

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Famous “Networker” Visited Nordcham in Ho Chi Minh City

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ndy Lopata, british networking specialist, gave a speak on Thursday the 18th August to the Nordcham event in Ho Chi Minh City. Flown in on the very same day from London, Andy had scheduled to spend only 4 days in Vietnam making it a unique opportunity for the Nordcham members in Ho Chi Minh City to enjoy his advices on how to become a good networker.

Known in England as “Mr. Network” and called “one of Europe’s leading business networking strategists” by Mike Southon in the Financial Times, Andy Lopata is often interviewed by the media both in the UK and overseas. His third book “Recommended: how to sell through network and referrals” was published last month and he is also a regular blogger for the American blog The National Networker and The Huffington Post.

As it was only Andy’s first time in Vietnam it was exciting for him to learn about Vietnamese specialties and how networking events are growing in popularity in Vietnam.

Thursday night however it was the excited Nordcham audience at restaurant “the Flow” who enjoyed Andy’s world renewed advices on how to be better known, better equipped and better connected and how important it is to have a strategy when doing networking.

Having been involved with networking for the last 12 years and a member of the professional speakers association since 2003 he have build up the capacity to teach and train anyone from large organizations like Mastercard to individuals on how to become better at using the strength of your network. And with Andy’s tree basic advices to be courageous, to be committed and to be patient when going to networking events, gave the participants something to reflect on and perhaps to use in their daily business.

The speak was followed by a dinner in the restaurant where the participants could grow their new connections with some of the about 50 other participants at the exciting event further and perhaps people have remembered to follow up on these contacts making it a very fruitful event.

Danish Planet, HCMC Organizing the Danes

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anish Planet is the organizer of social events for the Danes in HCMC, Vietnam. On the initiative of Danish Planet, the Danes get together for a chat and some cheese and wine in the private home of the members. On top of that Danish Planet also arranges get-togethers to celebrate the different special events of the year like Christmas and Easter. The Danes like a good lunch party and therefore they get the special Danish food and snaps.

When the Danish Crown Prince Frederik will visit Vietnam by the end of November, all the Danish children will celebrate him with Danish flags. The Crown Prince’ arrival coincides with a badminton match between one of the world’s best badminton players, Danish Peter Gade and a Vietnamese badminton player.

Grundfos Vietnam is sponsor for this program, says Ms. Karina Borup Oestergaard, coordinator for Danish Planet.

Otherwise Danish Planet is in charge of the education in Danish language for the Danish children in HCMC. The children are taught Danish nine hours during the week.

6 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2011

Partying with Red Crayfish and Linje Aquavit

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he house was packed and not a single ticket was printed in vain when Nordcham HCMC held its annual crayfish party in the Brazilian restaurant Au Lac Do Brazil in Phu My Hung area.

It was an evening of heavy partying, good Scandinavian music, a shower of gift, and a constant flow of Linje aquavit and Carlsberg beer as over 150 festive Scandinavians got together for one of the traditional highlights of the year.

The party started at 18.30 and ended around 10 pm after which the participants either went home or went down town to continue the celebration.

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ScandAsia News Brief

40 Year Anniversary with the Danish Crown Prince Business delegation with 30 participants and an explosion of cultural events.

By Indius Pedersen, Vietnam

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very effort is set to make the celebrations of the 40 years anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Denmark memorable. Leading the celebrations is HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, who will be heading the official programme from 28 November to 1 December.

“We are far from finished with the planning and the last details are always in place only few days before the visit,” says Danish Ambassador John Nielsen.

“It will be a fireworks of cultural and business events,” the Ambassador adds.

“We expect around 30 companies to participate in the business delegation and five to six educational institutions.”

The business delegation will focus on Green Growth and clean technology.

There is a great demand for Danish technology within clean technology and energy efficiency. Further, the focus will be on strengthening the interests of Danish enterprises in food safety, education, design and lifestyle as well as the oil and gas industry.

“I believe that many Danish companies can provide knowledge, skills, high technology, consultancy and support for the Vietnamese business sector within these sectors and contribute to a more sustainable and competitive growth in Vietnam,” says John Nielsen.

“We would also like to see companies focusing even more on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Worldwide, CSR is increasingly considered a comparative advantage for many companies, especially in retaining workers.”

“Many Danish companies believe that if the working environment for their employees are improved and workers rights are being respected, the productivity and performance is likely to increase. Therefore, improving the working conditions for employees, promoting gender equality and create friendlier environment is becoming an asset in competitive markets such as Vietnam.”

“We will also place much emphasis on developing cooperation in education.

There is a huge need for improving the quality of education in Vietnam, among others vocational training. Many companies are in dire needs for qualified people at the middle management and managerial level.”

“So far, we expect that six Danish educational institutions will participate and hopefully expand their cooperation with the Vietnamese institutions. Niels Brock Business school and University College of Sealand are already here.”

Related to the celebrations of the 40 year anniversary there will also be a number of music and theater performances both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Members of the Danish National Ballet are expected to perform at the Hanoi Opera, and well known musicians, such as Nils Lan Doky is expected to perform with Vietnamese colleagues.

In addition, a badminton match between world star Peter Gade and the best Vietnamese player Minh (number 7 in the world) is foreseen in HCMC.

8 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2011

Danish Ambassadorat-large Visits Vietnam

Re-Opening of Embassies Confirmed

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mbassador-at-large Anne Birgitte Lundholt is visiting Vietnam from 3-6 October 2011. Danish businessmen will have the opportunity to meet her at the big meeting room at the embassy before the Embassy’s monthly Open House event and discuss with her the terms of doing business as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by Danish companies in Vietnam.

The meeting will take place at the Embassy of Denmark on Tuesday the 4th of October 2011 at 4 pm in Hanoi. In Ho Chi Minh City, the meeting will take place at the DECO Office on Thursday the 6th of October at 4 pm.

Anne Birgitte Lundholt is coming to Vietnam in order to meet Danish companies within different key sectors, international investment banks, organizations and Vietnamese authorities.

The purpose of the meeting is to get an overview of business opportunities in Vietnam and of the challenges companies face when doing business in Vietnam. The Ambassador-at-large will visit both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Anne Birgitte Lundholt is one of the new Ambassadors-at-large for the Danish Trade & Investment. She was choosen among others in May 2011, when the Danish government launched a new plan to strengthen Danish export and investment initiatives on growth markets worldwide.

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he Swedish Government on 22 September 2011 formally decided to re-open or stop clossure of four Swedish embassies - in Buenos Aires, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and Luanda.

The decision means that the ongoing closure of the embassies in Hanoi, Vietnam, has been stopped, and that the embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that closed durinbg the summer, will be re-established.

The decision is a result of the agreement reached on 1 August this year between government parties and the Social Democrats.

Norwegian Telenor Plans to Open 4G Internet Networks in Malaysia

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elenor ASA, the largest phone company in the Nordic region, plans to open fourth-generation services in Malaysia, making it the first country in the company’s Asian operations to get the new high-speed networks, tells businessweek.com.

4G networks give mobile users higher-speed Internet that carries both voice and data.

Telenor owns a 49 percent stake in DiGi.Com Bhd., Malaysia’s third-largest wireless operator.

Maersk on Time

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aersk has unveiled a revolutionary new service, Daily Maersk, on the AsiaNorth Europe trade lane which will dramatically change the way shipping is done. The service offers a daily departure, at the same time every day, seven days a week from four ports in Asia - Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian and Tanjung Pelepas - yes, not Singapore... - and arrival on time at three ports in Europe - Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Bremerhaven.

The news service will start on 24 October 2011.

The daily service will be like a giant ocean conveyor belt on the world’s busiest trade lane with 70 Maersk Line ships tugging along on exact daily schedules.

To underline how firmly Maersk Line believes in the Daily Maersk concept, the company offers to pay a compensation if the containers should not arrive on time.

This promise is a first in the shipping industry.

Today, as a general rule, shipping lines serving the Asia–North Europe trade are unreliable: 44% of all containers are late. 11% are more than two days late – and even as much as 8% are more than eight days late.

Before Daily Maersk, Maersk Line was already best-in-class with 75% of its vessels on the Asia–North Europe trade arriving on time.

It cannot be fun to be the other container liners operating on this route.

October 2011 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

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Successful Australian Early next year, the famous Senses restaurant at Hilton Kuala Lumpur will reopen completely refurbished but still with Swedish Chef de Cuisine Michael Elfwing at the helm. So far it’s been eight busy years.

Last year, his first own cooking book was launched “Cooking with Michael Elfwing”.

By Joakim Persson

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ichael Elfwing is something of an institution at Hilton Kuala Lumpur with his long stint there - which has no ending in sight. On the contrary the hotel keeps him engaged by, as he says, changing the job for him. The much-anticipated refurbishment of one of the Malaysian capital’s finest restaurants Senses is now slotted for early 2012 so he can look forward to a completely new Senses.

“They know I’m very happy with my position at my little Senses.

So when building a new restaurant and kitchen for me I’ll be fairly happy with that too,” is his response to whether other Hilton establishments, and competitors, are trying to entice the successful chef over to them.

In fact he is very appreciative of the fact that he is allowed to stay on.

“At the hotel one is just an employee. Tomorrow there can be another chef doing it even better.

One must be humble when things go well. I’ve been lucky the business has been so good for so many years enabling me to stay on. I look forward to the renovation.”

First cooking book During the years there, and also very much influenced by his apprenticeship years and career start

10 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2011

Down Under in Australia he has come up with quite a few signature dishes.

These and others he has shared with his audience in the book launched last year called simply “Cooking With Michael Elfwing.”

Here, you can learn for yourself how to cook for example Michael’s signature dish Smoking Allowed.

“This one is perhaps not so easy to do in your own home, but it’s possible. But one does perhaps not have a smoke machine, but it was fun to work on it, and the photos are mine!

Photographing is just a hobby and something fun to do, thinks Michael but he very rarely finds the time to cook a dish ten times in order to get the perfect photo.

Honest presentation His idea is to be very honest in the presentation: what it looks like in the book is exactly the same as when his Senses guests are served the dishes, rather than using any effects.

Here he highlights that it does not have to look fabulous all the time; the taste result is more important.

But, surely certain talent is required after all to make the dish look good?

“Yes, sometimes it can be soso with non pros, but as a chef one is always keen on making it looking very attractive for the dining guest.

and Swedish Cooking It is expected. At home it’s not, as long as it tastes good.”

“Some guests wanted to buy it and cook back home but then seeing the pictures they think it looks too complicated – which is one of the reasons the images should not be exaggerated. So there are pluses and minuses with that; many chefs would have preferred a styled book while others are afraid not being able to make it look exactly the same.”

“It’s a book for home cookers and for pros alike. Quite a lot of soups, fish dishes and quite many meat dishes that you can do at home in the same way as we are cooking it in the restaurant.”

My cooking style “It’s my own cooking style that has evolved more during my time here.

When in Australia I was influenced by other chefs and followed them but as a kitchen Chef de Cuisine one must create one’s own style based on what one has learned and depending on what guests one has.”

“It also includes my profile and my thoughts. There are very few Asian influences in the book but it’s rather western with my cooking style. Clearly there are dishes that are inspired from Sweden, and Australia.

As a Swede one can easily recognize which ones are Swedish but as an Australian it may just feel European.”

Challenged Flavours magazine from Malaysia challenged Michael’s claim that anyone can cook the dishes by inviting people to cook some selected dishes - in Michael’s home.

“Those cooking had to go out in Kuala Lumpur and source the ingredients and bring home to me and cook it there, because I am stating very clearly that anything can be cooked in an ordinary kitchen. I could only show a bit if something started to go wrong.”

“This test also gave me confidence that it works,” he continues, “I was impressed by their efforts in getting it right. And one can realise that there are variants. It was fun to see how people made their own version of certain things.”

Cooking classes Futhermore fans of Michael Elfwing and of cooking in general can enjoy monthly cooking classes in ‘Get Cooking @ The Hilt’, taking place at Senses “We do these cooking classes nearly every month. It’s been going on for over six years, with usually between 20 - 30 attendants. Sometimes a group of people requests a cooking class but with focus on something, be it soups, fish or chocolate, and then we don’t invite the public and we try to do it a bit more hands-on, in the kitchen.”

“A recent theme was: Be Healthy! Go Organic! Where one could learn about what it really means to go organic.”

“We talk about what is certified organic food compared to organic, that is also available here - but very expensive. One does not dare to believe in the local certification in terms of certainty. I show different samples and price comparisons so they can see the difference. Clearly we use organic quite a lot depending on the seasons, but one does not always state it as it’s not always available. Now one can buy a lot of berries towards the end of the summer.”

“In a way one is well situated in South-East Asia being able to import from different places.”

Michael Elfwing’s next encounter with his fellow Swedes will be at the annual Christmas Dinner arranged by MASBA towards the end of the year.

It’s my own cooking style that has evolved more during my time here. When in Australia I was influenced by other chefs and followed them but as a kitchen Chef de Cuisine one must create one’s own style based on what one has learned and depending on what guests one has.

October 2011 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

11

Becoming Culturally S

The Norwegian Global School functions as an online aid to Norwegian families all over the world who wish their children to be still in touch with the Norwegian language and culture. The main aim of this programme is to prepare the children for when it is time to go home to Norway.

By Kristene Silva Marie

Arne Heimestøl is one of the main teachers at the Global School who interacts online with Norwegian students all over the world. Arne visited Singapore towards the end of August to meet some of the Norwegian students he had been coaching and supervising online.

12 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2011

ettling in a different country especially one with a culture that is unfamiliar can be quite challenging. In a similar fashion, resettling in the country of one’s origin can be equally as frustrating, particularly for those who have lived in a different country almost all their lives.

When it comes to children and teenagers, resettling in their home country can be a very difficult process for which they have to be mentally and emotionally prepared.

Naturally, children are the fast learners when it comes to adapting to the local environment. Understanding this means that within a few months, the culture shock stage is over for the child, and what they live and see is all they know.

Although this speaks greatly of how well these children can adapt to cultures that aren’t of their own, they would undoubtedly have some

trouble getting used to their own culture when the family decides to move back, in this instance, to Norway.

Fortunately for Norwegians all around the world, the Global School or Globalskolen provides education services online so that these families would not have to worry about the day when they have to head home.

Global School The Global School started in 1998 with just a handful of students, but gradually grew in numbers to around 1065 students in the autumn of 2010 making it the biggest complementary school for students abroad.

The school is a non-profit organisation with teachers who have high expertise in ICT and broad experiences from the primary and secondary schools in Norway.

Globalskolen cooperates with the academic communities in Norway and similar schools in Denmark,

Norwegian Abroad Arne Heimestøl is one of around 25 teachers at Global School whose jobs are to interact with students from all over the world.

What they do is respond to the works of students and suggests ways to make their work better in the future.

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Germany and Netherlands. It is also a Norwegian government aided institution offering free education in certain subjects relative to the Norwegian culture such as the Norwegian language, Social Studies and, Religion and Ethics.

The programme is directed to Norwegian students between ages six to 16 who live and study in primary, secondary or international schools abroad. The fact is that most children who live abroad have little or no memory of Norway except when visiting during the summer holidays.

This also indicates that their command in Norwegian and knowledge of Norway is quite limited. This is where Globalskolen plays a part by offering their services to educate these students about Norway thus preparing them while keeping them in touch with their Norwegian side.

There are around 25 teachers at Global School whose jobs are to interact with students from all over the world. What they do is respond to the works of students and suggests ways to make their work better in the future. Each teacher is assigned a group of students, of random locations, and would keep in touch and check on these students’ works.

The teaching and counseling

takes place online on a weekly basis where those who have enrolled would be given general themes and assignments to work on. These may be in the form of reading or writing and will be based on the Norwegian national curriculum, considering both content and methodology.

The students and their teacher or supervisor, do not have to be online at the same time, making the programme very flexible and fitting the lifestyle of different families, while still being able to have a fixed structure throughout the school year.

Each student is expected to study, or work on these projects for a minimum of 90 minutes per week in each semester, which consists of 15 weeks each. The program has been approved by the Education Directorate and is a part of “Complementary Education for Children Abroad”.

Arne Heimestol Arne Heimestøl is one of the main teachers at the Global School who interacts online with Norwegian students all over the world. He communicates their assignments to them via weblogs and constantly responds to their submissions.

As one of the teachers/supervisors, his job is to check the students’

work and provide comments to help them improve and get better with time.

Arne visited Singapore towards the end of August to meet some of the Norwegian students he had been coaching and supervising online. He had never been to Singapore before that and was glad that he had the chance to meet his students.

When meeting the students, he said his three main aims are to meet his pupils, get new pupils and spread the word out about Global School and what it can do for the expat Norwegian community.

gramme and the age limit is 16 years.

For example, for the school year 2011/2012, the student must have been born between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 2005.

The Globalskolen programme helps the transition process of those children in the families who have been abroad for so long, re-adapt to their home culture without too much of shocks and discomfort.

With better knowledge in the Norwegian language and culture, they will be able if not fully, at least partially fit into their community back home.

Criteria for participation There are a few criteria for students who wish to participate in the Global School programme. Every student must have a residence abroad for at least one semester, which is six months.

They also must be enrolled into a local or international school in the host country. The Global School programme is to be considered supplementary education for the Norwegian students while participating fully in the schools they have enrolled in.

The students must also be able to provide a Norwegian social security number in order to join the pro-

The three main aims to go travelling are to meet the pupils, get new pupils and spread the word out about Global School.

October 2011 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

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Preparing to Move T Moving to a different area in the same country can be quite a handful, but moving to a different country to work and serve can be more than just challenging as there would be quite a lot to take care of before leaving and upon settling down.

by Kristene Silva Marie

here are many factors that would instantly appear in a person’s mind once they receive the news of an opportunity to work abroad. To make it easier and more organised, it is certainly better to identify the necessary points to take care of before leaving your home country, or moving back.

The right way to do it is by starting with the very basics which is, making a list. By doing this, all the things that has to be done within the one or two months will be visible thus more organised and easier to carry out.

It is best that preparation begins as soon as you receive news about your coming move. Most of the time, you won’t receive the news at an ideal timing, forcing you to rush into getting everything organised and prepared.

Pre-Move sale Some of the first areas to look into before moving are the things in your

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14 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2011

house. Separate them into what you are most likely to bring with you and what you don’t need.

The trick is to pick out the ones you know you are not going to look for within the next five months. This will help you identify things you don’t need which you could get rid of by selling them in an auction or sale.

While sorting out your things, it is good to start investigating on moving companies to get a feel of the options you would be dealing with. You will most probably be referred to a move consultant, who will provide the preliminary information about destination customs requirements, insurance, packing techniques, timing, etc.

You can then request for a detailed budget proposal which will include the estimated volume or weight of shipment, a total estimated price for the move, time required to complete the job, what is included in the package and so on.

The proposal will give you a better understanding of what you can

Abroad

expect when obtaining the services of the moving company of your choice.

Once you have made comparisons based on the information on the budget proposals you have gotten from the companies and weighed the differences in their services and charge, the decisionmaking process would be easier.

If you have children, it is important that you arrange for your children’s school records to be transferred to a new school or daycare centre.

Some moving companies even provide relocation services like looking for school options for your children around your new destination on top of packing your goods and moving them. So if you have children, this service could come in handy for you. Of course, you could always just look for one yourself if you prefer it that way.

To prepare for your actual packing and avoiding total chaos on the actual day of your moving out, ordering supplies such as boxes, tape, Bubble Wrap, and permanent markers would help. Also look into ordering specialty containers, such as dish barrels or wardrobe boxes.

It is also a good thing to use up all the stored items that cannot be brought with you to your new home such as frozen or perishable food and cleaning supplies.

Packing Up Under a rare incident of being informed very much prior to your move, you could actually start packing around a month before actually moving out.

You could start by packing things that you use less frequently such as a waffle iron and croquet set. Also keep in mind to declare, in writing, any items valued over $100 per item, such as a computer.

It is good to have your containers labeled and numbered clearly with its contents and the room it’s destined for. This will help you to keep an inventory of your belongings. Pack and label “essentials” boxes of items you’ll need right away Around this time, it would be wise to inform certain parties such as banks, brokerage firms, magazines and newspapers you subscribe to, credit card, insurance and utility companies. It is also important to arrange for medical records to be sent to any new health care provider or obtain copies of them yourself.

Banking options should be prearranged. If you already have an account, double-check if it is usable in the country you are going to. Discuss other options with a consultant at the bank and find out whether you are eligible to open a bank account in your host country.

Most often, people forget the simplest of things like reconfirming arrangements with the moving company a couple of weeks before, packing up suitcases with enough things needed for everyone in the family for a few days while the unpacking of the other stuff are done.

Self Preparation There are bound to be mixed feelings about the move, especially ones that involve worry and anxiousness.

It may be because you don’t really know what to expect, what kind of area you will be living in, the services offered in that area and other, not so troubling things like that.

Here is where the benefits of the internet come into full-fledge use. Using the internet, you can browse through the available services nearby your future home and maybe even learn a few words of the local language or dialect.

It would help if you found out some information on how to apply for an appropriate Visa upon reaching your host country. This information is essential and would help relieve a few nerves.

Having taken all these steps you can ensure a smooth and organised move without having to worry about the hassle of last minute issues or miss-outs.

October 2011 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

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Moving Back Not Easy Reverse culture shock is an emotional and psychological stage of re-adjustment most people experience when they return to their home country. It is often worse than the initial adjustment to living abroad.

By Kristene Silva Marie

M

oving back to your home country after living abroad for a while, the country you used to call “home sweet home” suddenly doesn’t exude the warm, tingling feeling you expected, but rather a biting coldness making you take a mental step back. Everything seems almost right, almost the same, but something has changed. You start

to feel left out and estranged. This is what is commonly known as the repatriation depression.

Months or years later, your call in that country ends and you are soon ready to board the plane home but after mere hours of being home, you realise that something is off and start wondering what had gone missing.

Repatriation depression is similar to the culture shock you may

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16 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2011

have experienced when you first went abroad, only in reverse. Just as it took time to adjust to a different culture when you arrived there, it may take some time to re-adjust to home.

Many are not aware that living in a different country all those years has exposed them to a new culture and without realising, they have changed their lifestyle to conform to the society around them.

perspective may cause you to experience insights about your home culture that are not shared by your friends and family.

You may even feel more connected to your previous host culture than your home culture. Although consequences of culture shock include confusion, loss, and anger, preparing for reverse culture shock can help you contend with its weakening effects.

Personal Experience

Give it time

Reverse culture shock is an emotional and psychological stage of re-adjustment, similar to your initial adjustment to living abroad.

The chance of experiencing reverse culture shock increases the longer you’re away from your home culture and the easier you adapt to your host culture.

In addition to emotions such as depression, disorientation, and helplessness, symptoms of reverse culture shock include increased irritability with your home culture and a longing to return to your previous host culture.

You may no longer feel at home in the culture into which you were born. Similarly, your new global

The same skills that helped you adapt to your host culture, adaptability, flexibility, and knowledge that “this too shall pass”, will help you readjust to your home culture.

Allow yourself to feel confused and give yourself time to transition to your home culture. Have faith in yourself and know that just as you successfully dealt with culture shock, you will also successfully deal with reverse culture shock. Most importantly, be good to yourself.

There are several challenges you may face upon returning to your home country after being abroad for some time. Taking the process seriously by being realistic and thinking about your possible re-

actions can make your return both more enjoyable and productive.

The fact that you have to keep in mind is that you have experienced trying to adapt to a new culture and finally conformed to the society there.

Challenges of Reverse Culture Shock Challenges you may face include boredom, where after all the newness and stimulation of your time abroad, returning to old routines and lifestyle (however comforting) can seem very dull.

Another inevitable occurrence you would experience is that as much as you want to share about your memories abroad, those around would not be able to digest everything you have to say.

This is not because they are not interested but because they find it difficult to enter your frame of thought and most probably don’t find what you say as interesting as you do.

What could help is that you include elements of life that they are familiar with such as food, school, shopping, etc.

Just as you have altered some of your ideas and attitudes while abroad, the people at home are likely to have experienced some changes. These changes may be positive or negative, but expecting that no change at all is unrealistic.

The best preparation is flexibility and openness.

Sometimes the reality of being back “home” is not as enjoyable as the place you had in your mental image. When real daily life is less enjoyable or more demanding than you remembered, it is natural to feel some alienation or even become quite critical of everyone and everything for a while.

It was the same as when you first left home. Mental comparisons are fine, but keep them to yourself until you regain your more balanced cultural perspective.

Although not widely grasped, mental preparation before moving home is essential. It not only helps you reconnect with the people around you but helps them reconnect with you. You did it before moving away, didn’t you?

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Lonely Third Culture Kids ‘Third Culture Kids’ have problems establishing relationships.

Restlessness and isolation seem to follow them wherever they move. And eventually becoming adults doesn’t change a thing.

By Kristene Silva Marie

T

hird Culture Kids are children who spend a significant part of their growing years in another culture. By mixing their home country culture with their host country culture they develop a kind of third culture which they share mostly with other third culture kids.

The term is not new. It was first coined in the 1950’s by Ruth Hill Useem.

TCKs, also sometimes called “global nomads”, are experts when it comes to handling being on the move. Traveling for business or holiday poses little or no problems at all for them. But that same carefree attitude doesn’t always apply in their dealing with relationships.

The idea of commitment, overwhelming enough for most nonTCKs, can stir much insecurity and fear in these individuals, who were basically raised around the world.

On one hand, TCKs would step into situations with other TCKs and rapidly form strong bonds with them, usually because they get talk-

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18 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2011

ing about their similar experiences and challenges. But on the other hand global nomads feel comfortable keeping an emotional distance.

Loneliness and isolation A common aspect of a global nomad’s life is saying goodbye countless times, not only to people, but also to schools, homes, cultural identities and aspects of a country they had come to love.

Loneliness and isolation can become two unwelcome shadows when a single move turns into two moves, and then three moves and so forth. Sometimes for TCKs, being sociable seems like too much of a burden. In those times they feel it’s easier and more pleasant to be alone.

It is not surprising that their first reaction when they find out that a friend is leaving in a couple of months, is emotionally detaching themselves thinking letting go now is better so when the moment of true goodbye arrives, it wouldn’t ache quite as much.

Emotional withdrawal is the

main reaction of many TCKs when faced with “goodbyes” to loved ones leaving on, for example, business trips for a few days.

Without realising it, they withdraw with the thinking that the best defense against pain, is to guard their feelings and be prepared to drop a relationship at any moment’s notice.

Not having had a sense of being in a large social support group, it can be difficult to develop and maintain one later. Most people however, don’t realise this because they have friends, family, their church and a sense of community to lean on.

They know that they are isolated only if they choose to be.

But for those who have moved around a lot, a stable community is a new concept which would take time to really understand or even to trust.

Unresolved grief How TCKs handle partings becomes a critical component of their lives. It may take years for them to actually figure out how to respond, when even small goodbyes trigger mudslides of denial and emotion.

Some of the deepest on-going struggles they face are the ones with trusting and creating genuine relationships because this means they are required to be vulnerable time and again.

Vulnerability includes, revealing their true feelings to others, caring deeply about the presence and love of others and being willing to share pain and tears with others.

This struggle with intimacy may create all kinds of learning opportunities in any close relationship a TCK has. For example, those who have grown up in one place will probably have a tough time understanding why their TCK friend or partner seems to have this restlessness and inexplicable desire to move and change.

When you say goodbye as many times as a TCK does you can start building up some pretty intense grief. This is probably the heaviest burden in the backpack of a Third Culture Kid. It takes time for them to shift their paradigm from feeling saying goodbye means “NEVER seeing that friend or loved one again” to just a “goodbye for now”.

Santa Fe has completed its acquisition of Interdean, Europe’s leading relocation company. The group now provides a single source solution across three continents; AsiaPacific, the Middle East and Europe.

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Santa Fe Completes Merger

he Santa Fe Group has completed the acquisition of Interdean, Europe’s leading relocation services company.

Headquartered in London, Interdean offers relocation and move management services from a total of 48 offices with 1,200 employees in 35 countries across Western and Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia.

This transaction follows Santa Fe’s recent acquisition of Wridgways Australia.

Collectively the Santa Fe Group now offers professional relocation, moving and records management services through 120 offices in 50 countries and provides a single

source solution to its customers and partners across three continents; AsiaPacific, the Middle East and Europe.

Currently, Santa Fe’s 3,150 dedicated professionals are now servicing approximately 100,000 relocations each year.

Santa Fe and Interdean have been close partners for a number of years and the merger is a natural fit.

“We expect our organizations and customers alike will experience added value through increased efficiency and an expanded service scope that focuses purely on serving our clients.” says Lars Lykke Iversen, Chief Executive Officer of the Santa Fe Group.

“We are pleased that Interdean’s senior management team is enthusiastic about the merger and remains committed to the company. We have great respect for the entire Interdean organization and what they have accomplished in building Europe’s leading relocation services organization. Their experience and skills are key reasons behind this merger and will benefit our customers and the entire Santa Fe Group, he adds.

To find out more Santa Fe, Interdean aand wridgeways, please visit these websites: www.santaferelo.com www.interdean.com www.wridgways.com.au

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Tel: (84) 8 3933 0065 info@santaferelo.com.vn

October 2011 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

19

Move Like A Tiger Since its formation in 1990, Asian Tigers Malaysia has made a commitment to the people who move into, around and out of Asia. During this time Asian Tigers Malaysia has worked with expatriates who want and need more than clearance and safe delivery for their shipments.

A

sian Tigers Malaysia provides exclusive one stop Relocation Services.

From Home Search to Move Management to a range of individual settling in and orientation.

Asian Tigers Malaysia is a name that you can trust, and that expatriates all over the world have come to know and associate with quality.

That is why Asian Tigers Malaysia is the preferred relocation company among multinational corporations as well as private individuals.

Asian Tigers now extends into 14 Asian countries, and we are the region’s largest relocation move management company.

Peter Karlsson has 16 years experience in the moving and relocation industry and is the main point of contact for any relocation needs for the Nordic community. Please feel free to contact him for assistance.

Mo

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Tales of Pains and Gains Finally an honest book about Filipino maids and their lives as overseas workers.

By Gregers Moller

“The Path to Remittance: Tales of Pains and Gains of Overseas Filipino Workers”

by Papias Generale Banados can be bought online here: http://www.selectbooks.com.sg/ getTitle.aspx?SBNum=052282 Price: US$11.55 (SGD15.00*) Format: Paper Back, 122 pages ISBN: 9789810889562

F

ilipino maid Papias Generale Banados has collected and written a collection of stories about other Filipino maids.

This is what makes this book “The Path to Remittance” such a refreshing and unsentimental input in the debate about human trafficking. This is not another sympathetic academic who wants to save the world.

The twenty stories are told in a straight forward language that has been only slightly edited without destroying its authenticity by Singaporean journalist Kalinga Seneviratne. Most of the stories show that, although their lives have not always been easy, the majority of the girls have somehow managed to succeed in their mission to remit money back to their families.

Money suckers The twenty cases all have a few things in common.

First of all it is clear that the placement agencies suck more than their fair share of the income of the girls especially on their first trip overseas. They should urgently be competed out of the marketplace.

Maybe a Scandinavian NGO could

Expect long hours and high responsibility for the money, you can send home to the often not so grateful family - after the agents have taken their big share.

help the maids establish a strong cooperative with a reasonable service fee. Stairway Denmark, Care, where are you?

Secondly, the families back home all too quickly start looking at the maids as walking ATM machines. And they are never happy no matter how much the maids remit. An obvious advice would be to stop remitting so much and start saving a bit more.

Family, sex

without sexual needs nor lusty maids jumping into bed with their employers at the first opportunity.

It is just part of the story just like the other conditions they face in a foreign country at the lower end of the food chain.

A ‘must’ for newcomers The book gives a great insight into the lives of the Filipino maids and should be a must read for new Scandinavian families moving to Asia and looking for a maid.

The book deals with the all the aspects of the maids’ existence written in a matter-of-fact style. Everything is told, more or less as it happened when it happened.

There is the typical affair in the Philippines, that leaves her pregnant. The struggle to earn enough at home that gives her the idea to work overseas. There is the typical smart agent, that lets her sign a bunch of papers only later to inform her how many months it will take her to pay their fees back. There is the affair her husband has, if not before she leaves, then for sure after she has left. And then there is the disappointment that all the remittance she has earned and sent home seems to be gone, spent on items of no lasting value, when she eventually comes home to visit the family.

There is also the natural romantic relationship, that she may develop. It is often with another foreigner working in the city, where she has moved to work,, mostly Asian men but also sometimes European, Middle Eastern or American. There is no denying that some also find sex to be a sideline income.

What is refreshing is, that there is no sensational focus on this “secret” side of their lives. The girls in Papias’ book are neither humans

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21

Medium

Finnish Kitchen

T

he Finnish kitchen is a bit controversial. A few years ago, the former French President Chirac claimed that “After Finland, Britain is the country with the worst food” and the Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi is quoted for saying: “I’ve been to Finland and I had to endure the Finnish diet”.

The harsh critiques was answered with a defense for Finnish food by some international food reporters, and in 2008 a Finnish pizza chain won the America´s Plate International pizza contest beating Italy. The Finnish pizza chain named their award winning pizza ”Berlusconi”.

The Finnish kitchen is quite much more than pizza though. Berries, mushrooms, bread, cold water fish and meat from deer and other wild living animals are highly prized ingredients in the kitchen.

One of the most welknowned Finnish dishes is the Porankäristys, sauteed reindeer. Now reindeer seems to be a little difficult to find in SE Asia why ScandAsia will like to challenge our readers and suggests to substitute the reindeer with meat from water buffalo. And we will be very interested to hear about the result from any of our readers brave enough to try.

Evil

The Dish Poronkäristys, sautéed reindeer, is perhaps the best known traditional meal from Lapland, especially in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Usually steak or the back of the reindeer is used. Slice it thinly (easier if frozen rather than only partially thawed), fry in fat, traditionally in reindeer fat, but butter and oil will do, spice with black pepper and salt, and finally some water, cream, or beer is added. The dish is often fried with chanterelles and leeks, and served with mashed potatoes and cow berry preserves or, more traditionally, with raw cow berries mashed with sugar. In Finland it is often served with pickled cucumber, which is not as common in Sweden.

Are you done?

W

hen you have completed the above puzzles, please send your solution by fax to +66 2 943 7169 or scan and email to puzzles@ scandasia.com. We will make a lucky draw among the correct answers. Five lucky winners will receive a ScandAsia polo shirt.

Name:

___________________________________________________

Age: ________________________

Mobile:

___________________

(6 portions) • 800 gr sliced reindeer (poronkäristysliha) • 50 gr butter • 3 dl beer* • 2 small onions • 1 ½ tsp salt • 3 tbs flour • ½ tsp ground black or white pepper *Instead of beer, you can use cream or water to prepare the Sauteed Reindeer Sauce.

Recipe Cooking and Preparation Method

Address:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Brown the sliced reindeer meat and chopped onions in butter, preferably in a cast iron casserole pot. Season the meat with salt and pepper and add the flour, stir. Add the beer and stir again.

Place the lid on top of the pot and allow to simmer at a low heat for approximately one hour.

Email:

__________________________________________________

Food Serving Suggestion

Deadline for submitting your solution is 15 November 2011 22 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2011

Serve the Sauteed Reindeer Sauce hot together with mashed potatoes, loganberry jam, pickled beetroots and pickled cucumbers.

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