Cambodian AIT Student Association (CASA) – Historically, CASA was established in 1994 during which Cambodian students were again admitted to pursue a graduate study at AIT under donor supports following more than ten years of absence from the institute mainly due to chronic civil war and international isolation.
Given that circumstance, the primary objective of CASA is to gather and exchange knowledge and experience, provide and mobilize mutual assistance and emergency both financially and technically among the members, enhance cultural affair and provide an opportunity for Cambodian students being at the institute not only to interact with each other, but also with diverse students from different countries.
Cambodian Association Auckland – The Cambodian Association (Auckland) Inc. is created to provide the community with impartial information related to social, economy technology and politic. By providing related information, it does not implied that Cambodian Association website or its staffs are affiliated or connected with any political parties, organizations or with any commercial institutions.
Khmer Youth Association – Khmer Youth Association (KYA) is a humanitarian, non-political party, non-governmental and non-partisan organization working in the area of human resources development, gender, human rights, environment, and democratic development.
KYA was set up because we realized that young people are main factors and important elements in the national and international development and peace. Youth participation is a special mechanism to build a democratic society. Through national and international interest, youths have to try their best to join all activities and show responsibility for their families, communities, nations and indeed the world. The youth voice is a main challenge of political atmosphere and it will support the country to reach prosperity, peace, justice, good governance, democracy, and sustainable development.
KYA was established on November 22, 1992 and was recognized by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) on November 30, 1992. Moreover, KYA was recognized by the Ministry of Interior, Cambodia on February 21, 1994.
Cambodia Non-profit Organization
A World of Difference – A World of Difference is a U.S. based non-profit organization. The goals of A World of Difference are two-fold. One goal is to provide Cambodian women with the knowledge and skills to make better lives for themselves and their children; and the second goal is to improve the dental health of Cambodian orphans.
American Assistance for Cambodia (AAFC) – American Assistance for Cambodia/Japan Relief for Cambodia (AAfC) is an
independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving opportunities for the youth and rural poor in Cambodia.
Founded in 1993 by American journalist Bernie Krisher, AAfC operates interlinked programs across Cambodia in the areas of education, health, rural development, and technology.
Association AME D’ASIE – L’association AME d’ASIE a pour but de venir en Aide aux Minorités Ethniques d’ASIE dans le domaine de l’éducation, des soins, de l’alimentation, de la culture et du divertissement. Elle s’attache à aider plus particulièrement les enfants des villages reculés et les orphelins chez qui l’aide humanitaire des grandes organisations n’arrive pas. Elle entend aussi favoriser le rapprochement des enfants avec leurs parents biologiques en maintenant le contact et le soutien.
Build Cambodia – Build Cambodia is a U.S. based not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping Cambodians build their lives and society while ensuring that this corner of the world is not forgotten. Our unique contribution is creating awareness, facilitating exposure, and encouraging commitment among Americans and individuals from other nations to provide the valued assistance that can make such a difference in this needy land. We advocate for Cambodian organizations in the U.S., facilitate individual projects that Americans are undertaking, and lead regular Immersion Trips where talented adults tour Cambodia and visit unique places that few foreigners ever see. We know that these and other efforts will build the steady flow of energy and talent into the country necessary to rebuild its society.
Cambodia Kids – Cambodia Kids is the first organization that allocates 100% of the money to the kids! Our directors, officers, management and staff collect no money and/or salary and all of our workers are volunteers at no cost to our organization.
Cambodian Light Children’s – The Cambodian Light Children’s Association was started by the present manager Mr. Pat Noun, an ex-Buddhist monk, in 1995, to care for the poor and street orphans of all ages by direct help. The orphanage conducts classes in Khmer and English using volunteer teachers and runs a traditional dance program.
Cambodian Organization for Learning & Training (COLT) – COLT wants to improve the conditions and opportunities of Cambodian street children and orphans. The organization do this on a small scale basis, as they do not believe in large organizations with a lot of overhead. They give the children a safe shelter, education and vocational training. Of course the children are being taken care of by giving them three daily meals, clothing and medical care.
Cambodian Orphanage International – Cambodian Orphanage International was created to be the voice of these children who urgently need our help. The organization are a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the way these children live, eat, and think. Change comes by empowering them – physically, emotionally, and socially – with food, healthcare, education, and vocational training.
ChildSafe Cambodia – ChildSafe develops a child protection network aiming at protecting children in Cambodia and other countries in the region, from all forms of abuse, especially sexual abuse.
Friends-International – Since 1994, Friends-International has been running projects worldwide for and with street children, attempting to reintegrate these children into their society.
Friends-International works with street children in a developmental and sustainable perspective in accordance with the Convention of the Rights of the Child (UN-CRC).
KANTHA BOPHA Children’s Hospital – Since 1991, four hospitals and a maternity ward for HIV positive mothers were built and are fully operating. The Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospital has been progressively extended and modified to meet the most urgent needs.
In the four hospitals, Kantha Bopha I, Kantha Bopha II and Kantha Bopha IV in Phnom Penh and Jayavarman VII in Siem Reap Angkor, each year 75’000 children are hospitalized (the average length of hospitalisation is 5 days), 800’000 ill children receive treatment in the outpatients department, 400’000 healthy children get vaccinated, 16’000 chirurgical operations are executed, 12’000 birth in the maternity (designed to prevent mother-to-child AIDS and TB transmission) and daily 3’000 families receive health care education. All medical services are free of charge since the families in Cambodia are simply too poor to even make a small contribution towards these medical costs. Without Kantha Bopha, 3’200 additional children would die in Cambodia every month.
Krousar Thmey – First Cambodian Foundation assisting deprived children, Krousar Thmey provides deprived Cambodian children with material, educational and social support in harmony with their environment and respectful of their traditions and beliefs. Our purpose is to help children develop and blossom into responsible adults. Krousar Thmey takes great care that its aid neither creates disharmony between a child and his relatives and friends, nor creates privileged or dependent children.
Pact Cambodia – Pact is a networked global organization that builds the capacity of local leaders and organizations to meet pressing social needs in dozens of countries around the world.
Pact has been strengthening the capacity of institutions run by and for Cambodians since 1991.
Sustainable Cambodia – Sustainable Cambodia is working with the people of Cambodia, helping them create a better life for themselves and their children. The organization works at the grassroots level, effecting change community by community.
The organization help Cambodian villages become self-sustaining communities where people want to live, with healthy water, good food, health care and education for the residents, where there is environmental and social responsibility and employment that allows them to sustain and continually improve their quality of life.
They accomplish this through a unique participatory empowerment model, providing resources, assistance, training and education to the members of the community. This empowers the families to revitalize their community and economy, creating a self-sustaining quality of life. In return, the families commit to passing on the gift by helping other families and communities.
Tabitha Foundation (Canada) – The Tabitha Foundation is a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization, respecting all faiths, seeking to help the suffering in various nations. The aim is to reach out to the despairing in their communities and enable them to address their needs in a holistic and sustainable way, thereby transforming their lives to fruitfulness, dignity and beauty.
Tabitha’s current programs affect 1% of Cambodians; presently over 200,000 people in ten provinces of the country. Over the 11 years of its operation, Tabitha has lifted more than a quarter of a million Cambodians out of poverty and despair, into lives of dignity, hope and active participation in their communities.
Tabitha Shop in Phnom Penh sells Cottage Industry Crafts which supports women, often single mothers, and victims of landmines and AIDS.
Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) – VSA is a New Zealand-based international development organisation, working throughout Asia, Africa and the Pacific – wherever development needs are greatest and volunteers can make the most impact.
VSA are the country’s largest and most experienced volunteer-sending agency. We are a not-for-profit, non-government, non-religious organisation.
In recent years, VSA has sent volunteers to Bhutan, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Lao PDR, Niue, Papua New Guinea (including Bougainville), Samoa, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Vanuatu, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe. Programmes are established in new countries according to needs, the wishes of host governments and communities, and issues such as the safety and security of volunteers.
VSA’s regional programmes are managed from our Wellington office. Programme staff in each region provide on-the-ground support to volunteers and partner organisations
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Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Currency and Banking
The currency of Cambodia is the riel. The riel was first introduced in 1953, and was in circulation until 1975. Following the fall of the Khmer Rouge, the riel was reissued in April 1 1980 initially at 4 riel to one US dollar. The current conversion rate is at approximately 4022 riel to one US dollar. One riel is also divided into 10 kak or 100 sen.
The riel is available in coin forms at denominations of 50, 100, 200 and 500. Coins are not commonly circulated however. Banknotes are denominated in values of 50, 100, 1000, 5000, 10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 riel. The initial banknotes issued in 1980 were denominated at 1, 2 and 5 kak, and 1, 5, 10 and 20 riel. Other accepted currencies in Cambodia are the US dollar and Thai baht (at bordering regions). Credit cards and travelers’ checks are still not widely accepted yet, though gaining use.
Banking services are offered in larger cities like Phnom Penh, Siam Reap Sihanoukville and Battambang. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are still not widely available yet and are generally limited to Phnom Penh and Siam Reap. Some of the banks operating in Cambodia are:
• Acleda Bank
• ANZ/Royal Bank (ATMs available)
• Cambodia Asia Bank
• Cambodia Mekong Bank
• Cambodian Public Bank (subsidiary of the Malaysian Public Bank)
• Canadia Bank (ATMs available)
• Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia
• Maybank (Cambodian branch of Maybank)
• SBC Bank
• Union Commercial Bank
• Vattanac Bank
Note that a local banking account is needed to use the ATMs, although the Canadia Bank accepts some debit and credit cards such as MasterCard or Cirrus.
The riel is available in coin forms at denominations of 50, 100, 200 and 500. Coins are not commonly circulated however. Banknotes are denominated in values of 50, 100, 1000, 5000, 10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 riel. The initial banknotes issued in 1980 were denominated at 1, 2 and 5 kak, and 1, 5, 10 and 20 riel. Other accepted currencies in Cambodia are the US dollar and Thai baht (at bordering regions). Credit cards and travelers’ checks are still not widely accepted yet, though gaining use.
Banking services are offered in larger cities like Phnom Penh, Siam Reap Sihanoukville and Battambang. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are still not widely available yet and are generally limited to Phnom Penh and Siam Reap. Some of the banks operating in Cambodia are:
• Acleda Bank
• ANZ/Royal Bank (ATMs available)
• Cambodia Asia Bank
• Cambodia Mekong Bank
• Cambodian Public Bank (subsidiary of the Malaysian Public Bank)
• Canadia Bank (ATMs available)
• Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia
• Maybank (Cambodian branch of Maybank)
• SBC Bank
• Union Commercial Bank
• Vattanac Bank
Note that a local banking account is needed to use the ATMs, although the Canadia Bank accepts some debit and credit cards such as MasterCard or Cirrus.
Bad Experience at Poi Pet
One of the travelers would like to share his experience in Poi Pet.
I recently visited Cambodia and I wish to report an unpleasant experience I had during my entry. I entered the country at Poi Pet on 20/Dec, after taking the train from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet.Because I didn’t have a Visa, I went to the Visa Office to get one. On my way there, I was approached by several touts, but I turned them all away because I’ve always liked to do things professionally and not be a victim of scams.When I got there, I went to grab a form, but before I could do that,someone dressed with a yellow polo shirt handed me one.Then, I sat down at the chairs to fill the form and an immigration police officer offered me a seat next to his desk, located around 10 meters from the office counter. I kindly rejected and sat by myself.
Friendly Cambodia Immigration Officers
Since Cambodian Government launched e-Visa on April 2006, the immigration officers have taken their initiative to learn on how to process travelers with e-Visa. Although the process is slightly different from the traditional way, the immigration officers have given their full cooperation and allow e-Visa travelers to pass through immigration without any delay. Moreover, the immigration officers also help to direct e-Visa travelers to the correct lane.
I recently visited Cambodia and I wish to report an unpleasant experience I had during my entry. I entered the country at Poi Pet on 20/Dec, after taking the train from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet.Because I didn’t have a Visa, I went to the Visa Office to get one. On my way there, I was approached by several touts, but I turned them all away because I’ve always liked to do things professionally and not be a victim of scams.When I got there, I went to grab a form, but before I could do that,someone dressed with a yellow polo shirt handed me one.Then, I sat down at the chairs to fill the form and an immigration police officer offered me a seat next to his desk, located around 10 meters from the office counter. I kindly rejected and sat by myself.
Friendly Cambodia Immigration Officers
Since Cambodian Government launched e-Visa on April 2006, the immigration officers have taken their initiative to learn on how to process travelers with e-Visa. Although the process is slightly different from the traditional way, the immigration officers have given their full cooperation and allow e-Visa travelers to pass through immigration without any delay. Moreover, the immigration officers also help to direct e-Visa travelers to the correct lane.
Archive for the 'Immigration' Category
Check and validate your Visa application before travel to Cambodia. This new service is brought to you by Cambodiaonarrival.com. It helps you to find the best way to apply your Travel Visa, the safer and quicker way! Plus, you get free travel guidebooks for both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Apply Now!
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Memorable Cambodian border official
This is to greet you all on the occasion of World Friendship Week. We would also like to wish one of your border guards at Poiphet, whom we had to pleasure to meet when my wife Ann and I were on a short tour of Cambodia last summer. It was the Cambodian border official who, last year, made our South Asian travel truly memorable. We had got our E-visas for Cambodia before leaving India, and after flying to Bangkok, traveled by train to the Cambodian border town of Poiphet. During the train journey, “experienced” western visitors cautioned us about the “tough time” we would have with “unfriendly” Cambodian border officials, advising us to keep extra dollar bills with us, “just in case
Read the rest of this entry »
Memorable Cambodian border official
This is to greet you all on the occasion of World Friendship Week. We would also like to wish one of your border guards at Poiphet, whom we had to pleasure to meet when my wife Ann and I were on a short tour of Cambodia last summer. It was the Cambodian border official who, last year, made our South Asian travel truly memorable. We had got our E-visas for Cambodia before leaving India, and after flying to Bangkok, traveled by train to the Cambodian border town of Poiphet. During the train journey, “experienced” western visitors cautioned us about the “tough time” we would have with “unfriendly” Cambodian border officials, advising us to keep extra dollar bills with us, “just in case
Volunteer Development Poverty Children Association
VDPCS School was first established in early 2005 by two Buddhist monks, Rathana Nn and Togh Main, who wanted to give some of Siem Reap’s poorest children a positive future by offering free education, and thus the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty in which many find themselves. With occasional donations and the help of local and foreign volunteers, they struggled but managed to teach over a hundred children and teenagers in 2 simple, thatch classrooms for about a year. In spring 2006, enough funds were raised to rebuild a very basic new school at a more suitable location with 3 classrooms. Subsequently student numbers jumped, reflecting the urgent desire for education in Cambodia
Construction at this new and hopefully final location was completed at the end of February and cost $20,000USD. The school is now much bigger and better and thankfully no longer made of straw!! This was made possible with the generous support of local and foreign donors, as well as with a lot of hard work from the staff and students.
Most of the children that attend VDPCS are there because they cannot afford the 20cents a day fee of going to the public school; some are orphans and some with HIV. All funds raised give hope to these children of having a future and guarantees the school gates can remain open to make what’s possible for us possible for a small community in a third world country.
Construction at this new and hopefully final location was completed at the end of February and cost $20,000USD. The school is now much bigger and better and thankfully no longer made of straw!! This was made possible with the generous support of local and foreign donors, as well as with a lot of hard work from the staff and students.
Most of the children that attend VDPCS are there because they cannot afford the 20cents a day fee of going to the public school; some are orphans and some with HIV. All funds raised give hope to these children of having a future and guarantees the school gates can remain open to make what’s possible for us possible for a small community in a third world country.
H4 Visa Volunteer Jobs – 5 things to remember
H4 visa vounteer jobs are a great opportunity. Because even though you are in a foreign country, and not earning money, you are gaining valuable experience which will add to your confidence and skills, and lines on your resume. And... (Continue reading)
Tagged with: h4 visa h4 visa jobs h4 visa life h4 visa volunteer h4 visa work jobs on h4 life on H4 visa what to do when on h4 visa
Cambodia hopes to develop bio-fuel sector
Written on 14 Jan, 2010 at 22:04 in H-4 Life | viewed 741 times | 1 Comment
Below is a list of our posts on finding a job on H4 visa and enjoying your time while on H4. Jobs and Career on the H4 visa 5 Ways to boost your career while on the H4 Visa 5 Places... (Continue reading)
Tagged with: h4 visa h4 visa articles h4 visa jobs volunteer jobs on H4 what to do on H4
Cambodia hopes to become a leader in the development of bio-fuel in the face of increasing global oil prices, say government officials.
The development of bio-diesel produced from Jatropha curcas, a plant native to Cambodia, has drawn attention from investors, said Sat Samy, deputy secretary of state for the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy during a workshop on Cambodian bio-diesel held recently in Phnom Penh.
Bio-energy industries are present in a number of countries, said Secretary of State for Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy Ith Praing, adding that European Community (EC) countries will increase their use of bio-fuels from 15 percent to 20 percent of the total by 2020 with the intention of reducing green gas emissions.
Sat Samy told Rasmei Kampuhea that bio-diesel from Jatropa oil has many benefits; providing cheap fuel for generators, a renewable source of revenue for the economy and decreasing Cambodia’s reliance on fuel imports. Bio-fuel also promotes the use of agricultural land for cash crops, he said, as well as ensuring a clean environment, as bio-fuel is far less polluting than fossil fuels.
The industry is in its infancy in Cambodia, said the secretary of state, adding that ten firms have started production or shown interest in Jatropha cultivation so far.
A recent study showed 3,500 Jatropha trees can be grown per hectare, producing 3,000 liters of oil annually after three years.
Some Jatropha oil, produced by smallholders, is already available in Cambodia, priced at 2,300 riel (about US$0.57) per liter. Firms are buying Jatropha seeds for 400 riel (about US$0.10) per kilogram, said the deputy secretary of state, adding that many seeds have been sold in
Tagged with: h4 visa h4 visa jobs h4 visa life h4 visa volunteer h4 visa work jobs on h4 life on H4 visa what to do when on h4 visa
Cambodia hopes to develop bio-fuel sector
Written on 14 Jan, 2010 at 22:04 in H-4 Life | viewed 741 times | 1 Comment
Below is a list of our posts on finding a job on H4 visa and enjoying your time while on H4. Jobs and Career on the H4 visa 5 Ways to boost your career while on the H4 Visa 5 Places... (Continue reading)
Tagged with: h4 visa h4 visa articles h4 visa jobs volunteer jobs on H4 what to do on H4
Cambodia hopes to become a leader in the development of bio-fuel in the face of increasing global oil prices, say government officials.
The development of bio-diesel produced from Jatropha curcas, a plant native to Cambodia, has drawn attention from investors, said Sat Samy, deputy secretary of state for the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy during a workshop on Cambodian bio-diesel held recently in Phnom Penh.
Bio-energy industries are present in a number of countries, said Secretary of State for Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy Ith Praing, adding that European Community (EC) countries will increase their use of bio-fuels from 15 percent to 20 percent of the total by 2020 with the intention of reducing green gas emissions.
Sat Samy told Rasmei Kampuhea that bio-diesel from Jatropa oil has many benefits; providing cheap fuel for generators, a renewable source of revenue for the economy and decreasing Cambodia’s reliance on fuel imports. Bio-fuel also promotes the use of agricultural land for cash crops, he said, as well as ensuring a clean environment, as bio-fuel is far less polluting than fossil fuels.
The industry is in its infancy in Cambodia, said the secretary of state, adding that ten firms have started production or shown interest in Jatropha cultivation so far.
A recent study showed 3,500 Jatropha trees can be grown per hectare, producing 3,000 liters of oil annually after three years.
Some Jatropha oil, produced by smallholders, is already available in Cambodia, priced at 2,300 riel (about US$0.57) per liter. Firms are buying Jatropha seeds for 400 riel (about US$0.10) per kilogram, said the deputy secretary of state, adding that many seeds have been sold in
Five things to boost your career when on the H4 visa
Tagged with: career on h4 h4 life h4 visa jobs on H4 visa life on H4 visa
So we have all been there. The excitement and apprehension of moving to the US with our spouse, but learning soon after that we can not ‘work’ in the US as we are on the ‘H4 Visa’. The H4 ladies span all ages, young college grads looking to make a mark and thirty-somethings right in the middle of a thriving career. And here you are, not able to live the dream of working and establishing yourself in the new land, while you wait for a work visa or green card to come through. Its hard, those stay at home days without a job, family or the many roots that support you. The long naps, the midnight trips to Kroger, the evening drives with hubby.
But while you are figuring out the new country, while you will not be earning money, you don’t have to necessarily put your career on hold. I’d say, look at it as a time to invest in you. To prevent stagnation, here’s what you can do:
1.Continue your education: This is probably the most obvious and effective way of using your downtime. If you like studying or are looking for a career change, this may be the route to go. The benefits are Of course, it costs money, but scholarship programs may help out, especially after a semester of two of good results. Also, you may need to change your visa to a student visa, definitely for the full time ones. Check with your lawyer.
1.A masters degree or PHD: You can, of course, take the GRE or GMAT and join the university in town or relocate to a town with universities you want to go to.
2.Completing your Bachelors: If you have completed your bachelors in a country like India, you probably have three years of study behind you. A recognized degree in the US usually needs about 4 years of graduate education, so it may make sense to complete your bachelors here. You may get some credits for your study back home, but often times not as much as you like. Still, it’s worth the investment if you are thinking of a career here.
3.A vocational course: Nurses and teachers are in high demand. If that fits your dream, you may decide to go down the route of a vocational course that helps you get a license and be ready for work when your green card or work visa does come through
4.Evening Courses: This means seeing even less of your husband, but they are often cheaper and easier to get into even with prime universities. Explore the ones in your area
5.Technical Courses and certifications: You can use a variety of books or online courses for technical certifications to bolster your resume.
2.Network outside your network: Intuitively when we arrive here we seek friends we knew back home or those we know through weekend parties and our cultural gatherings. These networks are a social safety net, great fun and an absolute necessity. But they should not be your only bet in finding a job or boosting your career. For one, these networks are often of a particular ethnicity or national affiliation. When you work in America, you have to look beyond. So seek out other networking venues. TIE (http://www.tie.org/) may have local chapters that have great events to attend. Or your school and college may have alumni associations here. Check out your country’s dominant social networking sites to look for people in town. I attended a TIE event once and landed up learning about another network – an international supper club which was more fun.
3.Join a Professional Association or two: I didn’t realize the importance of these till well into my American career. The US is the land of professional networks. Not only do they give you a chance to meet like minded people in the same profession and build a business network, it’s a great way to freshen up your skills in the new country and push your platform.
1.Google your profession (say Supply Chain Management) and ‘association’ and chances are you will land with a list of associations of like minded people.
2. Look through the ‘events’ section and the ‘about’ section or the ‘local chapters section (for example, http://cscmp.org/ for supply chain management).
3.Try and event or two. If the events are good, and you like the group, consider joining. Now I will caution you though, all associations don’t work for everyone, and some may not even be good, so try out before committing to a membership.
4.The fees may be expensive sometimes, but perhaps can be offset against volunteering. Which brings me to the next point…
4.Volunteer : Growing up volunteering was something housewives did as part of ‘social work’ or part of school projects. Here, and this is one of the things I love about the US, people love volunteering and they are passionate about what they volunteer in. Senior managers with full time jobs find time to find causes they will fight for. So you meet people from many of you local companies. There are literally thousands of organizations available, so find one that’s your passion.
◦You learn valuable skills about working in this country
◦It gives you international experience.
◦It gives a world of business contacts you have already met in an informal setting
◦It gets you out of the house and in the new office environment
◦Of course, if it’s a worthy cause, you do a world of good J
Note: You don’t have to volunteer for a non-profit. Sometimes for profit organizations like labs or universities or schools may have volunteer opportunities. More on volunteering here.
5. Build a platform : While you are technically at home, there’s nothing stopping you from doing some PR on the sly. Some ideas
1.
1.Start a blog
2.Ask associations for speaking assignments
3.Research and write articles, maybe with slant on your own country (given the importance of globalization) for professional publications which are often looking for these.
4.If writing is not for you, participate in online forums.
5.Join linkedin, and build a profile. See who connects to you and what kinds of jobs are offered.
None of this is easy. But it takes away some of the isolation and when time comes around, you will have a freshened resume for your job. What are some of your ideas? I would love to know. Also, I wrote about the first interview after a H4 hiatus and things I learnt from interviews in general. Also, after feedback from this one, five true qualities of a H4er.
A new post on what I think I did right to land a job here.
And volunteering on H4 and some ideas to try to make your time more productive. Here is one more post on things to remember when choosing a volunteer job. Here are some tips for the first networking event.
Read a serialized story on H4 life here..
And one on just some ideas to enjoy your time on H4 here. I am sure you have more ideas, do share!
Please let me know what you think in the comments below.
Last 5 posts by Amrita Bakshi
◦Self Publishing How To's - Tips on Self Publishing Success - May 18th, 2010
◦Office Politics - April 29th, 2010
◦Five tips for a networking event - March 22nd, 2010
◦H4 Visa Volunteer Jobs - 5 things to remember - February 14th, 2010
◦H4 Visa - The most romantic visa? - February 13th, 2010
So we have all been there. The excitement and apprehension of moving to the US with our spouse, but learning soon after that we can not ‘work’ in the US as we are on the ‘H4 Visa’. The H4 ladies span all ages, young college grads looking to make a mark and thirty-somethings right in the middle of a thriving career. And here you are, not able to live the dream of working and establishing yourself in the new land, while you wait for a work visa or green card to come through. Its hard, those stay at home days without a job, family or the many roots that support you. The long naps, the midnight trips to Kroger, the evening drives with hubby.
But while you are figuring out the new country, while you will not be earning money, you don’t have to necessarily put your career on hold. I’d say, look at it as a time to invest in you. To prevent stagnation, here’s what you can do:
1.Continue your education: This is probably the most obvious and effective way of using your downtime. If you like studying or are looking for a career change, this may be the route to go. The benefits are Of course, it costs money, but scholarship programs may help out, especially after a semester of two of good results. Also, you may need to change your visa to a student visa, definitely for the full time ones. Check with your lawyer.
1.A masters degree or PHD: You can, of course, take the GRE or GMAT and join the university in town or relocate to a town with universities you want to go to.
2.Completing your Bachelors: If you have completed your bachelors in a country like India, you probably have three years of study behind you. A recognized degree in the US usually needs about 4 years of graduate education, so it may make sense to complete your bachelors here. You may get some credits for your study back home, but often times not as much as you like. Still, it’s worth the investment if you are thinking of a career here.
3.A vocational course: Nurses and teachers are in high demand. If that fits your dream, you may decide to go down the route of a vocational course that helps you get a license and be ready for work when your green card or work visa does come through
4.Evening Courses: This means seeing even less of your husband, but they are often cheaper and easier to get into even with prime universities. Explore the ones in your area
5.Technical Courses and certifications: You can use a variety of books or online courses for technical certifications to bolster your resume.
2.Network outside your network: Intuitively when we arrive here we seek friends we knew back home or those we know through weekend parties and our cultural gatherings. These networks are a social safety net, great fun and an absolute necessity. But they should not be your only bet in finding a job or boosting your career. For one, these networks are often of a particular ethnicity or national affiliation. When you work in America, you have to look beyond. So seek out other networking venues. TIE (http://www.tie.org/) may have local chapters that have great events to attend. Or your school and college may have alumni associations here. Check out your country’s dominant social networking sites to look for people in town. I attended a TIE event once and landed up learning about another network – an international supper club which was more fun.
3.Join a Professional Association or two: I didn’t realize the importance of these till well into my American career. The US is the land of professional networks. Not only do they give you a chance to meet like minded people in the same profession and build a business network, it’s a great way to freshen up your skills in the new country and push your platform.
1.Google your profession (say Supply Chain Management) and ‘association’ and chances are you will land with a list of associations of like minded people.
2. Look through the ‘events’ section and the ‘about’ section or the ‘local chapters section (for example, http://cscmp.org/ for supply chain management).
3.Try and event or two. If the events are good, and you like the group, consider joining. Now I will caution you though, all associations don’t work for everyone, and some may not even be good, so try out before committing to a membership.
4.The fees may be expensive sometimes, but perhaps can be offset against volunteering. Which brings me to the next point…
4.Volunteer : Growing up volunteering was something housewives did as part of ‘social work’ or part of school projects. Here, and this is one of the things I love about the US, people love volunteering and they are passionate about what they volunteer in. Senior managers with full time jobs find time to find causes they will fight for. So you meet people from many of you local companies. There are literally thousands of organizations available, so find one that’s your passion.
◦You learn valuable skills about working in this country
◦It gives you international experience.
◦It gives a world of business contacts you have already met in an informal setting
◦It gets you out of the house and in the new office environment
◦Of course, if it’s a worthy cause, you do a world of good J
Note: You don’t have to volunteer for a non-profit. Sometimes for profit organizations like labs or universities or schools may have volunteer opportunities. More on volunteering here.
5. Build a platform : While you are technically at home, there’s nothing stopping you from doing some PR on the sly. Some ideas
1.
1.Start a blog
2.Ask associations for speaking assignments
3.Research and write articles, maybe with slant on your own country (given the importance of globalization) for professional publications which are often looking for these.
4.If writing is not for you, participate in online forums.
5.Join linkedin, and build a profile. See who connects to you and what kinds of jobs are offered.
None of this is easy. But it takes away some of the isolation and when time comes around, you will have a freshened resume for your job. What are some of your ideas? I would love to know. Also, I wrote about the first interview after a H4 hiatus and things I learnt from interviews in general. Also, after feedback from this one, five true qualities of a H4er.
A new post on what I think I did right to land a job here.
And volunteering on H4 and some ideas to try to make your time more productive. Here is one more post on things to remember when choosing a volunteer job. Here are some tips for the first networking event.
Read a serialized story on H4 life here..
And one on just some ideas to enjoy your time on H4 here. I am sure you have more ideas, do share!
Please let me know what you think in the comments below.
Last 5 posts by Amrita Bakshi
◦Self Publishing How To's - Tips on Self Publishing Success - May 18th, 2010
◦Office Politics - April 29th, 2010
◦Five tips for a networking event - March 22nd, 2010
◦H4 Visa Volunteer Jobs - 5 things to remember - February 14th, 2010
◦H4 Visa - The most romantic visa? - February 13th, 2010
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