Latest / Babes, how did you get here / From Football Dreams to Testicular Cancer: A Japanese Expat's Journey in Cambodia

Transcript

From Football Dreams to Testicular Cancer: A Japanese Expat's Journey in Cambodia · Babes, how did you get here

0:00
Living in Japan and visiting Japan, a little bit different.
0:04
Okay.
0:05
Visiting Japan is super nice, I think.
0:07
Especially the spring time.
0:09
There's a cherry blossom.
0:11
Summer time.
0:12
The sea is very beautiful and many people going out.
0:15
And autumn, there is a nice yellow red leaves
0:20
and the wind is also beautiful snow mountain.
0:24
So there's four seasons.
0:26
And people are kind and polite and super clean.
0:30
That is Japan from outside.
0:33
Sure.
0:34
But the living in Japan is a little bit stressful for me.
0:39
Okay.
0:40
Kind of social pleasure and working hours and the manners
0:47
and social norms.
0:50
It's super strong.
0:51
Okay.
0:52
And what are the always like working hours?
0:55
The life waking up in the morning and going to the company
0:59
and working until midnight and going back late.
1:03
Okay.
1:04
And for me, especially.
1:06
But most of the people are living like that.
1:11
And there's not so much time with them.
1:13
Right.
1:14
So it's work, work, work.
1:15
Yeah.
1:16
Okay.
1:18
We're dropping new episodes every single week.
1:21
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1:23
If you want to miss this babes and leave a comment and tell me
1:26
what do you want to hear out of my next conversation.
1:29
Your support really helps this community grow.
1:32
And if you know someone who's quietly been thinking
1:34
should they take that next big leap?
1:36
Babes.
1:37
Send them the podcast.
1:38
Shunsuke, affectionately known as Takay,
1:41
is a man who has lived many lives.
1:43
From battling, testicular cancer, navigating divorce,
1:46
he was on his way to becoming a professional football player
1:49
when that got derailed at the young age of 17.
1:52
Born and raised in Japan, he now lives here in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
1:56
There is so much to talk about.
1:58
But first, I must ask, babes, how did you get here?
2:02
I came here by job.
2:05
My company dispatched me from Tokyo to Phnom Penh.
2:09
And what was the job?
2:10
That was advertising agency.
2:12
And I was appointed as a country director here.
2:16
Okay.
2:17
Before that, did you want to move?
2:19
Yeah.
2:20
I wanted to move all along the world, but it was not happened.
2:25
Why?
2:26
Why did you want to move from the world?
2:28
I had to work in Japan because of the job.
2:32
Okay.
2:33
And can you tell me what life in Japan is like?
2:37
It is on my hit list.
2:38
I've never been, but I definitely want to go.
2:41
The life in Japan is like living in Japan and visiting in Japan
2:47
is a little bit different.
2:48
Okay.
2:49
Visiting in Japan is super nice, I think.
2:52
Especially the springtime.
2:54
There is a cherry blossom.
2:56
Summertime, the sea is very beautiful.
2:58
And many people going out.
3:00
And autumn, there is a nice yellow red leaves.
3:05
And the wind is also beautiful snow mountain.
3:09
So there are four seasons.
3:10
And people are kind and polite and super clean.
3:15
That is Japan from outside.
3:18
Sure.
3:19
But the living in Japan is a little bit stressful for me.
3:24
Okay.
3:25
Kind of social pressure and walking hours and the manners and social norms.
3:35
It's super strong.
3:36
Okay.
3:37
And what are the always like working hours?
3:40
Living life, waking up in the morning and going to the company and working until midnight and coming back late.
3:47
Okay.
3:48
And for me, especially.
3:51
But most of the people are living like that.
3:56
And there is not so much time with family.
3:58
Right.
3:59
So it's work, work, work.
4:00
Yeah.
4:01
Okay. And you said the social norms gave you some pressure.
4:05
Can you tell me some details?
4:08
For example, like when will you get married?
4:11
And who will you get married?
4:14
And what kind of job are they doing?
4:17
Is it very status?
4:18
Yes, status in classes.
4:21
I was likely going to the university and get a nice job.
4:27
So the salary was good.
4:29
And the environment, working environment was not so bad.
4:33
But waking up in the morning and lighting on a train, commuting one and a half hour with a packed train every morning, every night.
4:43
And doing the almost the same thing is not like before we continue.
4:49
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4:53
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4:57
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5:00
I really cannot wait for you to help me shape where this podcast goes.
5:05
Me kind of.
5:07
I was feeling year by year.
5:10
Okay.
5:11
But you were destined for football.
5:14
Yeah.
5:15
Can you take me back to one your love for football where it has come from and just that journey?
5:21
I started playing football because of my big brother.
5:24
Okay.
5:25
There was four years older than me and he was playing football and I was pretending to be a good footballer with him and going to the park and playing with him.
5:38
And that was the beginning and going to the football club and seriously playing after 10 years old, 12 years old.
5:49
And junior high school I was trying to be more seriously.
5:55
Okay.
5:56
And playing and I was doing good for three years in junior high school and at the age of 16, 17 that was very nice condition.
6:08
And I was, I could run super fast and I could kick with both foot and I can see the match, the floor.
6:19
And at the age of 17, I was selected as a city football club.
6:26
Okay.
6:27
And special, special invited students to join the club.
6:32
And I was going to the training on the day.
6:38
Next day, it was a trial.
6:41
But there was an English test at that day and I was going back home from the school and in the middle of nowhere on the street.
6:53
The street gang was coming and he spit on my face all of a sudden.
6:59
I don't know him at all.
7:01
So you're just walking home and someone comes out of nowhere and spit on my face visually and it was...
7:09
I feel like that's the worst thing anyone can do.
7:11
I've said this, I'd rather you hit me.
7:13
Yeah.
7:14
I think like I thought, what the heck is this?
7:18
And then my knuckle was punching on him in the face.
7:24
Yeah.
7:25
He was super strong, he's a big guy.
7:27
And he was calling the friends or the companies and the other members, six, seven members coming from out of nowhere.
7:37
Sure.
7:38
And they are capturing me and dragging me with the bike and kicking me from the staircase.
7:45
And I was failed to run.
7:49
So the right angle was broken and what is this?
7:54
The string was torn.
7:57
Yeah.
7:58
And so I couldn't join the professional trial test.
8:03
So that's changed my life, actually.
8:07
Do we know why?
8:08
I don't know why.
8:09
But the reason was area, our school was there, was quite new area.
8:16
Okay.
8:17
And there was no police station.
8:18
Okay.
8:19
And the street gang was sometimes staying there.
8:23
And I was hurried to get the English test in the after school class.
8:29
Right.
8:30
And I wanted to become an international football player.
8:33
So I was trying to study English.
8:36
And I wanted to get a good mark, a good score.
8:39
Yeah.
8:40
So I was hurried on the way.
8:41
And my friend was just walking 30 meters, 50 meters behind me.
8:46
So I was walking by myself.
8:48
Okay.
8:49
And the guy was speeding on me and I was punching.
8:52
And my friend was also coming.
8:54
And it was five.
8:56
Two against seven.
8:57
Yeah, yeah.
8:58
Two.
8:59
I have three, four friends as well.
9:01
Okay.
9:02
So five versus seven was kind of, but I went to the catholic boys school.
9:09
Okay.
9:10
A kind of a rich school boy.
9:15
So never fight again.
9:17
Never experienced a fighting on the street.
9:20
Right.
9:21
But the gangs, the gangs.
9:22
So they know how to fight.
9:24
Of course.
9:25
Yeah.
9:26
So we were beaten up.
9:27
Wow.
9:28
I feel like I would be angry.
9:30
I am so angry.
9:31
I am so angry.
9:32
I would just be walking through knowing that it wasn't just the dream.
9:38
It was a tangible dream.
9:40
Something that you are on your way to achieving.
9:42
You've gone through the necessary steps.
9:44
It's not abstract.
9:45
And the day before you're about to take yet another step to realize that dream.
9:51
Exactly.
9:52
For that to happen, I feel like I'd just be angry.
9:55
But when I speak to you, you don't seem to carry around.
9:59
Any negative, like anger.
10:02
Yeah.
10:03
How do you do that?
10:04
Because I'd still be angry.
10:05
Yeah.
10:06
That was interesting ending.
10:11
I was so disappointed and I was almost getting depressed after that.
10:16
I thought I would.
10:17
And the football coach in the high school was asking me,
10:24
do you still want to play football?
10:26
Yeah.
10:27
But when I went to the hospital, the doctor said it takes like eight months or ten months to get cured.
10:36
Perfectly.
10:37
So I cannot be on time for the next tournament as well.
10:42
I was so depressed.
10:44
But the coach recommended me to go to the chiropractic or physio.
10:52
Yeah.
10:53
And just go there and talk to the doctor.
10:58
And I went there.
10:59
It's super far away from my hometown.
11:02
But I went there and talked to the doctor.
11:05
And the doctor was doctor Ishibashi.
11:08
And he heard about me from the football coach.
11:12
And hey, Shunsuke, do you want to be cured?
11:18
I said yes.
11:20
But it takes eight or ten months.
11:23
No, no, no.
11:24
It doesn't take so long if you are serious.
11:27
Okay.
11:28
Okay.
11:29
And can you stand up now?
11:31
I was using sticks.
11:33
Yeah.
11:34
And there was a...
11:35
How do you say the cast?
11:36
A cast, yeah.
11:37
I was like using sticks and a stand with cast.
11:43
I think you don't need that cast.
11:46
I will cut it off.
11:48
And it was swollen as hell.
11:50
Right.
11:51
And I was using sticks.
11:53
Okay.
11:54
Take off your cast.
11:55
And take off your sticks.
11:56
No, no, no.
11:57
Doctor, I can not stand.
11:59
I will hold your hand.
12:01
I will hold your legs.
12:03
Yeah.
12:04
So stand up.
12:05
Okay.
12:06
And then I stand up.
12:07
It was super painful.
12:08
But he has a pen touch kind of thing.
12:12
And he was putting that needle into my fingers.
12:16
Oh wow.
12:17
And...
12:18
Okay.
12:19
Let's stand up again.
12:20
He said.
12:21
And I stand up.
12:22
And I could stand up.
12:24
Really?
12:25
Yes.
12:26
But if he...
12:29
Then you can't stand again.
12:31
I cannot stand up.
12:32
So that is the thing.
12:34
What is this doctor?
12:36
I asked.
12:37
And he said,
12:38
You don't have to know about that.
12:39
But I know about you body.
12:41
There is a lot of points you have to care.
12:44
And he was touching with the pen.
12:46
And then checking 50 minutes or something.
12:49
And putting small iron bowl.
12:52
Okay.
12:53
Putting here.
12:54
And put with the tape.
12:56
Right.
12:57
So many places.
12:58
This has magnetic power.
13:02
Okay.
13:03
And it will cure...it will decrease your pain.
13:09
And if you really want to go back to football.
13:14
You will come every day here.
13:17
And every day swim.
13:19
At least three kilometers.
13:21
Okay.
13:22
What is that?
13:23
But I want to come back.
13:25
Right.
13:26
So I was trying to use as much as possible.
13:30
The painful leg.
13:32
Right.
13:33
And that is for using a muscle as much as possible.
13:36
That will cure your tendon and broken part.
13:41
Okay.
13:42
And muscle training every day.
13:46
And do it until you don't feel pain.
13:50
So I follow that.
13:52
And finally I could finish the process in two months.
14:00
And I could play football.
14:03
So from ten months to three months.
14:06
Yeah.
14:07
Wow.
14:08
And I was surprised.
14:09
And he started talking to me.
14:11
It's like your catholic boys, school, football, student.
14:16
And what will you do after high school?
14:20
And I want to go around the world.
14:22
And I want to work in the world.
14:26
So you have to study English.
14:28
And the economy.
14:31
But he said economy is interesting.
14:34
So I was looking at kind of economy things and reading.
14:38
Start reading about those kind of things.
14:40
And he gave me some life advice.
14:44
So you thought why this happened to you?
14:50
Why the gang is changing your life?
14:53
Why those painful parts isn't curable?
14:58
And change the pain.
15:01
That is the important part.
15:03
Most of the people say something.
15:06
When something happened, what is that?
15:09
And then forget right after that.
15:11
But you have to remember why this happened and what changed my life.
15:17
And after that what I should do.
15:21
And what does that mean to your life every time?
15:25
If you think and stop and deflect what you feel and what was the thing behind,
15:32
what is a reason, those kind of things,
15:35
every time you have to stop and think and deflect.
15:38
And that will change your life.
15:40
I still remember he said that.
15:43
So that kind of word from Dr. Ishibashi is still sticking in my life.
15:49
So did you think that what had happened had happened for a reason?
15:54
And that's why you stopped pursuing football?
16:00
That was, I was thinking so super long time,
16:04
but I could meet with Dr. Ishibashi
16:08
and I could hear those kind of wise words.
16:12
And I was just playing football until 17 years old.
16:16
I was not studying only English and some reading some books.
16:22
So your world was just playing football until then.
16:26
But okay, except football, what should I do?
16:30
Going around the world, traveling around the world,
16:33
seeing the world, different views, talking to the people.
16:36
And I was thinking,
16:40
I want to do meet people as much as possible in my life
16:46
and getting and exchanging the perspectives as much as possible.
16:51
And I want to be a wide kind of perspective I want to have as much as possible.
17:00
That's the thing I could get after that accident.
17:05
So I'm appreciating that.
17:07
And after that, that guy,
17:11
speaking on my face,
17:13
I could find three, four months later in the very big station in Yokohama.
17:19
Okay.
17:20
There was a Yokohama station.
17:22
Sorry, one second.
17:23
My phone.
17:24
Do me a favor.
17:25
Turn off the alarm.
17:27
Sorry.
17:28
It's my phone.
17:29
I always remind everyone to take the thing.
17:31
I forgot that I have an alarm on.
17:33
Thank you.
17:37
You said three, four months later you found the guy?
17:40
The guy at Yokohama station very early in the morning
17:43
when I went to the early morning training session.
17:47
Yeah.
17:48
And I had a big bug like that.
17:50
Yes.
17:51
And I slowed the bug to him from the top of the stairs.
17:54
Yeah.
17:55
He was climbing up the stairs.
17:57
And I jumped and kicked in his face.
18:00
And punching him.
18:02
And linching, linching.
18:03
No, beating him up.
18:05
And go away.
18:06
Really?
18:07
Yeah.
18:08
It was him.
18:09
And I was like,
18:10
I don't know what happened to him.
18:12
But I don't care.
18:13
I did the revenge.
18:14
And that's it.
18:16
That gives me deep satisfaction.
18:19
No, really.
18:20
Like, I know that in today's world everybody's like,
18:23
oh no, you know, let the universe kind of deal with him
18:26
or like, that gives me deep satisfaction.
18:30
Intensible.
18:31
A hundred percent.
18:32
Yes.
18:33
Because the idea that he did this and then there were zero repercussions.
18:36
Yes.
18:37
I'm glad that you were able to enforce the repercussions.
18:40
Yes.
18:41
I know that some people don't understand.
18:42
But also, that doesn't feel Japanese to me.
18:45
When I think of like Japanese culture,
18:48
I think of very calm,
18:50
very disciplined,
18:51
like very zen.
18:54
What you just described feels very Jamaican, right?
18:57
And I'm here for it.
18:59
Most of Japanese calm,
19:02
very disciplined,
19:03
and not feeling,
19:04
expressing feeling,
19:06
emotions on the face.
19:07
Yes.
19:08
I am all the time,
19:09
but I accept that moment.
19:11
I was like,
19:13
raised and I could feel happy.
19:16
Yeah.
19:17
I could beat him up,
19:18
and yeah.
19:19
That's very cool.
19:20
Did it.
19:21
Very cool.
19:22
Thank you.
19:23
You're welcome.
19:24
Even though it wasn't for us, thank you.
19:26
So fast forward years later,
19:28
and you're working in advertising?
19:30
Yes.
19:31
Yeah.
19:32
During the university,
19:33
I was playing football for fun.
19:35
I'm meeting a lot of different friends
19:37
and going to the Europe for ten months
19:42
with football,
19:43
backpack,
19:44
and skateboarding with my friends.
19:46
Yes.
19:47
And going around Europe,
19:48
and during the trip,
19:50
I was meeting with a lot of different people.
19:53
And I was more thinking about
19:56
how to meet more diverse people.
19:58
And I was thinking about what kind of job I should do
20:01
after graduation from the university.
20:04
And there is a trading company in Japan.
20:07
Trading company is huge industry.
20:09
Okay.
20:10
That is called Shoshua.
20:11
And that job would bring me so many countries.
20:16
Okay.
20:17
That is one thing.
20:18
And how about the TV program?
20:21
Making a travel program?
20:24
That would be awesome.
20:25
Sure.
20:26
That is another choice.
20:27
And how about advertising company?
20:30
There are a bunch of industry,
20:32
public, private sectors, government, people.
20:35
I can meet as many possible.
20:38
So that was a solid choice.
20:41
And I was like a trial.
20:44
I was going to the trial,
20:46
the day of the examination
20:47
and the interview process.
20:49
Okay.
20:50
Just right before graduation.
20:53
So I passed the test
20:55
of advertising agency.
20:57
So I could go there.
20:58
And that was in the middle of Tokyo.
21:02
The company was headquartered in Ginza.
21:05
But my first place to work was Fuoka City.
21:10
I've never been before in the west side of Japan.
21:14
Beautiful sea, beautiful mountain.
21:17
Very nature, very city, compact city.
21:19
Okay.
21:20
And here from Korea.
21:21
So many non-Japanese people coming.
21:24
And yeah, very nice city.
21:27
And working as advertising agency
21:30
account executive for five years.
21:32
Okay.
21:33
And after that coming back to Tokyo,
21:35
human resources, marketing department,
21:38
division, integrated media division.
21:40
And after that, coming to Cambodia.
21:43
Had you visited Cambodia before?
21:45
No.
21:46
I have never traveled around Asia.
21:49
Okay.
21:50
Only Japan.
21:51
I was dreamed to be a professional football player
21:54
in Spain especially.
21:55
Oh.
21:56
So Spain, Portugal, England, Germany,
22:01
Italy, those kind of European countries.
22:03
I love.
22:04
Right.
22:05
And I love cultures and architectures.
22:07
I was enjoying traveling around.
22:10
But Asia.
22:11
Hey, Cambodia.
22:12
Why?
22:13
I had the beginning.
22:14
My boss was saying, hey, take it.
22:16
You're interested in working abroad.
22:18
Yes, I'm dreaming about that.
22:20
And which area?
22:22
I...
22:23
It is fine anywhere.
22:25
Okay.
22:26
If I can go out from Japan.
22:27
Right.
22:28
And then...
22:29
Okay.
22:30
Now, right now, you can go two weeks later.
22:33
Two weeks later, okay.
22:35
Where?
22:36
And that is Cambodia.
22:38
Did you have any hesitation when he said Cambodia?
22:41
Did you think, oh, maybe I shouldn't take it?
22:43
Or were you like, this is my ticket?
22:45
I'm going.
22:46
Yeah.
22:47
Most of the people would say Cambodia?
22:50
No.
22:51
It's like, I don't know anything about Cambodia.
22:54
I want to go to the US.
22:55
I want to go to Europe.
22:56
Right.
22:57
Most of the colleagues asked that question
23:00
and denied to go to Cambodia.
23:02
Okay.
23:03
But I wanted to go out from Japan anywhere.
23:07
So I was taking that.
23:09
And two weeks later...
23:10
What did you think of Cambodia before you came?
23:13
So...
23:14
Because before I...
23:15
I don't even...
23:16
My sister said, why are you in Cambodia, right?
23:18
Why am I here?
23:19
And I said, I don't really know why I'm here, to be honest.
23:21
I think I just looked on the map.
23:23
I was in Thailand.
23:24
Cambodia was next door.
23:25
So I said, let me just go see what's going on.
23:27
I don't think I had any ideas or visualized what it would be.
23:33
That idea was Uncle Wat.
23:35
Okay.
23:36
And UNESCO Heritage Science and Khmer Rouge.
23:40
Okay.
23:41
And there is bombs in the land, land mines.
23:46
That kind of dark history.
23:48
I heard about that before.
23:50
That's it.
23:51
Okay.
23:52
And so when you arrive, do you remember the first day you arrived?
23:56
I clearly remember.
23:59
The airport was small compared with Japanese airport.
24:05
And right after the airport there was a red soil.
24:11
Okay.
24:12
There was not paved road.
24:14
Now it's everywhere, it's clean.
24:17
How long have you lived here?
24:18
Nine years.
24:19
Okay.
24:20
So since 2016, so nine years.
24:22
At that time still, there was a red soil.
24:25
Let's run.
24:26
And the turk jokes are going around.
24:30
And many cars and motors are running opposite way.
24:35
Okay.
24:36
Oh my gosh, what is happening here?
24:38
And everybody is feeling normal, look normal.
24:42
Right.
24:43
And on the way, some people are sitting down and BBQ.
24:47
So on the street, it's super weird.
24:50
I've never seen that before in Japan.
24:53
But, yeah.
24:55
Anyway, it looks fine.
24:57
And it sounds fun.
24:59
It was the first day.
25:01
And did you move here by yourself?
25:03
By myself, yeah.
25:04
Okay.
25:05
And you went straight to work?
25:07
I was a company with the formal country director.
25:12
And he went to Myanmar just one month later.
25:16
So there is a taking over time.
25:19
And he was connecting me with the clients, with the partners,
25:24
and going around.
25:25
This is the Japanese area.
25:26
This is the non-Japanese area.
25:28
This is bravo.
25:30
So he was introducing Bleefree in Penalpen.
25:33
Okay.
25:34
Are there lots of Japanese people here?
25:36
I think so.
25:37
Around three, three southern people.
25:39
Okay.
25:40
It's a big community here.
25:41
Okay.
25:42
And when you came, because you wanted to leave Japan,
25:46
did you find comfort in the Japanese community?
25:50
Nice question.
25:52
I was trying to get out from Japanese community.
25:55
And at first, what's the reason to meet Japanese people
26:01
and hang out with Japanese people in non-Japanese country?
26:05
I want to meet as much as diverse people.
26:09
Except football.
26:12
There are so many Japanese football clubs here.
26:16
And I joined an event on the Facebook.
26:21
I was looking for something interesting happening.
26:24
And there was an event called Creative Walk.
26:28
What is that?
26:29
Sounds good.
26:30
So I just joined the light next night.
26:34
I arrived here.
26:35
Okay.
26:36
And there was a lady from US.
26:39
Her name was Kate.
26:40
And she was full of tattoo.
26:43
Her whole body.
26:44
So cool.
26:45
And her skin head was super short.
26:49
And her looks so cool.
26:51
And I was talking to her.
26:52
And my name is Takay.
26:53
I'm just coming from Japan yesterday.
26:56
Oh, wow.
26:57
So fresh.
26:58
And very light and conversation was fun.
27:01
And just walking and talking to each other.
27:04
Strangers.
27:05
Oh, this is nice.
27:06
And the leader was from Netherlands.
27:09
Some other people were coming from Cambodia.
27:11
Some others are coming from Africa.
27:13
Oh, it's super cool.
27:15
And then Kate was explaining to me,
27:18
Hey, Takay.
27:19
You are Japanese, but you are pretty much outgoing.
27:25
So I want to invite you to the nerd night.
27:28
Nerd night.
27:29
Nerd night.
27:30
Okay.
27:31
What is that?
27:32
Nerd is a nerdy thing, like kind of.
27:35
Yes.
27:36
Everybody can talk about anything.
27:40
What you are nerd about.
27:42
Okay.
27:43
Okay.
27:44
Oh, will you go there?
27:45
I will talk in front of the audience.
27:47
So Kate will talk about the pancakes.
27:53
Full of tattoo lady.
27:54
We will talk about pancakes.
27:55
How to make a pancake or those kind of things.
27:58
Right.
27:59
Okay.
28:00
Sounds nice.
28:01
Then I joined the nerd night.
28:03
So many people there.
28:05
Almost no Japanese.
28:07
Okay.
28:08
I found two Japanese except me.
28:10
And 150 people in the bar.
28:14
Less run.
28:15
How long is she talking about pancakes?
28:18
And there is only one rule.
28:20
Okay.
28:21
Anybody can talk anything about anything.
28:23
But there is a rule.
28:25
20 seconds, one slide.
28:26
Okay.
28:27
And 20 slides.
28:28
Okay.
28:29
30 seconds.
28:30
You can do.
28:31
Talk whatever you want.
28:32
Okay.
28:33
And she was talking.
28:34
Tan.
28:35
Tan.
28:36
So cool.
28:37
And other people are talking about the island.
28:38
Talking about the troubles.
28:40
Talking about the life.
28:41
Oh, so much fun.
28:44
And I want to talk about my mobile photography.
28:48
I was taking with iPhone at that time.
28:53
And not so many people are just taking with iPhone.
28:56
at that time so I was applied for the speaker and the next time was like two
29:04
weeks later right I joined Nerdnight and speaking from the audience and Nerdnight
29:11
team was okay that's amazing and since we don't have a photographer now
29:16
photographer designs okay and we offer you a volunteer position and then I
29:22
joined the Nerdnight team since then and taking photos and I bought a camera for
29:28
nice photos for people and since then since 2016 until now nine years I'm
29:35
volunteering for Nerdnight so before Nerdnight had you been taking professional
29:40
pictures or you were just taking casual yeah I was just taking casual photos
29:46
sometimes working with Toyota sometimes working with Lego taking with
29:51
iPhone okay I still I just have iPhone you have to teach me how to get the
29:56
most out of my iPhone my iPhone 5 at that time and I was before coming to
30:04
Cambodia I was introduced by Instagram okay with one shot particularly at that
30:09
time my son in the my friend's wedding party that was introduced in the
30:16
Instagram and one night I got 50k followers with just one night just one
30:24
picture of your child gave you 50,000 followers what the hell was he doing in
30:29
the picture that was just standing by the Japanese garden and a very old
30:34
Japanese garden pretty much cool cherry blossoms and there is the Japanese
30:40
pond full of carbs okay and that is typical Japanese moment I was taking a
30:46
Japanese culture with my kids that was the topic yeah but I since I came here by
30:52
myself sure I cannot take any kids photos anymore I change the subject how to
30:59
take photos of everyday life in Cambodia and my followers gone so many holder
31:06
the picture with your son that you describe did you know when you took that
31:11
picture that picture was going to create that reaction I didn't I just
31:17
this photo from behind okay not taking photos of the face sure that's
31:22
incredible yeah I want to see the picture yeah you can see yeah so you come to
31:27
Cambodia and you decide to change the subject yeah and more about everyday
31:33
people yes what do you hope to get out of your photography oh the topic
31:42
changing was because I think that was 2016 after I came here within two weeks
31:52
big generous was killed okay yeah from my house and that
31:58
generous was loved by nationwide from the local people so the local people
32:04
decided to bring his body to his hometown from Pnom Penh
32:11
okay thousands of tons of people were holding their coffee and walking in the
32:18
hot weather from morning until night I think 30 40 kilos walking everybody and I
32:26
was what is happening yeah and who the heck is that guy I didn't know any of
32:32
about okay that thing but after that I was just taking photos with iPhone on the
32:39
middle in the middle of the street and everybody say Okun Trang Okun Trang means
32:44
thank you so much in Kumai and appreciating for me taking photos that kind of
32:50
thing is saying a lot to me they are resilient the government and the people
33:00
the resilience people want to say something but oppressed yeah so I feel
33:07
those kind of thing and okay these people are super cool and kind of thing
33:14
will happen sometimes I have to document and I don't want to be the
33:23
rich persons powerful person side rather than that I will definitely stand by
33:29
the small person small position and struggling persons the people in need
33:36
kind of side I want to stand by them so I decided to take photos of those
33:43
everyday life people since 2016 okay so sometimes very raw in the wet market
33:50
smelling dirty from outside but that is their life and they are buying a fish and
33:56
meet vegetables every day yeah yeah in Japan it used to be like 50 years ago
34:03
okay yeah bring ice bring the milk and hey what you're doing like
34:10
delivering and there is a genuine interaction between the people customer or
34:15
buyer or seller I can see those kind of thing still in the long been and I love
34:22
that and most of the components don't understand I think why do you want to
34:30
say the picture very normal dirty normal thing in front and everywhere in
34:37
Cambodia sure but that is a behind I'm taking as a philosophy and in those
34:43
kinds of everyday life moments there is a genuine interactions and genuine
34:49
human stories there's not posed there's not brimbling which are classy
34:55
showing off things I don't care those kind of things anymore the brands and did
35:02
you once care about those things you said anymore I used to you did I used to
35:07
love the brand the flashy stuff the flashy stuff but what changed I can't imagine
35:13
you loving the flashy stuff you just seem so like every time I've
35:17
communicated with you I just feel like a real strong sense of spirituality
35:22
and like appreciation for humanity yeah so when you say to me that there was
35:27
once a time where you did appreciate those things I'm like really not so much
35:31
but I wanted to buy a brand t-shirt okay so then brand I like skateboarding
35:37
brand okay in street brand right I used to have a t-shirt like a hundred dollars
35:44
t-shirt right but it's like it's not sustainable I cannot spend so much
35:50
money for just t-shirt and caps and then going going to Europe with the backpack
35:55
right and nobody cares and the people who are buying clothes from the second
36:03
hand shop sweep shopping much more cool and shoes for nice it's where did you get
36:10
kind of no names but the color sizing unique yeah I learned from that okay I
36:17
don't care after that and the cameras I have to use these lens this brand I
36:25
have to use this setup I don't care but I think it's better to use your
36:31
passion and use your perspective reading more books and talking to the people
36:36
and sharpen your philosophy or thoughts behind what you want to take those
36:43
kind of things in mixing and now here I am were you taking pictures before your
36:48
kids no not at all there is an interesting interaction in 2014 I still remember
36:58
in the middle of the Tokyo there is a Ginza it's a business area and a bar
37:04
and restaurants and I went to the bar with French friend and I was talking in
37:11
English Japanese English and the French friend was talking in French English
37:16
and we were like slowly talking in English and then suddenly stranger coming
37:23
you English is so lame you what you're talking about kind of what is this guy
37:29
and he was his name was Hiroaki Fukuda you can google him okay super
37:37
famous photographer and Instagrammer at that time okay and the talking each
37:45
other and the three people talking each other and he started talking about taking
37:50
photos with iPhone and he was showing the photo on the Instagram and his account
37:57
was 500k okay what the heck is K-me I've never seen this before and his
38:04
grids and topics are super cool where did you go Iceland where did you go
38:09
nowhere where did you go Los Angeles he was traveling around the world with
38:14
iPhone taking photos and paid so much money oh what is that and then every time
38:20
I meet with him he is giving me one tip one tip format what is that like a
38:28
focus point lights shadows and grid guideline and the most important thing is
38:37
the topic okay a kind of topic are you do you want to take yeah if I were you I
38:43
will take your kids with some Japanese cultures or okay that's a great topic
38:49
and I slow away and dump all of the photos I took before right and I start
38:55
taking photos just focused focusing and then doing that for a year every day one
39:02
photo is what iPhone and Instagram featuring me Instagram Japan featuring me
39:08
sometimes and many for was coming and okay the topic is very important I learned
39:15
from that so before that I've never taken any photos okay that's fun so when
39:22
you left Japan what was your family dynamic at the time were you still
39:27
married yeah I was still married at that time two kids okay one boy one girl and my
39:35
ex-wife okay and then you moved to Cambodia but you knew that you were
39:40
getting divorced now that time I was not thinking about that but you were
39:46
gonna just do long distance yeah okay and that was the plan to be here for a
39:50
specific amount of time and then return to Japan it was not clear at the
39:55
beginning okay and how long should I stay how long it will take the job
39:59
country director but longer I stay here I want to say yeah okay more feeling
40:08
did you ever discuss with your ex-wife to move the family yeah especially for
40:14
my kids I wanted to bring my kids to the international school for not
40:20
struggling like me in the English and speaking Japanese and English to very
40:25
good combination yes I wanted to bring them but it was super super expensive
40:30
to go to the bring it them to the international school really and our company
40:37
cannot support that so okay you guys stay in Japan I will go back every six
40:44
months okay I was doing that for a few for few years right but after before
40:51
COVID the relationship is not okay yeah how do you maintain the relationship with
40:58
your children living in a different country um talking and sending a message
41:05
on the phone yeah and daddy going there here and there and showing the
41:11
pictures and talking about that kind of things and spending my when my early
41:16
years my I was born in the UK and my dad was living in Jamaica and so a lot of
41:23
the time he was just coming to visit because he also had business in the UK
41:27
but I remember like wanting to just always be with him like all the time and
41:34
I'm a daddy's girl and so I think that when we actually moved to Jamaica it
41:41
also meant that although I have an older brother and older sister the
41:45
relationship is just very different because I was like the only child that has
41:49
grown up with him in his house for a longer period of time and it's weird
41:55
because as everyone's immigration laws are changing around the world you know
42:01
there are people who are being deported from the UK for example and they have
42:05
their children and the like flippant remarks is sometimes like oh well you
42:09
can just parent online right like you can just use our resources and of course
42:14
we're grateful that we have things like FaceTime or you know WhatsApp or whatever
42:19
we're using but I want what we're losing not just in relation to parenting but
42:26
in relation to our relationships as people because we're relying on tech what
42:31
are we losing from those moments we're missing out in person I have to apologize to
42:36
my kids in that sense but the physical interaction going to park kicking the
42:45
bowl together and collecting the insects collecting the plants together and
42:50
sweating it's hard and let's drink water and those kinds of care and the
42:56
physical touching hey let's go and if you tired coming to my shoulder those
43:01
kind of skin ship could never happen online and care cannot be felt through
43:09
the texts sure and photos only I have to apologize about that is Japanese
43:16
cultural quite tactile yeah it is yeah okay tactile means like touchy yeah
43:26
between oh yeah I don't know I'm touchy I'm touching kids and holding hands
43:33
together and put them on my shoulder okay walking around as much as possible I
43:40
could do that when I was in Japan but after coming here I could not of course do
43:47
your kids like Cambodia my kids could have never been here yeah okay interesting
43:55
so when you think about life in Cambodia what how would you describe it to
44:01
someone who's never been come what in life is quite easy going okay very chill
44:08
and the people are not taking anything so seriously okay yeah one word is
44:18
easy going very simple and the people are very friendly and welcoming in Japan
44:28
in New York you know yes don't take photos I lived in New York for like for an
44:33
hour really yeah it's cold and I don't find it cold oh yeah yeah I so here's the
44:40
thing about me in New York I find London and New York very similar yeah but New
44:44
York is better oh really I think so and one of those reasons is because I think
44:50
New Yorkers when they want to connect you with people or they want to be
44:56
friendly I find them really warm in the way that I don't find in London and also I
45:02
like the competitiveness of New York in the sense that it's okay to want to be
45:07
the best right as long as you're willing to put in the work to get there whereas I
45:12
feel like London if you want to be the best it's like a bad word because you
45:16
shouldn't want to be too on top because then somebody else needs to be on the
45:20
bottom having said that when I moved to New York I also learned very quickly that
45:26
the states in America are very different right so before that I had spent
45:31
quite a lot of time in Miami and to me Miami and New York are nothing alike but
45:36
before I went to New York I thought that America was like Miami so I thought
45:39
that everywhere in America had big hoses and everywhere like you drove on these
45:44
highways and and they're so different like each state but I'm interested that
45:50
you think that New York is actually I don't feel they are cold okay it depends on
45:55
the people of course sure but it's too busy yes yeah it's Tokyo also they're
46:01
walking like robots yeah New Yorkers very cool and I am getting used to living
46:08
in the city I was growing up in the city side Yokohama it's very huge city so
46:12
I'm getting used to those kind of things so compared with New York London
46:18
Tokyo the Pnom Penh is much more much compact I when I walk around city I
46:25
think every day I I meet at least three friends that you know yeah okay where are
46:31
you going oh I'm going there do you like that I like it I like it too I like it my dad
46:37
so my dad says he doesn't like that about Jamaica so because of the
46:41
Jamaica's a small place you leave your house you're born to see somebody that
46:45
you know and I love it because it makes me feel like I'm home it makes me feel
46:48
a sense of like community where as my dad doesn't maybe he's more anti-social
46:54
than me I like it that the small small community kind of feeling I think the
47:04
similar city in in Japan is Kouoka okay Kouoka is very compact and not so
47:11
much a long time it takes to go to airport sure from airport to the city it's
47:19
like 20 minutes 30 minutes and everywhere it's very tasty food and people
47:25
welcoming I feel that from Pnom Penh as well okay when you arrived were there
47:32
any difficult adjustments difficult I don't know I'm I don't feel any
47:38
difficulty in anywhere in the world Spain Portugal you could live anywhere I
47:45
can leave anywhere I like backpacking I don't care about those expensive places
47:50
condos luxury style I can sleep on the floor I can sleep on the land really yeah
47:57
I like the idea of it but I don't like in real life babes no yeah my mom was
48:06
saying like you you should talk with the very poor people living on the street
48:11
from those gonna people to the rich king or any high class people and and then
48:19
you can meet you can have a lot of friends in your life yeah that's true I have
48:25
tons of different friends yeah do you think that there is something specific to
48:32
Cambodia that keeps you here or is it a situation of job opportunity has kept
48:38
you the one thing is job opportunity okay after working as a country director
48:45
for the advertising agency selling new cars keep on selling new cars six years
48:52
seven years not so much fun for me but and especially on the weekend and Ari
49:00
morning every week days I was taking photos with my friends and there's a much
49:06
local things to do local friends to meet and talk that is much more fascinating
49:15
for me and I will they need something more to develop the country and to
49:22
develop the society okay maybe I can contribute more rather than just
49:30
setting new cars okay so I changed the job and there is organization called
49:37
Impact Hub that is global organization and there's a Pnom Penh branch and they
49:44
are supporting a Cambodian use to do something good for society the incubation
49:50
program acceleration program supporting business ideas and I was supporting
49:57
them at the same time I wanted to be creative side okay from business side to
50:03
creative side so I changed job now I am working for 17 triggers that is called
50:09
social behavior change lab and the based in Pnom Penh and there is African market
50:17
as well okay it's not market but international development sector and supporting
50:22
UN agencies and the international NGOs and that is more meaningful at the same
50:31
time feeding very satisfied as a job okay because you feel like you're
50:38
helping yeah rather than selling cars side setting cars is very important for
50:44
the people who need a car but it's not me and somebody else can do that as
50:51
well right what do you need to be happy in a job happy is coming from the job
51:04
which I can contribute as a unique person okay without me that kind of job would
51:12
not happen okay is that possible is that yeah yeah yeah assigned job as a team
51:22
member as a creative lead as a business development lead and working with other
51:28
team members and this is a purpose common purpose common goal and everybody
51:33
having a different roles and make it happen that kind of job is beautiful
51:39
and satisfied do you think you'll stay in Cambodia I am here for nine years
51:45
already yeah I'm thinking to go around to the different countries South
51:52
America okay or other Southeast Asian countries or Mexico or Europe but it's
52:01
always when we drink when we eat with friends where will you go next bye
52:08
those kinds of weeks coming at the end we are searching so many cities have you ever
52:13
been to Malaga I don't know