In the late 90s, two Thai ladies embarked on a journey a little farther to the east and landed at the Philippine soil. Neither thought that they would be staying longer. Sasithara Sethanda-Moreno intended to attend college, while Sukhumarn Phanachet or “Pinky” to her friends was brought to the country by work at the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The former returned home and came back six years ago for good while the latter stayed with an aim to help alleviate poverty in the region.
Sasithara almost looks (and sounds) like a Filipina with a little streak of an oriental appeal. If you have no clue about her background, you’d probably think that she’s that typical local lass who hails in the province with her demure appearance. That is because she’s a half Thai, half-Filipina, married to a Filipino, and has spent six years in our country.
Probably, it’s safe to say that Sasithara traded her city life back in Bangkok to experience the tranquil and easy-breezy life that a province like Nueva Ecija in the Philippines offers. “It’s like living freely,” she notes, describing her life at the ‘farm,’ managing a family-owned rice mill business with her husband.
Pinky has to agree. In her 12 years in the country, she came to love the country’s natural beauty. She believes, however, that there’s still more to see than what tourism campaigns show the world.
Thailand may differ from the Philippines in many ways but the two ladies were able to adapt to the latter’s culture. During the 2008 global crisis, Thailand almost effortlessly came out of the rut. This is because Thai people are very practical, says Pinky. “Politics aside, they keep on working and that’s what Thailand did. We learned from what happened in 1997,” she says. And this is something that the Filipinos could learn from.
And if there’s anything that the Filipinos taught them, Saithara says “Filipinos inspire me to look at the positive side of things.” Pinky, on the other hand, believes the Filipinos have this take-it-easy attitude. Their ability to take things lightly – similar to the Thais – makes it a home away from home.
The interview conducted by Raju Mandhyan at Expat Insights, aired every Sunday at 9PM on GNN, Destiny Cable in the Philippines was light and educational.
Showing posts with label mind mapping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mind mapping. Show all posts
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Brighter, Better and More Beautiful
I am not sure if I will ever get a chance again to chat with someone as bright and brilliant as my last guest, Executive Coach, Trainer and Consultant, Mrs. Elizabeth Hoban of the USA.
In the four or so odd years that she has lived in, and loved the Philippines with gusto and authenticity, she has helped support a local outreach program, trained and improved the effectiveness of thousands of executives in the corporate world and has also brought about major turnarounds for senior level executives through personal and executive coaching.
During and after typhoon “Ondoy,” she with her teammates from Reach Philippines not just helped the needy with food and medicines but also held hands of the victims during their most traumatic moments. Her view towards those that suffer and those that are considered “have-nots,” was simplistic, easy and matter-of-fact. It was like…”if there is a need and I have the resources then I will fill that need and I will come from a mindset of absolute abundance. I will have no expectations and not wish for any kind of applause.” Simply stated, if the world needs it and I have the resources to give then I will give. Period!
This wasn’t just true for her. She shared stories of how her parents and grandparents back home in Virginia, Arizona and Arkansas lived and thrived in a culture of sharing, giving and adding value to the world that surrounded them then and surrounds her and her children now in the Philippines.
At a personal level, Mrs. Elizabeth Hoban also showed her bias towards developing individuals through her one-on-one life and executive coaching. She claimed to rely on the method of Dr. David Cooperrider’s “Appreciative Inquiry,” to tap into the goodness of individuals and organizations and then follow a structured plan for the growth and development of existing strengths and synergies. She claimed her efforts turn individuals and organizations into systems which are brighter, better and more beautiful than before.
She and her family are migrating to Saudi Arabia soon but plan to come back to the Philippines someday. When asked if she would anything to be different in the Philippines when she gets back, she quickly replied, “Nothing! It is bright and beautiful as it is right now!”
Raju Mandhyan, Host & Producer, Expat Insights
In the four or so odd years that she has lived in, and loved the Philippines with gusto and authenticity, she has helped support a local outreach program, trained and improved the effectiveness of thousands of executives in the corporate world and has also brought about major turnarounds for senior level executives through personal and executive coaching.
During and after typhoon “Ondoy,” she with her teammates from Reach Philippines not just helped the needy with food and medicines but also held hands of the victims during their most traumatic moments. Her view towards those that suffer and those that are considered “have-nots,” was simplistic, easy and matter-of-fact. It was like…”if there is a need and I have the resources then I will fill that need and I will come from a mindset of absolute abundance. I will have no expectations and not wish for any kind of applause.” Simply stated, if the world needs it and I have the resources to give then I will give. Period!
This wasn’t just true for her. She shared stories of how her parents and grandparents back home in Virginia, Arizona and Arkansas lived and thrived in a culture of sharing, giving and adding value to the world that surrounded them then and surrounds her and her children now in the Philippines.
At a personal level, Mrs. Elizabeth Hoban also showed her bias towards developing individuals through her one-on-one life and executive coaching. She claimed to rely on the method of Dr. David Cooperrider’s “Appreciative Inquiry,” to tap into the goodness of individuals and organizations and then follow a structured plan for the growth and development of existing strengths and synergies. She claimed her efforts turn individuals and organizations into systems which are brighter, better and more beautiful than before.
She and her family are migrating to Saudi Arabia soon but plan to come back to the Philippines someday. When asked if she would anything to be different in the Philippines when she gets back, she quickly replied, “Nothing! It is bright and beautiful as it is right now!”
Raju Mandhyan, Host & Producer, Expat Insights
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