Inside The Cambodia Project

Episode 29 - The Building Up of Zion International School of Phnom Penh (Part 2)

Here in part two, we continue our discussion with visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business executive David Moon. We dive deeper into the process of founding the Zion International School of Phnom Penh including the hiring of school director Veasna Neang, the acquisition of real estate in central Phnom Penh, and staying competitive in a growing economy. We finish off the episode with David's biggest takeaways during this process of building.  

Episode 28 - The Building Up of Zion International School of Phnom Penh (Part 1)

Visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business executive David Moon joins us in part one of this episode for an engaging discussion about his service and work in Cambodia.
We discuss his experience as mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, his assistance in the founding of The Cambodia Job Foundation, and his role in the founding of The Zion International School of Phnom Penh. 

Episode 27 - A Story of Humble Learning and Optimism

In this episode, Carson Frederiksen hosts while talking with and getting to know Lin Ellsworth! She is a Cambodian native who, in this episode, tells of her journey from a refugee camp, to salon owner in Utah. Join us as we glean insights from a growth-mindset oriented entrepreneur right out of Cambodia's countryside.

Episode 26 - Ethnographic Research (Part 2)

Host Christian Pearson is joined by Professor Ben Beck and fellow undergraduate researcher, Carson Frederiksen. They continue last episode's conversation about Carson's experiences conducting ethnographic research in Cambodia, covering topics ranging from MeToo businesses to customer value and Cambodia's own brand of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Christian wraps things up with an inspiring invitation based on new theory related to growth mindset.

Episode 25 - Ethnographic Research (Part 1)

Host Christian Pearson is joined by Professor Ben Beck and fellow undergraduate researcher, Carson Frederiksen. First, they ask Carson to relate some of his most memorable experiences from living in Cambodia all summer. Then, the conversation shifts to his ethnographic interviews and their implications for the Cambodia Project as a whole. Some discussion of mindset theory ensues, before Christian wraps up the episode with a thought-provoking question.

Episode 24 - Hope of Cambodia

Host Christian Pearson interviews HR professional and social entrepreneur Rachel Cannon, who shares insights about her area of expertise: hope. Rachel begins by explaining the 3 basic principles by which anyone can develop hope, no matter their circumstances. Then, Christian and Rachel take a closer look at the role hope plays in communities with limited resources, such as Cambodia. Christian concludes the podcast by asking Rachel to share her "secret sauce" when it comes to fostering hope in the individual.

Episode 23 - Humor, Habits, and Hidden Wisdom

Host Christian Pearson and assistant producer Carson Frederiksen take an anthropological look at the Khmer people, diving deep into their unique sense of humor, subtle mannerisms, and social norms. Carson shares some of the most valuable lessons he learned from living in Cambodia, and Christian takes a closer look at how the Khmer culture may inform their research on the Cambodia Project.

Episode 22 - Khmer Culture In Utah

Host Christian Pearson welcomes Cambodian native Amreth Phirun, a graduate student at the University of Utah and veritable expert on culture and language preservation abroad. Amreth shares some of the fascinating details of his research, which describes the willful efforts of Cambodians living in Utah to remain true to their culture through religion, song, dance, ceremony, language, and food. They conclude with an insightful discussion about the importance of preserving one's culture, and therefore identity, no matter the cost.

Episode 21 - The Power of Education

Host Christian Pearson interviews social entrepreneur & Cambodian pioneer Theary Leng, who received her MPA at BYU and is fulfilling her life mission to bring education back to her country. Theary shares her own remarkable journey with education, and explains why she believes it may be the most powerful force for good. Later, Christian asks Theary to share some of her goals for implementing change in Cambodia, including her plans to found the first public library in the country.

Episode 20 - Gender-based Violence

Podcast producer Ben Beck interviews Cambodian citizen and student, Chhour Kim. Chhour shares the best and worst parts of living in Cambodia. He compares life in the United States with life abroad. Later, they discuss some of the reasons why gender-based violence still exists in Southeast Asia, as well as how to address it effectively. Finally, Ben invites Chhour to share his favorite feature of his home country.