GTC7 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:47 pm

violet wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:37 pm How does a person do what makes them happy if they don't have the finances/meet legislative requirements?
Not arguing. Just asking. I love the theory.

That's the main issue. Deciding if Cambodia is worth the increasingly difficult fight to try and remain in, assuming it wont change in the near future (which I doubt).

I've got a gut feeling that things will improve - not immediately, but at some point in less than 10 years, Cambodia might just turn around. While we're all anti the Chinese invasion, it will be part of that improvement. The government has already eliminated (through the provision of the portal) corruption in the Work Permit system so you're now paying $133 per year instead of paying an agent $300-800 depending on your circumstance. Many of the roads have improved, seemingly permanently. The police on the corner have backed off. As painful as it is to some, work contracts are now having to be registered at MoLabor which is a step forward. Infrastructure does seem to be slowly improving. Less of the old guys are complaining about no longer being able to get gratification as you walk into Sophie's (or whoever it was). Mind you, tomorrow I might be in a foul mood and argue the exact opposite with conviction.

Read everyone's posts just to note, too lazy to quote and reply to each and every point though, forgive me.

I should be clear, I'm not here to ask what is the most I can get out of life. I think there's too much emphasis on taking and less than giving in today's society. Getting the best deal, making the most profit, feeling the most pleasure, and doing the most people/things. I'm not of that sort, which is partly why I naively decided to make Cambodia my home, because I felt very privileged growing up in the "best" country in the world and that I could contribute and do a lot more here to benefit the country than back home.

Problem is though, I no longer believe that is true. I don't hate being here or the people (if I did I'd be long gone), but I also feel like there is nothing else I can do here to live a better example life or be an upstanding guest in this country. All that's happened is that I've been walked over a lot and mocked for it, so I don't have a lot of love for this place either.

As I've been reading, I think something I should take to heart is that I should not feel it's my responsibility to change the world. Continuing to feel guilty about where I was born as opposed to other people is going to get me nowhere.

GTC7 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:44 pm Continuing to feel guilty about where I was born as opposed to other people is going to get me nowhere.

Yeah, if you're doing that, stop. Feeling guilty of itself won't change anything, and is what NGOs who get rich on the child-sponsorship gravy train use to extract your $40 a month.

However, if you recognise that you won the birth lottery by being born in a developed country, and that puts you in a position to not only be the master of your own destiny but also give a hand up to individuals that didn't win the lottery, you can change the world. Maybe not for everyone, but for one person. Or two. Or a village. And it doesn't equate to cash handouts. In fact, handing out cash does more damage than good.

/soapbox

violet wrote:

Barang chgout wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 2:53 pm Mate, before he died, my father said to me, "Do what makes YOU happy! ".
Sage advice but confronting.
What DOES make you happy?
Is it making others happy or is one best to be 'selfish '?
My advice to you is you only have one life, you can choose what you want to regret at the end.
There are ALWAYS opportunity costs.
Sorry to not be more helpful.


Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

How does a person do what makes them happy if they don't have the finances/meet legislative requirements?
Not arguing. Just asking. I love the theory.

Yeah, you can only do what you can, but within those constraints , I reckon we'd all gotsta make our choices, embrace them and don't be afraid to fail.

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violet wrote:

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 4:46 pm

violet wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:37 pm

Barang chgout wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 2:53 pm Mate, before he died, my father said to me, "Do what makes YOU happy! ".
Sage advice but confronting.
What DOES make you happy?
Is it making others happy or is one best to be 'selfish '?
My advice to you is you only have one life, you can choose what you want to regret at the end.
There are ALWAYS opportunity costs.
Sorry to not be more helpful.


Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

How does a person do what makes them happy if they don't have the finances/meet legislative requirements?
Not arguing. Just asking. I love the theory.

if you don’t make sacrifices for what you want, then what you want becomes the sacrifice...

Is there an assumption that sacrifices have not been made? Seems to be. All very glib.

I assure you, when my father was on his death bed and said this to me, he was not being "glib ",

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Barang chgout wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:07 pm

violet wrote:

Barang chgout wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 2:53 pm Mate, before he died, my father said to me, "Do what makes YOU happy! ".
Sage advice but confronting.
What DOES make you happy?
Is it making others happy or is one best to be 'selfish '?
My advice to you is you only have one life, you can choose what you want to regret at the end.
There are ALWAYS opportunity costs.
Sorry to not be more helpful.


Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

How does a person do what makes them happy if they don't have the finances/meet legislative requirements?
Not arguing. Just asking. I love the theory.

Yeah, you can only do what you can, but within those constraints , I reckon we'd all gotsta make our choices, embrace them and don't be afraid to fail.

Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

True...

Kuroneko wrote:

110%

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StroppyChops wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:38 pm

GTC7 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:47 pm

violet wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:37 pm How does a person do what makes them happy if they don't have the finances/meet legislative requirements?
Not arguing. Just asking. I love the theory.

That's the main issue. Deciding if Cambodia is worth the increasingly difficult fight to try and remain in, assuming it wont change in the near future (which I doubt).

I've got a gut feeling that things will improve - not immediately, but at some point in less than 10 years, Cambodia might just turn around. While we're all anti the Chinese invasion, it will be part of that improvement. The government has already eliminated (through the provision of the portal) corruption in the Work Permit system so you're now paying $133 per year instead of paying an agent $300-800 depending on your circumstance.

You missed my point Stroppy, if this is your first time applying for a WP you WILL have to pay $100 in arrears for each year you have stayed here on an EB EOS.Its not a fine as such, its simply payment in arrears. So my $800 breaks down to ( as I wrote previously) $600 in arrears payments + $100 for the current year + $35 for the (admittedly non existent) health check which totals $735. Thats leaves agent fee's of $65. I am more then happy to save myself the time and stress involved by paying that fee. Which I believe was almost word for word what you said a while ago about going to immigration to save $100 and doing your own visa application ay?

Hotdigr wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 10:30 pm

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:38 pm

GTC7 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:47 pm

violet wrote: ↑Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:37 pm How does a person do what makes them happy if they don't have the finances/meet legislative requirements?
Not arguing. Just asking. I love the theory.

That's the main issue. Deciding if Cambodia is worth the increasingly difficult fight to try and remain in, assuming it wont change in the near future (which I doubt).

I've got a gut feeling that things will improve - not immediately, but at some point in less than 10 years, Cambodia might just turn around. While we're all anti the Chinese invasion, it will be part of that improvement. The government has already eliminated (through the provision of the portal) corruption in the Work Permit system so you're now paying $133 per year instead of paying an agent $300-800 depending on your circumstance.

You missed my point Stroppy, if this is your first time applying for a WP you WILL have to pay $100 in arrears for each year you have stayed here on an EB EOS.Its not a fine as such, its simply payment in arrears. So my $800 breaks down to ( as I wrote previously) $600 in arrears payments + $100 for the current year + $35 for the (admittedly non existent) health check which totals $735. Thats leaves agent fee's of $65. I am more then happy to save myself the time and stress involved by paying that fee. Which I believe was almost word for word what you said a while ago about going to immigration to save $100 and doing your own visa application ay?

TBH I hadn't read the full thread so I missed your comment, therefore didn't know you'd paid $800 - but I know many others who have, so it doesn't surprise me. The common denominator seems to be going through an agent. I went through the online portal, and haven't (as yet) had to pay arrears. I have the acknowledgement and invoice, have paid the invoice at the bank and received the official receipt, and am waiting (presumably until after the election) for the card and book to be delivered to me either at home or the workplace. I have also not heard of any other person who used the portal being charged arrears. It might be too good a fantasy to believe, and we've banked the arrears just in case, but so far it looks good. I'll update when I get the documents. At least for all of us getting WPs this year, the threats of huge backpayments will be over with for next year. There's a promise in the air that once you've got a WP via the portal, all you have to do for following years is upload a new medical clearance, and documents for any changes. $133, Roberts your relative.

I know a couple that did get charged using the portal, but as we both know, nothing is consistent here!
Yeah, the arrears are now paid (or written off, whatever the case may be) so no worries next year and no stress when you see an immigration officer. Particularly if one walks in while you are working! Iwas holding off, hoping for another amnesty, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen, so it was the stress factor that tipped me to get it now. Also the fact that out of respect for the laws of the country, we should all try to stay legal with things like this.