Women Struggle to Leave Behind “Chbab Srey” In Cambodia

In Cambodia, women are viewed in an entirely different light than their male counterparts. “For centuries, the Chbab Srey has been determining how women should act in their daily lives and the treatment they should be given by men in their culture. The Chbab Srey is a written, customary law going back centuries. Although it has never been turned into official statute law, its influence in Cambodian society remains deep-rooted. Along with its equivalent version for men – Chbab Proh – it is taught in school at an early age, with boys and girls having to recite it out loud on a daily basis (ASafeWorldForWomen.org).” A common proverb in Cambodia compares a woman to a white cloth and a man to a bar of gold. The cloth can be stained, even a little bit, and then it is ruined forever. A bar of gold can be tarnished, but if it is polished, it will shine like new again. A stained cloth is worth nothing, but a gold bar is always worth something. While these gender inequalities seem to slowly be dissipating in the urban cities in Cambodia, such as the capitol Phnom Penh, the rural areas of Cambodia are years and years behind. “Human rights experts and gender activists have criticized the Chbab Srey as legitimizing discrimination towards women and girls, perpetuating gender stereotypes and attitudes that are serious obstacles to gender equality and the empowerment of women in Cambodia. The Code is also often cited as a major contributing factor to the high level of domestic violence in the country – a justification for an uneven power relationship between women and men that is a root cause of gender-based abuse (CEDAW In Action).” Women are supposed to be subordinate to their husbands, never back talk or question what they say, and follow instructions. They are not supposed do anything that will make themselves attractive to other men. They should not brush their hair in public, as this could be misconstrued as an act to attract a man. One piece of code says that women are supposed to stay home to take care of the woman’s duties and to always behave quietly and sweetly. If your husband decides to take a mistress, you must “let him wander and he will return to you eventually.”

The gender inequalities expand a lot farther than just in the private lives of Cambodians. It also affects education. Since men are viewed as more valued, families tend to educate only their male children. Women are traditionally viewed as the homemakers and the subordinates who do not need education. “Rural and urban women in Cambodia are quite different from one to another in terms of perspective and lifestyle. The rate of dropping out of school of provincial girls is higher than that in urban areas whereas security and economy, in average, is not very comparable. Many Cambodian families cannot economically afford to keep their daughters in schools, and as cultural gender biases favor the education of boys over girls, many young girls drop out of school after primary school (FutureChallenges.org).” 

After watching the documentary Finding Face, it made me truly grateful to live in the United States where woman are equal in (almost) every way to men. I know this “code of conduct” is very important to Cambodian culture, but I hope that someday they can move past this archaic mindset. Women in the capitol city are finally starting to be able to express themselves as individuals and not just components of their husbands, but there is still a lot of work to be done in the rural areas of Cambodia. The education rates for Cambodian women are going up, slowly but surely. Change is happening, but it’s just taking it’s time.

A Journal: Washington DC

When I woke up this morning, I had one thing on my mind. Fear. I was so afraid to leave the comfort of my bed, knowing that it would be the beginning of a journey unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Before today, I had never flown on an airplane or traveled without my family. Before today, I hadn’t done a lot of things…

First, we went to Arlington National Cemetery, which was not what I had expected at all. For starters, it is absolutely massive and even more breathtaking in person. Any pictures I have seen simply do not do it justice. Sure, the pictures may show a person what the cemetery looks like, but a picture can never explain to you how it feels to actually be standing in the middle of Arlington, surrounding by seemingly endless lines of headstone after headstone amidst the rolling hills. Maybe I’m a bit morbid for finding beauty in something so tragic, but Arlington National Cemetery is awe-inspiring. The thing that really struck me was that each head stone had a number on the back, and at first, I couldn’t understand what they were for. As I continued to walk around, I realized that the answer was simple. The number on the back was counting, up and up and up as I walked. Before today, the losses we as a country have suffered were inconceivable to me. I was a bystander, looking at it from the outside in, reading statistics in a history book. Now, I think of pretty white rows of clean, stark head stones, all equal in beauty and importance to the head stone next to it. I think of the vastness of over 30

0,000 pristine white head stones shooting off in every direction. I felt so small and inconsequential, standing in the middle of something that goes on as far as the eye can see in every direction. It can be such a surreal experience for someone who hasn’t seen it.

We explored a lot of different places in Washington DC as the trip continued, but the Newseum is by far one of my favorite places. Because I am a Communication major, this museum really stuck out to me and made me think hard about media, both the positive and negative. I spent a lot of time in the exhibit with classic newspapers, books, and news-related artifacts. For me, it was fascinating to be so close to something so old and fragile, but the people around me seemed all too eager to rush through the exhibit to the next one, where you could play games on iPads and other devices. I even heard a 12-year-old boy say to his friend “This room is stupid, let’s go play with the iPads again.” As much as I wanted to smack him upside the head, I refrained. He was missing out on such amazing pieces of history! Thomas Paine’s writing kit, the suit that OJ Simpson wore to trial, and countless other things. They had the door that helped to hide the Watergate scandal, and an original newspaper print of the day that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous “I have a dream…” speech. Most people visiting the museum walked by these priceless artifacts as if they meant nothing, and to me that is truly disheartening. While not every artifact is attached to a positive story, it is undeniable that those artifacts and those events helped to shape who we are as a society. It frightens me that the generation growing up now has no sense of appreciation for what defines who our country is. Hopefully, they eventually realize and come to appreciate these items and the stories behind them. As George Santayana so wisely said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Free The Girls - Save a Life

Around the world, it is estimated that there are at least 4.5 million people (women, men and children) who are victims of forced sexual exploitation. In the rural areas of Mozambique, Africa, women fall victim to sex trafficking due to the poverty in the region. Families cannot afford to support themselves, and young girls tend to grow up uneducated. Traffickers prey on the desperation in this region, offering these girls a better life and a job where they can make money to support their families. This is a lie that is often told to families and young girls by traffickers. Sometimes, parents are forced to sell their own daughters in order to feed the rest of their family. Young girls will also voluntarily leave their families because they feel a duty to help. In many cases, the girls end up as prostitutes, forced to perform unwanted sexual acts and often seeing very little, if any, money for what they do. If the girls find a way to escape the sex trade industry, they find themselves without an education and without a way to make money to support themselves. Without job opportunities, they are more likely to fall right back into prostitution. Many of the girls have been involved in prostitution since they were 11-14 years of age, so it is the only lifestyle they really know and the only way they know to support themselves and their families.

Free The Girls is a non-profit organization that provides job opportunities to women who have been rescued/have escaped from sex trafficking.  Free The Girls sends these women gently used bras that have been donated by people all over the world. In impoverished parts of the world, used clothing is a large market, with bras being a highly sought after item. The women sell the bras in Africa, which helps them support their families and themselves. It also allows them to have time to go to school and get an education so that they don’t have to remain a part of the program forever. Once they can get a more secure job to provide for their families, they open up a place for another victim to be helped out.  According to Free The Girls, the program is a sustainable model because “once a program has been started with a safe house, it is designed to sustain itself. The women receive their starting inventory of bras at no cost, and then pay a small amount of money for additional bras once they sell their initial inventory.  This money is used to cover the expenses for the next shipment of bras. That means we only raise money to start new projects, not to keep established projects going.” Free The Girls is an amazing organization that needs help in raising awareness to their cause. On April 25th, the Communications department at Avila University will be hosting a bra drive. Students are encouraged to take a few minutes out of their day and stop by Dallavis Center. We will be accepting gently used bras as well as money donations. As busy college students, it can be hard to find the time and the funds to make a difference in the world. All it takes is an old bra hidden away in your bottom drawer or some spare change. Money donations will be used to ship the bras overseas, and any extra funds will be given to Free The Girls to open up new spaces for those who have been rescued. DONATE A BRA, SAVE A LIFE!

Valentine's Day on a College Budget

Being a poor college student is already difficult enough, but when holidays roll around, it can be even more of a challenge to celebrate in style. College is a great place to meet your significant other, but it can be hard to keep the relationship interesting without the financial means. When it comes to planning a great Valentine’s Day on a budget, creativity is key! Showing that special person in your life just how much you love them is especially important on Valentine’s Day, so here are some creative date night ideas that won’t completely break the bank.

1)   Make dinner together! A lot of guys think that it’s the romantic thing to do to make your girlfriend dinner on Valentine’s Day. However, if you’re running low on cash, make a date out of it. Try cooking a new dish that neither of you have tried before! It can be a great way to spend time together and experience new things.

2)   Send your valentine on a scavenger hunt! Come up with a set of clues, each leading your valentine to locations that are significant in your relationship. The scavenger hunt can end in a variety of locations. You could have a special picnic set up for your valentine, or lead them back to their favorite café around the corner. It doesn’t have to be over-the-top, but your significant other will surely appreciate the time and creativity that you put into your plans. Remember, it’s the thought that counts!

3)   Flowers on a budget! Getting flowers for your significant other on Valentine’s Day can be pretty pricy, especially for something that doesn’t last very long! However, there are several different florists that are offering student discounts online. StudentRate.com is offering at 15% off student discount for 1800-Flowers. You may also find other offers at local shops by calling around. The key to getting the best deal is planning early and taking the time to do your research!

4)   Check out deal sites like Groupon! Groupon is always full of amazing deals. In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, Groupon tends to have more deals targeted towards couples. The key to finding the best deal is PREPARATION! These websites usually update daily, and since the deals are in limited supply, it may take a little more effort than usual to find the perfect deal for you and your significant other. Local restaurants offer Valentine’s Day specials, and other local businesses may offer discounts on their products. Gifts? Flowers? Dinner date? The possibilities are endless.

5)   Try to find free or discounted events! Local museums and event venues may offer student discounts, and a lot of businesses run Valentine’s Day specials or promos. By searching around and staying open minded, you may stumble across the perfect plan. Go to an art exhibit that just opened or, if the weather is nice, go to the local zoo! The Kansas City Zoo offers great deals for residents of Jackson and Clay county. Through the month of February, admission is only 3 dollars. That’s only 6 bucks for an awesome date! Paired with a low key dinner, and you’ve got yourself a cheap and fun Valentine’s Day!

Ultimately, Valentine’s Day is about spending time with the person you love and showing them how much you appreciate the relationship. Remember, it doesn’t take a wad of cash to be romantic. All it takes is the willingness to be creative and to plan ahead. Your significant other will appreciate all of the hard work and thought that went into your creative date night on a budget!

FC Kansas City is Ready For Action

Professional women’s soccer has been on a rough and difficult road, with 3 previous attempts at starting a league, only to be shut down after one or two seasons due to poor attendance and lack of funds. It seems that no one cared about women’s soccer, but that is all about to change. In November of 2012, the United States Soccer Federation announced that they would be making yet another attempt at a professional women’s league by creating the National Women’s Soccer League. After our United States Women’s National Team’s gold medal success in the 2012 Olympics, the USSF is hoping to capitalize on the buzz and excitement about the team. Renowned players such as Abby Wambach, Hope Solo, and Alex Morgan will be included. The league, which is comprised of 8 teams, will feature well-known American, Mexican, and Canadian national team players, as well as allowing for the teams to draft local players. The USSF wanted the teams to be fair, so they allocated an equal amount of the national teams’ players to each team in the NWSL. That way, one team isn’t stacked with all of the best players. It will make for a more entertaining season for the players and the fans!

Kansas City was lucky to be chosen as host city for one of the 8 teams being created. The team will be named FC Kan^th and 17^th for your opportunity to show the coaching stuff what you’re made of! The season begins in April 2013, though the schedule has not been released for the public. Each team will be playing 22 regular season games, half of which will be on their home turf. There will also be an exhibition game versus an international team, though the specific team has not been announced yet. You may still purchase season tickets through the FCKansasCity.com website, or wait for March 18^th when single-game tickets become available. The home stadium for the team is going to be the Shawnee Mission District Stadium in Overland Park, Kansas. The stadium holds just over 6,000 fans. Surprisingly, even with the low capacity, FC Kansas City has the 3^rd highest capacity stadium in the entire NWSL. Okay, so the league isn’t going to be as big as the MLS… not yet. 

sas City, and includes high-quality players such as Lauren Cheney and Desiree Scott. As the team prepares for the start of the season, they continue to sign more players to the roster, building a great team that will (hopefully) bring success to the line of Kansas City sports failures. Several of the players that have been drafted by FC Kansas City are local college-age players, so be sure to come out to support them! Think you have what it takes to play? Well, you may be in luck! FC Kansas City is hold open tryouts, hosted by University of Missouri-Kansas City. All you have to do is pre-register and show up to Stanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium on February 16

Sara Ghavami: A Profile

Avila University draws in students from all over the world, and you never know whom you might meet on campus. Sara Ghavami is a junior at Avila University. While she was born in Overland Park, Kansas, she considers herself to be not only an American citizen but also an Iranian citizen. When she was two, her family moved back to Iran for a couple years, but decided to return to the United States before Sara went to kindergarten. Up until this point, she had spoken only Persian and Arabic, because those are the languages of her culture. After being immersed in public school in the United States, she learned English, which is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Today, her English is flawless and you would never be able to tell from a cursory glance that she is a trilingual Iranian woman.  Sara explained that she is a Muslim, and that there are two different sects within the Islamic religion: Shi’ites and Sunnis. She is a Shi’ite, which is the least common of the two sects. No matter which sect, their culture is very family-oriented and this definitely shows in Sara’s lifestyle. 

In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and babysit her new niece. She also loves going to the movies and throws Persian parties on the weekends for her family and friends. You may be wondering what a Persian party is, but don’t worry, I got the inside scoop. A Persian party is very similar to a potluck. Everyone brings their own Persian dish and they all share recipes. After getting the hookah burning, they spend the night socializing and having a good time. Don’t worry, only pure tobacco here! The purpose of the Persian party is so that everyone can spend time together, telling jokes and reminiscing about old family stories and how it is back home in Iran. “We are all from [Iran], and it is nice to gather and talk about old times and our country”, she said. Her family travels to Tehran, the capital of Iran, twice a year to visit her and her husband’s family. Sara met her husband when she was 18 while on a trip to Iran. Shortly after, they decided to get married. She said, “A lot of people ask if it was an arranged marriage, and it definitely wasn’t. We are very happy together.” When asked about her plans after graduation, she says that she wants to live in the United States a little while, start a family here, and then move back to Iran when her children are older. She loves her country and her culture, but she loves living in the United States too. On the outside, it may seem like Sara has a lot going on in her life, but on the inside, she is just a normal, every day girl in college here at Avila University.

Livestrong Sporting Park is on the cutting edge.

The wall of accomplishments of Sporting Kansas City.

Soccer is the world’s sport. Even though it isn’t quite as popular in the United States as it is elsewhere in the world, its popularity is growing by leaps and bounds. Here in Kansas City, we are proud to be the home of Livestrong Sporting Park. According to Major League Soccer, Livestrong Sporting Park is one of the most innovative stadiums in the entire league. Not only does the stadium host Sporting Kansas City, the local MLS soccer team, but it also hosts concerts and events. More recently, the stadium has hosted the CONCACAF 2012 Olympic Qualifying games that help decide which of the teams will make it to the Olympic Games in London in 2012. It is an honor to be chosen to host these games, as only two other stadiums in the entire country were chosen. The stadium can seat approximately 18,500 fans, but the capacity can be expanded to up to 25,000 for concerts and events, though most of this extra capacity would be in the form of “standing room only”.

The East Gate entry way of Livestrong Sporting Park.

The stadium itself is quite the sight. While it does not have a full-cover roof, its state-of-the-art design prevents the seats from being exposed to rain and sun, so the fans stay comfortable and dry, while also allowing the field to be exposed to rain. LSP has a real grass field, which many players and coaches prefer, and the exposure is crucial to keeping the field in the immaculate condition it is in. Not only do the fans get to enjoy comfortable seating and entertaining soccer, but there are also countless amenities and technical features that are unique to Livestrong Sporting Park. There are a number of food options at the stadium, ranging from The Grill to a gourmet Pizzeria. For those old enough to drink, they offer a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. You have your typical beer, but there are also full mini-bars that can mix you up any drink right there, for a price of course. There are also flat screen televisions located throughout the concourse so that when you are shopping for your Sporting Style apparel or grabbing something to munch on, you can stay up to date on what is occurring on the field. Many people don’t know that the stadium is also very Apple-friendly. The jumbotrons are controlled by iPad! Fans can also send tweets to the jumbotrons to be displayed during the game. It’s a unique way for the spectators to get show their support. Not only is the stadium one of the most innovative, it’s website also states it to be the first philanthropic stadium in the world. It has a partnership with Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong organization, hence the name. It has promised to donate 7.5 million dollars to the Livestrong organization over the first 6 years that the stadium is open. Overall, the stadium promises a unique and fun experience for those who attend games and/or events located there.

Sporting Kansas City's starting lineup.

View from the press box at Livestrong Sporting Park.