Tom Starkey
InterNations Phnom Penh hosted its first event at Birdcage Boutique for its March 2023 gathering, the event was sponsored by local language school Gateway 2 Khmer (G2K), and featured a special live show by Khmer artist Sreyroth Ny.
There was also an optional language game on the night, that saw ex-pats and locals pair up to introduce each other in front of the crowd in their respective languages, with the winning couple taking home a free G2K Kickstart Evening course and a bottle of wine.
Connecting Phnom Penh’s ex-pat community
Event organizer Tom Starkey said the idea was not only to get people talking but also to bring some local influence to the international audience. “While InterNations exists as a global community for ex-pats, it is open for everyone and the games were a reflection of that. For me as an ex-pat, learning the local language is a key part of settling into this amazing country and embracing its culture,” he said.
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“It also seemed fitting as we had the leading Khmer language school in G2K on board, who judged the competition alongside local staff from the Birdcage. It was a really inclusive and fun twist on our monthly networking event,” Tom added.
G2K commented, “We enjoyed being sponsors of the latest Internations event. It was great to meet new people, hear about their experiences living and working in Cambodia, and introduce them to G2K’s popular Khmer language & culture learning options.”
“Our language courses were developed to provide learners with consistent results over a 4-8 week course and G2K is often chosen by professionals who want to learn Khmer. We look forward to welcoming prize winner Vlad to start studying with us soon on our popular Kickstart Evening course,” they added.
Special discounts for the InterNations community
Attendees at the InterNations event got a special discount on G2K courses, as well as discounts on future events offered courtesy of Cambodian Investment Review for their upcoming events with Rising Giants.
Also adding to the local influence on the night was Khmer artist Sreyroth Ny, who brought a piece from her collection called ‘opposites attract’. This art showcased the result of a blending of cultures, demonstrated by a Khmer krama wrapped around an oak barrel, and how that can result in a beautiful outcome when brought together, fitting the event theme.
Aside from the art and games, Oddomneath Ly, CEO of Bondoul – a Cambodian start-up specializing in placing interns within businesses in the Kingdom – said the event presented a great networking opportunity.
“I enjoyed getting to know people from diverse backgrounds and how approachable and open-minded everyone was. We have the opportunity to share the exposure of our startup with other businesses that we might be able to collaborate with in the future,” Ly said.
“As there are so many organizations participating, from startups to SMEs to large private enterprises, it increases the potential for our startup to expand and is an awesome place to meet people and form connections. I would recommend anyone seeking to forge meaningful friendships and expand their support system to attend InterNations networking events,” she added.
Photography was provided by Rafael De Jesus, who can be contacted on telegram on @rafaeldejesusjr for event coverage and more.
