Hello, my name is Chakreya, a trainee at CCIM during Covid-19. It is like a nightmare during this period of Covid-19, sometimes I feel it is just a dream.

At the start, when the news broke several months ago, most of the people considered it to be fake news, until about February when things got more serious. Many people were affected, some countries decided to lock down, closing the borders and giving everyone a sense of chaos, disaster and being stuck.

Things are changing rapidly; some people around the world have gotten infected, and some have died.

The most awareness happened in Italy, after the situation in China had calmed. Then people started to become more cautious, and it spread all over the world especially in Europe, in the Western countries, Asia, and other continents as well .

Most people around the world are affected: Some business are closed, as are the places where many people gather — schools, entertainment places, shops, public transportation, airlines and so on.

A lot of people are losing their jobs, some have had their salaries reduced, some are struggling with job uncertainty. Some business owners face losing income every month, some have announced bankruptcy. People worry about earning an income for living. It makes people suffer, traumatized, especially from the fear of the virus causing death.

In Cambodia we do not have any deaths, but there is discrimination in society as with people around the world when they know we are infected. Other people involved thought some have not got the virus but they still quarantined for 14 days, which makes them and others more frustrated, depressed, wasting their time, and afraid of severe disaster.

Now things are a bit better than before, but they are still challenging to process. However, sometimes I feel lucky. Even though I lost my job during this period, at least I have not been infected with the virus, despite the fact that I had been traveling and went to different places and have the freedom to go any place in the country.

And I am still alive. Schools also allow online studies in part, and though there are some challenges with connections sometimes, it is fortunate that we can keep moving and improve our skills and capacities and have something to do.

I really appreciate CCIM for providing the opportunity for training and letting me in and supporting me. I am positive that after finishing this training I will find a good job, and believe things will turn to normal soon.