Marathon week is Finished!

Congratulations to 20 wonderful students and their three directors! We have just completed our "marathon" week and and will soon embark on our adventure. We were blessed to hear from several individuals who have lived and served and transacted business in Asia throughout their careers including Phil Colton (former Mission President in Cambodia, U.S. Diplomat and Nobel Laureate), Dr. Eric Hyer (expert in Chinese politics and foreign policy), Ken Jennings (attorney, former Mission President in Korea, practiced law for 20 years in Asia, father of "the" Ken Jennings :)), Kevin Fuller (Vice President of Global Product Marketing at NuSkin) and Rory Gagon (President and CEO of Romaric Corportion, a company who provides software and services to the semiconductor and photo voltaic industries).

On Tuesday we got a mini-sample of what the actual trip is going to be like - business visits, a little culture, eating on the road and some disorientation and communication break downs. We hope to mitigate the latter two :). We visited the Humanitarian Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Governor's Office of Economic Development and IM Flash. We were hosted by a Sr. Missionary Couple at the Humanitarian Center who gave us a tour of the facility and share with us the mission of the Church in providing humanitarian aid throughout the world. At the GOED, we heard from Brett Heimburger who is director over Asian affairs. He provided some wonderful insights on the Asian culture and way of doing business. Hamilton Shattuck hosted us at IM Flash. They provide a wonderful tour and introduction to the world of semiconductors.

We are anxious and ready to go. Our preparations have been intense and our group has really bonded together. I personally am grateful for each one of these students and pray for the Lord's blessings to now continue upon us during our travels. May He open our eyes, hearts and our minds that we may see and feel those things that would bless and focus our lives and inspire us. And may we then be inspired in how we may bless our fellow man and firmly resolve to do so.

I leave you with these wise words we heard yesterday in class and which is also printed on the wall at the BYU Kennedy Center. "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." - Mark Twain, in The Innocents Abroad.

After Tsunami, Cherry Blossom Signals Japan's Rebirth

After such devastation hit Japan with the Tsunamis the miracle of the Cherry Blossoms is whispering hope to the beaten down people. Many have lost not only all material possessions, but also their friends an family. Thus, the Cherry blossom is becoming the symbol for hope in the nation. One woman said "“ Every year that the trees bloom, they will give us courage to keep going, They blossom as they watch over this town. They saw the tsunami. They see everything. I want to tell the bloom, 'Keep watching us. We’ll revive.'” I view that as one of the tender mercies by our Heavenly Father that no matter where or when, he provides a little bit of beauty in every situation to remind us that things are not as bad as they may seem.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/arts/After-Tsunami-Cherry-Blossom-Signals-Japans-Rebirth--145969175.html

Lauren Neeleman

Factories in China Plan to Raise the Bar

Due to criticism by the public an shortage of people willing to work for the factories, Apple and Foxconn plan to make life easier for their assembly workers. Workers currently have more choices than factory owners and so they are able to sift through the jobs that do not seem enjoyable. Contrary to their ancestors, the youth of today in China not only look for jobs to send money home to their families, but they also care about quality of life. Those against the plan argue thatthe wages of assembly workers have already increased an average of 15% a year since 2005, and the government has pledged to double minimum wages so this isn't necessary.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17584523

Lauren Neeleman

Oil and Wage Connection

In Cambodia the price of fuel has been continuously increasing, which has resulted in an increase in wages.  They are expecting the the minimum wage will continue to increase by about 40%. Also they are experiencing inflation in the country.  This was interesting for me to read because it is valuable to learn how oil, wages and inflation are connected. Also it is good to understand how they affect countries.

Kimberly Young
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-04-03/thai-inflation-quickens-first-time-in-five-months-on-oil

Extra precautions

In Japan, the government is trying to take extra precautions to prepare for national disasters since the tsunami.  They are especially checking nuclear power plants because of the great safety risk associated with nuclear technology.  The prime minister actually shut down the Hamaoka plant in Shizuoka because it wasn't safe enough to withstand another tsunami.  This was interesting to me because it is good to see countries learn from disasters and work on prevention in the future. 


Kimberly Young
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-04-03/japan-asks-chubu-electric-to-reassess-safety-of-hamaoka-plant

Tensions Remain After Hong Kong Election

This article expresses concerns about the political tensions going on in Hong Kong with the new election of Mr. Leung. I have learned another strange way of protesting in a country besides our own posters and yelling protests in America. They throw plastic disks as a sign of their disapproval. Interesting method. Hopefully the political problems about Hongkong being a democracy will be solved. There were promised one man one vote in 2007 and now don't think this will come to pass till 2017, about ten years. Also the people don't know if they can trust Mr. Leung to keep the same "one country, two systems" custom going.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/26/world/asia/after-hong-kong-election-tensions-remain.html?ref=hongkong
By Ashleigh Hefner

Hong Kong Frets Over Low Fertility Rates

March 27, 2012

This article talks about how Hong Kong would like the people to have more children.  Whereas in the past the people were limited to the number of children they were to have.  An estimate has been given that by 2030 it is predicted that a fourth of the people will be 65 and older.  To help try to increase births there is talk about helping people finacially; the amount of finanical help depends on the what number the children is in the family.  Something interesting said by someone from Hong Kong's Family Planning Association named, Paul Yip, in the article and which I also quote,  “Children belong not only to me, but also the community,... and everybody should chip in.”  This is an interesting how he talks about children.   

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/03/27/hong-kong-frets-over-low-fertility-rates/
McKenzie Carpenter