Comments for Jean-Luc Nguyen around the world - travel blog http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com Making videos about unusual things and stories I see abroad Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:15:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 Comment on The first lipdub video with 300 Cambodian kids and the story of how I met Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt by Khmerization http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2012/01/26/the-first-lipdub-with-300-cambodian-kids-and-the-story-of-how-i-met-angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt/#comment-912 Khmerization Sat, 17 Mar 2012 03:10:45 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=965#comment-912 Jean-Luc, I'm touched by your works and commitments to help these kids. You are an inspiration and please don't be deterred by negative comments. No one is perfect and not everyone can do what you have done, so please remember in mind that with one negative comment there might be thousands of positive comments about your works. Wish you success in all your projects. For your info, I have posted your videos here Ki-Media:http://www.ki-media.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/first-lipdub-video-with-300-cambodian.html and at Khmerization at:http://khmerization.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/first-lipdub-video-with-300-cambodian.html Ki-Media has about 4000-10,000 visitors a day and Khmerization has about 1000-2000 visitors day. Jean-Luc,
I’m touched by your works and commitments to help these kids. You are an inspiration and please don’t be deterred by negative comments. No one is perfect and not everyone can do what you have done, so please remember in mind that with one negative comment there might be thousands of positive comments about your works. Wish you success in all your projects.
For your info, I have posted your videos here Ki-Media:http://www.ki-media.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/first-lipdub-video-with-300-cambodian.html and at Khmerization at:http://khmerization.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/first-lipdub-video-with-300-cambodian.html
Ki-Media has about 4000-10,000 visitors a day and Khmerization has about 1000-2000 visitors day.

]]> Comment on The first lipdub video with 300 Cambodian kids and the story of how I met Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt by Katherine http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2012/01/26/the-first-lipdub-with-300-cambodian-kids-and-the-story-of-how-i-met-angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt/#comment-860 Katherine Sun, 19 Feb 2012 01:52:10 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=965#comment-860 Excellent work Jean-luc! I am very proud of the production you have created as well as the work you have taken part in. Please keep up the good work as it will provide inspiration for all who come in contact with it. I am a very proud supporter of what you are doing and hope that you contact me at any time when you think my skills would be an asset to you. Good Luck! Excellent work Jean-luc! I am very proud of the production you have created as well as the work you have taken part in. Please keep up the good work as it will provide inspiration for all who come in contact with it.

I am a very proud supporter of what you are doing and hope that you contact me at any time when you think my skills would be an asset to you.

Good Luck!

]]> Comment on The first lipdub video with 300 Cambodian kids and the story of how I met Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt by Lizzie H http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2012/01/26/the-first-lipdub-with-300-cambodian-kids-and-the-story-of-how-i-met-angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt/#comment-856 Lizzie H Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:59:23 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=965#comment-856 Jean-luc, Really touched with your story and experience in Cambodia. I believe that groups of individuals can really help and make a difference to communities in the world we live in. Volunteering is a wonderful experience and benefits both the volunteers as well as the people that we help; actually it's the other way around - we volunteers get more out of this worthwhile experience than anyone else. We all need to have a little faith in others sometimes. Nay-Sayers and skeptics can speak for themselves' if they have even remotely delved into the subject of non-profit they will realise how time consuming and 'shady' a lot of 'registered' non profits can be. So you know who you are and what you are trying to achieve; keep doing it and what a wonderful thing it is. All the very best. May you find the time to enjoy the work that you do and lots of progress to you my friend. PS: We are just beginning to work with a few non-profits in the beautiful Himalayas so nice to hear stories like this. Bonne chance! Jean-luc, Really touched with your story and experience in Cambodia. I believe that groups of individuals can really help and make a difference to communities in the world we live in. Volunteering is a wonderful experience and benefits both the volunteers as well as the people that we help; actually it’s the other way around – we volunteers get more out of this worthwhile experience than anyone else. We all need to have a little faith in others sometimes. Nay-Sayers and skeptics can speak for themselves’ if they have even remotely delved into the subject of non-profit they will realise how time consuming and ‘shady’ a lot of ‘registered’ non profits can be. So you know who you are and what you are trying to achieve; keep doing it and what a wonderful thing it is.

All the very best. May you find the time to enjoy the work that you do and lots of progress to you my friend.

PS: We are just beginning to work with a few non-profits in the beautiful Himalayas so nice to hear stories like this. Bonne chance!

]]> Comment on I sent 197 postcards from North Korea ! by Jimmy Zhang http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2011/09/12/i-sent-197-postcards-from-north-korea/#comment-845 Jimmy Zhang Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:48:04 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=948#comment-845 oooops, I missed this great project!!!that's a great video to watch postcards from the North Korea!! oooops, I missed this great project!!!that’s a great video to watch postcards from the North Korea!!

]]> Comment on The first lipdub video with 300 Cambodian kids and the story of how I met Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt by David http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2012/01/26/the-first-lipdub-with-300-cambodian-kids-and-the-story-of-how-i-met-angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt/#comment-796 David Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:25:59 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=965#comment-796 I guess these were questions to be asked. But, for some point, do we really need to be qualified for making good ? I'm sure being in non-profit organization didn't prevent having idea of making more by yourself. World would be better if more people carry out projects by their own as Jean-Luc does. So congrats Jean-Luc, I'm proud to help these kids and participate to your process development . I guess these were questions to be asked.

But, for some point, do we really need to be qualified for making good ?
I’m sure being in non-profit organization didn’t prevent having idea of making more by yourself.
World would be better if more people carry out projects by their own as Jean-Luc does.

So congrats Jean-Luc, I’m proud to help these kids and participate to your process development .

]]> Comment on The first lipdub video with 300 Cambodian kids and the story of how I met Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt by Jean-luc NGUYEN http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2012/01/26/the-first-lipdub-with-300-cambodian-kids-and-the-story-of-how-i-met-angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt/#comment-789 Jean-luc NGUYEN Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:02:00 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=965#comment-789 Thanks for your contribution Aquarius, you definitely gave me some good insight. I thought about using some crowdfunding platform like kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com) but as they don't have a "charity" category and you need to be American to post your project on their platform, it was not possible in my case. Then I thought about using our French version of it, Ulule (http://fr.ulule.com/), but when I saw the average cost of the projects funded, around 1000 EUR, 2000 EUR for the most, I was a bit disappointed. Also these platforms usually take a cut on the donations so I thought maybe I could try do to it on my own. In the end, using a platform like this or not, there's no guarantee the money will be spent towards what is advertized as well. So I'd better fundraise myself. The main advantage of using these websites is the publicity that we would get, as they draw a lot of traffic. But Ulule seems a bit young and I'm not sure if that would be worth it. I didn't know about indiegogo, I will definitely check it out. The problem I guess is they usually ask the fundraiser to fundraise for a registered charity, which I'm not. I'm very new to this world of fundraising, so I admit I might not be doing it the best way. Do you think you can develop a bit on the process I should follow? What do you mean by "work on the initial idea, blog about the progress, and make a short documentary"? Thanks for your contribution Aquarius, you definitely gave me some good insight.

I thought about using some crowdfunding platform like kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com) but as they don’t have a “charity” category and you need to be American to post your project on their platform, it was not possible in my case.

Then I thought about using our French version of it, Ulule (http://fr.ulule.com/), but when I saw the average cost of the projects funded, around 1000 EUR, 2000 EUR for the most, I was a bit disappointed. Also these platforms usually take a cut on the donations so I thought maybe I could try do to it on my own. In the end, using a platform like this or not, there’s no guarantee the money will be spent towards what is advertized as well. So I’d better fundraise myself. The main advantage of using these websites is the publicity that we would get, as they draw a lot of traffic. But Ulule seems a bit young and I’m not sure if that would be worth it.
I didn’t know about indiegogo, I will definitely check it out. The problem I guess is they usually ask the fundraiser to fundraise for a registered charity, which I’m not.

I’m very new to this world of fundraising, so I admit I might not be doing it the best way. Do you think you can develop a bit on the process I should follow? What do you mean by “work on the initial idea, blog about the progress, and make a short documentary”?

]]> Comment on The first lipdub video with 300 Cambodian kids and the story of how I met Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt by Aquarius http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2012/01/26/the-first-lipdub-with-300-cambodian-kids-and-the-story-of-how-i-met-angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt/#comment-787 Aquarius Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:53:46 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=965#comment-787 Thank you for taking the time to reply. I should clarify that these inquiries were not meant as accusations, and I apologize for my perhaps blunt wording. My sole intention was to bring up to the attention of the reader (and potential donor) the obvious vagueness and *latent* shadiness surrounding your project, all good intentions aside. The main issue here being, as for so many charities, inefficiency. I'm glad that you have already considered carrying out your philanthropic effort through a legally recognized organization, this is definitely the way to go. In the meantime, I'm sure contributors will appreciate financial transparency. Regarding the glasses: I understand that you are in the early stage, but this is precisely my point: don't you think kicking off the fundraising that early into a project is premature? Now, my apologies if I am overstepping here, but the way I see it you have two major assets: a rich blog, and a decent talent for film making. Why not work on your initial idea, blog about the progress, maybe make a short documentary? *Then*, only when you have something substantial, start a fund raising (have you thought about indiegogo?). Or not. In any case, best of luck to you. Thank you for taking the time to reply. I should clarify that these inquiries were not meant as accusations, and I apologize for my perhaps blunt wording.

My sole intention was to bring up to the attention of the reader (and potential donor) the obvious vagueness and *latent* shadiness surrounding your project, all good intentions aside. The main issue here being, as for so many charities, inefficiency.
I’m glad that you have already considered carrying out your philanthropic effort through a legally recognized organization, this is definitely the way to go. In the meantime, I’m sure contributors will appreciate financial transparency.

Regarding the glasses: I understand that you are in the early stage, but this is precisely my point: don’t you think kicking off the fundraising that early into a project is premature?
Now, my apologies if I am overstepping here, but the way I see it you have two major assets: a rich blog, and a decent talent for film making. Why not work on your initial idea, blog about the progress, maybe make a short documentary? *Then*, only when you have something substantial, start a fund raising (have you thought about indiegogo?).

Or not. In any case, best of luck to you.

]]> Comment on The first lipdub video with 300 Cambodian kids and the story of how I met Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt by Jean-Luc http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2012/01/26/the-first-lipdub-with-300-cambodian-kids-and-the-story-of-how-i-met-angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt/#comment-778 Jean-Luc Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:38:01 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=965#comment-778 Aquarius, your questions are legitimate. As you mention it, there are no "legal "guarantees that the money will go towards buying glasses. I'm an individual who has been travelling around the world and happened to have done some volunteer work. I'm trying to help these kids, but the only guarantee you have is my word. I have published this video on my personal blog, with my name, my face, and more than 20 other videos that requires a lot of work. If I wanted to set up a scam, I guess I would be really bad at it, and there are probably easier and better ways to do it. I actually had a project in mind, about starting a non profit: www.humancoop.org that requires some web development, but have been putting that project on hold as I have other projects going on too. Starting a non profit requires full commitment, and I can't made that step right now as I need to make a living first. Also, you might know that in France, the CEO of a non-profit can not have a salary and must be doing it on a total volunteer basis. You can still donate straight to that organization through their donation page http://www.learningfoundationcambodia.org/donate.html. But then I don't know how much money I have been able to fund, and I'm not sure the money will be allocated to buying glasses to the kids. They can use it for whatever they need. Also my idea was to come back to Cambodia with a surprise. I believe I am qualified to find an optician and buy glasses. I have managed much more complex project in the past. We will find somebody in Siem Reap if possible, or fly an optician from France or Thailand if we need to. I believe we can probably find an optician who will even volunteer for that task. The price I quoted is the one I found on that website: http://www.happyview.fr/produit_recherche.php?&Genre=enfant&Type=de-vue&Methode=AND&affichage=miniature&page=1&Ordre=PrixVenteHTMonture&Sens=ASC I haven't digged much honestly, but I'm sure we can find cheaper, and especially if we buy 150 of them. The idea was just to give a goal to achieve. If we get more money than accepted, then we can always use it for other purchase. I wasn't aware of the 10 USD per glass, but thanks for the information. About my own expenses, I will take care of it by myself. As my blog readers know, I have started to travel around the world a year ago, and will still be for 2 or 3 years. Believe me, I have spent a lot of my own money on that project. I wouldn't blacklist my name forever for a few thousand dollars. I'm just a guy who's trying to do good. As I mentioned in my blog post, all the money that I received will be spent towards buying glasses for the kids if this is something they want to (maybe they don't want to wear glasses). If they don't, we can still buy the items they listed on their website (computers for the new library for example) Aquarius, your questions are legitimate. As you mention it, there are no “legal “guarantees that the money will go towards buying glasses. I’m an individual who has been travelling around the world and happened to have done some volunteer work. I’m trying to help these kids, but the only guarantee you have is my word. I have published this video on my personal blog, with my name, my face, and more than 20 other videos that requires a lot of work. If I wanted to set up a scam, I guess I would be really bad at it, and there are probably easier and better ways to do it.
I actually had a project in mind, about starting a non profit: http://www.humancoop.org that requires some web development, but have been putting that project on hold as I have other projects going on too. Starting a non profit requires full commitment, and I can’t made that step right now as I need to make a living first. Also, you might know that in France, the CEO of a non-profit can not have a salary and must be doing it on a total volunteer basis. You can still donate straight to that organization through their donation page http://www.learningfoundationcambodia.org/donate.html. But then I don’t know how much money I have been able to fund, and I’m not sure the money will be allocated to buying glasses to the kids. They can use it for whatever they need. Also my idea was to come back to Cambodia with a surprise.
I believe I am qualified to find an optician and buy glasses. I have managed much more complex project in the past. We will find somebody in Siem Reap if possible, or fly an optician from France or Thailand if we need to. I believe we can probably find an optician who will even volunteer for that task.
The price I quoted is the one I found on that website: http://www.happyview.fr/produit_recherche.php?&Genre=enfant&Type=de-vue&Methode=AND&affichage=miniature&page=1&Ordre=PrixVenteHTMonture&Sens=ASC
I haven’t digged much honestly, but I’m sure we can find cheaper, and especially if we buy 150 of them. The idea was just to give a goal to achieve. If we get more money than accepted, then we can always use it for other purchase.
I wasn’t aware of the 10 USD per glass, but thanks for the information.
About my own expenses, I will take care of it by myself. As my blog readers know, I have started to travel around the world a year ago, and will still be for 2 or 3 years.
Believe me, I have spent a lot of my own money on that project. I wouldn’t blacklist my name forever for a few thousand dollars. I’m just a guy who’s trying to do good.
As I mentioned in my blog post, all the money that I received will be spent towards buying glasses for the kids if this is something they want to (maybe they don’t want to wear glasses). If they don’t, we can still buy the items they listed on their website (computers for the new library for example)

]]> Comment on The first lipdub video with 300 Cambodian kids and the story of how I met Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt by Aquarius http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2012/01/26/the-first-lipdub-with-300-cambodian-kids-and-the-story-of-how-i-met-angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt/#comment-775 Aquarius Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:33:34 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=965#comment-775 If I may, I have a few questions: You are asking for donations to be made to your personal accounts. What guarantees can you offer that the money will go towards buying glasses ? You claim to be willing to do charity work. Why are you not founder, or member, of a nonprofit organization ? If you are, why not link to the donation pages of said nonprofit ? You have, by your own admittance, no clear plan regarding this glasses project. What makes you think that you are qualified or that your effort will be efficient and impactful ? You are quoting a price of 39 EUR per pair of glasses. Where does that figure come from ? Does it include consultation for the child ? Are you aware that other charity initiatives have quoted full-inclusive prices of 10 USD per glasses, compared to your 39 EUR ? (http://www.fuseproject.com/products-45) How do you plan to pay for your own expenses ? How exactly is the money that you receive going to be spent ? If I may, I have a few questions:

You are asking for donations to be made to your personal accounts. What guarantees can you offer that the money will go towards buying glasses ?

You claim to be willing to do charity work. Why are you not founder, or member, of a nonprofit organization ? If you are, why not link to the donation pages of said nonprofit ?

You have, by your own admittance, no clear plan regarding this glasses project. What makes you think that you are qualified or that your effort will be efficient and impactful ?

You are quoting a price of 39 EUR per pair of glasses. Where does that figure come from ? Does it include consultation for the child ?
Are you aware that other charity initiatives have quoted full-inclusive prices of 10 USD per glasses, compared to your 39 EUR ? (http://www.fuseproject.com/products-45)

How do you plan to pay for your own expenses ? How exactly is the money that you receive going to be spent ?

]]> Comment on I sent 197 postcards from North Korea ! by Jean-Luc http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/2011/09/12/i-sent-197-postcards-from-north-korea/#comment-762 Jean-Luc Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:21:20 +0000 http://blog.jeanlucnguyen.com/?p=948#comment-762 Hi Vivien, sorry but I have left North Korea for a while now. I was just travelling there ! Next time maybe ! Hi Vivien,

sorry but I have left North Korea for a while now. I was just travelling there ! Next time maybe !

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