NAME: Katie Nelson
AGE: 27
LOCATION: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
JOB TITLE: Reporter and copy editor
COMPANY: The Cambodia Daily
TIME AT YOUR PRESENT JOB: Two months

Describe what you do.
The Cambodia Daily is an English-language newspaper in Cambodia's capital. I work in a
newsroom where about half the staff members are Cambodian and half are expatriate
journalists from around the world.
How did you enter this career?
Writing has been in my blood since I was a kid, when I wanted to be a storybook author. I
started reporting for school publications and a small suburban weekly in my hometown, St.
Paul, Minn. During college at the University of Kansas, I moved on to internships and full-
time newspaper reporting gigs.
I feel lucky I went this route. I can't imagine many other jobs that would allow a young
person the opportunity to talk on a level playing field with high-ranking politicians,
moneyed movers-and-shakers and dedicated activists who shape communities. Just about
every day is a learning experience - and a resounding reminder of how much more there is
to take in.
What drew you to Cambodia?
Coming to work in Southeast Asia was both a professional and personal step. As a South
Korean adoptee, I knew I wanted to learn about the culture I came from when I was ready.
My parents and I plan to take advantage of my proximity to Korea and travel there in the
fall.
Professionally, I've had the opportunity to work at big-city papers such as The Arizona
Republic and The Boston Globe, and smaller publications such as The Lawrence Journal
World in Kansas and The St. Cloud Times in Minnesota. Each of those newsrooms instilled
in me a healthy respect for the people, industries and issues of the cities I was living in. My
hope is that working abroad will expand my world even more.
What's your city like?
Phnom Penh has an intensity level that's unlike any other place I've lived. The traffic is
crazy. The poverty is sad. The wealth disparity, land-grabbing, sex trade, acid-attacks and
union leader deaths are alarming. That said, the people I've met are kind, patient and
dedicated to their work.
What's your work environment like?
In most ways, The Cambodia Daily seems to be like any other newspaper - full of hard-
working, slightly frazzled people who want to get it done and get it done right.
What do you find most fulfilling?
I love getting to know the Cambodian staff members. The background on why they want to
be reporters is inspiring. Since Cambodia isn't many years past a truly horrible genocide,
almost all of them lost family, friends and neighbors to the Khmer Rouge atrocities. And
even now, as the healing process is getting underway, I'm learning that accusations of
bribery and vote buying are rampant. As a result, it seems like the desire for truth and
accountability is visceral, though there are constant roadblocks. The concept of a free press
that's there to educate and serve as a public watchdog seems to be only starting to catch on.
Seeing it happen in person is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
What are the challenges?
The communication barrier is tough. I speak Khmer like a toddler - which is a generous
description. It's OK, though. Cambodians are pretty darn gracious about it as long as you're
trying.
What's your favorite work-time pick-me-up?
Peanut M&Ms from the shop down the street.
What do you like to do when you're not working?
Trying new restaurants is a lot of fun. Finding new places to eat steaming hot pho is an
obsession. Phnom Penh is chock-full of family-run shops that serve mouth-watering
Cambodian, Indian, French, Italian and Middle Eastern foods. I also like biking around
town and learning to bargain at the markets.
What is your work philosophy?
Never assume anything. Keep digging.