Serving the TASSEL community for the past five years has been an experience that continues to transform me, strengthening my core values and deepening my sense of purpose. The dedicated volunteers, Khmer teachers, and most of all, the inspiring students of TASSEL inspire me to pursue a life driven by integrity and purpose everyday. Like many other volunteers, I had no idea how meaningful my work with TASSEL would be when I was first introduced to it during my Freshman year of High School. However, after five years of teaching VSEE to my class of 30 students biweekly and spending the past three Summers visiting Cambodia, I remain in awe of the unwavering commitment of the students to their education and the Khmer teachers' dedication to improving their country for future generations to come.

 

Currently pursuing a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and Data Science at Pepperdine University, I plan to contribute and dedicate my time to TASSEL through my field of work for many years to come. In addition to my role on the TASSEL media team, I serve as a VSEE teacher, writer for the TASSEL magazine and prior Secretary and President for the South Pasadena chapter. While I am deeply committed to these responsibilities, I recognize that my efforts will never fully match the magnitude of what is needed. This is why I am dedicated to a lifelong mission of advancing equality of opportunity for my brothers and sisters in Cambodia. 

 

After interviewing and writing an article about the life of 'Grandma Bony' for the latest TASSEL magazine, I had the privilege of visiting her the following Summer. This experience became one of the most rewarding of my life, as it was the first time I truly felt my work was having a direct impact. Because of the article, Grandma Bony felt safe enough to share her harrowing stories of losing her family in the Cambodian Genocide with my fellow volunteers, which in turn helped educate and inspire volunteers as they returned to their respective countries.

 

When I asked Grandma Bony, "What do you wish foreigners knew?" her response was powerful: "The government failed us. They promised to help the elderly people of Cambodia, but they did not." Her words, published in the magazine, became a catalyst for the creation of TASSEL's Senior Center initiative. This new program provides elderly Cambodians, many of whom suffer from PTSD and the lingering effects of the Khmer Rouge atrocities, with a space to find community, joy, and healing through activities like shared meals, dancing, and English lessons.

 

I have come to realize that while practical solutions like education and healthcare are essential, they are merely byproducts to TASSEL's ultimate mission: to offer unconditional love, a reminder of the power of human connection and empathy in transforming lives. This simple yet profound virtue is something I carry with me every day, whether I am actively serving or not, and it is a gift for which I am eternally grateful.

 

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching my students grow into confident, capable individuals, each of them blossoming in their own unique way. Seeing them develop—not just academically, but as compassionate, driven human beings—has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my involvement with TASSEL. I’ve witnessed their transformation from shy, uncertain learners into young people who take pride in their abilities, who challenge themselves, and who dream of a better future. Their journeys are personal, but they inspire me every day.

 

As I continue my journey with TASSEL, I am more committed than ever to its mission of fostering both opportunity and compassion. The lessons I’ve learned—about love, dedication, and the power of community—will continue to guide me in all aspects of my life. Serving alongside such an inspiring group of people has not only shaped who I am today but also fueled my passion for creating lasting, meaningful change. I look forward to contributing my skills and heart to TASSEL for years to come, knowing that together, with Serving the TASSEL community for the past five years has been an experience that continues to transform me, strengthening my core values and deepening my sense of purpose. The dedicated volunteers, Khmer teachers, and most of all, the inspiring students of TASSEL inspire me to pursue a life driven by integrity and purpose everyday. Like many other volunteers, I had no idea how meaningful my work with TASSEL would be when I was first introduced to it during my Freshman year of High School. However, after five years of teaching VSEE to my class of 30 students biweekly and spending the past three Summers visiting Cambodia, I remain in awe of the unwavering commitment of the students to their education and the Khmer teachers' dedication to improving their country for future generations to come.

 

Currently pursuing a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and Data Science at Pepperdine University, I plan to contribute and dedicate my time to TASSEL through my field of work for many years to come. In addition to my role on the TASSEL media team, I serve as a VSEE teacher, writer for the TASSEL magazine and prior Secretary and President for the South Pasadena chapter. While I am deeply committed to these responsibilities, I recognize that my efforts will never fully match the magnitude of what is needed. This is why I am dedicated to a lifelong mission of advancing equality of opportunity for my brothers and sisters in Cambodia. 

 

After interviewing and writing an article about the life of 'Grandma Bony' for the latest TASSEL magazine, I had the privilege of visiting her the following Summer. This experience became one of the most rewarding of my life, as it was the first time I truly felt my work was having a direct impact. Because of the article, Grandma Bony felt safe enough to share her harrowing stories of losing her family in the Cambodian Genocide with my fellow volunteers, which in turn helped educate and inspire volunteers as they returned to their respective countries.

 

When I asked Grandma Bony, "What do you wish foreigners knew?" her response was powerful: "The government failed us. They promised to help the elderly people of Cambodia, but they did not." Her words, published in the magazine, became a catalyst for the creation of TASSEL's Senior Center initiative. This new program provides elderly Cambodians, many of whom suffer from PTSD and the lingering effects of the Khmer Rouge atrocities, with a space to find community, joy, and healing through activities like shared meals, dancing, and English lessons.

 

I have come to realize that while practical solutions like education and healthcare are essential, they are merely byproducts to TASSEL's ultimate mission: to offer unconditional love, a reminder of the power of human connection and empathy in transforming lives. This simple yet profound virtue is something I carry with me every day, whether I am actively serving or not, and it is a gift for which I am eternally grateful.

 

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching my students grow into confident, capable individuals, each of them blossoming in their own unique way. Seeing them develop—not just academically, but as compassionate, driven human beings—has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my involvement with TASSEL. I’ve witnessed their transformation from shy, uncertain learners into young people who take pride in their abilities, who challenge themselves, and who dream of a better future. Their journeys are personal, but they inspire me every day.

 

As I continue my journey with TASSEL, I am more committed than ever to its mission of fostering both opportunity and compassion. The lessons I’ve learned—about love, dedication, and the power of community—will continue to guide me in all aspects of my life. Serving alongside such an inspiring group of people has not only shaped who I am today but also fueled my passion for creating lasting, meaningful change. I look forward to contributing my skills and heart to TASSEL for years to come, knowing that together, with integrity and humility, we can make a profound difference.

It was once I started to see the students, initially via online VSee (phonics) lessons, that the emotional connection started to build. Even from day one, the energy of the students was infectious. To start with, the emotional connection came simply from the fact that I had a ton of fun teaching the students. These students aren’t your regular set of students - not one student takes any single class for granted. They are so enthusiastic and so willing to learn, and this is something you can tell just by observing their body language. I took this excitement that they were showing in class at face value, and thought their lives were filled with the same joy and smiles that their behavior in class showed.

 

As time passed, though, I observed that the beaming faces that they showed in class were a bit of a facade. Of course, the students very much enjoyed the lessons, and were always so excited to learn. However, the smiles that they showed in class were not reflective of their overall physical, mental, or emotional state. Slowly, the cracks started to appear. A student once fainted in the middle of class - it turns out that they had not, and could not, eat breakfast that morning. Some students stopped coming to class because they needed to work to support their families. People got sick. People died. It’s one thing to hear about somebody suffering, but it is a totally different proposition when somebody seems happy on the surface, and yet you find out they most certainly are not. All this only hit me harder when I went to visit Cambodia myself, and saw the suffering with my own eyes. I found this contrast between what appeared on the surface, and the deeper reality that I slowly came to know of, quite heartbreaking. Lastingly heartbreaking.

 

Underneath the layer of suffering though, turned out to be a layer of hope. When one understands the way our TASSEL community - despite their struggles - lead their lives, suddenly we see the best of what humanity has to offer. When we see our student Sophea*, who has led the most difficult life one could imagine, now working day and night to learn English well enough to fulfill his dream of becoming a TASSEL teacher. When we hear about the local teachers going on treacherous journeys through rivers and forests simply to check on the well-being of our students living in extremely remote areas. I remember speaking to Teacher Vanna specifically about that point, and asked him why he put himself at such risk. He simply responded - “if we don’t help, who will?”

 

I like to think of TASSEL as a garden. Clearly, it is people like the local Khmer teachers, or our founder Joji, who are planting most of the flowers in this metaphorical garden. But each of us, including you and I, have a flower of our own to take care of too. In order to allow the garden to flourish, we must water our own flowers. Bit by bit, with consistency. That is how our flowers stay alive.

 

If there is anything I have learned from TASSEL, and if there is anything I would like you, the reader, to take away from this, it is that. Neither I nor anyone reading this (most probably) are the saviours for the needy - we are not doing the heavylifting. However, each of us has a crucial role in ensuring that our flower stays bright and alive, and we must contribute consistently to do so. Flowers do not bloom by throwing a bucket load of water one day, and then forgetting about it afterwards. It is the consistency that matters most. Let us work together, day by day, week by week, and month by month, to take care of our own flowers, and to collectively build the most prosperous and beautiful garden possible. Then, maybe, the students’ smiles won’t need be facades anymore.