Randy Statement

My name is Randy Tea. I am a student of Austin College on the verge of becoming a senior. Through the Global Outreach Fellowship at my school, I was able to volunteer for three weeks, at a country and organization, of my choosing, during the summer of 2011. Thus, I came to learn about the Child Hope Organization (CHO) which is situated in Battambang and Pailin, Cambodia. I set off for Battambang in hopes of immersing myself in the Khmer culture as well as getting a personal sense of how the impoverished children live.

My host family honored me by allowing me to live them. Whether it was journeying through forests and fields to gather fruit or checking my bed at night for spiders, I’ve come to learn how to live a different way of life. Through it all, my host family was very understanding and, sometimes, even surprised at how much knowledge I already had of the culture. It is amazing how much I felt like a part of the family and community.

My work at CHO has been full of many different experiences. I’ve taught English, helped with various life skills workshops, edited documents, played with the students, and even held a dancing even for them. The staff works hard to make sure the students are having a positive experience. The students are adorable and try very hard to learn. They persevere despite the various problems that CHO has to go through. The conditions that the people here face are very evident. It was even more heartbreaking when I visited CHO’s Pailin branch and saw conditions far worse than Battambang.

These past three weeks have shown me many treasured experiences. The city of Battambang and CHO have shown me how the people interact and live. Even though I was only a volunteer, the people I’ve met were more than willing to help me integrate into the community. I have been able to connect with the people and their way of life on a very personal level. If you are ever considering coming to volunteer at CHO, I recommend it entirely. If you really want a taste of Khmer life, then stay with a host-family. Even on my bus ride back to Phnom Penh, I had students calling me and telling me how much they would miss me. I may have to say good-bye to the CHO staff, my 250 students, my host-family, and Cambodia, but this is one memory I’ll hold with me forever. If you have any questions and concerns, be sure to contact me at
rtea08@austincollege.edu.