A Cambodian American Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica

Hi everyone! I wanted to share with you an article I wrote & published in the Peace Corps Costa Rica newspaper about my experience as a Cambodian American volunteer in Costa Rica. I hope some of you will plan to join the Peace Corps as I did with great honor. Continues to spread peace through volunteering overseas…I hope you enjoy this article and thank you so much for all of your supports and love for CAA! If you have any questions or is interest in the Peace Corps, please feel free to send me an email.

I had my interview with the Peace Corps recruiter in San Francisco, California. Many questions were asked and answered. One question stays with me to this day, “Most people think Americans have blond hair and blue eyes, what are yours plans to challenge this stereotype?” She told me a story about an African American volunteer who was in her group during her Peace Corps service. The volunteer had a hard time dealing with the racist remarks in her community and ended up leaving. With clarity, I tired my best to answer the question. “I would like to educate the people in my community that America is full of people from all over the world. That most of us started out as immigrants or are immigrants, like me. I would share with them my background and culture in America and what is like to be a Cambodian American.” That was a year and six months ago. It was easy to say, but not so easy to do.

Ten months ago I settled into Las Delicias de Turrubares. Las Delicias is a remote town that runs off a dusty, red, dirt road in the mountains above Jaco. There are 174 adults, children and youth in my pueblito. My counterpart told me that I’m the first Peace Corps Volunteer that has ever been put in this town!

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