So could you tell us about your life growing up in Cambodia before 1975, before the Khmer Rouge? What kind of childhood did you have before everything changed for

you? I was young.

So I grew up in the countryside with my family.

who are farmers and they they value higher education and they love me so much and they want me to continue doing well in school so when i finish i get a better position not to have to work hard labor like them in the farm so that's one thing that it keep me focused on doing well in school and uh we we don't have a lot But we like each other a lot.

We love each other.

My mom always, you know, close to me and she always share with me something that she enjoys, something that she, that bother her.

So I have very close relationship with my mother.

If someone is listening today who feels trapped by fear, anxiety, or circumstances they believe they will never escape, what's the one thing you'd want them to hear from someone who's worked through unimaginable darkness and found hope again?

Okay.

So, yeah, when I grew up in...

In my country, in my hometown, I experienced one hardship when I was a teenager.

My mother had an accident and she became paralyzed.

And as an oldest child, I was a caregiver for her.

And during the time that I cared for my mother, I also had to take care of my little baby brother.

And during that hard time, My mom and I, we developed a strong bond with such a loving relationship.

So, Sarah, what message would you give someone? Who feels completely overwhelmed by life and wonder if things will ever get better?

Glad to have you.

Thank you.

Thank you for inviting me back.

So you, I'm sure the audience wants to know what happened.

Yeah.

From a refugee camp, I registered as a refugee and my relative in the United States did the paperwork to sponsor me to come.

So after waiting for more than a year, it takes time, you know, everything takes time, but it's It's the time well spent because it's a better expectation.

And where you've come from, graduating from college, bringing your family over, and then what happens next? What happened next?

So let's go back a little ways about what life was like in Cambodia.

Life in Cambodia, when I was young, it was very peaceful.

I grew up in the farm, my parents are farmers, and I was the first born.

And I feel very much loved and secure.

But my family, my parents did not believe in prep me to become a farmer.

They want me to do well in school, get higher education, and get a different job than being a farmer.

So that's what I pursue.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And because I'm a firstborn child, I become a caregiver.

But when I took care of my mom, I care with love because I want her to be well so much.

So I love her, so our love that we express to one another, caring for one another, build such a strong love bond between us.

And fortunately, about four years later, my mom get better, so she was able to walk and, uh, go back to earn a living again.

But at that time, I graduate from high school.

I was able to register for college, and co- college is far away from home, so I left my family behind.

Mm.