Yenly Thach-Cambodian American scholar, writer and advocate for refugees

I had the great opportunity to interviewed May-lee Chai last Friday in San Francisco. I guess I was not the only one doing the interviewing! Below is an article that she wrote about me! I hope you enjoy it.



Profile: Yenly Thach
January 23, 2011 by mayleechai

I recently had the good fortune to meet with Yenly Thach, a contributing editor for Cambodian Alliance for the Arts

Yenly is a fascinating person—an advocate for refugees, writer, grad student at UC-Santa Barbara, and blogger (you can check out her blog here: Curious and Determined).

In so many ways—because of her bubbly outgoing personality, because of her quintessentially So-Cal look: the golden tan, the sun-streaked hair, because she talks fast and she’s both smart and funny—Yenly is the epitome of the Southern California All-American Girl Next Door. She is also herself a former refugee. These identities are not at all contradictory, if you really think about it.

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Why do you want to volunteer?

I have always been asked the question, “Why do you want to volunteer?” My answer has always been the same. Strangers continued to be curious, “You don’t get pay. So what do you get out of it?”

From my first service experience with the Cambodian Association of America (CAA) in Long Beach, California to my international community development with the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, my humanitarian practice with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and today back to domestic service with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), I honestly realized that I am committed to volunteer service and I love it. Through these last ten years or so of volunteering experiences, I have gained new skills, knowledge, friendships, and patience. I honestly value the meaning of service and my life forever has changed.

Last Tuesday I attended the IRC workshop on “Refugee 101.” It was important information on the process of refugee status in the United States (U.S). The workshop was designed to help volunteers understand more about refugees’ experiences before arriving in the San Diego areas. Although I understood most of the information in regards to refugee status due to my personal experience as a former child refugee, things have changed in the last 20 years since I resettled in the U.S. Improved projects have been established to cater new refugee arrivals. New challenges are faced by former refugees’ communities due to policies changed, after the 9/11, which impacted their lives in the U.S.

I had the opportunity to meet the executive director of the IRC office in San Diego, Bob Montgomery, who later gave a presentation on the process of refugee status in the U.S. He has worked with the IRC for over 30 years since 1976 with the first flow of refugees to San Diego from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Today, refugees from countries such as Somalia, Iraq and Myanmar are new additions to the San Diegan residents.

The highlights of the workshop for me, besides meeting the IRC staff and obtaining information on refugee status, were meeting other volunteers. It was so rich and delightful to learn about their volunteer experiences. Exchanging and sharing my volunteer experience has helped me understand why they decided to volunteer and the impact they have had made on refugees’ lives in San Diego. It makes me so happy to see and hear that others like myself are volunteering for the same reasons.

One of the volunteers asked me, “So what made you want to volunteer with the IRC?” Of course, I ended up giving them long answers. However, I tried to keep it short. I told that person, along with other interested volunteers, “I want to give back. I feel that I owe it to my family, myself, and many people who had made an impact on my life growing up. I am so blessed to be in a position to give back.”

I do hope this holiday you join me with other volunteers through giving back in your local community. It could be something as simple as just an hour a week with a non-profit or an organization (i.e. homeless shelter, youth program, or food drive) that you would love to give your skills into use and make a difference. Throughout my volunteering experience, I discovered that you do not have to be rich or have money to give back. I honestly have been volunteering for more than ten years now and have not earned an income yet, but I have a lot of time on my plate. This is my way of giving back and to spend time with those who truly need my help.

In the end, it is a great feeling for me knowing that I can make a difference in someone else’s life. If anything, I have learned a new culture and gained new friends in my new community!

First YouTube video: My Passion- Advocacy for Refugees

I uploaded my first YouTube video ever about a month ago. To be honest, I do not think I would have done it, if it were not for a contest that I had entered. I entered a video on the subject matter: “What is your passion?” for the Voice of America (VOA) Khmer YouTube.

Here is a link to their webpage if you are interested in obtaining more detailed information: http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/about-us/.

Let me tell you. The process of creating a YouTube account was so quick and easy! It was like eating with a spoon! In less than two minutes, I created my account and uploaded my very first video! Now it is broadcast to millions of viewers like yourself. So check it out if you have not yet!

Below is my first ever YouTube video on my passion. My passion is advocacy for refugees: in combat, in conflict zone areas, and through the resettlement and repatriation process.

Link to the YouTube:

Today, I received an email indicating that someone subscribed to my YouTube! My first subscriber! I just checked the video again and 107 people have viewed it in three weeks! I am very excited for this great discovery of technology. Now, I have to upload more videos!!

Green para Gringa: Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica (2005-2007)

I wanted to share with you an article I wrote & published in the Peace Corps Costa Rica newspaper about my experience as a minority volunteer in Costa Rica (November 2006 issue).


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!


The first week, I walked around in my site and said "hola" to every person I encountered. I remember a 'super volunteer' advised me to do this during training. Although they gave me dirty looks and once threw pebbles in my direction, I continued my greeting pilgrimage.



I encountered racism from many people in town. The majority of the people called me a nica. I was not aware of this word. So I asked my host mom, "¿que significa nica?" "A nica is someone from Nicaragua. They are poor and very lazy. Por que?" she asked. I told her that people called me "nica" as I passed by. She said people think I'm a nica because I have dark skin. If anything, I look nica or indigenous. I don't look like an 'American'. She stressed that being called a nica is usually bad. I started an art class with the children. They asked where I'm from. I told them California. They laughed and said, "No really where are you from?" So I explained to them "I was born in Thailand, my father is from South Vietnam and my mother is from Cambodia, but I am an American citizen and have lived almost my entire life there." The explanations were going nowhere; thanks to my dark skin and small eyes I was nica china. It was difficult the first few months. It was hard enough I was still learning to speak Spanish but I look like a "nica" whom people in town look down on.


I started to educate my host mom about my culture. Among other things, I showed her how I cook rice and my favorite dishes that I learned from my parents. I told her in my family we eat rice everyday, three times a day. We cook rice with no oil or butter. We just cook it with rice and water. After the initial horror and comedy of the idea of cooking rice without oil dyed down, she told me that she wanted to lose weight. I recommend that she start with the rice. Now my host mom has lost 20 pounds! Other women in town are trying this too! One day I made one of my favorite Cambodian dishes, fish soup with vegetables. My host mom loved it and gave it to her family in town. Next thing you know it was "soup of the day" at the soda!!


Six months later children started to ask me how is California. I shared with them my life in California. People started to come around. They finally believed that I have lived in California; however I am still not an American.

A couple of months ago, I went down the hill where the poor Nicaraguan live. I went to socialize with some of the students from my English class. I shared with them that I was a "war baby." I was born and lived until I was 8 years old in a refugee camp in Thailand. They opened up to me and shared their struggles during the war in Nicaragua. That day, we realized that we have a lot in common. Now, I pass often on my bike, I once over heard them telling their friends and family who were visiting. "That's Yenly; she was born in Thailand, but lived most of her life in California. Her father is from Vietnam and her mother is from Cambodia, no not Puntarenas, Asia." I smiled with joy because I am very proud of my background.



In my English class racism does not exist. It is like we are in our own little world of peace! We have Nicaraguans, Costa Ricans and me, a Cambodian American. We laugh, learn and support each other. A couple of weeks ago, we played "Uno." I wanted them to practice their colors and numbers. One of the Costa Rican students had to either put down the color green or the number 5. He put down a green and said, "Vea, green para gringa, como Yenly." Everyone laughed and agreed that "green is for gringa, like me!" Does this mean they finally accept that I'm American?? Well it took 10 months for people in town to open my book and see that my brown skin might not make me the stereotypical American, but I really am an American.

I found out that the more you open up and share your background with people in your town, the more they can understand and accept you. So hang in there and have fun! I want to welcome new minority volunteers, to the challenges of Peace Corps Costa Rica!

San Diego MTS; How to get around in the city without a car or money...

I was at first disappointed that I had to take the bus and later the trolley to my volunteering interview position with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) especially on my birthday. I hadn’t heard great things about San Diego’s transportation, especially not like DC or NYC. Since I am a new resident to San Diego and my husband had to take our car to work today, I decided to make the best out of my adventure!

After taking the bus for 45 minutes from downtown Ocean Beach (OB) to Old Town San Diego, another half an hour or so on a trolley from Old Town to SDSU station, then finish with a good 15 minutes bus ride into City Heights, I learned the importance of a transportation system for the people. A good system is truly needed by the residents of a city!

I noticed most of the people who were taking the bus and the trolley, were dressed in work clothes. I talked to a lady from Thailand who had lived in San Diego for two years now. Although her English was a little rough, I enjoyed learning about her story of how she got to San Diego. She was telling me that she was on her way to work at one of the Thai restaurants in Point Loma area. She loves living in San Diego. It is way better than her home country she said with excitement.

I also talked to another San Diegan who grew up most of his entire life in the Ocean Beach OB) area. He was on his way to work in City Heights as a construction worker. I came to realize how much admiration I had for these people. Although the OB twenty- something guy looked and dressed up in a dirty bum clothes, I am glad I had the chance to talk to him. Once I heard his story and how many jobs he was going to work today, it really made me grateful and made me appreciate the time I had to be able to just listen and talk with a stranger. These are the people I don’t hear much about in the news or in a politically heated debate either. I think the reason they are not, is because they’re always working, some two or even three jobs. Despite how many jobs they work in a day, they still make enough to take the public transportation and to provide for their family.

My experience today, has made me truly appreciate having a car. Sometimes we take it for granted. However, it also makes you appreciate the fact that there is some kind of public transportation offered to the local community in case there is no access to a car, bike or some kind of motorcycle.

Now, I am actually planning to take the city transportation maybe once a week to go up to SDSU to work on my thesis writing. It is nice I don’t have to worry about driving or stuck in traffic. When you are in traffic, you don’t have to worry about the stress or someone cutting you off on the road. Someone else is driving, so I can just carry a good conversation with the person next to me or listen to my ipod or have something to read.

I absolutely love the trolley! It is amazing. Its quick, easy to use & doesn’t cost that much!

Although my trip took me almost three hours, I don’t mind taking the bus and the trolley again next time when I am car-less. It got me to my appointment on time, I was able to go sight-seeing in San Diego and I didn’t have to drive in the traffic! It is only $5 for a day pass, which includes both the bus and trolley!

I Married My Best Friend and Soulmate!

My best friend and soulmate!







"I am very proud of you and everything that you have accomplished. I am also proud of us for loving and respecting each other throughout our relationship and for building this life thus far together."

I married my dream soul mate, who accepted me for who I am:

Eric encourages me to be who I am. No matter what challenges or obstacles I face, Eric makes sure to support me by being there by my side or as a cheerleader from a distance. Whatever journey I have taken or will take, either digging deep in discovering my roots or excelling in my writing ability, he makes sure I accomplish them with support and patience. One thing I truly appreciate about my husband is that he is and will be there to remind me of how hard I have worked and how much I have overcome on my long journey, from living in refugee camps in Thailand as a young child to working on my Masters degree in America. He makes sure to also celebrate these accomplishments with me. Through good and bad times, I know I can always count on my husband because he has shown this many times and in various ways.

Sunday marks our 3 months anniversary. We were married on June 19 of this year in Santa Barbara, CA.

My husband and I met in Costa Rica while volunteering for the Peace Corps, July 13, 2005. Although we have different memories of how we met, the date is the same. This was five years ago.


Besides the fact Eric has; blue eyes, blond hair and a surfer build body, which attracted me at first, he has so much love, compassion and kindness to offer as well. When I first fell in love with Eric, it was not his looks but who he is as a person. I remember this day very well because every time I flash back, it brings tears to my cheeks.

Eric and I were sitting on the floor of a somewhat run down hotel in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. (I think this is when he realized I have so much love for “rice.”) I was craving jasmine rice and had been homesick for a while. So we went everywhere in the capital to find rice. When we did find it, it was $4 for a small bowl of rice. This was expensive especially for a Tico income, making a $1 per day. But we bought it anyway, and Eric said, “Anything for honey.” Then we went to the American KFC (yes, they have it everywhere in Costa Rica) and got some chicken to eat with the rice. When we returned to our hotel, we realized there were no spoons or folks to eat with. It was late and we were unsure where to get. Then my childhood experiences came into play.

When I was growing up in the refugee camp, I did not have silverware, only two hands to feed myself with. That is all I knew and lived with for the first 8 years of my life. I guess to the western perspectives it was uncivilized, but it works!
While we were setting on the floor of a rundown hotel in a developing country, I opened up the bowl of rice and KFC chicken. One hand dug into the rice bowl and the other held a piece of chicken thigh. As I placed the rice into my mouth with my hand and fingers in it, Eric just smiled at me. Then I stopped eating and I was so embarrassed. It was very uncivilized I thought. In a way, I was embarrassed about who I was. Instead of thinking I was weird and uncivilized; Eric joined me and ate with his hand also! I started to cry. He asked why I was crying. I told Eric that I appreciated him for not judging me and accepting me for who I am. That night, I taught Eric how to eat rice with his hand. Most importantly, he accepted me for me, the whole package. Yes, I fell in love with Eric. That was when I found out I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this man! I couldn’t see my life without him being in it!

You see, Eric and I come from many level of different backgrounds. As a bi-racial couple, at times is not easy for society or for us. We come from different economic standpoints and we were raised differently. As far as personality goes, Eric is very calm and mellow. I am the opposite with a lot of energy and very focused! Put both of us together, we make a great team (Eric & Yenly)!

My husband teaches me how to be patient and that sometimes it is ok to put myself first before others. He also reminds me to understand a person’s point of view or situation first before jumping to conclusions. I think having patience and understanding are very important skills in order to excel. I encourage Eric to be more open with his emotions and feelings. Seriously, I cannot read his mind! I also think I share with him my ability to adapt to any situations or environments we may face. Sometimes, these differences don’t seem that bad after all. If anything, we complement each other!

Despite these differences, our love and common interests keep us growing together. Such as that both sets of parents have been married for over 27 years! We share similar practices of religion and perspectives on life. We both are well educated. We love the beach and the ocean. We enjoy helping people and making a difference in their lives. We enjoy each others company. Most importantly our common love, understanding and respect for each other are the strength to our friendship, marriage and as a bi-racial couple.

Each day, I look forward to waking up next to my amazing handsome husband. I look forward to growing as a couple, as well as who we are as individuals and who we will become. I look forward to sharing and building new memories together on this great adventure of married life!