We're excited to welcome new team members to the Cambodian Oral History Project! Our ever-expanding translation and indexing team now includes Hannah, Brittin, Devon and Ethan, who all recently shared some of their thoughts about the project with us.
Hannah Price is a Global Supply Chain Management major from Lehi, Utah and has joined the team recently. On working for the project, she remarks:
"The Cambodian Oral History Project has been a blessing to my life in the time I have worked here so far. I love that I get the chance to speak, interpret, translate, listen, and continually learn the Khmer language. What makes this project especially inspiring is the chance we have to study and learn from the personal stories of so many Cambodian individuals. It is truly moving to hear their humble experiences and to witness how many of them have recognized the hand of God in their lives."
Ethan Arkell, a Music Composition major from Gilbert, Arizona shared these thoughts about working for the project:
"From translating with this project, I have learned that the Cambodian people are resilient and full of love. It is an honor to help their stories be spread. The amount of suffering that this people has gone through has touched me deeply, and I am inspired by their courage in recording these raw memories from their past. I am grateful for the chance to participate in making these stories accessible and for the blessing that they will be in the lives of their families. These stories will also make a difference in the lives of those who read them, making them aware of not only the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge, but also the incredible fortitude of those who survived."
Another team member, Devon Crane, is a microbiology student from Saratoga, California. He is grateful for the chance to learn about Cambodia and its people through translating for the Project. He notes:
"Hi! My name is Devon Crane. I recently returned from a mission to Cambodia, where I learned about a people and a place that I had no exposure to beforehand. On my mission I grew to love the people of Cambodia, to respect their customs and history, and I got to know them on a deeply personal level. Now that I am back in America, I am glad to be able to help share the stories of these people that are close to my heart with you. These people have faced awful atrocities in the past decades, but the light and hope that you can sense from them despite these huge setbacks is inspiring. I am humbled each time I sit down to listen to the messages they have recorded for their children and grandchildren.Devon adds that learning about the history and challenges of older citizens in a country so far away has helped him grow a desire to learn more about his own ancestors. He encourages people to read the stories and hear their voices––to understand them for who they truly are."
On working for the project, linguistics major Brittin Roth (Saratoga Springs, UT) says,
"I've really appreciated working for the project! It has been really cool to hear all of these different stories and have a chance to expand my language skills as well."
We appreciate all our student team members’ dedication to the project!