Demetrius T
2024 WISLI Khmer Student
Why did you choose to study at WISLI? What motivated you to choose our program?
I had a few Southeast Asian professors recommend SEASSI to me as a good opportunity to improve my Khmer. Their experience with the program was convincing. Also, the intensive structure promoted by SEASSI was enticing. I had taken Khmer classes as an undergrad but these classes only occurred twice a week, so having the opportunity to learn in a class environment that met more frequently meant I was devoting more time to learning the language.
How has learning a less commonly taught languages enriched your personal and professional life?
Learning Khmer through SEASSI helped me communicate better with family members. Prior to SEASSI, I was frustrated at how difficult it was for me to understand and talk with my grandmother. However, through the past couple of weeks I have been able to hold more consistent and in-depth conversations with her.
What about WISLI/UW-Madison stands out to you?
As I mentioned before, the intensive structure of the program is unique but beneficial. Throughout SEASSI, classes have been four hours long, everyday of the week. While it has been quite difficult, I find spending such a large amount of time studying Khmer has allowed me to feel more confident in my language skill. Overall, I think SEASSI, WISLI, and UW-Madison have a unique ability to attract folks from different backgrounds, age groups, and stages in their career. This has facilitated a diverse classroom of people learning Khmer for different reasons that I find interesting.
How do you plan to apply proficiency of your target language and cultural skills to your personal/professional journey?
As a PhD student in Global and International Studies, I am interested in exploring the production of global Cambodian identities following the Cold War Genocide. A lot of scholarship has fixated on the US and Cambodia. As such, I want to look at representations and cultural productions in various parts of the world, including the US, Canada, France, Austria, Cambodia, and the Philippines. What I hope to gain from this project, is an understanding of how people interrogate identity as it is entangled in broader Cold War and colonial histories which creates a broader, imagined Khmer and Cambodian community that extends beyond borders. I hope to continue developing my Khmer language skills after SEASSI to integrate more Cambodian communities in our understanding of the diaspora.
What were some of the highlights of your program? What events did you particularly enjoy?
Since my experience has been remote I have not been able to attend any events. However, one of the most exciting experiences during the program was connecting with other heritage learners. We shared a similar background of being second generation Cambodian American and it was meaningful to connect with a similar experience and relationship to
language, culture, and identity. Strangely enough, there are very few Cambodian Americans in Southeast Asian/Southeast Asian American Studies, and in academic spaces more broadly. Seeing others was refreshing.
What role did the WISLI Tuition Scholarship play when you were making decisions? How would you encourage other students who might be interested in the scholarship to apply?
I would not have been able to attend SEASSI without the financial support of WISLI Tuition Scholarship. As a graduate student with less funding throughout the summer, the WISLI tuition scholarship helped relieve the cost of the program; meaning I had somewhat less financial stress and could take advantage of this opportunity to learn Khmer. I would strongly encourage students to apply for the scholarship. Paying for education and school is difficult and if you are a graduate student, summer funding can be scarce so make the most of any sources of financial support you can. For the statement, I would recommend being upfront and transparent.
What advice would you give to students who want to study the same language as you?
One of the hardest and most important things you will have to learn is to read and write in Khmer. This was really difficult at first, but typing in Khmer helped me immensely in getting a lot faster. I think it forces you to familiarize yourself with consonants, vowels, and commonly used words. As for reading longer sentences, I find it helps to identify familiar words you use often like ខ្ញុំ,ទៅ, ជាមួយ, និង to help break down the sentence and use context clues to figure out the rest of its meaning.
What is your favorite expression in the language you studied this summer?
សំណាងល (som-nang-l’aw) which means good luck!