Today was my last day at my school in Svay Rieng Province. I unexpectedly had to leave two weeks earlier than I anticipated due to needing to begin my new responsibilities as a Volunteer Leader. My goodbyes have been rushed, but I have the comfort of knowing that they aren't 'goodbye's, just 'see you in a couple months's. 

As part of my leaving, the school director put together a small assembly. He spoke of the history of Peace Corps at our school and presented me with a certificate of service from the school; he also framed a copy of the letter I had written as a parting gift.

As part of the ceremony, the director asked me to give a speech to the students. Here it is (in Khmer and then English):

ពីរឆ្នាំដែលខ្ញុំបានបង្រៀននៅសាលានេះគឺជាពេលសប្បាយចិត្តខ្លាំងណាស់ក្នុងជីវិតខ្ញុំ។ ខ្ញុំមានសំណាងល្អដែលអោយខ្ញុំជួបលោកគ្រូអ្នកគ្រូ សិស្សទាំងអស់គ្នានៅសាលានេះ។ ក្នុងចំនួនពីរឆ្នាំនេះខ្ញុំមានឪិកាសរៀន អំពីវប្បធ៍ម ភាសា និង ជីវិតប្រចាំថ្ងៃនៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ សាលានៅកម្ពុជាប្លែកច្រើនពីសាលានៅប្រទេសអាមេរិក។ ខ្ញុំចំលែកចិត្តខ្លាំងណាស់អំពីការអប់រំ សិស្ស ហើយនិង គ្រូនៅកម្ពុជា ជាពិសេសដែលសិស្សហើយនិងគ្រូនៅកម្ពុជាមានការគោរពគ្នាច្រើនជាងនៅប្រទេសរបស់ខ្ញុំ។

នៅប្រទេសអាមេរិកពុកខ្ញុំតែងតែបរាប់ខ្ញុំថាការអប់រំគឺជារឿងសំខាន់ជាងគេ។ ខ្ញុំត្រេកអរថាខ្ញុំបានធ្វើតាមដំបូន្មានរបស់ពុកខ្ញុំ ហើយនិង ខ្ញុំពិតជាជូនពរសិស្សទាំងអសធ្វើតាមដំបូន្មាននេះដែរ។ សូមខិតខំរៀនពេញមួយជីវិត។

ពីរឆ្នាំនេះខ្ញុំសប្បាយចិត​តដែលធ្វើការជាមួយលោកគ្រូអ្នកគ្រូ បង្រៀនសិស្ស ថែមទាំង រៀនពីណុកគេទៃងអស់គ្នា។

ខ្ញុំសុំទោសចំពោះកំហុសដែលខ្ញុំបានធ្វើដោយអចេតនា។ ខ្ញុំបានខិតខំរៀនអំពីប្រពែណីវន្នធ៍កមណុជាប៉ុន្តែខ្ញុំដឺងថាខ្ញុំមានកំហុសខ្លះៗ។សុំទោស។

ខ្ញុំស្តាយណាស់ថាខ្ញុំមិនអាចបង្រៀននៅទីនេះយូរជាងនេះ។ ខ្ញុំមិនដែលបំភ​លេចសិស្ស គ្រូ និង សាលានេះម្តងណាទេ។ សាលានេះគឺជាសាលាលេខ មួយក្នុងចិត្តខ្ញុំរហូត។ ខ្ញុំវិងវឹកលោកគ្រូអ្នកគ្រូសិស្សទាំងអស់ខ្លាំងណាស់។

សូមអរគុណ។ ជម្រាបលា។

The two years that I taught here were extremely happy years in my life. I had great luck to be here and meet all the teachers and students at this school. In these two years, I had the opportunity to learn about Cambodia's culture, language, and daily life. I learned that the schools here are very different from the schools in America. I was very impressed with the educational system, students, and teachers in Cambodia, especially the amount of respect that students and teachers show each other here, much more than in America.

My father in America always told me that education is the most important thing. I'm very grateful that I followed my father's advice, and I truly wish for all you students to follow this advice as well. Please study hard throughout your whole lives.

During these two years, I've been very happy to work with the teachers, teach the students, and learn from all of you. I'm very sorry for all the mistakes I may have unintentionally made. I tried very hard to learn about Cambodia's traditional culture, but I know I made some mistakes. I apologize.

I regret very much that I can not stay and teach here longer. I will never forget the students, teachers, or this school, not even once. This school will always be Number 1 in my heart. I will miss all of you very much. 

Thank you and goodbye.