This is my very first blog post, so let me take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Ty (Thomas) Te, and I was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Since 1980, I have made Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, my home. I immigrated to Canada on August 5, 1980, alongside my mother and older brother, through the sponsorship of my fourth aunt. Although my birthplace is Cambodia, our journey to Canada began in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. (Read more: Why I Flew from Vietnam, Not Cambodia.)

One thing that often surprises people is that even though I was born in Cambodia, I don’t actually speak Khmer, the Cambodian language. At best, I can understand just a little—probably no more than a couple of percent. What makes it even more interesting is that while Khmer isn’t part of my skill set, I’m quite fluent in five other languages: English, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Chiu Chow.

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I’m retired now, which means I spend most of my days at home enjoying a slower pace of life. In my free time, I love browsing YouTube—whether it’s diving into the world of AI (Artificial Intelligence), catching up on the news, listening to music, or writing on this blog. These simple hobbies keep me happily occupied.

I try to live a simple, low-key life without expecting too much—just focusing on being happy and healthy. That said, if time and money allow, I’d love to travel more often. Exploring new places, tasting different foods, experiencing unique cultures, and soaking in beautiful scenery around the world is something I’d like to do as much as possible—before my health slows me down and I reach the final chapter of my journey.