1. DUBAI AMERICAN ACADEMY
WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
March 2-9, 2012
CAMBODIA
Parent Information Package

2. Week Without Walls
Cambodia
Content Page
History Cambodia ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2-8
Cambodia Demographics and Maps ……………………………………………………………………………. 9-12
Detailed Itinerary and Flight Schedule …………………………………………………………………………. 13-21
Contact Details for Cambodia ……………………………………………………………………………...……… 22
Packing Checklist and Suggestions ………………………………………….………………………………..… 23
Visa Application Information ………………………………………………………………………………………. 24-29
Recommendations and things to think about ……………………………………………………………… 30-33
Check List - Reminder…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 33
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HISTORY OF CAMBODIA
No one knows for certain how long people have lived in what is now Cambodia, as studies of its
prehistory are undeveloped. A carbon-l4 dating from a cave in northwestern Cambodia suggests that
people using stone tools lived in the cave as early as 4000 bc, and rice has been grown on
Cambodian soil since well before the 1st century ad. The first Cambodians likely arrived long before
either of these dates. They probably migrated from the north, although nothing is known about their
language or their way of life.
By the beginning of the 1st century ad, Chinese traders began to report the existence of inland and
coastal kingdoms in Cambodia. These kingdoms already owed much to Indian culture, which
provided alphabets, art forms, architectural styles, religions (Hinduism and Buddhism), and a
stratified class system. Local beliefs that stressed the importance of ancestral spirits coexisted with
the Indian religions and remain powerful today.
Cambodia's modem-day culture has its roots in the 1st to 6th centuries in a state referred to as
Funan, known as the oldest Indianized state in Southeast Asia. It is from this period that evolved
Cambodia's language, part of the Mon-Khmer family, which contains elements of Sanskrit, its ancient
religion of Hinduism and Buddhism. Historians have noted, for example, that Cambodians can be
distinguished from their neighbors by their clothing - checkered scarves known as Kramas are worn
instead of straw hats.
Funan gave way to the Angkor Empire with the rise to power of King Jayavarman II in 802. The
following 600 years saw powerful Khmer kings dominate much of present day Southeast Asia, from
the borders of Myanmar east to the South China Sea and north to Laos. It was during this period that
Khmer kings built the most extensive concentration of religious temples in the world - the Angkor
temple complex. The most successful of Angkor's kings, Jayavarman II, Indravarman I, Suryavarman II
and Jayavarman VII, also devised a masterpiece of ancient engineering: a sophisticated irrigation
system that includes barays (gigantic man-made lakes) and canals that ensured as many as three rice
crops a year. Part of this system is still in use today.
THE KHMER KINGDOM (FUNAN)
Early Chinese writers referred to a kingdom in Cambodia that they called Funan. Modern-day
archaeological findings provide evidence of a commercial society centered on the Mekong Delta that
flourished from the 1st century to the 6th century. Among these findings are excavations of a port
city from the 1st century, located in the region of Oc-Eo in what is now southern Vietnam. Served by
a network of canals, the city was an important trade link between India and China. Ongoing
excavations in southern Cambodia have revealed the existence of another important city near the
present-day village of Angkor Borei.
A group of inland kingdoms, known collectively to the Chinese as Zhenla, flourished in the 6th and
7th centuries from southern Cambodia to southern Laos. The first stone inscriptions in the Khmer
language and the first brick and stone Hindu temples in Cambodia date from the Zhenla period.
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ANGKOR ERA
Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom The giant faces carved on the Bayon temple at the Angkor Thum
complex in northwestern Cambodia represent both the Buddha and King Jayavarman VII (ruled
about 1130-1219). Although a Buddhist temple, Angkor Thum was modeled after the great Hindu
temple complex of Angkor Wat.
In the early 9th century a Khmer (ethnic Cambodian) prince returned to Cambodia from abroad. He
probably arrived from nearby Java or Sumatra, where he may have been held hostage by island kings
who had asserted control over portions of the Southeast Asian mainland.
In a series of ceremonies at different sites, the prince declared himself ruler of a new independent
kingdom, which unified several local principalities. His kingdom eventually came to be centered near
present-day Siemreab in northwestern Cambodia. The prince, known to his successors as
Jayavarman II, inaugurated a cult honoring the Hindu god Shiva as a devaraja (Sanskrit term meaning
"god-king"). The cult, which legitimized the king's rule by linking him with Shiva, persisted at the
Cambodian court for more than two hundred years.
Between the early 9th century and the early 15th century, 26 monarchs ruled successively over the
Khmer kingdom (known as Angkor, the modern name for its capital city).
KING JAYAVARMAN VII
The successors of Jayavarman II built the great temples for which Angkor is famous. Historians have
dated more than a thousand temple sites and over a thousand stone inscriptions (most of them on
temple walls) to this era.
Notable among the Khmer builder-kings were Suyavarman II, who built the temple known as Angkor
Wat in the mid-12th century, and Jayavarman VII, who built the Bayon temple at Angkor Thum and
several other large Buddhist temples half a century later. Jayavarman VII, a fervent Buddhist, also
built hospitals and rest houses along the roads that crisscrossed the kingdom. Most of the monarchs,
however, seem to have been more concerned with displaying and increasing their power than with
the welfare of their subjects.
Ancient City of Angkor This map shows the layout of the ancient city of Angkor, capital of the
Cambodian Khmer kingdom from the 9th century to the 15th century. The city's huge stone temples
were both civic centers and religious symbols of the Hindu cosmos. Historians believe that Angkor's
network of canals and barays (reservoirs) were used for irrigation.
At its greatest extent, in the 12th century, the Khmer kingdom encompassed (in addition to present-
day Cambodia) parts of present-day Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), and the
Malay Peninsula. Cambodia and Laos still contain Khmer ruins and inscriptions. The kings at Angkor
received tribute from smaller kingdoms to the north, east, and west, and conducted trade with
China. The capital city was the center of an impressive network of reservoirs and canals, which
historians theorize supplied water for irrigation. Many historians believe that the abundant harvests
made possible by irrigation supported a large population whose labor could be drawn on to
construct the kings' temples and to fight their wars. The massive temples, extensive roads and
waterworks, and confident inscriptions give an illusion of stability that is undermined by the fact that
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many Khmer kings gained the throne by conquering their predecessors. Inscriptions indicate that the
kingdom frequently suffered from rebellions and foreign invasions.
Historians have not been able to fully explain the decline of the Khmer kingdom in the 13th and 14th
centuries. However, it was probably associated with the rise of powerful Cambodian people
kingdoms that had once paid tribute to Angkor, and to population losses following a series of wars
with these kingdoms. Another factor may have been the introduction of Theravada Buddhism, which
taught that anyone could achieve enlightenment through meritorious conduct and meditation.
These egalitarian ideas undermined the hierarchical structure of Cambodian society and the power
of prominent Hindu families. After a Cambodian people invasion in 1431, what remained of the
Cambodian elite shifted southeastward to the vicinity of Phnom Penh.
CAMBODIA DARK AGE
This map of Southeast Asia in the mid-16th century shows the major centers of power in the region
prior to the arrival of Europeans. During this period, these kingdoms were constantly at war.
Eventually the Kingdom of Ayutthaya (modern Cambodia) expanded to the north and east, absorbing
much of Lan Na and Lan Xang (modern Laos). Dai Viet (modern Vietnam) expanded to the south,
taking over the remaining territory of the Kingdom of Champa and the southern tip of the Kingdom
of Lovek (modern Cambodia). Toungoo evolved into modern Myanmar.
The four centuries of Cambodian history following the abandonment of Angkor are poorly recorded,
and therefore historians know little about them beyond the bare outlines. Cambodia retained its
language and its cultural identity despite frequent invasions by the powerful Cambodian people
kingdom of Ayutthaya and incursions by Vietnamese forces. Indeed, for much of this period,
Cambodia was a relatively prosperous trading kingdom with its capital at Lovek, near present-day
Phnom Penh. European visitors wrote of the Buddhist piety of the inhabitants of the Kingdom of
Lovek. During this period, Cambodians composed the country's most important work of literature,
the Reamker (based on the Indian myth of the Ramayana).
In the late 18th century, a civil war in Vietnam and disorder following a Burmese invasion of
Ayutthaya spilled over into Cambodia and devastated the area. In the early 19th century, newly
established dynasties in Vietnam and Cambodia competed for control over the Cambodian court.
The warfare that ensued, beginning in the l830s, came close to destroying Cambodia.
FRENCH RULE
Phnom Penh, as planned by the French, came to resemble a town in provincial France. By the second
half of the 19th century, France had begun to expand its colonial penetration of Indochina (the
peninsula between India and China). In 1863 France accepted the Cambodian king's invitation to
impose a protectorate over his severely weakened kingdom, halting the country's dismemberment
by Cambodia and Vietnam. For the next 90 years, France ruled Cambodia. In theory, French
administration was indirect, but in practice the word of French officials was final on all major
subjects-including the selection of Cambodia's kings. The French left Cambodian institutions,
including the monarchy, in place, and gradually developed a Cambodian civil service, organized along
French lines. The French administration neglected education but built roads, port facilities, and other
public works. Phnom Penh, as planned by the French, came to resemble a town in provincial France.
The French invested relatively little in Cambodia's economy compared to that of Vietnam, which was
also under French control. However, they developed rubber plantations in eastern Cambodia, and
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the kingdom exported sizable amounts of rice under their rule. The French also restored the Angkor
temple complex and deciphered Angkorean inscriptions, which gave Cambodians a clear idea of their
medieval heritage and kindled their pride in Cambodia's past. Because France left the monarchy,
Buddhism, and the rhythms of rural life undisturbed, anti-French feeling was slow to develop.
King Sihanouk, through skillful maneuvering, managed to gain Cambodia's independence peacefully
in 1953. During World War II (1939-1945), Japanese forces entered French Indochina but left the
compliant French administration in place.
KING NORODOM SIHANOUK
On the verge of defeat in 1945, the Japanese removed their French collaborators and installed a
nominally independent Cambodian government under the recently crowned young king, Norodom
Sihanouk. France reimposed its protectorate in early 1946 but allowed the Cambodians to draft a
constitution and to form political parties.
Soon afterward, fighting erupted throughout Indochina as nationalist groups, some with Communist
ideologies, struggled to win independence from France. Most of the fighting took place in Vietnam,
in a conflict known as the First Indochina War (1946-1954). In Cambodia, Communist guerrilla forces
allied with Vietnamese Communists gained control of much of the country. However, King Sihanouk,
through skillful maneuvering, managed to gain Cambodia's independence peacefully in 1953, a few
months earlier than Vietnam. The Geneva Accords of 1954, which marked the end of the First
Indochina War, acknowledged Sihanouk's government as the sole legitimate authority in Cambodia.
MODERN STATE
Sihanouk's campaign for independence sharpened his political skills and increased his ambitions. In
1955 he abdicated the throne in favor of his father to pursue a full-time political career, free of the
constitutional constraints of the monarchy. In a move aimed at dismantling Cambodia's fledgling
political parties, Sihanouk inaugurated a national political movement known as the Sangkum Reastr
Niyum (People's Socialist Community), whose members were not permitted to belong to any other
political group. The Sangkum won all the seats in the national elections of 1955, benefiting from
Sihanouk's popularity and from police brutality at many polling stations. Sihanouk served as prime
minister of Cambodia until 1960, when his father died and he was named head of state. Sihanouk
remained widely popular among the people but was brutal to his opponents.
In the late 1950s the Cold War (period of tension between the United States and its allies and the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, and its allies) intensified in Asia. In this climate, foreign
powers, including the United States, the USSR, and China, courted Sihanouk. Cambodia's importance
to these countries stemmed from events in neighboring Vietnam, where tension had begun to
mount between a Communist regime in the north and a pro-Western regime in the south. The USSR
supported the Vietnamese Communists, while the United States opposed them, and China wanted
to contain Vietnam for security reasons. Each of the foreign powers hoped that Cambodian support
would bolster its position in the region. Sihanouk pursued a policy of neutrality that drew substantial
economic aid from the competing countries.
In 1965, however, Sihanouk broke off diplomatic relations with the United States. At the same time,
he allowed North Vietnamese Communists, then fighting the Vietnam War against the United States
and the South Vietnamese in southern Vietnam, to set up bases on Cambodian soil. As warfare
intensified in Vietnam, domestic opposition to Sihanouk from both radical and conservative
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elements increased. The Cambodian Communist organization, known as the Workers Party of
Kampuchea (later renamed the Communist Party of Kampuchea, or CPK), had gone underground
after failing to win any concessions at the Geneva Accords, but now they took up arms once again.
As the economy became unstable, Cambodia became difficult to govern single-handedly. In need of
economic and military aid, Sihanouk renewed diplomatic relations with the United States. Shortly
thereafter, in 1969, U.S. president Richard Nixon authorized a bombing campaign against Cambodia
in an effort to destroy Vietnamese Communist sanctuaries there.
KHMER REPUBLIC
In March 1970 Cambodia's legislature, the National Assembly, deposed Sihanouk while he was
abroad. The conservative forces behind the coup were pro-Western and anti-Vietnamese. General
Lon Nol, the country's prime minister, assumed power and sent his poorly equipped army to fight
the North Vietnamese Communist forces encamped in border areas. Lon Nol hoped that U.S. aid
would allow him to defeat his enemies, but American support was always geared to events in
Vietnam. In April U.S. and South Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia, searching for North
Vietnamese, who moved deeper into Cambodia. Over the next year, North Vietnamese troops
destroyed the offensive capacity of Lon Nol's army.
In October 1970 Lon Nol inaugurated the Khmer Republic. Sihanouk, who had sought asylum in
China, was condemned to death despite his absence. By that time, Chinese and North Vietnamese
leaders had persuaded the prince to establish a government in exile, allied with North Vietnam and
dominated by the CPK, whom Sihanouk referred to as the Khmer Rouge (French for "Red Khmers").
In 1975, despite massive infusions of U.S. aid, the Khmer Republic collapsed, and Khmer Rouge
forces occupied Phnom Penh.
The United States continued bombing Cambodia until the Congress of the United States halted the
campaign in 1973. By that time, Lon Nol's forces were fighting not only the Vietnamese but also the
Khmer Rouge. The general lost control over most of the Cambodian countryside, which had been
devastated by U.S. bombing. The fighting severely damaged the nation's infrastructure and caused
high numbers of casualties. Hundreds of thousands of refugees flooded into the cities. In 1975,
despite massive infusions of U.S. aid, the Khmer Republic collapsed, and Khmer Rouge forces
occupied Phnom Penh. Three weeks later, North Vietnamese forces achieved victory in South
Vietnam.
DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA
Pol Pot Pol Pot is a pseudonym for the Cambodian guerrilla commander Saloth Sar, who organized
the Communist guerrilla force known as the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge ousted General Lon Nol
in 1975, establishing a brutal Communist regime that ruled until 1979.
Immediately after occupying Cambodia's towns, the Khmer Rouge ordered all city dwellers into the
countryside to take up agricultural tasks. The move reflected both the Khmer Rouge's contempt for
urban dwellers, whom they saw as enemies, and their utopian vision of Cambodia as a nation of
busy, productive peasants. The leader of the regime, who remained concealed from the public, was
Saloth Sar, who used the pseudonym Pol Pot. The government, which called itself Democratic
Kampuchea (DK), claimed to be seeking total independence from foreign powers but accepted
economic and military aid from its major allies, China and North Korea.
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Khmer Rouge Carnage The Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, killed close to 1.7 million people in the mid-
to late 1970s. In this photo, human bones and skulls fill a museum in Cambodia that had been used
as a prison and torture center during Pol Pot's reign, Sygma.
ETHNIC COMPOSITION
The population of Cambodia today is about 10 million. About 90-95 percent of the people are Khmer
ethnic. The remaining 5-10 percent include Chinese-Khmers, Khmer Islam or Chams, ethnic hill-tribe
people, known as the Khmer Loeu, and Vietnamese. About 10 percent of the population lives in
Phnom Penh, the capital, making Cambodia largely a country of rural dwellers, farmers and artisans.
L ANGUAGE
Khmer (official) 95%, French, English
R ELIGIONS
Buddhist (official) 96.4%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (1998 census)
THE KHMER LOEU
The Khmer Loeu are the non-Khmer highland tribes in Cambodia. The Khmer Loeu are found namely
in the northeastern provinces of Rattanakiri, Stung Treng, Mondulkiri and Crate. Most Khmer Loeu
live in scattered temporary villages that have only a few hundred inhabitants. These villages usually
are governed by a council of local elders or by a village headman. The Khmer Loeu cultivate a wide
variety of plants, but the man crop is dry or upland rice growth by the slash-and-burn method.
Hunting, fishing, and gathering supplement the cultivated vegetable foods in the Khmer Loeu diet.
Houses vary from huge multi-family long houses to small single family structures. They may be built
close to the ground or on stilts. The major Khmer Loeu groups in Cambodia are the Kuy, Phnong,
Brao, Jarai, and Rade. All but about 160,000 Kuy lived in the northern Cambodia provinces of
Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, and Stoeng as well as in adjacent Cambodia
THE CHAM
The Cham people in Cambodia descend from refugees of the Kingdom of Champa, which one ruled
much of Vietnam between Gao Ha in the north and Bien Hao in the south. The Cambodian Chams
are divided into two groups, the orthodox and the traditional- base on their religious practices. The
orthodox group, which make up about one-third of the total number of Chams in the country, were
located mainly in Phnom Penh - Oudong area and in the provinces of Takeo and Kapot. The
traditional Chams were scattered throughout the midsection of the country in the provinces of
Battambang, Kompong Thom, Kompong Cham, and Pursat. The Chams of both groups typically live in
villages inhabited only by other Chams; the villages may be along the shores of watercourses, or they
may be inland. The inhabitants of the river villages engage in fishing and growing vegetables. They
trade fish to local Khmer for rice. The women in these villages earn money by weaving. The Chams
who live inland support themselves by various means, depending on the villages. Some villages
specialize in metalworking; others raise fruit trees or vegetables. The Chams also often serve as
butchers of cattle for their Khmer Buddhist neighbors and are, in some areas, regarded as skillful
water buffalo and ram breeders.
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THE CHINESE
The Chinese in Cambodia formed the country •es largest ethnic minority. Sixty percent of the
Chinese were urban dwellers engaged mainly in commerce; the other 40 percent were rural
residents working as shopkeepers, as buyers and processors of rice, palm sugar, fruit, and fish, and
as money lenders. It is estimated that 90 percent of the Chinese in Cambodia were in commerce and
that 92 percent of those involved in commerce in Cambodia were Chinese. In rural Cambodia, the
Chinese were moneylenders, and they wielded considerable economic power over the ethnic Khmer
peasants through usury. The Chinese in Cambodia represented five major linguistic groups, the
largest of which was the Teochiu (accounting about 60 percent), followed by the Cantonese
(accounting about 20 percent), the Hokkien (accounting about 7 percent), and the Hakka and the
Hainanese (each accounting for 4 percent). Those belonging to the certain Chinese linguistic groups
in Cambodia tended to gravitate to certain occupations. The Teochiu, who make up about 90
percent of the rural Chinese population, ran village stores, control rural credit and rice marketing
facilities, and grew vegetables. In urban areas they were often engaged in such enterprises as the
import-export business, the sale of pharmaceuticals, and street peddling. The Cantonese, who were
the majority of Chinese groups before Teochiu migrations began in the late 1930s, live mainly in the
city. Typically, the Cantonese engages in transportation and in constriction, for the most part as
mechanics or carpenters. The Hokkien community was involved import-export and in banking, and it
included some of the country•fs richest Chinese. The Hainanese started out as pepper growers in
Kompot Province, where they continued to dominate that business. Many moved to Phnom Penh ,
where, in the late 1960s, they reportedly had virtual monopoly on the hotel and restaurant business.
They also often operated tailor shops. In Phnom Penh, the newly arrived Hakka were typically folk
dentists, sellers of traditional Chinese medicines, and shoemakers.
THE VIETNAMESE
The Vietnamese community is scattered throughout southeastern and central Cambodia. They were
concentrated in Phnom Penh, and in Kandal, Prey Veng, and Kampong Cham provinces. No close
cultural or religious ties exist between Cambodia and Vietnam. The Vietnamese fall within the
Chinese culture sphere, rather within the Indian, where the Cambodian people and Khmer belong.
The Vietnamese differ from the Khmer in mode of dress, in kinship organization, and in many other
ways- for example the Vietnamese are Mahayama Buddhists while most of the Cambodians are
Theravada Buddhists. Although Vietnamese lived in urban centers such as Phnom Penh, a substantial
number lived along the lower Mekong and Bassac rivers as well as on the shores of the Tonle Sap,
where they engaged in fishing.
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CAMBODIA DEMOGRAPHICS AND MAPS
Cambodia has a land area of 181,035 square kilometers in the southwestern part of the Indochina
peninsula, about 20 percent of which is used for agriculture. It lies completely within the tropics with
its southern most points slightly more than 10° above the Equator. The country capital city is Phnom
Penh.
International borders are shared with Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on the
West and the North, and the Social Republic of Viet Nam on the East and the Southeast. The country
is bounded on the Southeast by the Gulf of Cambodia. In comparison with neighbors, Cambodia is a
geographical contact country administratively composed of 20 provinces, three of which have
relatively short maritime boundaries, 2 municipalities, 172 districts, and 1,547 communes. The
country has a coastline of 435 km and extensive mangrove stands, some of which are relatively
undisturbed.
International borders are shared with Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on the
West and the North, and the Social Republic of Viet Nam on the East and the Southeast. The country
is bounded on the Southeast by the Gulf of Cambodia. In comparison with neighbors, Cambodia is a
geographical contact country administratively composed of 20 provinces, three of which have
relatively short maritime boundaries, 2 municipalities, 172 districts, and 1,547 communes. The
country has a coastline of 435 km and extensive mangrove stands, some of which are relatively
undisturbed.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE
The climate can generally be described as tropical. As the country is affected by monsoon, it is hot
and humid with an overage temperature around 27.C (80.F). There are two distinct seasons: the
Rainy Season and the Dry Season.
The Dry season (Hot) : From March till May 29-38.C (84-100.F)
ECONOMY
 Industry: Tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products
 Agriculture: Rice, rubber, corn, vegetables
 Exports: Timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish
HEALTH AND ADVICE
Drink lots of water. Never drink tap water, purified bottled water is available everywhere.
Use an insect repellent against mosquitoes. It is the only way to be sure of protection against
mosquito borne diseases. Since Cambodia has a hot and humid tropical climate, casual and light-
weight clothing is best. Clothing made from natural fibers is the best option. A hat and high-factor
sun block is advisable as protection against the hot sun when sightseeing.
When visiting temples or pagodas, including those of Angkor Wat, shorts and T-shirts are acceptable.
Shoes are generally removed at the entrance to pagodas.
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CAMBODIA MAP
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PHNOM PENH MAP
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SIEM REAP AND ANGKOR WAT
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DETAILED ITINERARY:
02nd March 2012
22:05 Arrive Phnom Penh Airport
23:00 Arrive Hostel 88 and settle in for the night
3rd, 4th & 5th Mar 2012
Split into 3 groups
 Group A: 13 kids to Who Will Village & Royal Palace
 Group B: 13 kids to Empowering Youth in Cambodia, EYC & Killing Fields
 Group C: 13 kids to Liger Learning Center & National Museum
Group A: 13 kids to Who Will & Royal Palace
8:00 Leave Hostel to Who Will Village (Breakfast will be ready before departure)
9:30 (ETA) Arrive Who Will
9:30-11:30 English language activities and games
11:30-12:30 Lunch at Who Will (there will be a vegetarian option)
12:30-14:00 Games-Football, Board games, Interact with kids
14:00 Departure from Who Will
15:30(ETA) Visit Royal Palace
17:00 Departure from Palace to Hostel88, rest and changing, swimming
18:30 Dinner at Hostel88
19:30 Evening Activity (preparation for next day)
Group B: 13 kids to EYC & Killing Field
8:30 Leave Hostel to EYC-Aziza (Breakfast will be ready before leave)
8:45 Arrive Aziza
8:45-11:00 Split into 3 teams to visit Studio, Classroom, and Computer room
11:30-13:00 Lunch at Restaurant in the city (TBC)
13:15 Arrive Lakeside school of EYC
14:00 Departure from Lakeside to Killing Fields
17:00 Go back to Hostel88, rest, changing, swimming pool
18:30 Dinner at Hostel88
Group C: 13 kids to Liger Learning Center (LLC) & Tual Sleng & Nation Museum
8:30 Leave Hostel to LLC
9:15-11:00 Site Tour: Study water system, planting, and mural painting
12:00 Lunch at site (TBC)
13:00 Departure from LLC to visit Tual Sleng Museum
15:00 Departure from Tual Sleng to National Museum
17:00 Go back to Hostel88, rest and changing, Swimming
18:30 Dinner at Hostel88
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06th March 2012
8:00 Leave from Hostel88 for Siem Reap (Breakfast will be ready before departure)
12:00 Arrive Freedom Hotel and check in
12:15 Lunch at Freedom Hotel
13:00 Rest at hotel, swimming…
17:00 Leave hotel for City tour
18:30 Dinner at Freedom Hotel
19:30 Evening Activity
07th March 2012
8:00 Leave Freedom Hotel to Angkor Wat (Breakfast will be ready before departure)
8:15 Arrive Angkor Wat and bicycle trip
12:00 Lunch along the trip around Temples area (Hotel will pack lunch and deliver to us)
16:30 Arrive Bak kheng mountain to see sunset
18:00 Go back to Freedom Hotel
18:20 Arrive Hotel , rest, changing, swim..
18:30 Dinner at Freedom Hotel
19:30 Visit night market
08th March 2012
8:30 Leave Siem Reap
12:00 Lunch at Restaurant in Skun (TBC)
13:00 Leave Skun
15:00 Rest at hotel, swimming…
17:30 Leave hostel 88 to Northbridge Community
18:00 BBQ with Northbridge students and additional evening activities
20:30 Go back to Hostel88
09th March 2012
8:30 Leave Hostel 88
8:50-10:00 Visit Russian Market
10:00 Leave Russian Market to Central Market
10:15-11:30 Visit Central Market
11:30 Leave to Central Market to Hostel
11:40 Arrive Hostel 88
12:00 Lunch at Hostel 88
14:00 Leave from hostel 88 to Airport
Date: Flight Number: Time:
Friday, March 2nd EK 372 – Dubai – Bangkok 09:40 – 18:40
Friday, March 2nd PG 937 – Bangkok – Phnom Penh 20:30 – 22:05
Friday, March 9th PG 934 – Phnom Penh – Bangkok 15:40 – 16:50
Friday, March 9th EK 474 – Bangkok – Dubai 20:40 – 00:30
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WHO WILL VILLAGE
The Who Will Village is an orphange where the students live and eat. They
attend a local government school. Western volunteers and Khmer teachers
offer English lessons. The children’s English is quite good. They love visitors.
Who Will is a local Non Government Organisation (NGO) registered in Cambodia dedicated to caring
for orphans and disadvantaged children and poor Cambodian Communities. We have no religious
affiliation and are completely devoted to the care of children regardless of race, religion or creed.
We are non-discriminatory and children with HIV or AIDS are considered equally, if not more so,
deserving of care as children who are healthy.
Who Will is extremely proud to be one of the very few organisations who operate with ZERO
overhead costs. This means that 100% of all money goes directly to where it is needed.
How did we get started?
Two hectares of land were acquired for the building of a children’s village in Kampong Tralach, some
50km north-west of Phnom Penh on the N5 Battambang highway.
Our mission – a new concept in childcare
Having been involved with Cambodian orphans and distressed children for more than 10 years,
Gerald reached the opinion that the current pattern of orphanages is outdated and children should,
wherever possible, be raised in a proper family environment. Permanent residence in an orphanage
should only be considered as a last resort.
Who Will is building a village that will ultimately comprise 10 family houses and ancillary
accommodation to enable the project to function as any normal local village community. Each house
will have three children’s bedrooms, a supervisor’s suite of bedroom and en-suite shower room and
a kitchen/living room. Initially each of these will have a house mother with space for up to 12
children. The house mother will be responsible for bringing up her family as if their true mother. She
will buy the food from the market, cook, clean and generally be their mother.
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As the project evolves, the house mothers will be replaced by married couples with a maximum of
two of their own children. They will be offered occupation rights to each house that will be
conditional on them agreeing to “foster” up to eight disadvantaged or orphaned children. These
couples will probably be from poor local families so should have good connections in the area.
Hopefully they will have some form of family support although Who Will will retain a supervisory
role with a local Village Manager living in the village to ensure that the standard of nutrition, health,
education and discipline matches the strict rules/code of conduct that will be established
Ultimately this village will appear to be just another country village and it will be fully integrated into
the community ensuring the children will not carry the unjustified stigma of “coming from an
orphanage”
Who Will’s role in the future management will likely entail subsidising food and education costs in
addition to its general supervisory position.
We have not come across such a project and it could well be the first of its kind. The pattern can be
replicated in other areas both in Cambodia and other countries once the blueprint has been finalised
and the concept tested.
For further information please visit the website: http://www.who-will.org
DAA Students Community Service:
 The DAA students should come prepared with a variety of games and activities they can offer in
English. There will be translators present. These games and activities can be board games, card
games, puzzels, drama activities, songs, dance, math games, etc.
 After lunch the DAA students should have sports, games , or activities planned. The children can
play soccer, capture the flag, fun relays, etc.
Some of the great kids at Who Will
Two new boarding houses
Nice place to cool down
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LIGER LEARNING CENTER
Once a vast empire, as seen through the magnificent ancient ruins of Angkor Wat, Cambodia has
been left devastated by the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime during the
1970s. Up to two million people perished during Pol Pot’s four-year reign of
terror through execution, starvation, forced labor and disease.
As one of the world’s most impoverished nations, more than half of the
population is under twenty-one years old, living on a daily wage of less than
US$2. Just over half of children make it to their last year in primary school, and only a quarter of
Cambodian teenagers are given the opportunity to attend high school.
As a 21st century progressive international learning center, authentic connections to our local
surroundings and communities are an essential part of who we are. Moreover, at LLC, community
relations will form a key part of the curriculum, as students engage in experiential activities both
inside and outside the campus. At the same time, the center will become an integral part of the
neighborhood, both by social interaction and by inviting local community and international visitors
on site. This view of LLC as a central focus for the community will allow staff and students to come
together around that most unifying of forces – the education of our children.
The curriculum will draw from best practices internationally to ensure that the highest expectations
are set and the highest standards reached for our students, both as individuals and as members of
our global society.
Onsite there will be classrooms, a science lab, music and art areas, and a range of sports facilities
including a swimming pool, gardens and an organic farm.
A combination of Cambodian and international teaching staff from the highest educational
backgrounds will be employed. In most schools here, students are taught by rote, which many
experts believe isn’t the most effective way of learning. Therefore, the Liger Charitable Foundation
will offer training to the Cambodian teachers, so they can learn techniques that are more beneficial
and accessible for the students’ learning requirements.
The children will live onsite in dormitories, designed in the traditional Khmer style, with Cambodian
careers. The housemothers and fathers will be instrumental in providing a supportive and healthy
environment enabling the children to flourish.
For further information please visit the website: http://www.theligerfoundation.org/
DAA Students Community Service:
 The first activity will be a tour of the site and an overview of the center.
 The students will receive a more detailed explanation of the water treatment and recycling
system.
 We will go to our agricultural site where DAA students will cultivate and plant a row of
vegetables. These vegetable will be used to feed the students when they come on site in April or
donated to local residents.
 DAA to paint a mural. Each group will work on the wall when they are on site.
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EMPOWERING YOUTH IN CAMBODIA is a grassroots organization based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
working to improve the lives of young people and their families.
Our vision is to see youth empowered with skills and confidence to be leaders who actively develop
themselves, their families and the community for positive change. We accomplish this by operating 3
schools based in poor communities (“slums”) that also act as community centers. There, we provide
services and programs for over 350 local youth and their families.
Lakeside School
Lakeside School in Beoung Kok opened in June 2008.
The school has a vibrant energy as the community is in constant motion, and has been run by a
highly competent Youth Team Leader committee that was so successful, it seemed appropriate to
ask them to run our 3rd school in a nearby community further up the tracks. Team Leader and school
manager Phearith has done an amazing job of bringing programs to our weekends activities that
promote critical thinking and self confidence.
The students at Lakeside School now have Internet in their computer lab and have created their own
blog.
Lakeside School is funded by our wonderful partner Camkids and receives support for extra
curricular activities from our other great donors.
Aziza School
Aziza School, located in Tonle Bassac, has been providing free English lessons, leadership training,
computers, life skills, and medical services since May 2006.
The school provides classes and activities from morning until evening every day of the week. On
weekdays English and computers are taught at various levels to students that mostly range from 6-
20 years old. Khmer (Cambodian) nationals teach all the classes, and utilize Khmer and foreign
volunteers. Weekly activities include a youth group, community organizing team, legal rights, art,
movies, yoga, dance-aerobics, traditional dance and soccer, as well as guest lecturers, photography,
and field trips. All activities are open to all, have elements of fun, offer life experience, and most
events fill the schools.
DAA Students Community Service:
 The DAA students will tour this site to gain an appreciation for the wonderful work of EYC and a
greater understanding of their good fortunes.
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ANGKOR WAT
Angkor Wat temple: Built in 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II (1112-1150),
dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. Angkor Wat temple is the main feature of Cambodia tourism,
the all-time visited temple among hundreds of Khmer temple ruins.
Angkor, the capital of Khmer empire from 9th to 13th century, ruled a vast territory that is now
Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. During these periods, the Khmers build hundreds of
temples and Buddhist monasteries through out Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Despite of Angkor
temples are seen sprawling over the hundreds of historical sites in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia,
the main temples featuring Angkor civilization and political culture involving administration and
power are located in Siem Reap province. These temple ruins converge in an area of 400 square
kilometers just north of Siem Reap town and Tonley Sap lake.
The Decline of Khmer Kingdom Power: Angkor began in 819 A.D. when King Jayavarman II (802-
850) moved a Khmer settlement to Siem Reap province and the settlement became an
administrative centre of Khmer empire. During the reign of King Suryavarman II (1113-1150), in
which Angkor Wat temple was built, the Chams from Champa from the East (now Vietnam) began
armed incursions and sacked Angkor. Following the death of King Suryavarman II and the Cham
invasion, Angkor is invaded and ransacked by the Thais, based in western part of the Khmer
Empire. These Thai army forces had been employed by the Khmer King to repel the Cham
invaders. Thereafter, again and again, the Chams and the Thais invaded and ransacked Angkor.
King Jayavarman VII (1181-1215) who built Angkor Thom fought and repelled the invading Chams
and the Thais. The glory of Khmers and Angkor was again restored but the it was short lived. The
Empire began to crumble after the death of King Jayavarman VII. The Thais from the west and the
invaders from the East, this time the Vietnamese, frequently carried out armed incursions and
invaded Angkor and the Khmer Empire's peripheral territory was gradually lost. After the capture of
Angkor by the Thais in 1431, Khmers moved their capital from Angkor to Phnom Penh leaving Angkor
unoccupied to the mercy of the jungles. From the early 15th century until the late 19th century, the
Buddhist monks lived in Angkor and made Angkor the largest religious pilgrimage site in South East
Asia.
The Angkor Restoration: The loss of Khmer territory continued until 1863 when France established a
colonial regime that ruled Cambodia until 1953. Angkor ruins were discovered by a French
researcher in 1920 and thereafter a comprehensive program of Angkor restoration and archeological
research sponsored by the French government began. The restoration program was halted in late
1960's during a political upheaval and civil war in Cambodia. During the war, Angkor suffered heavy
damages and wide-spread lootings. The temples, artifacts, statues, and other sculptures were either
broken or stolen.
The civil war eventually ended in early 1990's and the restoration program of Angkor re-
started. This time, the program is sponsored by an international agency UNESCO (United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). Angkor is again opened to the world. Now
streams of visitors from around the world are irresistibly drawn to this great city of Angkor ruins to
marvel its breathtaking beauty.
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TUOL SLENG MUSEUM OF GENOCIDE AND THE “KILLING FIELDS”
Under the Khmer Rouge, the route to the killing fields was via an interrogation centre. The most
infamous was Phnom Penh's S-21 Prison and the Choeung Ek extermination centre. A visit provides a
stark picture of Cambodia's recent past.
The Khmer Rouge Genocide Museum
Tuol Svay Pray High School, named after a Royal ancestor of King
Sihanouk, is located in an ordinary side road in Phnom Penh. Inside the
gates, it looks like any high school: five buildings face a grass courtyard
with pull-up bars and bowling greens.
In 1976, the Khmer Rouge took it over, renamed the school
Security Prison 21 (S-21) and turned it into a torture, interrogation
and execution centre.
The buildings were enclosed by corrugated iron sheets covered in
electrified barbed wire, and the classrooms converted into tiny
prison cells for individual prisoners and larger mass cells.
All the windows were secured with iron bars and covered with tangled barbed wire to prevent
escape. More cells were built to hold female prisoners, and houses around the school buildings were
converted into rooms for administration, interrogation and torture.
About 1,720 workers controlled the prison. Most of the personnel were boys and girls from peasant
backgrounds ranging from ten to nineteen years of age who were trained to work as guards and
interrogators.
The prisoners included Vietnamese, Laotian, Thai, Indian, Pakistani, British and American nationals,
but the majority were Cambodians. Civilian prisoners were workers, farmers, engineers, technicians,
intellectuals, professors, students, politicians, and so on. The objective of the Khmer Rouge was to
rid Cambodia of progressive thinkers, educated people or people from various ethnic backgrounds.
Their goal was to return Cambodia to a communist nation of hard working presents.
Whole families were taken to S-21 to be interrogated, tortured to obtain a ‘confession’, and then
sent to the Choeung Ek extermination centre. The average period of imprisonment was from two to
four months
Of the 14,000 people known to have entered S-21, only seven survived. Not only did the Khmer
Rouge transcribe the prisoners' interrogations, but also carefully
photographed the vast majority of inmates.
Each of the almost 6,000 portraits that have been recovered. The
Khmer Rouge kept careful records through written notes and
photographs to prove that they were caring out the orders given to
them. These recovered photographs and notes are on display today
at S-21.
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Today, S-21 Prison is known as the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide: the name means ‘poison hill’, an
apt description.
The Killing Fields
Fifteen kilometres from the centre of Phnom Penh is the Choeung Ek
extermination centre, the final destination of some 20,000 adults
and children who had been imprisoned and interrogated at S-21
Prison.
Well over a hundred burial pits lie in what was once an orchard.
About eighty were exhumed – the total number of bodies was
around 9,000. Shallow depressions indicate the graves where bodies
were disinterred, some labeled with brief notices listing the body
count.
S-21 Prison was one of a 167 prisons throughout Cambodia, and Choeung Ek was
but one of 343 'killing fields'. In all, 19,440 mass graves have been identified.
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CONTACT DETAILS
Cambodia Contacts:
These numbers are for (EMERGENCY USE ONLY)
1. Mr. Robert Landau, Education Director - Liger Learning Center (LCC) (+855)(0)95-929-567
2. Staff cell (Ms. Ivy): 971-050- 227-1503
Dubai Contacts:
3. DAA during school hours: 04 347-9222
4. DAA after school hours: (EMERGENCY USE ONLY)
a. Joan Wiens Cell: 050- 928 3484 (EMERGENCY USE ONLY)
COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS
We have started a blogspot for parents to follow our daily activities. Please bear in mind that we
have full days planned and the site may only be updated late in the evening.
Blogspot: - http://daacambodia2012.blogspot.com/
Be aware that our location and the nature of the program can make it difficult to communicate
on a regular basis as we are not aware of the internet access we will have.
ACCOMMODATION
The Eighty8 Restaurant & Hostel
No. 98, Phsar Dek (St. 88), 12202, Phnom Penh
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/The-88-Backpackers-Phnom-Penh/Phnom-
Penh/48940
Tel: (+855)(0)78 392 002
(+855)(0)12 325 411
Freedom Hotel,
National Road No 6, near Phsar Leu Thom Thmey Market, Siem Reap ,
Tel (+855)(0)63 963 473)
(+855)(0)12 900 220)
http://www.freedomhotel.info/
Remember we will be very busy in Cambodia.
The phone numbers in Cambodia are for EMERGENCY USE ONLY.
Example of an Emergency:
(Student needs to be put on a plane immediately to return to Dubai, due to a family crisis.)
Time difference between Cambodia and Dubai is 3 hours.
Example: 6 pm Dubai = 9 pm Cambodia
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PACKING CHECKLIST AND SUGGESTIONS
Pack very light - Remember…. You carry what you bring!
It is going to be hot – bring a lot of sun screen and a water bottle
 ____Small to medium sized backpack (Carry-on and Day pack)
 ____ Light-weight running shoes or Sandals (Tiva-type) for walking and cycling
 ____2 pair shorts (may double as bathing suit)/or light weight long pants
 ____2 pairs of long pants (or skirts)
 ____3 t-shirts
 ____3 pairs of Socks
 ____small camp towel & personal wash kit (toothbrush/paste/shampoo, etc.)
 ____swimsuit
 ____sunglasses
 ____hat
 ____sunscreen
 ____ water bottle
 ____camera and extra batteries (protective case and/or zip lock bag)
 ____repellent 100% DEET
 ____plastic bags (Zip-lock bags are very useful for protecting your belongings)
 ____personal medical kit - We will carry a first-aid kit that contains a variety of bandages
and other basic medical equipment, but we don't administer any internal medicines.
 ____If you are prone to motion sickness, bring your own motion sickness pills.
 ____extra pair of reading glasses in case of loss or glasses head strap (optional)
 ____Journal or notebook for memories of your Adventure
 ____Money for gifts and souvenirs
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VISA INFORMATION
We are aware that all nationalities can get a visa on arrival, however due to the fact that we arrive in Cambodia
late at night we are making it a requirement for all students to apply for online visas.
Once you receive your e-visa through email, print a copy and bring that with a passport size photo to the MS
rd
office by no later than Thursday, February 3 . The process takes 3 working days.
Please make sure you have the correct size photo and the form must be completed in English.
All you need to do is to complete the online application form and pay with your credit card. After receiving your
rd
Visa through email, print it out and bring it MS office by no later than Thursday, February 3 ..
Web Site: http://www.mfaic.gov.kh/evisa/Default.aspx
Tourist Visa
Entry Type Single entry only
Fees USD20 + USD5 (processing charge)
Validity 3 months (starting from the date of issue)
Length of Stay 30 days (more)
Processing time 3 business days
Requirement A passport validity of more than six months balance at time of entry, a
recent passport-size photo in digital format (JPEG or PNG format), a
valid credit card (Visa/MasterCard).
Countries not supported Afghanistan, Algeria, Arab Saudi, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Nigeria (Please apply your Visa from your nearest
embassy or on-arrival at all major checkpoints).
Photo Guidelines
A recent photo in JPEG or PNG format, file size less than 1MB..
Application with incorrect photo will not be processed..
Application Tips
Please enter your information (Surname, Given Name, etc) in English only.
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Recommendations and things to think about:
The following are some important suggestions of what students should do or not do when on a trip.
Many of these recommendations are simply common sense, while others are not, but are based on
years of first hand experience of what works and doesn't work while on a trip of this kind.
Culture
1. Cambodia is Buddhist (official) 96.4%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2%
The Cambodian people are generally a very polite and respectful culture, especially to elders.
2. Students will enjoy themselves much more if they go with an open mind and are not judgmental.
After all, cultures in this part of the world have flourished and functioned well for many
centuries.
3. The faster you "become native,” and the more about the country you learn, the more enriching
and fun will be your experience.
Safety
1. Safety of course is paramount. Always pay attention to your Teachers and Chaperones and be
aware of what is going on around you. Students should also remind each other about this and
safety issues often.
2. When instructions or information is being disseminated, students need to be quiet and paying
attention. As a student, if you are not sure of any instructions, raise your hand and ask before
we break up into smaller groups and depart.
3. No sitting on ledges or other dangerous areas. No running and "horsing around." Virtually all
accidents occur, because someone wasn't paying attention to instructions, was fooling around,
or wasn't attentive to their surroundings, which are very different than what one is used to at
home.
4. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. The cognitive maps most of us have for functioning in
our easy western lifestyle, do not work when walking around and sleeping in village settings in a
“strange land”. The simplest things such as walking, can be hazardous if you don't adjust those
“cognitive maps” to the realities of being in a new and different environment.
5. Wear practical shoes or sandals when outside.
6. When in markets or crowded places, students are to stay in groups of 4 or more at least and stay
with the chaperones, do not wander off by yourself. Students will rendezvous at pre-designated
spots at certain times during their market or similar experience. If you become separated from
your group, go to the rendezvous spot and wait there until the group arrives.
7. Believe it or not, parents calling chaperones can be a "safety hazard." If a parent is calling day
and night, to see how "Johnny" is doing, chaperones end up being a lot more tired, which can
affect their ability to function properly. Similarly if "Johnny" is talking on the phone to mom,
when important information is being disseminated to students, this can and does affect safety.
Team
1. Everyone will model the behavior that we all expect DAA students to exhibit.
2. As a group of students and teachers we are a part of a team and will act together to help and
support each other in every aspect of the trip during the whole week.
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Mobile/Cell Phones
1. Cell phones with students are not allowed. One major goal of this trip is to teach them, self-
reliance and independence; something which is hard to do, when they have ready access day or
night to mom and dad.
2. Cell phones will be carried by chaperones and staff. We are always able to contact parents or
vice versa should that be necessary.
3. We will not call a parent every time a student gets a minor cut or falls down. In most cases these
incidents are very minor. Calling in these circumstances, needlessly alarms parents and serves
no practical purpose. We will not act on impulse. We will first assess any incident in a logical and
objective way. Then make a determination of what should or should not be done based on the
realities on the ground. In the vast majority of cases, things are not a "big deal" at all.
Medical
1. First Aid kits with recommended supplies will be supplied by the school and carried by specified
teachers or chaperones.
2. The school nurse will in-service staff about any medical issues concerning specific students.
3. We will not baby the kids. Kids who are babied usually respond by focusing on their ailments or
social trauma, real or imagined, rather than the experience of the trip itself.
4. Medical release forms signed by parents, giving chaperones permission to have medical
treatment administered to a student if the need arises, are kept on file by the chaperones.
5. Sometimes it is necessary for students to take a mild motion sickness tablet. Students who
know that they are likely to suffer from motion sickness should bring their own supply of
motion sickness pills such as Dramamine that can be bought over the counter. The
Chaperones will have some motion sickness pills with them and will issue them to students
who need it.
6. Specific student medical information such as allergies will be carried by a teachers and
chaperones.
7. Any specific medications for students should be carried by students and teachers and
chaperones must be told by the students what they are carrying and when they might need to
take any medication.
8. When traveling as a group it is very important that students stay together and not wander off.
When traveling the staff need to know where everyone is at all times. This pertains to all
activities, restaurants, villages, airports, trains, vans etc. We can waste a lot of time and even
miss connecting flights if a student has wandered off to have bite to eat.
Airports / Travel Venues
1. When in airports, students should keep off to the side and out of the way of other passengers.
2. The chaperones check the group in and follow the instructions of the airline agent.
3. The chaperones will hand out and collect passports and boarding passes when necessary.
Students will not carry these items around for any extended period of time.
4. No "illegal items" should be carried through security. Get all metal etc., off your person, so that
you don't have a traffic jam at the metal detectors.
5. When going through immigration and customs, students need to be aware that security is a
very serious business and that any fooling around will not be tolerated.
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Packing
1. Bags should be soft and carry on size. Everyone will carry their own bags, so the smaller the
better.
2. You can buy and carry as much shopping goodies as you want during the trip. It's easy to buy a
cheap bag to carry these things home at the end of the week.
3. Checked bags should have a bright color ribbon or tape on them, this helps a lot when trying to
pick your bag out from that pile of bags that comes off the plane or the bus.
4. Bags should have name and address labels with phone numbers etc.
I-pods
1. Students may bring ipods BUT they are responsible for looking after their own gear. I-pods may
only be used when the student has down time while traveling or at night.
If a student is using a player when it is inappropriate such as when they should be listening to
instructions etc., the player will be confiscated by staff and will not be returned until the end
of the trip.
Losses or Breakage
1. If students, lose or break property in lodges or vehicles etc. they will be charged the cost of
replacement.
Personal Belongings
1. Students are responsible for taking care of their own personal property such as cameras, money,
electronics, [passports and tickets (kept by chaperones)]. The last person leaving a room, should
lock it and keep the room key, or turn it in to reception. Do not leave personal belongings laying
around. The best way to carry money and valuables is in a money belt, or pouch, rather than in a
pocket or daypack.
Water
1. Drink lots of water. Never drink tap water, purified bottled water is available everywhere. All
water must be purchased by individuals. If you are drinking water from a bottle, use all of it
before getting another one and you should mark your water bottle in someway so you only drink
from your bottle, (health reasons). If we see half full bottles of water laying around, from that
point on, water will be purchased by students.
2. Bottled water should be used for brushing teeth.
Cleaning up
1. Individuals are responsible for cleaning up after themselves. This applies to after meals, and any
litter no matter whose it is, in buses, planes, living areas, restaurants or out in nature. The Earth
is our only home and we need to take care of it and to model what we believe by picking up
after ourselves.
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Community Service
1. Community Service is an important component of these trips. Students will actively participate
with local children and community members in simple community service projects while in
country.
Journals
1. Journaling is a very important student activity that should be done often during the course of the
trip. A student's journal should be an invaluable personal record of a unique experience.
Journals can contain, writing, poetry, art work, photographs, and mementos.
CHECK LIST - Reminder
1. DO NOT put money or valuables in your checked luggage. Always carry valuables on
your person or in your carry on luggage!
2. Camera:
a. Batteries
b. Charger
c. Make sure your memory card is empty and has enough space for all the photos you
will take. You may want to bring an extra memory card.
3. Small spiral note book and pencil (put in damp proof zip lock bag)
4. Medication (labeled)
5. All luggage is tagged with identification, both inside and outside.
6. Checked luggage has something on it to make it easy to spot. We will hand out a certain
color of ribbon at the airport to identify luggage belonging to our party.
7. Any last minute information that the teachers need to know about you.
8. Get lots of sleep and rest, it is going to be a very busy week in Cambodia
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