Leadership and Community Engagement: Cambodia

Camps International staff will be at Phnom Penh International Airport to greet us and assist with our transfer to our hotel.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia's busy capital, sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonl Sap rivers. It was a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists. On its walk-able riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants and bars, are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city's heart is the massive, art deco Central Market. After getting checked into our Phnom Penh hotel, we will have free time to explore the area. The team can explore the riverfront area and markets.

Phnom Penh is a vibrant city steeped in history and offers many cultural and historical experiences that include the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and National Museum.

As part of this tour, the team will visit Toul Sleng, a historical museum commemorating the genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge regime. The site is a former high school that was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979. During this period, it is estimated that over 17,000 people were imprisoned here. The Cheung Ek Killing Fields are a gruesome reminder of the atrocities that took place and provide a highly educational yet emotional experience. Afterwards, for some light relief, there will be a chance to visit local markets for souvenir shopping.

On every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.

Today we will travel from Phnom Penh to Beng Mealea Camp. On the way, we will stop off at spider town with the chance to hold tarantulas and enjoy lunch. Upon arrival at Camp Beng Mealea, the team will be met by camp staff with local refreshments. After settling into the traditional style accommodation, the team will receive a full safety and orientation brief which will include a walking tour of the community and project sites as well as experiencing a traditional water blessing by a monk. Enjoy a home-cooked dinner in camp before getting a good night's sleep. You'd be hard pushed to find a more authentic Cambodian experience!

The team will spend several days working hard on a range of activities designed to improve the living standards of a rural community who live below the poverty line and have limited access to medical facilities and education. Our projects in Cambodia include environmental education and reforestation, installing new toilets to communities, which have no access to sanitation, improving school infrastructure, permaculture, clean water initiatives, basic housing refurbishment and replacement. There will be opportunities to interact with the local children, by playing sports and traditional games. Your evenings are usually spent relaxing in camp and the local kitchen crew will rustle up a delicious dinner for you and your team. After dinner there are plenty of opportunities for group discussion, reflections on project work, keeping travel diaries up to date, as well as various team-led games and activities. Local staff are always in camp and are on hand to chat to and help you with anything else that you need.

On every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.

We will continue working towards our service goals. As a contrast to the building works, you may take part in Beng Mealea's tree planting project that aims to re-establish the community forest. Many forests in the country were illegally cleared by corrupt officials, but they are desperately needed to provide resources for villagers who are unable to purchase building materials to build and repair their homes. There is also a permaculture farm next to the camp, developing an organic and sustainable closed system of agriculture in which all waste products are put back into the system, eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers.

During rest time, there will be an opportunity to make traditional Khmer lanterns from wood and paper and to learn a few words of the Khmer language. Toward the end of the day, there is an hour or 2 when the sun's heat has lost its intensity and we have a perfect opportunity to challenge the local community to some friendly sporting competition. The favorites with locals are volleyball and soccer, or if you'd prefer to teach them a new sport this would provide a great opportunity for interaction and for the local children to practice their English language skills with native English speakers.

Your evenings are usually spent relaxing in camp and the local kitchen crew will rustle up a delicious dinner for you and your team. After dinner there are plenty of opportunities for group discussion, reflections on project work, keeping travel diaries up to date, as well as various team-led games and activities. Local staff are always in camp and are on hand to chat to and help you with anything else that you need.

Siem Reap, a resort town in northwestern Cambodia, is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th-15th centuries. Angkor's vast complex of intricate stone buildings includes preserved Angkor Wat, the main temple, which is pictured on Cambodia's flag. Giant, mysterious faces are carved into the Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom.

More than just a circus, Phare shows are unlike any other in the world: dance, theater, original live music and breath-taking circus arts are used to tell uniquely Cambodian stories from recent history, folklore and modern society. Phare artists are graduates of Phare Ponleu Selpak, an NGO school and professional arts training center in Battambang, Cambodia.

On every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.

Today we will participate in a Siem Reap Temple Tour. This tour enables the team to explore the collection of world famous temples around Siem Reap, including the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat, the walled city of Angkor Thom, the richly decorated Bayon Temple, and the overground jungle temple of Ta Prohm, where many scenes from the film "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" were filmed.