Engaging in Khmer Cultural Projects
Destination: Several locations across Cambodia
Cambodia offers far more than the ruins of Angkor Wat: boat trips up the Mekong, vibrant Phnom Penh, and a healthy dash of unpredictability.
This project is part volunteer work and part cultural immersion, as you visit several of the best-known cities of
Cambodia as well as off-the-beaten-path villages and towns. It's a month-long commitment but a nice blend of work and exploration.
In the first part of your journey, you'll explore major points of interest (Phnom Penh, the
Killing Fields,
National Museum, and so on). In the second part, you'll live in a traditional village and immerse yourself in Khmer culture. Through your interactions, you'll be introduced to the local language and cuisine, native rituals, dance, song, the art of puppet making, and more. After absorbing so much of the culture, you'll have the chance to give back, teaching conversational English, arts and crafts, and other skills. You needn't be an accomplished artist or teacher to make a powerful contribution. On your working days, you'll be in schools, talking and playing with small groups of students. Later in the day you'll repeat some of the same tasks at the orphanage.
Coming home in the evenings to your host family is an uplifting, warm experience (and a guarantee of good eating). Families are carefully chosen for their interest in making deep, personal connections with visitors from other cultures and learning about their lives firsthand. The program is well structured, so your days off are filled with excursions. There are few questions about Khmer life, history, and culture that you won't be able to answer by the time you return home after such full immersion.
Your Next Step: Projects Abroad (tel.
888/839-3535;
www.projects-abroad.org). A 2-week project, $2,545, includes host family lodging, meals, touring costs and guides, project training and cultural orientation, enrichment classes, comprehensive travel and medical insurance, and 24-hour support.
Don't Miss: The floor of Phnom Penh's
Silver Pagoda, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is covered with more than 5,000 silver tiles. It is home not only to the headliners -- a large golden Buddha and a beloved crystal emerald Buddha -- but also several other treasures, making the Silver Pagoda a glittering ode to the steadfastness of the culture -- and one of the only surviving Cambodian temples that wasn't damaged by the Khmer Rouge regime.
Official Tourism Website: www.tourismcambodia.com
