Explore a rich culture very different from your own, and experience a society that is in the state of rebuilding. Masonry, construction, and building school infrastructure are the main service projects. Build additions to schools, teach English and lead classes for children at a summer camp. Also, visit war memorials, colorful food and art markets, and the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
You will work on projects that mix construction and social services, building additions to schools, upgrading school facilities, and leading classes at a vibrant summer camp, getting to know the local kids, teaching arts and crafts, playing games, and teaching basic English.
You will interact continuously with Cambodian friends, from small children to college students, teachers and farmers to engineers, shopkeepers and craftspeople. You will get to know the “Mighty Girls” soccer team and summer camp students, our neighbors and project partners.
Explore Angkor Wat, one of the “Wonders of the World,” visit the main attractions of Phnom Penh, ride bikes along rice paddies, enjoy a famous dance performance, learn Khmer-language basics, visit a silk farm, make rice paper with rural farmers, and stroll along the Mekong River.
FEATURED PARTNER
SALT Academy runs youth soccer leagues in Cambodia and uses recreation as a foundation for teaching important life skills. SALT also provides housing and educational support to teen girls in Battambang. SALT’s work has been recognized by the UN Under-Secretary General.The charming northern city of Battambang is renowned for delicious food, friendly people and a beautiful surrounding landscape. Battambang features charming colonial architecture and a relaxed pace. Its location makes it ideally situated for exploring traditional Cambodia.
Cambodia is one of VISIONS newest program sites, where we have lived and worked since 2012. The idea was first presented by a veteran summer director, Wesley Hedden, who was living in Cambodia as a Princeton-in-Asia Scholar. With more nonprofits per capita than any other country in the world, Cambodia was a good fit for VISIONS, and Wes introduced us to terrific partners in Battambang. This Southeast Asia destination has proven well worth the travel and tremendously popular for our adventurous youth.
We take a weekend to explore Angkor Wat, one of the “Wonders of the World,” and spend another day visiting the main attractions of Phnom Penh. The Bamboo Railroad, bike riding along rice paddies, and a famous dance performance are among other favorites while in Cambodia. We visit a silkworm farm and learn to weave strands of silk, we make rice paper with rural farmers, stroll along the Mekong River, and take in the unique offerings of Cambodia on a daily basis.
A large house in one of Battambang’s central neighborhoods is where we call home during our time in Cambodia. We live together as a group, with ample space that includes a kitchen, showers and bathrooms, separate rooms for boys and girls, and beds provided for each person.
Service projects start after breakfast and end by mid-afternoon. We work five days per week, and you typically get to choose between three different worksites each day. Once a week, you will be on “homebase crew” with a few other participants and a leader. The crew helps to make meals, goes to colorful markets to buy food for the next meals, does laundry, and takes in a “day in the life of Battambang.”
After work there is time to get to know our surroundings and learn more about the culture. Whether playing games with local kids, attending a rice paper workshop, visiting local parks and outdoor markets, or simply chatting with neighbors on the patio, there are a lot of activities that fill our days. Weekends and a few other days are set aside for our exciting travel and excursions.
Meals are a blend of local cuisine and Western fare, with variety and abundance for everyone’s liking. We provide meat and vegetarian options, and healthy snacks are available through the day.
A few evenings a week, we have meetings to talk through the summer experience as a group. Other nights we’ll go to events in town, hang out as a group, or prepare for the next day’s projects.
VISIONS is not a teen tour with a day-to-day travel itinerary. Instead we settle in to our home base and are part of daily life at the program site. The itinerary provides highlights of some of our activities in Cambodia.
First Day
During Trip
Last Day
We'd be happy to get you in touch with a parent whose child has already been through one of our programs.
