Day 1 – [March 27, 2015] Arrive into International Airport where your Rustic Pathways leaders will be waiting for you outside of customs. After checking into the hotel and freshening up after a long flight, head out into the city for your first foray into Cambodian . After dinner and a round of icebreakers, your leaders will conduct an orientation introducing themselves, the country, and reviewing the itinerary for the coming week.

Overnight: Yolanda Hotel, Phnom Penh

Day 2 – [March 28, 2015] Rise and shine for your first full day in ! Over some , the group will have their first informal language lesson. While you’ll just cover the basics, making an effort to learn the local language is a great gesture of respect for the local people.

Today will be spent exploring the city of Phnom Penh. Your first destination is Tuol Sleng (S-21), a former school that was used as a prison and has since been converted into a museum to educate visitors about the country’s genocide. You will also visit the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek where students can walk through the quiet and peaceful fields that played host to mass killings and burials during the genocide. While difficult at times, these sites are important landmarks of Cambodia’s past and allow students to put contemporary Cambodia into historical perspective.

After some local in the Russian Market and a delicious fruit shake to lift your spirits, you’ll drive up to Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia. Check into the hotel, grab a delicious dinner, and have a group meeting to prepare for your time in Prek Toal, the floating village where you will head tomorrow.

Siem Reap is an easy city to fall in love with, especially while strolling through the famous Night Market for some evening shopping and local souvenirs.

Tonight, like each day of the program, will end with a group discussion and reflection period, after which students will be given time (and encouragement!) to write in their travel notebooks.

Overnight: Sokha Roth Hotel, Siem Reap

Days 3 – 5 – [March 29-31, 2015] After breakfast, wander through a local market and buy food, supplies and service materials for your journey on the water. Today, the real adventure begins as you hop on board the Rustic Pathways boat and begin your trip into rural Cambodia. As you cruise up the river, you’ll be introduced to a whole new way of life. In Cambodia’s floating villages, families do everything on the water, from their morning aboard their watery homes to reeling in their nets at the end of a day of fishing. Get out your camera, journal, favorite book or start up a of cards, it’s a relaxing ride to your service village.

Once you arrive, you will move into your homestay settings and receive an orientation to the service work you will be doing during your time there. Through English classes and development projects designed in partnership with the local community, our group will be doing service work while in the village, but no service is more important than fostering cross-cultural understanding. Spend time learning about the lives of the people who live in this floating community and share your story while practicing the pieces of you’ve learned so far.

Over the next couple of days, learn about the different types of Cambodian cuisine through informal lessons on our boat. At each , a set number of students will be in charge of preparing the food for everyone to enjoy and our local staff will be teaching you the way!

Between the generous nature of the local families, the passion for learning amongst the village children, and witnessing this unique way of life, your time here is bound to be an eye-opening and thought-provoking experience.

Overnight: Traditional Homestay

Day 6 – [April 1, 2015] After a heartfelt goodbye with your new Cambodian friends, get back on the Rustic Pathways boat as you make your way across Tonle Sap Lake into Siem Reap.

Arriving into Siem Reap, you will have time to settle in to your hotel and take a hot shower before heading to Trailblazers Foundation, an innovative organization that aims to empower rural villages to create self-sustaining programs. Visit their facilities and learn more about the projects they are undertaking to accomplish their goal.

Tonight after dinner, head to “Phare The Cambodian Circus,” an acrobat show that tells a story about Cambodian life. This show is very inspiring to watch and will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Overnight: Sokha Roth Hotel, Siem Reap

Day 7 – [April 2, 2015] Rise and shine for a day of exploring Angkor Wat and the ancient ! The temple complex is abuzz with people ready to see this amazing 5-spiered architectural marvel. Get your camera ready and make sure your batteries are charged for this view of a lifetime!

You’ll spend some time in the complex, exploring the intricate carvings of Angkor’s historical battle scenes, and viewing the beautiful landscape from the top of the highest tower.

You’ll then travel to see the huge, carved faces of and make your way to the shady temple of Ta Prohm, where massive trees have given this ruin a fairytale-like feel. Have fun! This is a great place to check out the hidden passages or duck into a cool spot to collect your thoughts. This afternoon, head back to town for some last minute souvenir shopping and visit Les Chantiers Ecoles. Meet the local artisans and take a look at their breathtaking works.

Tonight, enjoy your final dinner in Cambodia and watch a traditional Apsara dance performance, as you dine on delicious Cambodian cuisine.

Overnight: Sokha Roth Hotel, Siem Reap

Day 8 – [April 3, 2015] We genuinely hope your time spent here, the experience you’ve shared, and the things you’ve reflected on will stay with you for a lifetime. After some final group photos and high- fives from Team Cambodia, it’s time to say goodbye as the group transfers to Siem Reap International Airport.

Lee-hi! Cambodia will miss you!