Before this trip,friends and relatives were telling me how scary cambodia is.
But i am still looking forward to this trip.Its really change my view of life.In singapore,at home i had everything i wanted.Nice clothes,New stationery when i found my was old.I worked as part-timer and bought many many new clothes when i got alot which i still haven't wear.I complain that weather was hot and sometimes my parents don't allow me to on the air-con.In cambodia children,they can't ask for more or want what they want immediately,all they had is to wait for a better tomorrow and hoping for a good life ahead and future.
         I used to grumble when my maid cooked the food which i don't like.I used to be picky with food.Now,it changes when i came back from cambodia.Kids at there are different from kids in singapore, they are much more poor than us,but they don't ask for more things like kids in singapore is really much more different.The villages in cambodia they doesn't have any toilet or electricity.They are really very pitiful,but they doesn't ask much.They just want to have food to eat thats all.I remember,we went to give some clothes and food to some villages,those stuff can last them till several monthes.It means cambodia people they know how to saved and don't spend.Is a good way for us singaporen to learnt.
         I am really delighted that i gained alot of experience during this trip.I won't forget the places i went in cambodia.The time we had together.And even the food at solar cafe, is great.I enjoyed myself when i'm at the orphange, chit chatting with the children,even take picture together, and there this girl name Sok Khang.I'm touched by her, loved the children smile and their scream!I can't stand my tears, thats why i drop tears,feeling so bad.Even remember that we went to "Periwinkle primary school",teaching the kids games,basic english and even oral hygience, the outcome was great!It gives me a special feeling when i enter the school,enjoying teaching children at the primary school.
            Children in cambodia are awesome!I can see happy faces everywhere.I am so ashamed with myself,sometimes my clothes there's a slight torn, i just threw it away,but back in cambodia,children wearing old clothes,old slippers and even some without clothes.Whatever food they have,they just eat,without any complain. But for me in singpore,food that doesn't suit me, i will just complain or even don't bother to eat.Now,i'm back, i learnt to be humble, be happy with what we have.They even have the spirt of never give up life until the day you leave the world,no matter how hard life is carry on with your life,aim for your wish and make a goal with it.I am looking forward to this CIP Trip again next year.I missed cambodia and the children there.Cambodia i will be back again and cambodia there are great, i never regret going there, and thank to those kids make my life with full of achieves now!=)              

Before this trip, I was thinking that this trip is just another normal school trip. But after this trip, I felt that this trip changed me into a better person. This trip is really special one as it changes people way of view of life. We never have enough of everything, keep asking for more. But now, I realised the children in Cambodia cannot ask for anything but to pray that tomorrow is a better day for themselves.

I used to grumble that I don't have enough nice and pretty clothes. But now, I don't.
I used to complain that my room have too many mosquitoes and make me itch. But now, I don't.
I used to do my homework and cursing teachers. But now, I do my homework happily and feel grateful to my teachers.
I used to be so picky in food. But now, I don't.

I felt really grateful to this trip. I learnt. :)

Despite the situation the children in Cambodia are in, they still face it with a happy face. I felt really useless at that time. They are still happy despite they have to wear used clothes, old slippers or even eat just a little. I still grumble what I have now. Now, I learnt that despite what happen, just smile and everything will look better.

Yesterday is History. Tomorrow is Mystery. Today is a Gift. That's why it is called the PRESENT.

Reflection after the trip

  This CIP trip to Cambodia has been a really meaningful one, It is a trip that one will not find in Singapore.

  I've learnt alot from this trip from basic skills to moral education, This trip shows the different side of me, one that I will never find in Singapore. From the living the life of a modern 2000s year Singaporean in a pampered and rich city to a peaceful kampong life of Singapore back in the 1950s.

  Before day 1, I've been looking foward to this trip for a long time, Upon arriving at Cambodia, the first thing that change myself is eating Insects about an inch long, Everyone dare to try it and we felt really proud of ourself, When we arrived at the Village, We really found ourself back to the simple facilities, I will never forget that experience and life there. Animals roam freely and the villagers were friendly and hardworking, and noisy rooster woke me up in 4 in the morning and I had to go to the toilet in total darkness,It was also enjoyable to look at the night sky.
 While teaching students from the school, It was tough espicially since we speaked different language, but we manage to teach them as they were very willing to learn, unlike us who take school for granted, they go all out, one boy said something to me that really motivated me, He said that he wanted to study very hard and go to university so as to be able to come to Singapore to meet us, Upon hearing that, I've felt really guilty about the way we are back in Singapore. When delivering food/clothes to the needy, their genuine smile on their faces warms our hearts and brightens our day,We feel a strong urge to help more people then. During campfire, We were all dancing and moving according to the music, everyone was enjoying ourself, in the end, we were all tired but happy, this would not have happen in Singapore whereby most will just stay attached to the computer rather that enjoying themselves to the 'real' natural entertainment. From that experience, I've learnt that we must all strive and learn to live life to the fullest and happiest. Although I cannot bear to part with the village, but we evantually have to go.

 I felt that the toughest day was on Day 4 when we spent our whole day doing community service such as carry zinc blocks, painting and leather carving. I've learnt that the people there have a very strong will to go all out and strive for the better, after that day, I felt that I need and will change for the better. It's not just about doing community service but also about helping out others and making their lives much better. The words that are painted by us will remain in my mind, and I hope the local Cambodians will remember and strive to their fullest potential : When there is a will, There is a way!

 The best day was probably day 5 whereby we enjoy ourself the whole day, It felt very magnificient to see Angkor Wat, one of the 20 finalist candidate to the 7 wonders of the world.

  Overall, This trip has been very meaningful and has change my life for the better, I will not take things for granted and will strive to work hard and be a better person, I do wish the trip was much longer, as I felt an urge to continue there for about a week more. I would like to thank the teachers : Ms Quan, Mr Ong,Ms Voo, Ms Kati, Ms Lim,Ms Karen ,Aunt Esther and Mr Moni for their support towards me and the group. Hope there will be more people joining for the next year trip as it will definitely change your life for the better and bring out the 'true' in you.

Gladwin (Gazing into the night sky from a different angle on Earth)

Day 5: Day of Tourism

         It has been a very fun day for everyone of us as we had gone on a sightseeing trip to various places of interest. First, we had our breakfast in the hotel's restaurant. It was great! Then, we all went to the Bayon Temple in Siem Reap and had our first activity of the day - ELEPHANT RIDE! For many of us, it was our first time riding the elephant. Some of us were worried about falling down from the elephant's back as the seat seemed to be unstable. Although the ride was bumpy, we managed to see the beautiful scenery around the Bayon Temple. The temple was surrounded by a moat and we could see the reflection of the magnificent temples in the water. It was an amazing sight to behold! Bayon temple is a Buddist temple and although the temple is in ruins, it attracts thousands of visitors daily.

 

The next destination we went to was the AngKor Wat Temple. It is one of the seven wonders of the world and we were so thrilled to be able to see one of the wonders! To show our respect to the Cambodians, we had to wear long pants and shirts with sleeves into the temples. Most of us had difficulties climbing up the steep steps that led to the top of the temple and we even had to use our hands to pull ourselves up.

During the visit to Angkor Wat, many of us were sweating profusely because of the hot and humid weather. Despite that, we did not give up and we continued visiting all the temples. We all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly during this trip! The AngKor Wat temple is a majestic beauty!

Next, we went to the Siem Reap War Museum. There were guns, tanks and other war weapons in the museum. These displays showed us the cruelty that the innocent people had suffered during the war. We even saw where the landmines were before they were defused by the US people.


After a 30 minute drive, we arrived at the Jungle Temple. The temple is completely surrounded by nature, just trees and plants. Some of the trees had roots growing on the temple. The temple is also especially cooling. Although the temple is under reconstruction, it does not fail to attract many tourists to visit the place. Today, we also had the opportunity to shop for gifts this evening. Many of us left the night market with bagfuls of gifts for our friends and relatives.

All in all, we have had a lot of fun and a wonderful learning experience in Cambodia. Each and every one of us has grown fond of Cambodia and some of us even wish to stay here for a few more days. This trip was a very enriching one, and we'll all cherish  the memories that we have from this trip.

Posted by Group 5
Germaine, Yu Hui, Christina, Amanda

Day 4 - Same same yet different

 

What does 'change' mean to you?

Getting out of bed earlier than usual was an unusual routine for many of us. Nevertheless, we're awake, alert, alive and enthusiastic for the day to come.

We started the day with breakfast in the hotel before heading  to the Bakong Orphanage, Siem Reap. With only 3 classes of students, we taught them joyful songs: 'Hokey Pokey', 'If you're happy'', basic English, drawing and colouring, handicraft and painting of the toilet walls. The boys even helped in the building of the zinc roof. Afterwhich, we left for a sumptuous lunch at a local restaurant.

We had more than enough to eat, yet just a simple dish of stew could satisfy the Cambodians. We should spare a thought for the poor children when we moan and rant over too much food to eat. Thinking of the children in the orphanage, we couldn't enjoy our lunch.

Returning to the orphanage, we completed the painting of the toilet walls. Next, we started on our second painting mission, which is the library. Not only did we paint the walls, we also painted a mural of hope for them - "When there is a will, there is a way". We had a go at leather crafting. It appeared easy at the hands of the skilled Cambodians but we found it challenging when we did it ourselves. Any wrong angle in handling the chisel would have ruined the piece of art. Thereafter. we did area cleaning. Before we left the orphanage, we distributed oral hygiene kits to them. We couldn't bear to leave the orphanage. We wished the day was longer as our presence was much apprenciated by the orphans.

We are inspired by the positive spirit of the Cambodians. Being able to bless the Cambodians through our contributions, it brought us pride. A sense of euphoria overwhelmed us. We brought about a small change. a change in the hearts of the Cambodians.

Like a lighthouse shining in the darkest place, we brought hope to them and put smiles on their faces. A simple life they have, yet they have such positive attitude towards life, and are appreciative of life. We have plenty of food to eat, luxurious bedrooms to sleep in and proper classrooms to study in. Do we even spare a thought for others whenever we complain?

The Cambodians don't have a choice but we do.

Let's live life to the fullest!

Posted by Group 4

Krichelle Teo, Harriet Lee, Audrey Koo, Jazreel Lim.

Day 3 Leaving With A Heavy Heart

All of us developed feelings for the Homestay at the Baray Kompong Thom Province and we were upset that we were leaving so soon. All of us left with a heavy heart. Everyone did not want to part with the children and the villagers there. When we left the Solar café to proceed on to our next destination, Siem Reap, everyone tried to fight back their tears when we boarded the bus. Initially most of the students were skeptical of the Home

stay as we were worried over the kind of food that we would be served. But after spending two nights at the Homestay, it was clear that all of us enjoyed staying there. We love aunt Esther’s magnificent cooking.

After witnessing the kind of environment that the children in Cambodia grow up in, we feel guilty that we did not appreciate and cherish what we have in Singapore. We were in awe as the children in Cambodia vean undying spirit to succeed in life despite their living conditions. Today, we had the opportunity to visit another orphanage, the Bakong Orpanage Home. We saw that the home is lacking in proper facilities.
The children welcomed us by putting up a puppet show to welcome us. We will be going back to the home tomorrow to carry out our CIP project.

Next we went to a local market where we had a great time shopping and bargaining like ‘aunties’. It was fun and we had a wonderful experience.   

Posted by Group 3

Kaiying, Chuwen Fu, Gladwin & Jasmine

Day 2 : Awesome Bonfire.

 We woke up at 6am after hearing the "morning call" from the rooster. After having a sumptuous breakfast of homemade Kaya, Rice Dumpling, & French Loaf, we went to Periwinkle Primary School to interact with the students from Grades 2 to 4.

We taught them English, numbers in English as well as how to sing the Alphabet Song. The kids were very keen to learn and they were very attentive. They were very polite and said thank you when we gave them sweets as rewards everytime they answered our questions. We played games with them as well; the boys were very rough but happy, and enthusiastic when they played soccer. The girls loved playing the Eagle & Chick game. They appeared happy and enjoyed the game a lot.

 

We also donated 200 over hygiene packs to the kids there. We taught them how to brush their teeth, wash their face, how to wash their hands and how to comb their hair. They felt really thankful for the gift  because back in their village, they don't have such things. They usually use ash & salt to brush their teeth with a tree bark or their fingers. After this visit to the school, we feel very fortunate with what we have, and we feel very sorry for the children.

The afternoon was fun-filled while we carried out CIP activities.

We started by taking a pony ride around the

villages. We gave the villagers food rations that we had bought with our monetary donations and we had packed the ration before the visit. The food rations consist of rice, salt, sugar and fish sauce. We also found out that Aunty Esther (our homestay owner) had sponsored the building of a house to a family who couldn't afford to build one. We felt that the families appreciate our rations and are all very grateful to us. They are friendly and we really had lots of fun doing this. We took an ox-cart ride around the farm behind our homestay. We had the opportunity to see a beautiful sunset. 

In the evening, we had a bonfire and all the children from the village attended.

We watched a group of traditonal dancers danced to traditional songs. We performed 3 songs and we received tremendously loud applause. Aafter our performance, the children from the orphanage taught us the steps to the traditional dance. We had a lot of fun. We made many friends from the village. When the Bonfire ended, we sent the orphans back to the orphanage. They were so sweet when they said they'll love us forever. It was touching and almost made us cry.

By Group 2
Nicolette, Rebecca, YongHui and Joven

Day 1: Sousdey!

Sousdey! (which means 'Hello' in Khmer Language)

On 23^rd nov, 19 students and 5 teachers embarked on a trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We had to wake up really early that morning to meet at the airport, at 4AM ! We were excited and anxious.  After bidding goodbye to our parents who had come to send us off, we proceeded to board the plane. After 2 hours of flight, we finally reached Cambodia!

We met up with our Cambodian guide, Mr Moni, and proceeded by bus to Siem Reap! On the way, Mr Moni brought us to a road-side stall to try their local snacks, FRIED CRICKETS AND GRASSHOPPERS!!! We were horrified to learn that these are side dishes for the locals!! Most of us tried them and to our surprise, the fried bugs actually tasted delicious, just like fried bacons!  We then continued our long bus journey of three and a half hours and finally arrived at Baray Kompong Thom Province for our homestay experience and our CIP activities to support the local community.

 

We had our lunch at Solar Café which is runned by Ms Esther Ding, a Malaysian who has been living in Cambodia for the last 16 years to help support the locals. We had Cambodian glass noodles, tempura abalone mushrooms and chicken soup. YUMMY! It was a very satisfying meal.

 Thereafter, we were brought to the homestay village and we sorted out used clothes that we had brought from Singapore. It took us about an hour to finish packing the clothes. After which, we went to the respective wooden huts which we were allocated to and we were all excited to see how our rooms would be like!  We felt like we were transported back in time as the facilities were very basic - our beds were thin mattresses and bugs were crawling all over. The huts were warm and stuffy. The electrical supply in the compound was controlled - supply came on at about 6pm and out by 11pm. Although the homestay environment was very different from our homes back in Singapore, we were still thrilled to be able to stay there as it was a brand new experience for all of us!

 We had about an hour to familiarise with the village and we started playing games with the village children. We got chased by an angry goose! We continued walking deeper into the village and took a truck ride to another part of the village. Although there were 30 of us on that small truck, we truly enjoyed the bumpy but fun ride! We paid 5 USD just to take that ride.

Next, we went to a nearby orphanage in the village to donate stationery sets and the clothes that we had packed to the 25 orphans who are living there. When we handed them the gifts, the children were very appreciative and thanked us with smiles on their faces. They also showed us their bedrooms and when we saw that each bed in the orphanage was shared among five children and that the beds were each laid with only a thin straw mat, we felt really sorry for them.

Our guide, Mr Moni, then brought us to visit the First January Dam which was built during the Pol Pot Regime. The scenery was really beautiful there and we were able to view the sunset. All of us got into the dam to soak our feet in the clear and cool water. We were shocked when Mr Moni told us that the lives of 2 million people were sacrificed during the building of the dam. They were being captured and forced to work extremely hard to complete the construction of the dam.

It was soon dinner time and we went back to Solar Café for our delicious dinner which was swamped with flies! Suddenly, the whole café blacked out! But luckily we had more or less finished our dinner. We boarded the bus back to homestay and showered. The toilets were also filled with flies and spiders. We were finally allowed to go back to the room and we had an early rest with creepy crawlies!!

Posted by Group 1

Eunice, Jia Shing & Jun Jie