PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Experience the Cultures of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand

• Volunteer With Children Affected by Agent Orange

• Work for an Elephant Conservation Organization in

Rural Thailand

• Build and Install Bio-Sand Water Filters in Cambodian Villages

• Explore the famous Angkor Wat Complex at Sunrise

• Overnight on the Stunning Waters of Vietnam’s Halong Bay

• Partner with Villagers Working in a Hill Tribe Community near

Chiang Mai

• 60 Hours Community Service

Spotlight project: graSSrootS initiativeS

All over Southeast Asia, locals work together to meet the needs of their communities. In Thailand, we work at an

Eco Reserve, established by a local who gave up his high-paying job to save land from development and create

a safety corridor for wild elephants, granting them safe access to the river. In Cambodia, we teach at a school

created by one local who saw that his neighbors didn’t have the means to go to school, so he brought school to

them, providing the materials they needed, and letting them attend when it worked best for them. We also assist an

organization that hosts neighborhood meetings to determine who in the community most needs clean water, then

has ARCC teens mold and install filters to provide families with 40 years of clean water. In Vietnam, war veterans

from America, Vietnam and France came together to create a rehabilitation center for veterans, and their children

and grandchildren who continue to suffer birth defects from Agent Orange, an herbicide used during the Vietnam

War. Our weeks in Southeast Asia introduce us to the founders of these projects, and we tap into their ingenuity

and resolve, fully understanding Southeast Asia’s reputation for having some of the kindest people in the world.

SOUTHEAST ASIAGRASSROOTS INITIATIVESA 24-Day Service Learning Program

SAMPLE ITINERARY

travel DayS anD arrival in phnom penh Participants are met by their leaders at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). After a warm

welcome and thorough introduction to ARCC, we board our flight to Cambodia. In Phnom Penh

we meet our local guide and are taken to our comfortable guesthouse near the Central Market and

Mekong river. We work off jet lag by jumping right into our language and cultural orientation, taking

time to explore the cultural city of Phnom Penh. Through games, team building activities, and eating

our first meals together, our adventure truly begins. We also introduce the role of “Leader of the Day”

and “Chow Circle,” which are essential components of every ARCC program.

Accommodations: Hotel

Day 1

phnom penh exploration Today we continue our orientation to Cambodia and its history by venturing out along the famed

waterfront to explore the city and its Royal Palace, as well as visiting the infamous killing fields to

learn about Cambodia’s difficult past. Adjusting to the hustle and bustle of a major Southeast Asian

city, we visit a local food and souvenir market and take in a sunset over the mighty Mekong.

Accommodations: Hotel

Day 4

project clean Water

Once acclimated to Cambodia, we make our way to Siem Reap province where we begin our service

work with a local NGO on a clean water project, just outside of the city. Using cement, we construct

bio-sand water filters, then install them into local community homes. With each filter we install, we

feel a sense of purpose knowing these filters will provide families with clean water for up to 40 years.

Working, eating and sleeping in the village community, our first days in Siem Reap are rich in culture

and community and allow us to settle into the laid-back Cambodian lifestyle.

Accommodations Village Guesthouses

Day 5

Siem reap, angkor Wat anD engliSh teaching

Once we finish our work, we prepare for the wonder that awaits us in the city of Siem Reap: the world

renowned Angkor Wat. We wake early to enjoy a sunrise over the incredible temples of Angkor.

We make our way through the various temples, exploring age-old structures and soaking in the

history of this fascinating complex. At night, we enjoy the international center of Cambodia as we

navigate shops in Siem Reap’s famous night market. Before we leave this ancient city of welcoming

people, we spend two days volunteering at a small school, assisting in an education project for local

children, and continuing infrastructure projects to safeguard the school. We leave Cambodia on a

late afternoon flight to Hanoi.

Accommodations: Hotel

Day 8

halong Bay On our first day in Vietnam, we embark on a tropical adventure! We are welcomed by our local guides

who take us to the coast where we board a “junk,” a traditional Vietnamese boat, for a two-night

excursion in Halong Bay. Surrounded by over three thousand islands rising out of the emerald waters,

we cool off in the glistening water before jumping into our kayaks to explore majestic lagoons and

uninhabited beaches. We spend one night in bungalows on a private island, playing beach volleyball

and eating spring rolls. Then, our second night is spent sleeping on the deck of a boat; we have our

evening circles under the stars!

Accommodations: Beach Bungalow, Liveaboard Boat

Day 11

hanoi exploration & Spotlight project - agent orange Leaving the turquoise waters behind, we head back to Hanoi where, for the next several days, we

volunteer on the campus of a community that provides medical care, physical therapy, education, and

vocational training to Vietnamese children and veterans who have been affected by Agent Orange.

We teach English lessons, help around the grounds, and learn about the projects that students are

working on (such as embroidery and beadwork). We also meet with war veterans who cherish the

newfound friendships between Vietnam and the US.

After our work each day, we explore the narrow streets of the Old Quarter in Hanoi, sampling the

Vietnamese staple soup phó and visiting local markets. We take time to learn about Vietnam’s

complex past by visiting the War Museum and rest our weary feet by catching one of Vietnam’s

famous water puppet shows. We discover hidden gems down each cobblestoned street as we soak

up the incredible energy of this fascinating city. Before catching an evening flight to Thailand, we

wave goodbye to new friends, with a better understanding of our intertwined histories.

Accommodations: Small Hotel

Day 14

chiang mai & village hill triBe community School

On our first morning in Thailand, we explore the historical city of Chiang Mai. We visit lively markets

where we have the opportunity to practice our new-found language skills before we begin our Thai

cooking course where we learn how to prepare some of Thailand’s most well-known cuisine: spring

rolls, Pad Thai, and sticky rice with mangos. After an afternoon meditation practice with a local

monk, we head into the hills, where a Hill Tribe welcomes us to their village.

Marginalized communities like this in Thailand often don’t have the resources they need for education

and infrastructure. In this particular community, landslides caused by deforestation constantly

threaten their structures and ravage their town. We jump right into our work and lend a hand

in improving critical community infrastructure projects. For the children, we run a culture camp,

facilitating fun games and activities that help teach them English, as they show us around the rice

fields and teach us traditional music and dance. As we leave the hill tribe and Northern Thailand, we

head south on an overnight train to our final adventures.

Accommodations: School House Village Stay, Overnight Train

Day 16

elephant conServation

Arriving early in the ancient town of Ayutthaya, we start our day exploring crumbling temples

scattered throughout town. We then head toward Kanchanaburi province, stopping off at the

famous floating markets to try our hands at bartering from aboard a traditional Thai longboat.

Arms laden with Thai goodies, we arrive at the nature preserve and adjacent elephant sanctuary by

floating down a twisting jungle river.

As visitors to the preserve, we have the opportunity to learn about the biology, ecology, and complex

history of Thai elephants and experience first-hand how to care for the wild habitat that so badly

needs preservation. We also get the chance to visit an elephant sanctuary, where we work with

elephants that have been rescued from trekking camps and now get to spend their days unchained,

unridden, and free to roam their expansive home. In the evenings, we sit around the campfire or in

the tree house keeping our eyes peeled for wild Asian elephants and other exotic wildlife.

Accommodations: Bungalows

Day 20

Want to learn more? contact the regional Director:

clarcie hoWell | regional Director: SoutheaSt aSia

clarcie@arccprograms.com415-332-5075 Ext. 260

eraWan FallS & Bangkok

We spend our last full day in Asia exploring Erawan Falls, a spectacular National Park renowned

for its aquamarine pools linked by cascading waterfalls. After hiking, swimming, and relaxing as

a group, we enjoy a traditional Thai feast aboard a Bangkok River cruise, while celebrating our

accomplishments, reflecting on the memories that we’ve made, and recalling the lessons we’ve

learned during our adventure. We see the revered Grand Palace and Wat Pho lit up at night and

dance or sing karaoke as well. We top the night off with ARCC’s traditional closing ceremonies.

Accommodations: Hostel

Day 23

Departure

Eventually, all good things must come to an end. We say goodbye to Southeast Asia and begin our

journey back across the Pacific. Once we arrive in Los Angeles, we get everyone to their connecting

flights home. The memories of our experience and new friends will carry us through to next summer!

Accommodations: Hostel

Day 24