CAMBODIA Youthlinc Participant Manual

Transcription

1 CAMBODIA Youthlinc Participant Manual Table of Contents Table of Contents... A Contact Information... A Welcome from your Team Leaders... B Cambodia Monthly Team Meeting Calendar... D FAQS Cambodia... E Answering the WHY about Working in Cambodia... G Global Statistics: If the World were a Village of H Tentative Cambodia Itinerary... I Cambodia Packing Checklist... J Youthlinc Contact Information Office Phone Fax East Brickyard Road Ste. 76, Salt Lake City, Utah Team Leaders for Cambodia Kelly Mattingly ; kellyyouthlinc@gmail.com Carter Woolf ; carteryouthlinc@gmail.com Please contact our office manager about volunteering in the office or program payment questions: Office Manager: Heather McMaster office@youthlinc.org Please contact our Local Service Director for questions regarding the Local Service Directory, Young Humanitarian Award, or questions regarding your local service commitment that cannot be solved by your Team or Assistant Team Leader. Local Service Director: Julia Rametta julia@youthlinc.org Please contact our International Service Director for questions regarding projects or fundraising for projects at the international site only when these cannot be answered by your Team or Assistant Team Leader. She can supply travel agent contact for divergent itineraries, but is not able to make these contacts for you. International Service Director: Miriam Kramer miriam@youthlinc.org Please contact the Executive Director only for issues that cannot be resolved through contact with those listed above: Executive Director: Judy Zone (h), (c); judy@youthlinc.org Other Important Information Join our Cambodia Team s Facebook Page Stay in the loop through our Twitter Check out our Youthlinc Blog Local Service Directory Additional Team Information (listed below) o Participant Manuals o General Youthlinc Information and forms o International Trip Info & Forms o Fundraising & Donation Forms A

2 Welcome from your Team Leaders Dear Cambodia Team Member, Congratulations and welcome to one of the best experiences of your life! I had the chance to go to Kenya in 2009 as a mentor and was sucked into the Youthlinc volunteer vortex and haven t been able to get out since (not that I would want to)! I can t begin to tell you how excited I am to be able to return to Cambodia again this year. I have been the Team Leader for Cambodia for the last two years and I cannot wait to return to the wonderful people there! You will experience things that will change your life forever. The people of Cambodia will burrow their way into your heart, never to escape. As a team, we will plan activities ad projects to help those in the village of Svay Artt. I know that each one of you will bring wonderful ideas and skills to create an amazing team! By day, I am a school counselor at an elementary school in Herriman. Over the last 25 years I have worked with youth in various psychiatric settings and have grown to love working with children and teenagers! In my free time I have a difficult time choosing between a good book, tending to the vegetables in my garden or finding the fish just waiting to be caught. I love being outdoors in the summer so fall is a traumatic time of year, as these activities tend to come to a screeching halt. However, planning for a fantastic trip to Cambodia seems to get me through the long winters in Utah. I am thrilled to get to know you and can t wait to get started on this wonderful adventure once again!! Please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Kelly Mattingly Cambodia Team Leader kellyyouthlinc@gmail.com B

3 Dear Cambodia Team Member, Congratulations on being accepted into the Youthlinc program and becoming a member of Team Cambodia! I can tell you with one hundred percent confidence that this is the best decision that you will have made thus far in your life. I became involved with Youthlinc last year when I went to Cambodia and I instantly became a different person. The experiences you will have in country as well as those you will have while serving locally are priceless and will forever become embedded in your heart. People told me that going to Cambodia would change my life, but there are no words that can prepare you for the experience in which you are about to take part. Last year, the Cambodia team was able to accomplish incredible amounts of work while making numerous friendships that will last a lifetime. We installed bio-sand water filters, sanded and painted an entire school, helped to build a library, built a volleyball court and long jump pit, and started a garden, which already came into bloom by the time we left. Additionally, we were able to donate bicycles, cows, and water buffalo to help the local residents. We were able to do more than I could have imagined last year, but I am confident that we will do even more this year. The in-country experience is definitely one to remember, cherish, and anticipate strongly, the local service aspect of the program is just as important. Prior to becoming involved with Youthlinc, I volunteered occasionally and thought that I knew what it was all about. I have never been so wrong. I was under the assumption that volunteering was something I should do because I felt like I needed to. Youthlinc was able to teach me that volunteering is the best way to help your community and have fun doing it. I did my local service with Real Life Salt Lake and it was always the highlight of my day. I was able to work with local refuges and form friendships which made completing my hours effortless. I sat in school every day counting down the hours until I could go to Real Life. I cannot wait to see how local service will change each and every one of you and open the doors to numerous ways to help your communities. Another important part of the service year is our monthly meetings. We will meet once a month and go over different preparations that need to be addressed in order to make out in-country experience as amazing as it can be. I want to congratulate you again on becoming a member of Team Cambodia. You have demonstrated activeness in your communities thus far, and I cannot wait to see how that involvement blossoms into a passion for humanitarian work. I can t wait to leave the starting line on what will become the greatest journey of your life! Carter Woolf Cambodia 2014 Assistant Team Leader carteryouthlinc@gmail.com C

4 Cambodia Monthly Team Meeting Calendar We will be meeting at the Youthlinc office on the first Saturday of every month from 1:00-3:00 starting in December. Meetings will start at 1:00pm sharp! Participants are expected to have 100% monthly meeting attendance. You are permitted to miss one of the monthly meetings but you must send a representative in your place (this cannot be someone already on the team). If you miss more than one meeting you are at risk of being dismissed from the team. Mentors, please plan to attend mentor meetings at 12pm, just before the team meetings. The January team meeting is a retreat, which consists of a team meeting, a getting to know you overnight retreat, and a group service project. All portions of the retreat are required for all participants. At every meeting we will: 1. Have team building activities 2. Review local service hours targets, reflect upon and celebrate local service accomplishments. 3. Remind participants of payment due dates and any forms due (passport copies, medical forms, etc). Saturday, December 7th 1:00 Youthlinc Office January 4-5 th Retreat at Kelly s home Saturday February 1 st 1:00 University of Utah Saturday March University of Utah Saturday April 5 1:00-- Youthlinc Office Saturday May 3 1:00 Youthlinc Office Saturday June 7 1:00 Youthlinc Office Binder Review: Youthlinc Service Year mission, goals, strategies. Local Service Main Site reporting, selection, and counseling. Review # of suggested hours to complete monthly to be on target for completion. Refund policy Brief review of international service site accommodations, general projects Introduction of committees and sign up for committees Students sign up for leadership responsibilities Background checks for folks over 18 Team Photo/s Discuss January Retreat Hand out U of U registration forms for February Medical Clinics Announcement of committee assignments and discussion of committee goals. Committee breakout sessions. Representative from the U of U clinic to talk about medical clinic Service project & team building activities Due: U of U registration forms for February Medical Clinics Review Medical Policies and Traveling Healthy Session on staying healthy in site, and recommended vaccinations and immunizations. Deadline for Passports, Medical Information Form, and Medical Release Form (for minors) Team-wide Committee Planning Workshop Binder Review: Youthlinc philosophy on working internationally Donation drives: be thoughtful in what we bring. Gifts are not meant to create dependency on handouts, but as tokens of friendship. Fundraising for in-country projects. Review packing list. Education Committee makes a presentation on how to create a quality lesson plan Committee breakout sessions Binder Review Cultural sensitivity Ugly American discussion Religious activity Discussion of packing meeting Review of final in-country itinerary and committee work schedule Update on items needed in-country and drives to get them Make the Phone Tree Committee breakout sessions Deadline: Lesson plans and Final Service Hours! Binder Review Refund policy Traveling Healthy & the Safety Moment Code of Conduct Discussion of packing meeting Review of final in-country itinerary and committee work schedule D

5 Packing Meeting Date TBA: Youthlinc Office August 2014 Location, date, and time TBA Update on items needed in-country and drives to get them Make the Phone Tree Committee breakout sessions Deadline: Lesson plans and Final Service Hours! Mandatory Packing Meeting Final Local Service Hours Reporting Review of final in-country itinerary Distribute the Phone tree An opportunity for each of our Service Year teams to reunite after their international service trips, celebrate and communicate their local and international service accomplishments to the entire Youthlinc family, other teams, parents, sponsors, donors and alums. Please stay tuned for more details. This is an event you won t want to miss. FAQS Cambodia Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Youthlinc and our trip to Cambodia. Q: When Will We Be Going? The tentative trip dates are June 25-July 9. If any date changes occur, you will be informed immediately. Q: How Much Money Will I Need? You will need $25 in US cash to pay for a Visa upon arrival to Cambodia. You may want extra money for extra treats, drinks other than water, and food in airports. All other meals are paid for as is all drinking water. We will be shopping for souvenirs. You can get a lot of great stuff for friends and family for $100- $200. Plan to bring money for tipping, as you ll want to tip good service. $30 has been sufficient. Q: In what form should I bring my money? To get the best exchange rate you should bring an ATM card to use at many ATMs around the city. This is safe because if it is lost, no one can access your money. American dollars are accepted in Cambodia as well, so you may choose to just bring US dollars. Be sure to bring low, crisp bills. Traveler s checks can be used but are often difficult to get cashed (not a great idea to use travelers checks). Credit cards and traveler s checks are not accepted at the markets. If bringing cash, be sure not to store it all in one place. Q: What kind of money is used in Cambodia and what is the exchange rate? 1 US Dollar = 4,131 Cambodian Riel You will find that the United States Dollar is commonly accepted in Cambodia. When retrieving money from the ATMs, you need to get the money in US dollars. You will only get Riel for change after you purchase something. Try and limit the amount of Riel you receive, because you cannot exchange Riel back into US dollars at banks. Q: How Do I Get a Passport? You need to apply for your passport right away. It takes several weeks to arrive, but is good for five-ten years. There is no point putting it off! Please visit travel.state.gov/passport to learn everything you need to know about applying for a passport. Cambodia requires that your passport will not be expiring within the 6 months of when you enter Cambodia. Q: What about a Visa? A Visa is a permit allowing you to visit a foreign country. American citizens are required to have a visa to go to Cambodia. The cost is $25, and you will need 2 passport photos. We will get our Visas upon arrival in Cambodia. Q: Is Youthlinc Tax Deductible? Yes, Youthlinc is a 501(c)3 organization. People who make donations to Youthlinc can use this when filing income taxes. Check with your tax advisor about making charitable donations. Q: What will the weather be like? Hot and sticky! The humidity can be high in Cambodia with temperatures at 95 degrees. The sun is intense at this longitude and altitude so start the day with sunscreen. It is also the rainy season, but it is Cambodia s hottest time of the year. Bring a lightweight hooded rain parka. Pack clothing that dries quickly and will not be too hot. E

6 Q: What shots do I need? Shots are strongly recommended for your safety. You should be current on your MMR. Hepatitis A and B and tetanus can reduce some of the worries about traveling out of the country. Typhoid and polio are also recommended. These shots are also beneficial to have in the States. The Hepatitis shots come in sets of 2 to be given 6 months apart, so get the first one now. Anti-malaria pills are strongly recommended and are taken before, during and after the trip. You are responsible for any shots or medications, but you should check with your insurance company see if some are covered. We will have a medical travel clinic in February to go over all of this critical information and you are able to get needed vaccinations at that time. Minors MUST bring a parent to the vaccination clinic. Q: What should I pack? The idea is to pack as lightly as possible as we need room for donated and project stuff. A complete packing list is included in this manual. The clothes worn in Cambodia should be modest (no shorts, low riding jeans for men or women, halter tops, low cut tops, etc.) and should be professional when you are involved in teaching. Bring clothes to play sports (soccer). In addition to clothes, you may want to bring snacks to hold you over between meals. Q: How much can my luggage weigh? Each suitcase or duffel bag is limited to 50lbs. You will carry your personal suitcase plus one Youthlinc duffel bag with supplies. On the way home you cannot use Youthlinc duffel bags for personal items. If you want an extra bag for the way home, get a duffel bag for personal items, roll it up, and put it in your suitcase. Q: How can I bring donated items? We would love to bring donated items, but some things are unrealistic. For instance, the children may need shoes and we have lots of old shoes at our homes, right? But these are often bulky and heavy. Also, consider that these shoes might put a local shoe maker out of business. Sometimes it is better accepting cash and purchasing items when we get there. Although, large bulky items sometimes are needed, in general, money is always a better donation in terms of weight, usability and promoting the local economy of the village we are visiting. Q: What kind of food will I be eating? The food in Cambodia is very flavorful. There will be many exotic options of foods that you may have never tried. Cambodia is well known for seafood dishes. There will also be comfortable dishes like rice, chicken, and noodles. The fresh fruit is to die for! Please be aware that one of the exciting aspects of traveling to another country is trying new things. We cannot promise that you will love everything that is served to you, but be sure to be appreciative and openminded. Remember to be respectful of their culture and food traditions. If you are really concerned about your picky taste buds please bring snacks that you like but make sure that they are unopened and sealed in plastic bags. You do not want to attract bugs. If you have any food allergies, please notify the International Service Director before March. Q: Will there be a lot of bugs? There are bugs, but nothing too out of the ordinary. You will want to bring insect repellant with Deet to protect yourself from bites since mosquitoes transmit several serious diseases, including malaria and dengue fever. Light cotton long sleeve shirts and long pants are also a great protector. You will likely encounter a few bugs that you haven t seen before, but all-in-all, bugs aren t really a big deal. There are some fabulous frogs that visit with the rains! Q: How will my loved ones know that I m all right? The Team Leader will call home once the team has arrived in-country. This will activate a phone tree, where your loved one will receive a phone call that the team is safe. Your family will also have the phone tree with contact information for emergencies. Q: Can I call home? The Team Leader will have phone access only in the case of an emergency. Though there is some internet access, we recommend that you try to leave your family at home and completely immerse yourself in another world! Besides, you won t have any tales to regale them with if you tell them everything along the way! Q: Can I go out on my own while we re there? No. It is important for safety reasons that we stay together in groups of no fewer than five. Although, we are all adults, there will be a Youthlinc Mentor with groups that go out. Our policy is to watch out for each other. F

7 Q: How are the bathrooms? At the school there are squatters (pit latrines). In the hotel, there are flushing toilets and toilet paper-- the only difference is that toilet paper does not go in the toilet. The pipes in most developing countries are not as large as they are in the United States. So unless you want to clog your toilet, put all toilet paper and feminine products in the trash receptacles. You ll want to bring a plastic bag of toilet paper and hand sanitizer for when you work in the village. Q: Can I drink the water? No! Bottled water will be available supplied every day to our group. Be careful not to run your toothbrush under the tap. Don t let tap water get inside you. Whenever in doubt of where your water is from ask the Team Leader. Q: Will there be time to shop? Yes, but it will be minimal. There is a fabulous market where we are staying in Siem Reap. Q: What about local service hours? You will need to complete 80 documented hours of local service. We require that you perform at least 40 of these hours at the same site so that you truly build a bond with the people you are helping. You must document every hour with a signature from your service supervisor. Search for a local service site or log hours by going to our online Local Service Directory. We will also plan several group service projects. These are great ways to get to know your team and to get extra hours all at once. Q: What if I can t do all 80 hours, can I just pay for the difference? No. If you don t do all 80 hours, you will not go on the trip. We are an organization that puts equal emphasis on both local and international service. Answering the WHY about Working in Cambodia Cambodia has a devastating history. Just 40 years ago, Cambodia was a thriving, growing, and progressing nation. Today, Cambodia is in a worsened condition than it was 40 years ago. The Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge, lead by Pol Pot, was a communist party that took over Cambodia in 1975 and dictated until 1979 (around the same time as the Vietnam War). The Khmer Rouge were agricultural communists, which means that they believed a pure Cambodian was a rice farmer, meaning that anyone that did not fit this description became a traitor, and needed to be killed. They killed anyone that was considered educated or westernized. This meant killing doctors, teachers, engineers, business owners, teachers, or anyone that had attended college. If you wore glasses, that was a sign of intelligence, and you could be killed. If you could read, you would be sent to the killing fields (were mass executions took place). For the 4 short years that the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot were in power they killed almost a third of Cambodia s entire population literally millions of people. Effects of Khmer Rouge When Cambodia was finally liberated from the Khmer Rouge they tried to rebuild their nation, but how could they? Anyone that knew how to do anything was gone. There were no doctors to build up the medical community, no engineers to rebuild their cities. They had no infrastructure, and they had to start over from ruins. The effects of the Khmer Rouge debilitated an entire nation, and they are still recovering from it. While you are in Cambodia you will meet people that lived through this atrocity. You will see the effect of the Khmer Rouge first hand with people who can t read, can t write, are physically maimed, and you might even meet a member of the Khmer Rouge. While it is easy to get caught up in these peoples sad history we have to remember these amazing peoples capacity to forgive. They want to put this history behind them and restore Cambodia to its former glory. They are the hardest workers, the friendliest people, and they have a drive and a want to succeed, but they need a helping hand. That is why you are going to Cambodia, to give them the help and the tools they need to build their own success and overcome the opposition they face every day. G

8 Global Statistics: If the World were a Village of 100 If we could reduce the world's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, the demographics would look something like this: The village would have 61 Asians, 13 Africans, 12 Europeans, 9 Latin Americans, and 5 from the USA and Canada 50 would be male, 50 would be female 75 would be non-white; 25 white 67 would be non-christian; 33 would be Christian 80 would live in substandard housing 16 would be unable to read or write 50 would be malnourished and 1 dying of starvation 33 would be without access to a safe water supply 39 would lack access to improved sanitation 24 would not have any electricity (And of the 76 that do have electricity, most would only use it for light at night) 8 people would have access to the Internet 1 would have a college education 1 would have a computer 1 would have HIV 2 would be near birth; 1 near death 5 would control 32% of the entire world's wealth; all 5 would be US citizens 48 would live on less than US$ 2 a day 20 would live on less than US$ 1 a day When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent. The following is also something to ponder... If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend an ideological meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world. If you can read this article of perspective, you are more fortunate than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world s wealthy. I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again. ~William Penn Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead H

9 Tentative Cambodia Itinerary June 25-July 9, 2014 Wednesday, June 25 TRAVEL DAY 11:20am: Depart Salt Lake City, arrive Los Angeles at 12:16pm. Delta :45pm: Depart Los Angeles, arrive Tokyo at 7:15pm (on July 26). Singapore Thursday, June 26 TRAVEL DAY 8:50pm: Depart Tokyo, arrive Singapore at 3:00am (on July 27). Singapore Friday, June 27 MUSEUMS & TRAVEL DAY 7:40am: Depart Singapore, arrive Phnom Penh at 8:40am. Singapore :00am: Visit the Killing Fields and S21 Pizza lunch and soda for team in bus 3:00pm: Depart for Pursat 7:00pm: Dinner and reflection at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant 8:00pm: Group reflection about experiences in Phnom Penh Saturday, June 28 OPENING CEREMONIES 8:30am: Breakfast at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant 10:00am: Opening ceremonies at the Chumony Primary School 11:00am: Mentors meet with community leaders to go over projects (students can play games with the children at this time) Noon: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch Afternoon: Opening Ceremonies at Sustainable Cambodia 4:00pm: Organize duffel bags 6:00pm: Dinner and reflection at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant 7:00pm: Group reflection Sunday, June 29 CULTURAL ACTIVITIES 8:00am: Breakfast at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant Free morning 12:00pm: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch 1:00pm: Visit waterfall Chrok La Eeang Tuk Tuk rides around Pursat 6:00pm: Dinner at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant 7:00pm: Group Reflection Monday, June 30 WORK DAY (1) 8:30am: Teaching and construction at Chumony Primary School Noon: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch 1:00pm-5:00pm: Work on projects 6:00pm: Dinner and reflection at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant Tuesday, July 1 WORK DAY (2) 8:30am: Teaching and construction at Chumony Primary School Noon: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch 1:00pm-5:00pm: Work on projects 6:00pm: Dinner and reflection at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant Wednesday, July 2 WORK DAY (3) 8:30am: Construction at Chumony Primary School Local Pagoda with Concrete Lotus (Educational Center/Monks School) 12:00pm: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch 1:00pm: Working on projects 6:00pm: Dinner and Rotary Party at Sustainable Cambodia 7:00pm: Group reflection Thursday, July 3 WORK DAY (4) 8:30am: Teaching and working on projects 12:00pm: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch 6:00pm: Dinner at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant 7:00pm: Group Reflection I

10 Friday, July 4 WORK DAY (5) 8:30am: Teaching and working on projects 12:00pm: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch 6:00pm: Dinner at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant 7:00pm: Celebration of July 4 th! Saturday, July 5 WORK DAY (6) 8:30am: Teaching and working on projects 12:00pm: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch 1:00pm: Regular projects and Sell Day at Sustainable Cambodia 6:00pm: Dinner at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant 7:00pm: Group reflection and preparation for Closing Ceremonies Sunday, July 6 WORK DAY (7) 8:30am: Cultural activities 12:00pm: Return to Phnom Pech for lunch 1:00pm: Sell Day at Sustainable Cambodia and final activities 6:00pm: Dinner at Phnom Pech Hotel & Restaurant 7:00pm: Group reflection and preparation for Closing Ceremonies Monday, July 7 CLOSING CEREMONIES & TRAVEL DAY 8:30am: Closing ceremonies 12:00pm: Lunch with all the students at school (Phnom Pech will need to prepare boxed lunches for team and Chumony students) 2:00pm: Travel to Siem Reap 6:00pm: Pizza dinner and final reflection at Mom s Guesthouse 8:00pm: Night market Overnight at Mom s Guesthouse Tuesday, July 8 EXURSIONS & TRAVEL DAY 8:00am: Breakfast at Mom s Guesthouse 9:00am: Tour of Angkor Wat (with lunch) 1:00pm: Shopping 4:00pm: Head to airport 6:30pm: Depart Siem Reap, arrive Singapore at 9:35pm. Singapore :55pm: Depart Singapore, arrive Tokyo 8:00am (July 9). Singapore Wednesday, July 9 TRAVEL DAY 7:15pm: Depart Tokyo, arrive Los Angeles at 1:30pm. Singapore :35pm: Depart Los Angeles, arrive Salt Lake City at 7:25pm. Delta Cambodia Packing Checklist Things to pack for the plane in your backpack or carry-on (1 carry-on and 1 personal bag or purse): It is smart to have a light jacket in case you get cold on the airplane. You want to be comfortable for an entire day on the plane and the entire night on the way back. Passport, Cash, ATM card (best to have these on your person) Camera, extra batteries (packed in ziploc bags to keep out dust/humidity) Toiletries Prescription medicine that you must take Blow-up neck pillow for napping Sleep aid (please be sure this is not your first time taking a sleeping aid!) Socks to keep your feet comfy, or compression socks to keep your feet from swelling Books, music listening device, games to entertain yourself Water bottle (though be prepared to empty it every time we go through security) Snacks for plane and bus ride to village A change of underwear and something to sleep in just in case your luggage is temporarily misplaced! J

11 **Be sure to put away your passport in the same place every time. It is recommended to get a money belt to keep your passport/money/and any debit or credit cards in. Items to pack in your suitcase: 50 lb. limit -- Remember: This is not a fashion show! Also, for a small fee you can have laundry done there, thus I would pack the bare minimum and then just plan to do some laundry. Cambodia is very hot. We will be experiencing everything from 95 degree + temperatures with high humidity and probable rain. Downpours are common in June. Please bring water-proof items. Clothes & Shoes -- Here s the dilemma: cool enough to work outside in 95 degrees, yet modest enough that we don t look scantily clad and ratty enough so that we don t care if they are ruined. Plan on a week of outdoor work. It s okay to wear dirty clothes to work in! If you can, buy breathable parachute or Dry Wick material long pants/capris/shorts and shirts. Cotton absorbs moisture and will keep you constantly wet. o 5-7 shirts One of them being your Youthlinc t-shirt. Try to bring a couple shirts that are Dri-Wick, if they get wet, they will dry quickly. Also, have a couple lightweight long sleeved t-shirts to prevent sunburn. o 3-4 light weight long pants/pairs of shorts (keep modesty in mind). Knee length shorts will be your best friend- you want light weight, quick drying ones. They MUST be knee length. o 2-3 professional outfits: Teachers usually come dressed professionally (not in shorts and a t-shirt). If you are teaching, you will want to look professional too, while accommodating the heat and humidity. You don t have to wear something different everyday. o Plenty of socks and underwear, and light clothes to sleep in o Sunglasses and a hat o RAINGEAR lightweight hooded rain windbreaker o Sturdy old sneakers for outdoor work. (Keens are great or strap on sturdy sandals like Chacos). o Flip flops or sandals for showering o 2 pairs of work gloves! Keeping clean & healthy in-country: o Small sample sizes of toiletries you will need (shampoo, soap, etc.). The hotel does not provide these. o Sunscreen THIS IS A MUST. Bring plenty! And, sunburn medication of your choice (just in case). o Chapstick with sunscreen o Your own personal first aid kit with: Benadryl, Cipro, aspirin or Motrin, Neosporin, band-aids, alcohol swabs in packets and cortisone cream (for bug bites), Pepto Bismol, Imodium, pain reliever, etc. o Mosquito repellent with DEET (Sawyer s Timed Release is very good at REI). You can also spray your clothing with Permethrin, which will keep the bugs away too. o Toilet paper (in a Ziploc bag), hand sanitizer, baby wipes and Kleenex packets o Wash cloth or two if you use one Staying hydrated and fed: o Reusable water bottle, or Camelback. Do not share water with anyone in the village! o Bring packets of electrolytes. It is very hot and you will be working extremely hard. Though I will be all over you reminding you to drink water, you may not be able to drink enough to keep up with the sweat! o Non-crushable things that won t melt like: granola bars, fruit roll ups, nuts and trail mix, beef jerky, small cereal boxes, jar of peanut butter, nutella. o Protein bars: vegetarian or not, these bars will also be a great asset to you on the trip because many team members eat considerably less meat than they are used to when they are in the U.S. Your body still needs the protein you are used to and these bars are a great supplement. o If you have any other food allergies or special diet restrictions (glutton intolerance, etc ) be sure to bring the snacks and supplements you will need. Miscellaneous: o Small flashlight and extra batteries (sometimes there are power outages) o A journal and pens (extra pens) You will want to remember details from your trip. o Several gallon sized zip-lock bags o Watch o Travel alarm clock (battery powered) o Electrical Converter- get the universal one o Any stuff you need for your committee assignments that didn't go into duffel bags at the packing meeting K

12 o o If you intend to do some major shopping, bring your own empty duffel bag, bubble wrap, scissors and tape in your personal luggage. You may want to bring some photos of you and your family to give away as gifts. You will probably have buddies that latch onto you every day in the village. Donated Items Needed for Cambodia Fund drives are always most useful in accomplishing goals at the international site. When we bring money to our site, we help the local economy and we are sure that the people there are getting exactly what they need. Also, we want to be thoughtful humanitarians and take only what is needed. Any items we take need to have a teaching element attached- they are not meant to be hand-outs as those are not sustainable humanitarian work. Here are projects that need fund drives: $ for construction projects $ to buy medical supplies $ to buy school supplies $ for microenterprise $ for vocational training supplies (soap making, sewing, etc ) Here are light weight items that we can donate to the project sites: Materials for Hygiene kits o Two bars of soap o Two washcloths or hand towels o Four toothbrushes o One tube of toothpaste o One roll of dental floss o One package of band-aids o One comb Day Fair Materials o Craft supplies, yarn, sewing, beads, etc Recreation Materials o Soccer equipment o Games o Jump Ropes o Balls & Frisbees o Bubbles o Face paint o Slack line o Rope for Tug-of-War o Parachute o Anything else fun that can be played with outside Medical Supplies/First Aid Supplies o Neosporin o Exam & Surgical gloves o Sterile needles & syringes o Sutures o Dressings, sterile o Bandage scissors o Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect. o Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. o Burn ointment to prevent infection. o Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes. o Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant. o Thermometers o Tweezers L

13 o Tubes of petroleum jelly or other lubricant o Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever o Anti-diarrhea medication o Antacids (for upset stomach) o Laxatives o Cotton tipped applicators o Bath towels and wash cloths o Disinfectant sponges and swabs o Ace bandages (elastic) o Casting materials o Dressings (gauze, bandages, Band-Aids, 4 x 4's, etc.) o Tongue depressors and containers o Q-tip applicators and containers o Condoms o Reading Glasses o Toothbrushes, Toothpaste & Dental Floss Feminine Hygiene Kits (Reusable- one kit) o 4 pairs of new underwear o 16 pads o 4 envelopes o 4 sandwich size baggies o one nail clipper o All in a sewn bag School Kits o Note pads of ruled paper (8-1/2 x 11) - at least 200 sheets o 30-centimeter (12") ruler o 6 Unsharpened pencils with erasers o 1 pencil sharpener o 2 erasers o 1 box of colored construction paper o 1 box of crayons o 1 cloth book bag with handles or straps School Supplies o Lined Paper and White copy paper o Pencils, Ballpoint pens o Crayons, Colored Pencils & Markers o Colored/Construction Paper o Water Colors o Paint Brushes o Rulers o Pencil Sharpeners o Scissors o Glue o Rubber erasers o Staplers o Posters that help with English Language Development o Children s books in basic English New Baby Kits- Place all items in Ziplock bag, probably 2 gallon o 6 cloth diapers o 10 Clothes Pins o 1 pair booties or baby socks o 2 bars of soap & baby skin cream o 2 receiving blankets o 1 sweater o 2 gowns M