Volunteering in Cambodia Project
The aim of this project is to introduce students to the
advantages of travel, gap years and volunteering and to reflect on the
necessity of appreciating cultural diversity.
The following areas will be covered:-
·
Travel and Gap Years
·
Benefits of Volunteering
·
Introduction to Cambodia
·
Cambodian Culture
·
History of Ancient Cambodia
·
Khmer Rouge and Year Zero
·
The Genocide
·
The Land Mine Museum
·
Aspects of cultural diversity
·
Why is Cambodia so poor?
·
What would your life be if without natural
resources such as oil?
·
What is the best way to help in the development
of Cambodia?
Quotes about Travel
“Travel is
more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and
permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard
“If you reject
the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might
better stay at home.” – James Michener
“Perhaps
travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry,
laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and
understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou
This assignment will help you with
your final Cultural Diversity project.
Part 1: The Benefits of Travel and Taking a Gap Year
A gap year is a year's break taken by a student between
leaving school and starting further education. Nowadays, taking a gap year is
very popular with many young people.
Objective: To understand the there is more to
education than “book learning”.
Tasks
1.
Watch the videos and take notes
2.
Plan your gap year
3.
Write a reflection
Task 1: Watch the videos and take notes
1.
BBC gap year:
BBC News report by Howard Johnson
2.
The advantages of taking a gap year – Birmingham
University
3.
The British Government’s Advice on Gap Years
Task 2: Plan your gap year
Task 3: Write a reflection on gap years
What are the benefits of a gap-year?
When do you think Emiratis will become interested in taking gap years? Would
you like to take one? Where would you like to go? What would you like to do?
Part 2: The Benefits of Volunteering in a Developing Country
Objective: To understand that volunteering usually benefits
the volunteer as much as those helped
Tasks
1.
Watch a video about students from Abu Dhabi
volunteering in Cambodia
2.
Read notes by the students
3.
Write a reflection
Task 2: Read
On the same
website, read “Who We Are” and “Volunteer’s Stories” (Hari, Anita, Zoe and
Ranya)
Task 3: Write
a reflection
Write a
reflection on the benefits of volunteering
Who gains more from volunteering in a developing country –
the children or the volunteers? What skills could you develop while
volunteering? Could you teach football, English, art, music or computer skills?
Part 3: Cambodia Customs and Values
Objective: To understand some similarities between
Emirati and Cambodian Culture
Task: Compare Cambodian and Emirati values
Highlight in yellow all the values that are similar to
Emirati values
A.
Traditional Cambodian values include a strong
family identity and loyalty
B.
Cambodian-born people have a respect for culture
and older people.
C.
Cambodian families tend to be very private and
reluctant to discuss family issues or conflict with non-family members
D.
Stoicism is a highly valued Cambodian character
trait, reducing the tendency to complain about their health or services they
are receiving
E.
Modesty, particularly for women, is very
important
F.
Visitors to Cambodian-born people’s homes are
often expected to remove their shoes, however they might not ask
G.
Accepting of food and refreshments when offered
may break down barriers, open communication and build trust
H.
Cambodian-born people regard touching people on
the head or pointing feet or shoes at them as offensive.
I.
Cambodians consider it impolite to make eye
contact with someone who is older or considered a superior
J.
Cambodians have a tendency not to question
instructions or authority
K.
‘Yes’ may be an ambiguous response to a question
or request, and does not necessarily indicate agreement. Reponses that might
mean ‘no’ include; no response, changing the subject, or statements such as
‘it’s OK’ or ‘no problem’ or even an unconvincing ‘yes’
L.
It may take time to develop working
relationships, trust and rapport
M.
Loud or over-familiar behaviour towards others
is generally not favoured.
N.
Cambodians tend to avoid showing anger or
getting involved in confrontation
O.
Cambodians prefer to be addressed using their
correct title. For example Mr, Mrs and Dr
P.
Women traditionally retain their own family
names on marriage or they may have two surnames. Cambodian names are
traditionally written with the surname first, followed by the given name.
Q.
Cambodians may not recognise their names if they
are pronounced incorrectly
R.
Cambodians may not always address people by
their name
Migrant Information Centre (Melbourne, Australia)
Part 4: The Beauty, Diversity and Poverty of Cambodia
Objective: To introduce Cambodia to students and to
compare Emirati and Cambodian lifestyles
Tasks
1.
View a photo gallery, a PowerPoint presentation,
and a video from Cambodia
2.
Discuss
3.
Write a refection comparing your life to that of
Cambodians
Task 1: Watch a photo gallery, a PowerPoint, and a
video.
2.
Google "Cambodian countryside" images and see how the majority of Cambodians live.
Task 2: Discuss
A.
Which was your favourite picture of Cambodia?
Why? Compare your life to that of Cambodian villagers.
B.
How much do they live on each day? A third of
the people in Siem Reap province live on _ a day. (Go to http://www.concertcambodia.org/poverty.html
to find the answer)
Task 3: Emirati and Cambodian Lifestyles - Reflection
Why are Cambodians so poor? What is
the best way to raise the standard of living of poor people?
What do you think your life would
be like in Abu Dhabi if oil had not been discovered?
Part 5: Cambodia’s Rich Cultural History and Awe-Inspiring Temples
Objective: To introduce Cambodia’s amazing architectural
wonders and consider the rise and fall of cultures
Tasks
1.
Watch two videos
2.
Discuss why cultures rise and fall
3.
Write a reflection
Task 1: Watch the videos
Task 2: The Temples - Reflection
There are three very famous temples mentioned in the movie.
·
Angkor Wat
·
Bayon
·
Ta Prohm
Which temple one do you think looks the most interesting?
Why? When were these magnificent temples built? How were they built? Which
religion inspired them and which religion replaced the original one? The
Cambodian empire was incredibly big and powerful? Why did it fall and the
cities get overgrown by the jungle for five hundred years?
Part 6: Cambodia's Brutal Khmer Rouge Regime
Objective: To learn about Cambodian’s recent history
Tasks
A.
Watch two videos
B.
Write a reflection
Task 1: Watch the video “Scream Bloody Murder” Parts
1 and 2
Task 2: The Khmer Rouge Regime - Reflection
·
What caused the civil war? What happened in
1975? What happened in Year Zero?
·
What happened in the three years, eight months
and 20 days that the Khmer Rouge was in power?
·
Why did the Americans continue to Support Pol
Pot even though they knew he was responsible for more than a million deaths?
Part 7: Cambodian Genocide and Cultural Diversity
Objective – to understand the horror of the recent Cambodian
past
Tasks
1.
Read two articles
2.
Watch two videos
- genocide and landmines
3.
Write a reflection
Task 1: Read these two articles
Task 2: Watch the videos
Video 1: Watch the
video: genocide victims are displayed on
the walls of the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocidal Crime.
Task 3: Reflection on Cambodia’s recent history
Yous Sopanha, 44, now lives in a
suburb outside Phnom Penh and works as a tour guide. Can you imagine what his
teenage years were like? How many of his relatives were killed? What are the
killing fields? Why were so many Cambodians murdered?
Give examples of racism, classism,
ageism, ableism and discrimination regarding educational background and
religion. Why are there so many amputees in Cambodia?
Part 8: Cambodia Today and in the Future
Objective: to gain an overview of the progress and
challenges of Cambodia today
Tasks
1.
Watch the
video Pub Street
2.
Read about the problems
3.
Write a reflection
Task 2: Read:
But the country has lots of
problems. Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Most children
don't complete more than five years of education - if that - because their
families need them to work on the farms. The priority is survival, in a country
with limited health care and economic resources. At the national level, the
problems loom even larger. Thousands of landmines are still unexploded and
thousands of people are maimed or killed each year - thirty years after they
were planted. The country is being deforested, affecting the environment in all
of Southeast Asia. Sex trafficking is a huge, largely unchecked problem, along
with HIV/AIDS. As one human rights worker told me, if you have any interest in
human rights problems, just come to Cambodia. They are all here.
Task 3: Cambodia Today - Reflection
Why is Cambodia so poor? What are
the main problems? Do you think tourism is the answer to their financial
problems? Where is Cambodia on the world index of corruption?
(You can find the answer here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/dec/01/corruption-index-2011-transparency-international
Do you think the horrors of
genocide could happen again? Why? Why not?
Part 9: Genocide Worldwide 1900-2005
Objective: to understand that genocide is not a thing of the
past
Tasks
1.
Study the map and examine genocides worldwide
2.
Write a conclusion
Task 1:
Study the map above (from http://www.csulb.edu/president/humanrights/archives/2008/estimated_genocide/)
Darfur Genocide
What are the latest facts and
figures for Darfur? How may have died in Syria?
Task 2: Write a Conclusion
Why is travel other than in 5-star
hotels important? Would you like to volunteer in Cambodia? Why? Why not? Do you
think teaching studentsf to appreciate cultural diversity can help in
preventing genocide?
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