Volunteer Handbook - Siem Reap

CESHEO Volunteer Handbook

Cambodia English School of Higher Education (CESHEO) http://ceshe.org

http://ceshe.org/



CESHEO SIEM REAP VOLUNTEER

HANDBOOK

This document will serve as a guide so you know what to expect when you start volunteering at CESHEO Siem Reap as well

as some background information about the organization.

Before Arrival Travel Insurance

We highly recommend you purchase travel insurance in case of an emergency. Seeing a doctor or receiving a simple medical

consultation in Cambodia is extremely costly.

Passport pictures

You will need 2 passport pictures in order to obtain your visa on arrival. Be sure you have them well in advance so you don’t

have to stress about them before arriving to Cambodia.

Please note that the US dollar is used just as much as (if not more than) the Riel.

Arrival

When you arrive in Siem Reap you will be picked up from the airport, bus stop or from Siem Reap City depending on your

travel arrangements. Most of the time, the drivers will have a Welcome sign with your name(s) written on it (with the

CESHEO symbol). One of our TukTuk drivers, Taxi drivers or representatives will drive you to CESHEO, which is about 15

minutes east of Siem Reap in a local neighbourhood. Please give us at least 24-hour notice of where and when is convenient

for you to be picked up, even if we already arranged a pick-up.

In case you need to urgently reach someone, please call:

James 096-931-2340

Rady 012-726-829

When you arrive, you will be greeted by plenty of other friendly volunteers already staying at the volunteer house. Everyone

is usually hanging out in the chill-out area outside if they aren’t teaching or visiting Siem Reap. If James or Rady is unable to

give you an introduction, the volunteers will be able to help explain the basics…don’t be afraid to ask as they may have just

arrived as well.

http://ceshe.org/



Volunteer House

All volunteers stay at the CESHEO volunteer’s house. The house has 2 stories and can sleep around 30 people. In total there

are 3 dorm rooms (one fan and two with air con), aswell as three private rooms (one twin and two doubles). Outside we have

seating areas, hammocks and daybeds to relax on. The house has WiFi throughout, aswell as cable TV in the lobby and a

music system set up outside.

Mr Rady is the founder and director of CESHEO and with his family, they also stay here. His wife and the house staff clean,

cook meals and look after the volunteers staying in the house. Mr Rady and his wife both speak excellent English and can

answer any of your questions.

Sleeping

Dorm Room

Our Dorm rooms are shared with around 6 to 12 other people. Every volunteer is given a space in a bunk bed with a mattress,

pillow, sheets and blanket. When booking you can opt for a fan room or air con room. The dorm rooms have en-suite

bathrooms or bathrooms nearby.

Private Room

We have 3 private rooms at the volunteer house – Two double rooms and one twin room. When booking you have the choice

of a fan room or air con room. All private rooms feature western style en-suite bathrooms.

Amenities

Here at CESHE, we're very limited with what we can provide at our volunteer house. For the bathrooms, we only offer a

mirror, hand soap and toilet paper. Some items you should bring with you are: shampoo, body soap, toothpaste, toothbrush,

and body/hand towels.

Other miscellaneous items we provide are: a lockable door for your room (or combo lock for the dorm room), a simple first

aid kit, school supplies/materials for your classes, and 24 hour electricity to charge your electronic devices. Furthermore, we

do not offer laundry detergent, body soap, sun screen, insect repellant, toothpaste, and anything else we haven't listed as

something we have.

Almost everything not provided/listed above can be purchased cheaply close by in the local neighborhood stores. For

example, Soap costs sround $0.25 & shampoo costs around $0.75. More western style products/brands can be purchased at

one of the western supermarkets in Siem Reap City. Please that products sold in the village are products that the locals may

be likely to use or buy, as the shops here are targeting primarily local people. Things like bug spray and sunscreen must be

purchased in the city and will not be available for purchase in the village.

http://ceshe.org/



Eating

CESHEO offers local Khmer cuisine for your 3 daily meals. There are usually several dishes to choose from and

they are served with rice. There is plenty of variety and choice so you certainly won't go hungry at CESHEO. The

meals are covered in your expenses so you don’t have to pay anything.

There is free filtered water and herbal tea offered at the volunteer house, available at anytime. There is also a small

shop next door which offers ice cold water, soft drinks, beer, snacks, and other things. Volunteers usually enjoy a

cold beer or soft drink in the evenings and often buy cold water during the hottest part of the day.

There is a small store at the volunteer house that sells additional drinks at the following costs:

Item Cost ($USD) Cost (Reil)

1.5L of ice cold filtered water 0.75 3000

Can of Beer or Soft Drink 0.75 3000

Fresh Coconut, Green Tea, Red Bull 1.00 4000

Fresh fruit shakes From $1.50 From 6000

**$1USD = Approx. 4000Riel

Toilets and Bathrooms

There are 7 western 2-in-1 toilets & showers at the volunteer house. It is noteworthy to mention that you cannot

flush toilet paper or feminine products down the toilet. We have a bum gun which is very common in South East

Asia. This takes some getting used to, and we suggest that you read about using a bum gun if you haven’t used one

before. We can also provide toilet paper if you prefer.

Teaching

CESHEO Siem Reap has 2 schools, CESHEO Svay Thom and CESHEO Bakong The schools are all nearby to the

volunteer house, but some are farther away than others. We have 2 schools in 2 locations to accommodate as many

students from different villages as possible and make it easy for them to get to our school by foot or by bicycle. In

the morning, teachers will be driven via TukTuk or shuttle bus for free to the assigned school.

http://ceshe.org/

http://www.twogreenbackpacks.com/2014/01/17/how-to-use-a-butt-spray-in-se-asia/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_rickshaw



Teaching is usually done with 2 teachers to a class of between 4 and 22 kids. Here are the following teaching times,

please note they can differ slightly depending on the high school schedule.

English Class Session 1 Session 2 Session 3

CESHEO

Svay Thom

8:00AM - 10:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM 5:00PM - 6:00PM

CESHEO

Bakong

8:00AM - 10:00AM 2:00PM - 4:00PM 5:00PM - 6:00PM

Computer Class

Session 1 Session 2

CESHEO

Svay Thom 10:00AM - 11:00AM 5:00PM - 6:00PM

In between classes you are welcome to enjoy a break. You can play soccer (football) or volleyball with the

students, talk to students, play games, or just chill out.

CESHEO Svay Thom has 4 classes and CESHEO Bakong has 5 classes. This means that CESHEO Siem Reap has

9 classes in total so we require a lot of teachers. The age of the students varies depending on the time of day and

the class - they range from 5 years old to 20 years old.

Before you begin teaching, you will be given a log book which details what the class has been taught by the

teachers before you. You should read at least the last few log entries and get up to speed with where the kids are at.

It’s imperative that you keep notes on what you have been teaching in your classes so the next teacher can

continue.

Some classes have a textbook which helps provide material for lessons, even though the textbook is there, we

highly recommend that you PLAN your lesson, it makes teaching much easier and the lesson flows without any

hassle. However, there are several classes without textbooks.

The classes with books can provide an idea for the lesson, but you’ll need to plan to fill a 2 hour session. Feel free

to bring any workbooks, worksheets, or flashcards we can use, copy, or even keep as a master for future usage.

School supplies are always in need here.

We have several books here to assist you with planning your lessons. These are our only copies, so please take care

of them as we need to keep them in really good condition for the future volunteers.

http://ceshe.org/



Basic Teaching Resources

This section is just to give you some ideas about how we teach. There are way more resources at the school and available

upon arrival at the volunteer house.

● The Volunteer Handbook - This guide as well as some example songs and games

● Teacher Logbooks - Each log book has detailed descriptions of what the classes have been learning for the past few

months. Please write in the logbook after every class so the next teacher knows what you have been doing.

● English for Children - This is a beginner level booked used for the lower level classes.

● Headway books - These are textbooks used for higher level classes and are based on their levels. Use the Headway

books to guide your lessons but you don’t have to follow them completely. You and the kids will get bored. Take the

concepts from the books they may not understand completely and elaborate. Turn it into games or ways to get them

speaking. Try to keep them from writing in the books and just using their notebooks.

● Up & Away books – This is another intermediate to advanced level book available on site. Like the headway books,

we recommend using these books to guide your lesson and plan around the ideas in there.

● Let’s Go books - These are beginner level text books with 5 levels in total.

● The supply room at the volunteer house / The library at CESHEO - We have an entire supply room at the

volunteer house filled with materials and ideas for your lessons. There are lots of texts books and useful materials

here. The library is located at our larger campus CESHEO Svay Thom, but you can borrow any resources you find

useful from here to use at any of our schools and return them when you’re done. The library has more than 500

children’s books that you can borrow for lessons.

●

Lesson Template

Introduction (5-10 minutes)

1. Greeting

2. Introduce teachers and write names on the board

3. Write down day and date

4. Review yesterday’s topic

5. Explain the lesson focus for the day

First half of class (~35 minutes)

● Workbook/lesson content

Break (~15 minutes)

Second half of class

● ~30 minutes Songs/games to practice things learned in the first half

● Before home (~10 minutes) Summary of daily lesson

http://ceshe.org/



Teaching Tips

Preparation before class:

Please read through the class logbook to familiarize yourself with the level the class is and everything they have learned so

far. Use the lesson template on the next page to structure your lesson.

During class:

● Keep your language simple and check that the students understand what you are saying.

● Speak very slowly and loudly.

● Be authoritative. A lot of these kids are used to seeing a lot of teachers come and go and may not listen to you at first.

You have to be firm but still kind.

● Repeat and review everything you teach multiple times using multiple methods. For example, ask your students to

copy something off the board then have them reinforce what they learned through games, speaking or writing.

● Use body language, expressions and drawing to help the kids learn.

● Use the English-Khmer dictionaries to have the kids translate and write words on the board in Khmer.

● Write step by step instructions on the board for each exercise so the whole class knows what to do.

● Refer to the classroom rules if the kids aren’t paying attention. Clap and have them repeat to regain their attention.

● Regroup your class when their attention is wandering by doing energizers (found in the following pages)

● If the themes in the Headway books are cultural inappropriate, use the same format of teaching but change the

content to something the students can relate to.

End of class:

● Write detailed reflections in the class logbooks. This helps handover to future volunteers when you leave and

provides a progressive and consistent learning environment for the students. The following are important to highlight:

○ The number of students in class

○ What you taught and the method of teaching (activities, games, explanations)

○ How the students performed (talk about the whole class and any individuals that may be struggling)

○ What you think you could have changed to make it better/more clear

○ Ideas for future classes if it is your last day.

○ Behavioral observations- students who may be struggling, acting out, students who shouldn’t sit next to each

other, etc.

Log Books

It’s imperative that you fill out log-books every evening (or after every class) so that the teacher who follows you once you

leave knows what you have been teaching the students.

Other Volunteering Options

If you prefer not to teach, you can also participate in one of the various construction or gardening projects that

CESHEO usually has going during the dry season. There is always hand on physical work like building, painting or

gardening that needs to be done and it’s important that the school grounds stay well maintained. Volunteers who

prefer to do this work usually arrange their schedule once they arrive at CESHEO as it depends heavily on which

programs are happening at the time and how much funding is available.

http://ceshe.org/



We can also use help with fundraising, social media and other online tasks. If you have an eye for Photography,

Web Design, Web Marketing, or simply want to help by keeping our Facebook/Twitter/Blog up to date then we

would much appreciate your help. This is something which must be done daily in order to raise awareness about

our schools and what we are doing.

Where your money is going

You are no doubt aware that there is a lot of scamming and exploitation of the volunteering tourism industry, with

this in mind we would like to be as transparent and straightforward as we can regarding how your money is spent.

Here is a breakdown of costs associated with hosting volunteers.

Price Breakdown based on average cost of $75 per week (Rooms range from $60 - $90)

Item Monthly Cost – ($USD) Daily Cost ($USD)

Your Monthly Fee $ 300 $10.70

Food (3 meals a day) - $84 - $3

Rental of the Houses - $71 - $2.50

Petrol - $56 - $2.00

Drinking Water *Based on 1 volunteer drinking 2 large bottles per

day.

- $28 - $1.00

Electricity - $25 - $0.90

Rental of the Transport - $21 - $0.75

House Maintenance - $18 - $0.65

Wages of House Staff - $14.50 - $0.50

WiFi Usage - $11 - $0.40

Sub Total - $328.50 - $11.70

Total - $28.50 - $1.00

** Average price per person while staying at CESHEO for 1 month (28 days)

** Cost prices are rounded and approximated as accurately as possible and are updated regularly to reflect economic changes. Prices are

based on average 20 volunteers. Some prices such as food are variable costs where things like the house rental is a fixed cost. This also

doesn’t include the costs for airport pickup, police checks prior to arrival, and many other small costs included in hosting volunteers.

As you can see, we actually host volunteers at a small loss as we believe volunteers are already giving up their time and energy to come

and help and we shouldn’t charge them too much. We are still one of the cheapest volunteering options in Asia and charge NO

volunteering fees, admin fees, application fees and do not require that you donate to the school to apply to the program.

http://ceshe.org/



We also encourage volunteers not to end their stay once they leave, we hope that volunteers will have a life

changing experience while at CESHEO and continue to fundraise, donate, and share our story so that we can

continue helping the children of Cambodia.

Living Expenses Price Comparison

Based on Agoda Prices, and experience living in Siem Reap here is a breakdown of what a budget backpacker

would usually spend to stay in Cambodia for a month, this is so you can compare the cost of an average visit with

the cost of a volunteering visit

Item Monthly Cost ($USD) Daily Cost ($USD)

Cheap Backpackers Dorm Room $120 - $150 $4 - $5

3 Meals at cheapest local restaurants $180 - $240 $6 - $8

3L of water per day $30 - $60 $1 - $2

Transport in Siem Reap (1 trip per day) $30 - $60 $1 - $2

Total $360 - $510 $12 - $17

CESHEO usually works out as a much cheaper option for the backpackers on a budget, and with friendly English

speaking locals at CESHEO to help you, you won’t get scammed or ripped off by anyone in the city. Volunteers

also get a volunteer badge, which is iconic in Siem Reap and local merchants will usually give you a better price

because you are helping their fellow countrymen.

Free Time

There are a number of things to see and do during your free time in Siem Reap, here are just a few:

Pub Street

Aptly named, Pub Street is a street full of pubs, clubs, and restaurants in the heart of Siem Reap that is packed with tourists

drinking buckets and partying.

See Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is just around the corner from the volunteer house, and we can arrange for one of our TukTuk drivers to take you

at a discounted rate (compared to the prices in Siem Reap).

Markets

There are wonderful markets in Siem Reap that sell a variety of bags, clothes, electronics and other goods. The markets are

quite famous, and the prices are quite good (if you know how to haggle).

http://ceshe.org/

http://www.agoda.com/en-au/pages/agoda/default/DestinationSearchResult.aspx?asq=XqlQ7bJ0pUN0G2iz%2fnzAiBjkKHAYGjZqhofVxVS8gwXnvaqc5GDqO89t1kusZbLw32bBsy%2b2q9vVDOkkDrhzK6ZHSgCmEqd5q9x%2bhLac2louzPYjGgLz6uP2oRcVkQMvmdN%2fRQ2UP%2bqhvFVRumnfgfh6%2fgQedwI8XwuirapgILx53iYva1QPzGPtN8zSuWDNtwEpbuQQDWvW6jbzSAN%2bc7sRrLtJN%2fKp9EV%2f%2beaKuac%3d&tick=635512528993



Have a Spa Day

After a long week of volunteering, you might want to unwind and relax by a swimming pool, enjoy a massage and be

pampered a little bit. A nearby Spa will happily look after you, and for around $5 you can enjoy their lagoon swimming pool,

saunas, steam room, hot tub, cold tub and high speed internet. For an extra $5 you can add a 1 hour body massage.

Kings Road

A new, lovely metro eating section has been built in Siem Reap and it’s full of delicious 5 star restaurants. The meals range

from around $10 per main up to $40 and the food is top quality.

Rent a Bicycle

It’s quite relaxing to rent a bicycle and simply cycle around the beautiful Siem Reap country side. Rentals from the city are

usually $1 - $2 per day, but you may be able to negotiate a better price if you’re renting for a long period of time. For long-

term volunteers, a bicycle costs around $30 to buy and you can easily resell it to the next volunteer.

Yoga + Khmer Lessons

You can do Yoga in town at Peace Cafe for about $6 a session (mat included). The yoga classes are daily, Monday through

Saturday, twice a day (8:30am and 6:30pm). They also offer free Khmer lessons Saturday and Sunday, 3-4pm. Peace Cafe is

also a good vegetarian restaurant so you can get some light bites as well. They also offer vegetarian cooking classes (daily, 1-

2pm), free Monk Chat intro to Buddhism, and you can learn mediation techniques (by appointment). Their schedule may have

changed so be sure to check before heading over. Their number is 092-177-127.

Batambang (killing caves)

You can organize a weekend trip to Batambang and see the historic killing caves where thousands were killed during the

tragic events of the Khmer Rouge.

Tourist Cinema

There is a special private tourist cinema in town, simply go in with a group of people and choose your own movie, they have

all the latest releases and there is also free iced coffee before 2:00pm.

There are countless wonderful activities for you to enjoy during your stay in Siem Reap, and if you want to simply relax

that’s fine as well. Feel free to check out Trip Advisor for more options.

Getting Home

Our TukTuk or shuttle bus drivers can usually wait for you, or arrange to pick you up if you visit the city. However, if you do

need to get a TukTuk home from a non-CESHEO driver remember to arrive home before 10pm (the gate is locked at 10pm)

and to tell them or direct them: Travel down highway 6 towards Phnom Penh for around 10 minutes and turn right

when you see the Bridgestone sign on your left hand side. Travel for a further 5 minutes until you see the green

“Wing” sign and turn left. Our volunteer house is on the right hand side.

Volunteer Culture & Attitude

Open Mindedness and Patience

It’s important for volunteers to remember that Cambodia is very different compared to their home country, and that Cambodia

is a very poor country. Please be tolerant, patient and open minded - that is good advice no matter which country you visit.

http://ceshe.org/

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g297390-Activities-Siem_Reap_Siem_Reap_Province.html



Understanding

CESHEO is a grassroots, not for profit charity that aims to both help Cambodia and provide a fun, exciting experience for you

while you volunteer. Please remember we are NOT a 5 star hotel, and while we will do our very best to keep you

comfortable, happy, and taken care of - we hope you understand that we are a charity. We have had thousands of volunteers

come stay with us and have a lovely time, we want you to as well.

Respect

You will meet many other volunteers from different cultures and backgrounds, as well as many Cambodians who are very

different to you. Please be respectful and courteous, as all volunteers have to live and work together during their stay.

Organization

Please don’t forget you are here to teach, please don’t forget to fill in logbooks, prepare lessons, and stay organized. Your

teaching effort directly impacts the lives of the students and can make a huge difference so we want you to make the most of

this opportunity.

House Rules

There are a number of rules you must follow while staying at the house which will help make everyone’s stay more

comfortable:

1. Unless it’s an emergency, do not wake up the school director or any other staff after 10pm. At 10pm the house gates

are locked and nobody is allowed in or out until 6am unless agreed otherwise.

2. Please be considerate about the drinking water. After the staff have gone home, the remaining drinking water must

last through the night. If it’s the middle of the night and it’s looking low, don’t fill up your 2-liter bottle and leave

everyone else with none!

3. Please book a Tuk-Tuk or driver in advance if you need to go anywhere.

4. Please be mindful of each other and clean up after yourself. You are often living with 25 other people.

5. If you decide not to eat at the house for a meal, please give the kitchen staff at least 3 hours notice that you will not be

eating at the volunteer house.

6. Clean pillows and blankets are available if you take your old ones to the kitchen staff before 5pm. You can also

request extra pillows and blankets if you require them.

7. Please be ready to do what you signed up to do. If you’re coming to relax and not help our cause, then CESHEO may

not be a good fit for you.

Water

We provide a big filtered water dispenser for everyone and we usually have plenty to spare. After the staff leave, there will be

no extra water provided other than what is left remining in the kitchen. Therefore, please be conscious of how much you use

after hours. When you visit countries without drinkable tap water it’s important to become “water conscious” and plan that

you always have enough if the staff have already left.

http://ceshe.org/



Courtesy and Safety tips

● Be courteous to all the volunteers, you have to all live together and get along. Don’t be racist, rude, loud, bossy, or in

any way annoying to your fellow volunteers. We are teaching international English so one type of English is NOT

better than the other.

● Please do not leave anything on the table outside or in the communal areas overnight as it might get stolen. Anything

of value or large amounts of cash should always be kept on you or locked inside your bags. We are not responsible

for lost or stolen items.

● All staff are just trying to earn a living and don’t need any extra hassle. Please be very courteous to the drivers and

the house staff, they are upstanding human beings for devoting their time and effort to helping people.

Alcohol, Sex and Drugs

Part of teaching rural students is to provide better opportunities for impoverished students, teaching English helps stop the sex

and drug trade that is rampant through South East Asia and will hopefully help to give them a brighter future.

Keep a professional relationship only: arm’s length from the students you teach and from the teachers you work with. Flirting

or a hint of sexual activity will NOT be tolerated (between teachers or with the older students) while on school premises. Do

not cross this line or we must take police action. Student safety is paramount.

Some locals in the village near the school may try to offer you beer or wine during your break. Alcohol and drugs been taken

on site at the schools is not tolerated in any circumstance and any volunteer found doing so will face instant dismissal.

Other Key Rules of the classroom to take note of:

Wear appropriate clothing. Don't wear anything scruffy or too revealing while teaching.

Females: no short shorts or revealing tank tops. Local standards are very modest and tidy.

Do not single out particular students - for example to give them money or special gifts. Our schools must try to operate fairly,

and a kind well-meaning gesture towards one student can have unintended consequences and prove hurtful to others.

Try not to point! In Cambodia, pointing “western style”, especially with your index finger, can be considered rude. Try

gesturing with the flat of your hand instead. Even ruder, pointing at somebody with your foot.

Working with children, you may be inclined to give them a pat of encouragement. A pat on the back or the shoulder is okay,

but a pat on the head is definitely not. In Cambodia, a pat on the head is seen as very demeaning.

You may encounter a few monks studying in your class. Treat them with respect, as you would the other students. Note that

females are not allowed to touch a monk.

General Information about Cambodia

Making Purchases

You will no doubt buy some things in Siem Reap, here are some tips:

- It’s polite to hand money with both hands

- Bartering for about 50-60% the quoted price is fairly normal

- Remember that vendors are just trying to support their families so don’t try and rip them off.

- There are around 4000 Riel to 1 US dollar, this does fluctuate slightly though.

http://ceshe.org/



Cultural Don’ts

- Don’t hang underwear or shorts above head level

- Don’t touch the head of an adult (or child)

- Don’t put your feet on the table or point the heels (soles) of your feet at people

Cambodian Children

The children in rural Cambodia, including the students at CESHEO are quite tough and resilient, they are not coddled or

pampered so you will often see them fall over, and then simply get up and keep playing without crying or making a scene.

Cambodian children are very different to western children and it takes some getting used to. The children in Cambodia are

not used to being coddled so we recommend you don’t do it.

Animals

Just about all animals in Cambodia are eaten, this is due to the poverty of the country and it is simply part of the culture.

There is a farm-like mentality toward dogs, cats, chickens and other animals and you may see or hear something that will

shock you as certain animals are prepared for dinner. This is true for most rural areas in South East Asia. In addition, the

nearby roosters, chickens, and dogs may keep you up at night so you may want to bring earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.

Sexism

Cambodia is a male-dominated culture, the wife traditionally stays at home and cooks and cleans and is generally subservient

to a man. However the culture in Cambodia is much less sexist than many of those in the middle-east, and because Cambodia

is relaxed there are plenty of exceptions and many women work, learn, drive, etc. Yet, there is still a noteworthy difference

between Cambodian feminism and Western Feminism.

Scams

Like most developing countries, Cambodia has plenty of scams that aim to take money from tourists, thanks to the

experienced volunteers at CESHEO you will usually be given a heads up on these scams and be made aware of them. Some

things to watch out for are:

- Milk Money: A young girl will ask you for milk for her child, she will ask you to go into the store to buy baby

formula. Once you are gone she will exchange the product for money, the shop keeper is in on the scam as well.

- Bike Baskets: If you have a basket on your bike or motorbike, don’t store valuables in it or someone may drive past

and simply pluck it out of the basket and ride away.

- Drugs: You may be offered drugs by TukTuk drivers in Siem Reap, we recommend you don’t buy these as they are

illegal.

Because the Siem Reap economy is so heavily dependent on tourism you will find that 99.99% of all the Khmer people are

very kind and helpful. There are many land-mine victims, and other beggars who are genuinely down on their luck, and we

encourage you to give money to them if you please. Not everything is a scam, but it’s good to stay on your toes!

Visas

Upon arrival into Cambodia either by land or by air, a visa will be granted. Most countries can obtain the visa upon arrival

and generally you do not need to apply for the visa in advance. Again, be sure you have 2 passport pictures with you before

arriving in Cambodia.

The cost is $30 for a tourist visa or $35 for a business visa; both valid for 30 days. The main difference is a tourist visa can

only be extended once for an additional 30 days, whereas a business visa can be extended as many times as you want. If you

have a booking with us for more than 2 months and require a business visa, please let us know in advance and we will arrange

a letter of invitation to be sent to you from the local authority in Siem Reap to let officials know that you’ll be working for us.

If you stay over 30 days, you just pay an additional $5 for each additional day you stay.

http://ceshe.org/



You can extend your visa at Green Cycle Travel in Siem Reap, bring your volunteer badge and a passport photo. The current

prices are as follows:

● One month Visa - $50

● Three month Visa - $90

● Six month Visa - $160

Warning - Visas at the Thai border (especially Poi Pet):

Several volunteers have experienced visa scams at this Thai border. There are several FAKE offices and border crossings that

look legitimate for visas, but they aren’t. Furthermore, the buses will try to take care of your visa for you – do NOT ever get

your visa through a bus company. Be sure you locate the office/border that has government officials in uniform and if you

ever doubt their legitimacy, you can always ask to speak to the police. If they’re fake, they’ll back off or tell you where to go.

Khmer Phrases

When you visit another country, its handy to know a few phrases, here are some Khmer phrases that will help you out.

English Khmer Pronunciation

Stop Chop

Yes Female speaking to students - Jah

Male speaking to Students - Baht

No Ot –te

Listen Sa-dap

Do you understand? Yul ot?

Are you finished? Ruch Hai Noe?

Break Time Cheng Leng

Repeat Together Ta Tom

One more Muy Diet

Stand Outside Chow Kan Krow

Sit Down An Guey Chos

Copy Cham long tam

Wait Sum Rung Keam

Good La’or

Go to Class Cho-Rien

Clever/Smart Chelat

Very Na – for example Very Smart = “Chelat Na”

http://ceshe.org/

http://thebodia.com/cambodia/learn-to-speark-khmer/useful-khmer-words-and-phrases/



Volunteering Rules

Here is a summary of the rules so that you can get the most out of your stay. The rules are there for a reason so

please be mindful of them when you stay at the house.

Conditions of Stay

1. Your stay must be paid for in advance, unless agreed otherwise.

2. You must respect the host family’s belongings and property.

3. You must respect the host family and not cause them any unnecessary bother or hindrance.

4. You must not leave valuables unattended. The family cannot be held responsible for theft or damage of belongings

left unattended in the communal areas or in the volunteer house.

5. You must help to conserve electricity where possible, by turning off lights, fans, air conditioners and power units that

are not being used.

6. The length of your stay and your board basis is subject to your booking and may not be extended or upgraded during

your stay. There are some situations where there are last minute cancellations and your stay can possibly be extended.

7. We have the right to remove or charge any guest who breaks the code of conduct.

8. No refunds can be given on any booking.

A Closing Note

We have had over 1,000 volunteers come to CESHEO to help students in the last 4 years since it has opened. Some

volunteers choose to extend their stay from 1 month and then return for 6 months because they love it so much, and

most volunteers have stated that volunteering at CESHEO was a life changing adventure for them. We want you to

have the same life changing experience that most of our volunteers have, so please come with an open mind and an

attitude ready for adventure!

Some volunteers have become lifelong friends with each other while staying with us, and have often travelled

together after leaving CESHEO. With so many volunteers from different countries and backgrounds there are

always interesting stories to be told. So we encourage you to put down the smart-phone and play some cards,

board-games, chat, eat, and drink and most importantly have fun, you might just meet your new best friend, or hear

a remarkable story.

Cambodia can be very different to our home country, and there are plenty of luxuries you will have to go without,

but don’t let this deter you. What you give up in luxuries will be repaid a thousand times with experiences, fun and

adventure, you will no doubt have many amazing stories to tell and you can wear your time at CESHEO as a badge

of honor when you go back to your home country, you will be the one with amazing stories to tell around your

family dinner table.

http://ceshe.org/



The students that attend CESHEO are poorer than you can imagine, and the Cambodian people have had a very

harsh recent history. Please remember that even though you might be on a backpacker’s budget, that what you

spend in a day is what some Cambodians earn in a month, keep this in mind as you travel around poorer countries

and feel lucky that you are from a wealthier nation.

You will no doubt have the time of your life at CESHEO just like countless volunteers before you. It all depends on

your attitude and state of mind. Stay positive, happy and engaged and you will have a wonderful adventure in

Cambodia. We look forward to hosting all volunteers and wish you a safe journey to Cambodia!

Warmest Regards,

The CESHEO Team,

Rady Rure and Family

http://ceshe.org/

Volunteer Handbook - Siem Reap

Documents

Transcript of Volunteer Handbook - Siem Reap