I still like this shirt the most. We should have asked the student to help us paint 100shirts, and we can sell each shirt for 30 dollars! no more fund-raising woes.


XYZ and I signed up for the AHM to train up for our cambodia yep trip. wahahha. it was rumored that janicia also went for the run, but she wasn't spotted anywhere

after the run, xyz even brought me for a free ride on the hippo tourist bus. go look for him if you want free



let me end off with a new scandalous photo from my yep team.

is this pair going to be the new yep couple?

Like to share something from a book I read quite some time ago.


"...It's this light thing. A few people have strong inner lights. But most people have 'lights-out.' 'Lights-on' not only means a good heart; it also means really caring about other people's hearts.

"Now here's the main thing. Good is when people, no matter what their age, struggle to keep their lights alive. Good is when they help others with dim lights to make those lights brighter. Most of all, good is when they try to link up with other people who have good hearts.

"Okay, last idea. I think of the world as a huge mountain. But it's very dark and cloudy and smoky. You've got to climb the mountain. But it's all covered up and it's so hard to see. Even if you have a good light, it's not enough. You've got to find other people with lights. And when you get enough lights, then you can climb and not fall off. It's scary. You're not sure what's at the top. But with all the lights, you might get there. And even if you don't get there, you might help people on the way."

-From "A Fractured Mind: My Life with Multiple Personality Disorder" by Robert B. Oxnam

(By the way, this is a nice book for those interested in DID!)

I believe each and every one of us has this inner light within ourselves. It's just a matter of wanting to keep it alive or just simply let it die.

All of you have chosen the former and hopefully in many years down the road, you'll continue to keep your lights going strong and light up the paths of those who need your help.

Cheers,
Yingyi

Bazaar successfully concluded!!

Great Job, Marketies!! *applause*

Presenting to you 4 hardworking marketies!

- a tribute post to marketies :P -

Shall show u all how the 7 owls spent the night setting-up + guarding! Let's start from.. after dinner!

After dinner, Jenny received a call that the vendors were at Science forum waiting to set up already, so Jenny and Laura went over to entertain them first.. and saw all the tables and chairs from the previous bazaar all still in a mess! (at 9+pm oh manz) *bad feeling*

And so.. poor Lixian Laura and Jenny the 3 girls decided to help the contractor clear the venue! Wells, so we shifted the tables from the previous bazaar back to the loading point for the contractor to load, while the contractor unload a new set of tables for our YEP bazaar! Why not just use back the same set of tables, since it's the same contractor right. :X I shall leave that to Jennypok to update :P

*wah so pain.. kanna the staples on the tables while moving them =( poor Jenny worse. got splinter =( *

After long long, Geehoe came! And helped to shift the tables... And then, after another long long, the guys came with the logistics! whheee more manpower.. but by that time, what needed to be shifted to the loading area (the previous bazaar tables) were already shifted, and we couldn't set up for our own bazaar cause.. the contractor was still clearing the area. oh manz. =( So stone-ed around for a while.. then the rest of the biscuit packers came to join us! yayyyy more people =) But oh manz, very late already. They gotta chiong for last bus.. So shortly after, the rest left, leaving Jenny Janicia Zhenqin Geehoe Stella Dequan Meng and Laura! And the night started!

Stella Jenny Geehoe attempting to find either end of the raffia~

Contemplating how to hang the CSC logo~


Electrician Stella pulling wires~


Labourers Gee and DQ to the rescue~

Superman Zhenqin tasked to hang the logo!

Gee to the rescue once again!

After 10min....~ still tying :P

Mission Accomplished!

Guess who's (s)weeping~ Poor Meng-derella~

Soon after.. Slowly.. one by one concussed..

XYZ~ who joined us later! [oooh xyz i still owe u $$$ for the milo-peng!!]

[ Missing from photos: Dequan! :P ]

Butttttt~ Thankew Dequan, for waking up in time to take over me before I concussed at 6.30am!! :P

And that pretty much ended our stint for the night =)

ehs~
i've been thinking hard about what to post on the blog! lol~
i think that it's time we reflect on what we have been doing so far~ =)

we've been halfway through the project~ with only 4 more months to DECEMBER! WAH THAT'S FAST! =)

i think we should all pat our own backs~ and of cuz, the backs of everyone else in the OC~ =)
we've all been busying for the past few months~ and of cuz, it's only going to get busier~ with the skul work coming in, and with more preparations to be settled as the days draw near~

now that we successfully completed the bazaar,
*pat all the marketers~ who have been busy getting vendors, biscuits, and all the setting up of the bazaar~ =) without them we wont have our $$$ to help the village~

*pat all the loggies~ who planned us an enjoyable chalet~ with all the food, and barang barangs~ and they have been checking up our flights to give us the cheapest way to get there n back~

*pat all the pubbies~ who have been busy with designs~ of posters, banner, murals, and caps~ jiayous!

*pat all the programmers~ yea~ who have been busy with the tshirt paintings~ preparing khmer lessons~ planning for our activities at the village~

*pat meiting, lixian n janicia~ for all the admin stuff~ and of cuz for the games n activities during our meetings~ yeahh~

YAY! =D so the next time we see each other in school~ remember to say SAUSEDAY! =) and give each other a hard pat/SLAP on the back!

yeah and since our second khmer lesson is coming up at the next meeting~
let's recapp! =D what we learnt in the first lesson~ (so long ago hurhur~)

yes - baat (guy) chaa (gal)
no - dteh
hello - sauseday
good morning - arun sauseday
goodbye - joom reap lear
thankyou - orh kun
sorry - song tu
left - chveng
right - sdam
i dont understand - k'nyom men yoo-ul tee

YAY! =D
looking forward to the next lesson on NUMBERS!
*definitely tougher than this list* lol~

bin out =))

Yoz!

Since we will be staying together for close to 3 weeks, i guess we need to know each other more, so here goes!

Janicia eating..
Janicia eating somemore..

Oh ya, she finished up all the plates of food on the table. :P

Really entertaining seeing her eat.

As quoted by Yani: "Never been so enjoyable seeing someone eat"

Weijian =D

I got a little teary when I saw this huge picture of the Singapore peddlars in the Straits Times last week.



Last week, I caught the Table Tennis Girls Team's match up between Singapore and South Korea. All eyes were on Li Jia Wei, Wang Yue Gu and Fang Tian Wei. If they were to win this team event, we would be secured with at least a Silver, breaking Singapore's 48 year drought in Olympic medals.

This year’s National Day’s theme was the Singapore Spirit.

Coincidentally, while watching the games, I found myself full of Singaporean pride. No doubt, the team was made up of foreign export talent. But they have been cultivated on our soils and they are fighting to win in our honour. They chose to represent our flag, our colours and our people, not anyone else's. What more can you ask for?

Watching the game was just a heart stopping 3 hours for me.

I could feel my pulse racing through every inch of my bones. I would seeth in anger when we lose a point. Thrust my fist into the air and jump out of my seats when we gain a point against the Koreans. Watching the faces of our players (Li Jia Wei and Wang Yue Gu) as they lost their individual matches, I couldn’t help myself but feel the utmost sympathy and this intolerable heart wrenching agony. They had tried so hard, but it still wasn’t enough. The pressure must have been intense for both of them since the peddlars seemed to be Singapore’s only hope for the Olympics.

It was just a mind blowing experience. Didn’t know I could get so emotionally attached to a game. (Apart from the World Cup several years ago, when I betted. Lol.) The sudden rush of these emotions were just strangely foreign and yet supremely comforting to know. It was my newfound patriotism. My renewed love for my Singapore.

Go Team Singapore!


Cheers,
Rich

We had the Love Export Bazaar today. I received several calls from vendors; some asking where to park their car, some asking the address of the Science Forum, which floor it is, and etc. I admitted that I have taken for granted, cos being a student, Science forum to me is at LT 27, 28 and 29; it did not occur to me to take note of the name of the road and the carpark number leading to the Science forum, so I actually did not anticipate these questions. Sometimes, I forgot that the way I look at things, others may not look at it the same way. Haha... just a bit of reflection on my part here.

Here's our booth...


The assortment of biscuits, plus the 2 T-shirts. By noon, the raisin biscuits were sold out. I like the donation box.. hahha.. 'FEED ME MONEY!!'

Volunteers at work...

Packing up & Dinner...

Yeah! That's all for Day 1 of Love Export Bazaar.

-Yany

that's a very nice post jie mei! (: hehs :D thanks for sharing it..
but i took a while to figure it's you cosssss
the first name that come to my mind when i see JC is jian cong haha opps (:
are u sad to be mixed up with him! ):

Hi I don't have the habit of blogging and don't really know what to write.

However, in order not to do forfeit and stop the nagging from Lixian and Janicia, I need to write something.

Hence, want to share this story which I read online with all of you.

Hope you all like it.

There was a farmer who harvest corns for a living.

On day, he asked his son over to his side and said to his son, “Son, I want you to go to the field and pick out the corns which you think are the most good-looking and well-packaged and bring them to me. You have a time limit of 2 hours, so do not waste your time.”

The son then dutifully went into the fields to pick out the corns. He looked around and found a corn which fits the criteria. He picked it up and continue moving.

Soon after, he saw another corn which better fit the criteria. He threw away the first corn in this hand and picked up the second corn.

Continuing walking, the son then set his eyes on yet another better fitting criteria corn. He threw away the second corn and picked up the third.

The son then went around the field in search of corns which fit the criteria. When the time limit was up, he returned to his father, carrying a whole bunch of corns in his hands.

“Very good son! Now, I’ll need you to go to the field again and this time, help me look for just a corn without worms in the core. You do not have a time limit for this.”, said the father.

The son, upon hearing the farmer’s request, went back into the fields in search for the corn.

Firstly, he picked up a corn which seems to look good on the outside. However, upon checking, he realised that there were worms in the core of the corn. He tossed it away and went in search again for the corn.

The second corn he picked up looked even better then the first. However, there were too, worm holes in the corn.

Tossing it away, the farmer’s son started searching for the corn again, determined to find it.

*

After a very long, the farmer saw his son running towards him. The son proudly told his father that he had found the corn which fits the criteria and placed in his father’s hands, a rather plain looking corn.

Proud of his son, the farmer told his son, “Son, treat the good-looking and well-packaged corns as your girlfriends. They are pretty, good-looking and well-packaged, but they don’t usually are the kinds you look for as a partner for your life. That’s the reason why you are given 2 hours to look for them.”

“Treat the plain looking corn as your wife. It may not be good-looking, it may just be a rather plain looking corn, but at the very least, it has a clean core. For this if you realised, you aren’t given a time limit to find this particular corn and u actually took a lot longer time to search for this one corn. That’s why, you are given your entire lifetime to just search for the right person.”

All the best in your journey of finding the right person.

Regards,
JC (",)

Taking things for granted

"Human beings have a curious capacity to take things for granted. The most exquisite diamond loses its luster with familiarity. The most compatible intimate becomes boring. Miracles like the daily sunrise fail to astonish because they’re commonplace! Repetition and time dull our sense of wonder.

We endow novelty with powers and attributes that it does not really possess. When a thing becomes familiar to us, the mystery we have projected onto it is lost. We see it without the overlay of our imaginings.

The irony in this idiosyncrasy of human character is that we are disappointed by the very things that used to excite us. The once new job or leisure activity is now tedious. We feel let down rather than uplifted. Disappointment is a consequence of our expectation that an object or event will continue to provide us with stimulation regardless of how constant our contact. Unless we adjust our expectations accordingly, we will continue to feel deflated."

haha. sorry for the very random picture. i took it when i recalled how we used it so intensively, and now it is being chucked at one corner, unnoticed, unappreciated.

Jenny

Guess which one I did??

No. 1

No. 2

Today Mindsville had a visit and I am in charge of the food preparation station. In this station, we hoped to let residents to have a stall-like theme whereby they will prepare and serve food to others. A group of residents were given the task to prepare some finger food for everyone and to decorate the station to make the place stall-like. They were required to layout the food and drink nicely and also to do a sign board to welcome other residents to come to their "stall" to take the food.

The residents need instructions on how to make the board and so I volunteered to make a sample for the residents to follow. Guess which one was done by me!!! :) Both are nice hor!!!

Cheers,
Li Xian :)

since our project is called "love export"
i thought this was quite applicable..

what love is to kids

well many of you must have read this before
but i believe many of you must also have forgotten what you've read so.....

Slow down for three minutes to read this.
It is so worth it.
Touching words from the mouth of Babes.
What does Love mean?

A Group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds,'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper thanAnyone could have imagined. See what you think:

'When my Grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenailsAnymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his Hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.' Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day' Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.'(what an image) Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.' Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, thelittle boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.'

Nice blog and nice post there, Laura!

Yup yup I do agree that there are plenty of inherent dangers still in Cambodia- landmines, sickness, unrest etc etc. Though I must say that it's pretty safe in the villages and the town that we're visiting- Prey Veng Town, we still must not take safety for granted.

We'll touch on this during our culture lessons! So please come for meetings to know what you should and should not do! Heehee! =P

Found this article while surfing the net for more info on Cambodia to convince my mum that it's safe :X

For your reading pleasure :)

__________from http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au________________

This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information in the Summary and Civil Unrest/Political Tension (ongoing border tensions at Preah Vihear Temple) and Entry and Exit Requirements (departure tax). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

Summary

• We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Cambodia because of the risk of civil unrest, violent criminal activity and terrorism.
• Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.
• You should avoid protests, demonstrations and political gatherings as they may turn violent.
• In the past year there have been human cases of avian influenza in Cambodia. See the Health Issues section below for advice to Australians travelling to or resident in Cambodia.
• Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:
  • organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy
  • register your travel and contact details, so we can contact you in an emergency
  • subscribe to this travel advice to receive free email updates each time it's reissued.

---

Safety and Security

Terrorism

Terrorism is a threat throughout the world, including South East Asia. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.

In recent years Cambodian authorities have disrupted a number of attempted bomb plots. Terrorist attacks can be indiscriminate and may target Western interests or places frequented by tourists.

Civil Unrest/Political Tension

We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Cambodia because of the risk of civil unrest and violent criminal activity. Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.

The security situation in Cambodia has the potential to deteriorate quickly. You should avoid public gatherings or demonstrations, particularly near political party offices, the National Assembly building and military buildings or compounds, as they may turn violent.

There is an ongoing dispute between Cambodia and Thailand relating to the land adjacent to the Preah Vihear Temple. Military from both sides have been deployed. Tensions remain high. Demonstrations could occur with little warning. The temple is currently closed to tourists and you should avoid the area.

Crime

Opportunistic crime is common in Cambodia and the frequency of incidents is increasing. Thieves frequently snatch foreigners’ bags and pick-pocketing is a problem in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap. Several foreigners have been injured in the course of these incidents, in particular when bags are pulled from passengers on moving motorbike taxis.

There have been reports of armed robberies and assaults against foreigners, especially in areas of Phnom Penh that are frequented by tourists and expatriate residents. Bag snatching, other robberies and assaults often occur during daylight hours.

You should limit night time travel around Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap to well-lit public areas, and travel in groups. At night, travel by car is safer than motorcycle, moto-scooter or cyclo (cycle-rickshaw).

Foreigners have been the target of sexual assault in Cambodia. Due to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS victims of violent crime, especially rape, are strongly encouraged to seek immediate medical assistance.

Levels of firearm ownership in Cambodia are high and guns are sometimes used to resolve disputes. There have been reports of traffic disputes resulting in violence involving weapons. Bystanders can get caught up in these disputes. Foreigners have been threatened with handguns for perceived slights to local patrons in popular Phnom Penh nightclubs and elsewhere.

Banditry and extortion, including by military and police personnel, continue in some rural areas, particularly at night in areas between Snoul, Kratie and Stung Treng in the northeastern provinces.

Piracy occurs in the coastal areas of Cambodia. Armed gangs have robbed boats in recent times. See our travel advice on shipping and ports for more information. The International Maritime Bureau issues weekly piracy reports on its website.

Local Travel

Landmines remain a danger in many parts of Cambodia, especially along the border with Thailand. Large areas of rural Cambodia are still contaminated with unexploded ordnance. Visitors to the north and northwest of Cambodia should not stray from clearly marked pathways.

Travel by roads, especially at night, is dangerous because of poor road conditions, vehicle maintenance, wandering livestock and the risk of crime. You should take precautions, including the use of a helmet and protective clothing when travelling on a motorcycle or moto-scooter (even as a passenger).

Given the common use of motorcycles for urban public transport, you should ensure that your insurance policy provides coverage for riding motorcycles either as a driver or passenger.

Public transport, particularly rail, is poorly maintained. You should avoid travelling by trains because of the high risk of accidents.

If travelling beyond the Angkor Wat temple complex to outlying temples in Siem Reap you should exercise caution because of landmines and unexploded ordinance.

Travel by boat in Cambodia can involve safety risks. Even modern vessels may be overcrowded and lack basic safety equipment.

Airline Safety

You should be aware of concerns about the safety and maintenance standards of aircraft owned by local airlines operating internal flights. This caution includes Royal Cambodian Government aircraft, including those managed by the Royal Cambodia Air Force. In June 2007, a PMT Air plane crashed between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.Local airlines often cancel or reschedule internal flights at short notice.

Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Contact your airline for further information.

If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia's overseas missions are advised not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns, this will be included in the travel advisory.

The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.

Natural Disasters, Severe Weather and Climate

There is seasonal flooding in Cambodia from late July to November. These floods may disrupt travel to some provinces.

Further information on natural disasters, including flooding in Cambodia, is available from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.

Wildlife Watching

Australians are advised to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.

Australian travellers should be aware that there are severe penalties under Cambodian law for wildlife trafficking and illegal hunting.

Money and Valuables

Before you go, organise a variety of ways of accessing your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques and US dollars cash. Check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas. Visitors should take a reasonable quantity of US dollars to cover basic travelling expenses. US dollars are widely accepted throughout Cambodia although notes that are excessively dirty or torn, or of high denominations, may not be accepted.

Credit card cash advances and travellers' cheque cashing services are available at banks in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Battambang for a fee. ATM facilities are widely available in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang and Sihanoukville. Travellers should exercise caution when using ATM facilities as there have been recent reports of people being robbed after withdrawing cash.

Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.

While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.

As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering and theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.

You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.

For Parents

If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.

Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.

Local Laws

When you are in Cambodia, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.

Penalties for drug offences, including those involving "soft drugs", are severe and include lengthy jail sentences.

Cambodian authorities are committed to protecting their cultural heritage. A permit is required to purchase or possess cultural and archaeological artefacts. The penalty under Cambodian law for a unintentional act concerning cultural heritage property is a minimum of six months and a maximum five years imprisonment and a fine equal to the value of the cultural object. An intentional act attracts a minimum of two to eight years' imprisonment and a fine equal to double the value of the cultural object.

Cambodian authorities have temporarily suspended issuing marriage certificates for unions between Cambodian and foreign citizens.

Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.

Australian and Cambodian authorities are committed to combating child sex tourism. There are severe penalties under both Australian and Cambodian law for those participating in such activity. Australians may be prosecuted either in Cambodia or at home under Australian law, which prohibits sex with children under 16 overseas. The penalty in Australia can be 17 years in jail. In Cambodia, penalties are also severe.

Local Customs

Photographing members of the public without prior permission, especially monks and other religious figures, is regarded with suspicion. You should avoid taking photographs near sensitive sites such as military zones, assets or personnel, transportation facilities and government buildings.

Information for Dual Nationals

Under Cambodian law, Cambodian citizenship cannot be relinquished, even if a Cambodian citizen acquires the nationality of another country.

Any Cambodian dual national aged 18 to 30 who resides permanently in Cambodia may be liable for military service. According to Cambodian law, military obligations for female citizens are applied on a voluntary basis.

For further information on issues relating to dual nationality contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Cambodia before you travel.

Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure also provides further information for dual nationals.

Entry and Exit Requirements

Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Cambodia for the most up to date information.

The Cambodian government has introduced an electronic tourist visa ("e-visa") facility. Travellers are able to apply for a tourist visa on-line through the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website. This applies to travellers entering Cambodia at Cham Yeam (Koh Kong), Poi Pet (Banteay Meanchey) and Bavet (Svay Rieng), as well as Phnom Penh or Siem Reap international airports.

Your passport must have at least four months' validity remaining when you arrive in Cambodia; however, all neighbouring countries (Thailand, Vietnam and Laos) require passports to have at least six months' validity. Local immigration authorities may deny entry and deport people who do not meet this requirement, even if they intend staying only for a short period.

If your passport is stolen during your stay in Cambodia, you will require a police report to obtain an exit visa.

Cambodia/Thailand Border: Six legal international border crossing points are open for foreign travellers on the Cambodia/Thailand border at Cham Yeam (Koh Kong), O'Smach, Poipet, Prum, Dong and Caom. Cambodian visas can be obtained at these border crossings.

Cambodia/Vietnam Border: The international border crossing points at Bavet, Phnom Den and Khmorm Samnor on the Mekong River on the Cambodia/Vietnam border are open to foreigners. Cambodian visas can be obtained at the international crossing points at Bavet in Svay Rieng Province and Khmorm Samnor on the Mekong River. However, Vietnamese visas must be purchased prior to travelling to the border.

Cambodia/Laos Border: The Lao side of the border crossing at Dong Krolor/Veun Kham is often closed to foreign travellers with little notice. The border crossing is in an isolated location 50km to the north of the Cambodian provincial centre of Stung Treng. It is not serviced by public transport, although rudimentary and unreliable private motor bike and truck services run to Stung Treng. Cambodian and Lao visas can not be purchased at the border.

If travelling by air between Cambodia and Laos, Cambodian visas can be purchased at Siem Reap or Phnom Penh International Airport, and Lao visas can be purchased at Vientiane International Airport.

Departure tax of US$25 is required at the Phnom Penh and Siem Reap international airports. There is a domestic departure tax of US$6 for any internal air travel.

Health Issues

We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.

Health and medical services in Cambodia are poor and very limited. Outside the capital there are almost no medical facilities equipped to deal with medical emergencies. Hospitals and doctors generally require up-front payment in cash. In the event of a serious illness or accident, medical evacuation to a destination with the appropriate facilities would be necessary. Costs could be considerable.

The rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Cambodia is high. You should exercise appropriate precautions if engaging in activities that expose you to risk of infection. You can find out more information at the Department of Health and Ageing website.

Mosquito-borne diseases (including malaria, dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis) are prevalent in Cambodia. We encourage you to take prophylaxis against malaria and avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, including using an insect repellent at all times.

Japanese encephalitis vaccine is currently unavailable in Australia. The Department of Health and Ageing is working with vaccine suppliers to make vaccine available as soon as possible. For further details see the Department of Health and Ageing's website or consult your doctor.

Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic and other infectious diseases (including hepatitis, tuberculosis, typhoid and rabies) are common with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis (bilharzia). Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.

Avian influenza. Since July 2005, there have been human cases of avian influenza in Cambodia. The Department of Health and Ageing advises Australians who reside in Cambodia for an extended period to consider, as a precautionary measure, having access to influenza antiviral medicine for treatment. Long term residents are at a greater risk of exposure to avian influenza over time. You should seek medical advice before taking antiviral medicines.

Australians intending to travel to Cambodia for shorter periods are at much lower risk of infection but should discuss the risk of avian influenza with their doctor as part of their routine pre-travel health checks.

If the avian influenza virus mutates to a form where efficient human-to-human transmission occurs, it may spread quickly and local authorities could move quickly to impose restrictions on travel. Australian travellers and long-term residents in Cambodia should be prepared to take personal responsibility for their own safety and well-being, including deciding when to leave an affected area and ensuring they have appropriate contingency plans in place. Australians in Cambodia should monitor the travel advice and bulletin for updated information and advice, and ensure that their travel documents, including passports and visas for any non-Australian family members, are up to date in case they need to depart at short notice.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.

Where to Get Help

In Cambodia, you can obtain consular assistance from the:

Australian Embassy
Villa 11, Street 254
Daun Penh District
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Telephone (+855 23) 213 470
Facsimile (+855 23) 213 413

Email: australian.embassy.cambodia@dfat.gov.au

If you are travelling to Cambodia, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.

In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the Embassy you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.

(clockwise, from top left) Loggies Laura, Keemeng, Stella, Jiayi and Liming! =)

Haha I see that this blog's quite dead.. understand that u guys've been busy lately.. but here's an avenue for u guys to throw up any thoughts/questions about YEP or the trip itself and we can perhaps discuss about the issues in depth here. Haha.. and also, u may post any interesting or hilarious stuff here.. or simply update us on ur life! Esp those whom we don't get to see often.. =)