Location:

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Program Type:

Intern Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Year Round

Work Types:

Education, Religion, Social Sciences

Program Overview

Program Description:

Experience life at a Buddhist wat (monastery) and the essence of Cambodia by living, working, and learning among Khmer people in GSC's Buddhist Immersion Program. For the majority of Cambodians, wats have long been the symbolic centers of villages, used not only for spiritual practice, but also as educational, cultural, and social hubs. The Buddhist Immersion Program is open year-round with projects ranging from two-weeks to six-months or longer. Participants interested in an Integrated Program also have the opportunity to work with other Khmer community groups on projects such as public health workshops or volunteering with Khmer youth at a center for children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Through the Buddhist Immersion Program, volunteers experience the rich culture of Khmer Buddhism firsthand as guests, students, and teachers at a Khmer wat. Volunteers enrolled in the Buddhist Immersion Program can look forward to: • Meditating daily in the Khmer style with monks at our host wat with guidance and translation provided • Chanting, alms giving, and daily rituals at the temple • Providing beginning English training to novices, nuns, and monks of the wat • Enjoying the beautiful and peaceful setting of the wat • Experiencing the Khmer culture by touring historic temples and stupas, sampling local foods, and visiting nearby craft markets • Enjoying and exploring Phnom Penh in the orientation before traveling to the wat and on weekends • Relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Sihanoukville during a weekend excursion provided by GSC

Participants discover Cambodia by living, working, and learning with Cambodian people in their own communities. They are immersed in the local culture and enjoy language lessons, cultural orientation, and technical trainings. By sharing their time, talents, experience, and knowledge, volunteers transform their own lives as well as the lives of the local community members.

Setting Description:

During the first week of orientation, participants will be housed in a local hotel/guesthouse in Phnom Penh. After orientation, you will either stay in a guesthouse or in your placement’s on-site accommodations (for the Orphanage Care and Buddhist Immersion Programs). All accommodations are shared with same-sex volunteers.