A family’s week-long volunteer vacation in Cambodia harvested a new global perspective for their four children, ages 10-17.
For their volunteer project the Vlaisimsky family spent time building a well for the community, assembling and distributing wheel chairs to landmine victims, and teaching English at a local non-governmental organization providing schooling for disadvantaged children in Siam Reap. It was during their time at the school that the family became intimately acquainted with the richness and reality of the Cambodian culture.
Walking away from the trip, the children all realized that there is something fulfilling in the lives of the Cambodians that the American culture may not have tapped into yet. Even more notably, the children were impacted by the appreciation for education they saw from the Cambodian children.
Assuredly, any parent would be proud to hear their child respond to a volunteer experience with the openness, positivity, and initiative that this family’s children have demonstrated. But the development of characteristics like cultural awareness and generosity can only be attributed to the children’s first-hand observation of authentic parents who demonstrate compassion for humankind and a desire to contribute to other cultures.
If you are interested in a volunteer vacation please visit https://globeaware.org
