Bright and early, we headed down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Then, we were headed off to our first of many destinations for the day– a Buddhist monastery in Komphein Village, which is just outside of Siem Reap town. From there, Mr. Fazy (our wonderful tour guide) enlightened us about Cambodia’s culture and past history while we soaked in the sights and sounds of this mystical place, albeit while surrounded by a swarm of mosquitoes. Afterwards, we were surprised with an Ox-cart ride– though not a very practical mode of transport (as we had to take a bus right after to get to the house-building site), it was definitely an experience to behold, as we got to immerse ourselves in the rich Cambodian culture.

Next stop: the house-building site. We met the lovely family whose house we were going to bring to life. Under Fazy's expert guidance, we became construction pros, putting our blood, sweat and tears into the construction, ensuring that it was of the utmost quality so that it could be sustained in the long run. While the scorching sun made us shed more sweat than anything, it was all worth it, as not only did we get to meet and play with the local kids, but we also enjoyed a delicious and fresh assortment of mangoes, dragon fruit and bananas.

Following this endeavour, we made our way to a local school run by the HUSK organisation, where we first had a hasty lunch and then prepared to become English teachers for a day– dividing ourselves into 4 groups and aiding the teachers by leading a variety of educational activities. The reception from the students was, needless to say, enthusiastic. They were so excited to answer our questions that they practically blew the roof off. We celebrated with cake, and some even managed to squeeze in some volleyball action with the local kids.

As if that wasn't enough adventure for one day, we headed to the legendary Ta Prohm Temple. You know, the one where nature has decided to play architectural dress-up with trees growing out of the ancient ruins, which adds to the mystique that was already effectuated by the historical & cultural significance of the temple.

Exhausted but exhilarated, we finally returned to our hotel, where we got to wind down for the day and have a break before heading to the hotel restaurant for dinner, indulging in a variety of tasty foods. We discussed our lesson plan that we would be using to teach the kids tomorrow for a bit before finally heading up to our rooms and calling it a day.