We woke up at 6 AM every day; early mornings in Cambodia are relatively cool in the dry season, usually cold enough to call for a light jacket. Breakfast at the camp generally consisted of jam or butter on bread, with condensed-milk-added Milo on the side. One particular breakfast was stir-fried noodles instead, along with not-so-hot chili sauce.

Our work in the village consisted of two separate areas: the village communal center and the village elementary school. On day one of work, everyone worked at the communal center. The objective was to help build an extension of the main building. The construction consisted of filling in an already-completed brick foundation with soil, then nailing in wooden poles to serve as the extension's outer support. We transferred dirt from a prepared mound using buckets, and we quickly formed a production chain as some people shoveled dirt into the buckets, as others passed the buckets to the to-be foundation. Then, in order to firmly even out the foundation, we passed water from the nearby temple's moat to pour on the dirt. In the days following, Mr. Swan would take five of us to this center to continue with building the supports.

Meanwhile, Ms. Miller took the rest of us, myself included, to the elementary school. The objective was to assist in the construction of a kitchen, so that students may enjoy healthier meals at school if they can't go home (or if they're orphaned). In addition, we had to sandpaper and wash the window panes of one of the school's buildings, since it was in need of a new paint job. All day, we would scrub away at the window panes, trying to get rid of the old layer of paint, so that it wouldn't flake off as new paint went on later. As we worked, dismissed students gathered around us, watching in fascination at the sight of foreigners sanding their window panes; some even picked up sandpaper to join us. To our amazement, some of them spoke English quite well, and one or two even spoke Mandarin! After our thorough scrub job, we hauled water from a nearby pond to rinse the panes. Using rags and watering cans, we soaked the panes clean, and then left them out to dry.

There was one time when we were all given hoes to plow over a patch of land in the school courtyard, to turn it into a garden. Later on, we were to work on the kitchen. Five of us boys had to haul a cart filled with sand from the campsite to the kitchen construction site, while the girls helped nail planks into a pre-existing foundation.

On the final half-day of work, our camp manager taught us how to make seed balls: balls of clay, dirt, and cow manure encapsulating a few plant seeds. This procedure, part of a sustainable ecological design system called “permaculture”, seeks to assist in agricultural cultivation in more nutrient-and-resource-deprived ecologies. The seeds inside the ball are enriched by the manure and protected from less-ideal environments until the time is right for it to grow. Later, we coated the schoolyard trees in white paint, a method of repelling insects. Many students joined us in this activity, picking up brushes and rollers to help us out. This final event concluded the community service part of our trip; and after lunch, we packed up, and set out to return to Siem Reap.

The final leg of our trip was centered on Siem Reap and Angkor. That evening, we got to watch a traditional Khmer dance performance during dinner. The following day, also our last full day in Cambodia, we toured the famous Angkor complex. We admired the style of Khmer architecture, the intricate designs etched into every inch of sandstone, and the statues carved to incredible detail. We toured the Ta Prohm, the Angkor Wat—resting place of Suryavarman II and national symbol of Cambodia—and Angkor Thom, a grand city that millions lived it, featuring a multitude of quadruple-faced Buddha towers. At night, we had fun in Siem Reap's Old Market area, featuring pubs, restaurants, and shops of all sorts; it was here that we purchased our souvenir t-shirts.

For the sake of brevity, I have omitted many details from this writing. A blessing ritual from a Buddhist monk, our experiences of shopping for coconuts, hanging window panes, trying to haggle in the Old Market, and riding a boat on the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia were all fun experiences we are never going to forget. I frequently tell others that this experience in Cambodia is the best decision I've made in my life so far. It was an amazing, eye-opening experience that the fifteen of us will treasure forever. It was truly a trip made to uncompromisingly to help others.