Day 1 - Hit the Ground Running

The first day of our excursion got off to an early start.  We met at the Canadian International School at 4:45 a.m., loaded 20 boxes of donated items into our vehicles and departed for the airport.  Upon arrival at the airport, it was quite a sight to see the whole group wearing their Cambodia team shirts and checking in with their suitcases and boxes of donated items.

After saying goodbye to family and friends, we departed on our 7:40 a.m. flight to Phnom Penh.  Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, we were met by our guide,  Thoeun Bun (Mickey), who graciously welcomed us to Cambodia.

From the airport we went directly to the Beeline arena for a soccer "friendly" between ourselves and Happy Football Cambodia-Australia (HFCA).  HFCA is a local soccer club that provides an opportunity for disadvantaged and homeless youth to be involved in amateur athletics.  As part of their program, HFCA sends a team to the Homeless World Cup, which is being held in Poland this year. The CIS excursion regularly supports HFCA because we believe what the UN believes. 

The UN recognizes play as the right of every child. Play is NOT a luxury; it is a tool for education and health. It can bring entire communities together and inspire every individual. The game of football can teach children about tolerance and peace. Play helps teach important life lessons and develop skills like cooperation, leadership, and teamwork. This is why CIS supports HFCA.

 
After claiming victory, we boarded the bus and checked into the Villa Langka hotel.  Shortly thereafter, we went out for lunch at a local Khmer restaurant and wasted no time diving into local delicacies that included amok, Khmer curry, etc.

Feeling recharged after a good meal, we made our way to the Royal Palace where we marvelled at the architecture, learned some of the history surrounding the palace's development and wandered through the beautiful gardens, all the while listening to interesting stories from our guides.  A late afternoon shower failed to dampen our spirits, but was instead a welcome respite from the hot afternoon sun.

After heading back to the hotel to freshen up, we went down to the riverfront to explore the sights and sounds of Phnom Penh on a Saturday night and enjoyed some dinner at the Foreign Correspondents Club while looking out over the Tonle Sap river.   

Our first day was action packed and our participation in the soccer tournament really brought us together as a team.  Today was definitely the start of something special.  On to the next!