“We have had some of the most mind blowing, heart changing experiences that will be absolutely impossible to forget” — Audra Thurman (student)
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WHAT IS PEPY TOURS? WHAT MAKES PEPY TOURS DIFFERENT? WHAT CAN YOUR STUDENTS LEARN? WHAT CAN YOUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE? DOES THE PEPY TOURS TEAM PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH? REFERENCE LETTER FROM AN INSTRUCTOR
WHAT IS PEPY TOURS? PEPY Tours is a grass-roots social enterprise providing facilitated learning adventures throughout Cambodia. Our vision is that travel should be educational, adventurous and fun, but also benefit local communities. Our school and university programs encourage both young people and faculty members to explore issues of community development, cultural sensitivity, and global citizenship while helping to fund the youth-empowerment programs provided by our sister non-profit, PEPY Cambodia. Through a comprehensive curriculum of discussion, debate, analysis, and adventure, PEPY Tours enables participants to discover the hidden corners of this charismatic Kingdom while reflecting on how we can all live, travel, and give more responsibly.
WHAT MAKES PEPY TOURS DIFFERENT? Innovation As one of Cambodia’s first educational travel organizations, we have raised the bar in global development education offerings
Learning With one of the highest number of NGOs per capita, Cambodia presents an ideal environment to explore the complexity of aid by engaging with development programs and social entrepreneurs
experience Over 6 years of educational adventure experience means we understand the specific needs of student groups in both formal environments and informal experiential settings
Support Our two-tiered fee funds educational programs in rural Cambodia, with over $500,000 raised directly from tours to date
GIVING BACK PEPY Tours coined the term “learning service”, the idea that we have to learn before we can help. Our trips provide this opportunity.
Exploration While the temples draw over a million visitors a year, the rest of the country remains largely untouched by tourism – take the road less traveled!
Staff Our experienced Khmer and foreign educators deliver an organized curriculum and facilitate debates and discussions, as well as take care of all the travel logistics
FUN Fun is key to experiential education. We understand that learning is easy in a fun and dynamic environment.
WHAT CAN YOUR STUDENTS LEARN? Cambodian history: the glory of the ancient empire to the torments of the 21st century The basics of Buddhism: practices, festivals, and why monks wear orange robes Khmer Rouge trials: debating the consequences for both Cambodia and international human rights Responsible travel: the implications of our travel choices; being an ambassador Voluntourism: the importance of “learning service” versus “service learning” Responsible giving: reflecting on how and why we should be discerning with donations POVERTY: understanding the causes, confronting our ‘guilt’, and evaluating the options Education: the challenges of making this basic human right accessible to all; what makes a school a place of learning? comfort zones: how facing challenges can lead to learning Over to you: we can provide a Cambodia-general or subject-specific curriculum – you choose!
WHAT CAN YOUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE?
A fallen empire: explore the mighty ancient temple cities and remote jungle ruins
Development Programs: engage with our partner NGOs to learn about sustainable development projects including environmental and education programs
The big city: the vibrant capital, Phnom Penh is a city of contrasts – dive into the hustle and bustle or find tranquility in the pagodas or palace grounds
On your bike: see the country at the local speed and explore the countryside on two wheels. This could be an afternoon bike ride or a multiday excursion
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Out of town: get off the beaten track with a rural homestay: friendly communities, traditional hospitality, and Khmer cuisine - a real glimpse into Cambodian family life
The Mighty Mekong: the lifeblood of Asia, dotted with serene islands and fishermen’s boats. Learn about the preservation of the Irrawaddi Dolphin and other environmental initiatives MORE: barter at the markets, cook local cuisine, ride the bamboo train, pick up basic Khmer, learn local crafts - the possibilities are endless‌
DOES THE PEPY TOURS TEAM PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH? Yes! We aim to: 1. SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY BY: ■
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partnering with community-based ecotourism projects and utilizing our support network to increase their exposure hiring local services and sourcing from locally-owned and socially responsible suppliers where possible
2. INSPIRE CHANGE BY: ■
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connecting participants with ideas, groups, and tools necessary to affect positive change not only in Cambodia, but also in their home communities investing in employees’ futures by providing higher education scholarships, as well as training and seminars
3. MINIMIZE OUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT BY: ■
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committing to environmentally responsible decisions in our office energy usage, transportation, and tour planning working with organizations that are supporting the local environment
4. INVEST IN DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES BY: ■
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directly funding the educational and youth empowerment programs of our sister non-profit, PEPY Cambodia partnering with, funding, and increasing the exposure of innovative projects that meet high sustainability and transparency standards
To Whom It May Concern, It is my pleasure to recommend PEPY Tours to any school or any other educational institution. I have been fortunate to lead students abroad many times for the purpose of learning about other cultures and to “make a difference” through some form of service. Such experiences are always educational and rewarding. Worldviews are broadened, perspective is gained, new appreciation is discovered, and dreams begin to take shape. I expected much of the same coming to Cambodia. It wasn’t until working with PEPY Tours though that my eyes were opened to a broader lesson on responsible service that we were missing on our previous experiences. PEPY Tours not only shared the beauty, history, and culture of Cambodia, but they helped fill a major gap in our understanding of the impact we make, the need to learn responsible service, and the importance of education and empowerment. I felt personally challenged and truly inspired for the first time in a long time and I am taking so much away from this trip, not just about how to more responsibly plan future learning experiences and to evaluate programs more fully, but also how to be a better leader. From this trip I gained a renewed passion for investing in the lives of students, and had an opportunity for personal reflection on how and in what I invest my self. PEPY Tours challenged our thinking and inspired us to come alive and make a difference in our little corner of the world. It was a re markable journey for me and my students and I couldn't recommend anyone a better experience or a better team with which to share the journey. Best regards, Kendra Campbell Director of First Year Experience West Texas A&M University
“…we came away from this experience with a global perspective to help guide us with our future choices. The PEPY Tours leaders were inspiring, knowledgeable, organized, gracious, and receptive. They are without a doubt experts in this field and at the top of their game” — Kathy Millar
Teacher at Evergreen Community Charter Sch ool NC, USA
www.pepytours.com learning@pepytours.com PEPY Tours PO Box 93220 GPO Siem Reap Angkor Cambodia Skype: PEPYTours +(855) 63 690 6081