If you are looking to volunteer at Savong School or Savong Orphan Centre help us get to know you before you arrive. By filling in this form and emailing back we can work together to provide a smoother experience for you, for us and - especially - for our students. Do consider this: that volunteering is less about what it can do for you, and MORE about what you can bring to disadvantaged students of Cambodia. This has got to be about delivering a lot more than mere pics for your facebook page.

• CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE VISITOR INFORMATION SHEET This helps us get to know you.
• CLICK HERE FOR OUR BACKGROUND GUIDE FOR VOLUNTEERS. A work in progress.
• CLICK HERE FOR OUR CHILD SAFETY POLICY. Guidelines and warnings.
• Don't forget to check when the local Cambodian holidays are held!  Imagine turning up to find school was out for two weeks! A full list of holidays is at the bottom of this page.

Also if you wish to read about other volunteers' experiences we add links to every blog we can find on the web. These give a good idea of what the experience is like. Go to our Links Page.

Also - while you're thinking of us - why not follow us on Twitter/

Follow @savong_school

When you book your stay in Cambodia, don't forget that the local calendar is full of holidays quite different from those in the West.

Cambodians enjoy three New Years - the main one being Khmer New Year in mid April. This is one of the two biggest events on the calendar. Khmer New Year involves holidays that last over a week - usually two weeks for schools) and Pchum Ben which also has holidays that last over a week. On both occasions it is common for families to travel long distances to their homelands.

If you are volunteering teaching in Cambodia, then School will definitely be 'out' during these periods.

• International New Year’s Day 2013, January 1st This holiday is for the first day of the new calendar year and is celebrated just as in most parts of the world.
• Victory Day over Genocide 2013, January 7th This holiday was established to commemorate the end of the Khymer Rouge regime in 1979.
• Meak Bochea Day 2013, February 25th This is a holiday that was established to commemorate the gathering of Buddhist monks to listen to the Buddha’s teachings.
• International Women’s Day 2013, March 8th This holiday was established to honour the brave women of the world.
• Khmer New Year 2013, April 08 - 24th ( Holidays 15 ) This is a holiday that celebrates the Cambodian New Year and is usually celebrated for fifty days and it is considered to be the most important festival in Cambodia.
• International Labor Day 2013, May 1st This holiday was established to celebrate the economic and social achievements of the workers.
• King Sihamoni’s Birthday 2013, May 13-14-15th This holiday celebrates the birthday of his Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni.
• Visaka Bochea Day 2013, May 24th This holiday commemorates the signing of the Cambodian Buddhism.
• Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day 2013, May 28th This holiday commemorates the start of the planting season.
• Queen Mother’s Birthday 2013, June 18th This holiday celebrates the birthday of Queen Mother Norodom Monineath on June 18th 1936.
• Pchum Ben Festival 2013, October 1-2-3-4-7-8-9 (Seven days) This holiday is also known as Ancestors Day. On this day people pay respects to deceased relatives by making offerings to them and cooking food for the monks.
• Mourning Ceremony of King Father’s Norodom Sihanouk 2013, October 15th This holiday celebrates the birthday of King Father Norodom Sihanouk on October 31st, 1922.
• Coronation Day of his Majesty king Norodom Sihamoni 2013, October 29th This holiday celebrates the Coronation King Norodom Sihamoni on October 31st, 2009.
• Independence Day 2013, November 11th This holiday celebrates the independence of Cambodia from France in 1953.
• Water Festival or The Boat Racing Festival 2013, November 18-19-20-21-22th (Five days) This is a holiday to mark the change of course of the water of the Mekong river and the Tonle Sap river.
• International Human Rights Day 2013, December 10th This holiday commemorates the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Happy Cambodia Holidays 2013!