Advertisements
Dear Listmembers,
I have been asked by a newly-forming company in Cambodia called "COMPLETELY CAMBODIA" to give them ideas for one of the new services they want to offer: "Adoption Homeland Tours" to Cambodia. They have heard that adoptive parents would like to return to Cambodia to see and learn more of Cambodia, and they would like to be able to offer such tours. The company will be owned & run by Khmers inside Cambodia; I don't know most of them and none are our relatives, but I do know one of the principals very well as he has helped me numerous times make contact with our family members--all I have had to do is drop him an email and he has made all kind of efforts for my husband and I that no one should be expected to do for no pay, as he has. I have entrusted him with money, important papers, and even a laptop computer, and he has always proven himself completely honest. Of course I am always anxious to help any Khmer-owned company, but for the reasons that not only is this a Khmer-owned-and-run company, but the type of services are naturally dear to my heart, I would love to help them get started on the right foot! But this is where I need your help! They are needing to know WHAT you are looking for in a Cambodian tour including some things I can't tell them...so please, if you wouldn't mind, and even if you don't plan on taking a Cambodian tour soon, please help the company get started by thoughtfully responding to the following "survey":
Question 1. Because our efforts to adopt were always private, not through an orphanage, I don't know where MOST of the adoptive children come from, or where those main orphanages are/were (I say were because even if defunct, I think probably the parents/children would still like to revisit the place), so what is everyone's idea on this?
Question 2. What are important sites or other things YOU would want to see on YOUR personal tour of Cambodia? There are many ancient temples and natural sites all over Cambodia that are almost never seen by foreigners--would out-of-the-way, overlooked places such as these old temples, sand beaches and waterfalls interest you, or do you mainly want to see Angkor Wat? There are a LOT of tourist services serving Angkor Wat, but "COMPLETELY CAMBODIA" wants to share much more of Cambodia with its clients. They just don't know how much interest there would be in the lesser-known temples, commercially undeveloped seashore, etc.
Question 3. "COMPLETELY CAMBODIA" would be able to arrange your tour completely--in other words, they would have your accomodations, interpreters & guides, and itinerary set up for you when you arrive. Is this an important point for most people? Does it take any of the hassle out of the trip for you? Or how much flexibilty do you want in your plans? All I have been able to offer in this regard is that you would want interpreters who are completely straightforward, as well as knowledgeable, and that Americans are very unlike Asians in that Americans want to hear the truth about something always, not what it is assumed they WANT to hear, or what is "nice"--even if the truth is sad or unhappy news. What else are you seeking in an interpreter or guide?
Question 4. Do you prefer touring with a fairly small group of other adoptive parents (most economical way), or how much interest would there be in private tours or private side-trips, realizing this would necessarily be more expensive?
Question 5. Would you like your tour to include traditional-culture demonstrations such as weaving, woodcarving, metal carving, pottery making, etc.? Would you like to tour a traditional village to see how the majority of Khmers still live?
Question 6. What PROVINCES most interest you, if you have a preference?
Question 7. Have you ever been on a "Adoption Homeland Tour" to any other country? If so, what was it like and what did you like best about it?
Question 8. Please give any other comments you have, they really need to hear them!
Please email your responses to: Ngasha(at)juno(dot)com, and I will forward immediately to the operators of "COMPLETELY CAMBODIA". Please forward this "survey" to anyone who doesn't frequent the lists you think would consider taking a tour of Cambodia in the future, whether adoption-related or not ("Adoption Homeland Tours" are only one of the types of tours they are developing).
"COMPLETELY CAMBODIA" THANKS YOU! And SO do I!
Blessings,
Ngasha
Like
Share