Last week was the most magical time of the year for Cambodians: the Cambodian New Year is the biggest holiday of the year with celebrations taking place throughout the whole month. Schools and universities close for an entire week leading up to the three-day celebration, which took place from April 13th to 16th this year.
It is a time for our students to visit their homelands and relatives if they have any. Traditional activities include preparing food offerings for the gods and spirits to receive blessings and good fortune for the coming year, giving gifts to elder relatives as a way to honor them as well as donating clothes and food to the less fortunate. Just like every holiday in every culture, lavish lunches and dinners are a huge part of the festivities and definitely something, that locals look forward to.
Our students like to attend traditional celebrations and participate in prayers at their local pagodas in the mornings and return later in the evenings to dance to music and participate in fun games, including baby-powder battles and water fights.
Click through our galleries to see how our students rang in Choul Chnam Thmay - the Cambodian New Year! 🎉
