For some people, the chance to see a foreign country is restricted to what they read about in books or on the Internet. Rarely is there an opportunity where one can experience another culture without having to pay expensive airline tickets and hotel fees. But thanks to the East-West Center, the experience of Cambodia is now possible.

The East-West Center's Burns Hall is hosting a series of events from Sept. 30 to Jan. 17 that explore the cultural and historical aspects of Cambodia's Angkor region.

According to gallery curator Michael Schuster, Angkor is a region in Cambodia that served as the capital of the Khmer empire from the ninth century to the 15th century. Angkor Wat is a series of Hindu and Buddhist temples that make up the center of the Angkor region and stretch for hundreds of square kilometers. The entire area is set just north of Tonle Sap, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Southeast Asia.

"Angkor Wat was built in the 13th century," Schuster said. "There's more than a thousand beautiful remains of temples."

For the Cambodians, Angkor Wat serves as both a religious symbol and a symbol of national pride. Pictures of Angkor are placed on everything, from currency to beer bottles. Schuster wants to explore the culture of contemporary Cambodia with the exhibit.

"What we are trying to do," Schuster said, "is to discuss what has been happening as a lived-in environment of the people after suffering the mass killings."

Schuster was referring to events that took place from 1975 to 1979. Cambodia was under the rule of the Khmer Rouge - a regime estimated to have killed more than 2 million people. Artists were among the targeted victims.

People were forced to work in rice fields and artistic expressions, like dance and theater, were banned. Anyone who challenged the ban was killed. Since the fall of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, the people have been committed to reviving their culture.

For Schuster, the entire exhibit was the product of nearly a year's worth of planning - he has been working on the project since December 2006.

The exhibit, titled "Living Angkor," displays everything from historical and contemporary photographs taken by National Geographic photographer Paul Chesley to specially woven cloths that were made using a special tie-dyeing technique called ikat.

The exhibit also displays many artifacts from Angkor Wat, including two stone lion statues from the 13th century, a statue for the Hindu creature Garuda and a traditional demon mask and costume used in Cambodian theater. Most of the artifacts are on loan from the John Young Museum of Art, located in Krauss Hall.

The "Living Angkor" exhibit is one of many events that will take place at the East-West Center. Other events will include demonstrations of textile weaving, dyeing techniques and music.

There will also be a symposium on Nov. 9, where East-West Center researchers will discuss current projects in Cambodian studies that include conservation and cultural revival.

Since its opening day, the Cambodia exhibit at the East-West Center has drawn a number of people to the many interesting and educational aspects of the history and culture of Cambodia.

Schuster hopes that people who come to the exhibit will walk away with two things: a sense of appreciation for the history of Angkor and a sense of how important it is to the Cambodian people today.

Exhibitions featuring the cultural and historical aspects of Cambodia will be at Burns Hall 4005 in the East-West Center until Jan. 17. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call curator Michael Schuster at (808) 944-7543.

Other Cambodian Events at East-West Center: Saturday, Nov. 10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. "New Initiatives in Southeast Asia and Cambodia." This conference will discuss academic papers written by experts on Cambodia and its cultural conservation. The conference will be held at the the Korean Studies Center.

Sunday, Nov. 11, 2 to 4 p.m. "Living Cambodia," a lecture on emphasizing conservation efforts and culture in Cambodia, will be held in the East-West Center gallery.

Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008, 2 to 3 p.m. Cambodian performer and East-West Center alumnus Thavro Phim will be featured in a dance performance/demonstration.