I’ve been asked a few times from people back home about what living in Cambodia is like. One of this month’s blog prompts was “how to live like a local”, so I decided to put the two together and make a list of the things I’ve noticed:
1. Expect the power to go out. At least, this has been important during the months we’ve been here due to the fact that the country is switching many of their electricity sources and has to turn off the electricity to do that – but it also happens sometimes when it rains. This means that you don’t buy a lot of food in advance in case the fridge and freezer turn off. It means understanding that going to a cafe doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get AC and wifi – subsequently meaning that you begin to search for cafes that have generators. It also means that when your fans turn off in the middle of the night, and it feels like the still heat of the room might bake you alive, you stay calm – because you’ve lived through nights like that already and survived perfectly fine – well, fine despite the fact that you’ve lost a few liters of sweat.
2. Wear pants, and shirts that cover your shoulders. Yes, it feels like five hundred degrees, but it would still be that hot if you were wearing shorts and a tank top – which isn’t something that locals do. The people here dress very modestly and take care of the way they look, so to live like a local, you should too.
3. Take your shoes off before entering buildings. Although some restaurants and cafes, and the big grocery stores, allow you to keep your shoes on, it’s expected that you leave your shoes at the door many other places. This one can be kind of hard on your feet all day, but you quickly get used to it. It’s also a lot of fun, and quite comfortable, to be able to walk around cafes barefoot.
4. Ride a bike. Or a moto if you can (a moto is like a mo-ped that tried really hard to be a motorcycle but didn’t quite make it). Cars are pretty scarce around here, and the roads are full of tuk tuk’s and motos instead. Traffic laws don’t really exist, and everyone basically turns or crosses whenever they feel like it, always snaking around the vehicles in front of them. When there are cars on the road, you never know which side the steering wheel is going to be on, and it always confuses me when I see one that is different than normal. Biking is faster than walking, and many people use bikes to get places, especially all the kids (they usually ride two on a bike). And even though every one drives pretty crazy, they also somehow drive very safely, so biking right on the road and in with the traffic isn’t that scary. You could also download PassApp – basically uber for tuk tuk’s.
5. Accept and give with two hands. Or one hand on your elbow. This means that when you hand someone money or are receiving your change – or really handing anything to anyone – extend the bills with your right hand out and your left hand on your right elbow, or with both hands holding the bills. This shows respect. It is also important to bow slightly with your hands together under your chin when saying hello “susadei” or thank you “arkun”.
These are just a few of the cultural things I’ve learned since being here, but they have been some of the most helpful.
