New In Town

This is where our community discusses almost anything! While we're mainly a Cambodia expat discussion forum and talk about expat life here, we debate about almost everything. Even if you're a tourist passing through Southeast Asia and want to connect with expatriates living and working in Cambodia, this is the first section of our site that you should check out. Our members start their own discussions or post links to other blogs and/or news articles they find interesting and want to chat about. So join in the fun and start new topics, or feel free to comment on anything our community members have already started! We also have some Khmer members here as well, but English is the main language used on CEO. You're welcome to have a look around, and if you decide you want to participate, you can become a part our international expat community by signing up for a free account.
SnookyRookies
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Re: New In Town

Post by SnookyRookies »

Thank you all for the warm welcome! To those who are a bit alarmed at the idea of raising a child here- know that the villa we rent is very secure, in a quiet gated neighborhood with 24/7 security. It has far less crime than the places we lived in Indianapolis or Washington DC and is far more modern that the log cabin with dirt floor where I was raised.We will be homeschooling her -at least until my wife completes the process of opening a international primary school. Assuming that we can hire some quality bilingual teachers, jump through all the all the legal red tape, etc... I am confident in my wife's ability to create a pretty awesome learning environment for our daughter and for other students interested in a multicultural, multilingual approach to education.

We go into this with out eyes somewhat open- at least more so since arriving in Phnom Penh three weeks ago without any friends or connections. Someday I will tell u guys the amazing story of how a Tuktuk driver and phone salesman teamed up to steal my brand new phone, sell me a fake knock-off to replace it, and in the process pass off $135 in counterfeit money. It was a pretty rough first day, still dazed with jet lag, but I should almost thank those jerks. It was a hard lesson which cost me around $500, but it put me on my guard in a way that I clearly needed.
Anchor Moy
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Tokelau

Re: New In Town

Post by Anchor Moy »

Hi SR, Please tell us your story. It's the sort of thing that is useful for newbies in Cambodia and always a fun story for old timers. :please:

Don't be put off. Cambodia is not all about scammers and getting ripped off. Good to see that you aren't letting this get you down; Good luck.
Raybull
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Re: New In Town

Post by Raybull »

Sorry to hear about....I suggest you forget about the school, that lesson will cost you far more than 500$! Homeschooling your child though, maybe part time, is a good alternative if you have the free time. Honestly, if I had a five year old (foreign) child I would be in the stages of planning a move back to my western country, not vise versa.
taabarang
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United States of America

Re: New In Town

Post by taabarang »

"It was a hard lesson which cost me around $500..."

Every foreigner who comes here learns the hard way even those who claim to have done their homework. I live rurally with my Cambodian wife and two kids in a.modest dwelling with cement not dirt floors. Education is a hassle and rural education is a catastrophe; home schooling in English is mandatory in our home, especially written English.

On the other hand the kids have trees to climb and experience a Tom Sawyer joie de vivre plus they have two Cambodian grandparents who dote on them. Our life is a bit tough, but so are we. Gated communities obviously aren't for me, but I hope you find all that you are looking for. You may have to lower your high culinary standards a bit to find employment. High quality anything is hard to come by in general and less so in high volume businesses that cater to tourists. Good luck with that school, Cambodia needs it.
As my old Cajun bait seller used to say, "I opes you luck.
SnookyRookies
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Re: RE: Re: New In Town

Post by SnookyRookies »

taabarang wrote:"It was a hard lesson which cost me around $500..."

Every foreigner who comes here learns the hard way even those who claim to have done their homework. I live rurally with my Cambodian wife and two kids in a.modest dwelling with cement not dirt floors. Education is a hassle and rural education is a catastrophe; home schooling in English is mandatory in our home, especially written English.

On the other hand the kids have trees to climb and experience a Tom Sawyer joie de vivre plus they have two Cambodian grandparents who dote on them. Our life is a bit tough, but so are we. Gated communities obviously aren't for me, but I hope you find all that you are looking for. You may have to lower your high culinary standards a bit to find employment. High quality anything is hard to come by in general and less so in high volume businesses that cater to tourists. Good luck with that school, Cambodia needs it.
Thank you for the encouragment, RE the shool. I should clarify that we have no plan to make any money. We intend to charge similar tuition relative to other international schools, but we will provide partial and full sholarships, work-study, and barter arrangements for to those in need. We have heard that Khmer public shool teachers are not paid well, so we hope to find a couple of them who speak a little english and can moonlight as "general studies" teachers. This will be expensive, and takena great deal of time. For now, we have the luxury of relaxing in a very save villa while we acclimate ourselves to life here.

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SnookyRookies
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Re: New In Town

Post by SnookyRookies »

As far as the advert to work as a chef: that was a joke. Mostly. Nobody could possibly put up with my perfectionist attitude. I might open my own restaurant though, and then run it into the ground within a year. I mean, isnt that what all the cool kids do?

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phuketrichard
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Re: New In Town

Post by phuketrichard »

suggestion;

GO SLOW, do not jump into ANYTHING in SE Asia, Also start now and associate / find a good/trustworthy ( not as easy as it sounds) Khmer partner to assist you.
Look at the international school in Kep for ideas, (my gf sisters son goes there)

sounds like ur an idealist, ( work study for small kids??) that works fine in the states, not so good here
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
Bertros
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Re: New In Town

Post by Bertros »

SnookyRookies wrote:. It has far less crime than the places we lived in Indianapolis or Washington DC and is far more modern that the log cabin with dirt floor where I was raised..
My fellow Hoosier, I must admit to wanting to know where's y'all growed up. my self, being a 6th generation hoosier, I spent 3/4 score years up in the Fort and another 1/2 score years in that French named town just across the Wabash from Purdue. now I've known lots of hillbilly's and rednecks (my cousin does that noddlin' along the Wabash down by Attica way and often goes to tournaments and such) but I've yet to know anyone who lived in a cabin with a dirt floor. (My grandma was from Tab, Ind.) sure, lots had no power (mostly farmer friends) and multitudes had well water from wells on their land (my family too) and a proper outhouse (with the std 'hole' in the ground for disposal).... but not dirt floors.... yet to meet someone that 'rural'. :beer3:

just curious

cheers

Bertros :hattip:
A taste of the bait is worth the pain of the hook.....
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