What Behaviors to Charm All Sorts of Cambodians?

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SmartAston Martin
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What Behaviors to Charm All Sorts of Cambodians?

Post by SmartAston Martin »

Without becoming an ATM machine, what makes Cambodian people like or respect you?

For instance, giving attention to the small ones make one look nice. I mean appropriate attention, of course. Parents seem to like their kids to interact with foreigners.

Having a BBQ occasionally with the neighbors also works, and doesn't cost much. Be sure to avoid the town drunk though, he'll bug you for drinks all night!

Smiling of course helps, duh.

Riding a bicycle, I get all kinds of smiles from Cambodians, don't know why.

When I revealed I knew a bit about Khmer History, some of the elders liked that about me.

For different members of a family, what little things have you found they like?

Could help acculturation and having a good time with the neighbors.

Negatives:

I try to avoid shouting publicly, they hate that, even if it's in fun. They get alarmed by shouting.
Loud bikes late at night, too.

They don't seem to mind much but cold and loudness.
Melvin Udall: Never, never, interrupt me, okay?

Not if there's a fire, not even if you hear the sound of a thud from my home and one week later there's a smell coming from there that can only be a decaying human body and you have to hold a hanky to your face because the stench is so thick that you think you're going to faint.

Even then, don't come knocking...Not for ANY reason.
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Jamie_Lambo
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Re: What Behaviors to Charm All Sorts of Cambodians?

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

When meeting new people whether it be random people or my Khmer friends introducing me to their friends/family, things i notice that usually get pointed out or a positive reaction are...

Being able to speak, read and write Khmer

Being a boxer

My Knowledge of Khmer music, my nickname is Khemerak (because of the singer)
Whether its picking or singing (badly) Khmer songs in a KTV, putting Khmer songs on the youtube in bars or doing modern or traditional Khmer dancing at parties, it usually gets an impressed reaction and is a great way of making new friends lol

i think anything which shows youve taken a serious interest in their country and culture always helps you gain respect, whether its learning a bit of the language, or some of the culture and customs that they dont expect you to know, i always find it nice when i have someone genuinely thanking me for loving their country and culture
:tophat: Mean Dtuk Mean Trei, Mean Loy Mean Srey
Punchy McShortstacks School of Hard Knocks :x
superferret
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Re: What Behaviors to Charm All Sorts of Cambodians?

Post by superferret »

My experience is that you can never please everyone, like Jamie said a lot of people would like an outgoing person like that
but that's true everywhere in the world, outgoing people have a lot of friends, but if you do it wrong it could backfire, imagine being known as the barang clown in the neighborhood. I'm not an outgoing type, I just don't try to please anyone
I'm myself and some people love me, others just act the way they are and I don't care, why should I try to please them. They should try to please me, unless they happen to be attractive women of course :)
You earn respect the same way you do everywhere else in the world, by doing stuff and integrating.
As for being polite with strangers, Khmers are very transactional type, so when they purchase something the way they do it
would seem very rude to a foreigner, like going to a shop and saying "give me three bottles of wine" no hello or goodbye or anything,
but that"s the way things work here and a lot of them don't understand the formalities that barangs have, so I actually found I get more respect by neglecting formalities and being curt with shopkeepers.
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