What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

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Samouth
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What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by Samouth »

Since most of you guys are long-term, short-term and former expats in Cambodia, i am sure you guys have interacted with khmer and some even ended up having khmer wife. I just wonder if you ever noticed or realised what khmer in general doesn't know about westerner. If you did what are those things?
បើសិនធ្វើចេះ ចេះឲ្យគេកោត បើសិនធ្វើឆោត ឆោតឲ្យគេអាណិត។

If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.
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juansweetpotato
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by juansweetpotato »

Samouth wrote:Since most of you guys are long-term, short-term and former expats in Cambodia, i am sure you guys have interacted with khmer and some even ended up having khmer wife. I just wonder if you ever noticed or realised what khmer in general doesn't know about westerner. If you did what are those things?
They don't know where we come from. Not really. One look at the cities and towns and infrastructure of the western nations Khmer all call 'French' (barang) would be enough to freak the average Khmer right out, so I have heard. It's pretty much the same the other way round for those in the west trying to imagine Cambodia without ever stepping foot in the place.
"Can you spare some cutter for an old man?"
Anchor Moy
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by Anchor Moy »

Samouth wrote:Since most of you guys are long-term, short-term and former expats in Cambodia, i am sure you guys have interacted with khmer and some even ended up having khmer wife. I just wonder if you ever noticed or realised what khmer in general doesn't know about westerner. If you did what are those things?
Not sure what you mean Samouth. You mean general things like "all westerners are not the same" ? Or personal things like "(some) westerners like to read on the toilet ?" (I bet you didn't know that one. :) )
wackyjacky
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by wackyjacky »

That many perfectly normal barang actually enjoy quiet and being alone.
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AE86
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by AE86 »

I think a lot of Khmer would be surprised at how many poor Westerners there are. I know I was, especially when I visited Las Vegas. I was expecting to see a lot of lights, glamour, fancy cars everywhere etc (which I did see), but what I was not expecting were the homeless beggars, the trash, the stench of dirty alleyways, the amount of beat up cars (most looking much worse than Cambodian cars), etc.
-insert signature here
Sir_Quality_U_Feel
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by Sir_Quality_U_Feel »

White skin doesn't = $1,000, 000 in the bank.

Im from America which is very (superior) far from England or Australia... ;)
I'll give ya 500 Riel for it...
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phuketrichard
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by phuketrichard »

America does NOT Have trees that grow money
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
TheGrinchSR
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by TheGrinchSR »

Samouth wrote:Since most of you guys are long-term, short-term and former expats in Cambodia, i am sure you guys have interacted with khmer and some even ended up having khmer wife. I just wonder if you ever noticed or realised what khmer in general doesn't know about westerner. If you did what are those things?
The money obsessed get their point across without really understanding that to Khmer - we are all equivalent to millionaires. In a country where the average wage is $80 a month... even those on a measly $1,000 a month are making 12.5 times as much as a local. I don't think I've ever met a single Khmer who expected me to be a millionaire but they can see the comparative difference in our lives too. I spent $120 at Angkor Market on a week's shopping and cigarettes - my tuk-tuk driver nearly died when he asked how much I'd spent and I'd told him. He spends about that every 3 months and has a family to feed...

I think the truth is that most Asian cultures, not just Khmer, have absolutely no clue at all about Western culture. They don't understand that ours are not primarily face cultures. They are amazed to learn things like; "Yes, we have chickens in the West too." and so on... but that's OK, those of us in the West know very little about what Asian life is really like too.

That's why we say stupid shit about poor people; "Their lives may be simple but they're really happy - I hope it stays that way." Which is at once condescending and a failure to appreciate that smiling is marginally better than crying when it's a constant struggle to feed and clothe your family and one unexpected medical bill could finish you all off.
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever." - George Orwell
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Duncan
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by Duncan »

Samouth wrote:Since most of you guys are long-term, short-term and former expats in Cambodia, i am sure you guys have interacted with khmer and some even ended up having khmer wife.

I just wonder if you ever noticed or realised what khmer in general doesn't know about westerner. If you did what are those things?


Samouth, did you know that on the 21 of this month it will be the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.[ which includes Cambodia ] and the shortest day of the year in the southern hemisphere.
I tried to explain this to some of my family, that in summertime on the 21 December , [ in southern NZ ] the sun does not go down till about 9 pm at night. Of course I gave up in the end.
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
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hanno
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Re: What khmer in general doesn't know about westerner?

Post by hanno »

The money obsessed get their point across without really understanding that to Khmer - we are all equivalent to millionaires.
Pfff, I don't see a lot of Barang driving a P1 around town......
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