Lack of appreciation in the KOW

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SiemReaper1
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by SiemReaper1 »

Not many Khmer people use the word som (please) and very rarely they say or kun only Westerners do.
I wouldn't worry to much about it, you done a few good deeds, helped an elderly woman out. She was probably so surprised that someone actually helped her, she was Lost for words.

And I only eat at $1.50 chicken place's on the Siem Reap Riverside because that's what I enjoy doing.
davegorman
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by davegorman »

I just think it’s embarrassment especially if it’s towards a westerner. They are not used to selfless kindness so it confuses them.

The old gran was probably thinking you were flirting with her, which is why you eat at the same place so you can “bump into her”.
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Kammekor
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by Kammekor »

SiemReaper1 wrote: Fri May 10, 2019 10:01 am Not many Khmer people use the word som (please) and very rarely they say or kun only Westerners do.
I wouldn't worry to much about it, you done a few good deeds, helped an elderly woman out. She was probably so surprised that someone actually helped her, she was Lost for words.

And I only eat at $1.50 chicken place's on the Siem Reap Riverside because that's what I enjoy doing.
The word 'som' is mistranslated / misused by a lot of foreigners into 'please'.

We use the word please to make a request, to be polite.

The word 'som' followed by a request in Khmer is not so much a request where the answer could be yes or no, the answer 'yes' is expected. This is different from a question in English followed by 'please'.
davegorman
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by davegorman »

The confusion is it sounds like “some” in English.

I find if I shout louder and slower, in English, if they don’t understand, I often get a “bat” or “chaa” quite quickly.

(Then just put up with what I get as it’s often wrong)
whatwat
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by whatwat »

I find the locals very meek and shy. It’s not rudeness or “lack of appreciation”.

Really?


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LIVIDZX
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by LIVIDZX »

I went to the pharmacy to buy one strip of alprazolam (xanax) the trainee pharmacist put 'it' on the counter... I paid the $1.25 and off I went. While walking up the road I notice that I'd been given a box rather than a strip so assumed that maybe there was only one strip left in the box or something... but no it was an unopened sealed box of 10 strips (100pills) of Xanax she'd given me. I went back and told them their error of basically selling me $12.25 worth of Xanax for just over a dollar, the owner looked at me stone faced - snatched them off me, opened the box and got me a strip out. Not a single world exchanged on her behalf... I still am glad I didn't take them all home though as I take them like candy as it is.
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Kayve
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by Kayve »

Don't help them next time and keep your KFC for yourself.

Totally like holding a door, if a khmer is behind me, "throw the door at him", if western, hold it as we do in westernkistan.

What's the sayin again ? In Rome, do as Romans do. :stir:
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by Tarndog »

LIVIDZX wrote: Fri May 10, 2019 11:24 am I went to the pharmacy to buy one strip of alprazolam (xanax) the trainee pharmacist put 'it' on the counter... I paid the $1.25 and off I went. While walking up the road I notice that I'd been given a box rather than a strip so assumed that maybe there was only one strip left in the box or something... but no it was an unopened sealed box of 10 strips (100pills) of Xanax she'd given me. I went back and told them their error of basically selling me $12.25 worth of Xanax for just over a dollar, the owner looked at me stone faced - snatched them off me, opened the box and got me a strip out. Not a single world exchanged on her behalf... I still am glad I didn't take them all home though as I take them like candy as it is.
I've done the same thing several times in very similar situations, with the same results you experienced. As they are picking their jaw up off the ground, i tell them, "I'm always honest and never lie." A bit redundant to us but I want to drive the point home.

It's clear their own countrymen and countrywomen usually don't do what we do. Hell, they're probably gone in a flash.
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by bong.kuit »

LIVIDZX wrote: Fri May 10, 2019 11:24 am I went to the pharmacy to buy one strip of alprazolam (xanax) the trainee pharmacist put 'it' on the counter... I paid the $1.25 and off I went. While walking up the road I notice that I'd been given a box rather than a strip so assumed that maybe there was only one strip left in the box or something... but no it was an unopened sealed box of 10 strips (100pills) of Xanax she'd given me. I went back and told them their error of basically selling me $12.25 worth of Xanax for just over a dollar, the owner looked at me stone faced - snatched them off me, opened the box and got me a strip out. Not a single world exchanged on her behalf... I still am glad I didn't take them all home though as I take them like candy as it is.
I guess the loss of face was worth more than ten bucks for her.
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Brody
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Re: Lack of appreciation in the KOW

Post by Brody »

LIVIDZX wrote: Fri May 10, 2019 11:24 am I still am glad I didn't take them all home though as I take them like candy as it is.
You're not staying at a guesthouse on St. 172 perchance, are you?
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