Moving to Cambodia - should I - shouldn't I???

[pam5656]

My son moved to PP straight from Uni, has now married the most wonderful girl and has come 'home' to the UK to train as an auditor with a view to returning to live in PP in a couple of years.....I'm on my own, living the pure 'rat race' here in the Uk. I visit Cambodia every year and love it so much. When my son returns, he says I should move there too but, you know what it's like....you get old, stuck in your rut, work sleep, work sleep and get a bit scared of stepping out of your familiar. I was wondering if anyone could give me their view on how easy it is to make friends and have a life over there....
I would think of doing the Celta teaching course and teach. I'd really appreciate hearing stories from anyone who has relocated to PP.
Than you

[Cinnamoncat]

If your son goes, why not follow? A CELTA will enable you to get a decent ESL teaching position. If you are indeed living the UK rat race, and especially if you are simply renting a flat, why not relocate for awhile? Just remember to live here with health and medical evacuation insurance. If you need to get med evacuation, it is prohibitively expensive.

Owing to my friends who have had motorcycle accidents, I'd also recommend that you get yourself a decent helmet.

Anyway, I'd advise these things no matter where you live. My move to the KOW would depend--if I were you--on where my kid chose to live with his wife.

[cptrelentless]

Do you have any money? Can you sub yourself $1500 a month for maybe six months? Then do it. You're not getting any younger.

[taabarang]

", you know what it's like....you get old, stuck in your rut, work sleep, work sleep andt get a bit scared of stepping out of your familiar."

It's one thing to be stuck in a rut and quite another to move in and furnish it. If you’ve got any adventure in your soul listen to it.

[Kampoochie]

Do it! Most people teaching in Cambodia are very young, your maturity will be seen as a huge plus to Cambodians.

Say you lived in an area of PP like Russian Market, you may have trouble finding peers. Depends on who you consider peers. Working at a school, you'd have an instant network, though.

[Kung-fu Hillbilly]

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. " Mark Twain.

[explorer]

You need to have adequate financial resources? Some people come to Cambodia, drink beer until they run out of money, and become homeless until they get locked up or deported.

I highly recommend you make the effort to be involved in something. English teaching is one example. Some people are not involved in anything, so they fill in their time drinking beer. Many of them die young.

Are you the kind of person who would be a good English teacher? Some people have no teaching experience, and it is not a job they really enjoy or do well. People who spend half their life drunk, are normally poor English teachers. Some people have good jobs in the better schools or universities. You may not be happy with some of the low end teaching jobs.

If you live in Cambodia, I recommend putting in the effort to learn the language, and spend time with the people.

I personally like to get out of the capital, and stay in the smaller places.

I recommend not getting a motorbike. Too many people are injured or killed. Other drivers and riders are just too unpredictable, and do too many stupid things. I use a bicycle for short distances, and a minivan, bus or taxi for long distances.

You may get fed up with the stupidity. I have mentioned drivers and riders. Tuk tuk drivers can be obnoxious. You may rent a room and something in the bathroom is broken. They will tell you it doesnt matter. etc. etc.

If you want a girlfriend or wife, get to know many and choose a good one. Dont pick up the first stupid woman you meet.

Then you weigh all of this up against living in the rat race. Is life so great when you work, sleep, work, sleep, and have little time for fun.

Another option is to spend some time here, then decide whether to stay or return in the future.

[frank lee bent]

ummmm
pam would suggest a female poster surely?

[taabarang]

"If you want a girlfriend or wife, get to know many and choose a good one. Dont pick up the first stupid woman you meet."
Did you bother to notice OP's first name?

"You may get fed up with the stupidity."
Yes, yours for example.

[frank lee bent]

here i am in texas wondering if irony or sarcasm

even the question prejudices itself.

People who spend half their life drunk

the elite of the profession, you mean?