Cambodia Expats Online: Forum | News | Information | Blog

If we could do that with just a bit of chatter then maybe
we should.

Give a little back, to the country and the people who give us shelter.
The great part is that this does not cost you ANY MONEY. Just share
a thought.

I realize that it is only PC to make poor Cambodians richer, and only
just a bit. But any idea that makes poor people richer is going to make
the rich get richer too. So it should all work out OK.

Got a thought ?

Dara wrote:Give a little back, to the country and the people who give us shelter.

Who give us what now?

I agree with your sentiment, but this is a little starry eyed. I had to smile and nod politely while the previous landlord's mother ripped us off $100 yesterday, just so the poor guy wouldn't lose face. He actually came and apologized one on one that she'd been unfair.

A guy we know keeps asking what we're going to do to support a single mother he knows, but looks at us horrified when we ask him what he's going to do to support her.

Tell me more about this "they give us shelter" thing, I'm interested in that.

By teaching, not by giving.

Unfortunately there are too many people giving to make them as interested as they should be in learning.

I want to know more about how you got ripped off for $100 just so some dude could save face? I'd take the hundo.

Give a little back, to the country and the people who give us shelter.
The great part is that this does not cost you ANY MONEY.

First, nobody gave me shelter, I paid rent and later paid to have my home and outbuildings built, so it did cost me money. Second, please elaborate on the correlation between chatter and wealth. I don't get it. And do you think the incredibly wealthy Cambodians are really interested in your scheme, whatever it is?

Give Khmer's an inch they'll take a mile. That handout mentality will never end.

If the poor wanted to get out of their rut they would study hard and work hard. Fact is, they don't. They cheat and drink. They'll look at any opportunity at a fast buck even if they have to step over their own child to do so. There is no helping these barbarians.

OrangeDragon wrote:By teaching, not by giving.

Unfortunately there are too many people giving to make them as interested as they should be in learning.

Well, teaching IS giving in a way, bit good point. I'm not sure I understand your second paragraph though, can you restate please?

MekongMouse wrote:I want to know more about how you got ripped off for $100 just so some dude could save face? I'd take the hundo.

We had 10 days left on our lease but have moved on to our new place. We were using the old place as storage until we were ready to move the last of our stuff. We'd been advertising the old place as a favor to the owner as I consider him a friend, despite showing a half dozen prospective tenants through we didn't get a bite.

Yesterday we got a call from the landlord telling us his mother had packed our stuff up and cleaned the place (she had) and locked their keys in the apartment (she hadn't) so could we come and open the door please.

As we were heading there a friend called to tell us a third party friend of his wanted to view the apartment, any chance we could meet him there and show him through. It turns out the landlord had already re-leased the apartment, starting the next day, and needed us to move out despite still having the lease. The key story was to get us to go to the apartment and collect our belongings.

When paying the final utility bill I asked for a discount as they'd be pulling double rent for 10 days. The landlord's mother (who is the owner) offered 10% of the utility bill, I stated 10 days of rent would be fair. She dug her heels in at 5 days, as a dutiful son the landlord had to back her up. I was a bit of a prick and said "you tell me a fair price and I will pay it, no problem" and the guilt trip hit him harder than I'd planned.

It was hugs and good luck all round, but he found me later and apologized profusely that his mother had been unfair - I was a little shocked.

A friend commented they were not obliged to refund anything, I replied we were not obliged to return the key early.

Upside is we didn't have to clean the place.

Yeah, that's a tough situation. I guess I'd have taken the deal and moved on too, though not to help anyone save face, but rather for me to save a headache!

MekongMouse wrote:Yeah, that's a tough situation. I guess I'd have taken the deal and moved on too, though not to help anyone save face, but rather for me to save a headache!

No real win-win in that one, I do feel bad for the landlord though, he's a genuinely nice guy. Sad part is I was planning on going back and having a drink with him but he'd probably be too uncomfortable now.