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So I've been in Cambodia now 6 weeks with my Chinese wife and kids and I have to say I'm concerned about how my wife treats Cambodians. I would describe my wife as sweet; that's her main superpower and everyone, up until now anyway, would agree. She's a good, sweet and devoted wife and committed helicopter mom. I've taken her to Korea, Hong Kong and Brazil and she has always been sweet and polite and everyone likes her.

Things are different in Cambodia though. To put it bluntly, she treats Cambodians like shit and worst of all, it seems the poorer the Cambodian, the worse she treats them. She becomes bossy, arrogant and just rude. Tonight for example, she was such a bitch to the vegetable vendor, and all over the cost of a green pepper, that the vendor refused to serve her and gave back the money. She would have never behaved like that in Korea or Brazil. She's constantly fighting with vendors and tuk-tuk drivers over what amounts to pennies.

I wonder if this is because she feels superior to Cambodians in a way that she doesn't feel toward Koreans or white Brazilians. I'm starting to wonder what's up with my sweet Chinese wife.

Ask her what is going on.
If she is normally sweetness and light, then something is not ok for her. At a guess she feels insecure for some reason, so thinks she needs to act superior.
Have you been flirting ? Hmmm. Just talk to your wife and tell her what you said here. (Tactfully.)
Good luck.
From Agony Aunt AM

She probably just hates it here

There is a robust contingent of Chinese in my neighborhood and one thing I've noticed 3 separate times at my local Lucky supermarket is while I'm standing in line the cashier is ringing up a Chin and when she hands them their change in Riel, they flick it back at the cashier with some incomprehensible Mandarin rambling as the notes fly all over the register and they walk away with their groceries.

Quite disdainful behavior and doesn't endear them to the local populous I'm sure.

Maybe she had the feeling that seller want to scam her so she had this defensive attitude.

maybe she just finally shows her real face !

jubo2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:32 pm maybe she just finally shows her real face !

Perhaps a little harsh...

OP, there is clearly an attitude shift which (until now) is unexplained. I'm not sure the CEO populous can help on this one, given the lack of many/any Chinese partners to compare to.

It is evident that she feels a need to act in this way, whatever those motivations are. I agree with the earlier poster who suggested to raise the exact question you raised here, in a way that only you know will be tactful and appropriate with your sweet Chinese wife. I'm also equally sure that the CEO community (so far) would be interested to discover what the trigger is/was, and why the behaviour changed. If you choose to share that, of course.

Nonetheless, I hope you are able to get to the bottom of it, whatever occurs.

Queef wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2020 9:17 pm She probably just hates it here

That's what I was thinking...

Either that, or she's been drinking too much coffee recently?

OP - is your wife from mainland China? Does she watch CCTV semi-religiously? Then she will have very strong opinions and behaviors in unexpected ways.

As much as the members on CEO joke about the new Chinese masters in the KOW, the mainland Chinese believe it. And probably reinforced through various media.

If it sounds racist, it is. I’ve argued with my parents all the time about it. Generally told that I’ve been deluded with Western ideals, and should see the world for what it really is (ie, through Chinese thinking).

Most recently, they ‘forgave me’ for not being fluent in Mandarin. When I was growing up, Chinese were fodder, now they are taking what they deserve, as it should be it their eyes.

Sorry if this post has offended anyone.

they have bought cambodia and as far as they are concerned the locals deserve no respect for alliwing themsrlves to be trousered so easily, with virtualky no resistance at all