Living In Cambodia

People think of Cambodia as this place with water buffalo and ancient temples. They imagine that I live in a bamboo hut and eat rice every day. The reality is that much of the world has been globalized. Living in a third world country is much nicer today than it was 20 years ago.  No longer do I need to pump my own water from the well (while I do that some days when the electricity is out). I’m not riding a pony cart into town to collect my groceries at the local market. While I do sometimes buy vegetables at the local market, we have an air-conditioned supermarket that supplies our normal required goods. I drive a motorbike around town, and some wealthier people drive cars. There are stop lights and traffic cops. In general, life in Cambodia doesn’t look too different from life in America. We aren't fishing for our supper here anymore. We can eat in restaurant when the budget allows. We work in air-conditioned offices and have regular pens and notebooks to write on.  Life in Cambodia is not an extreme difference.

That’s the problem. If we were living in huts, eating out of the river, and riding ponies into town, then I would expect to have major cultural barriers. In that situation, I wouldn’t be surprised when a woman tells me that I’m so fat that I must have had 12 babies. I wouldn’t be surprised when a man treats me as an inferior. It’s the illusion of progress, that occasionally tricks me into believe that I’m in a normal country. 

I almost blame the conveniences of life in Cambodia for the hardships of life in Cambodia. If it weren’t for my speedy little motorbike, I wouldn’t be stuck at the mechanics shop trying to convince him that a new battery is better than just waiting for the old battery to die out completely. And if the mechanic didn’t speak English, then I wouldn’t expect him to understand what I’m saying. But there you go… I have the cute motorbike that zips me across town, and I’ve come to expect the convenience of it.  The mechanic can speak English, so why doesn’t he understand the concept I’m explaining!!!!

 

I’m still in a very foreign land. The culture still frustrates me. It still bothers me that the Cambodian beside me at church, turned to stare and laugh at me during worship. It still frustrates me that a Cambodian mechanic would prefer to cut corners than replace the battery for a new one and thus make himself a larger commission. It still irritates me that Cambodian men will not listen to me on any topic other than babies, cooking, cleaning, or America. 

It's the comfortable living that is to blame. If I wasn't so comfortable at a cafe with nice latte, then I wouldn't be so appalled when the power goes off... and stays off for five days. I know I live in a third world country, but sometimes I forget. I stop noticing the little differences, like cows in the roads. The moment you forget that Cambodia is a third world country, BAM! It reminds you!

Five years… I’ve lived in this crazy place for five years, but there are some things that I can never agree to.  I’ll never believe that quick work is better than high quality work. I’ll never agree to sit down and be a meek, mild woman without opinions and thoughts.  There’s culture shock, and then there’s cultural frustrations. The shock goes away after 6 or 9 months. The frustrations may never go away.