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2016 LIVING CONDITIONS IN CAMBO PLEASE?

 
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Cubism



Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Posts: 283
Location: US

PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 12:51 am    Post subject: 2016 LIVING CONDITIONS IN CAMBO PLEASE? Reply with quote

Hi,,

I don't think I'll teach in Cambo but have lived & taught in Asia for 20 yrs. now. I love living in Asia (I find that hard to believe but it's just a fact.)

Could you tell me what living conditions are like nowin Cambo? (I taught in Ch Mai but found it too nutty & polluted now for just a peaceful kind of life. I do consider returning to India, although it's definitely nutty. But entertaining.)

Thanks.
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sigmoid



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276

PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I don't think I'll teach in Cambo


This is probably a good idea.


Quote:
I love living in Asia (I find that hard to believe but it's just a fact.)


Not hard to believe. Living in Asia is cool, although it certainly depends on which part you're in.

Quote:
Could you tell me what living conditions are like now in Cambo?


I was in Phnom Penh last October and it's still the same or worse than when I lived there about 5 years ago. Pretty grungy, garbage piled up here and there. Lots of beggars, street kids, dodgy guys, pimps, dealers around and the level of street crime is high, especially bag/phone snatching.

The choice of restaurants has improved some though and there is a sort of trendy expat scene now.

There are a least three local forums/websites for Cambodia now. Have a search and check them out if you want some detailed info/articles/photos/discussion.
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Cubism



Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Posts: 283
Location: US

PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 1:08 am    Post subject: Living conditions in Cambo: Siem Reep Reply with quote

Hello & thank you. A friend advises Siem Reep. I'm not sure...

Could you give me your thoughts please?

Thanks!
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sigmoid



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, Siem Reap is a better choice than Phnom Penh. It is developing rapidly and definitely has a scene as an international tourist city.

Living there long-term though may not be so great and you'd have to do some research about teaching jobs. I doubt you could make much money there, as there are probably a lot of people trying to teach there.

In summary, I am also not sure... Smile
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Cubism



Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Posts: 283
Location: US

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:19 am    Post subject: Siem Reep Reply with quote

Hi and thanks! I know one expat in Cambo who lives in a village now. He says Siem Reep is better.

But I'm cautious.

I doubt anyone would hire me now (I'm in my 60's) so it's a matter of safety & a decent life abroad. Frankly it sounds over my head. (Do a search using the word 'happy.')

Smiles & good luck. Maybe not in Cambo, but teaching ESL is more wonderful than most folks realize.
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kurtz



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 518
Location: Phaic Tan

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 6:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whilst I have never lived in Siem Reap, I have spent some photography holidays there so I know it a little. Basically, it is growing quite quickly. It's a tourist town so there are decent eateries and drinking spots. Expat business owners tend to be of the low class Australian variety, as well as a smattering of aid workers, old blokes with young chicks or boys and the usual foreign "artists" who have parties from time to time. Naurally, there are many tourists, many of whom are Koreans who add zero to the local economy. With an increase in tourism and development comes an increase in crime. Bag snatching was in vogue last time I was there. The streets flood when it rains. You can eat locally, but of course, eating decent food and living in a decent gaff is going to cost you, especially if you're hard up for cash. ACE are in town, but the contract is for backpackers IMHO. Despite the negatives, there are many temples to explore and the foreigners are a quirky bunch of misfits who are fairly interesting.
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AlwaysBeClosing



Joined: 13 Nov 2012
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Age isn't an issue in Cambodia, don't worry about that. ACE pay decently and have most people on six month contracts now, though new ownership has meant that people who want to return (like myself) are being told no, which is a shame. So if you get in (not difficult, a BA and a CELTA and you essentially have the job) it's fun.

Siem Reap is nice and chill, Phnom Penh is not. I live in the latter and it's fun, the expat scene is whatever you want it to be, generally incredibly friendly, especially compared to places like Saigon where I felt a bit distant from other expats, not that it's the whole world there, but I didn't feel comfortable there after three months.

Accommodation anywhere in Cambo is decent, powercuts are now very infrequent (and usually because someone outside cuts the wrong wire or they're fixing something), at least in the cities. You can get most of the things you miss from home and things aren't particularly expensive. Restaurant scene is great.
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creeper1



Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 481
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kurtz wrote:
. Naurally, there are many tourists, many of whom are Koreans who add zero to the local economy. .


I don't get why people say things like that.

They stay in hotels, eat at restaurants (ok they may be Korean restraunts but they will be staffed by Cambodians) and buy the trinkets from the stalls.
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kurtz



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 518
Location: Phaic Tan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

creeper1 wrote:
kurtz wrote:
. Naurally, there are many tourists, many of whom are Koreans who add zero to the local economy. .


I don't get why people say things like that.

They stay in hotels, eat at restaurants (ok they may be Korean restraunts but they will be staffed by Cambodians) and buy the trinkets from the stalls.


From stickman:

Speaking of Koreans - I noticed my guide's face going dark as these huge Korean tour groups entered these scared sites and started yelling back and forth to each other, slapping each other on the back, climbing on whatever they wanted for pictures, and just generally being very rude and crude. Having lived in Korea for some years I’m used to seeing this behavior, but it’s not any more acceptable in the temples of Cambodia than it is in the temples of Thailand. After a few days I finally got it out of him that the locals grit their teeth with the Korean tourists and overall have very little respect for them. I can’t blame the locals for feeling this way.

Ah the memories.

Basically, they fly in on Korean passenger jets, stay in Korean owned hotels, eat in Korean restaurants and get hauled around by Cambodian tuktuk drivers at rock bottom prices, make a heap of noise and fly home.
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theoriginalprankster



Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Posts: 895

PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 2:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would think it would be the newly-'moneyed' Chinese 'tourists' annoying the locals and tourists alike.

In my travels across Asia they have been the loudest, rudest and stingiest.

I'm not one to get on my high horse but I've had to discipline them from time to time. The Koreans, Japanese, Hong Kongers, Filipinos, Malays, Thais have not bothered me.
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Prof.Gringo



Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 6:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

theoriginalprankster wrote:
I would think it would be the newly-'moneyed' Chinese 'tourists' annoying the locals and tourists alike.

In my travels across Asia they have been the loudest, rudest and stingiest.

I'm not one to get on my high horse but I've had to discipline them from time to time. The Koreans, Japanese, Hong Kongers, Filipinos, Malays, Thais have not bothered me.


Chinese are rude in China and even ruder outside of China.
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theoriginalprankster



Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Posts: 895

PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 1:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Chinese are rude in China and even ruder outside of China.


Word. Luckily I vacation where there are very few of them.
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