What is your first impression of another country? 4 years ago, on my first week at school in Singapore, I was greeted by this sentence:
You have a laptop. So you’re not poor.
That time, I had a presentation group with 3 other Singaporeans. Naturally we introduced ourselves…where we’re from blah blah blah. So they knew I was Cambodian. They were abit surprised because it’s their first time seeing a Cambodian. What happend next was that our group needed a laptop to make presentation. None of them appeared to have one. So I suggested “to use mine“. Thus came that above sentence by one of the guys. Over 4 years on, I still remembered that sentence “You have a laptop. So you’re not poor”.
So what did the guy know about Cambodia? Answer was: Poverty.
I didn’t say anything. But that sentence really set the tone. It really made me wonder that “Am I going face another 100 of such sentences in the coming 4 undergrad years?”. I tried believe it’s just a minority as it took another six months or so before someone asked me “Cambodia? Where is Cambodia?”. That’s not too bad as it’s better knowing nothing than knowing only the negative things.
Just recently another Singaporean who has never been to Cambodia described to me his impression of Cambodia as a country with a lot of land mines and khmer rouge. This is all too common for many people from the so-called highly educated nations. If we read international media reports on Cambodia, there is hardly any single report not mentioning Khmer Rouge, wars, land mines and poverty. What’s in the head of those reporters is beyond my imagination.
I’m not saying that they should write only the positive things about Cambodia. But there should be a media balance. Because it’s the media which teaches people. Talking about balance, I’m glad that it appears that there is increasingly more positive awareness about Cambodia amongst foreigners especially tourists and expats. They are really helping reducing the negative perception on Cambodia through words of mouth, blogs and online communities.
In some years time, I hope there will not be another Cambodian hear what I heard.
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33 Wonderful Comments:
September 26th, 2006 at 11:58 am
It’s really suffering to hear those, but I have been asked whether Cambodia is in Africa by an indian friend. Another one from China asked whether Cambodia stops the Civil War. On the media, I only see the phrases such as impoverished country, war torn country, one of the poorest countries, khmer rouge and AngkorWat about Cambodia. What the heck are these about?
September 28th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
Well, it is really suffering like SINGACHEA said. When I told people here that I come from Cambodia, they said “ah, I see, Pol Port”. I can’t find reply to continue the conversation lah. One more thing is that, when I said I come from Cambodia, they said “oh, land mine. Are you alright? There are a lot of land mine right? Are there some near your home?”.
Come on! I really want to argue with them. But nothing can change the image they remember. Just try to make them like us and try to change the image of Cambodian people to be better and more positive lah.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:08 pm
This reminds me of a paper I wrote about education of Cambodia a couple of months ago. In the introduction I wrote: “Ask any citizen of the rest of the world about Cambodia and it is very likely that he/she could identify the country, if at all, by its two extreme symbols: an icon of a distant glorious past in the Angkor Wat temple and an emblem of a more recent bloody past in the Pol Pot regime”. This couldn’t be truer.
Whenever I introduce myself as a Cambodian foreigners usually try to make conversations out of either of the above two things. This picture is obviously inaccurate so far as the current situation in Cambodia is concerned.
Obviously, the media (well, most of them) doesn’t help much. And you don’t need to know rocket science to realize that people in the media give you what you want to see and, sadly, people tend to be fascinated by extreme pictures. So it’s usual for well-respected news media to introduce Cambodia to their audiences as a war-torn, impoverished, insecure country even though that might be the situation a few decades ago.
Hope’s not gone though. Nowaday, it’s getting more and more frequent that I see a relatively more accurate picture of Cambodia being presented to the world. I guess, even though ever so slowly, the rest of the world has started to catch up with real Cambodia.
If anything, as a Cambodian, I want my country to be seen as what it is today, not as what it was a thousand years ago or what it was 3 decades ago.
October 1st, 2006 at 10:46 pm
thanks for your stories, it’s been interesting to read. We’re more or less the same.
October 11th, 2006 at 8:58 am
[...] How much do foreigners know about Cambodia? Vireak asked ‘how much do foreigners know about Cambodia?’ The 21-year-old weblogger recalled his experience in Singapore four years ago. After spending several years with other Singaporean classmates, he was more and more familiar with many weird questions they asked him about his home country. Just recently, another Singaporean who has never been to Cambodia described to me his impression of Cambodia as a country with a lot of land mines and khmer rouge. This is all too common for many people from the so-called highly educated nations. If we read international media reports on Cambodia, there is hardly any single report not mentioning Khmer Rouge, wars, land mines and poverty. What’s in the head of those reporters is beyond my imagination. [...]
October 11th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
[...] ThaRum VIA Global Voices: Writing over at Global Voices, ThaRum takes a look at the increasing connectedness of the growing online Cambodian community. Among a handful of thought-provoking vignettes, ThaRum links to a recent post by Vireak that asks the question, “How much do foreigners know about Cambodia?” [...]
October 12th, 2006 at 3:44 am
I like your last conclusion. True, news media tend to be bias. If the news are not in their favor or agenda, they just choose not to write or report about it. Balacing of positive and negative is what I am looking for in my readings.
Thanks. Great blog. I will visit here more often.
October 13th, 2006 at 11:30 pm
hi Vannak, thanks for your comment and your time visiting my blog. Your blog is nice too.
October 14th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
[...] How much do foreigners know about Cambodia? Vireak asked ‘how much do foreigners know about Cambodia?’ The 21-year-old weblogger recalled his experience in Singapore four years ago. After spending several years with other Singaporean classmates, he was more and more familiar with many weird questions they asked him about his home country. Just recently, another Singaporean who has never been to Cambodia described to me his impression of Cambodia as a country with a lot of land mines and khmer rouge. This is all too common for many people from the so-called highly educated nations. If we read international media reports on Cambodia, there is hardly any single report not mentioning Khmer Rouge, wars, land mines and poverty. What’s in the head of those reporters is beyond my imagination. [...]
October 27th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
It is good for Cambodians to be proud and to look forward, but to act like Cambodia doesn’t have some SERIOUS issues is not doing justice to the country. I can only imagine how annoying it is to hear people stereotype you all the time just because your Cambodian.
I don’t think they are trying to be mean or realize that it is offensive but what Singaporeans think is mostly true.
Most people are disturbed after visiting Cambodia for the first time and even Cambodians living abroad tend to find it a disgusting example of a country because of corruption and poverty. What do you expect Singaporeans to say?!! “Oh your from Cambodia. I hear it is absolutely amazing there. The food is world renowned, the scenery stunning, the infrastructure is amazing, shopping at the Russian market is better than orchard Road”
40% of Cambodia’s annual budget comes from donor countries. And the average wage in Cambodia is less than $350USD per year. So to imply that Singaporeans are uneducated because they are surprised you have a laptop is not really fair.
If Singaporeans were educated they should have assumed that if you are able to study in Singapore and own a laptop that you did so through one of the following ways:
A) got a scholarship through ASEAN. B) You have family living abroad who is paying for you. C) you are the son or daughter of a rich corrupt government official or corrupt minister or judge.
Come on……….you know even Cambodian doctors don’t make enough to study in Singapore AND own a laptop.
October 27th, 2006 at 10:35 pm
Well, I never think that the particular Singaporeans were trying to be mean or offending.
I’m sure no one enjoy hearing the other people asking how rich or how poor he/she is, certainly not when people meet for the first time. This is plain Common Sense.
I don’t expect nor do I want foreigners to talk only the good things about Cambodia. You seems to have misintrepreted my points.
It is true that we have corruptions and poverty in Cambodia. But point C) to generalise that well-off Cambodians at home are all corrupted is an INSULT and lack of respects to those who made their fortune by lawful and humanly means.
I can’t believe there is such comment. I don’t believe any other Singaporeans would make such generalized comment.
October 28th, 2006 at 1:41 am
Frankly Aaron, I pity your ability to reason.
Just because the wage of an average Cambodian is less than USD350 doesn’t mean the national income’s evenly distributed amongst each and everyone. There are those who make more and, of course, those who make less. And you could be assured that amongst those who make more than average, not all of them are corrupt.
Totally agree with Vireak that it’s an insult to generalize as you did on what kind of Cambodians would be able to study in Singapore and own a laptop. I recommend you try to learn more about the country before making such an irresponsible comment.
October 28th, 2006 at 1:58 am
Thank Arron for the opinion from your point of view.
I would like to say that none of Cambodian friends commented earlier have denied that Cambodia have serious problems to be solved. None of us have acted as if today Cambodia was as developed as Singapore. Obviously, we have never expected anyone to say that Russian Market is better than Shopping Center in Orchard road. What we would like to say is that Media have shown only extreme images of Cambodia. Media should present a more broad view on Cambodia (including the moderate life) to the world.
As for GDP of Cambodia, these links may be able to serve as a reference. https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia
Of course, I hate those people who enrich themselves through corruption. However, it will be a mistake to make a generalization that all the better-off in Cambodia earn their living through unethical conducts. I strongly agree with Brother Vireak’s point that it is an insult to the better-off who earn their living through ethical means. It is not rare to see very well-educated people (Master degree holders, or professionals) in Cambodia earn USD 1000 or more per month in a for-good-course businesses.
As a Cambodian, I feel sad about corruption and poverty in Cambodia. However, I believe most (if not all) Cambodians have never been sad to be born as a Cambodian. And I’m very thankful to those who have contributed a lot to help this country (many of whom are Singaporean friends).
October 28th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
Acutally you referenced Wikipedia which referenced the CIA world factbook in regards to the GDP of Cambodia.
The CIA world factbook lists the Cambodian GDP as $2,200 but it is using the Purchasing power parity method to calculate GDP. Below is a definition of the PPP method of calculating the gross domestic product per person:
In economics, purchasing power parity (PPP) is the method of using the long-run equilibrium exchange rate of two currencies to equalize the currencies’ purchasing power.
A purchasing power parity exchange rate equalizes the purchasing power of different currencies in their home countries for a given basket of goods. These special exchange rates are often used to compare the standards of living of two or more countries. The adjustments are meant to give a better picture than comparing gross domestic products (GDP) using market exchange rates. This type of adjustment to an exchange rate is controversial because of the difficulties of finding comparable baskets of goods to compare purchasing power across countries.
Market exchange rates fluctuate widely, but many believe that PPP exchange rates reflect the long run equilibrium value. The distortions caused by using market rates are accentuated because prices of non-traded goods and services are usually lower in poorer economies. For example, a US dollar exchanged and spent in the People’s Republic of China will buy much more than a dollar spent in the United States.
So really what this means is that the average salary of everyone in Cambodia is not $2,200 USD per year but is actually around $400USD per year.
October 28th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
I’m sorry if I have offended you and I’m not trying to be offensive but so often Khmer people tend to mask the truth about their country. And the truth is that corruption is often flattly denied by so many Cambodians.
Is it true that a police officer makes around $20 TO $30 USD per month. A teacher $20-$30USD per month. And what about a nurse $75 to $100 per month? Would that be somewhat accurate?
October 29th, 2006 at 12:20 am
I sense that my point was misinterpreted. My main argument is the same as Panha’s. NOT ALL cambodians who are better-off than average Cambodians involve in corruptions.
Living in Cambodia for 18 years and coming from a poor hometown, I surely know that many Cambodians are very poor especially those in Countryside. However, this doesn’t support your assumption that ALL the better-off without having relatives living abroad sending money for them MUST HAVE INVOLVED in corruption. Panha’s explaination is clear enough.
October 29th, 2006 at 1:53 am
Aaron, I accept your apology.
As long as the discussion goes, no one has ever made claim that the average salary of Cambodians is $2,200 per year. We know too very well that the average salary is around $400 per year. And I suppose you know the meaning of word “Average”.
Most Cambodians don’t deny nor do we tend to hide the fact about corruption and poverty. If you make claim otherwise, you have to have some proof.
Most police earn $20-$30/month. Most Teacheres less than $50/month. True. So WHAT?
October 31st, 2006 at 4:56 pm
“I sense that my point was misinterpreted. My main argument is the same as Panha’s. NOT ALL cambodians who are better-off than average Cambodians involve in corruptions.”
Yes I agree with you there. In fact I have met a couple very clever Cambodians-Chinese who clearly know about business.
October 31st, 2006 at 5:19 pm
My main point is that I think it is a very accurate description to call Cambodia a war-torn, impoverished country and to be honest I think you’re fantasizing a little to describe it any other way. It IS a country of extremes. By saying that it does not mean that Cambodians are stupid or incompetant. There are successful, educated Cambodians arond the world and they have as much potential as anyone else unfortunately system is flawed in Cambodia and the people suffer for it.
How then would you prefer Cambodia to be described?
November 1st, 2006 at 9:12 pm
What is best described the US?
- a person with positive perception calls it “a heaven and a world of opportunities”.
- a person with negative perception calls it “a war-obsessed, most hated country in the world”.
- a person with fair perception calls it more ore less balanced between the two extremes.
Things are described by people’s perception.
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:30 am
Hey Aaron,
Let me share with you a few adjectives that should be used to describe Cambodia: politically unstable, developing, transitional, or maybe “unfortunate”.
Excuse me if my English is poor since it’s my second language, but how do you define a “war-torn” country? Is it a country that was inflicted with wars a few decades ago? Or is it a country that is having wars right now? Could it be a country who’s still feeling the negative impacts of wars? If the first definition is true, then I think most countries, including Singapore, could be called “war-torn”. After all didn’t you have wars back during the 40s and 50s and even the 60s? If the second definition is relevant then Cambodia surely is not a war-torn country. If the third definition holds, then you need to excercise caution in calling Cambodia “war-torn”. I guess the negative impacts we’re feeling right now are more of bad governance than the remaining heat of the wars.
“and to be honest I think you’re fantasizing a little to describe it any other way”: I’m glad Cambodians are at least fantalizing about getting better than the stereotypes with which we’re branded. “It IS a country of extremes”: no offense here, but again I’m glad you’re not a Cambodian because, frankly, it wouldn’t help if our people keep thinking that their nation is a nation of extremes. I think we’re quite fortunate to have a fraction of the population, however small, who do not cling too tightly to our past and rather look forwards to the coming future.
“In fact I have met a couple very clever Cambodians-Chinese who clearly know about business”: Let me assure you that there are many more clever Cambodians who do not have the means to realize their potentials…yet. And not all of them are Chinese-Cambodians. I’m sure you’ll either meet or hear from them soon.
With Regards
November 2nd, 2006 at 2:11 am
Excuse me if my English is poor since it’s my second language, but how do you define a “war-torn” country.
According to dictionary.com war-torn means: Laid waste by war.
One definition of waste is: to be consumed, spent, or employed uselessly or without giving full value or being fully utilized or appreciated.
Some examples of “not being fully utilized or appreciated” are below:
1) Life expectancy ranks at 94 out of 137 countries. The majority of countries with a lower life expectancy are in Africa and that is primarily due to AIDS.
2)40% of Cambodia’s annual budget comes from Foreign aid.
3) The road from Phnom Siem Riep to Phnom Penh was built with International Aid money. The road from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville was built with international Aid money. The Japanese friendship bridge was buuilt by Japanese. There is no paved road from Siem Reap to Thailand!!
4) The average Cambodian makes less than $1 USD per day.
5) The literacy rate in Canbodia is 67.3 Meaning almost 33% of Cambodians cannot read or write. The literacy rate for females is 57% meaning 43% of Cambodian females are illiterate.
6) Cambodia just received ATM’s in 2006! Opening of NZ bank was delayed due to lack of qualified workers.
7) The mortality rate of children under five is 138 per 1000 children. Disturbingly, this is among the highest rates in the region. It is believed that nearly 50 per cent of Cambodian children are malnourished and only 50% of children are immunized.
Cambodia has the highest percentage of land mine amputees out of any country in the world.
9) It is estimated there are 40,000 land mine victims in Cambodia.
10)There are an estimated 8 t 10 million unexploded mines in Cambodia.
My use of the word war-torn are not meant to criticize Cambodian people. what i have said since the beginning is that Cambodian people are not given full value and are not being fully utilized or appreciated in their own country.
Below I’ll put “war torn” into reality for you.
My Cambodian friend who is a Physics teacher at a good Cambodian college makes $900USD per year. If he did not live in a “war-torn” country he would make much more. Like in the U.S or Singapore he could make around $100,000USD per year and actually afford to take his family to the doctor if they were ill. Because he lives in a “war-torn” country he has a brother who lost both of his legs to a landmine. His aunt has HIV and he has to pay for schooling for four of his nephews. He cannot afford to buy a house. Hise wife wanted to work as a nurse in Phnom Penh but because Cambodia is so corrupt she had to pay $700USD to the hospital to even get a job.
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:36 am
Well, as I said earlier “the negative impacts we’re feeling right now are more of bad governance than the remaining heat of the wars”. You should ask yourself these questions: True your friend’s brother lost both legs to landmines and I’m sorry to hear that, but does your friend make only $900 per year because Cambodia is “war-torn”? Did his aunt contract HIV from the wars? Is it the wars that stop him from buying a house? Did his wife have to pay a bribe to get a job because of the wars? Or do all these thing occur because we happen to be so unfortunate to be ruled by a government that is both inefficient and corrupt?
My point here is simple: I absolutely disagree with those who brand my country “war-torn”. True we used to have wars (and let me assure you we didn’t invite those wars into our country. Go find out more who bombed Cambodia during the Vietnam War or who supported the Pol Pot regime behind the scene and you’ll see that those wars happened not because CAMBODIANS chose to have them, but rather because we were unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.), but we’re no longer having them. South Korea and North Korea went to war with each other and came out of it together. Fifty years later the South’s far ahead of the North in terms of economic prosperity. Why is this the case? Is it because they fought different war? Or is it because of the fact that the South’s government is more efficient than the North’s dictatorship?
I hope you get my point here: Cambodia is what it is today because the leadership is inept. I don’t blame the wars for our problems. Other countries went to wars and then they moved on. I want my country to do the same. Those who call Cambodia “war-torn” please note this: you’re not doing us any service by calling us so. In fact you’re being irresponsible by trying to paint Cambodia in a misleading way and driving out potential investors in the process. I never ever denie that we have problems, but I will always disagree with those who call our country “war-torn” on the simple fact that it’s inaccurate.
November 3rd, 2006 at 12:50 am
I applaud aaron’s time and effort to find all those negative stories. As for the word “war-torn”, although not accurate, we can’t blame people for using that word coz some people are just fasinated by negatives.
Aaron, you may wanna to look at your own country dark side as well, it may probably be more fasinating than Cambodia’s.
I don’t think it’s worthy to continue arguing with you.
November 10th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
My friend, I am from Serbia. Do you know about Serbia more than what the “so-called highly educated nations” know about Cambodia?
November 10th, 2006 at 9:10 pm
oh serbia i know a few things, a former state of yogoslavia before spliting to become serbia & motenegro. Recently the two nations voted to spilt further.
Serbia and montenegro had a good football team. The had the best defensive record in europe before going to the world cup but crashed out in the group stage after losing all their group games. Their star players include Kezman, Vidic and Milosevic.
June 3rd, 2007 at 8:52 am
I have to say that I agree with Aaron’s rationale for using “war-torn” to describe the current state of Cambodia. I would also use this adjective to describe my impressions of the country. There is little infrastructure, beggars are everywhere, starving people with no limbs drag themselves down unpaved roads. But war-torn is not the only word I would use to describe Cambodia. I would also say that the most benevolent people I have ever met in my life live in Cambodia. Cambodian dance and music are amongst the most beautiful I have ever seen and heard. The landscape is amazing. People are kind and friendly and rarely do I see a Cambodian without a huge smile. Because Cambodia is war-torn and the people are so amazingly kind and generous and persistant and optimistic, I can conclude that Khmer people have a collectively resilient spirit. Regardless of difficult living conditions, Khmer people dance and sing and relish time spent with their family, and in fact, treat everyone like family, even those they are only sharing the back of a pickup truck with for a few hours. I’m an American female living in Japan. I’ve been to Cambodia 4 times and volunteered for a few weeks in Phnom Penh, another week in Siem Reap. I spent a lot of time in Cambodian people’s homes. I don’t claim to know everything about Cambodia or even understand what goes on in the minds of Khmer people. But I do know that I had the most amazing experience of my life in Cambodia and will be forever grateful to the Khmer people for opening my eyes to so many aspects of humanity.
June 23rd, 2007 at 10:53 pm
.. but all that Aaron was saying was that it is understandable that someone may be surprised that you could afford a laptop.
He didn’t attack you at all.
There simply are realities. And one of them is that for a non-Cambodian person from lets say: the west or any affluent country it is of course not as clear what Cambodia contains. How could it be? Our cultures are often as different as our climates. Our languages are so different, our histories are different. Our life’s are often so extremely different. And an American and a French just have more in common than a European and Cambodian. But it is about geography, economics, languages, social structures, politics, commercial differences, different priorities, completely diferent: so many things … Please don’t concentrate on what I forgot, it is such a long list of differences… BUT more importantly: we all understand at heart: we are all humans with essentially the same desires in life, and we all should have the same rights and opportunities for our futures!
Aaron was not trying to say that all there is to Cambodia is poverty, but poverty is ONE of Cambodia’s truths. And at the moment it is a strong and very present truth. But things get better, day by day.. Just like antisocial behaviour is one of many western countries truths, only here I am not sure anything is getting better…(I wish).
Why don’t you all stop arguing and reading just the worst in each other’s thoughts.?
And look at it this way: war torn, does it matter what the very exact definition of that word is? The war has done bad things. That is all that is of concern. But also that Cambodian people are pretty amazing at picking themselves up and being so pro-active and making the very most of the opportunities that they have, when they have them.
And whatever word you may disagree with: please stop right there. I think so highly of Cambodian citizen; to misinterpret anything I have said as negative or thoughtless or as an attack would be a shame.
(ah, and that Cambodian – chinese comment Aaron made: he was probably just very truthful about the particular person he met, and most probably didn’t mean to say that a Cambodian has to have Chinese relatives to be great… Aaron: you could have just left that out and saved some mis-understandings.. )
Being so argumentative and defensive is really not neccessary.
Am going to visit my friends in Siem Reap this november. I wish they and all their friends had the opportunities that they deserve, but the are safe and healthy.
June 25th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Birgit…thanks for ur comments. I am not in denial about cambodia poverty. Just that i expected a bit more sensivity. Imagine if you were ugly, and people prefered to call you “ugly crocodile” rather than your name. how would you feel? That’s the whole point of this post.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Happen to me all the time, those story you guys has comments….. However things has changed, When people talk about Cambodia….remind them of that Maddox, Angelina Jolie adopted son, the great AnKor wat… the Tomb Raider…. and so on and on…….. Thanks to Angelina Jolie though:)
April 9th, 2008 at 4:48 am
Even now in year 2008 I still hear the word from Singaporean who never been to our country. They said Cambodia has lots of gun mans…..lolzzzzzzz. Cambodia is dangerous places. In the other hand lots of Singaporean now understand more about Cambodian and they respect Cambodian student who can come to study in Singapore as rich people…wat the hech???
January 27th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Wow! After almost all the reading, i have found truely amazing Cambodians who not only share the love but also give whatever cmt to support Cambodia as much as they can. This is truely admirable and a heart-warming site to all the Cambodians people. I am also proud to say that i was born a Cambodian, under any circumstances. Cambodian’s national religion is Buddhism, however, i’m Christian. Thus, am i not Cambodian?? Well of course i am! Cambodian’s today leader clearly stated that Cambodia nowadays is more independent, peaceful, and full of freedom of any religions. So the fact that i am a Christian doesn’t change the fact that i am a Cambodian, at all! And i am proud to say that~ ^^ Peace!!
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