5 good reasons for living in Cambodia

1. Cheaper stuff
2. Slower pace of life
3. Exoticness
4. Friendly/smiling folks

That's all I can think of now.

Julien wrote:

Hi,

if someone asks you the best reasons for making the choice to live and stay in Cambodia, what would be your top 5?

Thanks in advance for participating,

Julien

Positive top 3

1. The visa must be number ONE, visa and work permit. EI visa, hassle free, no problems.

2. The cot of living

3. Easier to get a nice and proper girlfriend, as an example compared with Thailand or Vietnam.

My negative top 3 must be:

1. People are focused on money the extreme, landlords must be the worst in the world, or?

2. People in general has very little knowledge about the daily life. Health, use of medicine, food, etc. etc.

3. The roads

1. The Visa is great, no visa runs like Thailand.
2. Cheap cigarettes.
3. Cheap alcohol.
4. The climate, no snow.
5. Freedom.

1- visa
2- climate
3-smiling people
4-safety
5-overall easy going life

Just joined this forum after spending the last year (approx 2hrs per day) putting together as much information/going on forums etc about retirement in Thailand. Then someone pointed me in the direction of Cambodia. I am still in the good old UK!!! But can't think of any good points about the UK so I am happy to put forward my good point in relation to Cambodia, based on what I have learnt on forums etc
1. Visa
2. Cost of living
3. As Thailand was many years ago (first visited in 1990 and visited 10 times since)
4. East going lifestyle
5. Lovely people, both Cambodian and Expat

Just my thoughts on what I as a future Expat in Cambodia (hopefully in about a year) have learnt from you guys.

Many many thanks

Howie

I agree with all the reasons listed above. For myself, friendly people is top of the list. I can make friend and get smile by everyone (I am talking about the local).
Somebody mentioned cheap cost of living, I don't quite think so. If you live like a local: yes; expat: no.
Gamond,

I wonder about the smiling people. Where do you find them? If there are dollars in reach, yes, smiles as wide as size of an ATM machine.



Do the waitress who works 12 hours 7 days a week for 60 dollars a month, and there left her daughter  back in her village, does she walk around smiling every sec.?

She smile to me, when I return, and it looks like she likes me, showed me a pic of her family, Husband, daughter  and her self, but in general a happy person, no.

The tuk tuk driver, can you see him smile, before he goes to sleep in his tuk tuk 2 AM? I cant- to be honest with you.

Can I see my former landlord smile, when I expect to get my deposit back? Sorry but the answer is no.

The beggars along the riversides in many Khmer towns, do they smile when they force their children work/ beg from early morning to late night?

Sorry, I cant see that.

The wife, after her husband made her pregnant, and then left her alone with 2 kids or more. Before he left, he gave the mother of his children beating number 100. And then she is forced to do things thats not so nice, at least not for her. Do you see her smiling?

I am not saying that Cambodia isnt a good place to live in, but thats only if you are able to take care of your self.

Hello.

To note that the thread title is 5 good reasons for living in Cambodia. Can we please come back to the initial topic?

Thank you,
Aurélie

Aurélie wrote:

Hello.

To note that the thread title is 5 good reasons for living in Cambodia. Can we please come back to the initial topic?

Thank you,
Aurélie

Dear moderator. This sounds strange to me. Some users tell that they are i Cambodia because of the smile. The smile mostly appear when dollars are involved. Perhaps newcomers dosnt understand that.

If I cant comment on other users opinion, then what. Where did the debate forum go?

daelim, Aurelie posted this message because we are about to post the complementary thread : 5 good reasons for NOT living in Cambodia

(better separating the 2 threads, isn't it?)

daelim.. you may not notice this  but people here are friendly  and having polite conversation 99% of cases in a pleasant tone and subject..

Julien wrote:

daelim, Aurelie posted this message because we are about to post the complementary thread : 5 good reasons for NOT living in Cambodia

(better separating the 2 threads, isn't it?)

Julien, if people write in this tread that people are smiling, and 70% of the people are struggeling every single minute, and only smile if dollars are involved, then ist simple not working as a debate forum if I have to answer in another tread.

Up to you.

What can I do?

Find other pastures.

its not a debate, this thread is not about  judging weather its a good place to live in or not .. simply enumerate 5 u like ...if possible

Just wanna point out that there are countries where you don't get a smile from them even if dollars are involved.

YES ! .. nevermind antonyteo.. daelim left the site.. he wasnt happy about not having the liberty to debate

1. my relatives
2. the people
3. countryside
4. lifestyle/pace
5. srey srey LOL

the people, how friendly they are. that people smile no matter what their living situation is. the big difference between western people and the locals - we see the world in what we don't have, we're always wanting something more, something better, yet they consider themselves lucky for what they have, and are thankful they're not worse off (from what I've gathered, anyhow!) it's amazing.

the lifestyle. life is so relaxed no matter how chaotic it seems around you. it's basically possible to do whatever you want whenever you want.

the countryside. i absolutely love long public holidays because it gives me the chance go to my friends provinces. their families are all so nice and welcoming even if there's a language barrier. i also love visiting schools in the provinces, so rewarding. I love kandal and ratanakari for their freshness. also kep is beautiful.

cost of living. speaks for itself.

I could go on forever aaah

1. It feels like anything is possible here.
2. There's such a diverse range of expats around - instead of meeting only teachers, as in Seoul, I've met dentists, journalists, aid workers...
3. The lack of chain businesses. It's so nice to get to know independent shop owners and be part of a community.
4. How easy it is to set up a life with getting the visa, apartment, and job, etc.
5. So many people are friendly and willing to laugh along with you here

I <3 Cambodia!