"Relax man, you're on vacation"
- Miguelito
- Ordinary Schmo
- Reactions: 219
- Posts: 7053
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:19 pm
- Location: Penh's Hill
"Relax man, you're on vacation"
This is a bit of a vent, but have you ever gotten into an argument with a Khmer, and then some other white guy/girl says something like "relax man, you're on vacation," or "take it easy, it's not a big deal"?
This is especially annoying when a local is lying to your face or screwing you over, and you know it. Especially if you try to speak in Khmer and they ignore you, so you revert to English and may look like an angry traveler, but it's because you know what's going on and are frustrated. And to the do-gooder backpacker, no, I'm not on holiday, I'm just living my day to day life.
This is especially annoying when a local is lying to your face or screwing you over, and you know it. Especially if you try to speak in Khmer and they ignore you, so you revert to English and may look like an angry traveler, but it's because you know what's going on and are frustrated. And to the do-gooder backpacker, no, I'm not on holiday, I'm just living my day to day life.
- Lucky Lucan
- K440 Knight Captain
- Reactions: 761
- Posts: 22525
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:24 pm
- Location: The Pearl of the Orient
Never happened to me.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
-
- Damn, I just saw my Internet Bill !
- Reactions: 3
- Posts: 4420
- Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2012 3:04 pm
Yeah, I remember a backpacker saying to me once "Sounds like you've been travelling too long, maaan" after he witnessed me complaining to a shop assistant (not in Cambodia) their convenience store never had small change, me of the opinion they did indeed have change but just not for foreigners. I replied "You give me the difference then."
"That was probably Londo...He is always shitty." - Marvin
- ផោមក្លិនស្អុយ
- Daylight, I need Daylight !?!
- Reactions: 686
- Posts: 4718
- Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:42 pm
I honestly don't know who annoys me the most:
1) Khmer
2) Tourists
3) Expats
I can't stand any of them.
1) Khmer
2) Tourists
3) Expats
I can't stand any of them.
Cantankerous Curmudgeon
Pecahead wrote:I honestly don't know who annoys me the most:
1) Khmer
2) Tourists
3) Expats
I can't stand any of them.
Hey . . enough of that. There is only room for one grumpy old bastard around here, and that slot is taken.
- Miguelito
- Ordinary Schmo
- Reactions: 219
- Posts: 7053
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:19 pm
- Location: Penh's Hill
I actually thought about this because a Cambodian friend posted on his FB the other day that he witnessed a "barang" at the store try and pay in riel for a $16 tab, with 64,000 riel, but the store was charging him at a rate of 4100 riel. The guy said that was all he had on him, and spoke Khmer to explain, come on, $16 = 64,000 riel. Then other foreigners called him cheap, etc. I actually thought it was cool a Khmer guy was posting to stand up for the foreigner, regardless of the situation. And then today I was trying to have a discussion with someone over an issue, and I heard in the background "it doesn't matter, let it go," even though it involved 30 minutes of my time, for nothing, which was annoying. But some backpacker trying to intervene made it that much worse, and gave the Khmer the resolve to push back strongly.
Yep, been there, and the foreigner who intervened has ALWAYS been some newly arrived traveler.
One of the funniest examples involved Felgerkarb, although he doesn't remember it. Alcohol was involved, so the details are a little hazy for me, as well. We were sitting at a bar or cafe on the riverside a few years ago, and a middle aged white lady at the table next to us took offense to something he had said to a waitress. She started telling him what he had done wrong and how he should conduct himself in Cambodia. The part I remember clearly was the look on her face after he just nodded as if he was agreeing, and then turned and spoke in fluent Khmer to the waitress who had just returned--who started laughing, leaving me and no doubt the lady to assume that he had just explained the situation to her. The lady and her husband paid the bill and left right after that, and as far as I can remember, she did not apologize or speak another word to Felgerkarb.
One of the funniest examples involved Felgerkarb, although he doesn't remember it. Alcohol was involved, so the details are a little hazy for me, as well. We were sitting at a bar or cafe on the riverside a few years ago, and a middle aged white lady at the table next to us took offense to something he had said to a waitress. She started telling him what he had done wrong and how he should conduct himself in Cambodia. The part I remember clearly was the look on her face after he just nodded as if he was agreeing, and then turned and spoke in fluent Khmer to the waitress who had just returned--who started laughing, leaving me and no doubt the lady to assume that he had just explained the situation to her. The lady and her husband paid the bill and left right after that, and as far as I can remember, she did not apologize or speak another word to Felgerkarb.
They never do. They always claim moral superiority, yet never admit when they're wrong.Buscador wrote:she did not apologize or speak another word to Felgerkarb.
Reckless driving cucumber - 成
-
- Making Khmer girls cry since 2003
- Reactions: 130
- Posts: 21358
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 10:15 pm
Stop being vague Miguelito and tell us what issue you were arguing about with a Khmer for thirty minutes so we can all mock you for being wrong, petty, and/or cheap.
Follow my lame Twitter feed: @gavin_mac
- chkwoot
- 2000+ Posts! Aghh I Have No Mates
- Reactions: 8
- Posts: 2007
- Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2011 1:07 pm
- Location: is everything
The price of a pineapple.gavinmac wrote:Stop being vague Miguelito and tell us what issue you were arguing about with a Khmer for thirty minutes so we can all mock you for being wrong, petty, and/or cheap.
Even the trainee position is no longer vacant as Miguelito won't have any other disciple interfering with his internship.scobienz wrote:Pecahead wrote:I honestly don't know who annoys me the most:
1) Khmer
2) Tourists
3) Expats
I can't stand any of them.
Hey . . enough of that. There is only room for one grumpy old bastard around here, and that slot is taken.
- Miguelito
- Ordinary Schmo
- Reactions: 219
- Posts: 7053
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:19 pm
- Location: Penh's Hill
The park police wouldn't let me into Angkor Wat for free despite my Khmer passport, because I'm white.chkwoot wrote:The price of a pineapple.gavinmac wrote:Stop being vague Miguelito and tell us what issue you were arguing about with a Khmer for thirty minutes so we can all mock you for being wrong, petty, and/or cheap.
The issue wasn't the reason for the post; I don't need to vent about every little frustration. Was more annoyed with the tourist in the end than the Khmer.
Yes, don't forget what Scobiez said about me before: "He's been in town two days, and already he's cynical Shortest honeymoon, EVER"logos wrote:Even the trainee position is no longer vacant as Miguelito won't have any other disciple interfering with his internship.scobienz wrote:Pecahead wrote:I honestly don't know who annoys me the most:
1) Khmer
2) Tourists
3) Expats
I can't stand any of them.
Hey . . enough of that. There is only room for one grumpy old bastard around here, and that slot is taken.