dark skin and dreadlocks..what can I expect?
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dark skin and dreadlocks..what can I expect?
I've inherited some money and gotten a passport. Phnom Penh is my destination. I'm 30 and from the states. I had originally intended to go over for one of the Languagecorps TEFL certification courses..
It then occurred to me that my grasp on English was tenuous at best. A few college credits doesn't qualify me to teach anybody anything...other than how to chainsmoke and hang out at the bar.
I've decided to just go over for a few months and escape the tedium of my 3-9 job. I've heard from a few people that asia can be a rough place for a black fellow. anybody heard any stories or have any thoughts on that in regards to Phnom Penh?
My avatar is me. really, any observation on this is useful.
It then occurred to me that my grasp on English was tenuous at best. A few college credits doesn't qualify me to teach anybody anything...other than how to chainsmoke and hang out at the bar.
I've decided to just go over for a few months and escape the tedium of my 3-9 job. I've heard from a few people that asia can be a rough place for a black fellow. anybody heard any stories or have any thoughts on that in regards to Phnom Penh?
My avatar is me. really, any observation on this is useful.
- Lucky Lucan
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If you can learn Khmer, you'd probably go down well on the local TV comedy shows.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
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I'm not sure if that was a joke, an insult or a compliment. or just plain truth.Lucky Lucan wrote:If you can learn Khmer, you'd probably go down well on the local TV comedy shows.
so I won't have too many problems because of my race then?
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- Requiescat In Pace
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There are lots of Africans in town and they have a bad rep - some would say a deserved bad rep - because of the mischief many of them get up to but If you're a black dude from the US or Europe then I'm sure things will be just fine. A couple of bars/clubs bar black guys (because of the stuff the Africans have supposedly gotten up to) but as far as 95% of the the other places are concerned, the important thing is the color of your money not the color of your face. Don't sweat it.
Twitter: Not my circus, not my monkeys - I sold #K440
- Felgerkarb
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Your conduct will count more than your skin color.
====================
Why are the gods such vicious cunts?
Where is the god of tits and wine?
Why are the gods such vicious cunts?
Where is the god of tits and wine?
OK ... From what I've been told, yes, you will face some problems here that other Americans of a paler persuasion would not. This comes directly from the mouth of an African-American gent I met a couple of months back, who detailed some of the unpleasant treatment he'd been subjected to. Nothing life threatening, but kind of lame, and a reason why he visits instead of lives here kind of thing. He said he carries his American passport with him at all times, in case of trouble.wingedmari wrote:I've inherited some money and gotten a passport. Phnom Penh is my destination. I'm 30 and from the states. I had originally intended to go over for one of the Languagecorps TEFL certification courses..
It then occurred to me that my grasp on English was tenuous at best. A few college credits doesn't qualify me to teach anybody anything...other than how to chainsmoke and hang out at the bar.
I've decided to just go over for a few months and escape the tedium of my 3-9 job. I've heard from a few people that asia can be a rough place for a black fellow. anybody heard any stories or have any thoughts on that in regards to Phnom Penh?
My avatar is me. really, any observation on this is useful.
It didn't surprise me, honestly. Most of the Khmer I've met have had a kind of fucked up obsession with skin color, not exactly in the same way that racism in the west might work, but not that different either. It is a value judgment based on skin pigmentation.
I've been ridiculed for being fat and then fawned over for being translucently white by the same people. For a while there I'd get a kick out of messing with my students by showing them pictures of Barak & Michelle Obama once they understood who the President was in America. They were pretty incredulous, thought I was taking the piss ... "What?! She so black!" Yes, kids, indeed she is.
There is a bar in town owned by an African-American (right now in my head he's saying, "BLACK, Ned, just say BLACK,") who is an amazingly cool dude, and I'll PM you some info - maybe he can give you a long term expat perspective on things that others can't.
How much art can you take?
i have a mate with dreads,and the locals think he has birds living in them.
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wow. you all have been of more help than I could have expected. This was a topic that I rarely saw discussed. I hope I won't run into too much trouble...I'm not much for confrontation. Thanks for the PM Ned. Maybe I can convince some of the Khmer to reevaluate... probably not, but oh well.
-Mari
-Mari
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As said, there is a notorious contingent of African criminals in town and that will make things a little tricky for you. Just avoid them and behave decently. Find your way to a bar called PITSTOP on St. 51 - it's run by Robert, a black American proprietor who's a very nice fella. He might have some tips for you.
I came, I argued, I'm out
- khmerhit
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----fyi--japanese women love black guys. lots of jap tourists in town in my day too---12 yrs ago--a frine dof mine from africa was a Dj and i think he married a jap girl...
I live in a small town with an old black population in canada going back 160 yrs--they still have occasional--er--misunderstandings...
bon voyage
I live in a small town with an old black population in canada going back 160 yrs--they still have occasional--er--misunderstandings...
bon voyage
Joined: '03; Member 39. Funny Quote: Prince Phillip to a driving Instructor in Scotland: "How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to get them to pass the test?"
You will have fun here, and I don't think you'll get into any confrontations for being black, but, unfortunately, they are very racist here (not in an aggressive way though).
Skin color is brought up all the time here. Unlike the States, Cambodia is NOT a melting pot. Other posters have mentioned that their Khmer friends might refer to a girl as "black girl", and they don't even consider that being racist.
We also have a rather large group of hoodlums here that have bad reps as being drug dealers, etc. Unfortunately, u share the same skin color as them, and they are (randomly) from Nigeria.
I just heard a tourist saying he met a large group of Jamaicans. That was surprising to hear. When he told me where he met them (actually, I guessed the spot) I realized they just lied about where they were from, as I'm sure they were Nigerians.
Also, u will definitely have trouble landing jobs at schools here. Even if the owners/directors aren't prejudice they might not hire u knowing that the students/parents won't like it.
I hate to sound so pessimistic, but if u plan on working here u have a lot of obstacles ahead of u!
I wish u the best of luck though!
P.s. and make sure u cut your dreads off before even thinking of stepping foot on school property.
Skin color is brought up all the time here. Unlike the States, Cambodia is NOT a melting pot. Other posters have mentioned that their Khmer friends might refer to a girl as "black girl", and they don't even consider that being racist.
We also have a rather large group of hoodlums here that have bad reps as being drug dealers, etc. Unfortunately, u share the same skin color as them, and they are (randomly) from Nigeria.
I just heard a tourist saying he met a large group of Jamaicans. That was surprising to hear. When he told me where he met them (actually, I guessed the spot) I realized they just lied about where they were from, as I'm sure they were Nigerians.
Also, u will definitely have trouble landing jobs at schools here. Even if the owners/directors aren't prejudice they might not hire u knowing that the students/parents won't like it.
I hate to sound so pessimistic, but if u plan on working here u have a lot of obstacles ahead of u!
I wish u the best of luck though!
P.s. and make sure u cut your dreads off before even thinking of stepping foot on school property.
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- MerkinMaker
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If we put the Vietnamese to one side for a moment, I don't think Cambodians are generally racist, but they can be very blunt and that can be confused with racism. In the west political correctness has been pushed to such a degree that we all have to pretend we are all exactly the same regardless of sex, race, religion or physical traits. If we're all sitting in a bar and a bloke with two heads walks in, we all have to uncomfortably try to pretend that nothing abnormal has happened and continue as we were, whilst most Cambodians would point with their lips and say "look a bloke with two heads has just walked in", have a damn good look and then probably walk over to him and ask him what it's like to have two heads and possibly request a photo with the two headed bloke.
IMO this kind of behaviour is not racism, racism is about discrimination. It's about pre-conceived notions of inferiority based colour, race or whatever. It's not about observing differences it's about making judgements about peoples characters based on those differences. Generally speaking I think you'll find much higher degree of racism on this board than you'll find amongst most Cambodians.
Also as mentioned Cambodians and most Asians for that matter have and obsession with skin colour, the whiter the skin, the more beautiful and it is a frequent topic of conversation. But it has nothing to do with race, it's more similar to our obsession in the West with our weight.
IMO this kind of behaviour is not racism, racism is about discrimination. It's about pre-conceived notions of inferiority based colour, race or whatever. It's not about observing differences it's about making judgements about peoples characters based on those differences. Generally speaking I think you'll find much higher degree of racism on this board than you'll find amongst most Cambodians.
Also as mentioned Cambodians and most Asians for that matter have and obsession with skin colour, the whiter the skin, the more beautiful and it is a frequent topic of conversation. But it has nothing to do with race, it's more similar to our obsession in the West with our weight.
Not sure I can agree with that. Working with well educated Khmers in an international bank here, there was a conversation about an ATM skimming device that had been fitted to one of the ATMs. The first Khmer response from the ATM network manager, and met with unanimity, was "check the security footage and look out for black people".starkmonster wrote:... I don't think Cambodians are generally racist ...
As it turns out, the perpetrators were most definitely white!
I then showed them this video to help them distinguish the different types of black people to help lessen their prejudice!
Meum est propositum in taberna mori,
ut sint Guinness proxima morientis ori.
tunc cantabunt letius angelorum chori:
"Sit Deus propitius huic potatori."
ut sint Guinness proxima morientis ori.
tunc cantabunt letius angelorum chori:
"Sit Deus propitius huic potatori."
Is that racist or just playing the odds, given the African community here?
Anyway I agree, Cambodians are racist, or perhaps rather they very blatantly use race as an important measure of your status, and if they conclude (usually without basis) it's "lower than me" you'll get the non-aggressive racist treatment, ie they'll simply ignore you, blank you out, refuse to talk to or look at you etc. Is that racist or just supremely arrogant? A bit of both I think.
Anyway I agree, Cambodians are racist, or perhaps rather they very blatantly use race as an important measure of your status, and if they conclude (usually without basis) it's "lower than me" you'll get the non-aggressive racist treatment, ie they'll simply ignore you, blank you out, refuse to talk to or look at you etc. Is that racist or just supremely arrogant? A bit of both I think.
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