Before going to anywhere in the world, people always try to find out about those places first. Likewise, before coming to Cambodia, Phnom Penh, you, as the foreigner also needs to know some important information about this city. I am a Cambodian Citizen, living in Phnom Penh. I think that there are some things you should think of before and after coming to this crowed city.
The below main points are all things you need to think of.
1. Accommodations: Of course, you really need house to stay with good security. Most foreigners like to live in apartments or rent houses. Before you decide to choose a house, you should spend some time to review your place, living atmosphere. Everyone wants fresh air and easy to access their place. This means that you have to choose a house which is not located in crowed place, noise roads, not so expensive but it should have other foreigners live around there. That might be your new community of expat foreigners. They will help you when you have questions to ask or when you hang out around them. Because you may go to the place that is comfortable for you and for other foreigners like you as well.
2. Security: This is a big concern of all people not just in here, Phnom Penh. What I have observed is that a good place to stay should be surrounded by other people; both Cambodian people and other foreigners. So where to go? and how? You may to go out or travel in Phnom Penh with your friends. Walking along the road is not quite popular for foreigners because the road sides, side walks are mostly blocked by car parks and shops. Moreover, robberies are the cases you have to be careful about. Even though, Cambodia is named under the theme, Kingdom of Wonder, your own security is not guaranteed so please be careful when you go out in all places where have both less or more people. The best way to get safety is go out to the places where other foreigners would like to be there.
3. Foods: It is a sensitive experience for new Khmer Food tasters. Our food is not hard to eat but new taste may take you about 2-3 weeks to feel familiar with yours. I have some ideas on this. You can schedule your day with food you eat, something like on Monday to Friday, eat Khmer food and On Weekend, eat your country food that you can find in many restaurants in Phnom Penh. The reasons I suggest all of you to have a food time table like this because Khmer food is not as expensive as other country foods and climate/weather in here is good for our foods.
4. What to do (Jobs and general activities): Ask yourself, where do you want to go? with who? when? in what special events? this point is depended on your leisure activities or regular day to day activities. Maybe you come to do business in Cambodia, then you need to plan your time and goals with each thing you will do. It is important that you have a big network of people who have the same interests as yours or even different from you. Those people will bring you a big business information and where you would like to go to do business contacts. I see that most English-speaking people and English native speakers come to Cambodia at the first time usually volunteer or work as English teachers in schools or NGOs. This job will make them understand about Cambodian culture more clearly.
Last but not least, this is just my own expression that I have observed around Phnom Penh and the article is also my first writing for you guy. I hope this short information can help you live and work a little bit more better. Honestly, you can contact me if you have questions to ask from this article or to ask for other more information. Everyone is welcomed!
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