Russians in Cambodia: where to look for “our own people.” hours in a sleeping bus for gnomes and a “bus station”. About food and entertainment

Emigration to Cambodia has recently become of interest to an increasing number of people. Widespread methods of earning money remotely, the opportunity to rent out an apartment in Russia and go to a poor country - all this includes Cambodia in the circle of potential interests when looking for a cozy place in the tropics.

If a foreign citizen has a long-term visa, he can apply for a resident card. This document serves as an identification document and confirms the legal right of a foreigner to be in the territory of the kingdom. It is a plastic card containing the owner’s personal data, his photo, and information about entering the country.

Registration of a resident card

There are temporary and permanent resident cards. The first one is usually received by specialists of in-demand professions entering the country. Foreigners who have a business in Cambodia and invest in its economy can count on a permanent card (in fact, permanent residence).

Watch the video: everything about business in Cambodia.

To obtain a temporary resident card, a foreign citizen must provide the following documents:

• international passport with visa;
• a petition addressed to the Minister of Internal Affairs;
• photographs in the amount of 3 pcs. (according to the passport model);
• labor contract;
• certificate of completion of a medical examination;
• social insurance policy;
• confirmation of payment of state duty.

When requesting a permanent card, you must add a bank statement confirming the legality of these funds to the package of papers. It is worth noting that a foreigner is required to inform local authorities of his intention to change his place of residence within the country (moving to another province). In your new place of residence you must obtain a different resident card.

This rather complicated procedure is usually necessary for those foreigners who intend to subsequently: legal residence in the country for 3-7 years is a condition for filing an application for citizenship (except for business emigration). The application for status must be written to the king.

Obtaining citizenship

There are three legal ways to become a Cambodian citizen:

1. Creating a family with a resident allows you to apply for citizenship 3 years after marriage registration. At the same time, it is necessary to live permanently in the country.
2. Business and investment in the economy. This route requires special permission from the Cambodia Development Council. The minimum investment amount is $300 thousand. An alternative to investment is to replenish the kingdom’s budget for the purpose of economic development; the minimum contribution in this case will be $250 thousand.
3. Naturalization. This option is possible after living in the country for at least 5 years and requires knowledge of the Khmer language, history, culture and legislation of the country. You will also need a certificate of no criminal record and a medical examination.

You should be aware that marriage does not guarantee citizenship, especially for men (women married to Khmer men usually have no problems). Naturalization is also not a guaranteed method.

The only reliable way is to register investments. Admission to higher education educational institution Cambodia makes it easier to obtain citizenship of the kingdom in the future.

Accommodation on a long-term visa

If there is no need to become a citizen of Cambodia, then the optimal solution is to obtain a long-term business visa (type E, or Ordinary visa). Previously, all types of such visas were issued only with a Work Permit; in the absence of one, additional difficulties arose. Recently, the requirement for such permission has been abolished for all visas valid for less than 1 year.

The algorithm for obtaining such a visa is simple. You can do this at the Cambodian consulate (usually takes 3 days) or receive it upon arrival. It is issued for a period of 1 month, the cost is $35. In this case, you will need a color photograph, which is usually taken directly on the spot (the indicated price includes it), and a foreign passport with a reserve validity of at least 6 months.

The procedure for obtaining a permit is clearly established and takes no more than 15 minutes. A few days before your visa expires (optimally 7 days), you need to contact a local travel agency or migration service with a request to extend your visa. You can extend your stay in this way by 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.

The cost of renewal depending on the period will be as follows (in US dollars):

• 1 month - 45;
• 3 months - 80;
• 6 months - 160;
• 12 months - 290.

The first and second options are single-entry, the last two provide the right to cross the Cambodian border multiple times. An annual visa is issued to foreigners in the presence of compelling circumstances requiring a stay in Cambodia. These may include: long-term study, employment in an important national industry, participation in sporting events. In these cases, an official invitation from the receiving party or other supporting documents must be attached to the main package of migration documents.

In the case of an independent application to the migration service without the necessary confirmation, this rule serves as a reason for refusal, while intermediaries (travel agencies) have long established algorithms for interaction with the authorities that allow them to solve the problem in favor of the client. The cost of such services is negotiated locally.

Obtaining a work permit

If it is necessary to obtain such a work permit, a letter from the company to the Ministry of Labor confirming official enrollment in the company's staff is required. This letter is registered, then you need to undergo a medical examination (check health), which costs approximately $25.

After the medical certificate is ready, the remaining documents are submitted:

• questionnaire (issued on site);
• a copy of the company license;
• 6 photos;
• a copy of the employee’s housing rental agreement;
• passport (and its copy)

The employer must submit the documents, you can do it yourself, but it is better to turn to intermediaries, since the likelihood of a successful outcome in this case increases. It is worth knowing that the company pays a tax on working foreigners of $70 per year.

Standard of living in Cambodia

The sea, the presence of grandiose historical monuments, openness and friendliness of the local population - all this makes the country attractive for living. The free circulation of the American dollar in Cambodia (along with the national currency, the riel) is also convenient for foreigners. The relatively mild climate (temperatures rarely rise above +30°) allows residents of the CIS countries to quickly adapt.

The country is of interest both for downshifters who have chosen the “eternal vacation” style, and for wealthy retirees. During difficult times for Cambodia, the USSR provided significant political support and assistance in economic recovery; the Khmers remember this and treat citizens of the CIS countries with special friendliness.

The most suitable regions for living in Cambodia:

• capital Phnom Penh;

• the tourist center of Siem Reap with the nearby Angkor temple complex;

• sea ​​coast, where the most famous place is Sihanoukville.

Living here, you can create or buy a business related to tourism; there will always be enough clients. Many Russian-speaking citizens of the CIS countries have already settled in the country and have networks of communication and mutual support.

There are also negative aspects of life in Cambodia, caused by long civil wars and the destructive reign of the Khmer Rouge:

1. In 1975-1979, people did not actually live in cities, this threw the infrastructure back to a depressing level, and it still leaves much to be desired.
2. State of medicine. The risk of contracting a dangerous disease still exists here, and general poverty makes such simple and familiar decisions as calling an ambulance and immediately providing a full range of medical services problematic.
3. High level of corruption. This parameter is corroding the Cambodian economy and weakening development opportunities.
4. Low level of income of citizens. Perhaps this factor plays into the hands of businessmen, but makes the country unattractive for hired workers.

In my opinion very interesting story about Asia and Cambodia in particular, perhaps it will be useful for netizens!

For most people, Cambodia is Angkor, the Khmer Rouge and snakes. Like any Asian country, this one keeps its secrets - for example, a huge number of undisarmed mines in the jungle.

Sihanoukville is a city-province in southwestern Cambodia. The fourth largest city in the country. Sea port and developing beach resort 230 km or 3.5 hours from the capital. Foreigners have long loved this place for its warm climate and stunning sea, but Russians are only now starting to settle in here.

With every visit to Cambodia, the desire to move for permanent residence Elena Murlina it only intensified. Now she rents a small house a few kilometers from the sea, and receives income from a travel agency that she opened with friends.

- Why did you come up with the idea to move to Cambodia?
- The path to this decision was long. It all started in 2011, when I visited Cambodia for the first time. I fell in love with Asia. Then I realized that I would be back and would be back for a long time. After some time, the opportunity arose to go to Vietnam - my friends went there. In October I went to see them. Lived in the famous resort town Nha Trang. The guys had a travel company, and I worked as a guide with them. Then we all moved to Cambodia together. The dream has finally come true. Vietnam has become a transit point.

- First impression of Cambodia?
- It’s difficult to reconstruct it in detail, it left a very pleasant trace in my memory. First of all, these are people who smile at you, who are interested in everything, they come up to you, touch you. Then, when we found ourselves in Sihanoukville, a feeling of calm appeared. It immediately seemed that it was very a good place for life. I have been to many countries - everywhere is good in its own way, but this was the only place where I wanted to live. There were no prerequisites for moving then, but I felt it. Maybe in a past life I lived there (laughs).

- After you lived for some time in Cambodia, did your impression of the country change?
- Compared to 2011, she herself has changed a lot. There is a big rise. In economic and social senses. In general, Asia is on the rise. Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is growing before our eyes. Skyscrapers are being built. In 2011, the transport there was mainly motorbikes. Now we are arriving - incredible Lexuses, huge cars. Apparently, foreign enterprises are now pouring in money. Cambodia is developing, Asia is growing.

- But Cambodia will not lose its charm?

- I think no. We have found this stage, and we want to develop with them. We also big plans work related.

How did your parents and friends react to your move?
- At first we were worried, but now everyone sees that everything is fine, that I really like it here. Support. Cambodia seems like something scary to everyone, that’s the first association. But that's not true. The country is absolutely safe for me personally. I feel very comfortable there.

- Where do you live?
- We rent houses in residential complex with security.The house is not very big - there is a studio apartment inside.There are different options: you can rent large houses, you can rent apartments in large houses...

- How much does housing cost?
- Now we have found very a budget option- $250 per month. For the whole house. Living alone or together is very comfortable.But we were lucky; it’s hard to find housing for that price. Of course, if you come for a month, you won’t find such a good house for that kind of money.

- What is the price order?
- As for houses like ours, it will be at least $350. But you can’t move into such houses with a large group. Multi-person homes are available for rent starting from $500. We have about 3 km to the sea - 5 minutes by motorbike, but you can’t really walk on foot. Usually people want the sea to be within walking distance - rent there starts from $1 thousand per month. Who comes to long term or “permanent”, they buy housing in comfortable conditions, they have no goal of settling by the sea.

- How much do the products cost?
- Food prices here are much cheaper than in Russia. You've probably heard that in Asia it's very difficult to deal with dairy products - they're all made from soy. When we arrived at the store in Cambodia, I saw both kefir and cottage cheese there. The Russians have established production! We took up livestock farming and make real kefir, as we are all used to. This did not happen in Vietnam at all. There is, but, for obvious reasons, such products are more expensive. As for fruits and vegetables, they are, of course, much cheaper. Not much money is spent on groceries.

- How is Cambodian cuisine different?
- You know, everyone eats here. Meat, fish, seafood, chicken, beef. One of my main misconceptions about Asia was that they don't eat meat. This is wrong. Many people do not eat pork, for example, or eat it rarely.

- What is included in your diet?
- I haven’t eaten meat for many years, so it’s fruits and vegetables. Sometimes seafood. When I lived in Vietnam, I asked to bring buckwheat from Russia. I loved buckwheat very much, it was always part of my diet, but it’s not there. It is not available in Cambodia either. If you're planning to go, bring it, it's the best souvenir.

- Why do people go to Cambodia?
- Sea, diving. Incredible fishing. Spearfishing. Sea travel.The main treasury of Cambodia is Angkor. Everyone is going there. Angkor is huge temple complex. The pearl of our country. For example, we offer tours to remote provinces of Cambodia. See how rubber grows, or how precious stones are mined.

- Surfing?
- Unfortunately, no - the sea is calm. Sometimes during the rainy season there is a wave. You can, of course, but this is not a country of surfers. If there was also surfing there, I would be completely happy.

- What kind of entertainment are there?
- In our city? Of course, the sea, diving, islands, fishing. The sea is simply magnificent. There are many casinos, they are legalized in this city. Nightclubs, fitness clubs. Trekking in the jungle, rafting on mountain rivers. Not far from us, the world-famous Kampot pepper is grown, the harvest of which has been purchased by European restaurateurs for several years to come. We also take excursions to plantations - we show and tell. Not far from us there is the city of Kep, famous for its blue crabs. Their meat is considered a delicacy by gourmets. Really very tasty. There are incredible cave tours. With Khmer boys as tour guides.

- What does Cambodia live on?
- Mainly, these are clothes. They sew textiles. Most of The population is busy doing just that. Textiles for export, rice, rubber and bananas.

- Many Russians?
- In Sihanoukville, yes, there is even a Russian diaspora. Many people have been living for 5–6 years. Everyone comes there to do something. Everyone has their own business, some do something on the Internet, others open a cafe. All the people there are doing something.

- How realistic is it to come and open your own business in Cambodia?
- I won’t say that it’s simple. It all depends on the person. We had little experience in Vietnam. So we arrived (in Cambodia - Properm.ru) and immediately organized a travel agency. We already have tourists from Russia. In fact, the country is just developing, so if you have a head on your shoulders, then anything is possible. From cafes to advertising, tourism activities, gyms.You can build your own boat and go fishing.

- Competition with locals?
- She won't be there. For us, the Khmers are not competitors. They are quietly going about their business. There's enough for everyone. It is best for Russians to meet Russian tourists and come up with something just for this. If you build a boat, you can fish yourself, carry tourists, and use it for diving.

- How did you come up with the idea to open a travel agency?
- We already worked in Vietnam and decided that people were in Vietnam, in Thailand, they needed something new. Everyone loves Asia. Cambodia is perfect place. There are still difficulties due to the fact that there is no direct flight. People are afraid to fly far. But there are those who want it. If they open direct flights, things will be really good.

- Not a cheap pleasure...
- Because of the flight. When you come there, everything is cheap. This is Cambodia, absolutely exotic. She's worth it!

- How much will the most budget option cost?
- It all depends on the flight. For example, if you take a round-trip ticket, you can spend somewhere around 30 thousand rubles; you can live there on $10 a day. You can travel on a very budget. You don’t have to buy a tour; you can plan everything yourself. But for a Russian person, comfort, service and safety are important. This is what we work for.

- What about a tent on the beach?
- Easily. There is a bungalow there, not much different from a tent. Two walls, a roof, a mosquito net. From $10 to $15 per night. When you go out, there’s the sea for you. If you come for a week or two and are not used to greenhouse conditions, this is an ideal option.

- How much do utilities cost in Cambodia?
- You pay for water and electricity. Gas in cylinders. Electricity in the hot season, of course, takes a significant toll on your pocket. In the summer, when it is wet season and air conditioning is not needed, electricity costs $15–20 per month. During hot weather, of course, this amount increases. But it's something you won't give up.

- Don’t you get tired of summer all year round?
- No. I’ve only had this for a year so far (laughs). There is always the opportunity to go to the snow. The only negative is that I love snowboarding, you can’t do that here. There are no snowy mountains in Cambodia. This year she got out of the situation - traveling around India, she captured the northern Himalayas.

- What is the salary level in Cambodia?
- Khmer? We asked - somewhere around $100–150, this is a normal salary for them. This is the average salary of an ordinary worker, it can be worse.

- That is, a Khmer cannot afford to rent a house like yours?
- The average Khmer, probably not. They live in large families. But in the residential complex where we live, many of the houses belong to Khmers, and they come there, for example, from the capital to the sea for the weekend. Now the locals are starting to earn money.

- Are there any pensions?
- There are no pensions. Only those who work in the civil service have them. But a very small percentage of the population works there. Medicine is also paid. The only thing is free secondary education.

- Can a foreigner receive medical care?
- Yes. She will be very qualified. Even in our city there are two international clinics. The French, the Chinese work there, there is even a Russian doctor. Phnom Penh has a huge number of high-level international clinics.

- Fine. Medicine is paid. Will they help you if you don't have money?
- I think they will provide first aid. Paid... But here (in Perm), if something happens, qualified assistance will be very expensive. You have a policy, but you'd better go to a paid clinic. There (Cambodia) the prices are very reasonable.

- For example?
- Our filling costs one and a half thousand, two. There are very good doctors who will do it for you for $8–10. Ultrasound is also cheap. Here, for example, you can do an ultrasound of one organ, and for that money they will do a full examination. By the way, we insure our tourists. If you come for six months, you can be insured and you will be treated in hospitals for free.

How many stories have I heard about Asian countries - they always scare me with unsanitary conditions and cooking in terrible conditions. How are things going with this in Cambodia?
- Of course, we have all this, but we don’t eat it with our hands - everything is done with chopsticks and spoons. We had no poisonings. Of course, many eateries look scary, but in reality everything is fine. Tested more than once. It’s not a fact that food in restaurants is prepared under better conditions than there. You need to look at it this way: if a local eats there, then everything is fine. If a person eats a lot, then you will live.

- What are the specifics of national cuisine?
- Like all Asian cuisine, it is a mixture of tastes: sweet and spicy, incredible sauces... But not as spicy as in Thailand, more humane.

- Can a European eat this all the time?
- This is not necessary. If you don't want it, don't eat it. You leave the house and there is an Italian restaurant, an Indian restaurant nearby. Everything is there, and not like in Perm. You come to an Indian restaurant and an Indian cooks for you; in an Italian restaurant, an Italian cooks for you. There are cuisines for every taste.

- Even Russian?
- Eat. They serve dumplings and borscht. Foreigners have long chosen Cambodia; it is only now opening up to Russians. They have been traveling there for a long time and living there for a long time. There are a lot of French people, but this dates back to colonial times. There are a lot of Australians, Germans, and Swiss living here. People often come from New Zealand on vacation. You can meet anyone.

- What should every Cambodian know about and what are they told to every visitor?
- As for antiquity, this is the period of the Angkorian civilization. Since the 6th century AD. At that time, the Khmer Empire was the largest in Southeast Asia and included both Thailand and Laos. It was the greatest and strongest power. They remember it all.

Their last sadness is the Khmer Rouge, genocide. But even then, people are already leaving. When I was in Cambodia for the first time, I was very shocked that there were no elderly people. During the genocide, many Khmer people were killed.

- How do you like the laws of Cambodia?
- Most interesting fact: Cambodia's tax code is three pages long. The laws are very loyal. But there are also strict ones, for example, for the distribution of drugs - the death penalty. For a foreigner, the laws in Cambodia are very pleasant. We can independently organize a business as foreigners - Cambodia is developing, they are attracting investments.

- Are you in contact with local authorities?
- Yes, we had to when we opened the company. But we collected the package of documents without any problems. The only problem is that now everything needs to be translated into Khmer. We have a friend there who is helping to do this.

Visas are very interesting. There are business visas for foreigners; they can be issued for six months or a year and work peacefully. You can create companies. There are no difficulties in setting up a travel agency. It was more difficult in Vietnam.

- How do they treat Russians?
- Khmers are generally very friendly towards everyone. Russians are treated very well, just like Europeans in general.

- What do they ask about when they find out that you are from Russia?
- How are you here? What are you here for? Exactly “what are you doing HERE?”, “Where do you work?”, “Where do you live?”- it’s very important to them. The first association they have is, of course, “cold.” They are very interested in learning about snow, about cold, and how we live in such cold.

By the way, when there was the Soviet Union, many Khmers studied in the USSR.They were sent by exchange. Those who were there remember these years as some of the best.One of them is the owner of our houses. We call him "general", but in reality he is a colonel. Lives in Phnom Penh (capital of Cambodia - Properm.ru). He lived in Odessa and studied there. Speaks Russian perfectly. We were very lucky to have him. We resolve any issues with him and through him.

- Since we're talking about language. How do you communicate with locals?
- Every second Khmer speaks English. Unlike Vietnam, this is not the case there. If the Cambodian family does not speak, then the child can definitely explain himself. They run away and bring him in as a translator.

- Do they teach themselves, or are they the fruits of the education system?
- English language teaching is now being introduced in Cambodia. We now want to start learning the Khmer language.

- Is it complicated?
- Compared to Vietnamese, it’s not difficult. Cambodia has no tonality (no need to sing), but a very unique writing system. But where you live, you need to know the local language. And it will be easier to resolve issues, and the prices for you will immediately be different.

- What do you use?
- On motorbikes. If you need to go somewhere, we rent a car. Bike rental from $7 per day, car rental from $20 per day. In June, when we were traveling, we tookHonda CR-V in an old body. Paid $300 per month. And so per day from $20 to $50. You can buy a motorbike: there are a lot of showrooms, you can find them on the Internet. There are even Russian forums.

- Is there public transport in Cambodia?

- There are taxis and tuk-tuks - a man on a motorbike, a carriage behind. The average price in our city, tuk-tuk - $3. If it's far away. Auto - about the same. In the city, everyone prefers tuk-tuks.

- How realistic is it to become a Cambodian citizen?
- About five years ago, citizenship could be bought for not very much money. Now, if you follow the official route, the first condition is to live with a business visa for seven years. They will look at what you have done for the country during this time - you have established production, created jobs. Secondly, you will have to renounce your native citizenship. They do not accept dual citizenship.

As for corruption, yes, as in many Asian countries, it does exist. If you take the police or traffic police, then for a foreigner, of course, it’s easier to negotiate on the spot. We didn’t really have to deal with bureaucracy, because our Khmer friend helps us with all the documents.

- Do you often have problems with the police and traffic police?
- There was a case in Phnom Penh. I was driving. We needed to get to shopping center, didn’t notice and drove under the “brick”. A policeman was already waiting for us there. I stopped and told the guys to get the documents. And the policeman just immediately said: “$20.” In the end we settled for $10.

- Name three advantages of living in Cambodia?
- Sea. Warm. Friendly environment. I remember how in such weather (it’s gray autumn in Perm, it’s raining - Properm.ru) it’s even more difficult to live. There it is initially simple, light and positive. Now for me, living in Asia is also an opportunity to travel. It's easier than traveling from Russia.

- Don’t you want to go to Europe?
- Absolutely not. Also in South America I'll get there somehow.

- Three minuses?
- Relatives and friends are far away. This is the only thing that saddens me. Still missing ski resort. Having arrived here, I realized that I made the right choice. Nothing to regret.

- You can always say about Russia: “Vodka, balalaika, bear, snow.” What can you say about Cambodia?
- If we take generally accepted stereotypes, then these are: Angkor, the Khmer Rouge regime and, probably, the jungle and snakes. A lot of snakes! There is one more thing - Cambodia is the country where the largest number of mines are located. But no one, of course, will go for a walk in the jungle on their own. And in the cities there are no shells or snakes. Mostly people are afraid of mines, snakes and spiders.

- Are there any predators?
- There were tigers, but there were very few of them. There are elephants. We take people to a village where elephants live in their natural environment and are tamed by resourceful Khmer people. They help with housework and carry tourists. Crocodiles have long been seen only at crocodile farms.

- Recently I thought about the fact that there are a thousand interesting and beautiful places in Russia:Kamchatka, Karelia, Baikal, Altai, and people go abroad. Nodesire to travel around Russia?

- Huge. It always has been. There is a “but”, and it is very significant and objective. All this is extremely inaccessible to us, extremely poorly equipped. To Kamchatka? With pleasure! But can you imagine how much it costs? With this money I can live in Asia for two years and travel around it. But I will still get to Baikal - an old dream.

The Perm region is an incredible nature. But I wanted to go to a place where everything is different and everything is simpler, because people approach life differently. Asians are closer to my worldview. He was born poor, but he fills his life with some good deeds and he knows that all these merits will go where they should - in the next life he will be born in more comfortable conditions. You yourself are happier when there is such a feeling around you.

One of the reasons why I left there was that recently I began to travel often to other countries and, returning home, there was a feeling that everything was not the same. Now there is no such thing. Although from a distance I began to love Perm more, and have a different attitude towards Russia.

- Describe a situation that would never arise in Cambodia, unlike Russia.
- There will be no... Rudeness on the roads. I forgot about it, but now I came and encountered it again. It would seem developed country, there are rules traffic. They say about Asia that people travel there at random. But there is no such rudeness there. Even if something happened, they won’t show you any finger, they won’t shout, everyone will smile peacefully and leave.

- In Cambodia there is a ritual of eating a snake. You come, meet the still living snake, look into its eyes. The snake catcher cuts off her head, or you can do it yourself. Bile and heart are taken out of it. A man drinks the heart, a woman drinks the bile. At the same time, the snake's heart is still beating. It is believed that this gives a man masculine strength, a woman - beauty and grace. After the ritual, many different dishes are prepared from the snake. Khmers do this at certain times lunar days. By the way, like many countries in the east, they live according to the lunar calendar.

- What religion predominates in Cambodia?
- Mostly Buddhism, there are a few Muslim onesprovinces. We drove by and saw mosques, women walking around in burqas. There are small nationalities that are close to pagans. These are rituals, cutting off the heads of buffaloes. A very common belief is the worship of ancestors. These are mostly remote areas. There are many Catholics who remain from the times of the French. They built many cathedrals in their time.

Maybe, Catholic cathedrals look very unusual in these “scenery”. As for the architecture, what are the features?
- What pleases and amazes me most are Buddhist pagodas, it’s just incredible beauty. It seems like you are driving: a village, some dubious-looking houses and a Buddhist pagoda of incredible size and beauty. Unlike other religions, everything here is without gilding, stones... The simplest materials and paint. It looks rich, beautiful, and very inspiring.

- When I left Cambodia, I caught myself feeling: “Perm? Where is Perm anyway? It seemed like it was on some other planet. When guests came to visit me in Vietnam for the first time, I thought: “Thank God you all exist, you are not just people from Skype and Viber.” We communicate often, but it’s as if we live in parallel worlds. Now here (in Perm - Properm.ru) the feeling is: “Cambodia? Where is Cambodia? Did this even happen to me?”

- Living in Cambodia, what conclusions did you draw for yourself?
- My thoughts were confirmed, the phrase “the impossible is possible.” In reality, everything is possible, there are no limits. Your life boundaries do not exist. I always knew, but now I learned in practice - you need to live here and now. We are used to postponing happiness until later: “Now I’ll work, and then...”. No, only here and now!

I was virtually introduced to Zhanna by Anya, who not long ago shared hers. Zhanna told us about another Asian country that is worth visiting - Cambodia.

My boyfriend, my dog ​​and I lived in Cambodia for exactly a year. What are we doing? You know, usually when people answer this question they talk about their work, but when you're in South-East Asia, the first thing I want to answer is, I live. And believe me, this is not a pretentious statement at all. It’s just that in some amazing way everything happens and feels differently in Southeast Asia. There is no fuss and a sea of ​​small problems, there is no stress and no desire to drink at a bar with friends after a hard day at work. Well, since you are in a foreign country, every day you discover something new and constantly expand your horizons.

But if you are still asking about work, then Denis is a web designer, and I am a journalist. We work as freelancers, so we only need laptops and constant access to the Internet.

Why Cambodia

Before Cambodia, we lived for more than a year in, then six months in the Philippines and six months in. When choosing a new country, we rely on three factors: the desire to live here, for how long tourist visas are issued, and whether it is possible to enter this country with a dog.

So far, it turns out that Cambodia is the most loyal. You can get a visa for a month upon arrival at the airport. And after graduation, get yourself an annual business visa. It allows you to legally work in the country, as well as leave and enter Cambodia an unlimited number of times. It costs $260–280, I don’t remember exactly. This is done either personally or with the help of local “assistants”. Well, if a year is long, you can get a business visa for three or six months. Naturally, it will cost less. As far as I know, the number of business visa extensions is not yet limited.

We first came to Cambodia when we lived in Thailand, we needed to extend Thai visa. We liked it here because everything was very reminiscent of Thailand: kind, smiling people, Buddhist temples, all life is concentrated on the street, the population gets around on mopeds and bicycles, there are a huge number of cafes everywhere - from the simplest and cheapest to the most expensive European ones, prices are low and there is year-round summer. So after India, where we were very tired of the shameless population, dirt, constant power outages, poor Internet, lack of normal shops and services, we decided to go to heal our wounded souls and frayed nerves in good, calm Cambodia.

The language barrier

Naturally, people in Cambodia speak their native language - Khmer. But, despite the fact that Cambodia is still less developed overall (compared to Thailand), there are still many more people speaking the language. English language. And it was a pleasant surprise. So basic English will be quite enough. In addition, here you can meet Khmers who speak Russian, since in the old days they studied at universities in the Soviet Union.

However, if you plan to live in Cambodia for a long time, it is better to learn Khmer. Then the locals will treat you completely differently. However, this advice applies to any country.

the cost of living

Oh, that's a tough question. It all depends on your desires and needs. Here you can live both on a budget and on a grand scale. There are plenty of places to spend money in Cambodia.

Let's talk about our experience. At first we spent a lot here, so we decided to limit ourselves to $150 a week. This amount includes food, a full tank of gas for a moped (about three liters), a trip to a restaurant once or twice a week (from $3 per dish) or some other entertainment such as a massage (from $4 per hour), a cinema (from $3 per ticket). Thus, it turns out to be $600 per month for two. Things, equipment and other joys are not included in this amount. We ride a Honda moped, which we bought for $1,300. Renting a bike costs from $80 per month.

Rental of property

We rent a two-story house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a washing machine (which is rare in Southeast Asia) and a small garden in which longan, jackfruit and mangoes grow. Costs $550 per month. We also pay about $10 for water, $30 for electricity, $12 for unlimited wired Internet 3 Mbit/s.

Housing can be rented even cheaper. For example, an apartment with two bedrooms - from $300 per month. But we needed a house with its own territory for Spike to walk there, since the local dogs wouldn’t let him walk in peace anywhere.

If desired, you can buy housing in Cambodia. For example, if you look at the websites, a two-room apartment in Phnom Penh will cost from $50 thousand. But the owner of our house calls prices from $80 thousand, adding: “If you have about $100 thousand, why should you buy a house? It’s better to buy a small guesthouse or cafe for this money.”

Everything in supermarkets costs significantly more, so we prefer to buy food at markets.

Prices for vegetables and fruits vary depending on the season.

• Rice - from $0.5 per 1 kg.
• Chicken, pork - $5 per 1 kg.
• Beef - $8 per 1 kg.
• Fish - from $4 per 1 kg.
• Large shrimp - $10 per 1 kg.
• Squid - $6 per 1 kg.
• Avocado - $2 per 1 kg.
• Whole watermelon (about 2 kg) - $1.25.
• Mango - $1–2 per 1 kg.
• Milk - $3.80 - 5 for 2 liters.
• Cheese (mozzarella, cheddar) is the cheapest - $2.6 per 200 g.
• Bread - from $1.
• Eggs - from $1.20 for 10 pieces.
• Bananas - $1 per branch.
• Oranges, apples - from ¢50 per 1 piece.
• Cucumbers - $0.5 per 1 kg.
• Cherry tomatoes - $1.5–2 per 1 kg.
• Cabbage - $0.75 per 1 kg.
• Beer - from $1 per bottle.
• Gasoline - from $1.25 per 1 liter.
• Tuk-tuk in Phnom Penh - $3–6. Tuk-tuk in Siem Reap - $1.5–3.
• A dish in a supermarket food court - from $2.
• A dish in a more or less decent cafe - from $3.
• A dish in a European restaurant - from $5.
• Coffee in coffee shops - from $2 for a cappuccino.
• Cake in a coffee shop - from $1.

I can’t say anything meaningful about mobile communications. We communicate very little, so $3 is enough for one or two months.

Transport

City public transport not in Cambodia. Local population travels on bicycles, mopeds or cars. You can also use a tuk-tuk or taxi.

Only a couple of months ago, the capital finally had bus stops and buses that run around the city center. I don’t know how much the fare costs; I’ve never traveled in them.

Which region to go to

Essentially, there are only three options for living in Cambodia: Phnom Penh is the capital; the city of Siem Reap - where the Angkor temple complex is located; the city of Sihanoukville is so far the only one seaside resort countries. We settled in Phnom Penh, because in almost any country the capital is the most developed city. This means that there should be no problems with the Internet, and there will be more entertainment. I must say, we were not mistaken, that’s how it turned out.

Where to look for housing

Renting a property in Phnom Penh is very easy. You find the websites of real estate companies on the Internet, write them letters indicating your wishes for the house and its cost, and then they start calling, writing, offering options, and taking you to view. Realtors know English well, so there are no difficulties in communication. For us, the help of realtors is completely free, but the owner of our house said that he had to pay the agency the monthly cost of renting the house. In addition, he is obliged to notarize the contract signed with us and pay tax to the state.

The housing market in Phnom Penh is represented mainly by three- and four-story buildings, which are located either very close to each other or even together, like townhouses. Such a house is usually owned by one family. They live on the first floor and rent out all other floors. The entrance to the upper floors can be either from inside the house or from outside. That is, it turns out that you will have the entire floor - ordinary apartment with two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, sometimes even a dining room, and you will only meet the owners when you enter the courtyard. The cost of renting such an apartment is from $300 per month. But, firstly, we wanted to live without owners, and secondly, Cambodians have one or two dogs in their yards, and they would absolutely attack Spike.

But, for example, in Siem Reap housing is cheaper. We saw the most excellent houses, surrounded by greenery, for only $300–400 per month.

When viewing, you should pay attention to the condition of the plumbing, electrics, gas availability, bars on the windows, and everything else you need. There are no special features here, everything is standard.

What time of year to go

Basically, Cambodia is 30°C all year round. The temperature drops to 18–20 °C only two to three weeks before the New Year, and this temperature lasts for about a month. Then you have to take out jeans, sneakers and sweaters, and cover yourself with blankets at night. Well, if you don’t want your holiday to be ruined by rain, come to Cambodia from about mid-November to July. During these months there is a dry season.

Driver's license

Cambodia has international driving rights. Denis has these. And I have no rights at all. Nevertheless, I rode a bike and was never stopped by the police. In general, judging by how stupid bikers ride in Phnom Penh, there is no need for a license here at all. Even though the police are on the roads and intersections, they turn a blind eye to it. It is much more profitable for them to stop foreigners or motorists who have violated the rules. The fines here are small, and you can also bargain. For the fact that Denis drove into a zebra crossing, they charged him less than a dollar. And once again we were stopped and told to pay $5. But we were sure that we were innocent, so we said that we would only pay $3. But the policeman was not taken aback and said: “Give me $4 so that my partner and I can have $2 each.” Naturally, no one gave us receipts.

Circle of friends

Advantages and disadvantages

I love Cambodia very much, so it’s difficult for me to talk about its disadvantages. Probably, the only thing I don’t like here is the condition of the roads and the poverty of the population. I wish the government would care more about its citizens. The Khmers are very good and deserve it.

Well, on the plus side… that’s it! It's calm and relaxed here. People smile and are ready to help. In shops and cafes good service. I have seen the staff being drilled many times. There are good hospitals, sports clubs, SPA salons and hairdressers. And finally, it’s always warm here, you can buy fresh vegetables, fruits and seafood all year round. And the prices are absolutely incredible.

If you are thinking about moving to another country for a while, I hope that Jeanne's story has inspired you to take a closer look at Cambodia. Still have questions? Write in the comments.

Fifth month in Khmer Country. The first delights and fears have been smoothed over, the area has been explored, people have become acquainted, prices are off the charts, and even a few words of Khmer are already known. Now I can answer with a cool head the popular question from readers: is it good to live in Cambodia? Especially after three years in Thailand.

Is it good to live in Cambodia?

Life options in Cambodia

When going for permanent residence in a foreign country, people are usually interested in infrastructure, visa rules, employment opportunities, housing and food prices, people, climate. I will try to talk about this as objectively as possible. But still, Cambodia through my eyes may differ significantly from yours, my reading friend. So I in no way pretend to be the final authority. As usual.

Infrastructure. Is it convenient to live in Cambodia?

Compared to Thailand, definitely not.

1. There is no problem here, even with large cool supermarkets. Of course, they are in Phnom Penh, but I wouldn’t be wrong if I assume that the majority of those considering Cambodia for permanent residence want to live by the sea, and not in a stuffy Asian metropolis. So, in coastal Sihanoukville, Cap and almost coastal Kampot, this is not so hot. There are at least three supermarkets in Sihanouk, but the range is small, and not all products even have price tags. In general, our Samudera, Orange and 300 cannot be compared with Big C or Tesco Lotus.

   

   Market in Sihanoukville. This photo is more glamorous than in life)

   We, like the bulk of ordinary family barangays, cook ourselves and buy food at the market. Local Central Market- it’s not a pleasant place: the stench, the crowd, the blood and guts of food on the shelves, where living beings are turned into food in front of you. An excellent incentive, by the way, to give up meat. If you want to become one, but don’t have the courage, go to the meat department of the market in Cambodia: disgust for corpse-eating is guaranteed!

   The good news is that the first online supermarket in Sihanoukville started operating a month ago, and it is very convenient to buy vegetables, fruits, milk, cereals, spices, etc. through it. In addition, Russian-language service High Quality Moreover, prices for many items are below market prices. In general, a true find for a person who consumes at least to some extent. And our routine Cambodian life, thanks to this fact, has become a little more comfortable.

   It is impossible, as in Thailand, to pay for telephone, Internet and electricity, coupled with air tickets and online purchases on every corner, in . True, payment cards for mobile phones and 3 G Internet are still sold everywhere from small merchants.

   The medical situation here is much worse - doctors are less qualified, hospitals are worse equipped, the general health care system cannot be compared with the Thai one, where the Americans have invested a lot of money and effort. I personally haven’t had to deal with hospitals today, pah-pah, but the overall temperature of reviews of medical services is significantly lower than in Thailand.

   The roads are bad - broken, full of potholes, many not paved at all: red clay, dusty in the heat and sour in the rainy season.

   Problematic Internet - slow, constantly interrupted. Electricity problems - it goes out almost every day, especially during the rainy season.
   
   There are schools and kindergartens for children, with the study of English, French, and Khmer. Education is much cheaper than in Thailand. For example, our wealthy Khmer neighbors pay $200 a year to educate their 6-year-old daughter in a private school. The girl speaks English better than me.

   There is no city transport: no tuk-tuks or songthaews for 10-20 baht with regular routes, only private transportation, if we are talking, I repeat, about small towns. There are probably regular buses in the capital. In Sianvoukville, a motorbike ride from the center to the outskirts costs from one to three dollars. From the center to the farthest beach of Otres and - about five dollars. Tuk-tuks are a little more expensive. Bargaining is always appropriate.

   The streets are dirty. The Khmer mentality is even less instilled with a desire for purity than the Thai character. The picture is normal for these parts: a newly built expensive hotel shines white, and five meters away from it there are heaps of garbage.

   Over time, I developed my own view of this love for chaos. At first, like all gentle white foreigners, I frowned and arrogantly said “Fie.” Now I’ve stopped wincing and replaced my unreasonable arrogance with a more practical position: if I’m like a white man and all about neatness, then I just need to slowly demonstrate it. A bag in your teeth, gloves on your hands, call a few bored friends, spend an hour or two at an impromptu cleanup. Afterwards, have a picnic - have fun yourself, do a good job and at the same time save your friends from loneliness for a day.

   I did this once, twice, ten. Look at it for the hundred and tenth time and the Khmers will begin to repeat it - they quickly and easily adopt many innovations from the barangays. Why not try, together with our love for tablets and iPhones, to demonstrate our love for cleanliness and order?

   Of course, I don’t urge everyone to urgently comb Cambodia with a rake. But, if a person is going to live here and not go on vacation, then why not do this at least occasionally. Why not change the formulation of the question from “How best to use warm country” to “What good can I bring to this country in exchange for the warmth of its sun and the kindness of its people.”

   

   A Buddhist country, Kampuchea today is calm and loyal. But still poor and unwashed.

   If my words now smell like “unhealthy Timurism” to someone, there is a suspicion that someone is terminally ill: our flawed personalities work only to consume and accept something, and the “giving” function is broken, the channel is blocked. And someday we will burst from the number of unnecessary goodies that we have picked up during our boring lives, in which there is no place for even an extra smile: after all, smiling also means give away good mood…

   Good news: I’ve exhausted my dose of reflection for today, and there won’t be any more. Let's return to practical information and talk about employment.

How much can you earn in Cambodia?

Bypassing, if you noticed, visa issue. Because everything is more than good with him today. Read more.

Briefly, you can find work in Sihanoukville, for example, but the salaries are small. I will discuss this issue separately a little later, but now I will describe our experience purely.

Hotels are a typical job opportunity

Alekseyviktorovich, who worked everywhere in his native St. Petersburg, acquiring a wealth of versatile skills, immediately after ours got a job at a furniture factory. The salary was piecework, it was 400 - 500 dollars a month. I had to work from nine to infinity, often without days off. A couple of months later I received a promotion - from assembler to workshop foreman, but the salary did not actually increase, and the responsibility became greater, so we completely stopped seeing our head of the family, and Viktoralekseich began to become completely fatherless.

The other day Lesha was offered a simpler job with a clear schedule - from nine to six, one day off a week in a new hotel. Position: caretaker assistant, salary: $400. We see each other more often now and sometimes even have time to watch a movie together in the evenings.

I would especially like to emphasize that Alekseyviktorovich’s salary is considered very good. And not without pride, I note that our dad is a hyper-responsible person, he is respected for his personal qualities and intelligent approach to business, so usually it is not he who is looking for a job, but he is invited. If you can apply these characteristics to yourself and are objective in your assessment, you will also easily find a job in Cambodia. Yes, in any country where a foreigner has the opportunity to find a job.

The usual salary for a barangay in Cambodia is 200 - 300 dollars. Bartenders, waiters, employees of tour agencies and tourist shops, and hotel employees are often paid approximately this amount.

Friends from Novosibirsk opened a guesthouse - they employed themselves

The main advantage of Cambodia over Thailand is that you can work here; no one has yet been arrested, even if a policeman catches you at work without a work permit. You'll end up with a slight fright - about 150 dollars.

Prices in Sihanoukville

Housing. You can rent a studio in a guesthouse for up to one hundred dollars a month, video and article about it. For two hundred dollars you can rent a small house five minutes from the sea, like, or a real house with a bedroom, living room and kitchen. True, it will be a contract of six months, a deposit one or two months in advance, electricity and water separately - thirty to fifty dollars a month. And far from the sea.

In the center, houses cost from two hundred and above. You are most likely to find a house or one- or two-room apartment in the center for $250 - $300 per month. By the sea, all these numbers can be safely multiplied by two, especially if we are talking about the high tourist season - from December to March approximately.

Products. I will also make a very detailed breakdown of the points separately. Now this is just our experience.

We cook ourselves, occasionally we go out to a cafe - rather, to entertain ourselves and Viktoralekseich. We buy food at the market, and partly in supermarkets. The monthly budget for a family is approximately two hundred dollars. Our diet consists of a lot of vegetables, rice, oatmeal, beans, fruits, herbs, milk from which we make homemade cheese, cottage cheese and kefir, baked goods, and rarely store-bought bread, spices, nuts, vegetable oil and butter. For all this - about six to seven dollars a day.

NB! We do not buy or prepare meat, fish or eggs. Prices for chicken are about 4 dollars, fish - from 2 and above, pork - 6, if I'm not mistaken. I won’t even write about cow meat - it’s absolutely creepy. Sorry, dear meat-eaters, I didn’t do it on purpose! Eat what your heart desires, that’s none of my business...

Entertainment can be found even in Sihanoukville if desired.

People

There are good people here. Just different, like everywhere else. Sometimes they steal, sometimes, sometimes the beach is ugly. But this doesn’t happen every day, not all the time, you just need to follow basic safety rules, take care of your motorbikes and don’t show off on PSX, as our people in Thailand like to do. By the way, pisiks are stolen even in Pattaya - it’s just a whistle.

The Khmers adore children, and Viktoralekseich is pampered here, acquainted with him and protected in every possible way by familiar adults, and Khmer children - open and funny - are happy to play with their strange little neighbor. In Cambodia, even I, a cold and complex Russian, became more tolerant and kinder to my own and other people’s children.

Being a parent in Cambodia is as challenging and rewarding as anywhere else

Kampuchea can also be called the Land of Smiles, but the Khmer smile is a little more sincere and therefore a little rarer than the Thai one. If someone doesn't like you, they won't bare their teeth at you. The Khmers are tolerant of white foreigners. The widespread attitude in Pattaya to the farang as a walking ATM is still a long way off, although naturally this will inevitably happen over time, we must assume.

The Khmers are naive and spontaneous in general. Somewhere in the capital and in places in Sihanoukville there are educated, intelligent Cambodians, but the overall level of education is low. And then there was Pol Pot. Against the backdrop of his atrocities against the intelligentsia of Kampuchea, our Gulags are not recreational sanatoriums, of course, but labor camps. There is no exact data anywhere on how many people he sadistically killed—either half the country, or more. And the main target of the tyrant was the intellectual elite, thinking people. And time has passed - a little more than forty years.

The family institution in Cambodia is still strong. They rest, work, live - they do everything together.

So it would be very unfair to blame the once prosperous and great Khmer nation for its current - deplorable in many respects - state. It is impossible to blame the Russians for gloominess and external aggression - our countries simply have such difficult fates. To be able to resist such “national Karma” you need to be such a developed, strong and integral person. And as you know, they don’t gallop in droves in any state...

Personally, in five months in Cambodia I saw a lot of kindness towards myself and my child, friendliness, sincere interest, a desire to communicate and a willingness to help in matters of motherhood. Everything else is details. And a lot depends on how you behave towards the Khmers. The honorable gentleman William Thackeray correctly noted when he said that the world is a mirror that shows a person the reflection of his own face. Frown at him and he will frown at you. Laugh with him and at him - and he will have fun with you...

Climate

The rainy season is as wet and sometimes cool as in Thailand. The spring heat is just as merciless. Hand on heart, the climate is not the most comfortable - five degrees lower than the average annual temperature. But the sea is swimmable all year round. And to seek good from good - you understand, is not comme il faut.

To summarize, I like living in Cambodia. It's quiet and peaceful here. I can be a real housewife for the first time in my life - I say without a hint of irony and even with pride: I now have the most responsible job in the world!

No need to worry about visas. Khmer friends help protect, entertain and even feed Viktoralekseich. Warm. Assimilation occurs by itself, which in Pattaya seemed impossible unless you married a Thai. Which I didn’t really want, by the way. And the history and culture of the Khmer Country are becoming more and more interesting to me.

The grass in Cambodia is just as green, the sun is just as yellow...

Dirt can be cleaned up - at least around your home. Living without Seven Elevens is not so difficult - I’m already used to it. And people - they are just people all over the planet: either evil or happy. Cambodians are still happier, although they are still poorer.

But, remembering Thailand, I also liked living there. So I don’t know the answer to the question of where to live better. I’m afraid that I would generally like it in Laos, and in Bangladesh, and maybe even in Zimbabwe. I can’t be objective - my mirror is completely refracted by some ridiculous mosaic of my cockroaches...

Just come to Cambodia and try not to be afraid of the kind curiosity of the locals, and then behind the heaps of garbage, bad roads and unsightly markets, perhaps you will discover amazing place on Earth - the Khmer Country.

With wishes to always feel at home, sincerely yours, slightly in love with Cambodia, Marta. Sihanoukville, January 2016

In 2014, Western sanctions and negative attitudes towards Russia reduced the number of potential emigrants from the Russian Federation. According to the Public Opinion Foundation, in July 12% of respondents declared their desire to emigrate. Two years ago this figure was 17%. the site continues to publish stories about Krasnoyarsk residents who once decided to radically change their lives - to go to another country, find work and housing there.

Many people know them in Krasnoyarsk. They still have family and friends here. But they chose to leave. Anna Kozlova. Krasnoyarsk - Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Online answers to 10 questions.

Tell us a little about yourself - where were you born, where did you study, what did you do before moving?

I spent most of my life in the Krasnoyarsk region. Born in Achinsk, after university she lived and worked in Krasnoyarsk for a long time. Many people close to me remained here. I always loved to travel, even when I had no money at all, and I had never even thought about getting a foreign passport. As a student, I practiced this thing: I came to the station and bought a ticket to the locality that I had enough money to get to in both directions (often without any budget for everything else). She came, walked around the city during the day, and went back at night. So I visited Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo, Omsk. Later she traveled almost all of Russia from Krasnoyarsk to Kuban.

At 26 years old (now I’m 29) I went with my friends to celebrate New Year to the then Ukrainian Crimea for a couple of weeks. As a result, my friends went home, and I stayed for six months. The things I had with me were a laptop and a pair of spare underpants. It turned out to be a very fun and drunken six months; I still miss many of my friends in Sevastopol. So Cambodia (or, as they call themselves, Kampuchea) is not my first experience of suddenly leaving abroad for a long time.

What else should I add? After Crimea, I lived in Moscow for two years and continued to travel from time to time.

Do you need to prepare for moving? Or is an impulsive decision the only way to leave with 100% probability?

I don’t think that the situation in Russia now allows us to prepare for anything. But I planned my first trip to Cambodia in advance. For six months, my friend and I purposefully saved money, collected things, and read information on the Internet. We arrived here in January 2014, and about a month later the dollar rose in price by 5 rubles for the first time. I remember we thought it was a disaster: so much money was wasted! It’s even funny to think about it now. In general, if we briefly retell that trip of ours: we both found work, housing, lived, worked and went back to Russia closer to the summer. In the fall, unexpectedly for everyone and for myself, I returned to Cambodia. And now this was already a 100% impulsive decision. I bought a ticket at the beginning of October, and on October 14th I was already on the plane.

In your case, does moving abroad mean going there? Or leave here?

In my case, I left not “where”, but “to whom”.

Why this country?

Let me remind you that my friend and I chose Cambodia as an option for “wintering” and not emigration. This is a country in Southeast Asia where it is summer all year round. Relatively untapped by tourists (although the situation is changing quickly) and one of the cheapest. There are no “package tours” here, so most foreigners are either people like me, or individual tourists, or travelers who touch Cambodia on the way from Thailand to Vietnam.

I live in a city by the sea - Sihanoukville. It was here, on his own small island near the city, that the notorious Moscow businessman Sergei Polonsky settled after his release from a Cambodian prison. Sihanoukville itself (or, as Russian expats lovingly say, “Sihanoukville”) resembles something between a resort and a village. The city is relatively quiet and calm: at eleven o’clock in the evening it is already difficult to find a place to eat. But it was not by chance that I said “relatively”. At this time, you can easily find yourself an adventure on the fifth point. For example, you may be left without money or a moped if you do not take proper safety measures. Cambodia is a country of contrasts. Quiet, peaceful and thoroughly corrupt. Buddhist and quite criminal. Backward, but with an ancient rich culture.

What are the five biggest differences between Russia and your new country?

In order to answer this question, you need to have a good understanding of what Cambodia is. Many Siberians have heard about this country, but only because they offer excursions from Pattaya and Bangkok. Or is Cambodia perceived as more cheap option Vietnam. But let me tell you a few facts that you may not know.

Cambodia is a real third world country, on par with remote Africa. Some 10-15 years ago it was a complete jungle with rare settlements without electricity. Schools began to be built here relatively recently, and an asphalt road is still considered a luxury in some provinces. Those who have visited Sihanoukville find it hard to believe that this city did not exist ten years ago (at least in the form in which it exists now). The entire infrastructure was concentrated around a small port area. Now that foreign money has flowed into the country, more and more Khmers (residents of Cambodia) are becoming entrepreneurs, working for themselves and living well. Quite recently, mass poverty reigned here, and only those settlements, which were built by the French during the colonial period.

This is a country that experienced terrible genocide and famine. In the 70s, during the reign of the bloody leader Pol Pot, two thirds of Cambodians were physically destroyed: slaughtered, beaten with hoes, burned. I won’t go into details - if you google “Pol Pot genocide”, you will read a lot of interesting things. I will only say that first of all, during these terrible years, everyone was killed - EVERYONE! - representatives of the intelligentsia (doctors, teachers, people with education or simply literate), clergy (Buddhist monks were the first to go under the knife). City dwellers were herded into the jungle, rice fields, and concentration camps. Any manifestation of dissent was punished quickly and mercilessly. And this was not in the Middle Ages, but quite recently. Most Khmers over 40 years old remember what happened in the country during that period. They know it the hard way.

The West helped resolve the conflict, but they had to get out of poverty and devastation on their own. This is how the current regime has developed in Cambodia: corruption, lawlessness of the army and police, the omnipotence of His Majesty the “official”, rampant banditry, the semi-slave consciousness of ordinary people. Tourists cannot see all this; the country has recovered as best it can from the horrors it experienced. But dig deeper and you will be horrified.

At the same time, Cambodians cannot be called evil or completely selfish. They are smiling and sincere, like all Asians; after the restoration of peace, Buddhism with all its principles returned to the country with renewed vigor. Religion is the most important part of the life of every family. IN big cities people are conditioned to see the white man as a bag of money. In remote provinces they will always treat you kindly, feed you, and let you spend the night. It’s somewhat reminiscent of Mother Russia, especially in the post-Soviet period, isn’t it?

But back to your question about the five differences in Cambodia:

1. Any foreigner who has ever tried to set up a business in Cambodia will tell you, what a stupid and lazy nation the Khmers are. Finding an employee is not a problem here. It is more difficult to teach him to work: you can repeat the same thing twenty times, but he will still do it his own way. Or he won't do it at all. Because he has a “yum-bye” (meal break), “siesta” (lunch break), or “he’s going home soon, why start today? Come on tomorrow, master!
2. Of course, you can’t use the same brush for everyone. There are very responsible and hardworking Khmers. But to find one smart employee, you need to fire ten lazy ones. What did you want from a country where the entire intellectual gene pool was completely destroyed?
3. Food. The products here simply cannot be compared with Russian ones: fresh, juicy, “real”. The Khmers do not use pesticides, growth accelerators, or, God forbid, any GMOs. Simply because it is all too expensive for them. Here they do not water the plants with chemical fertilizers because cow dung is cheaper. Pigs live freely and wallow in all the puddles they like. Chickens run right through the city streets. Many fruits grow like weeds. Therefore, local dishes are much tastier than in Russia. Alas, Cambodians, whom China has long been hooked on flavor enhancers, do not spare monosodium glutamate in their dishes in the form of various seasonings and food additives. In Khmer these supplements are called “bichen”. In their opinion, without bicheni it is “atchnyat” (not tasty).
   The Khmers have a special relationship with food: they not only love to eat, they are ready to do it endlessly. “Yum-bye” is done eight or even ten times a day, of which at least three times they try to eat pork (who can afford it). They constantly chew something, snack on rice cakes, dried squid, chips, chicken legs... And wash it all down with sweet, sweet soda. And children are generally fattened as if for slaughter. It is increasingly common to see young children with early stages of obesity. All these are the consequences of hunger. In the Soviet Union, and then in Russia, it took 60 years to get rid of such echoes of the war. Here, apparently, more than one generation of people will also grow up.
4. Attitude to the environment. Although this is more similar to Russia than different. We had just begun to realize that drinking to the bottom of the river was not the best The best way save nature. The Khmers took up this activity with enthusiasm. The pace and scale of jungle clearing over last years reached such a level that they overtook the Soviet ones. I’ll just keep quiet about and in places of public recreation. This does not apply to tourist places. Of course they clean it there.
   In general, Cambodia is now a classic example of the consequences of the development of the global consumer industry. For example, did you know that this is where a huge part of electronics, packaging, toys, smartphones, etc. are produced? In the vicinity of Phnom Penh (the capital) there are thousands of factories and factories of famous world brands, where Khmers work in semi-slave conditions for pennies. At five in the morning they are brought here from neighboring villages by countless trucks that look like cattle trucks. Now all of enlightened Asia, including China, is moving the most dangerous and harmful industries to the territory backward countries, including Cambodia. Here, littering the environment is not considered shameful, as long as foreign money flows into the country like a river.
5. Road traffic. This, I think, will not scare anyone who has ever been to Asia. A million mopeds on one narrow street is the norm for eastern countries. So, imagine that in Kampuchea 99% of those who drive do not even know the traffic rules. Only a select few have rights, and you can always pay off a patrol inspector with a dollar. Even if you drove through a red light without a helmet, drunk and on someone else's motorcycle. What’s more, I only learned to drive a moped here, and now I can’t imagine life without a steering wheel. Although right now the government is strengthening the prohibitions in traffic rules and even, it seems, wants to significantly increase fines. Wait and see.
6. I didn’t say about the most important thing... There is sea ​​and summer all year round!

Do you feel like a stranger in new country?

Yes and no. Everything I told you about local residents(by the way, don’t think that I’m some kind of Khmerophobe. I respect and accept this nation as it is), this is the result of my own observations, research and experience. But I am still very far from a deep understanding of the mysterious Asian soul. I know Russians who have lived in Cambodia for 30 years, and still not everyone here takes it for granted.

But I don’t feel like an outsider either. There is a large Russian diaspora here, and every year there are more and more expats from their homeland. You can easily find friends and form your own social circle. Many Russians who have been living in Cambodia for several years do not even consider it necessary to learn English.

As always, he takes pride in his country when Europeans and Americans come to distant, wild and incomprehensible Cambodia, hoping to amaze everyone with their courage... And they meet Russian pensioners who have settled here long ago and feel great.

Is it difficult to find work/housing?

Finding a job is not difficult, especially with knowledge of English (even basic). But the level of wages is far from Russian. Waiters and bartenders earn no more than $150 a month; hotel administrators earn at most twice as much. But the cost of housing starts from 100. Plus renting a motorbike (no way without it): 60-80 $, food - no less than 150 $ per month per person...

A year ago, all this was pennies compared to Russia. Now you can't say that anymore. You can find a decent job for at least $500, but to do this you need to have some unique talents. For example, to be an experienced builder to serve as a foreman at a construction site. Most Russians here either live off passive income from Russia or through remote work. I currently fall into the latter category. Previously worked in a bar in Sihanoukville. I don’t exclude the possibility that I will return to offline work if life forces me to.

When leaving Russia, what/who was the hardest to part with?

With friends, although they are already used to seeing me rarely.

The economy of your life in a new country: more/less salary, more/less spending. Has it become easier to live in terms of money? If it’s not difficult, tell us in more detail about your average monthly expenses (transport, housing, food, medicine, entertainment, etc.).

I touched on this issue a little above. Well, let's take a closer look. I don’t live alone, there are two of us. Therefore, we will calculate the final amount for two.

• About $200 - accommodation in a guest house (including electricity costs);
• $70 – motorbike;
• $150-200 – for food (per person);
• $35 – internet.

These are constant expenses. Plus, sometimes you want to get out somewhere: go to Thailand, Vietnam, go to the islands in Cambodia itself. Let's add another $100-150 per person per month based on travel expenses.

Plus shopping, clothing, and other expenses. Let there be another $100. Here is an approximate calculation of our life. Not cheap, but not expensive either. In general, in my experience, you can survive on $300 per month per person. For a smaller amount it will be difficult.

Medicine here for “whites” is very expensive and you need to be prepared for this. A simple appointment with a quack doctor, after which they will anoint your knee with brilliant green and give you bandages, will cost 100 bucks. Moreover, most international insurances do not apply here. Doctors simply ignore them: they demand cash and promise that perhaps later the insurance company will reimburse your costs. So in Cambodia it is better not to get sick at all.

How long have you been living in Cambodia? Have you ever thought about returning to Russia?

I've been living here for 9 months on and off. Of course, thoughts about Russia or moving to another place come regularly, but so far there are no specifics. I don’t think I could live my whole life “over the hill.” And I certainly wouldn’t want to live in Europe. Still, upbringing and mentality take their toll. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my days surrounded by people for whom the phrase “Bambarbia! Kergudu" does not mean anything.

Anna Kozlova especially for