Over the past six years in Cambodia, I've acquired certain skills and knowledge that have served me well here. I may never be a "real" Cambodian, but I'm a lot more Cambodian than I used to be! I've found ways around all sorts of dilemmas - sometimes adapting common Cambodian practices, sometimes problem-solving with friends or on my own.
Now, as I contemplate returning to the US this summer for grad school, I'm realizing that some of these brilliant solutions, even the most deeply engrained, might seem a bit less brilliant there. And I don't just mean the driving techniques.
Why it works here:
Every local market carries stacks of 50-cent rugs made of cotton scraps. My house has about 20 of them, mostly to cut down on tracking dirt around. They're far from beautiful, but they slide nicely to the nearest spill, dry quickly, and wash well.
Every local market carries stacks of 50-cent rugs made of cotton scraps. My house has about 20 of them, mostly to cut down on tracking dirt around. They're far from beautiful, but they slide nicely to the nearest spill, dry quickly, and wash well.
Why it might not transfer:
I got dirty looks from my mom and my best friend last summer when I suggested using a rug instead of a paper towel. That's a piece of home decor, silly, not a floor rag. (Though "rug" and "rag" are awfully similar words, aren't they? Just sayin'.)
I got dirty looks from my mom and my best friend last summer when I suggested using a rug instead of a paper towel. That's a piece of home decor, silly, not a floor rag. (Though "rug" and "rag" are awfully similar words, aren't they? Just sayin'.)
2. The curtain rod ribbon.
Why it works here:
My curtain rod was screwed into a flimsy plywood frame that has nearly disintegrated, leaving the rod flopping down in January. Unlike the side, where the screw was, the frame's top is still relatively intact, but there's a gap between it and the wall. Instead of borrowing a drill and trying to screw it into the concrete wall, it was easier to tie a ribbon around the rod and frame.
My curtain rod was screwed into a flimsy plywood frame that has nearly disintegrated, leaving the rod flopping down in January. Unlike the side, where the screw was, the frame's top is still relatively intact, but there's a gap between it and the wall. Instead of borrowing a drill and trying to screw it into the concrete wall, it was easier to tie a ribbon around the rod and frame.
Why it might not transfer:
As I recall, curtain rods are usually screwed into the drywall in US homes. Hopefully my walls won't be losing chunks, nor would a ribbon do much to help!
As I recall, curtain rods are usually screwed into the drywall in US homes. Hopefully my walls won't be losing chunks, nor would a ribbon do much to help!
3. The purse storage.
When driving my moto, I keep my purse in my backpack or in a plastic bag on the hook by my feet.
Why it works here:
The best way to guard against would-be purse-snatchers is to keep valuables secure and/or out of sight. They're not tempted to grab my sturdy backpack like they're tempted to yank my purse until the strap rips or I fall off my moto. A plastic bag looks much less valuable and hangs more securely on the hook, preventing thieves from swooping by atop a friend's moto and snatching it away.
Why it works here:
The best way to guard against would-be purse-snatchers is to keep valuables secure and/or out of sight. They're not tempted to grab my sturdy backpack like they're tempted to yank my purse until the strap rips or I fall off my moto. A plastic bag looks much less valuable and hangs more securely on the hook, preventing thieves from swooping by atop a friend's moto and snatching it away.
Why it might not transfer:
It seems a little tacky to carry your purse in a plastic bag. Also, it's hard to snatch a purse through a car window.
It seems a little tacky to carry your purse in a plastic bag. Also, it's hard to snatch a purse through a car window.
4. The door wire.
To secure the front door, we use a very classy green-and-yellow wire.
Why it works here:
Our front door doesn't latch, so our options are to padlock it (if all of us are either in or out) or to leave it ajar. We're on a safe street with a gated courtyard, but if our vicious watchdogs are stretching their legs outside their cage, odds are the ajar door will lead to unwelcome puddles or piles of trash on our floor. The best solution is to tie a wire through the padlock holes so that people can open it from either side.
Why it might not transfer:
Padlocks aren't very common in the US. Doors that latch - or landlords that fix doors that don't latch - ARE rather common.
Why it works here:
Our front door doesn't latch, so our options are to padlock it (if all of us are either in or out) or to leave it ajar. We're on a safe street with a gated courtyard, but if our vicious watchdogs are stretching their legs outside their cage, odds are the ajar door will lead to unwelcome puddles or piles of trash on our floor. The best solution is to tie a wire through the padlock holes so that people can open it from either side.
Why it might not transfer:
Padlocks aren't very common in the US. Doors that latch - or landlords that fix doors that don't latch - ARE rather common.
5. The 100's ditch.
6. The water bottle finder.
Always seize opportunities to eliminate hundred bills from your wallet.
Why it works here:
Cambodia is a very cash-based society that uses 2 currencies interchangeably: US dollars and Cambodian riel. $100 USD is a common denomination at ATM's, but not many stores and vendors can change such a large bill. 100 riel is worth 2.5 cents, and much like pennies, they quickly accumulate without adding much value. So I look for chances to use my $100 bills for rent, or to break them at the grocery store or the money-changing stall at the market. 100 riel bills? I pay exact when I can.
Why it works here:
Cambodia is a very cash-based society that uses 2 currencies interchangeably: US dollars and Cambodian riel. $100 USD is a common denomination at ATM's, but not many stores and vendors can change such a large bill. 100 riel is worth 2.5 cents, and much like pennies, they quickly accumulate without adding much value. So I look for chances to use my $100 bills for rent, or to break them at the grocery store or the money-changing stall at the market. 100 riel bills? I pay exact when I can.
Why it might not transfer:
America has these newfangled things called checkbooks. Oh, what's that, you use cards now? Hmm. I predict my wallet will be sleeker next year. (Plus I'll be broke from grad school.)
America has these newfangled things called checkbooks. Oh, what's that, you use cards now? Hmm. I predict my wallet will be sleeker next year. (Plus I'll be broke from grad school.)
Why it works here:
Feel dehydrated while running errands? Just look for a big orange cooler on the sidewalk outside a shop. There should be one within a 1-minute drive, whether you're downtown or in a village. You can choose between the 12-cent bottle, the 25-cent "name brand" bottle, and the 60-cent 1-liter bottle.
Feel dehydrated while running errands? Just look for a big orange cooler on the sidewalk outside a shop. There should be one within a 1-minute drive, whether you're downtown or in a village. You can choose between the 12-cent bottle, the 25-cent "name brand" bottle, and the 60-cent 1-liter bottle.
Why it might not transfer:
The US tends to cool things using electricity, not ice coolers, and bottled water is pricier. Also, you can find water fountains more places, and tap water is drinkable everywhere, so you can refill the water bottle you brought from home. As my friend Megan puts it, "Americans flush their TOILETS with drinking water, for crying out loud!" I know some Americans still buy bottled water on a regular basis, but I don't really understand it.
The US tends to cool things using electricity, not ice coolers, and bottled water is pricier. Also, you can find water fountains more places, and tap water is drinkable everywhere, so you can refill the water bottle you brought from home. As my friend Megan puts it, "Americans flush their TOILETS with drinking water, for crying out loud!" I know some Americans still buy bottled water on a regular basis, but I don't really understand it.
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| The view from my balcony - I could probably count 100+ today |
Why it works here:
At the peak of mango season, you might be given 20 mangoes in a week, if you don't have your own mango tree (just one can bear hundreds of beautiful mangoes). But even if your taste buds wanted to take on the challenge, your stomach might not be up for it. Nothing is sadder than a perfectly ripened mango turning to mush because you were on the BRAT diet for a few days. (OK, a lot of things are sadder. I think of this as a classic "First World Person in the Third World" problem.) So you cut them up and freeze them. Presto! A tasty, healthy, Hot Season Survival treat.
At the peak of mango season, you might be given 20 mangoes in a week, if you don't have your own mango tree (just one can bear hundreds of beautiful mangoes). But even if your taste buds wanted to take on the challenge, your stomach might not be up for it. Nothing is sadder than a perfectly ripened mango turning to mush because you were on the BRAT diet for a few days. (OK, a lot of things are sadder. I think of this as a classic "First World Person in the Third World" problem.) So you cut them up and freeze them. Presto! A tasty, healthy, Hot Season Survival treat.
Why it might not transfer:
Remember the last time you had an over-abundance of perfectly ripened mangoes? That you'd paid less than 50 cents a pound for? Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. And THAT'S the reason I'm trying to eat enough mangoes this spring to last me the next two years.
Remember the last time you had an over-abundance of perfectly ripened mangoes? That you'd paid less than 50 cents a pound for? Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. And THAT'S the reason I'm trying to eat enough mangoes this spring to last me the next two years.
To prevent ants from descending upon anything remotely edible, simply place the feet of your tables and portable cabinets inside bowls filled with water or baking soda.
Why it works here:
There are a LOT of ants. They are super-speedy and always hungry. The ant bowls can't deter all of them, but they're certainly the first line of defense.
Variation: have a yummy treat that won't be eaten for a few hours? Fill a tray with water, then put a bowl on the tray, and set the treat on top. They can't get to it!
Why it might not transfer: Why it works here:
There are a LOT of ants. They are super-speedy and always hungry. The ant bowls can't deter all of them, but they're certainly the first line of defense.
Variation: have a yummy treat that won't be eaten for a few hours? Fill a tray with water, then put a bowl on the tray, and set the treat on top. They can't get to it!
The US doesn't usually use portable cabinets, let alone the kind of "ant cabinets" whose doors are also meant to block out tiny intruders. Yet when did you last find critters in your crackers? My Logos friend Emily was incredulous to attend a AP grading conference in a US hotel that left dozens of bowls of unwrapped candy out overnight. Every morning, the candy was untouched. Mind blown.
9. The cereal freeze.
Have ants infested your cereal? Just toss it in the freezer and pick out their carcasses in about 30 minutes.
Why it works here:
You can use the ant bowls, the ant cabinet, the Tupperware container, AND the Ziplock bag, all together. But one day, those ants will find their way in. (I understand the Biblical proverb about 'Go to the ant, you sluggard' so much better since moving here!) Sometimes it's not worth the trouble and you just throw out the nearly-empty bag of sugar. But when you splurged and bought your favorite cereal, or when your family sent you real chocolate chips, or when you don't have time to bake another batch of those muffins, you do whatever it takes to salvage what's left. Or you just freeze it from the get-go, to remove all risks. Freezers hold a lot of funny things here.
Why it might not transfer: Why it works here:
You can use the ant bowls, the ant cabinet, the Tupperware container, AND the Ziplock bag, all together. But one day, those ants will find their way in. (I understand the Biblical proverb about 'Go to the ant, you sluggard' so much better since moving here!) Sometimes it's not worth the trouble and you just throw out the nearly-empty bag of sugar. But when you splurged and bought your favorite cereal, or when your family sent you real chocolate chips, or when you don't have time to bake another batch of those muffins, you do whatever it takes to salvage what's left. Or you just freeze it from the get-go, to remove all risks. Freezers hold a lot of funny things here.
See #8.
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| Yes, the women's dressing room is down Aisle 5 and on your right... |
Why it works here:
Trying on clothes at the market can be an awkward procedure. They might let you step inside their stall, and it's even possible they can hold up a meter of fabric to guard you from the eyes of passersby. But there's no guarantee. If you're wearing shorts/leggings and a tank top under your outfit, you'll be ready to switch outfits without scandalizing anyone.
Trying on clothes at the market can be an awkward procedure. They might let you step inside their stall, and it's even possible they can hold up a meter of fabric to guard you from the eyes of passersby. But there's no guarantee. If you're wearing shorts/leggings and a tank top under your outfit, you'll be ready to switch outfits without scandalizing anyone.
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| Forgot to wear your "dressing room"? See if your vendor can lend you a sarong for a moment. |
Why it might not transfer:
Next time you're standing in line at the Kohl's dressing room and think, "Forget this! I'm wearing spandex and a camisole! I'll just change right here!", let me know how many new friends you make.
Next time you're standing in line at the Kohl's dressing room and think, "Forget this! I'm wearing spandex and a camisole! I'll just change right here!", let me know how many new friends you make.
Why it works here:
Thick clouds of fumes. Grains of sand kicked up by passing cars. Wood finish being sprayed over doors and chairs from a side-of-the-road workshop in the direction of traffic. Dust cyclones on dirt roads in dry season. There are many things that one can inhale while en route, and yet the only one you really WANT in your lungs is oxygen. So sometimes you do what you gotta do.
Thick clouds of fumes. Grains of sand kicked up by passing cars. Wood finish being sprayed over doors and chairs from a side-of-the-road workshop in the direction of traffic. Dust cyclones on dirt roads in dry season. There are many things that one can inhale while en route, and yet the only one you really WANT in your lungs is oxygen. So sometimes you do what you gotta do.
*Too lazy? Forgot your mask? Or it's still not cutting it? The simplest answer: Just stop breathing! Warning: Use sparingly, for short periods of time... like when that delivery truck in front of you is accelerating.*
Why it might not transfer:
Why it might not transfer:
Two answers...
1. Emissions laws
2. Enclosed vehicles
1. Emissions laws
2. Enclosed vehicles
Why it works here:
Outlets tend to be about chest-high here, located with the light switches. (To keep them safe from flooding? Or to save on wires?) They're also loose enough to fit many types of plugs, since unlike nearly every other country, Cambodia doesn't have a standard plug shape. These two factors converge to make it easy for cords to slip out and come unplugged. So sometimes, they need a bit of encouragement.
Why it might not transfer:
I don't know. Maybe I SHOULD have a spatula devoted to keeping my electronics safely plugged in, just in case.
Outlets tend to be about chest-high here, located with the light switches. (To keep them safe from flooding? Or to save on wires?) They're also loose enough to fit many types of plugs, since unlike nearly every other country, Cambodia doesn't have a standard plug shape. These two factors converge to make it easy for cords to slip out and come unplugged. So sometimes, they need a bit of encouragement.
Why it might not transfer:
I don't know. Maybe I SHOULD have a spatula devoted to keeping my electronics safely plugged in, just in case.
This whole "moving" thing is going to be not only a learning curve, but also an "un-learning" curve. (If you see me using a life hack that I should've left in Cambodia, feel free to gently suggest an alternative.) But life hacks are fun to learn, and there are plenty of new ones that I might need to try next year.
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