Danger!

People think of developing countries as dangerous – one of the many reasons that some thought I was crazy to come here. The truth is, there are dangers here, but not necessarily the ones you’d expect. We’ve heard all about them in orientation:

Water – the drinking water is actually VERY clean when it leaves the purification site, but corroded pipes, etc. can compromise it, and it’s hard to tell in any given area. Everyone here brushes teeth with tap water. They wash dishes with tap water. They even drink iced coffee with ice made from tap water (albeit quickly, so the ice doesn’t melt into the drink). But nobody makes a habit of drinking it without some kind of filtration system. The real danger is rainwater if the streets flood, which carries all kinds of garbage and sewage, and can easily infect any blisters or cuts. We were told it’s vital to wash our feet frequently to get rid of street dirt.

Crime – Westerners are the target of robberies but generally not violent crimes. Guns are outlawed here and thus rare, but purse-snatchings are common. Khmer culture, at least since the Khmer Rouge era, sees theft as socially acceptable if you can get away with it undetected. A proverb says, “You should know when to take the straight path and when to take the crooked one.” It makes sense, given that nobody from the older generations survived without stealing. We’ve been warned to lock our doors, not to leave valuables in sight, and to pay attention when in traffic or crowded places. Logos had trouble in the past with guards and staff stealing money and materials, and many Westerners have similar issues with house helpers before finding people they trust. At night, girls aren’t supposed to walk alone, but they said we wouldn’t be in physical danger unless someone pushes us to grab our stuff. Still not pleasant, but it beats a drive-by shooting any day.

Sun Exposure hasn’t been an issue for me so far, since I’m inside during peak hours. But Cambodians take it seriously, often wearing long sleeves and long pants if they’re outside or on motos. (Light skin is considered beautiful here.) And the heat’s not awful right now – usually mid-80s and very humid. Still, it’s important to keep cool and drink lots of water. I had never thought about showers helping to lower your body temperature, but they’re strongly recommended here for that purpose. At this point, I don’t have a water heater, nor do I want one before cool season: the water is about 80 F without one. Khmer people are not big fans of sweating: Suzanne’s host family showers three times a day! She says she feels like a slob in comparison. I suppose it’s the only way to cover up with warm clothing and still not smell – I have yet to experience body odor among my Cambodian acquaintances.

Tropical Diseases – malaria is not a risk in Phnom Penh, but dengue fever is. Like malaria, it’s carried by mosquitos, but those that bite during the day rather than at night (like malaria carriers). A recent epidemic killed a number of children, but it’s not fatal as long as you have access to medical care: it just makes you miserable for about 2 weeks. Several Logos teachers have had it. Mysterious rashes are common, but typically disappear on their own. A bigger risk is rabies: many dogs roam the streets, and while estimates range wildly, we heard that about 60% are thought to carry rabies. They are not well-trained and may be aggressive, especially if you’re running. (Joggers and playing children, beware!) People claim their dogs have had rabies shots, but often lack the paperwork to verify it. So I stay away from all dogs here, even the cute ones.

Transportation – there are no high-speed collisions in Phnom Penh, because there are no high-speed drivers: traffic usually plods along at under 20 MPH. That being said, they don’t follow traffic laws closely, except for red lights. It’s more like walking in a crowded shopping mall. You generally try to stay on the right, but it’s more important to go with the flow, and if you see an opening in the oncoming lane, you’ll duck into it. Left turns are great because you often end up to the left of opposing traffic until there’s a break for you to switch back to your lane. The actual locations of other vehicles are much more important than the laws on the books, which are akin to US traffic laws. Thus, absent-minded drivers like me do NOT belong on the streets of Phnom Penh. Crossing the street’s not bad, since drivers are used to weaving around you. But I sometimes have to cross one direction of traffic and wait in the middle for a break in the other direction.

There are many crashes, some fatal, some minor. I’ve seen one crash since I came – it looked minor, but the driver fell off the moto. Besides internal injuries, moto crashes can lead to the infamous “Cambodian tattoo” – burning your legs on the exhaust pipe. This is why all girls sitting side-saddle face the left on motos. It’s also why you have to watch out when walking through a line of parked motos; you can’t tell which ones are still hot. Moto drivers have begun wearing helmets more often, and I'll need to get one at the market before riding with them. The joke in the past was that you should never choose a moto driver with a helmet, because he feels invincible.

Foreigners/whites have some special transportation risks. The first is traffic fines. Native Khmer can violate laws all they want, but police are on the lookout for foreigners to nab: one missionary referred to recent arrivals as “ATMs for cops.” They’re paid around $50 a month and supplement their income with bribes and inflated fines. They also know who’s new in town, and purposely target them. I was already in a car that was pulled over; the driver moved here 7 months ago and accidentally drove the wrong way on a (unmarked) 1-way street. After negotiating, he paid $4, better than the $10 he accepted last time, but a far cry from the $1.50 that it’s supposed to be. The second risk is getting blamed for crashes. We were warned never to stop at the scene of an accident (unless we were in it), since we’re an easy scapegoat and people might think we were somehow at fault. Even if they don’t blame us, they could still expect us to pay the injured parties’ medical bills.