The characters within the Phnom Penh expat community can generally be divided into 5 categories, all of whom are filled with some nomadic, transient tendencies. Although this can be frustrating for a self-proclaimed introvert who is discouraged by the continual recycling of friendships and rebuilding of relationships, I've tried to adapt to the transitory lifestyle of an expat. Mostly, I've tried to appreciate the wild nature of the people around me:
1. The intern. The intern is generally a Master's student studying International Relations at an obscure northern European university or a law student desperate to engage in human rights law. The intern arrives, eager and idealistic, convinced that they will Change the World in 4 months or less. Unpaid, they are generally funded by mom and dad, and therefore willing to splurge for a balcony, splurge for one extra mango smoothie, and splurge on that weekend at Koh Rong. The intern is the most transient of them all and the least likely to be able - ABLE - to make a real commitment. This doesn't mean all interns are bad; to the contrary, the intern typically has a robust energy, optimistic spirit, and slightly wacky sense of humor that makes them fun to engage with (when they can agree to show up somewhere, sometime).
2. The business professional. The businessman (or woman, though we all know the prevailing statistics) usually arrives with a young family in tow or on the way. The businessman is here for a bit longer, though rarely longer than 2.5 to 3 years. Young, innovative, and freshly branded with an MBA from a second tier business school, the businessman is eager to open the market and spread capitalistic values, enjoy the luxurious lifestyle provided in Cambodia by a simple income, and create a name for themselves. Generally more conservative on social values, the businessman is shrewd and clever and always willing to enjoy a $5 cocktail on the Riverside.
3. The NGO worker. NGO workers tend to range significantly in age with the majority belonging to the mid-20s to late-40s group. The NGO worker is less idealistic than expected having quickly been exposed to the dangers of corruption and censorship, the threat of competition among rival NGOs, and the unpredictability of development. The NGO worker lives as comfortable a lifestyle as the businessman, though they are also armed with a black Lexus SUV and live-in nanny.
4. The missionary. The missionary is an eager and somewhat misguided do-gooder, usually fresh from the American midwest or somewhere in Australia. The missionary often arrives with a litter of children tailing along behind them and a handful of Bibles to gift to unwitting souls. Certainly, the missionary will attempt to combine religious education with NGO-type philanthropy. The missionary, however, will not have a sense of humor and will not be able to debate religion objectively or philosophically. The missionary will stay here the longest however, so as to adopt enough Khmer to effectively translate the Bible and establish a thriving Baptist community.
5. The eternal nomad. The eternal nomad is usually at least 60 years old. Sporting a ragged beard, disheveled guitar, and faint scent of marijuana, the eternal nomad is filled with stories of harrowing escapes in Mauritania and participation in riots in Uzbekistan and tea with a guru in the Himalayas. The eternal nomad is always eager to talk and share their experiences, though their minds wander constantly in pursuit of the memory of their travels. The nomad is unpredictable and may decide to reside in Cambodia for the remainder of their retirement. More often than not, however, the nomad will spontaneously decide that Laos or India or Namibia is calling his name.
Who am I missing? (Next issue: the travelers who pass through Cambodia.)
1. The intern. The intern is generally a Master's student studying International Relations at an obscure northern European university or a law student desperate to engage in human rights law. The intern arrives, eager and idealistic, convinced that they will Change the World in 4 months or less. Unpaid, they are generally funded by mom and dad, and therefore willing to splurge for a balcony, splurge for one extra mango smoothie, and splurge on that weekend at Koh Rong. The intern is the most transient of them all and the least likely to be able - ABLE - to make a real commitment. This doesn't mean all interns are bad; to the contrary, the intern typically has a robust energy, optimistic spirit, and slightly wacky sense of humor that makes them fun to engage with (when they can agree to show up somewhere, sometime).
2. The business professional. The businessman (or woman, though we all know the prevailing statistics) usually arrives with a young family in tow or on the way. The businessman is here for a bit longer, though rarely longer than 2.5 to 3 years. Young, innovative, and freshly branded with an MBA from a second tier business school, the businessman is eager to open the market and spread capitalistic values, enjoy the luxurious lifestyle provided in Cambodia by a simple income, and create a name for themselves. Generally more conservative on social values, the businessman is shrewd and clever and always willing to enjoy a $5 cocktail on the Riverside.
3. The NGO worker. NGO workers tend to range significantly in age with the majority belonging to the mid-20s to late-40s group. The NGO worker is less idealistic than expected having quickly been exposed to the dangers of corruption and censorship, the threat of competition among rival NGOs, and the unpredictability of development. The NGO worker lives as comfortable a lifestyle as the businessman, though they are also armed with a black Lexus SUV and live-in nanny.
4. The missionary. The missionary is an eager and somewhat misguided do-gooder, usually fresh from the American midwest or somewhere in Australia. The missionary often arrives with a litter of children tailing along behind them and a handful of Bibles to gift to unwitting souls. Certainly, the missionary will attempt to combine religious education with NGO-type philanthropy. The missionary, however, will not have a sense of humor and will not be able to debate religion objectively or philosophically. The missionary will stay here the longest however, so as to adopt enough Khmer to effectively translate the Bible and establish a thriving Baptist community.
5. The eternal nomad. The eternal nomad is usually at least 60 years old. Sporting a ragged beard, disheveled guitar, and faint scent of marijuana, the eternal nomad is filled with stories of harrowing escapes in Mauritania and participation in riots in Uzbekistan and tea with a guru in the Himalayas. The eternal nomad is always eager to talk and share their experiences, though their minds wander constantly in pursuit of the memory of their travels. The nomad is unpredictable and may decide to reside in Cambodia for the remainder of their retirement. More often than not, however, the nomad will spontaneously decide that Laos or India or Namibia is calling his name.
Who am I missing? (Next issue: the travelers who pass through Cambodia.)
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