| There are many things that Australian expat Justin loves about living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he moved two years ago to be with his wife. Here he describes some of them, as well as his thoughts on the locals, his efforts to learn the language, and his plans for the future. |
 Justin Garnett |
-Where were you born?
-In which country and city are you living now?
-Are you living alone or with your family?
-How long have you been living in Cambodia?
4 ++ years-What is your age?
43
-When did you come up with the idea of living in Cambodia?
I came up with the idea about 5 minutes after meeting my wife - having been in the country with my sister for all of 4 hours on my first visit! Once you come here you either love it and have to come over for an extended time, you like the week's holiday and that is that or you hate it and can't wait to leave. I was besotted with Cambodia from the moment we left the airport to drive into town.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
$25 at the airport. Easy as pie.Then within one month you need to turn it into a 12 month visa which costs about $300.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
I have medical insurance now as part of my work contract but when I came here I had it with a private Australian provider. You are mad to come to a country like Cambodia without insurance.
-How do you make your living in Cambodia? Do you have any type of income generated?
I came twice in one year for a month at at time and on the second visit I had a job interview within the Private Sector and got the job! I sent an email to one company, we met for beers when I came over for the second visit and I had a contract 2 months later. I got retrenched 6 months after arriving and then landed a 3 month consultancy (Facilities Management) which turned into a 2.5 year job !! When that contract ended I had several job offers and I am now General Manager of a well established Facilities Management company that looks after Embassies and Corporates .Things have turned out great for me. I have also been Treasurer of The Australian Business Association of Cambodia for the last two years .
-Do you speak Khmer and do you think it's important to speak the local language?Yes, I now speak Khmer - not fluent but certainly enough. I started learning the first time I came here and have always made an effort. Now I have a Khmer wife and many in-laws and when I first relocated here I had a teacher for 6 months /4 days a week and I was learning to read and write as well. I still have a long way to go though but I do pretty well.
As an expat you can get away with non-adherance to alot of the Buddhist rituals but there are some things you should bear in mind. You must ALWAYS remove your shoes when you enter a house unless the owner says otherwise and you must NEVER point your feet at a monk when you sit down in a pagoda.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?I miss my family incredibly as I have a lot of nieces and nephews and brothers and sisters. I have not ben home in 3 years and I miss our big coastal farm and its clean air and the surf beaches and I miss good steak and fresh oranges! Here for recreation I drink beer ,work out, go on jaunts with the family and ride dirtbikes. I also read stacks of books. play poker regularly and write a lot on my blog.
-Do you have other plans for the future?Sure! Raise my family, keep learing Khmer, keep working hard and travelling SEA. I really don't think I could ever go home to Australia full time now - it would seem too boring- though I do want to show my wife Australia. The funny thing is, now I am over in South East Asia and have been here a while and established my network of business and social contacts there are some amazing opportunities coming my way which I never expected and in a way I really wish I had come here 10 years earlier ....
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?Right now I cannot see that it makes any sense to buy a house here. Prices are exhorbitant yet we are in the 3rd world with terrible infrastructure. The market has had its run here and return on investment just does not justinfy it. We have a house in Australia that I bought years ago. In cambodia we pay US$800pcm for an older style 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom villa with a big garden and plenty of space for our daughter to run around in. That includes all water, power ( running several AC every day ), rubbish, etc. We have decked it out with big silk lights and huge sofas and custom made teak beds with nets, a big plasma screen, stereo and a custom kitchen with granite benches. We have lots of huge palms and bamboos outside and a big bbq which is always burning with ribs on it. We have really made our home our castle as it is a nice place and Phnom Penh (especially in the hot season) can be lacking in nice spaces. I am a member at the Intercontinental which as a really nice a pool so we swim over there which is a real luxury. We have also bought blocks of land on the coast at Kep which is a lovely area and will maybe build a nice house down there to go relax in. My wife is from nearby Kampot which is a very nice riverside town.
-What is the cost of living in Cambodia?
Not as cheap as it was 2 years ago but still ok. Beers are US$12 a box. Cigarettes are 25c a pack ( I don't smoke but I should at that price !). It can be as expensive or as cheap as you want to make it. You can go out on Sat night and spend $20 or $100..up to you! You can rent a boat with a bunch of frineds and cruise the Mekong for $10 an hour which is always nice.I can eat a bowl of lovely Viet pho soup and drink and iced coffee for $2 !
-What do you think about the Khmer?The Khmer are wonderful people. If you take the time to learn some Khmer language, the place opens up to you and you are welcomed with open arms. The one thing that used to really irk me though is the way they laugh at you when you are in distress! It's a cultural thing and they don't mean it to be a "ha ha SUCK ****" type of laugh. Your car might be broken down in deep water or your bike might be stuck in mud and whilst you sweat it out and swear your head off, they just laugh away. My Khmer family provide the most amazing support for our baby it's just overwhelming. They do everything and anything to ensure she is cared for like a queen.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Cambodia?
- ; corruption at all levels, heat, litter, heat, sometimes small things take forever, power black outs, flooding in the streets during rainy season, lack of some foods I like, the poverty can be upsetting. Did I mention the heat ? It is damn hot herein April.
+ ; My wife , my daughter and our new baby boy !! My khmer family, my friends here,my work is great ,the people, the expat scene is unreal, the bars are great, the parties, the motorcross riding, the sights, the smells, the Mekong River, the personal learning curve it puts you on, trips to the provinces, etc. etc. LIVING!
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Cambodia?
PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Cambodia?
accommodation
I am an Australian moving to Phnom Penh at the end of April and am hoping to rent a flat - as cheap as possible. Any suggestions would be appreciated
Moving to Cambodia
Krissie,
www.expat-advisory.com ( go to the rentals section )
Google ; Art the Home finder Cambodia
http://www.thephnompen.com/2007/04/moving-in-to-new-gaff.html
http://www.thephnompen.com/2007/07/new-apartment.html
Get here and then look !
Khmer Language Classes
Justin,
Can you recommend a Khmer language instructor or how to find one and what the going rate is for instruction? I have some basic Khmer language skills, but will be moving their soon and want to improve upon those and work on reading and writing.
Thanks for your help!
looking in moving in cambodia any advise
Hi i am from canada and looking in moving in cambodia with my wife. Any good advise from me? I would like to find a job part time as well. I have spend 6 months there before in 91-92 and loved it. I know the people and they are great. my only concern is to find a job. I worked in project management and water and waste water management. any good advise wood be appreciated
Josh
Moving over to Cambodia
Josh,
Depending on how relevant and up to date your water and waste water management skills are, you might find there are contracts available here. I started here with an IT co and the principal is a Water and Irrigation Expert who has been here a long time. I can steer you towards him. jeffrey.himel@arunatechnology.com
Check them out here ;
http://www.arunatechnology.com/project_irrigation.html
MOST IMPORTANTLY - make sure you and your wife check the BUSINESS VISA BOX ($25 ) on arrival and NOT the tourist visa or you will be exiting the country at the end of the short time they allow you. Even if your wife doesn't intend on working, just get her to do it anyway as she may want to volunteer or might unexpectedly get a job !
Cambodia is a vastly different country than 91. You won't recognise Phnom Penh !!
justin
Expat's Wife
Hi,
I was happy when my husband told me that we are moving to Cambodia.. but now.. i think it was a bad idea. the country is fine and the people are great. But.. i dont agree with the husbands going out to the bars and the wives living at home taking care of babies.. is it true that the bars are not suitable for the wives?
i even think my husband is flirting and going out with the women.
its just sad i could not enjoy the country with all this crap inside the head.
Expat Husbands in bars
I am sorry to hear you are having an unpleasant experience. This happens a lot all over SEA when foreign couples relocate together. Husband goes to bars ONCE with mates and then all of a sudden gets sucked in by a younger prettier girl(s). If he is doing this, I would be looking at your marriage and asking why ? There are plenty of non-hostess bars here. Having said that, if you are thick skinned and broad minded - go with him ! The bars are nothing like the sleazy hardcore bars of Bangkok ( no nudity or sex on stage etc etc ) and you can drink and play pool and the girls will totally respect that your husband has a wife and leave him alone. They will probably spend more time talking to you ! I know quite a few western couples who go to the hostess bars together for a good laugh and a dance on the tables. If he does not want you to go with him then I would say you have a problem.
Check his phone records and SMS if u r really worried.
Good luck with it
www.thephnompen.asia
headache
He is too smart with the phones and sms..
I am not that old you see.. still in my twenties! Its just not fair as I am a party going girl too. He is making me to feel as if i am stuck with my baby of few months. But in fact, we can come up with a lot of ways to go out together and have fun. Instead he prefers to go out alone with his boss.
I asked him straight. He said he just played pool with the girls and he dont see anything wrong with that. Not that he is "doing" all the girls in PP.
It always start like this and will end up bad. All i am trying to do is to avoid bigger problem. And i dont even know what exactly he did coz i am pretty sure the pool is not the only thing. "The girls are from province so they earn better like this than in other places".. What the heck is that..
Anyway, i found a nanny, and i am going out to explore the bars n pools n the lovely girls myself.
cheers
re; Headache
The line " I HAVE to go out with my boss / am going out with work people etc ) is a pretty famous ruse here. I will tell you....it is not only western men. The Khmer guys are pretty good at philandering as well.
I will tell you a little story.Bare with me....
A month ago a contractor I deal with ( khmer) asked my to a restaurant around 6pm for some beers under the guise of "talking business" which I thought was a bit weird as we usually talk business in our offices. When I got to the restaurant he had a friend with him - another Khmer guy who actually lives in Canada and was back in Cambodia for a visit. Before too long my contractor's wife rang and asked her husband where he was, he said " I am here in the restaurant talking business with Justin and drinking beers......here, say hello to him". I then had a brief chat in Khmer with his wife and my contractor then told his wife he would be home after our "meeting". Beers were then finished pretty quickly and the boys told me they were off to the bars. No invitation ( I would not have gone with the anyway )
I realised very quickly that I had only been asked along to provide a cover for the boys and the whole phone call was just a smoke screen !
I hope your husband realises sooner rather than later that cavorting around in hostess bars will only cause marital problems no matter how innocent he thinks he is being. You have every right to feel threatened but I think your strategy of getting a nanny and doing the rounds yourself is a great one. Tell your husband you are going out to the bars but he is not invited ! Have you got some girlfriends you can do a bar crawl with ? Get a small group together and have a laugh. Go to as many as you can for one or two drinks only and then the next day tell your husband all about it.
It will probably take the wind out of his sails.
www.thephnompen.asia
malaria
hi Justin, great interview very informative thanks! I have been looking at moving to the far east with cambodia my first choice. however I am concerned about malaria. what precautions do you take?
Starting business difficult?
Hi Justin,
congratulations on your achievements in Cambodia.
For the past few years I've been interested in moving and living in Cambodia. I would love to start a business over there and provide jobs for locals but I was wondering if it's difficult starting a company there? I've read the business laws and it all seems good, but I'm wondering if its actually like that in reality.
Also, any tips on how to best find a job over there. I'm thinking it would be best starting with a job and if all goes well and we like it there we could thereafter start a business.
I'm currently a Senior Technical Consultant and hold an MBA. I already write/speak some Khmer and have founded software companies in the past.
Any tips you could provide would be great. Thanks and I wish you lots of success.
Cheers,
Alex
http://alexandreboudreau.com
Alexander, Starting a
Alexander,
Starting a company is easy. Get a lawyer from DFDL or Sciarroni to draw up the papers, pay the $5000 or so and away you go.
Best ways to find a job are to be here and network. You can watch or post on Expat Advisory Services. Foreign owned / run IT companies include Conical Hat, Aruna and Arocore.
Google is your friend.
Best of luck,
Justin
www.thephnompen.asia
thanks
Thanks for the advice Justin. I appreciate it.
Alex
Moving to cambodia
Dear justin
I hope over the course of 3 years move to Cambodia. I am literally going to study here in the u.k and hopefully after qualifying move. The trouble is what can I do. I was going to look into teaching but are there jobs available covering a wide range of careers and if so are they hard to come by. I should have enough money to cover my living there for a few years but it doesn't last forever. Or should I maybe re train and just take a chance. I am in retail here but have had it. I am single and know a Cambodian girl who I think wants a future as well as I do.
On a budget and need help.
I was hurt pretty bad at my job and i got screwed and left with $1000 usd a month to live. Impossible here in the usa. What would my quality of life be there with that income and is it hard to find a job there working for an expat to add a small income say in a resturaunt etc? I was there in 2007 and loved it. Any and all help is welcome. My email is ahora007@hotmail.Com
QOL would be tight but
QOL would be tight but doable. No traveling home or within the region and no saving money but eating 3 squares, a clean roof over you head and the odd beer. Restaurants do hire expats but only on beer money. maybe $400 a month full time.
jazz club in Siem Reap?
Justin:
I'm a jazz guitarist here in the US. My wife and I are considering moving to Cambodia in a few years and we wish to open a spot that featured jazz (and maybe other more traditional forms of art on a given night). We spent a couple of weeks in the country in '05 and loved it. We feel that Cambodia is becoming more cosmopolitan every year and more open to explore new art forms and could possibly support a welcoming and relaxed place where first class American jazz is played.
Jazz is truly a world music and I've found good players everywhere I've been so that wouldn't be a problem. We think such a place as we have in mind would be fun and allow us to make a contribution to the local culture.
So, what do you think Justin? Pie in the sky dreaming or could we make a go of it?
Thanks!
www.thephnompen.asia Hi
www.thephnompen.asia
Hi there,
Sorry for such a late reply. There use to be a very popular jazz bar here called Miles Bar and when the owner passed away so did the clique. There are definitely jazz aficionados here ( not me ! ) and quite a few musos around. I think a jazz bar would do well. It is still possible to find hole in the wall premises for a few hundred a month rent.
Justin, I have been
Justin,
I have been researching Cambodia quite a bit now but I'm finding blogs to be of more use. I came across your story and became a member just so that I can comment. I plan on traveling from India to Cambodia in late January (I currently live in the states but will be in India at the time) and I wanted to ask if it will be difficult to find a shelter or orphanage I can volunteer at, maybe in return for a floor to sleep on. I have done various volunteer projects but it is my dream to be able to survive in PP and be able to give some sort of help to the people who really need it. I have come to love the cam way of life through experiences with my American khmer family. Im a 25 year old college student with a strong work ethic, would it be hard to make a living? Thank you for any advice or help you may be able to offer.