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to weigh themselves for a small tip. Whenever we pass him by, we drop some money into
hisboxwithoutusinghisservices.Chancesare,you'llfindsimilarcasesthatyoucan'tres-
ist helping.
Whenitcomes togiving,weareoftenhumbled byCambodians, aswe'll oftenseeourtuk-
tuk driver or work colleague putting his hand into his pocket and giving a handful of bills
to a beggar. The Buddhist philosophy of doing good in preparation for the next life is con-
stantlypresentand,evenwhentheydon'thavemoneythemselves,peopletendtohelptheir
fellow countrymen with open hearts.
IntheruralpartsofCambodia(aswellasinmorelocalregionsofthetowns),you'llgener-
ally be regarded as a fascinating anomaly since many villagers rarely, if ever, see western-
ers. You will be stared at and smiled at, and small children often run away in fear at seeing
a large white person in their village. If you're cycling or driving through the countryside,
though, one of the sweetest things is hearing tiny voices shouting “hello” as little children
run out to wave and practice the only word of English they know. Make sure you wave
back, as it will make their day.
In the markets, haggling is expected, but don't expect vendors to drop prices too much
(particularly in touristy areas). You can also bargain for better deals if you're staying for a
lengthy time in a guesthouse or hotel, as well as taking tours.
Cambodiansloveitwhenyouspeaktheirlanguage,evenifit'sonlyafewwordsandevery-
one, without exception, will comment on how well you speak Khmer (even if you only say
“thank you”).
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