Category: Daily Life in Cambodia

The government has been taking a super-cautious approach to reopening schools in Cambodia—long after neighboring countries opened theirs–so this recent picture is surprising. Only one mask is evident–and no other precautions.

The name of the school “Go-Go International School” gives an indication of how schools are just a money-making business here. Anyone can start a school and if at least one teacher can say “Good morning” in English, it qualifies as an international school which will attract middle-class families who want something special for their children.

Normally food places like this are bustling in the evening when Cambodians eat on the street. COVID-19 changed all that. At least this man has the little white dog he’s holding.

Here is an old building on Monivong Boulevard getting ready for a new life. A colonial era mansion, already once modified by the addition of the enclosed top floor, is becoming a noodle restaurant. One can hope some of the original colonial character will be restored and preserved.

Progress in Cambodia is demarcated in different ways, some of them expected, some of them not. What would not be even noticed in many cultures becomes a major indicator of thinking and planning in Cambodia. Above is a photo of some construction taking place on the corners of a major intersection. It’s going to be a pedestrian overpass, maybe only the second or third one in the country. It’s a sign of planning but also a sign of the inability of the municipal government to control and regulate traffic.