November 15, 2010

The risk of staying too much in one country..

..is that you begin behaving like locals. Well, it is not really a risk, depending on what that behavior is :-) But our power of adaptation is incredible I have come to realize in these 5 months here. And you yourself don't realize your new/borrowed behavior until an outsider comes and tells you hey, you have changed... This is how I realized at least.. It was a friend visiting me for a couple of days who told me, hey, you start behaving just like them...and by that she was referring to the way I speak.
Cambodians have a very interesting way of speaking, depending on the point they want to make. It is always with a smile on their face and even a laugh, regardless of what they are saying- whether it is something funny/ a nice story/or a horrific event. And Cambodians will never raise their voice or yell to you. And if you do raise your voice to them, they will stop listening to you and just leave...
Women for instance when they speak to each other they sound like two chickens fighting. But they can turn their voices and attitude into a very soft and sweet voice, when they are trying to convince you to do something..especially when they talk to men.
Men on the other hand, well they always laugh, and they are rarely fighting. And they are extremely funny when negotiating with you, for instance for the tuk tuk ride. They start to make funny faces and funny noises, so they can convince you that they want more, they become like little cats 'miauw-ing' :-))) And my friend she tells me I have borrowed this very well, and not only when negotiating with them or in the market with the women, but also when talking to her, in Romanian :))) it must be very funny i guess...

4 comments:

  1. Tu?????Sa zambesti mereu si sa nu tipi?Nu pot sa cred ca te-ai schimbat atat,mai ales ca a trecut doar o luna de cand nu te-am vazut.Doamne-ajuta.

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  2. well, tip la cine imi permit nu? :-P ca doar am explicat ca daca tip la ei se intorc si pleaca...desi tare as tipa si la ei cateodata...mai ales in trafic..

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  3. just saw your post... it is very funny indeed.. can't wait to get another piece of it soon!!! :))

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  4. u think i will still have it in me?!? i hope so i really do...i hope it doesn't freeze once i get back :)))

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