“When you move from one country to another you have to accept that there are some things that are better and some things that are worse, and there is nothing you can do about it.”Bill Bryson
If you are planning to live abroad by choice and not by a job posting, it can be an overwhelming decision where to live. When I fall in love with a place, I often ask myself if I can live there.A lot of times the answer is no. It’s beautiful but it gets cold in the winter and I am way too used to California weather. I love hot tropical climates – but wouldI want that all the time? They are usually accompanied by rainy seasons.Beautiful places can be too isolated, too crowded or too manytourists in the summer. While it’s fun to use hand motions, in an emergency wouldn’t I want someone to speak English? I’m getting older so I do not want to be a day’s drive from the nearest hospital. Will not having a support system in place be too hard?
We will definitely rent something big enough to have guests so our friends and family can come visit. Making friends in a new country without work or school will be hard. Quarantine has prepared us for that.
There are some places I can rule out right away. I’m allergic to smoke and pollution so Southeast Asia and China are out.
I would definitely like to live somewhere where the cost of living is less, not more than Los Angeles. Most of the countries on that list have cold winters so they were already out. Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, France, Iceland and Japan were not a consideration. Unfortunately. Australia, New Zealand, Israel and the Bahamas are taken off here as well.
I do need access to a city. One of the things quarantine has taught me is that I don’t have to be busy all the time. Livingin a beach town could work now. I can’t live my life without access to culture – museums, theatre, good restaurants but I don’t need so much of it now.
It’s going to be hard to pick the right place. The “grassis always greener” mentality plays in here. Running away from home rarely ends well so we have to research and try to make the right choice for us. Luckily, I have plenty of time now, to do this.
“Anything to declare? the customs inspector said.”Two pounds of uncut heroin and a manual of pornographic art,” Mark answered, looking about for Kitty. All Americans are comedians, the inspector thought, as he passed Parker through.” Leon Uris, Exodus
Biosecurity enteringNew Zealand is definitely a bigger threat to them than terrorist security. New Zealand depends heavily on natural resources and agriculture and they have gone to great lengths to prevent foreign organisms or disease from entering and harming the country’s wildlife, plant life, marine life and health. I know this because I waited in a queue for two hours to be checked for fruit. If you carry an Australian or New Zealand passport, their line moves faster.
The best thing is not to bring anything with you that resembles food. I ate my almonds while I waited. The sign says no dairy products, honey products, meat, fish, fresh foods, anything not sealed in manufacturer’s packaging or any plant material including seeds, cuttings, and bulbs. Also excluded from entry are some medicinal or natural health products, especially anything unpackaged or without a full list of ingredients. You may also need to be wary of materials such as animal hide, bones or teeth etc. I really want to make some jokes here but I won’t because I was really annoyed about that wait.
If you are bringing outdoor equipment such as tramping boots, camping, fishing or diving gear, this also needs to be declared. It is also a good idea to make sure that your gear is clean, give it a good wash and clean off any debris, such as plant material or soil.
There are specially trained dogs at the airport to check for food. How specially trained does a dog have to be for that? There is an exhaustive list on the MPIwebsite of things that you cannot bring in. (Ministry for Primary Industries not Military Police Information as I originally thought)
Having an Arabic sounding last name when pronounced wrong, I’m used to being thoroughly checked for weapons and really did not understand the seriousness of this.I did not declare the closed big bags of M and M peanuts, jelly bellys and vitamin C barsin my luggage. It passed through thefood X-ray machine and no one went through my bags as they normally do.Apparently Ilook morelike a terrorist then a candy smuggler.
If you don’t declare any at risk goods you are immediately fined 400 NZ dollars and it can go up to 100,000 NZ dollars. So declare all food. I will next time also.They will decide if you can keep it or not.
There is a biginteractive exhibit in the Wellington Museum called Catch the Invaders where you can pretend to be the MPI. I was finally able to comprehend the importance of this. New Zealand’s isolated geography has been helpful in keeping disease and pests out.Greater international trade, climate change and tourism makes it vulnerable to new pests and diseases that will affect their wildlife and economy. New Zealand is a beautiful country that still has vast areas of wildernessand I understand now why they want to keep it that way. (photo Cordula Reins)
“If you smile at me, i will understand because that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language,” Crosby Stills Nash and Young
The Kingdom of Cambodia is located in the southern portion of the Indochina peninsula in South East Asia. It is bordered by Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and the Gulf of Thailand.
Khmer or Cambodian is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia.
In Cambodia, greeting is formally done by joining both the palms together in front of each other and then bowing. This is called Sompeah and is usually initiated by the younger or lower rank of people.
Electricity in Cambodia is in pressing need in the rural areas. It is supplied in the evening only from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM while the business establishments and hotels rely more on generators. It is not uncommon to receive notes in your hotel about power outtages..
The infamous tyrant leader Pol Pot, who took control of Cambodia in 1975, was considered the most notorious war criminal of modern times.
Over one and a half million people died during the regime of the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot. The exact number is not known . It could be a lot more. One-fifth of Cambodia’s population was killed. They were mostly educated people, priests, and monks. Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot wanted all educated Cambodians dead so that nobody would oppose their rule. You don’t see many old people.
Americans do not learn Asian History in school unless it directly affects us. Cambodia is still a traumatized country from the time of the Khmer Rouge and it is good to read about it. I read First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers written by Loung Ung, a Cambodian author and survivor of the Pol Pot regime – or watch the Killing Fields before you go.
UNESCO has listed Cambodia as the third most landmined country in the world. More than 4 million landmines are still strewn across the country causing a high amount of casualties. It is estimated that it will take a decade before all the land mines are cleared up.
Cambodia has the highest per-capita percentage of amputees in the world. Each month there are between 300 and 700 amputations due to land-mine injuries.
Cambodia has the largest inland lake in South East Asia called the Tonle Sap.
Cambodia has the least Chinese influences among all the other Mainland Southeast Asian nations.
Cows are a part of life in an agrarian economy and you see them all around Cambodia. Often you see children entrusted with the responsibility of walking with them.
Since motorbikes are cheaper than cars in Cambodia is not unusual to see whole families on one bike.
Rice is ubiquitous in Cambodian meals. It is served in many forms that include fried, steamed, noodles or dessert. (rice field)
The relationship between water buffalo and humans in Cambodia is integral to their agricultural way of life. They have no fear of us. I was very close. He was like “just take the photo already”.
The official religion of Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism which is practiced by 95% of the Cambodian population.
Tarantula kebabs are a popular delicacy in Cambodia. Spiders are another delicacy or necessity served in Cambodia,
Prahok is a national ingredient in Cambodia, and is made of fermented fish.
Cambodian food is a complex mix of local dishes and various influences such as Thai, French, and Sino-Vietnamese and is really tasty. (amok and morning glory)
Cambodia’s motto is “Nation, Religion, King.
The Temples of Angor are a great place to take wedding photos.
The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) is an outgrowth of the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kampuchea (PRPK), which through the 1980s served as the single party, providing discipline and leadership for the socialist state. It is not clear to what extent the transition to a multiparty democracy has taken place. There is a lot of corruption in the political system.
Many people in Siem Reap speak English because “the people who know more teach the people who know less.” School is in the morning or the afternoon. Now most of the kids you see working in Siem Reap do it before or after school.
Hammocks are a lifestyle in Viet Nam and even more in Cambodia. Maybe it is the heat but they are everywhere.
Garment export and tourism are two of the main industries that generate revenue for the economy of Cambodia. (I’m hoping garment export doesn’t mean factories with underpaid workers)
Half of Cambodia’s current population is younger than 15 years old.
Traditionally, birthdays are not celebrated in Cambodia. Older people might not even know their birthdays.
In Cambodia, the head is regarded as the highest part of the body and shouldn’t be touched even in the nicest way.
The Cambodian flag is the only national flag that has an image of a building – the Angkor Wat.
Cambodia is home to the emblematic Angkor Wat temple, which is a silent testimony to how resourceful and artistically brilliant its people are.
Travel Well, Fly Safe 
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