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Travel, Teach, Live in Asia

Cambodia Culture And Etiquette
By:Serena Zhu

The majority of Cambodians follow Theravada Buddhism and this has greatly influenced their customs and etiquette. The religion is one which emphasises the concept of 'karma'. This means that by living an honest, harmonious and devoted life you will be reincarnated at a higher plane. Fail to do so and you will be 'demoted'.

This concept of harmony is extended to the hierarchical organisation of Cambodian society. Respect for one's elders, teachers, bosses etc is always expected. Some foreigners are surprised how personal the questions they are asked by Cambodians can be. This is not mere nosiness, but an attempt to discover your 'rank' and so how much respect you should be given.

Alongside this is the concept of 'face' which is important to all Cambodians. It is important to maintain harmony by not causing offence to others. Face is lost when someone is criticized, embarrassed or exposed in public. Face is gained when someone is praised or complimented. It is not normal for people in Cambodia to show emotions, especially negative emotions. Anger, impatience or frustration lead to a loss of face. Cambodians often smile in situations westerners do not expect. It is not always a sign of happiness or agreement. Smiling can be a sign of annoyance, lack of understanding or embarrassment.

When being introduced to a Cambodian man, he may well shake hands in the western style, but the more traditional greeting is to bow while simultaneously bringing both hands together to chest level in a praying position. Women will almost certainly use this style of greeting. The lower you bow and the higher you raise the hands, the more respect and face you give to the recipient. It is best to return whichever greeting you are given.

If invited to a Cambodian family's home, be punctual. Arriving late shows a lack of respect for the host. Shoes should be left at the door and it is considered very impolite to wear a hat indoors. It is normal to bring a small gift such as fruit, sweets or flowers. The gift should be wrapped in colourful paper – never white, the Cambodian colour for death and mourning. Never give a gift of a knife. This would mean you are cutting off the relationship with that person! Don't be surprised when your gift is still unopened when you leave. This is normal. If you are given a gift, don't open it in the giver's presence. You will probably be offered some water or tea. Accept and take at least a small sip. To refuse is impolite.

When eating, always wait for the oldest person to be seated first. Then wait to be told where to sit – you have to be in the correct place to maintain hierarchical harmony. Again, the oldest person should take a mouthful of food before everyone else starts.

As in most Buddhist societies, in Cambodia, the head is sacred. So it is extremely insulting to touch anyone's head. Feet are considered the lowest part of the body and unclean, so should never be pointed at anyone.

When visiting temples it is essential dress modestly and to remove shoes and sit with the feet tucked behind you. Women should never touch a monk or even directly hand something to a monk. Instead any gift should be placed in his reach. Even monks' mother have to follow this custom. You can visit Indochina Odyssey Tours to get more information about this.

Indochina Odyssey Tours - Your trustworthy Indochina Vietnam tour operator since 1987. Personalized and worry-free service in tours, hotels and tickets in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand http://www.indochinaodysseytours.com/.






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