How Cambodia Changes your Behavior

Cambodia in an anomaly in my overseas dwelling repertoire for multiple reasons, one of which is that I've been here so long compared with other former homes. Three years feels long some days. Other days it seems like I just moved here. But I have noticed some slight changes in my behaviors which I attribute to living here for multiple years. Humans are known to be incredibly adaptive.  

• Comfortable talking about weight and money. These are not social taboos. I often receive comments on my size. I have also learned that I can throw those questions right back, "how many kilos are you?" Probably 75% of people in my social networks know how much my apartment costs per month. I also ask them how much their apartment (or house) cost. It's likely I will continue making comments about weight and cost without realizing this is rude.
• Comfortable shoving people if they shove me first. When I go to the market, people shove me. The spaces are small and people want to get around you. Shoving is not offensive. At the beginning, I would get so angry I would leave markets as an act of protest. Later I realized that if I need to get through a tightly blocked space, I can push people aside as well. Now I do this, not with rage, but because I will never get through the market otherwise. Hopefully in my next residence no one comes close enough that I need to shove them. If this does happen, I will try and remember not to push. 
• Comfortable wearing flip flops to every imaginable event (especially the same pair). Before I moved here, I bought several pairs of shoes for work, including an adorable pair of plum purple loafers. I was going for the young professional vibe. Instead, I found most Cambodians wears flip flops (at least in my NGO circles). Given the streets are dirty, flooded, and the sewer backwash, this makes sense (actually gum boots make the most sense). Cambodians love the flip flop and the slide-on. In the future, if I wear flip-flops to work, you must forgive me.
• Comfortable taking shoes off when entering homes, shops, and places of work. I instinctively take off my flip-flops. In fact, I developed a phobia of bacteria carried by shoes and wash my feet immediately after coming home. This I do not expect to change. I will continue to take off my shoes at your home, though with persuasion, will leave them on at your workplace. 
• Comfortable eating rice several times a day. People warned me I would grow weary of rice. It hasn't happened yet. I will expect people to continue preparing rice for me. I will be preparing it for you.
• Comfortable asking people if they ate when first meeting them. It's a strange little quirk here. "Hello! Are you well and happy? Yes I'm well and happy. Have you eaten yet?" It's a perfectly normal social greeting, in the normal categories with "Has your home flooded this year? How are the kids? How's the partner? Have you eaten yet?" I may find myself asking you this question when we meet at the supermarket.
• Comfortable asking people if they are married and the number of children. Cambodians are quick to establish where you fall with this specific interaction ritual. Your marital status is of great importance as well as your number of offspring. I've learned that a normal encounter with a new person will inquire into their marital status, their plans for marriage, and/or their current number of children. Do not be offended if I ask this of you (I put my own Western/feminist spin on it).
• Comfortable discussing my own plans for marriage and children with complete strangers. When I plan to get married is a very routine question. (These things are very scheduled here, I jest not). For efficiency, I answer. "Maybe next year. Definitely in the next five years." It's better to give a time than explain the question is rude, and frankly I don't find it rude anymore. Also, within five years is the most truthfully logical answer and I'll go on the public record with that answer. 
• Comfortable distrusting the police and pretty much all authority figures. I've learned the police are not to be trusted and will almost always make situations worse. I've learned the government is unreliable and self-serving. I've seen good local leaders and dishonest local leaders. At the end of the day, Cambodia has taught me to mistrust almost all authority figures. It will be hard to reform my opinions in this regard.
• Comfortable saying "is it possible?" "bann tee?" or "not possible" "aut bann tee." I love these two Khmer phrases. They are used so often. When I ask for something and I receive a look of confusion, I'll ask for confirmation, "is it possible?" The answer will some back, "possible" or "not possible." (It's always "not possible" never "impossible," a little word play that never ceases to amuse me.) So when you give me a funny look after I ask you to go to Target and get me a dongle and some new trackies I will ask you "bann tee?" Just so you know the correct answer is "it's possible."
• Comfortable in PJs in public. Cambodians often wear pajamas in public. They are modest two-piece "matchy-matchys" typically a floral or cartoon pattern (lately Angry Birds has been the rage). Consider them like lounge wear! Now I own matchy matchys and wear them to the local convince store (my rule is no more than one kilometer beyond my apartment). I don't think I'll have trouble giving up this habit, but you never know.
• Comfortable never cooking Asian food. Between my helper (who deserves her own point of awesomeness) and the fact I can walk down the street for Khmer food that cost less than $2, why would I ever cook Asian food? Frankly, why would I ever cook? If I'm going to cook, I cook pasta or tacos, things I can't get readily or cheaply. Unfortunately, now I'm in a head-space where preparing any sort of Asian food is morally repugnant. So sorry, but I will not cooking Khmer food for you.

I'm sure there are may other quirky things that I do, some by choice and some by immersion in multiple odd places. But I do strongly believe in the importance of making yourself comfortable in the place you like, which inherently involves a little adaption.