Did I mention...

• The tuk-tuks here are different? They’re metal, 2-wheeled carriages hitched to motorbikes. And you have to be careful because not everyone knows where they’re going. My coworker says if they say “yes yes yes” (multiple times) it means they have no clue.
• The streets are numbered, but not always labeled? I’ve started seeing a few signs, but most locals say the signs are “hidden”.
• How many Danish people I’ve come across on this trip? We’ve got 2 in the office alone! Lovely folks, but still surprising to see how it dominates the expat scene I’ve encountered. Perhaps a biased sample?
• We have turtles on the roof of the office? The CI-Cambodia office is so cool! They have some tanks on the roof where they’re helping to breed some rare soft-shelled Mekong freshwater turtles to release back into the river when they’re older. These guys are quite flat and stay burrowed under the sand, only to pop up and scare the heck out of me—and the fish that they eat for dinner. They also swim around at night to hunt, which is probably the only way we’d ever know about them. They’re able to stretch their necks out so you have to hold them from behind if you don’t want to be bitten.
• It’s a pajama party in Phnom Penh? I’ve seen several women and children walking around in pajamas at all hours of the day. When you think about it, it’s just a blouse and pants in colorful matching fabric and is quite modest—but I don’t think I’ll follow their lead.
• The sidewalks are for parking? If it’s only a meter wide, they’ll turn it into a restaurant, but many of them are several meters—wide enough for a car or 2 rows of motorbikes.
• The paper napkins here come out of boxes, just like tissues, but are thin and shaped much like toilet paper?
• My hotel room has a balcony, but it’s too hot and humid to actually spend any time out there?
• That Cambodian firework shows are different? They launch them into the air, just like us, but pause a few seconds between rounds. I never realized how short my attention span could be, and kept thinking it was over. As for the grand finale, they had one large and loud one, and that was it. And with their timing, it was a while before I realized that really was the end.
• Jackie Chan was in town last night? I saw him on TV at some peace event.
• Their Independence Monument, near my hotel, is an odd mix of ancient splendor and shopping mall? It’s a beautiful tower, modeled after Angkor Wat, but the fountains around it light up at night in different neon colors like the outdoor malls and movie theaters back home.
• How many Lexus vehicles I’ve seen? Look under the hood, though, and you’ll see a Nissan engine. They’ll take cars, often from the US, that are too expensive to repair and fix them up like new with the cheapest parts. So apparently the most expensive-looking cars are the ones most likely to fall apart at any moment.
• How you probably have Cambodian goods in your closet? Check those labels—one of Cambodia’s biggest industries is garments for chains like the Gap and Adidas.
• The coconut, bread, and ice cream vendors all have songs or announcements they'll broadcast from their carts, depending on the product? The recycling lady just squeezes a horn.
• The rampant corruption? Their “prime minister” is basically a dictator who forced their king to step down when he was too vocal in opposition. His son, the current king, isn’t as respected by the people so it ensures the minister’s power. He lives in a huge house overlooking the Independence Monument, and I recently heard he just appointed Thailand’s ex-PM as the finance minister. Considering that guy was ousted on charges of corruption this doesn’t bode well for Cambodia or already-frosty Khmer-Thai relations. It sounds like with this kind of leaders at the top, similar characters trickle down the ranks. Unfortunately, it has some cultural roots (divine right of rule = if you aren’t making the most of your power, you shouldn’t have it) as well as recent history (when you haven’t been able to think long-term, why not take all you can while you can). I see NGOs all over the place, but not sure how many of them tackle this directly versus hoping to encourage small-scale change through their local staff.
• Most of the commercials appear to be public service announcements? The hot trends right now are mosquito nets and healthy babies/women’s health.
• There aren’t any left-turn lanes? You simply drive onto the left side of the road (cutting across oncoming traffic).
• The hotel I’m staying at, and especially my room, feels like a pygmy MC Escher drawing? There’s no standard for stairs, so some feel ridiculously shallow. And once you’re in the room, there are 3-4 inch “stairs” into the room itself, into the bathroom, from the entryway into the room, and from the room onto the balcony. Stubbed toes abound if you’re not careful.
• We have 2-hour lunch breaks? The office opens at 8, which is normally pretty early for me, but it’s been great to use these longer lunch breaks to explore local restaurants with a few of the staff. Most days with a Dane and an American, but yesterday we went to a local place with some of the Khmer junior staff. They also are pretty good about leaving on time, which is also different than the DC office. Between tea time, long lunch breaks, and working sensible hours I’ve seen a lot on this trip I’d like to bring home with me.
  
  
  

I'll let you know if I notice anything else.