In Cambodia, the main language spoken is Khmer. It has a different alphabet than English and sounds that don’t exist in English. This made learning challenging but interesting. In my daily life, Khmer is essential. My host family does not speak any English, so speaking and understanding Khmer is necessary. Learning the language has helped me feel more connected to my community. Simple phrases like “hello” “thank you” and “how much” go a long way. When I try to speak, even imperfectly, people are patient and encouraging. Mistakes are met with smiles rather than frustration. It reminds me that language learning is about effort, not perfection.
Cambodia uses two types of money: the Cambodian riel and U.S. dollar. Both are used every day and oftentimes together. 1000 riel is 25 cents, so 4000 riel is 1 U.S. dollar. In more rural areas, the riel is used more frequently, while in cities, the U.S. dollar is more common.
A bottle of water in Cambodia usually costs between 1,000 and 2,000 riel, which is about 25 to 50 cents in U.S. dollars. Water is something people buy often, especially because the weather is hot year-round. You can find bottled water almost everywhere: shops, markets, and schools. In the U.S., clean drinking water often comes from the tap.
