Living in Cambodia
Start your adventure in CambodiaAbout Cambodia:
Cambodia is a Southeastern Asian nation that’s bordered by Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and the Gulf of Thailand. The climate here is tropical with warm temperatures throughout the year. Here, you’ll find mountains, plains, beaches, and marshes – a little bit of everything! A couple of cities in Cambodia that you might recognize are Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, and you’ll find an abundance of teaching jobs in each.
Cambodia is home to the world-famous temples of Angkor Wat which attracts many foreigners every year. Plus, many expats move to Cambodia to teach annually, so you’re bound to run into other people having a similar experience to yours if you choose to move here. Cambodia offers one of the most flexible and accessible long-term residence visas in Asia, which makes your life much easier! On top of that, the cost of living in Cambodia is more than reasonable, and the savings potential here is quite high!
Due to these reasons and more, copious numbers of teachers decide to teach in Cambodia yearly.
Tourism in Cambodia
Tourism is Cambodia’s fastest-growing industry and has largely been responsible for the countries rapid development in recent years. Each year millions of travelers flock to Cambodia to take in the majesty of the temples at Siem Reap, the rich history of Phnom Penh, and the beaches of Sihanoukville in the southwest. The country offers opportunities for adventure tourism, cultural exploration, and beachy relaxation alike. There’s something for everyone here!
Some interesting facts about Cambodia:
- The Angkor Empire of the 9th-13th century was the largest kingdom in South East Asia, spanning almost the entirety of the region. You can still see the remnants of the largest pre-industrial city in the world in Siem Reap.
- Cambodia boasts the largest inland lake in South East Asia, the Tonle Sap
- The critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin can be spotted in Cambodia’s northern areas. You can travel to Kratié to see these funny looking mammals frolicking in the Mekong river.
- Cambodia’s flag is the only flag to feature a building, the famous Angkor Wat.
Cost of living:
While Cambodia continues to grow they still have a very low cost of living compared to more developed nations. Rent for a one-bedroom in a large city center can be around $350 USD/month while going outside the city center can reduce the price to around $170 USD/month. Local transportation is also very cheap with the average ticket for a bus/train is around $2 and taking taxis can start at $1! Cambodia also has access to delicious fresh fruits and vegetables which can be purchased for under a dollar, and sometimes the beer is cheaper than the water!
Common and native languages in Cambodia
The official language of Cambodia is Khmer which is spoken by 90% of the population. Khmer was influenced by Sanskirt with the introduction of Hinduism and Buddhism early in the country’s history, and the alphabet shares similarities to Thai, Lao, and Myanmar among others. Influences from French and Cham (a dialect largely found in Vietnam) are also prevalent in Cambodia.
Religion
The vast majority of Cambodia’s inhabitants practice Theravada Buddhism (96% of the country) while a considerably smaller portion is made up of practitioners of Islam, Christianity, and traditional animism. Cambodia’s rich Buddhist culture comes through in major holidays like the Khmer New Year celebrated on April 13th or 14th each year. Families visit shrines, contribute to charity, and wash the Buddha statues. Some people take advantage of the hot weather and nature of cleansing for the near year by engaging in giant water fights in cities like Siem Reap.
Healthcare in Cambodia
Along with Cambodia’s speedy growth and economic recovery, the country is rebuilding its public health sector, and the development of health care systems is a high priority with the Cambodian Government. International efforts including the UN and NGOs have helped bring Cambodia closer to achieving the Millennium Development Goals for health access to citizens. Less densely populated areas of Cambodia still experience a barrier of access to health care services and many regions still rely on the services of traditional medicine practitioners called Kru Khmers.
Start teaching in Cambodia today!
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I was helped by Moira, and the support provided to me was second to none. I’m super grateful for the support. Finding a job during this difficult period would have been a challenge on my own, however, the assistance from Teaching Nomad made the process much easier. They also offered continuous support once I started working. They have been absolutely fantastic.
TN helped me from the very start, which for me was trying to decide which TEFL certification to go with. From there my consultant, Moira, helped me with the documents I needed, gave me resume tips, sent off my profile to various schools even before my certification was complete, and gave me interview tips when the schools wanted to meet me. Thanks to the help Moira and Teaching Nomad provided, I have just signed a contract with a higher than normal salary for a first-time teacher. Now they are helping me out with authenticating my documents and my application for a visa!
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