It was taken within the last 5 years. They are way way way out in the sticks. Only about 80 miles from Ankgor Wat but they had never visited until my BIL and FIL and MIL went over with some money so they could afford to go visit.
My BIL totally scored and brought back a wife 10 years younger than him from their village (who's not related as far as we know lol).
Just after she arrived here in the US, she learned the world wasn't flat. It's incomprehensible that adults can't know that, but when you've never traveled much more than 80 miles from home, and your reality is a rice field, I guess it doesn't really matter whether the world is round or flat, since it's very flat in your locality.
I didn't know there was an off season for the heat. My BIL just said it's hot as hell all the time there.
Were you in Phnom Penh or traveling around the country? Do you know Khmer or did you muddle by with English? My wife doesn't know any Khmer (just a dialect of Thai that's closer to Laos but spoken pretty commonly in the NW of Cambodia in the border region).
My in laws didn't have a lot of nice things to say about the place after they went back for the first time in a few decades. Although that's a pretty common response from a lot of immigrants from all over once they get accustomed to the niceties of laid back life in the US (or at least laid back life down here in the South, ya'll). My BIL is a bit of a fancy resort person (champagne tastes on a light beer budget though), so I could see how Cambodia doesn't suit him very well.
Some thoughts on the bolded stuff:
About 6 years ago I was volunteering a bit at an English school in Phnom Penh. I was helping a group of "College" students, and thought it would be useful for them, and interesting for me, to give a geography lesson. Found some English geography books downtown (with errors and misspellings, but the best I could find). Taught them the continents, about the compass directions, various countries, etc. Toward the end of the lesson one of the students asked me, "What is all the blue?"
I told them it was the ocean, had anyone ever seen the ocean? Not a single student had. In fact they had only ever been to their home province and Phnom Penh. These were students who had finished high school. The boy thanked me a lot for teaching him about maps saying, "I had seen these before in books but never knew what they were." These were smart kids, even trying to study English from old books only, no teachers, but just very poor and isolated.
During the last trip I thought I would try the same lesson again at a different school near where we live. It was much different this time, they knew much more about the world and were more curious. But at this school they had been studying English for years with volunteer foreign teachers from around the world. Likely in the provinces they still would not know what the blue was. Also now I sometimes had to tell them to put their smart phones away during the lesson! They were poor (the classes were free), but still had a phone and were texting their friends during the lessons. Talk about things being the same!
From my perspective there are three seasons. Hot and dry, Extremely Hot and Dry, and Hot and Wet. Hot and dry, approximately Dec, Jan Feb. Actually this season can be quite nice, often with cool breezes, somewhat similar to Hawaii in the summer. It is a nice place to be to escape cold winters if one is so inclined.
Starting in March the temperature starts to rocket skyward, and the breezes start to become warm to hot. By April and May it is intolerable most of the time outside. Have been to the provinces during that time before, relaxing in the shallow waters on a Mekong offshoot and the water was hot. Had to get my t-shirt wet and relax in a hammock to survive.
Then around June or July the rainy season begins, and it is not so bad. The rains cool off the area and it can be quite pleasant.
So best months, in my opinion, are December through February.
We have traveled about before but this time we decided to stay in one place, to try to live more like "long term" ex-pats rather than tourists. Actually a lot to do there (away from tourist stuff) and much cheaper than here. We did get out on some day trips to see relatives, but most of the time just enjoyed being around Phnom Penh. I have some U.S. expat friends there and was enjoying meeting new ones from the U.S. and other countries. Some have been there long term, 10 years or more, setting up businesses, working with an NGO or in government, raising a family, etc. Great people to meet. Also, being a capital city and the center for commerce for the country, there are lots of interesting people living varied and interesting lives from all around the world. Love to listen to their stories and what they are doing.
I did try again to learn some Khmer, about the alphabet etc, took some lessons. Learned some but to be honest, I think I am just a bit lazy. Maybe I will do better next time.
What you said about Cambodians returning to Cambodia after living a few decades in the U.S. is so true! Even in a nice restaurant I have seen them afraid to eat the food, drink the water, etc, often afraid to go outside for fear of getting robbed or hurt. Many other long-time expats (not of Khmer origin) joke about this. When Khmers return they are the most squeamish about things there. So funny to me.
