Footbridges will stand here in Cambodia very soon
The roads under the bridge are divided into roads for cars and roads for light vehicles including motorbikes, etc. It is an initiation for Cambodia in which the so-called development always give priority to only convenience, but now the environment and safety conditions of people living around are also taken into account, giving the feeling that Cambodia is maturing in another new way.
When I first came to Cambodia, there were many people who had never worn helmets, but now people who are not wearing helmets become fewer than those who are. Recently, we see that for example in AEON mall, if a person is trying to cut into the line, some Cambodians will start to warn that person. I think that if people stop pretending not to have seen something wrong or stop thinking that a warning is troublesome, soon they will realize that this kind of rule in a shopping mall is making their shopping more comfortable and that people are becoming kinder and human relations in the society will become smoother.
However, some foreigners from many developed countries, including Japan, have been strictly obeying the rules in their own countries and so should have been good examples, but unfortunately, as soon as they start to live in Cambodia, they also start to change their behaviors. They ignore the traffic lights, ride on a motorbike without a helmet, or drive the wrong way down a one-way street. Namely, they are, on the contrary, hindering moral development in Cambodia.
People who always try to lecture Cambodian people in a patronizing way should now reflect upon their behaviors so far and should be aware that they have to become good examples, starting from those kinds of things.
Nevertheless, it is true that it is easier said than done. A rule can safely work only when it is in everyone’s consciousness and is obeyed by all the people. For example, the traffic light turns red, but the road in front is clear. In this situation, there are some people who will keep honking the horn from behind to order the people in front to move quickly before cars start to cross, or they may try to overtake forcefully if the people in front are not moving. Such a halfhearted attitude in obeying rules may become the cause of accidents. It is not an act of completely refusing to obey the rules but it becomes a difficult issue.
If I look back at the time when I had just got my driving license, I remember I was told that when you gave way to people on the roads, people would turn on the hazard lamp of their cars to express their thanks to you. I was very fond of seeing those lamps, so I often gave way to other people.
If this kind of manner-improving habit is practiced widely in Cambodia, the moral issue here will improve rapidly, and more or less, the traffic jam issue will also improve accordingly.
As Cambodian people have the habit of helping people who are in difficulty to an extent of meddling, I think that the possibility is high to see those improvements happen in Cambodia. While Japan is a country in which a warlike society exists behind its economic development, I would like Cambodia to learn from this bad example in order to become a country that is full of people with unconditional kindness who know the happiness gained from a thankful heart of everyone.
Previously, I once read a blog article saying that they don’t like it when people who like Thailand move in. I won’t mention the contents in detail, but every single reason in that was also exactly right for Cambodia. I know it because I too used to experience it and couldn’t adjust myself to the difference in culture between Cambodia and Japan, and even thought of returning back to my home country. However, it is common for people of a country who start to live in a different country for a long period of time to experience some bad situations or some unbelievable circumstances. If they find it so difficult to deal with those kinds of things that they keep complaining about it every day and time, the only solution for them is “Go back to your country”.
In the blog that I mentioned above, they also introduced one video clip on YouTube. That video is about Thailand, but practically, it is no different for Cambodia. So when you feel that you desperately hate Cambodia, you should watch the video on YouTube. You really should have a look at it.
Tears would form in my eyes, and I could feel that maybe I can try working a little bit harder.