The Pinkie Nail
You grow out your pinkie and thumbnail as long as you can and file them as sharp as daggers. If you grew up in L.A. in the eighties, this would mostly mean that you had an expensive cocaine habit. However, in eastern civilization, most anthropologist would agree that the long pinkie and thumbnail was a subtle social status symbol, to separate the haves from the have nots. Can't work a hoe if you've got those nails in the way. Yet, through further investigation, I discovered that the Khmer believe that the men who grow out their pinkie and thumbnail are attracting good luck. Those nails are really lucky lightening rods, if the nails break, then bad luck will pursue you until your nails are grown back at a proper luck attracting length. Puts a damper on your bowling average, I'm sure. Ultimately, if you were to ask most Khmer men why they have a long pinkie nail, they would smile and demonstrate the multi-purpose hygienic use of their lucky rod.
PDGH
Set aside all you have learned and embrace a new set of public manners. Picking your nose in public is a must. In fact, you must be willing to pick your nose and ears at all times. These are just acts of PDGH, Public Displays of Good Hygiene. Additionally, you must not reserve public peeing for those drunk late-night moments of bladder weakness. Rather, throw away your traditional notion of the toilet, and open your eyes to the immense urination locations around you. That tree and or wall are all there for your urinary track pleasure. Which is worse, bladder infections from holding it in or letting it loose.
Fashion Yike or Right
Worried about the fashion yikes and rights in Khmer culture, no worries your fashion guide is here. It might seem like a fashion yike at first, but the male krama waist wrap is a must, especially when you sport them after work hours. Sometimes you just got to let those babies air out, and that is a fashion right. Pink is usually a fashion yike, unless you are Kanye West circa 2004. However, seeing that it nearly takes three years for anything to really get here, like mail for example, that makes pink the new fashion right color for men. A fashion right no matter what part of the world you are in is the bling bling. The men here are really hardcore with their bling. Accessories, Accessories, Accessorize bling bracelets, necklaces, and teeth are a must. Why put savings into the diving dollar, when gold is steady and forever.
Footminton
While, perusing the streets of Cambodia near dusk you'll hear it before you see it, the thwack, smack, thwack. If you follow the source of the sounds, you will most likely run into a game of Cambodian hacky-sack, or as I like to call Footminton. A game cannot happen without the plastic neon pink and green feather stack called a Sey. The concept is easy enough keep the Sey in the air as long as you can, using any appendage that is appropriate at the time of contact. This is a game that is often played in the park or street. The uniform is usually no shirt and your eveningwear (it is not recommended to play wearing a krama wrap). Keeping the Sey up in the air for at least 7 touches is usually accompanied with a congratulatory cheer and jovial laugh.
So to sum up, here are few questions to assist in your "gone native" o-meter. Would you consider growing out your pinkie nail as a replacement for that rabbit's foot? Would you use your lucky rod to model proper hygiene etiquette? Do you aspire to invest the next three paychecks on your own gold chain or grill? Are you practicing every night to be the next Footminton champion? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then you can break out the iced down beer and toast because you my gentleman friend can safely say you're down with the Cambodia crowd.