Cheng Bunlong and Lim Meng Y
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
The Phnom Penh Post
A 19-year-old girl, angry and disappointed, rang her boyfriend a day after Christmas last year and said it was time to break up.
Seng Vanryka, a first-year student at University of Cambodia, said: “I was so disappointed and frustrated when my boyfriend didn’t give me any gift on Christmas. That was so embarrassing to me.”
Christmas is now commonly celebrated in Cambodia, especially in Phnom Penh. The trend of exchanging gifts is soaring in popularity. But are young Cambodians taking it too far?
Seng Vanryka continued: “I don’t care how much the gift is worth, but I need it, just as much as any other girl.”
Some young Cambodians, especially girls, feel ashamed if they don’t get a gift from their special someone on Christmas.
Kong Thida, 18, also had a disappointing Christmas last year. “I was so lonely,” she said. “I didn’t get any gifts, from anyone – even my boyfriend and best friend.
“I went to school and saw all of my friends, cheerful, holding gifts, and then I saw myself with nothing. I felt so ashamed.”
University student Chhoun Manin, on the other hand, normally receives gifts every-year.
“I feel like Christmas shows me who’s a friend and who isn’t. If someone doesn’t like me, then they won’t give me a gift. I feel happy and pleased when I get a gift from someone, because it shows they care about me. Christmas is the best day to exchange gifts, I think, because it’s celebrated only once a year,” Chhoun Manin said.
To satisfy his girlfriend, and fulfill his own obligation of being a good boyfriend, Chhun Panharath, a student at Royal University of Phnom Penh, said: “I do not care much about the value or meaning behind a gift I give my sweetheart. I just know that a gift can bring a smile to her face.”
Khan Sareth, a psychology lecturer at Royal University, said: “Getting gifts on a special day becomes a competition for youth, especially ladies who like to show off what they have. They are at an age where they challenge one another.”
He also explained that young Cambodians can be easily influenced by society, because they want to learn, and imitate one another.
“If they [young Cambodians] don’t get any gifts on Christmas while most of their friends are getting one, they’ll lose confidence. This can lead to depression, even, because they’ll feel unequal to others – not as beautiful, maybe, or not as popular,” Khan Sareth said.
“Youth seem to have a superficial understanding of our culture, or get things confused about our culture quite easily. It is an advantage to have other cultures flow into our country, so that we can all learn and understand from them. However, forgetting our own culture is a real risk.”
If you go to any store this Christmas, you’ll notice that the sale racks are flooded with teenagers. In contrasts to Cambodian New Year’s, goods are sold at a higher price than normal.
Yet, the high prices and sizeable crowds still don’t stop this generation of young Cambodians from Christmas consumerism.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
The Phnom Penh Post
A 19-year-old girl, angry and disappointed, rang her boyfriend a day after Christmas last year and said it was time to break up.
Seng Vanryka, a first-year student at University of Cambodia, said: “I was so disappointed and frustrated when my boyfriend didn’t give me any gift on Christmas. That was so embarrassing to me.”
Christmas is now commonly celebrated in Cambodia, especially in Phnom Penh. The trend of exchanging gifts is soaring in popularity. But are young Cambodians taking it too far?
Seng Vanryka continued: “I don’t care how much the gift is worth, but I need it, just as much as any other girl.”
Some young Cambodians, especially girls, feel ashamed if they don’t get a gift from their special someone on Christmas.
Kong Thida, 18, also had a disappointing Christmas last year. “I was so lonely,” she said. “I didn’t get any gifts, from anyone – even my boyfriend and best friend.
“I went to school and saw all of my friends, cheerful, holding gifts, and then I saw myself with nothing. I felt so ashamed.”
University student Chhoun Manin, on the other hand, normally receives gifts every-year.
“I feel like Christmas shows me who’s a friend and who isn’t. If someone doesn’t like me, then they won’t give me a gift. I feel happy and pleased when I get a gift from someone, because it shows they care about me. Christmas is the best day to exchange gifts, I think, because it’s celebrated only once a year,” Chhoun Manin said.
To satisfy his girlfriend, and fulfill his own obligation of being a good boyfriend, Chhun Panharath, a student at Royal University of Phnom Penh, said: “I do not care much about the value or meaning behind a gift I give my sweetheart. I just know that a gift can bring a smile to her face.”
Khan Sareth, a psychology lecturer at Royal University, said: “Getting gifts on a special day becomes a competition for youth, especially ladies who like to show off what they have. They are at an age where they challenge one another.”
He also explained that young Cambodians can be easily influenced by society, because they want to learn, and imitate one another.
“If they [young Cambodians] don’t get any gifts on Christmas while most of their friends are getting one, they’ll lose confidence. This can lead to depression, even, because they’ll feel unequal to others – not as beautiful, maybe, or not as popular,” Khan Sareth said.
“Youth seem to have a superficial understanding of our culture, or get things confused about our culture quite easily. It is an advantage to have other cultures flow into our country, so that we can all learn and understand from them. However, forgetting our own culture is a real risk.”
If you go to any store this Christmas, you’ll notice that the sale racks are flooded with teenagers. In contrasts to Cambodian New Year’s, goods are sold at a higher price than normal.
Yet, the high prices and sizeable crowds still don’t stop this generation of young Cambodians from Christmas consumerism.
7 comments:
wtf why are so into western style culture? stupid girl.
She values gift more than the relationship; count yourself lucky buddy!
Even in western culture you don't see many couple split over a gift, this is an example of young Cambodian influenced by other cultures without fully understanding those cultures!
What is a Cambodian culture? Cheating on Christmas day too!
Westerner a gift is a reminder of Love and Care.And nothing wrong withit.
It goes to show the need for real education in Cambodia.
These kids call themselves university students, but cannot even understand the true meaning of love and friendship among friends and partners.
They also adopt western culture of love, gift and materialism to the extreme. They need to be educated to take pride in their own culture!
Well, if they don't know the value of their culture and tradition by the time they get to university, then they probably will never know at all. It is too bad! This is the bad sign for what to come in the future among kids in the Kingdom of Wonder where a win-win strategy of PM Hun Sen is in full force.
Love and friendship come from the heart and not gifts. Expensive gift means nothing more than an expensive material; it tells nothing much of the giver in general. It more reflects the economic status of the giver rather than his or her heart towards their loved ones.
What is wrong with Cambodian society?
From communism of sacrifice of the KR to excessive consumerism that even America would not even dare to compare itself to?
I guess, by that standard, the poor would have no heart and love at all!
I am not sure if these kids have learned anything concrete enough to consider themselves university students.
Pissed off
Khmer youths like to take western culture to the extreme. I'm referring to the youths in cambodia capital city. Christmas and valentine are the most important holidays for them to show love and caring as a whole. w and never care to celebrate my birthday, christmas or valentine.
Khmer future will be all westernize.
Don't need to teach us Khmer about love.
The bad reason of love and friendly people, we Khmer have lost most of our territorial parts to Thai and Viet.
Good news for Khmer girls who love presents!. Alexander Trofimov is out of jail now,he'll give thousands of presents to thousands of girls in no time. Let's see the names of prospective girls who will certainly receive one....Oh here is the list:.....
-Miss Hun Rowk 16 yo.
-Miss Chaom P Kroy 17 yo.
-Miss Cheam Mauk Roy 17 yo.
-..............
-..............
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