Can I believe this lady?
I was in Phnom Penh recently for holidays. I have a good running business in Europe. After 20 years of hard work I decided to slow things down a little. So I tough why not start up something in Cambodia (just to stay busy)and enjoy live in this beautiful country.
During my visit I've been introduced to a girl. After my return to Europe we stayed in contact by phone, mail and skype. One day she told me about her mother who was hospitalized and that according the doctor she should take her mother to a hospital in Hongkong. One night she tried to call me twice, and that was the last thing I heard of her. I can't get her on the phone and she doesn't respond to my mails. I don't know what to think about this. I often asked here to send a picture of her mother, she never did, just telling me you will meet during your next visit. I should mention that when we first met she told me that she might go to work in Korea.
Is it common that people go to Hongkong for medical care?
And what to think about this Korean thing?
I'm really confused.
Thanks for any reply,
John
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I'm fine now
.just from a common sense perspective it seems way too sketchy.
Anyway, she called me from...Thailand. She was in a fancy Hotel, the Soho Hotel or something. The story was that they couldn't go to Hongkong for some reason, than went to Bangkok. At the hospital they couldn't help them and she's afraid her mom has only a few months to live... I'll be back in Phnom Penh in a few weeks and hopefully things will be cleared up.
anyways, unless you have some sort of long term relationship with the person then I wouldnt trust it.聽 Call my cynical but, I am Cambodian and I have seen every trick in the book almost every time I have visited.聽 Though there was this one guy I just saw in Thailand with 1 arm and no legs crawling with a cup (VERY REALISTIC! but wait, again its good to help but gauge the situation)
You basically just have to change your mindset, what I do when Im here
I will find out when I'm back in Phnom Penh.
Thanks for your replies,
John
My advice is not to give money to ANYBODY.聽 Help them how you can but keep your wallet sealed.
just from a common sense perspective it seems way too sketchy.
I would agree with that!! 
i would have to agree with lee - i live in egypt and have heard every scam in the book - relatives needing hospital/treatment is very common - i hope for your sake this is not the case in cambodia but i doubt it
don't believe the hype xx
Move on.
It seems that she wasn't lying. She took a loan from the bank and went to a hospital in Bangkok (she didn't ask me money for this).聽 Unfortunately they couldn't do much for her mom.
I'm invited to go to the village where she used to live and will meet her mother and sister.
Your replies made it very clear that one cannot be too careful. And with the differences in culture and all it's not always easy to see the truth. But right now it feels good. Time will tell.
Cheers,
It's rife here in Egypt.
Lee
Lee
She could not call me as she didn't remember my number.
Jezus....
John Birth wrote:Hi,
I was in Phnom Penh recently for holidays. I have a good running business in Europe. After 20 years of hard work I decided to slow things down a little. So I tough why not start up something in Cambodia (just to stay busy)and enjoy live in this beautiful country.
During my visit I've been introduced to a girl. After my return to Europe we stayed in contact by phone, mail and skype. One day she told me about her mother who was hospitalized and that according the doctor she should take her mother to a hospital in Hongkong. One night she tried to call me twice, and that was the last thing I heard of her. I can't get her on the phone and she doesn't respond to my mails. I don't know what to think about this. I often asked here to send a picture of her mother, she never did, just telling me you will meet during your next visit. I should mention that when we first met she told me that she might go to work in Korea.
Is it common that people go to Hongkong for medical care?
And what to think about this Korean thing?
I'm really confused.
Thanks for any reply,
John
Ha ha... Dont worry brother..
Here the people usually go to Vietnam or Thailand.
If very rich, then they go to Singapore, not hong kong.
So forget it n have a good life.
regds.
but yeah sounds like you riding a personal roller coaster Mr. John Birth.聽 Good Luck on your Ride and hope you come to the end unscathed.

But I would still of course be cautious about everything until you feel extremely secure/comfortable with the situation.


A good rule of thumb is "What would I think if she lived in Berlin, I barely knew her and I got this story?"
It is sometimes very difficult to get it all together, to balance the ratio between naivety (heart) and common sense (mind & wisdom). But if we would only use what we think to be our common sense we would miss a great deal of what life has to offer.
Life experience is not helping much when emotions get involved, not for me anyway:). I'm very aware of my particular situation (thank you guys and girls for helping me on this) but I don't turn my back. I don't walk or run away. I just let things happening and "hope" (you can read "believe" if you like) for the best.
You love (loved) her? Send her some money. Help her out. She's not going to buy the last IPhone, just trying to have a decent life. 100$ won't change your life, but it's a bottle of oxygen for the one you shared feelings with when you where here.
Good to know a variety of stories, and as far as making friends/relationships go, perhaps you can keep the issue of money a CLOSED topic and make that clear to all you meet that your wallet is your own, that way you can easily separate the genuine from the false? Kinda working for me.
Im really enjoying reading this kind of stories its really true I guess thats why i m really enjoy. I m planning to go to there in PP hope I will see u guys their. tc
But I have learned a lot about her and about life in Cambodia. I will get back on this when I have more time.
Nikolos : I fully agree with you.
It was all very stereotypical, by this time we were living together in PP. Later came much heartbreak and soul searching. to cut a very long story short we have eventually come through it and are stronger than ever. Even now, I sometimes doubt her.
I love Cambodia and will be back in a few weeks but please let this be a warning to others, the girls are beautiful and caring but are desparate to make a better life for themselves and will sometimes stop at nothing to get it.
Having a partner from such a different culture can be very hard and it has been a long journey to get where I am now. Just so you know what you are getting yourself into.
Just so you know I'm young and well educated not an old barfly. I would reccomend, if in doubt forget it and get on with your life. Someone else will take up where you left off. I'm happy now but if I knew what was in store at the time I would have not got involved! You have been warned. All the best
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