I still don't get it

Just as there are certain things about America that Cambodians will never be able to fully grasp, there are many things about Cambodia I still cannot understand after a year and a half:

1.How are Cambodians not fat? They eat nothing but sugar and fried foods. The nutritious content from any vegetables consumed is surely canceled out by the oil that they are soaked in.

2. The Cambodian school system. I just don't get it, whether it be primary, upper-secondary, universities or whatever else. I don't understand the scheduling, the social dynamics, the testing, or pretty much anything else that has to do with school. I mentioned this to my co-teacher who responded that he still doesn't understand it and he's been teaching for 30 years!

3. Who belongs to which family. There are so many randoms at my house at any given moment and I learned a long time ago to just stop trying to figure out who they are. Introductions are rare here, unless it is a formal occasion. So I often find myself sitting at the dinner table gawking at strangers, wondering "who the hell are you and why are you at my house?"

4. Why Cambodians don't listen to me when I tell them there are 50 states, not 52. Whoever the miscreant that started this rumor needs to be severely punished.

5. How do Cambodians not sweat while wearing multiple layers of clothing in disgustingly hot, humid weather?! It's 100 degrees + and my market lady is wearing a full pajama set, a sweater on top, socks, gloves and a hat, not even breaking a sweat. How is this humanly possible?

6. How are Cambodians absolutely immune to noise? Either they're all deaf or they have acquired some super-human ability to tune everything out. They can perfectly carry on a conversation while seated next to blaring speakers and not even realize that music is playing. I am certain the only people who have ever uttered "Please turn that down" in Cambodia are foreigners.

7. Anything that Westerners would do that requires intense protective footwear Cambodians can do in flip flops that are maybe an inch thin. This includes farming, any type of sport, hiking through the jungle up a mountain or any other heavy manual labor.

8. The obsession with baby penises. They touch them constantly and love to play with them. I still avert my eyes and feel my cheeks flush when I witness this.

9. The ability to sit in the "Asian squat" for hours upon hours. I tell you, I have seen 80 year olds more flexible than Gumby just chilling out in the squatty position.



10. Dogs getting stuck together post-sexual intercourse. The reasoning behind this has long been debated among Peace Corps volunteers and I still don't understand why this happens. I had never seen this back in the States and would have been perfectly happy not seeing it. It's rather crude, especially between unhealthy, mangy Cambodian dogs. Can anyone tell me the science behind this?