Khmer Conversation #31

• Aunt: *indicating my Sprees* Can you buy this candy in Cambodia?
• Me: No, my aunt and uncle sent them from America.
• Aunt: Ah, perhaps you could buy them in the international markets.
• Me: Maybe, but I don't have enough money to shop there.
• Aunt: But you're American; all Americans are rich.
• Me: Well, that's not true. We have rich people, yes, but we also have poor people. We even have homeless people.
• Aunt: That must be very embarrassing - to have poor people in a rich country.
• Me: It is. But the government is run by rich people who are more interested in helping other rich people instead of poor people.
• Aunt: If America isn't helping their own poor people, why are they going to other countries and trying to teach them how to help their poor people? They should set an example first.