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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
  • Australia
  • Travel
  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
  • Travel Insurance

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    Move to Cambodia - Teach English in Phnom Penh

    8 Tips You Need to Read BEFORE Moving to Phnom Penh

    by Nick & Raychel March 18, 2019

    Our move to Cambodia (in retrospect)

    It’s true – we’ve moved away from Phnom Penh. We absolutely loved living in Cambodia, but for personal reasons, it was time for us to move on.

    We learned a lot during our time there and decided to compile a list of all the things we wish we had known earlier on. Now, it’s time to share it with YOU.

    Find our YouTube channel here!


    Tip #1: Come with $3,000.00 USD saved

    Some people come with a lot less, but we don’t recommend it. We read this advice somewhere online before we moved to Phnom Penh and we both came with about half. If you can, make sure you have at least 3,000 USD in the bank.

    Here’s why:

    • In case you don’t get a job right away, you will be sure to have the savings to float yourself before your first paycheck
    • Many jobs in Cambodia pay monthly – at the end of the month. That means that even if you get a job right away, you will still likely need to wait at least one month until you receive some income.
    • You’ll have enough money to cover a hotel for as long as possible before you find the perfect apartment to live in
    • Most apartments require you to put down a deposit (usually first & last month’s rent) in cash
    • If, heaven forbid, you have a medical emergency or something occurs at home, you always want to make sure you have enough funds to pay for the hospital or get you back to your home country in a jiffy


    Tip #2: Make sure you come on the right visa

    When you enter the country, go to the “visa on arrival” stand and get yourself an “Ordinary Visa” i.e. an “E-type Visa”. We cannot stress this enough – do not get this mistaken with an “e-visa” which is the online tourist visa that you can get in advance.

    This visa will allow you to legally job hunt for 30 days and you will not need to do a visa run once you get a job. Ok – so we did this right the first time – but we have lots of friends who didn’t. (Bad friends, we know – they should’ve watched our vlog)


    Tip #3: Really look for the RIGHT job

    This is something we didn’t really do when we moved to Cambodia, and the reason why we suggest coming with double the money that we came with so that you can afford the time.

    • Set up as many interviews as possible within a few days and go to all of them
    • Talk to different staff members at the school that you’re considering and make sure it’s the right fit
    • Get clear answers during your interview process – Will they cover your visa? Work permit? They should cover at least one.
    • Don’t sign a contract that you’re not comfortable with. Make sure everything makes sense before you commit for a full year. Will you get paid on vacation days? Yes – you should get paid for public holidays. If there were an emergency back at home, will you be able to exit your contract? You wouldn’t believe that this was an issue we witnessed.
    • Are they paying you well? Are your hours consistent?

     

    Make sure you’re asking questions, noticing any red flags, and generally feeling great about the job you decide to take.


    Tip #4: Live in Russian Market

    This is just our opinion and we may have a lot of people disagreeing with us on this – but looking back, we really should’ve just lived in Russian Market.

    A lot of expats live in this area when they move to Cambodia and now we know why. It’s cheap. There are funky apartments for less than $250/month, lots of great bars, and you’re right near a main market in the city. Different to Central Market, Russian Market is still easy to navigate if you don’t speak Khmer, but it won’t put a hole in your pocket (see our article Guide to Markets).

    We lived in BKK1 which is a great area, but we calculated how much money we would’ve saved by living in Russian Market and it was nearly $200 a month. That is $2,400 a year – and that can get you very far in Cambodia.

    Again – you don’t have to do this, it’s just our opinion – but if we’re being honest with you, we really regret not having done this the first time around.


    Tip #5: Shop at local markets ONLY

    With the exception of packaged meat or something imported, don’t go to the supermarket. Just don’t.


    Tip #5: Rent (or buy) a motorbike

    You will get around a lot faster and save a lot of money. We wish we had rented a motorbike sooner, as we wasted a lot of money by commuting in tuk tuks for 2 months when we first moved to Cambodia.


    Tip #6: Download Grab & Passapp (but only use Grab)

    Grab is pretty much the Uber for Southeast Asia, and Passapp is specific to Cambodia. Here’s our comparison between the two apps:

    Grab:

    • Hire a rickshaw, tuk tuk, car or motorbike (to sit on the back of) to your location and get a set price for your trip.
    • You don’t have to worry about being overcharged for a tuk tuk or motorbike ride.
    • Your whole trip is GPS tracked so you can feel safe on the road.  
    • Earn points for riding on the Grab app – cash them in for free rides
    • Grab is used widely throughout SE Asia so you can redeem your points in other countries as well

    Passapp:

    • Mostly the same as Grab, except for that it runs on a meter rather than a set price. If the driver gets stuck in traffic, or worse, blatantly chooses to take a bad route, the price can go up significantly higher.
    • There is no point system for Passapp and it only works in Cambodia

    It sounds like we’re sponsored, but we’re not. We just really support the Grab app.

    We do still recommend that you download Passapp on the days where Grab doesn’t work (yes, that happens often) and vice versa.

    When you move to Cambodia, this will be helpful right from the beginning. Both apps are way cheaper than hailing a tuk tuk or a motorbike.


    Tip #7: Come with the BARE minimum

    Most apartments come furnished and clothes are extremely cheap. Leave enough room in your bag to go home with a lot more than you came with.


    Tip #8: Don’t stress out too much

    People ask us so many questions about having tattoos, beards, long hair, piercings, etc. and how that will affect their employment when they move to Cambodia. We notice people also worry too much about where they’re going to live, work, etc. before they even enter the country.

    We know that it’s nerve wracking to start a new journey but our advice is to just chill. The Cambodian people have a very relaxed lifestyle and if you’re going to live there, you’ll need to adopt one too.

    There is a job and apartment for everybody. Enjoy the adventure and good luck.

     

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

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GUIDE TO MARKETS | PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (2018)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8v49HKtlIk

IS CAMBODIA SAFE? LIVING IN PHNOM PENH

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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Instagram

  • Working to TRAVEL✈️🚐

If you’ve been following along with our vlogs and stories, it will come as no surprise to you when I say that our days are long right now. When we chose to start travelling, we signed up for a work-save-travel-repeat cycle and have been living in for the past 4.5 years. 

We chose this life.
But we still get tired. 

And between fixing up the van, preparing for our next adventure and working full time in that Southern Ontario heat - it’s a lot. But our minds are set on travel, on exploration, on adventure, culture, and learning. So we adapt to the seasons and understand that this point in the cycle is  just that - a season -  and we are so damn grateful to be doing it together.

📍 Traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas.
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Tags: #notluxe #worktotravel #travelcouple #vanlifecouple #traveldiaries #vanlifediaries #travelgram #livetoexplore #vanlifeculture #budgettravel #worktotravel #traveljobs #travelblogger #vanlifestyle #vanliving
  • **CLOSED** GIVEAWAY!! 🎉

We are giving away a Bluetti EB70 portable power bank. Having a power station on hand is a sweet backup for those who are already set up completely for off-grid living and/or a good start for weekend campers looking to try out van or camper van life. We are stoked to have another way to work outside, charge more appliances and get out adventuring.

The winner will win ONE Bluetti EB70 power bank & charging cables. 

Specs:
• 716Wh capacity and 800W rated wattage
• The ultra-stable LiFePO4 battery chemistry,2500+ life cycles
• 4*110V AC outlets, 2*100W PD ports, 2*5V/3A USB-A ports, 2*regulated 12V/10A DC outputs, 1*12V/10A car port,1*15W wireless charging pad.
(Note: does not come with solar panels)
-

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Like this post 
2. Must be following @nickandraychel & @bluetti_official
3. Tag a friend in the comments below (more tags = more entries)
4. Bonus entry - share this post to story for 5 extra entries! 

Open to USA & Canada residents. Giveaway closes on June 22, 2022. 
Winner will be announced on 06/25/22. 

-

Disclaimer: No purchase necessary. Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram.

The contest period will run from 06/15 to 06/22 2022.

— 

Tags: #vanlifecouple #vanlifeing #notluxe #vanlifediaries #vanlifegiveaway #campinggiveaway #campervan #vanconversion #camperliving #tinyliving #tinyhomeonwheels #tinyhomes #vanlifenewbie #vanlifers #livinginavan #livingoffgrid #offgridliving #vanlifedreams #travelinspo
  • Slowing down 🚐 

The whole appeal of van life and many alternative living options is the freedom to take a go at your own speed.

But sometimes it feels like you just want to see it all.
And we’ve seen SO much in the past twenty months. 

Especially in the past six.

As Canadian travellers, I find that our slow season is the opposite of others. We escape the cold weather and have been abroad for many Christmases and snowfalls. During those times, we’re cliff jumping, waterfall hopping, cruising, skatepark hunting, friendship building…

Then, when lake season rolls around we’re ready to take on a more conventional work schedule, to save up to do it all again.

But we have to tell ourselves to relax, to enjoy the downtime, to take in the peaceful moments just as much as the epic ones. To soak up the sun, to drink water, to slow down.

It’s a constant learning process.

📍Traditional Hohokam, Patayan, and Yavapai land ⁣

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Tags: #vanlife #vanlifeshot #vanlifemeetup #vanlifemoments #vanlifemovement #vanlifemagazine #vanlifestyle #vanlifeculture #vanlifecouple #vanlifeconversions #campulance #campinggirls #campinglife #rvliving #camperlife
  • But how do you SHOWER? 😅

This photo is from the most ridiculous YouTube thumbnail we’ve had to date. We took so many funny photos this day, we couldn’t NOT share. Or maybe we could. Oh well.

But let’s answer the question while we’re at it.

🚿 We primarily go to Anytime Fitness which is a little pricier than Planet Fitness. In our opinion, however, the equipment is way nicer, there are usually less people, they’re all over Canada & the US, it’s open 24/7, and the showers are private.

🚿 When we’re not near an Anytime Fitness (this has only happened one time when we were in Quartzsite), we find a truck stop shower to go to.

🚿 And that’s about it. We bought a camping shower at the beginning of van living and only used it one miserable time.

Do you think a shower is necessary in a van build?

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Tags: #vanlife #vanlifeshot #vanlifeshower #vanlifecamper #campinglife #campingtrip #vanlifebuild #vanlifediaries #vanlifegirls #vanlifetravel #vanlifetravels #vanlifestyle #vanlifeexplorers #campinggirls #outsideisfree #outsideshoot #vanlifeculture #vanlifecommunity
  • We have been doing so much stealth city camping lately that we felt like we needed a break. When we first moved into our van, we set off to Vancouver Island, where we were constantly surrounded by nature - and even though we had no idea what we were doing, it was just easy to be outside.

As you guys know, we’ve lived all sorts of van life. From brick & mortar jobs, to off-grid living, to city dwelling, to full-time travelling. Lately, we’ve seen A LOT of cities and while we’re grateful to have covered so much ground, we knew we needed nature. 

So we nestled ourselves into Starved Rock State Park and reset.
Full video is on YouTube. Link in bio.

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Tags: #vanlife #vanlifecouple #vanlifediaries #vanlifers #vanliving #ambulanceconversion #vandwelling #vandweller #camperlife #campervan #camperconversion #campingbackpack #campinglife #campingtrip #illinois #starvedrockstatepark
  • “The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have” – Anna Quindlen

I can’t imagine committing to being the person I was 5 years ago for the rest of my life. I can’t imagine committing to one mindset or one way of life. 

It would be impossible to put into words how much we’ve changed through travel and meeting people. And as we start to hype ourselves up for our next big journey, we’re excited to dive head first with an open mind. 

Whether you’re building a van, starting a new job, buying a plane ticket, or even walking out of the house every morning - you have no fucking idea what’s in store.

Travel has a special way of changing you. 
And the best thing you can do is allow it. 

📍 Traditional Kumeyaay land
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