I was invited to lunch with four wealthy Khmer men in their 40s and 50s.  I accepted the invitation as a chance to get to know these guys a little better.

We sat at a table in a house eating fish and prahok (Cambodian cheese).  As usual, when I’m around, Khmer people like to talk about America and ask me questions about it.

One of the guys pointed to the silverware and bowls, saying Americans have so many spoons, so many bowls that we don’t even use all the spoons and bowls we have.  He said we’ve got so much stuff in general that some of it is just for display.

(If only this guy had seen Black Friday he’d know how right he was).

The conversation continued for about thirty minutes.  They asked me about different foods in America.  They told me about their friends who live in America.

Then, they asked me if I wanted to make some money—$30,000.

They said all I’d have to do is marry a Khmer woman who they set me up with.  They say it’s easier to get a visa to live in America if you’re married to an American.  So, I understood their offer.  They said the woman would pay me $30,000.  Then, they said we’d divorce once we were in the United States.

Uhhhhhh.  I don’t know exactly what national laws in both countries say about fake marriages, but I’m pretty sure neither country condones it.

I asked a lot of questions in order to disguise my discomfort.  I felt cornered.  I told them I wasn’t interested.  They told me to think about it.  They also said my younger sister in America could come here and make $30,000 marrying a Khmer man so that he can go to America.

I’ve dealt with a lot of jokes about marriage and moving to America, but this was the first time something was presented to me so seriously.