Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Anyone who knows me will have probably heard me talk about how I love Malaysia, but each time you tell a Malaysian that you love their country, they invariably ask, “Really? Why??”.
Random strangers will regularly throw “hello” or “Welcome to Malaysia!” your way. They will ask if you need help whenever you look lost or confused, and sometimes even pay the toilet fee for you while you’re looking for change (real-life example from a bus station in Melaka!).
People will generally be extremely polite and will find it hard to say “no”, no matter how inconvenienced they might actually feel.
At the same time though, Malaysians don’t have the habit of greeting their neighbours in the elevator. Expect awkward silence if you do.
The locals will address you as Miss Goska, Mr. James, etc.
When you hear a Malaysian address someone as uncle, it doesn’t mean they are related. It’s simply a sign of respect (boss would be another such example).
You will often hear from the locals that you should be careful in Malaysia, as they seem to be convinced that their country is especially dangerous (which it isn’t when compared to many places in the U.S. or in Europe). A lot of buildings have security guards and cameras, you need to register all your guests with their ID, and everyone has a double front door (the outside metal one locked with a padlock).
Counterfeit goods are sold not only in street markets, but also in legitimate stores, shopping malls, etc., which to this day boggles my mind.
The staff standing in the doorways of restaurants and shops will shout ‘welcome’ at any passer by, whether those express any intention of coming in or not.
Shop assistants will follow you from the moment you enter the shop, asking how they can help or quietly watching your every step. In food courts and eateries people will want to take your order right away, and if you tell them you need a minute, they will go on about what’s on the menu, so if you’re like me and need some time to think before you make a decision, forget it.
Coffee and tea in Malaysia are normally served with milk and lots of sugar by default.
Alcohol in bars and clubs is ridiculously expensive, but you can always find liquor stores that sell significantly cheaper booze (like rum from Goa, for example).
People eat with a spoon and a fork (the spoon is held in the right hand, and the fork, used for packing food onto the spoon, in the left hand). If they see you eating with only a fork (forget the knife, you won’t even get it in most food courts), expect the look of “shock, horror”.
The country’s population is a true melting pot of cultures, religions, languages, cuisines, social norms and nationalities. You’ll find a mosque, a Buddhist temple and a Catholic church in one neighbourhood. You’ll see a Malay lady covered up from head to toe, standing next to a Malaysian Chinese girl wearing the shortest of skirts. You’ll hear Malay, Chinese languages, Tamil, English (or Manglish), and a number of other languages and dialects spoken by the locals and immigrants. You’ll get to choose between Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, Thai, and other types of cuisines. The way I see it, Malaysia is not uniform in any way, despite what it may be portrayed as or how it may be perceived abroad.
In relation to the above and contrary to a belief held by many Westerners, being a non-Muslim female living in Malaysia is not difficult or limiting (lifestyle-wise, clothes-wise, or in any other way).
Malaysians take dozens (on certain occassions even hundreds) of photos, whether they are at a social event, in a shopping mall, in the street, having a snack, or going to work and shooting the asphalt through the windshield. In a matter of minutes the photos will end up on Facebook, straight from the memory card and without any selection or editing.
When you see people pointing at their cameras, they don’t want you to take a photo of them. They want a photo of them with YOU in it!
Living in a condominium with a gym and a pool on the premises is pretty commonplace, especially for a foreigner. Try to find the same standard at a similar price in Europe!
Malaysian English is quite peculiar. Flip-flops / thongs are called slippers here. If you ask someone whether you can do something, you will get “can, can” or “cannot” as an answer. Also, any statement can end in “lah” (simply a local thing).
It rains almost every day in Kuala Lumpur (at least briefly, and almost solely in the afternoons), and many people (mostly ladies) tend to hide under their umbrellas regardless of the weather.
Whitening creams and lotions are all the rage, and foreigners will be the only people sunbathing at the pool.
Political correctness (as understood by Westerners) is practically nonexistent here, so expect questions about your race, religion, marital status, etc. on every form.
Talking about skin color is perfectly acceptable, so expect to be called a white girl / guy.
Foreigners tend to enjoy more priviledges (especially financial ones) than the locals, which always leaves me with mixed feelings.
Malaysians tend to be open and friendly, cheerful and smiley as well as somewhat crazy (which counts as a good thing in my book), and that’s exactly why I like it here so much.
