*From my old Friendster Blog site written on December 6, 2007.
I've only been in the United States for two years and a couple of months. To say that I know a lot about this country, I really don't. But no doubt I did learn a few things since I first came here in August 2005. So I just thought I need to share some things that Malaysians might be interested to know about the United States.
#1 Not everyone dress up or behave like what we see in Hollywood movies
Well, this country still have a lot of normal people like us, and they dress NORMALLY. I've seen people in Malaysia that are "dressed to kill" and some maybe even inappropriately dress up too much that it exceeds what I normally see here. Yes, I know that we all have individual freedom, individual rights, bla bla bla.. But you know, wearing a thick jacket under the hot Malaysian sun is probably~ not really a good idea..
#2 Not everyone know and talk about Malaysia
Thanks to the government, our media has really brainwashed us to believe that the world revolves around Malaysia. We're taught this way even since we were potty training. No, not everyone know Malaysia, my friend. Please quit thinking that people REALLY care about what we do in Malaysia, like all the time. They just don't.. To them, Malaysia is just another country (in Asia, or if they're pretty good in Geography, in South-East Asia). Plus, they have a lot more important things to think about than to care about what's happening in Malaysia..
#3 People hold the door open for the person walking behind them when entering a building (if that person is not too far away, of course)
And the person walking behind will usually say "Thank you" for that person holding the door. This is just one way people are being curteous towards others. Well, you don't wanna do this if it is automatic door..
#4 Cars stop for pedestrians to cross the road
Well, this one was quite a culture shock to me when I first got here. But they only do this on small, not-so-busy country roads, of course. Cars don't stop in the middle of highways. Malaysians in Malaysia might wanna try this. But don't be surprised if the pedestrian freaks out because he/she might think that you're just getting ready to run over them as soon as they walk in front of your car.
#5 They're not superior to us. They just THINK that they are
Yes. A lot of us might have inferiority complex when seeing a white person. But you don't really have to. Like I said, they just THINK that they are better than the others, so they act like one (and they usually perform like one, too). If we can also THINK and see ourselves as just as good as them (or even better), then we WILL also be just like how we see ourselves as. It's all in the mentality..
#6 You will appreciate "maple"s (or the mamak restaurants) so so much once you're here
Since I'm not a nighclub person, the nights are not so entertaining here. I just miss "maple"s so much. I don't even have to go over the details about the football (or soccer?) matches we watch on those big screens and the lively crowd that stays til 2-3 a.m. I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about.
The small town that I live in here will literally "die" after 9 p.m. No kidding. It's no fun. The only closest thing to maple should be this 24-hours restaurant called Denny's. But it really is not like maple at all. The place is too neat and you'd usually have to spend around $12.00 after tax and tip. So expensive. So please, appreciate what we have in Malaysia..
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Well, that might be it. Some of the cultures here are good and I personally think that we should learn these things from them. But of course, we don't follow whatever that's bad.
But overall, probably the most important thing that I got from here is that I learned to appreciate more of what we have in Malaysia (except for the political scene, corruption, and crazy drivers). We might think that they have a better place to live than us. Yes, it might be for them, but definitely not for us. We are Malaysians, and Malaysia is where we live..
It's just like how they say it - "There's no place like home"...
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