Malaysian Differences

I realize that anytime you move halfway around the world, you find things that are, well, different. Not wrong, mind you, just not what you are expecting.

Americans are a different lot as well. We like to talk a lot, ask personal questions within a few minutes of meeting a person (personal to them, maybe not to us, such as about family) and are generally much more outgoing and talkative than Malaysians. I am well aware of Americans good and bad points.

However, I wanted to write down a few things that cause me to pause from time to time as my daily life passes here.

Cars

• Malaysians can turn any two-lane road into a four lane road with ease.
• If you are passing a car in the fast lane and a car going faster than you comes up behind you, s/he can flash their lights and even honk for you to pull over into the slow lane (never mind you are passing a car). This action would result in gunfire in some parts of the US.
• After having a breakdown, park your car on the side of the road and put a broken tree branch behind it. This signifies it is a broken-down vehicle.
• When you park your car in the sun, lift you windshield wipers up off the windshield and lock them there where they aren’t touching the glass. (Many theories exist on why this is important. One says the heat warps your rubber wipers and renders them useless. My friends and I want “Mythbusters” from Discover Channel to tackle this conundrum.)
• Even if there is a parking spot, double-park as close as you can to the store if you visit is under 15 minutes.
• Turn off the radio and air conditioner before starting the car.
• Don’t roll down the window. It wastes battery power. Open your door to pay tolls. (I’m not sure on this one though. I personally think most people open their doors to pay tolls because Proton cars have a chronic problem with the power window failing. Oh, and the front headlight falls out of the Wira. Proton is the Malaysian national car.)

Questions (And the number of times I have been asked them)

• Where you come from? (1,693,200)
• What your work? (1,455,871)
• Like Malaysia or not? (1,299,250)
• Already married? (1,475,911)
• Want to marry with Malaysia people? (1,475,911)
• Can eat spicy food or not? (944, 926)
• How many times a day do you eat rice in the US? (687,499)
• What is your salary? (511, 274)
• What is your good name? (By Indians from India) (4)
• Can you get me a visa and a job in the USA? (7,396)
• Sudah makan? (9,528,381,048)

Here are some examples of how people lift their windshield wipers up when parking their cars in the sun. Do other hot countries do this? How about in Florida? Arizona?

Here is a double parked car. Note that across the street are two empty spots, in the lower left corner, another empty spot and if you look closely the white car is actually blocking an empty parking spot. I didn't try for days to get these shots either. I just went to the bank on an errand.