As I was composing a response to a recent comment here on this blog, I realized that (as usual), I have a little more to say on the topic:
Malaysia is an amazingly easy place to live. After spending five years in Munich, Germany, which one would might naturally assume to be more similar to the US than KL, Malaysia (it’s not); I am relishing the ease of my daily life here. We can pay all of our bills in the lobby of our condo, a branch of our bank is open 7 days a week from 10am-10pm, everyone speaks excellent English, we have the best cable TV outside of the US (I’m guessing), and I live right next door to my school so I never have to deal with a dreaded commute (I spent 2 hours on the bus every single day for 5 years in Munich).
It is still astonishing to me to see how much American culture has invaded Malaysia. When I turn on the TV I see Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, the Office, the Amazing Race (and now the Amazing Race: Asia), CSI, the list goes on and on. And it’s all in English. No need to stress out about deciphering words or try to read lips. We even get quite a few of my favorite The Learning Channel / Food Network shows (here they are combined on the Travel and Living Channel) like Project Runway, the Naked Chef, While You Were Out and even a new one from the UK called Superhomes (I do wish we had What Not To Wear, though). There are so many travel shows on TV (mostly about the US, it seems) that I think I’ve learned more about my country while living here than I did growing up there! And of course, we have 3 different movie channels, the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and National Geographic. I’m not even counting CNN and BBC (and Al Jazeera) because that’s not really TV (and by TV I mean a mind-numbing distraction).
If we’re not in the mood for some relaxing TV, we can find absolutely anything we need in the many many malls around the city (except for maybe clothes in North American sizes, but even those can often be found at the factory outlet stores). We even have more US stores here in KL than we had in Munich. A Gap just opened in our favorite mall! English books are plentiful and we even have 2 Borders stores (one of which claims to be the largest in Asia – it’s big, but I’m not sure it’s that big). And the magazines, oh how I love the magazines. Every shop has every magazine I could possibly want, most go for around US$5. I’m in reading heaven over here!
Of course, there’s the most important part: the food. Not only is there a local restaurant for any type of cuisine you could imagine (Indian, Thai, Japanese, Dim Sum, Mexican, Chinese, American) all within walking distance of our house, but just in case we’re extra homesick, we can go to Chili’s, TGI Fridays, Italiannies, or a variety of fast food restaurants (including some strange one’s that I think have become extinct in the US like the A&W restaurant). Since we moved here I think I’ve been out to eat more than the entire rest of my life. It’s just so easy and cheap to eat out, and there’s a Baskin Robbins on the way home…
But, that doesn’t mean we don’t grocery shop, and there’s another joy! We can get anything and everything we could ever want (for a price). Every grocery store has something a little different, but almost all of them have old favorites like Cracker Barrel cheese, Chips Ahoy, fluffy sliced bread, Mac and Cheese, Eggo waffels, frozen pizza, fruit by the foot, the list goes on and on. Every time I go to the grocery store I find something new from home. I wonder, though, what are the locals doing with all this processed American food?
Now, the reason I describe all of this is because it has been an amazingly easy year and a half so far. We literally feel like we’re on vacation all the time (the pool in our condo helps a lot with that), but perhaps it is all just a bit too easy, if you know what I mean. We moved abroad for the challenge. We love the little daily struggles you deal with in a foreign country, the small (and sometimes overwhelming) challenges it takes to get things done. It’s part of what makes life interesting to us. So this somewhat Americanized version of Malaysia (that we did not expect) has perhaps made our lives a little too comfortable. Now, I’m not complaining, I’m enjoying it while I can, because I know as soon as we move somewhere else it will all be over… There’s no way any other country on Earth can be this well set up for expats. Is there?
KL picture from: http://www.mundocity.com/fotos/kuala-lumpur.jpg
StarWorld picture from: http://www.dreamsatellite.com/index.files/star_world.jpg
Mall image from: http://www.travelplaces.co.uk/images/A1_grand_prix/malaysia-klcc-mall.jpg
Eggo image from: http://www.iceboxdiner.com/images/products/1312.jpg
Most of my weekends are spent in the mall, either Midvalley or most recently in BSC. My credit cards are crying already, I seem to be spending too much. But heck, sometimes I just don’t care especially when there’s a sale (I’m absolutely inlove with Marks and Spencer… because it’s the only place that’s got my size)… asian-sized pants are impossible for me, they come up too short!
I do love grocery shopping here. There is a limited supply of Filipino foods though but all other “western foods” are quite easy to find. I squeed in delight last week, while in Cold Storage, when I found a Sara Lee pound cake in the freezer section.
BTW, have you found a Mexica restaurant (Not Chilli’s)? Haven’t found any yet. I’ve been craving for a cheese enchilada.
Have you tried Frangipani in Bukit Bintang? The foie gras there is fantastic.
To be honest, I haven’t really liked the Mexican restaurants I’ve been to here. I think we’re too far away from the homeland for anyone to really be able to recreate authentic Mexican cuisine. I actually like Chili’s the best because at least I know what I’m going to get (even if it really is Tex-Mex and not true Mexican food). There is one place here in Sri Hartamas (I can’t remember the name) that I have not been to, but is supposed to be OK (but expensive). For me, I usually do end up cooking at home because it’s so easy to find all the necessary ingredients here – even vegetarian refried beans!
I am shocked at how much time we have spent in malls since we moved here. I never liked malls back in the US and I think we went two times in five years to the mall in Munich. Everyone here seems to gravitate towards the malls. I guess it’s cool (thanks to the aircon) and they really do have everything from shopping to bowling alleys to movies to restaurants to grocery stores…. We always end up at One Utama because it’s so close to where we live and so convenient, but my new favorite place is The Curve. It’s so nicely laid out, with an open street in the middle with all the restaurants. It’s not too busy, and they have a Borders (and of course a Cold Storage in the Ikano Power Center across the street).
Try ‘Las Carretas’ in Taipan, Subang Jaya. A bit of a trek for you Mont’Kiara types but worth it. I think there is another Las Carretas in the city but according to many (me included) the one in Taipan rocks the most. They also make a fab frozen margarita which will have you reeling after the second glass……you have been warned 🙂
I just had to comment on this post because it really resonated with me. One of the things I love most about being an expat is the challenge – the newness and uniqueness of everything, but the easiness of Western or American goods is a big lure. I like to keep a balance, only letting in a few treasured American things. Of course, now I am in a small city in China and American goods are few and far between. There is nothing like the feeling of wandering into a Chinese grocery store, feeling a little homesick and finding a bottle of Tobasco Hot Sauce.
If you are looking for a challenge – think China. It has its good days & bad but it is always interesting.
Thanks Mel! I’m going to have to make the pilgrimage to Las Carretas! The promise of a good margarita is enough of a reason for me!
Global Gal,
I can imagine China being on the absolute opposite end of the “ease of life” spectrum as Malaysia. Just the language makes everything else that much more challenging – and therefore rewarding when you overcome the obstacles. Oh that feeling of satisfaction when you find something you recognize in a grocery store! Those little treats that turn up in the most unexpected places! I love it! Out of curiosity, how’s the air quality in the city you live in? I’ve often considered Shanghai, but I worry about the pollution.
I am quite close to the city of Qingdao, on the East Coast, North of Shanghai. The air is actually good where I am, although that is not the norm throughout China. (I recommend Qingdao, it is a very nice city right on the coast.) Shanghai has good & bad air days. When I was there in June it was a bad day and visibility was very limited. The air quality worries me, too. I personally think that this is China’s biggest problem. There is so much industry and coal burning across the heart of China. The pollution of the rivers is horrible. Southern China doesn’t seem to have as big a problem. All the major cities (where there are many international schools) have air quality problems, although I think that Beijing is doing the most to change that due to the 2008 Olympics. Still a long way to go!
For about one month a year we have this horrible haze here in Malaysia. Last year the sky actually turned yellow, it was so bad. We have some colleagues here that had worked in China previously and they said that our haze days are pretty much standard days in China. That’s when I started to realize how important air quality is. It’s so strange not to be able to go outside because the air will make you sick. I guess it’s something you wouldn’t even think about until it actually happens to you. I mean, who thinks about trying not to breath outside… scary…
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