On Sunday, MJ and I went on a walkabout around Walsh Bay so I could put my new camera to use.
I found this water feature/fountain that wasn’t in use and to my delight it was a map. Coincidentally we were talking about traveling and I was just thinking out loud about how much I miss KL.
Though, in this picture it seems like I am pointing at the Malaysia-Thailand border instead. Geography fail :(
Geography fail
I met a cab driver last weekend and he asked me where I was originally from. “Everyone’s from somewhere, originally,” he says. He’s been here for 24 years.
No matter where I end up in the future, or if I stay here, I will always see KL as my first home. I’m hardly the most patriotic of people but I love that I grew up in a place I am proud to call home. If there is one thing I have noticed living out of Malaysia is that I often come across Malaysians that say living overseas is so much better than living in KL and how shit KL is etc. (some more than others) and I think it is hard to make that comparison. For some it may be a matter of circumstance – I get that. But hearing these comments from people who have had happy lives prior to living abroad irk me. It’s great that we can be part of a different community and be where we are today; KL may not be the best of places but is there a need to really slam it that badly? Is living abroad for a few years is all it takes to forget where you come from? There’s nothing wrong with calling two places home.
Just wanted to get that off my chest. It has been bugging me for a while. My background is an intrinsic part of me and it’s something I’m proud of. Maybe I am also pig-headed and cannot understand how one goes down the other path.
On that note, I am glad that there are a group of Malaysians here that I enjoy hanging out with. It is nice to be around people that share the same background (and love of food – we have Malaysian-themed cookouts haha). Am making it a point go back as often as I can (without jeopardising my travel budget of course). Unless I can find a way to move KL here.. HMM!
[Post title refers to an Malay saying, bagai kacang lupakan kulit. Directly translated it means "like a nut that has forgotten it's shell" where kacang = nut and kulit = shell/skin and used to describe people who have forgotten where they come from.]
At first I was angry. Angry at the world, and how there are so many things wrong with it today, angry at the fact that human beings can be so utterly contemptible. Angry that they are allowed to get away with things that hurt people. Angry that such little value is placed on a human life that someone can find pleasure in destroying it. Angry that we judge those who cannot speak for themselves. Angry that people are not selfish enough to want to be otherwise. Angry that we are all a part of society that shaped what it has become today. Angry that today I saw a young boy yell obscenities at an old man who wasn’t walking fast enough for his liking. I needed angry, yet when the time came to be angry all I did was witness the moment pass unheeded.. anger doesn’t change anything.
If someone likes your service or product, they will probably tell some friends about it. If someone is not happy with your service or product, they will tell everyone about it.
Someone once told me that, and I find it to be quite true. Much as I hate to complain about the service industry in Malaysia because it is sadly lacking in many areas, I remember being so frustrated with TM that I wrote a whole post about their shortcomings as a service provider. Today I encountered another such service.. strangely enough with FedEx.
I contacted them last night to arrange shipping my stuff over and documentation. I got an email reply saying that they did not ship personal effects to Australia which caught me by surprise because last month when I called them to enquire about their services they told me that they did, and I got lost for about an hour looking for their HQ in Shah Alam to pick up the shipping boxes. I’m leaving in about 4 days and this is pretty disastrous!
Luckily I remembered speaking to DHL also, and although their rates are a bit more, they confirmed over the phone this morning that they DO ship personal effects to Australia and when I dropped by their Bangsar outlet was pleasantly surprised by their professional service and advice and I was given different shipping options as well. I left feeling pretty relieved, their staff were really well trained, and even helped me with some complications. I was quite upset to have to repack everything at first, but DHL will be doing that for me :)
It’s not really hard to provide good service, it’s just doing what is promised by your company. Going above and beyond is what makes it outstanding. Just thought I’d share.
