Malaysia - Remember to Smile
Because I've missed orientation week, I had to rush all my enrollments in a single morning. Also, Because of the fact i was rushing, I had to cover a lot of distance in a very short amount of time, and because im running about, i "bumped" into a lot of people.
So, it happened right at the start, i opened this door to get thru, just so there was this other lady on the other side, wanting to come out... being a gentlemen that i am, *cough* i held the door open, and signaled through the glass partition for her to pass, she looked very delighted, lowered her head, stepped out and said "thank you" with a biiiiig smile on her face.
"that felt good", i said to my self in my mind.
Because its winter, well actually, its like that all year round - the uni hallways are filled with doors and tight narrow turns where the corridors end, very often bumping into people on the other side, they all either said "sorry" when they nearly hit me or vice versa (even when it was my fault for running obscenely fast into the turns) or "you're alright" or "no worries" when i said "im sorry" for being such a hooligan. All of which, are accompanied by a huge smile.
so, that day, i decided to count the number of thank yous, youre welcomes, and sorries ive received that day.
well, the total number i got was.... errrr... i lost count ...
..yep thats how many i've got..
It then made me think, of the time i was in Malaysia... there was this one time i went to 7-11, to get a drink to cure my hangover. upon reaching the door, because it was transparent i saw a middle aged couple walking out, i opened the doors, and held it there, waiting for them to walk out... but as they did, both man and woman did not utter a word to me, not even a smile. all they did was looked at me as they proceeded through, and on their face, it said "this is how it should be, little chinese boy opening doors for malay couples."
"maybe theyre having a bad day?" i consoled myself, embarrassed by my countrymen.
so i got my drink, went to the counter to pay, and i said "hello, hows it going?" at the cashier.
she looked at me, without saying a word, beeped the bar code, looked at me, waited for me to hand over my money, so i did, whilst doing that, she looked at me, head covered in a "tudung", gave me my change, looked at me, feeling awkward, i broke the silence by saying "thank you", but she, just.. looked at me again.
i took my change, and left. puzzled
going out, another dude was walking in, so i thought, lets try it again, i opened the door, and held it open...
not to my great surprise, the dude walked in again, without acknowledging me at all. , no smile, no thank you or whatsoever. what he DID tho however, was again look at me and the exact same impression ""this is how it should be, little chinese boy opening doors for malay people".
right then and there, i really wished i had godly powers, and bind his hands to the door- to be punished to open that 7-11 door for people for eternity. oh while im at it, id glue the side of his lips up so he would be smiling forever too!
before you malay ppl say i'm racially prejudiced, this has happened to me from all 3 main races of Malaysia. Chinese, indian AND malays.
have Malaysians forgotten how to smile? or the word "courtesy" does not exist in our vocabulary or conscience? I spend one morning in Tasmania, and i'll bet my left testicle i get more smiles from little courteous deeds that i do here than a life time in Malaysia.
So, it happened right at the start, i opened this door to get thru, just so there was this other lady on the other side, wanting to come out... being a gentlemen that i am, *cough* i held the door open, and signaled through the glass partition for her to pass, she looked very delighted, lowered her head, stepped out and said "thank you" with a biiiiig smile on her face.
"that felt good", i said to my self in my mind.
Because its winter, well actually, its like that all year round - the uni hallways are filled with doors and tight narrow turns where the corridors end, very often bumping into people on the other side, they all either said "sorry" when they nearly hit me or vice versa (even when it was my fault for running obscenely fast into the turns) or "you're alright" or "no worries" when i said "im sorry" for being such a hooligan. All of which, are accompanied by a huge smile.
so, that day, i decided to count the number of thank yous, youre welcomes, and sorries ive received that day.
well, the total number i got was.... errrr... i lost count ...
..yep thats how many i've got..
It then made me think, of the time i was in Malaysia... there was this one time i went to 7-11, to get a drink to cure my hangover. upon reaching the door, because it was transparent i saw a middle aged couple walking out, i opened the doors, and held it there, waiting for them to walk out... but as they did, both man and woman did not utter a word to me, not even a smile. all they did was looked at me as they proceeded through, and on their face, it said "this is how it should be, little chinese boy opening doors for malay couples."
"maybe theyre having a bad day?" i consoled myself, embarrassed by my countrymen.
so i got my drink, went to the counter to pay, and i said "hello, hows it going?" at the cashier.
she looked at me, without saying a word, beeped the bar code, looked at me, waited for me to hand over my money, so i did, whilst doing that, she looked at me, head covered in a "tudung", gave me my change, looked at me, feeling awkward, i broke the silence by saying "thank you", but she, just.. looked at me again.
i took my change, and left. puzzled
going out, another dude was walking in, so i thought, lets try it again, i opened the door, and held it open...
not to my great surprise, the dude walked in again, without acknowledging me at all. , no smile, no thank you or whatsoever. what he DID tho however, was again look at me and the exact same impression ""this is how it should be, little chinese boy opening doors for malay people".
right then and there, i really wished i had godly powers, and bind his hands to the door- to be punished to open that 7-11 door for people for eternity. oh while im at it, id glue the side of his lips up so he would be smiling forever too!
before you malay ppl say i'm racially prejudiced, this has happened to me from all 3 main races of Malaysia. Chinese, indian AND malays.
have Malaysians forgotten how to smile? or the word "courtesy" does not exist in our vocabulary or conscience? I spend one morning in Tasmania, and i'll bet my left testicle i get more smiles from little courteous deeds that i do here than a life time in Malaysia.
posted by Killl_Roy at 9:18 AM
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