When in Rome?
May 24th 2011 15:13
:
Expat Communities in Penag, Malaysia
When I was at home in Boston contemplating my move to Penang I often fantasized about what everyday life was going to be like. I imagined eating at food courts and coffee shops, similar to those Kevin and I had visited on my previous trips to Penang. I looked forward to meeting Kevin's friends and family and making new friends with neighbors and other local people. I never once thought about joining a group or club comprised of Americans or joining a local club of foreign expats living in Penang.
I was surprised to see that there were many expats here, who did just that. Malysia is a former British colony so there are a large number of British expats here. What really irks me is that there are is a small number of these people who think Malaysia is still a colony and treat the locals accordingly. These same people don't eat the local food at the food courts, coffee shops and local restaurants. These establishments are too far beneath them. These people tend to eat at 4 or 5 Star hotels and high end restaurants where they can demand the utmost in service and throw a few ringgits at the waiters and staff to watch them grovel. In my opinion they are nothing but low class pretentious wannabes. I have a couple of British friends who are totally embarassed by the behavior of these few. They have even lost friends over disagreeing with their pretentious behavior.
I have also know some Japanese expats here who have never and would never eat the local food. There are hundreds of Japanese restaurants here, whose customers number mainly Japanese expats. One friend of mine had lived in Penang for three years and never ate at a restaurant that wasn't Japanese or Korean.
As I have stated before I really don't know very many Americans here, so other than having the rare foodcourt lunch with a couple of them, I cannot say much more about this group of expats. I have heard, however, that there is a rather large bunch who work in the area and are very cliquey. Because of this I really don't care if I ever meet any of them.
I think the largest group of expats, outside those from the UK, are the Australians. From my observation they fit in very comfortably with the local culture. It almost seems like they have been here forever.
These observations are only my observations and opinions and refer only to a very few people from the countries I named. Why do these people come here? Why do they come to a country rich in culture and tradition, yet refuse to take part in it? I often say that if I wanted to hang around with a bunch of Americans and only socailized with them and ate American style food, I could have stayed home. Sure I may complain at times about how different thing are here, but I think I am lucky to be a guest of this country. I don't think I could afford the same lifestyle back home, as I have here. I think that a lot of these pretentious loser,s one can see here, would only be able to afford a middle class lifestyle back home. They wouldn't be anybody special They should stop and smell the roses and realize how lucky they are. I think the old saying, "when in Rome do as the Romans do" has some relevance here. There are so many things to do here, so many different kinds of food to try and so many people from a diversity of cultures to meet. It's a shame that some people are just wasting their time and denying the beauty that surrounds them.
I was surprised to see that there were many expats here, who did just that. Malysia is a former British colony so there are a large number of British expats here. What really irks me is that there are is a small number of these people who think Malaysia is still a colony and treat the locals accordingly. These same people don't eat the local food at the food courts, coffee shops and local restaurants. These establishments are too far beneath them. These people tend to eat at 4 or 5 Star hotels and high end restaurants where they can demand the utmost in service and throw a few ringgits at the waiters and staff to watch them grovel. In my opinion they are nothing but low class pretentious wannabes. I have a couple of British friends who are totally embarassed by the behavior of these few. They have even lost friends over disagreeing with their pretentious behavior.
I have also know some Japanese expats here who have never and would never eat the local food. There are hundreds of Japanese restaurants here, whose customers number mainly Japanese expats. One friend of mine had lived in Penang for three years and never ate at a restaurant that wasn't Japanese or Korean.
As I have stated before I really don't know very many Americans here, so other than having the rare foodcourt lunch with a couple of them, I cannot say much more about this group of expats. I have heard, however, that there is a rather large bunch who work in the area and are very cliquey. Because of this I really don't care if I ever meet any of them.
These observations are only my observations and opinions and refer only to a very few people from the countries I named. Why do these people come here? Why do they come to a country rich in culture and tradition, yet refuse to take part in it? I often say that if I wanted to hang around with a bunch of Americans and only socailized with them and ate American style food, I could have stayed home. Sure I may complain at times about how different thing are here, but I think I am lucky to be a guest of this country. I don't think I could afford the same lifestyle back home, as I have here. I think that a lot of these pretentious loser,s one can see here, would only be able to afford a middle class lifestyle back home. They wouldn't be anybody special They should stop and smell the roses and realize how lucky they are. I think the old saying, "when in Rome do as the Romans do" has some relevance here. There are so many things to do here, so many different kinds of food to try and so many people from a diversity of cultures to meet. It's a shame that some people are just wasting their time and denying the beauty that surrounds them.
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