What I like about Malaysia – part 1

This Monday Malaysia celebrated its National Day. Here people just love the eves of everything. Hence, the official parade and all took place on Monday, but the actual fun was cooking up on Sunday night.

I ended up in a night club with a bunch of friends. A jazz band under the open sky was doing the count down to midnight. At twelve the sky burst with firework (bless Malaysians who will always find a way to get some fireworks albeit illegal). Firecrackers shooting up, confetti dropping down and the band yelling out the traditional “Merdeka!” thrice. That’s exactly how the first prime minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaimed Independence of Malaya from the British on August 31, 1957.

Then a jazzy saxed up version of the national anthem followed. And I was thinking that in a few days time it is going to be 7 years since I am here. And how in 7 years from a strange alien place Malaysia has become the second home to me. And here are 10 things that I like about Malaysia.

1. Summer the whole year round

The first year in tropics you keep on expecting that the autumn is about to start. In your mind you know that there will be no autumn. But it is so unreal you just find it hard to believe. In winter you are linging for snow. And you miss the whole change of seasons thing.

The change happens in you slowly. You turn into a comletely sun loving creature, some sort of tropical species that can’t imagine life below 25 Celcius. Findly you realized in all it’s economical beauty how much you are saving on winter clothes!

2. Rain

Tropical rain became a revelation experience for me. No books nor TV  programs can prepare you for this. A continuous stretch of warm water is pouring out of the skies.

When it pours like that there satellite TV stops transmitting signal, it is advisable to switch off electrical items and close all windows. I love leaving the balcony door open, sitting down in front of it with a large cup of coffee and just watch the rain. How gigantics drops form real rivers on the asphalt.

3. Tolerance

Sooner or later you stop making radical statements or argue about religion, race and politics. In this melting pot you really never know who can get offended by a careless word.

Not that I am saying it is all perfect. Sure there can’t be a multiracial society without occasional frictions and some tension here and there. But! Overall what I see in Malaysia is very close to the perfect state of inter-racial co-existance.

4. Holidays

I love celebrating all holidays indiscriminately: Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr, Chinese New, Deepavali and even King’s birthday. Why not, if all of these are public holidays. Not to mention that each occasion brings colossal sales, festivals, a wave of culinary delights and treats sent to the office by partners and suppliers.

5. Loans system

You will be pleasantly surprised that getting house and car loans here is unbelievaly easy. Even with no down payment. Loan repayment period can be stretched up to 9 years for the car and up tp 30 for the house. Interest rate is within 4% for the car loan and 7% for the house.

More soon…

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