Malaysian Airport/ SA Perception

(repost from my other blog, see a bit of background below)

We were on our way back to South Africa, having arrived from Sydney at the Malaysian airport, and waiting for our flight from Malaysia back to Cape Town. I was terribly thirsty and went to a pub to buy me some cooldrink. I asked for some Coke, but then some other people arrived and because I was paying with my credit card, I let them go first. Then they were taking so long and I really really wanted my drink. The moment they left I asked the Guy if I could start drinking my cooldrink so long while he swiped my card,[[disclaimer, according to overseas people we look very different, esp. in Malaysia we got lots of Where you froms? Even though to us we looked similar to eveyrone else. Ok not eveyrone, but in Australia at the conference too I realised, people are used to White, and Black, but they couldnt place brown skin, I thought it would be obvious that I'm from South Africa but some of the answers I got was Saudi Arabia.]] So with the waiter I was very much aware that I was different, and he probably noticed that,and he says Ok, Of course and turns around immediately after that. I take the can open it, turn my head up and take a swig of the drink, man I was so thirsty wasnt really thinking straight,and also have been told lots of times I need to be more lady like (thats what happens if you grow up hanging alot with guy cousins) He turns back at that point with a straw in his hand, turning just in time to see me with my head turned up, in a very unladylike position. And his eyes also was wide. I realised then, ok maybe drinking without a straw sometimes may be normal, maybe not lady like but not somehting to be shocked about. But maybe there, he sees this lady walk in, pay with her credit card, and gets her a straw, only to see her drinking it like a man! And maybe that isnt normal there (or elsewhere for that matter), lol. I found that funny too. Dont worry I am more careful in public now and do use my straws, but I was desperate that day for a sip, lol.


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This is one of my memories of my time in Malaysia and Australia  that could have given others a funny but slightly warped perception of South Africans. But before I tell you those memories, let me first tell you that though I love cultures, and places, I am a very finicky eater, (they even joke that I'm white sometimes because I dont like the typical coloured young person gatsby meal - extra large chip/frenchfries roll with lots of sauce, and other stuff on,eg. viennas (the pink muslim type), steak,etc.) So eating was especially hard for me in Malaysia, cause I dont like asian spices... Although the others were so happy about it, at least Miriam had a hard time just like me. Also point no. 2 seeing that chicken doesnt look like Chicken in SA in Malaysia and the little fastfood stores we walked past...I am slowly beginning to become a vegetarian (slowly).