I have been wanting to write this for a long time now. I have realized while pictures do the best kind of justice to one's thoughts, it is words that best express feelings.
So, I have been to Malaysia before this but once I moved here, I realized how different visiting and residing can be. Over my 1 year (well almost) here, I have become so much more independent yet yearned so much more to be dependent.
Kuala Lumpur is a brilliant city for a person living alone. It's vibrant, happening and at the same time a great mix of diversities- Malaysians form the majority and the Chinese and the Indians follow in close. My route to office and back included passing through one of the busiest and most famous shopping malls (lucky me!) and I was always surprised to see how much people here enjoy three things- (1) shopping (2) eating and (3) playing candy crush! :p
Diversity defines this city and so do the people of KL. Never once have I seen a grumpy welcome. Never once have I seen a disinterested shopkeeper. Never once have I seen a person not happy to serve you food. That defines KL. People here are very warm and made me feel at home immediately. I could head out of my house at 3 am and yet not be ogled at by a local Malaysian and that really pleasantly surprised me. The cultural tolerance that people here have is another thing that totally blew me off my feet- so you have women in their baju kuroms (the traditional dress for the Malaysian Muslim women) on one hand and then on the other, women in short skirts and hot pants. And they coexist in a country which is ruled by the King- how is that for unity in diversity! You have big families out in the gardens and the parks on one hand, and on the other you have hookers and lady boys adorning the streets. And they coexist! Again, KL has pleasantly surprised me!
In my initial days here, an 8th generation Malaysian Indian woman said these words to me, "were you allowed to leave India and come here to work? I thought Indian women are meant only to be seen and not heard!". She left me shocked, even appalled at some level and I quickly said, "you speak of prehistoric times, India has changed a lot." But, as I dawned on a defensive front, I realized how misunderstood my country is and how much responsibility that puts on me as a representative of my people. It was an awakening and I remembered that throughout my stint - that while I am on my own I carry a lot of baggage with me and every action of mine will leave a mark. To begin with, by just standing there I had changed her opinion of the freedom that an urban Indian woman enjoys today.
Living in KL has taught me, like living in any other city of a foreign land would have, that independence can be enjoyed only when you have company otherwise it turns into loneliness. So, while I have done a lot here, learnt a lot too, there have been moments when I wanted people around me- people I could talk to and laugh with- when, on my birthday I yearned for company at midnight but then reconciled by thinking that well, at least I got to celebrate my 25th birthday in another country :)
I am just so happy that KL has been my first international stint- mostly because of the people here; friendly, warm and genuine is how I would describe them. It will always remain very special in my memories and on a philosophical note, I think I have evolved as a person now :)
To better times and more adventures!
Terima Kasih▪ Xièxiè ▪ Thank You! KL
