Malaysian Cinema Food

Instant Mash Potatoes, Sweet Corn in-the-Cup (condensed milk with margarine and salt), and sweet caramel corn are some Malaysian food choices at the cinema. I only wish that they served butter popcorn.

Playboy in Malaysia?

The Play Boy Bunny is an iconic American symbol that represents Hugh Hefner’s empire. Malaysia is predominately a Muslim country and any type of pornography is considered illegal. The government makes a great effort to block or censor movies, music videos, and any reading items that could suggest pornography. However, the Playboy bunny symbol somehow found its way into Malaysia and it is worn by many people, who either willingly or unwillingly know what brand they are representing. There are even some school buses in Malaysia that carry the playboy sticker on the back of the bus. There are also a few stores in Malaysia that exclusively sell Playboy merchandise. Notice the irony in this photo.

Confinement in Malaysia

Social norms are accepted behaviors within a society or group. The majority of Malaysians follow the social norm of confinement. Confinement involves a woman taking certain prescribed cultural norms to recover from her pregnancy. Many Malay, Chinese, and Indians, as well as other ethnic groups in Malaysia follow this practice. The one cultural group I will specifically focus on is Chinese culture, since my own experience stems from this specific cultural norm.

Chinese confinement can vary from household. The majority of elders who spoke to me about confinement share common beliefs in regards to the length of confinement, the specific food preparation, and the concept of “wind.” Chinese confinement lasts 30-40 days and involves the mother taking specific steps to ensure that both she and the child remain healthy. The mother undergoes a strict routine of resting, and usually has her mother or some other female care for her and the baby. The mother is not allowed to wash her hair or bathe, for there is the fear of “wind” entering the body. Other precautions to stop wind from entering the body include not using a fan or air conditioning in the house. The mother is also suggested to wear socks to keep her feet warm and long sleeved clothing. This practice originates in China and is widely practiced here in the hot tropical weather of Malaysia.

The confinement food consists of nutritious dishes with chicken being the staple meat. The Chinese also use lots of ginger as the magic ingredient to help the mother rid of her wind. Many women are told not to leave the house during this time, so that the baby and the mother do not come into contact with outside illnesses.
There is also the practice of hiring a confinement lady for the 30-40 day period, which is quite costly and can run RM 3000-4000 (967.00USD-1290.00). The confinement lady will wash and dry clothing, cook confinement food, and will even stay up with the baby at night, while the mother can take her rest.

Simon Baron-Cohen, a major contributor of autism research comes to my mind when I am contemplating confinement. Baron-Cohen talks about typically developing people having the ability to attribute mental states, such as having intentions, beliefs, and feelings that may be similar or have different meaning from one’s own mindset. For a westerner, it took me some time to adapt to the mindset of a Chinese elder lecturing me on the importance of having to practice this custom. After understanding the mindset, I have to choose if I want to do it. I think that I will excuse myself from confinement, no matter what the social pressure I may undergo. It will be interesting to experience what sort of treatment I will receive when I avoid conforming.

Squatting Toilets

Squatting toilets are part of Malaysian culture. There are also Western toilets in Malaysia known as sitting toilets. Here is a sign educating a person that he/she should not stand on the sitting toilet to go to the bathroom.

 

"Please remain seated on the sitting toilet. No squatting allowed. Thank you."

Food for Thought: Bones, Scales, Oh My!

In Malaysia, there is very little wastage in food when it comes to the topic of meat. Malaysians remind me a lot of Native Americans, they really use the full animal to cook dishes. For example, when eating a steamed chicken, the entire chicken appears as a dish. In America, it is more common to see a dish of chicken legs, thighs, chicken wings, and breasts than it is to see the entire chicken. We do have roasted chicken, but there is no head present upon presentation. Some cultural groups such as the Chinese will eat chicken feet. The Malays make fried snacks from animal intestines. Animal bones are commonly sold at wet markets for people interested in making soup stock.

Americans are quite fussy about bones and much of the meat we eat does not contain them. Fishes become fillets and chicken breast are extremely popular. Usually, the remaining parts of the fish and chicken become animal feed. A lot of flavor and essential oils found in the skin, specifically fish end up feeding pens.  Some fatty fish acids get processed into tablets. What ever happened to eating fresh fish with the skin on to get the oils in the most natural form? Malaysians serve a whole fish. Some dishes call for the head such as the famous Fish Head Curry dish. Fish pieces in stew and slices of fish served with a meal contain bones.

Village fragrant chicken

East Meets West:The Concept of Beauty

East Meets West:The Concept of Beauty

The main intention of writing about beauty is to compare and contrasts findings on how cultures interpret beauty. My trip to Australia reminded me so much of home. Living in an Asian country like Malaysia and then taking a trip to Australia made me think about the concept of beauty. Ideas of having hair extensions bleach blond hair, fit bodies, and a glowing sun-kissed face and body are ideal and both men and women are highly targeted for wanting or thinking that they want this image in both Australia and America. In Malaysia, exposure to the sun is not common. People will carry around umbrellas, wear long-sleeved shirts and sometimes thick sweaters to protect themselves from the sun. People also wear special hats with visors on the sides, sunglasses, and wear sunscreen.  The ideal for many is having a white, blemish-free face. People spend lots of money on face whiting creams, washes, and cosmetics for pale skin.  Westerners are in stark contrast. Some people are willing to pay money for tanning beds, tanning lotions and creams, bronzers, and tickets to tropical beaches to get a glowing tan.

Let us time travel back to the 19^th century and we tend to get a different viewpoint of skin color. During the Victorian era, people would obsess about having a lovely, pale face and skin.Pale skin reflected affluence, and having the luxury to stay in a house and not be associated with working the fields, as slaves and lower-class people participated in their everyday lives. Both men and women would also dust their face with a heavy powder (lead was one of the ingredients in the powder, may I say it caused some deaths) and put blush on to show a pink, healthy-looking face. The speaker in one of Emily Dickinson’s poems seems to poke fun at “Soft, cherubic creatures” who have “freckled skin.” The speaker of the poem mocked women who feel into the social pressured role of beauty.  The concept of the sun being dangerous in Malaysia is not something one reads about in newspapers or other media, but it probably comes  from Great Britain’s influence when it colonized Malaysia.

Caste systems favor lighter skin.  The caste system is usually viewed as being closely aligned with Hinduism. There are people who convert to different religions such as Christianity or Islam to break away from the caste system; however; there are those who practice Christianity and Islam and still want to know of “which class one is from.”   I know of someone who decided to stop dating a gentleman because although he was of a higher social class, his skin color did not show of that nature; it was too dark for her liking.

Long, thick eyelashes are a beauty trend among both Eastern and Western cultures.People having larger, more dramatic eyes appears in fashion magazines and beauty shops. In Malaysia,  there are eye lash extension shops. Lid tape is also common and it some people buy it so that they may create a lid shape for cosmetic application.

“The Three Sisters” Blue Mountains NSW

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains are a major attraction west of Sydney, Australia.  The Three Sisters supposedly stems from a native legend about three native aboriginal sisters who fell in love with three men who were from a neighboring tribe. However, their tribe had a specific law that stated it was forbidden to marry from the neighboring tribe.  The ethnic groups had a battle, and an elder man of the tribe decided to protect the three sisters by temporarily turning them into stone. The elder died in the battle and no one could turn the three sisters back into flesh from stone.  Meehni (she is the tallest of the rocks),  Wimlah, and Gunnedoo are known as the three sisters. Some people stated that this is not a native legend, it was really an attempt by a Caucasian settler to lure people to the spot as an attraction, in hopes to make a profit off the site. These three giant sandstone pillars are quite majestic to view.

 

The Blue Mountains

 

Eucalyptus trees (also known as gum trees) appear throughout the area. Australians told me that the blue appearance of the mountains originates from the hot sun’s heat, which causes the leaves to discharge a fine mist of eucalyptus oil. 

 

The steps can get steep so wear proper shoes as you walk along the different trails.

 

 

View surrounding the Blue Mountains

 

There are lots of different trails to take around the area.

 

 

 

The Blue Mountains

 

The Blue Mountains

 

The Three Sisters

 

Left to right:Meehni (she is the tallest of the rocks),  Wimlah, and Gunnedoo.

 

The Blue Mountains

The Three Sisters

 

The Blue Mountains

 

Scenery

 

 

 

 

 

The Blue Mountains

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, view these sites on the Blue Mountains and Three Sisters.

Virtual Your of the Blue Mountains

http://www.gundungurra.org.au/blue-mountains-tour.html

Panoramic view of Three Sisters.

http://0pointer.de/static/three-sisters.html

Nice Video of the Three Sisters

http://www.bluemountainsnswaustralia.com/

Sydney, Australia

The Sydney Bridge

The Sydney Opera House

Australian National Maritime Museum

Views of the Circular Quay

The City

Sydney Water Taxis

The Sydney Opera House

Go Green  Sydney Taxis

The old bank at The Rocks

The Queen Victoria Statue

The  Sydney Museum?

St. Mary’s Cathedral

St. Mary’s Cathedral

ANZAC Memorial Wreath: Hyde Park War Memorial

Hyde Park Memorial Statue

Hyde Park Memorial Building  Star Ceiling

Hyde Park Memorial Building Star Ceiling

Hyde Park Memorial Building

Sydney

The Sydney Tower

A fountain near St. St. Mary’s Cathedral

Sydney downtown

The Queen Victoria Building

Lavender Bay

View of Lavender Bay and the Sydney Bridge

View of Lavender Bay from Milson’s Point

Bradfield’s Park

Bradfield’s Park

Picnic time in Bradfield Park

The Sydney Aquarium: Stingray

Sydney Sting ray

The Sydney Aquarium Tortoise

Sharks at the Sydney Aquarium

Fish at the Sydney Aquarium

Starfish at the Sydney Aquarium

Penguins at the at the Sydney Aquarium

Crocodile at the Sydney Aquarium

The Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Gardens: Gigantic Banana Tree

Encephalartos lebomboensis
Southern Mozambique, Swaziland, and Transvaal in South Africa
Family name: Zamiaceae

Botanical Gardens Greenhouse

Butterfly at the Botanical Gardens

Malaysia, America, and Australia

“Brekkie”

“Brekkie” known as breakfast food is very similar to food served in the United States. Scrambled eggs, toast, cereal, oatmeal, and muffins are common food items. Vegemite on toast is something I never heard of until reaching Australia. Vegemite is a spread that consists of a yeast extract. An Australian may put Vegemite on bread, toast, crumpets, or crackers. Banana bread is also a common breakfast item.  People eat Vegemite throughout the day.

Vegemite

Sydney Opera House

The City

Growing up, I always envisioned Australia as an exotic and faraway place. My perception of Australia has drastically changed since living in Malaysia; it is no longer an exotic, but familiar place, one that reminds me so much of home. Sydney is a diverse city. I heard local Sydney people refer to themselves as a  Sydneysider. The city’s population is roughly 4.5 million, where Chicago’s population is close to 2.8 million. Sydney is an affluent city.

America really influences the rest of the world. Although there are lots of Australian companies, I still see stores such as Kraft Foods, Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Krispy Creme, Mc Donald’s, and Hungry Jack’s (it’s own by Burger King, they just couldn’t use the name because it was already copyrighted). Soft drinks are also very common in Australia as in the United States. With develop comes a higher cost of living and many people find their way to eating cheap food for nourishment. Obesity is high in Sydney, Australia due to poor eating choices such as fast food and sugary carbonated soft drinks. Diet soft drinks are also common, something that is unheard of in Malaysia, unless one goes to an expatriate grocery store looking for it. People who can afford soft drinks as part of their diet (which I don’t recommend) are from developed nations.

Manners

Being in Australia, there was a huge emphasis on manners when I was observing people in the community. According to the Webster Dictionary, “Manners are enforced cultural rules that are accepted among the community.” Australian manners and American manners are quite similar in nature since our cultures both stem from the British. However, I must confess that being in Sydney for two weeks only gave me a glimpse into the culture. Unfortunately, I cannot give a detailed account of cultural similarities and differences due to my limited time in absorbing the culture. My travel to Sydney gave me the opportunity to explore the topic of manners.

Malaysian Table Manners, American Table Manners

Table manners in Malaysia vary due to cultural differences in ethnic groups.  Sometimes, a cultural norm in one cultural could be another culture’s unacceptable  in another person’s culture. For example, in a Chinese household,  it is perfectly acceptable to begin your meal when one receives a serving of one of the five dishes at the table. In American culture, the rule is that all people should receive their food first before starting a meal.  Cultural differences are inevitable and are a great way for people to re-explore their cultural norms and cultural expectations when living in another country. My point of view slowly altered after assimilating into the culture.

My Chinese Household Experience

• If someone states that grandma or someone made the food dish, and one has not tried it yet, it is best to try it to please the cook.

• Sneezing away from the table is strongly encouraged. Many people express that sneezing in one’s shoulder or sleeve is more hygienic than sneezing into one’s hands and then washing them.

• Always serve elders first and make sure that they continuously get served throughout the meal.

• A younger person should always serve tea to the older family members and guests. A tea-cup should always be re-filled throughout the meal.

• You can begin eating even though people are not completely served all the dishes on the table.

• It is very common to constructively criticize the food at the dinner table.

• Burps and farting are common at the table and no excuse me’s are necessary.

• Blowing your nose into a cloth napkin is okay at the dinner table.

Malay  Food Manners

• The right hand is always used for eating. People wipe with their left hand and leave the right one clean for eating.

Indian Food Manners

• Eating with your hands is completely acceptable. Make sure to wash your hands before having a meal. Rice, breads dipped in curry, and other food items are all eaten with the hands.

American Manners

• Remember always to say please and thank you when receiving food or items during the meal.

• Men are not allowed to wear hats at the dinner table.

•  As a guest, keep comments to yourself if you dislike the food.

• Burps, farting, stomach growls, and blowing one’s nose at the dinner table is unacceptable behavior.

• All people should receive their food first before starting to eat.

•Never eat mashed potatoes with a spoon; it’s not proper.

• Never slurp soup or drinks. Do not blow bubbles from a straw into a glass of liquid.

Malaysian Manners

• Cover part of your mouth when cleaning your teeth with a toothpick.

Aussie Food

I absolutely love eating Aussie pies. I love steak pies, but they pretty much resemble what we Americans refer to as pot pies. There are all different kinds of meat pies: steak, chicken, or stewed beef. Those people who go on Bush Tucker tours can get the opportunity to try kangaroo and emu meat. Some people have a stigma towards eating these meats because they are considered to be wild and not domesticated products. I find the same way of thinking back home where ostrich, venison, and alligator meat are considered to be gross by some of the population.

The Australian biscuit (cookie) consists of oatmeal, coconut, honey, and other tasty ingredients and is known as an ANZAC biscuit. ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corporation. I heard that the biscuit got its name during World War I, when women sent the food item overseas for their husband’s to eat because it did not spoil easily.

ANZAC biscuit

Aussie Things

• Macadamia nuts
• Sandalwood
• Eucalyptus oil
• Wool sweaters
• Ugg boots,
• Tim Tam biscuits
• Vegemite
• Aussie pies
• ANZAC biscuits Lamington desserts