Chaos and Order

I've made a few trips to Malaysia recently, which have been rather interesting. To set the scene, you might enjoy an anecdote from my class.

When I was teaching about economic development, I wanted the students to think about the differences between countries, so I asked them, "For those of you who have visited Johor Baru or Kuala Lumpur, what is your impression of Malaysia?"

A few students said things like, "cheap clothes" or "shopping," but the loudest responses were, "chaos!" and "a mess!" At that point I realized that living in Singapore gives you a skewed view of the world. Everything here is so ordered and organized, anything else does seem a little disorganized.

Petronas Towers in KL

Well, I am afraid I've caught the Singapore bug. Wandering around both Johor Baru and Kuala Lumpur, I felt the cities were a little chaotic. Pedestrian crossing lights at a few intersections were broken, leading me to sprint across the street whenever I saw a break in traffic. A city bus almost clipped me; you've gotta watch out for the buses. They don't stop. It was a great adrenaline rush.

The Low Cost Carrier Terminal at the Kuala Lumpur airport was also a bit crazy. I've been there before, but last time I flew in after living in Indonesia, and I didn't notice anything. This time I was extremely shocked. The place is more like a glorified bus terminal than an airport. It's hot, crowded, and difficult to get around. When I got back to Changi Airport in Singapore, the difference was startling. Changi is soothing, peaceful, and calm. Soft (Christmas) music is playing over the speakers, decorations shift from time to time, and the temperature is comfortable.

Spongebob is on Holiday Patrol

Patrick too!

Anyways, it was a shock. Mostly because I have never really paid attention to such things before. Singapore must be growing on me.

I guess I need to spend a little more time visiting Indonesia and Thailand before I get too comfortable here.

Another sign that I'm getting used to Singapore, I felt a little guilty buying chewing gum.