Differences Again

Haven't written much on differences for sometime. Not too sure why? Perhaps its that feeling of trying to get into the system rather than fight, question or ridicule it.

Well here it goes again.

• I guess its pretty mandatory that all cars should have their head lights switch on at all times. Did I tell  you earlier on that people here are so darn laid back? What does that have to do with cars. I suppose because they are so laid back they couldn't be bother to switch it on when there's fog. (And believe there's fog pretty much all the time and it comes without much warning). So I could understand if the ministry of transportation were to set such rules because if not they wouldn't even bother.
• Also, when cycling on bicycle, it is mandatory to use a protective head gear.
• Did you know you could pay using your ATM card at almost any counters anywhere here. Not like back, only certain places and certain bank's ATM are accepted. Overhere its pretty much integrated. I guess that's a good way to avoid increasing debts by using Credit Cards instead. So in this case your ATM card is your debit card.
• Did you know that doctors don't sell the drugs. You see the doctor. The doctor diagnoses your problem and writes a prescription. You take the prescription to a drug store like Guardian but over here its Lawton or Shoppers. The pharmacist will then gather the medicine for you and provide the necessary advice for consumption. I would say the pharmacist job is pretty much respectable here as oppose to back home.
• Did you know if you mentioned Panadol or tried looking for it at a drug store, you can forget about getting any positive reply or result. Why? They don't have Panadol. Instead, the equivalent to that is Tylenol. Yea you said it, no panadol nor paracetamol. Now we know.

Till then...

Differences Part 7

We had a couple of situation with our money. Why? That's because one of the big difference here is that names are capured into 2 parts or sometimes 3 parts - First Name, Last Name and Middle Name. Anyhow, that problem has passed us by and we got over it. But it is an eye opener.

• Unlike Malaysia which considers the whole name as one name, over here, they split it all up to either 2 or 3 parts.
• Banks charges for almost any thing. Even keeping the money inside, they'll charge you a minimum of a few dollars per month. There's charges for withdrawals too. (But we don't get them as we have student accounts). And the best part of it all is the electronic transfer via internet. Unlike Malaysian banking system where you do a transfer online by simply providing the account no. Over here they use an emailing system. Simply provide the email of the person you want to remit the money to and followed by a question. Then the receiving end, would receive an email with a link. The link leads to the question where they need to provide an answer, the correct answer would lead to them having the money transacted. This whole process cost the payee, CAD 1.50!!!!! WTF!
• Did I say stationaries are expensive? Yes they are... And to top that up, files are 3 rings, much like what American companies like IBM has. Anywhere you go it is 3 rings. So you need to purchase the 3 hole puncher. Your 2 hole puncher would render useless.
• Paper size is "Letter", not A4 which is the standard back home.
• Routers work easily with your internet provider service (ISP). Just plug and play. Except you'll need to configure the wireless security.
• No FM radio as far as I can tell because Internet is so fast here, everyone would us a live internet radio.
• People are more bold when speaking, that's a given. They speak out what's in their minds most of the time.
• You eat more here because of the colder weather. 
• All price tags of items doesn't include the 13% tax. Price tagging system sucks!!! Most of the time items don't even have their price tags on them and there's no auto price check counter as well, so you'll have to suck it in and go to the counter to ask for the price.
• Generally work ends at 4.00 pm. The good part is, they still have another 5 hrs of day light as night time doesn't come until 9 pm.
• I don't know about other places but Halifax has alot of wooded walking trails for the nature enthusiast. Fat chance if you wanna get them in KL or PJ. Any free land is prime for property development. Bling Bling!!
• Sunlight (though not often) has stronger UV. So sunglasses is adviced and not too much skin exposure pls. Although Malaysia may be hotter but our UV isn't as dangerous. 
• Ang Mohs just love to show it all, if you know what I mean. 
• Ang Mohs love to bath under the sun, despite the UV warning.

Differences Part 5

Nope, we did not manage to go to Waterfront. Sadly it rained just before we about to leave. Anyhow, some other thoughts to the differences:

• Everything we buy has 13% tax (that's only for Nova Scotia). From the groceries, to clothes and even services. Its called HST here which stands for "Harmonized Sales Tax". Well no harmony to it and its a pain as all price tags don't include the tax.
• Services usually require one to tip at most 15% extra. E.g. to waiter or cab driver. But its not a must to pay the whole 15%. It depends on their service.
• Depending on who you talk to, you may be treated as a student or someone from China. Yes, there's alot of folks from China here. And the bad thing about it is that they usually don't have a good command of English. Therefore, conversation with them would be really hard if you don't speak in Mandarin. Anyhow, once you start to say a word or two and that they (the ang mohs) hear you speak our Malaysian English (Queen's English and not your average PCK English), they'll start having more respect for you.
• All tap water comes with cold and hot. Even the shower and the kitchen sink. Back home, its only the hotels that seem to have this. Or posh homes. But over here, its prevelant everywhere.
• The pee pee bowl in the guys toilet is way much higher here.  But I'm cool with that as I would be considered average height. Guess its for the ang mohs which most of them are generally taller.
• All homes have basement. And they have 2 entrances. The main door leads to a small room where one can clean oneself up (mainly for winter days), before openning the 2 main door.
• Tulips are grown very easily. We're starting to see them bloom.
• Provincial government provide health insurance to anyone who is legally working here.
• Parks are abundant.

Differences Part 4

Here goes another one of the comparison I am making from my oberservation between Canada and home.

• Frankly speaking I love well litted areas. Bright lights and all just gives you a feeling of warmest. But plug points over here are totally different from where I come from. And to make matters worse, they don't have the darn switch. Plug it in and there you go. Its scary because electricity will flow through no matter what. Unlike back home, electricity flows only if the switch is on.
• Do it yourself. If you buy a furniture here, no matter if its not from an ikea like place or whatever it is, its all do it yourself man!
• Homes are all wooden except for apartments and high rise. But they are kinda brightly painted. Sometimes blue, some are green and some a white. You won't see any dull colors around from this part of Canada.
• Regardless of the fact that this is city isn't as big as Toronto or Vancouver, its bus system is pretty decent. Frequent and on time. Now let's see, I believe Kuala Lumpur or Klang Valley, a city 7 times the size of Halifax should do better. But in actual fact, it lags behind alot! 
• Bacteria! Spreads around at home fast because you don't go around openning the windows wide often and the air isn't moist like back home. 
• Cooling weather makes it possible for you to avoid ever sweating even in the open when you walk alot. As a result, you don't have to bath that often. Really... But be it as it may, both of us still can't get rid of our Asian mentality, its usually 2 baths a day for us most of the time. I guess most of the "Ang-mohs" hardly bath at all. I was sitting next to one on the bus last week and the smell was horrendous!!!!! And mind you, it wasn't a guy, it was a lady actually.
• Smoke free! The city loves it. Halifax Regional Municipality encourages it and also actions on it. There's no smoking sign on almost every major buildings and some like the hospital goes even further to say, "No smoking within certain distance of the building" too... I love it! We love it! I bet you not many Malaysians would be able to survive here like that. They'd probably have alot of nicotine packs tuck under their armpits, bellies toes and wherever! Haha...
• Youth rebels. I notice goth like youths today. Weird looking people who have nose rings or rings in weird places and hair cuts that are half done. And clothes with many silver sticking out. There are quite a few of them around though.
• Chinese restaurants here serves the pretty standard food.
• Lebanese restaurants serves pork... interesting...
• Respect. Everything has 2 main languages - English and French. Because of its history. Generally the Canadian population is split into 2 major language groups. That being anglophone (english speaking) and the other being francophone (french speaking). And so all signboards, goods, instructions, brochures, whatsoever, etc. have these 2 languages on them. How about that Malaysia? Can we have 3? I suppose meritocracy is dead.
  
  

Differences Part 3

Some additional observations:

• Clothes and shoes are cheap, even after conversion. Levis are like - what? 18 and that's not on sale yet at Walmart. Even if you times that by 3 you'd still pay for it cheaper here than in Malaysia.
• No drying. Basically washing machine sits next to a dryer. It would be impossible or very difficult to find any sunshine that'll dry your clothes as fast as they do back home (except for the monsoon seasons of course)
• Everything closes at 6pm or 9pm - period! And for office it is 4 pm - period!
• But unlike other provinces, Nova Scotia just like its other atlantic brothers and sisters (New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland) are more conventional. So you probably notice that people here are more family oriented.
• Mat Salleh's aren't BIG after all... That's probably because there're more of the Celtic, English and French stock. Because NS use to be a former French and English colony. Unlike those who are desendants of Germans or Nordic countries, you'll notice that they tend to be bigger in size.
• People say their please and thank yous and have manners. They great everyone and are pretty friendly. I am not too sure about back at home... I don't get that kind of treatment from my previous office place, no one even say a simple Hi.. Its like there's gold in their mouth. Here, here its different.
• People wear their shoes into the house. Back at home, we don't.
• Its all wipping system after your BIG business. "Che-bok" system is not in use here. So toilet paper companies makes a little extra out of that.
• People don't really read much news as in world news. Yes they have their dailies, but world news section only cover a small section. They are really in their own world (generally).

Differences Part 2

A little while ago I wrote on some of my observations with regards to the differences that I have noticed with the way things works here and that of back home. I'll try not to criticize much but I guess one can't discount the fact that the heart always closer to home (that being Malaysia of course). I'll continue with this observation from time to time.

• No windows ever open sidewards. Why? It make sense! Because the wind here can get really strong and that's not a rare moment. At least 3-4 days in a week would be like that. Therefore all windows open up upwards.
  
• Left-hand side driving as oppose to right-hand side driving. It's not that I am against the cars having the driver seat being on the left-hand side. But the fact that the whole road system changes due to that is a little horrifying. Why? Imagine this, at an intersection, you'll turn from your right side of the road into the other right side of the road - not giving much space for the turning. Unlike our road system. You get me? Never mind. I don't get myself either...
• Car plates are only shown on the back of the car. Not the front.
• Houses are generally rather old here. Why? Here's my thoughts - things here are made to last! Unlike Malaysia and so alot of things may appear to be old but they still work real fine.
• Food is... well, expensive (just as in at home) when you eat outside. But its really cheap should buy the raw materials and cook by yourself at home. And to top that up, the quality is there! Tomato is rich and yummy unlike no other. This comes from someone doesn't really fancy tomato. If tomatoes were made like this back at home, I would have taken them. Come on, even the eggs have richer and bigger yolk than ours do. And the bread - simply rich with grains and spoilt with choices.
  
• And Chinese run grocery shops are called Asian groceries. Back at home, their just normal "kedai runcit"...
• Even the wild grass that grows along the side walks flowers in spring. Unlike our wild grass - "ee lek" no nothing whatsoever. 
  
• Disables are well respected. Everything here is disable friendly. They don't wheel their chairs, its all mechanically operated. All they have to do is simply control a joystick to move in whichever direction they want to.
• Its a green green place. There's recycle bins everywhere.
  
• Drivers respect pedestrians more than ever, so they'll give way to you. Unlike in Malaysia, when a driver sees a pedestrian from a distance trying to cross the road, they'll hit on the gas paddle even more.
• People here (I suppose it applies everywhere) are really into bargains. But you'll feel it more here because even for the bargains and discounts, the items still have QUALITY. Not like in Malaysia. "Made in China" items here are more sturdy than our "made in China". Sort of like the Grade A "made in china" items gets flown in to 1st world countries and grade F or E gets flown to Malaysia. That's really SAD... Bought an offer of a lamp set which is of course made in china for CND 69 from Walmart and it was all working well and of course sturdy. I suppose I can't get that back at home for RM 69.
  

Oh well, that's about it for now. Like I said, will update this from time to time.

Differences Part 1

Ok, not going to snuggle up just yet. Have been harboring the thought of writing something to show the differences and many changes we've seen around us and to us so far. So will start out something now. It may not be a complete list but its a start and I'll update it from time to time.

• Of course prime of all is that it is colder here. That's a no brainer. But its because of this which is why alot of other things happens.
  For example we have to close the windows most of the time and so alot of places don't get aired - and thus Bacteria starts to lurk around. And the best is, you can't tell...
  Even if you were to go outside and walk around the city, you may think - "yea its a nice cooler weather we got here, but there's still dust around, it is just that you can't see it or feel much of it like we could back home" -- the thought is scary...
  
• Also because the air is different to us and because our body is still adapting to the changes, we noticed that our noses has traces of blood and also our skin gets itchy sometimes (well at least for me because I'm not as discipline as my wife to rub those oil based solutions on my body before heading out)
• Your hand gets numb if you're expose to the wind too long- that happened to me earlier today as we were dashing back home from the faculty building. Winds were too strong for me to even use the umbrella but I had to hold it in my hand as I couldn't keep in my bag, which is why my hand was exposed.
• When the sky is clear, its really clear blue skies. No cloud in sight. (Except for today when its raining - lar)
• There's hardly any strays... Didn't see any stray dogs or cats (only 1 cat). People here love their dogs and treat them almost on par as a child.
• Take away the usually sight of crows back home - over here, its Seagulls that'll be hovering around even in carparks or fields, whereever.
• Banks are so way behind - maybe only in small cities like Halifax... No ticket number for queuing. And there's no ATM for cash deposit.
• Go Green!!! And they really mean it everywhere. If you bring your own cup, you'll get about 30 cents off your coffee at any diners - so almost everyone walks around with a cup in their hands.
• Jogging - you can jog anytime between 6 am - 9 pm (as its daylight during these hours) and as long as its not raining. Even at 12.00 pm when it should have been schorching hot in places like Malaysia, you'll see them doing so and also taking kids to the playground.
• Bread here is good! And everything is either cheesy or hammy... I am eating more than I should to actually bear with the weather. But one good thing is (not too sure if that's good anyway), you hardly sweat - so we're making a point to do light exercise in the morning everyday.

Well ok that's enough for now. Will write more when I remember what else to say. There's simply alot but right now that's all that I remembered.