Dunia Kita Berbeza

You see, although I was born and raised in KL, deep down, I'm very much what the KL'ites would call a "kampong girl"

I used to know Mr. A. I guess you could say that he is what most women would dream of. Good looks, plays golf, come from a prominent family, shops at Pavilion and KLCC, decked out to the nines in designer outfits and accessories. He's all about the money bay-beh.

I told him that we're worlds apart. He said he could handle it.

He enjoys the life of the high society, cocktails, gala's and making in on the society pages in the local newspaper.

He's all about the Gucci shoes, the RM500 Polo t-shirts, and the Prada underwear. That's an exaggeration on my part.

He's all about the Maserati's ( I don't even know whether that's a car or a motorbike) the Porsche's and the BMW's.

He's all about the lobsters, caviars and the hundred ringgit a plate teppanyaki.

He's all about the Pavorotti, and other opera singers whom I haven't heard of. No, not haven't heard of, I'm ignorant of would be more like it.

He collects watches worth thousands of ringgit a piece, I'm just thankful that the one on my wrist if functioning.

Me, I'm contented with eating at mamak restaurants & Uptown where the Kuey Teow there is only RM3.50 a plate. My idea of fine dining would be at restaurants where the waiters and servers come to you instead of standing in line and pointing to the menu mounted on the board in front of you. Hotels and other fine dining establishments terrify me because I just don't know which fork goes with what. They all look the same to me. Attentive waiters and hosts make me squirm. I feel like they're just waiting for the moment when I do a "Julia Roberts" with the flying escargot. I have this vision of them rolling their eyes or laughing their insides out while politely escorting me out for fear that I might harm other patrons with my flying stunt. Not good for their image they say.

Me, I'm all about the asam pedas, I make killer asam pedam by the way, masak lemak cili padi and the ulams that you can get dirt cheap in pasar Chow Kit. I did not mention sambal belachan as I have a terrible sinus problem.

Me, just hand me my Ipod with John Legend, Diana Krall, Sheila Majid and I'm one happy person.

Me, I'm just ecstatic that my locally manufactured car takes me from point A to point B and sometimes it'll go a bit further even to point Z without breaking down.

My idea of luxury is the premier toilets in KLCC to which you need to pay RM2 to get in. I could stay in there all day. With all the free toiletries and body spray courtesy from Body Shop. Interesting marketing strategy I must say. I do wonder whether their sales have increased ever since.

Once, not so long ago, I thought I wanted all that. But when I had a taste of it, I know it wasn't for me. Because you see, deep deep down, I'm just your average kampong girl. I'm happier this way. Life is much simpler. And until my paycheck would miraculously triple or quadruple its amount anytime soon, the life of the rich and famous will be a fairytale.

A kampong girl in the city of KL that I heart so much.