Flexibility

Previously I wrote about getting creative to get out of the bathroom:

http://samchristhai.blogspot.com/2009/09/malaysia-what-do-you-do.html

I've had occasion to return to the same bathroom since, and noticed a change. First, the door doesn't automatically close - apparently reworking that was chosen until the door handle can be addressed. Later, the door closure mechanism was put to additional use.

For me, this is a nice example of the creativity and resourcefulness I often see in southeast Asia. Compared to some places I've traveled, budgets for infrastructure or maintenance are different, so solutions to obstacles often become more innovative. As well, the standards being adhered to are also much less rigid and more negotiable, with 'what works' becoming 'what's proper'. I've tried to learn to see it from that mindset, and it's made me a much more tolerant person.