10 Reasons to Eat at Hawker Stalls

1. Comparatively inexpensive 2. Possibly very tasty (Possibly not) 3. Introduction of new bacteria into your body for the purpose of strengthening your immune system. 4. Convenience 5.Anything's better than McDonald's 6. Supporting family-owned businesses 7. Opportunity to use foreign language skills 8. Check off on bucket list 9. Variety  10. Life is for living, right?

........................................................................... Here in Malaysia, you're nearly always within walking distance of somewhere that sells food. You might not be able to predict or determine what type of food will be available, but trust me, unless you're in the depths of the jungle, there will be food. Small restaurants and marketplaces which consist of an open floor with a bunch of tables, surrounded by individually-run stalls that each specialize in particular dishes, are everywhere. And there's also a lot of portable hawker stalls that appear daily on street corners and in parking lots. Recently, I've gotten a little pickier about what I'll eat and drink, just because of some health problems. There are a few places here where I do only order canned drinks rather than drinks made with tap water because I haven't had a long enough relationship with the restaurant to know what safety precautions were taken with the tap water (i.e. was it boiled?). But you're missing out on a lot if you travel to another country and only stick to eating things that look something like your own culture's definition of food. I love Malaysian food. I lost weight when I moved to America because I have found it hard to adjust to enjoying many Western dishes. I've spent this trip enjoying just about as much of my favorite foods as I can manage to eat while I'm here. When traveling, I do recommend sticking to canned drinks if there's any indication that the water used to make drinks isn't particularly clean. I recommend eating at places that are kept busy by local people (obviously, they know where the good food is). You can always order something, and if you don't like it, give it to your friend. Don't let any lack of knowledge about the types of foods available prevent you from adventuring. I've lived here for a long time, I already have my favorite foods, and I tend to stick to them. Angel, on the other hand, isn't quite so set in his ways, and instead of letting us order for him, likes to take the menu into his own hands and try something that sounds interesting. You might end up surprised when you find out what the food that you ordered actually looks like, sure, but hey, it's all in the name of adventure! There was a time when I didn't know that my favorite foods: char koay teow, roti telur bawang, bok choi, and palak paneer existed, but now I can't imagine my life without them.