cultural food periplus

When I was in Penang, in Malaysia in 2010 for a study exchange programme, I was not aware of the local culture.
I was told that there are three different ethnic groups living together and that football and food were the main topics of everyday talk. I thought that I was going to eat only rice and I did not took seriously some travel tips from guides that praised the food variety of Malaysia. However, during my staying in Penang I got amazingly hit by the different varieties of food I run across.
When I had a tough day ahead I always started with a good nasi lemak, rice, egg and fish to start the day with energy and attention, without forgetting a good cup of tea with milk. At lunch I usually had dumplings or some Indian curry rice and for dinner, usually some char kway teow, enjoying the shrimps and the noodles or, if I was walking, I usually took some satays, very good and practical skewers. Other than these dishes I had many more, from duck soup to curry mee or nasi kandar. Walking in the streets of Georgetown is like walking in a open cupboard, you just have to stretch your hand, take food and enjoy it. The food courts are the best place to enjoy a large variety of food, you can eat and drink in open air and encounter nice local people that welcome you warmly.
Eating styles are signs of how people enjoy life. Well, through my experience in Penang, I realized that Malaysians enjoy eating and have a positive aptitude to life. The mixture of Chinese, Malay and Indian food, combined with the eating styles and habits, from Muslims to Buddhists added another trace to my experience. I did not have any cultural shock, I rather enjoyed the positive aptitude of Malaysians to life and that was possible even by the vast choice of good food in the streets of Penang.