Everyone's "Upgraded", I'm not...

You know one thing I realized after so long I'm back, I observed that our country has upgraded in some sense. Despite still having terrible road condition, there are more fly-overs and highways that are more convenient for us motorist. I've also noticed the significant increase in export cars on the road, even those where i rarely see on the streets last 2 1/2 years ago. Even our very own local cars are improving(in terms of design at least), with the new series of proton and perodua cars. Malls are increasing with more designers franchise. Previously you can only get designer products in Bintang Walk area or KLCC but now you can even get some in The Gardens, Pavilion, and some in 1Utama. Broadband services are much more compatitive these days with P1, Mobile broadband (Maxis, Digi, Celcom), and our pride Streamyx. Although still lag behind, but you can see we're improving. Of course its more than that.

Seeing all those improvements, I felt so proud of my own country. However, I felt that I'm really lost here. I felt that I'm starting to lose pace and kinda lag behind already.

Now even my friends have "upgraded" i felt. Well mostly material wise but also maturity. Well I can't really describe what I meant by upgraded in terms of material, but I'll give example. It's like in da past, they enter SEED shop and we think it's classy. Nowadays, they go Esprit, Zara, Topshop and we think it's classy. Last time we go pizza hut once a while during outings, now we go Italian restaurants for it. Starbucks seems so unaffordable, but now it seems regular. Last time it's Megamall, now it's Gardens. Last time it's Oh! Sushi, now it's Jogoya. Last time it's Casio/Swatch, now it's Titus/Tag Heuer. Last time it's Nokia 3310, now it's Iphone. Last time it's USB stick mp3, now it's Ipod Touch. Many many more....

Of course you would say that most friends are working and therefore have a better purchasing power. But I'm talking about the purchasing mentality not power. I think those stuff are also affordable to some last time, but just that they don't go for it. It's more like mentally upgraded than financially upgraded. I remember saving like mad just to get a swatch watch worth RM199 for my girlfriend during high school and that's like one of those big achievement coz it's freaking damn expensive. Nowadays, RM199 is like "slightly better than no brand" that's all.

Ok enough for the materials. Maturity? We talked about job market. We talked about share markets. We talked about our country in 10 years to come. We talked about possible development and the effects on us. We talked politics in a deeper manner. We talked about travelling in a more sophisicated way. But I just don't seem to blend with them anymore. Obviously it's because I'm not working yet. In fact I'm no where close to working since I'll be doing my masters soon. Even that, my friends who are not in the finance line they can talk about financial stuff, but i can't. I don't even have a single simple finance knowledge. I don't even know what's crossed cheque, bankdraft n stuff. OMG!!!! Dammit!!!

I am so out these days!!!