Writing in Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese

I am a Malaysian Chinese. During my time, I learnt the traditional Chinese writing system in elementary and secondary schools but when I entered high school, I started learning simplified Chinese. However my root is still based on traditional Chinese. Now when I write on paper in Chinese, I have to think whether what I write is simplified or traditional Chinese. Sometimes, I get mixed up with some Chinese in traditional and some in simplified Chinese. Although I know both traditional and simplified Chinese, it is still better to focus on the simplified Chinese which is mainly used in China. Now schools in Malaysia and Singapore are also teaching simplified Chinese only. Having said that, I feel it is beneficial to learn some traditional Chinese which had been used in China for thousands of years.

As an English speaker learning Chinese, I have been learning Simplified Chinese. Living in California, though, I often encounter Traditional Chinese since that is what a lot of expatriates use including, specifically, those from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Most takeout menus from Chinese restaurants here in Orange County, CA use Traditional Chinese.