Perceiving compliments

What's your response to compliments?
For me, the moment someone praises me, I feel extremely awkward. To be precise, I don't know what to respond.
For example, the cruising I went last month was in conjuction with Mother's Day
The organizer had this Mother's Day specials for mothers and son or daughter.
Because we were sitting on the front row, we were kinda forced to participate in the game.
And the host introduced each mother-son or mother-daughter team one by one by asking where they live and thier names.
When it's our turn, the beautiful host look at me and turned to my mom"Wah auntie, your daughter so beautiful"
I wanted to say you're even more beautiful but in public I just couldn't utter a word. I smiled awkwardly. I even forgot to say thank you.

The compliments I love the most is the one given by a handsome tourist guide in China.
Few days before we leaving China, he turned to my mum and said
"安娣，你就好啦，生的两个女儿长得如花似玉，。。。。。"
What a beautiful phrase, I've never heard of the phrase before in Msia
People just use "亭亭玉立 or '漂亮美丽' Hahaha
Not high self esteem, it's just the truth wahaha
My sister and I are beautiful ;p
Alright that's not the whole point, I remember the sentence because I can't understand what did he mean by it's good for having two pretty daughters. So good meh? What's the good? Pretty girls don't necessarily paired up to nice rich guys. Pretty girls attract more unnecessarily bees. (Not me, my sister) Pretty girls just get higher risk. ;p

I find that some Singaporean are not stingy in expressing their opinion.
Even close friends, they just like to show appreaciation.
Like if you help her on something, she will say "you're such a nice girl".
Or, when we plan to meet up, she say something like this" I'm really happy and looking forward in seeing you tomorrow"
And I just feel so warm but awkward too.
Back in Msia, people where got like that?
Close friends don't show appreciation by saying words like that.
They kinda show 'appreaciation' by 'cat 来cat去"
To be frank, I'm more comfortable people cating me although I feel happy being appreciated with the appreciation words.

Like today,
A cute Indonesian girl in my class, her first sentence to me was
"Hey, your voice very small,very cute"
Awkwardly, I answered" yea, people normally say my voice is soft."
Kinda 臭屁again right? Aiks.
But to say "thank you" also awkward.
Is this a compliment? Am I suppose to say thank you?
Can people don't say such words as their first sentence to me?
I really don't know what to respond.

Back in the old times,
I remembered when I was stil in sec school, few guys told me "you're so cute la". And I replied "Is beautiful, not cute"
Kinda 臭屁 I know. Haha. But I just didn't know what to answer cause I don't reckon myself as a cute girl.
I'm not cute.
But as I approach more people, I heard the words more often.
People say my voice is cute and I look cute.
Although I prefer to be seen as a tough girl, this seems to be part of me.

Well, I do like all the compliments, it's just that I feel awkward the moment they praised.