Exchange is change. Rapid, brutal, beautiful, hurtful, colourful, amazing, unexpected, overwhelming and most of all constant change. Change in lifestyle, country, language, friends, parents, houses, school, simply everything. Exchange is realizing that everything they told you beforehand is wrong, but also right in a way. Exchange is going from thinking you know who you are, to having no idea who you are anymore...
This past week, I've been staying with a Malay family to celebrate the end of Ramadhan, a holiday called Hari Raya in Malaysia, more widely known as Eid-Al Fitri. Hari Raya is this amazing holiday that is like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter all in one. I met my new host family on Wednesday night at a program at a mosque. We were introduced...
Yeah, it seems crazy but I've already been in Malaysia for 50 days! To celebrate, I've made a list of 50 things I love about this country. Enjoy, and here's to another great 311 or so days here Best of Malaysia in 50 Days How inexpensive food is. You can buy a full (and delicious) meal for $1 Orange juice tastes like oranges,...
So last night I was at the mosque meeting my Malay Muslim host family that I'll be with for Hari Raya. This reporter talked to us and turns out I'm in the paper! I'll post the link with the translation. It's all google translate so sorry it's awkward sounding. http://www.peraknews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2738%3Alapan-remaja-asing-sambut-raya-di-ipoh&catid=34%3Anegeri&Itemid=66&fb_source=message Eight teenagers from abroad the opportunity to experience at first hand the atmosphere...
WE MADE IT I'm secretly in love with this fish The drive to the hotel was crazy. Not only do they drive on the other side of the road, but Malaysian highways are insane. People weave in and out of lanes and there are always people on motorbikes threading in and out of moving traffic. The best part of the drive was seeing...
Our last night at the camp after 4 long days of ice breakers, Q&A sessions, a city tour, and the standard information about support structure, we were lucky enough to attend an event called Magic of the Night. The AFS Malaysia President, a well-known emcee managed to secure all 55 of us VIP seating for this festival. I sat between two French Pierres,...
Touchdown On July 3rd, after 36 or so hours spent buying expensive airport food, constantly stretching our legs, and watching free in-flight movies, Cathay Pacific flight 723 from Hong Kong International Airport to Kuala Lumpur International Airport bounced down the runway and taxied to a gate. On the plane, there were countless people, all headed to Malaysia for different reasons. Some were returning...
So I've been here 5 weeks, and I'm in a family with internet for a week! Yay! Over the course of these internetless weeks, I've been writing blog posts and I'll upload them all now so they'll be out of order but at least it'll be something So I've been here 5 weeks, and I'm in a family with internet for a week!...
