To Dwell in Possibility

Read the original post here: Musings from Malaysia: 11 Years Later- How Living in a Primarily Muslim Country has Changed my Views of the World....

Has it really been one year since I wrote this post? 365 days, and thousands of miles away. How things have changed.
I've been back in the U.S. for almost 4 months now. People ask me questions about my Malaysia all the time, but sadly the questions, especially at school, range from "Did someone try to set you up to be in an arranged marriage?" to "I'm surprised you came back, you know, living with terrorists for a year."
It's heartbreaking. The people I called mom, dad, brother, sister, friend, teacher last year are labeled as terrorists here, simply because of their religion. Trying to convey a message of acceptance and tolerance can be difficult. The human race is one that likes to draw their own conclusions.
This isn't every American. Not at all. In fact, the attitudes are changing. I presented at a college fair with a colleague program last weekend about the YES Abroad Program. When I said the words "American high schoolers live in countries with significant Muslim populations for one year," I was humbled to see that parents and students alike weren't bothered by this. Maybe a little surprised, as Southeast Asia and Africa aren't common study abroad locations, but they were willing to hear me out. This is a response I doubt I would've gotten as little as 5 years ago. Acceptance is growing; it makes me proud to be an American.
As much as it has become a part of it, September 11th is not a religion based day. Muslims, Christians, Jews, Atheist, Hindus alike were victims of the attack. We all bleed red. Osama bin Laden was Muslim, Hitler was atheist, Westboro Baptist Church is Christian. Each religion has hate. Evil people doing terrible things. That doesn't change the beauty in the holy fasting month of Ramadan, or the empty tomb on Easter, or the menorah burning for eight long nights. It doesn't change the photos of the Christians in Egypt holding hands to make a human wall while Muslims pray, and then Muslims doing the same later. Religion may define a person, but a person shouldn't define a religion.

Tomorrow, I will stand with my schoolmates, wearing red white and blue, seeing the flag of this great nation fly. Tomorrow, we will respect the fallen, the wounded, the mourning, those who 12 years later, still live with the aftermath of this tragic event every day. Tomorrow,  is a day to remember. A day to respect, honor, and mourn. Tomorrow, our nation will be united, hearts beating as one. And all over the world, we must remember other countries are with us. Tomorrow, maybe we can put aside our differences for once, and remember that day 12 years ago, view it as citizens of the world, regardless of our backgrounds.

I miss boleh-land. A lot. And I wish I was there to celebrate with my family and friends in wishing Malaysia a happy 56th Independence Day! Selamat hari Merdeka ke-56!
I'm celebrating here in New York by listening to Najwa Latif songs and singing Negaraku to myself in my room. Hm. Doesn't quite compare to the kampung kenduri I went to last year...
Anyways, in honor of my favorite country's birthday, here's some pictures of the beautiful country I was lucky to call home for a year.

Note: This post was inspired by the lovely Sara Britton's blog, which can be found here. You should check it out for some more great advice.

My facebook is full of pictures of students in their blue AFS-USA t-shirts, getting on planes and traveling to their new homes. It's hard to believe it's been over a year since I was in their place, attaching the yellow AFS tags to my suitcases and constantly checking my e-mail for the latest news about the year ahead. With all my experiences in mind, here are some things I wish someone had told me before I got on the plane, and reminded me of as the year progressed. Keep in mind though, everyone's experience is different, so take this advice with a grain of sugar. (Because salt is too bitter.)

Try not to have too many expectations. The country that you see all the pretty google images of is not the country you're going to be living in. The statuesque Petronas Towers and vibrant hibiscus blooms are not what Malaysia's all about. The best parts of a country, and what tourists often miss out on, are the things that can't be photographed. Culture, respect for elders, family gatherings, the taste of the local cuisine... A picture may be worth a thousand words but sometimes the words might aren't spoken in the right language.

That being said, bring pictures of your home with you. Especially in the beginning, when the language barrier is rearing its ugly head, photos are a good way to show people what your home country is like. My classmates especially liked seeing my yearbook, it gave a better picture of American high school than anything else.

Don't be ashamed, or overly proud of where you came from. You'll be dealing with a lot of stereotypes, and people will be surprised there's more to America than New York and Hollywood. Just avoid the "America is the best country ever why is this country not like it" state of mind. You came to experience something different.

Bring extra gifts, and don't bring too many "Western" clothes. I felt really bad that I didn't have gifts for my second host family or the families that hosted me during festivals. Even little things like postcards make people happy. Cheesy, but it's the thought that counts. As for clothing, pack a week's worth and something dressy.You'll buy a bunch of stuff while you're away, and I ended up with a suitcase solely for my Asian clothing. If you can, check only one bag and buy another (look at markets or thrift stores for cheap ones) to bring back with you.

Take lots of photos and videos to show people when you get back. Or, if you forget your camera ask if you can borrow someone else's photos. People in America love to see photos even more than they love to hear you talk about your experience. But be careful what you post on facebook, because 350 photos of a 3 day long orientation camp leans on the excessive side. And remember to make memories beyond the camera lens. Things like taste, smell, emotions all contribute to fond memories you can look back on.

Journal. I always journaled when I was at my very low points, and it felt good just to get thoughts down on paper. Plus you can look back a few hours later, a few days later, a year later and feel proud of how you handled the problem and be proud of yourself. Blog as well. It's a great way for people back home to know what you're up to. Be wary of blogging while you're especially sad or homesick though, because people in the US will be concerned that you're sad all the time. They don't know about all the day-to-day happy experiences that don't make it to the interwebz.

Laugh long and often. People are going to laugh at you. People laughed at me when I was literally doing nothing. Learn to laugh with them. Some people have never seen a foreign person before, it would be like you or me suddenly seeing an alien in class pretending to belong. You're going to make mistakes, and be in awkward situations, or accidentally order head juice instead of coconut juice. It might be mortifying at the moment, but if you laugh at it now you can skip the crippling embarrassment part and move on with life. Some of my favorite stories to tell are the ones where I made really stupid mistakes like eating raw soup mix or bamboo leaves.

Take advantage of your exchange student status (within reason). This isn't to say you should justify doing stupid things with "Oh, I'm an exchange student rules don't apply to me." I was able to be in the newspaper, go to numerous weddings, and attend special functions because I was a foreigner. There will probably be few times in your life when you'll be the shiny new foreigner, so enjoy it while you can.

Beware of fake people or people that try to bring you down. This one's kind of hard to talk about for me, because it was a big problem during my exchange. Sadly,there are people that will want to be friends with you while you're all new and different and American and will dump you as soon as you've been in the country for a while. They think of you as a status symbol, "Oh look at me I have an American friend yay" and then get bored of you. Look for people that like you for you. Clubs, societies, sports teams are good ways to meet authentic people because you have a shared interest. Beware of people that use you as a wikipedia page or an English dictionary. Sure it's okay to ask for a definition once in a while, but you're not in a foreign country to be a human google translate. Or use it as an excuse to learn the local language. For every word they ask you, ask them one in return. It's okay to speak up, even to a teacher, when you feel like you're being treated as a book rather than a human.

Make goals for yourself. Maybe you want to learn the language. Maybe you want to learn how to cook. It doesn't matter what your goals are, having them is valuable enough. They keep you focused.

Don't sacrifice your morals for the sake of cultural adaptation. It's one thing to communicate in a less direct way, or use a different toilet, but some things can't be chalked up to cultural differences. Abuse, sexual advancements, and neglect are never okay.


Trust your instincts. If something seems seedy, it probably is. Use your common sense. Even though you're in a different environment, a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach still probably means something is wrong. Speak up if you need help.

Know your rights. This is a very American concept, but what's best for you is the top priority. It might not be the easiest route for whoever is in charge, but it's the necessary one. As an exchange student you are entitled to a host family where you feel safe and comfortable, a person you can always contact that will support you no matter what the situation, and the knowledge that there's people in your home and host country looking out for you. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. With all that in mind, try to respect the chain of communication, even though sometimes it might feel it's missing a link. If you need help, you are entitled to receive it in a timely matter. Listen to yourself.

Don't let others make you feel bad about exchange-related decisions. You make your own success. Switching host families when there's a good reason does not make you a bad person. Having problems with school doesn't mean you're a failure.

Try and stay in touch with friends and family back home. Not too much, but a "hey, how's school been?" message can keep a friendship going. And you'll not be so out of the loop when you go home...

Alumni and other exchange students are valuable resources. Exchange students become so close so quickly because they know what it's like to be in the unique bewildering role of an exchange student. Alumni know it too, and they survived it, so their advice may be the most helpful. Don't be shy to send a facebook message, they're probably more than happy to help.

It's okay to be homesick! It's normal. It's okay to lock yourself in your room crying once in a while. A good cry is necessary once in a while. Of course, don't isolate yourself completely. Your host family will feel sad that you're sad, and will do their best to cheer you up! With that in mind, if you feel sad all the time, ask for help. Depression due to so much upheaval in your life can happen. Sometimes you might not even realize you're depressed until you talk to someone. Adjustment is not easy, give yourself credit for moving around the world to a country full of strangers when  you're a teenager.

Don't compare your experiences. This is probably the most important advice I can offer. One of the things I wish I had done differently was not compare my experiences as much. There's always going to be a student that posts on facebook about how amazing their host family is, how much they travel, how much they love school. Do not let that get under your skin. A happy blog post or facebook album does not mean someone's having a good experience. People go through adjustment at different rates, so you might be at a low point when someone's in the honeymoon phase. A month later when you're having the time of your life, they might be missing their family a lot. If you spend your whole experience comparing, you won't realize how lucky you are. Maybe people are even jealous of you. Don't let someone else's experience change how you define yours.

Finally, stay true to you. Don't change to be what everyone wants you to be. There's no perfect exchange student, so don't get hung up on being one. Appreciate the little advancements in language you make. Pat yourself on the back once in a while. it At the end of the day, this is your experience not anyone else's, so make it what you want it to be.

I just like this picture a lot. Taken in Perlis.

Today is the 4th of July. In America, it marks the date our country declared itself free from Great Britain. Today, America is 237 years old.
This time last year, it was my second night in Malaysia. I spent the holiday with the other YES Abroad students and two AFS volunteers. They were practically strangers then; this year they're family. This time last year, I watched the fountain and light show in front of KLCC, heart full of excitement and nervousness for the year to come. This year, my family had a barbecue and we sat on the front porch. I watched fireflies flicker around the backyard and listened to the fireworks boom in the distance.
1 year, 366 days, 12 months later, here I am.
I left my home to return to my home, and it wasn't easy. I've had to relearn how to interact with people I've known my whole life. Little things like eye contact, shaking hands and speaking proper English throw me off completely. Friends and family in many ways have stayed the same, and expect me to be the same, but I've changed a lot. More than anything I'm often left pondering the question: did anyone actually miss me? And deep down, I know that they did. But there's a lot more awkward silences with people that I used to talk to for hours on end before I left. And there's a lot of miscommunications between my parents and me. And there's a lot of feeling horribly foreign in a country that I once called my only home. When people said re-adjusting to America is more difficult than adjusting to Malaysia, they weren't kidding.
I'm not saying it's all bad, it's definitely not. Seeing my parents and friends again is great. Having my cats and dogs in the house with me is a beyond awesome feeling. I bask in the comforts of toilet paper in every bathroom, and free re-fills. I had blissful reunions with good ole New York brick oven pizza and burritos. And Greek salad. And Kraft mac&cheese. America's treated me well. I got my learner's permit and am learning to drive which is equally terrifying and exciting. The whole other side of the road thing was confusing at first, but I've finally stopped walking to the wrong side of the car when I get in. But like I said, it's hard to be fully present when a good chunk of my closest friends and family are a solid day's worth of plane rides away.
Whenever I've seen someone for the first time since I've been back, they always ask "How was Malaysia?" There's a variety of answers I give, depending on the who asked the question. The short version is "amazing and rewarding." The slightly longer version, "I learned a lot about the culture from my host families and I really have grown a person." The longest conversations, and the ones I enjoy the most are long chats with friends and family of all ages, preferably over a cup of tea. The listener is as eager to  hear my adventures as I am to share them. Those are the moments where I hope I leave an impact.
The questions I get sometimes never fail to surprise me. People are surprised that I was able to buy an iPad mini while in Malaysia, that that kind of technology exists there, but then again I've been asked if I lived in a tree.... A lot of people seem taken aback by the fact I went to an all girl's school where I had to wear a uniform. Many also wonder about what it was like living with a Muslim family. To that, I respond; it was a lot like living with my family in America. I felt just as safe and just as loved, despite their different religious views. And I've probably explained 15 times that Malaysia is that little country in between Thailand and Singapore.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Malaysia taught me a lot, and changed me just as much.
I'm more mature, open-minded and understanding. I've learned to stop and smell the roses, or maybe stop and smell the ikan bilis. Time has become more relaxed and I've realized it's okay to not be doing something after school everyday. I'm more outgoing, and speak up more often in large groups. I carry myself more confidently and am not afraid to ask questions. Some of my mannerisms have become distinctly Malaysian.
I fell madly in love with Malaysia. Char kuey teow, roti canai, Islam, night markets, lake gardens, highlands, teh tarik, baju kurung, Little India, Buddhism, cave temples, sarees, Hari Raya, KLCC, the LRT, Deepavali, KL Sentral, tudungs and tosay, dim sum, Changkat, Pavillion, BOH tea, Hinduism, Chinese New Year, incense, illegal firecrackers, expats, Starbucks, Ipoh, Penang, beaches, islands, lah, boleh, Punjabi men in turbans, judgmental Chinese aunties, tea on tea on tea, Nescafe, pinafores, prefects, Morals class, 5 Kekwa, fresh coconuts, pisang goreng, diving, snorkelling, shopping, chopsticks, nasi lemak, mamaks, exchange students, AFS camps, the Monorail, Times Square, stray animals, crazy taxi drivers, Ampang, Terengganu, Bahasa Melayu, SMK SS, lepak-ing, McDonald's
, nasi at every meal, bargaining at the markets, Jalan TAR, cheongsam, orang asli, Sabah, jungle trekking, my best friends, my worst enemies, people that loved me, people that hated me, oh my english, aiyoo, can or not.
That is my Malaysia, my satu Malaysia, my truly Asia, and I miss it and I love it and I want it so much it hurts. I am proud to call Malaysia my second home and Malaysians my second family. Chinese, Indian, Malay, Punjabi, Sikh, Orang Asli, Chindian, Portugese, Eurasian, mat salleh, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist,I don't care, I am so grateful to each and everyone of you.
There are so many thank yous to be said for this year.
To my host families, and schools. Strangers that welcomed me and called me sister, daughter and friend before they knew anything about me.
To my natural family- who let me go abroad in the first place, supported me throughout the year  the year and encouraged my dreams.
To my friends in the US- the ones who stayed in contact, and the ones who didn't.
To AFS Malaysia and AFS USA- who helped with the logistics of the program.
To all the volunteers- especially my LP Naz who were there to support me when ever I needed them.
To the other exchange students- my crazy international family who taught me how to swear in Italian.
To the YES Abroad Program and the State Department- who allowed me to have this amazing experience.
To the American taxpayers- who funded the best year of my life.
To the Embassy- who ensured we met up with other Americans and allowed us to share our experiences with the Ambassador.
To the blogger that made me twitter famous (Love ya Effi)
To every single Malaysian that helped me in some way- the mamak aannes, the school teachers, the people that asked for photos with me. The people that put up with my endless questions and silly American quirks.
To the Malaysians that gave me a hard time- the girls that started rumors about me, the football teams that whistled at me in Penang, the people that stared and laughed and pointed. Believe it or not, you helped me to be a stronger person.
And to you. To everyone that read my blog, shared the link, left a comment. Those who stuck with me and encouraged me to write when I had the worst writer's block ever. I appreciate all of you so much and hope you enjoyed following my journey.
But the journey's not over yet, oh no, it's just begun.
But for now?
Jumpa lagi, see you again.

DC was another whirlwind of workshops and visits with people.
We (Malaysia and Thailand groups) visited Senatorial offices at Capitol Hill and gave presentations at the State Department. It all felt like a blur, probably a combination of jet lag and reverse culture shock. Everything about America seemed clean, shiny, loud and over-sized. But then I think back to my first days in Malaysia and that makes a lot of sense. The opposite of what surprised me there surprised me here.
We stayed at the hotel where we were for our Gateway before we left, so it was a very strange sense of deja vu.
At the State Department, we received presentations about careers in the Foreign Service, including internships and programs available for high school students and undergrads. The State Department staff were very excited to talk with us, as they are the ones that administer the program and they enjoy seeing the results. We were names on a paper for them, and they finally got to put faces to names. We received books, journals and a lot of contact info for future opportunities. Participating in the program has opened so many doors.
Discussions with the Senators' staff were beneficial in that we were able to share what we learned with people that vote on the exsitence of our programs. I met with someone from New York Senator Gillibrand's office and someone from a Mississippi Senator's office. They enjoyed hearing from us and hopefully they'll share what we shared with their bosses.
We talked a lot about how we changed and discussed how the experience would impact the rest of our lives. Discussing my experience with our group leaders (who were alum) and with the Thailand returnees made me realize that this experience has changed my entire life.
DC ended with final goddbyes at the airport as we returned to our home states. My plane was the last to leave, so I was with Teresa until she got on her plane. We both cried, a lot. Teresa became my best friend

Murrica

With my Thai girl Augusta

At the State Department

Satu Malaysia in DC

My last few days in Malaysia were spent trying to eat as much food as I could in between saying goodbyes to the people that had become my family and best friends. I gave a speech (in Malay!) at assembly, I had a wonderful goodbye party from my class, I received lots of gifts. My host family took me to karaoke one last night. I tried to pack so much into my last few days, and that really helped to keep my mind off the fact that my time in Malaysia was drawing to a close.
James, Teresa and I, the tiny YES Abroad Malaysia family had our departure orientation. There was crying, there was laughing, there was Starbucks. The wonderful E Laine and our other LP's were there as well as we spent hours discussing the bizarre period of re-adjustment and reverse culture shock. We read the letters we wrote to ourselves back in July, when we had no idea what we were getting into. It was eye-opening to see how much I've changed, how different my views have changed.
We had our farewell luncheon with our host families, AFS Malaysia staff, Dato' Dale, and one of our favorite people from the US Embassy. Although small, it accomplished what needed to be done.
I stayed with Teresa's host family in PJ for the final days before our flight. We said a very teary goodbye to the other exchange students, strangers that grew to be my best friends. One last Pavillion trip. One last KL Sentral meet-up. One last time getting stared at on the LRT. One last drink in a bag. One last night spent staring up at KLCC, thinking about how blessed I am to have had this experience. To have this experience. It's not over yet.
My last dinner in Malaysia was Bangsar banana leaf rice with mango lassi. My last breakfast was dim sum. And there was definitely one last roti canai bought at the airport.
The airport was quite a scene. 3 American teenagers with easily 250 pounds of luggage between us (100 from Teresa, 100 from me, 50 from James...) We did have to throw away stuff at the airport. Itwas rough, but it kept my mind off of things. After baggage was sorted out, Teresa and James said their last goodbyes to their host family (mine couldn't come to the airport) and with our flight chaperone, we were off.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't bawl on the flight to Hong Kong. I cried like a baby. It wasn't easy leaving my home, to return to my home. After the best roast duck ever (SERIOUSLY TRY IT IF YOU'RE IN HONG KONG AIRPORT) I survived the 13 hour flight to LA.
Even those first steps into LAX felt very strange, the difference noticeable despite the unmistakable airport atmosphere. Due to a long layover, we had an overnight at an LA hotel. Dinner was provided and I enjoyed my real cheese and bread very much. I slept for a few hours, despite sleeping on both previous flights. Finally the next morning we hauled our luggage back to the airport and completed the last leg of our journey to DC.

Farewell Dinner with Dato' Dale

Last banana leaf rice

My bags were severely overweight

Last photo with the host fams

First meal back in the USA

I
 made this list shortly before I left. So more than one year later, here are the results...

Teresa and I snorkelling

One of the kids with his artwork

The village

Teaching Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes

After nearly 11 months in the country, I consider myself pretty Malaysian. Here's some of the habits/ ticks/ words I and other exchange students have picked up that have made us "Malaysianized"

You know you've been Malaysianized when...

• You know when to use lah, leh, lo, lor, meh, and ma all correctly
• You know the pros and cons of using DiGi, Maxis and Celcom
• Why do like this meh? is a completely okay question to ask
• You don't go out if it rains. Or even the day after it rains if it's a bad storm. Actually the rain stops all plans, and who wants to deal with the jam anyways??
• You think of KL people as city folk
• "We see how first" are words to live by
• You know the words for eat and tea in Tamil, Malay, and a few dialects of Chinese
• Complaining about how hot it is while soaking in the aircon/ fan is a completely justifiable way to spend a day
• As is going on facebook, twitter, and 9gag for 7 hours straight
• School holiday? Sleep until noon
• You know you should be studying but instead go on to twitter to complain about how much homework you have to do
• Shaving is optional
• You know at least 1 Malay and Tamil song
• You know whether to call someone "anne" or "abang"
• You'd rather call a women that looks slightly older kakak than deal with the consequences of calling an older looking woman that's young mak cik
• Arguing with the taxi drivers to use the metre isn't so difficult
• Crossing a busy street? No problem, use the hand
• You know how to use chopsticks and eat with your hands
• You've slowly forgotten how to eat with a knife...
• You get scolded by the prefects for not buttoning your baju kurung 
• You know what food stall at the canteen has the best food on what days
• There are people in your class that speak better English than you
• You know exactly what drama went down on twitter last night
• You always take a Chinese friend with you to eat dimsum because the dimsum women always try and rip you off
• People back in the US don't understand your English
• It's really hard to understand a non-Malaysian accent
• It's really difficult to form an English sentence without using a Malay or Chinese word
• You've used the phrase "special discount untuk mat salleh boleh cakap bahasa melayu" countless times
• You get really angry when someone thinks you're a tourist
• Hearing someone talking about you in Malay and approaching them and saying saya boleh faham bm is the best. thing. ever.
• You've never watched a Korean drama but still know what's going on in at least 3 of them from your talkative classmates
• It's second nature to bring tissue with you everywhere
• You've learned to not be offended when a Chinese or a Malay auntie tells you how fat you've gotten
• Whatsapp is crucial to survival
• You can't go more than one week without eating roti canai or nasi lemak...
• ... or one day without eating some form of nasi
• You can tell how sweet the teh o ais is going to be based on the race of the pak cik or mak cik that makes it
• You know what night market is open when and where
• You feel vaguely uncomfortable when you're in a new place and the call to prayer goes off and it's not the one you're used to
• You can tell what app someone is using on their phone based on the azan it plays
• You know what the call to prayer sounds like on at least 3 different radio stations
• You start to spell things the British way
• You know and taste the difference between Malay and Chinese char kuey teow
• You know which way to fold and your banana leaf and what it means after eating banana leaf rice
• Everyone goes to you with their problems because they know you don't know the names of anyone in school still
• Life without roti scares the crap out of you
• The GE is all you can talk about
• You laugh at the amount of political flags hanging up
• You still don't know the name of two girls in your class
• You know the LRT and Monorail system better than your host family
• The Starbucks baristas know you by name because you hang out there so often
• Malaysians know more about American pop culture than you
• You still can't recognize school people when they're not wearing their uniform
• People start ridiculous rumors about you (I DID NOT MOVE TO CHINA FOR 2 WEEKS)
• It doesn't phase you when you find out it was your English teacher that started the rumor
• You're tired and lazy all the time
• Going on a run is literally a joke
• People keep telling you the rainy season sudah pass but it still rains everyday
• There is no such thing as too much milo
• You started saying going back to America instead of going home, because Malaysia is home
• You don't know if you have friends/ who your friends are back home, but that's okay
• The thought of leaving Malaysia makes you cry. Really, really hard.
• You know that you'll be back one day!!

AFS Malaysia offers a program called Short Term Exchange, STE from here on out, to experience a different part of Malaysia. This year the locations offered were Melaka, Perlis, Terengganu, the Orang Asli settlement, and Sabah. Originally, I was one of eight students selected to go to Sabah, but due to the conflict in Lahad Datu, our trip was cancelled last minute and the eight of us were frantically shuffled around last minute to different STE locations. And that's how I ended up on a 13 hour bus ride from Ipoh to Kuala Terengganu.
My host family in Kuala Terengganu was Chinese and fabulous in all ways known to mankind. My host dad was a swim coach, English teacher, tae kwan do instructor and golfer, my host mom worked at a bank. I had two host sisters, Joceline, 19, my best friend, student and Jacqueline who works in KL. I also had a host brother who works in KL as well, but I didn't get to meet him.
The 2 weeks were really busy. The AFS Terengganu Chapter, led by Madame Lucy, had so many activities planned for us. On Sunday, we attended the 7 million women purple walk, which let us see the city, but it was during the hottest part of the day which was not so nice.
I also attended school for 3 days in Terengganu. SMK Sultan Sulaiman hosted me, Svenja and Emannuele in Form 4, classes A, B, and C respectively. The school was extremely Malay compared to Convent, there were only 2 Chinese in my class and no Indians! Everyone was super friendly and we made so many friends so quickly. Over 3 days, I swear we must have taken at least 200 photos with the students. That's another different thing, although techinically not allowed, even the prefects brought their phones to school. Such a difference than the military style discipline of Ipoh. Schools in Terengganu (along with Kelantan and Kedah, the other two Islamic states) run from Sunday to Thursday, that is, the weekend is Friday and Saturday to observe the Muslim holy day instead of the Christian. Goodbyes were surprisingly hard to say after only 3 days, but Svenja and I did go out with friends from school a few times after we officially stopped attending school.
One of the activities AFS organized was jungle trekking. I'm not a huge fan, but the first day of jungle trekking we also learned survival skills. After an hour hike we found ourselves on a riverbed where we learned how to build a fire and cook instant noodles, chicken and bread over fire. The noodles were cooked in a bamboo shoot, the bread twisted around a stick, and the chicken speared and rotated over the fire. There's something super satisfying about eating food that you cooked yourself, especially using just nature.
The eight of us hosted in Terengganu also traveled to Pulau Redang! Redang was incredibyl beautiful, everything you'd expect from a tropical island. Crystal clear turquoise water, powder white soft sand, lazy hammocks strung along palm trees under the beach, it was heaven. An utterly relaxing 3 days were spent on the island, tanning, jumping off the jetty, snorkelling. The staff at our resort were very friendly and we all left the island relaxed, but very reluctant to go back to "city life." Although I don't know how much of a city Kuala Terengganu is considered... It doesn't have a movie theatre.
When I wasn't island hopping or trekking, I was spending time with my lovely host family. I grew extremely close with my host sister, bonding over our love of glee and John Green novels (If you don't know who he is, look it up). I went with my host dad to swimming practice, hung out with my sister;s friends, and made the most of my time there. I really miss Terengganu and saying goodbye was truly a saddening experience.

Clowning around in school

Beach across the street from my host house

Pulau Redang sunrise

Pulau Redang

The Terengganu crazies aww <3

Paradise... My first island in Malaysia! In Borneo nonetheless
Another picture-y post. If I wrote about Mabul you'd be reading a post about the joys of tanning and sleeping on the beach.
Photos 1-4 were taken by the wonderful Giulia Rovera
All photos edited by yours truly

Actually, there were no beaches on our side of the island, but we "borrowed" the beach at a resort.

Blue starfish just lying on the beach

In front of our hotel which was more like a backpacker's lodge, there were a group of sea gypsies. The little children would come and swim with us, but also beg for food. They live on these little boats and make their money through begging and selling whatever meager fish they can catch.

Orang putih no longer.... Becoming brown.

The water in Mabul was super clear. The snorkelling there was hands down the best snorkelling I've experienced. Although litter is a serious problem at many of the beaches, the coral population is rich and Mabul is home to many endangered species indigenous to the are. Sipadan, a neighbor island, is one of the best diving sites in the world.

A lot of oil drilling offshore... Thankfully we didn't see any residue on the beaches. Although I got a bad sting off a jellyfish!