Malaysia

To start off, happy Easter! I have definitely been counting my blessings lately, with this incredible opportunity to travel around the world. I have been so joyful and trying to take in all the little things. I am also glad to share these experiences with all of you. There are probably so many more people reading than I think, which is great!

 

Anyways, Malaysia is checked off the list. I can't believe that it is the seventh place that I have been to. We are traveling around the world and becoming aware of many different cultures. Yet, we are also so oblivious to what is going on. We are in our own SAS bubble. It can be a good thing and a bad thing. We don't have to worry about the crumbling stock market, the school shootings, the election mania… Don't get me wrong, it is good to know about these things, but it is also nice to be unaware for a while, especially since I will be watching CNN at all hours of the day when I start work.

 

Nevertheless, when I do get to a country, I look forward to getting away from our SAS bubble and most of the people on the ship. It is no fun to be shuttled around on a bus and watching from afar. It is also no fun to go to a restaurant or a site and see only SAS kids. Yet, I have made some wonderful friends, including Dani, Allyson, and Anabel, and I have had a lot of fun traveling with them. So, this voyage is a balance of being learning about the world and being oblivious at the same time. And a balance of experiencing unfamiliar cultures with familiar people.

 

In that respect, I decided that a homestay would be a great way to truly experience how the people of a country live. For the first two days of Malaysia, I lived with a Malay family, ate Malay food, and explored their village. I took part in the culture as much as possible. I ate with my hands. I could shower with a bucket of water and a ladle. I slept in traditional Malay dress. I learned how to make Malay cookies. Through these experiences, I have appreciated the modern conveniences of the ship so much more (as well as the absence of cockroaches and other fun little creatures).

 

For the remaining three days in Malaysia, I explored the island. I went to the botanical gardens (much better than Mauritius), Buddhist temples (incredible), a spice garden (you know me and cooking), the beach (I have a red nose to prove it), Easter brunch (oh so good), and lots of other things. Overall, none of us really knew what to expect out of Malaysia. A lot of people went to Kuala Lumpur (KL as it is affectionately called). Others went to Singapore, and I definitely want to go there sometime in the near future. Very crisp and clean. Quite a contrast to our past port. Some people also went to Borneo and it has been their favorite trip so far. The problem that I have at all these ports is that I come back to the ship and hear tons of stories. Then, I have so many more places to add to my list to visit.

 

I have posted some more pictures. Here is the link to the India ones: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2049368&l=6e7dd&id=704151

 

Here are the Malaysia pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2049369&l=0b016&id=704151

 

Also, I wanted to share this great quote with you, which is true for every port that I have experienced and hopefully for everyday of my life, so I can truly get the most out of it:

 

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up and it knows it must run faster than the fastest lion, or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up, it knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle, or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better start running!" 

-Thomas Friedman