Less than a month before I leave. Although I have to say it is the last thing on my mind. School is insane this time of the year, so I'm already glad I've gotten all my shopping done (just need 2 more shirts, batteries, Cipro, and some military-intense bug spray for a potential trip to Laos with my friend A and a weekend trip to inland MY. Got my last batch of shots today and some malaria pills. Woowhoo for crazay dreams.
In lack of a better transition, here are lists...of things...
Things I will miss...(in no particular order)
1. Mild-er weather. I've already heard from friends who are in SEA that the summer is picking up, and at times it is too hot and humid to feel as if you can breathe properly...I think my friends at school will particularly enjoy my complaints about said humidity.
2. Bagels. Yes, bagels. I am going to one of the major food capitals of the world, so I really won't miss too much food here, or not be able to find it if I have a crazy craving. However, living in a Muslim country means no bagels.
3. Family, friends, Nina, the boyfriend. This comes as no surprise. I will be far far far away from my support group, 14-17hours far. Communication will be at odd hours. Every time I travel without the boyfriend I find myself thinking about how much he would enjoy being there. This time, it will be more like, what places must I show him next year? (We are planning a major trip post graduation) However, I've learned how to say to miss in terms of a person in Malaysian. So at least I can express my feelings. Hopefully this time, my family will actually come and visit. If not, that is ok too, but it's easier for people to understand what you go through if they know where you live.
4. Baseball season. You can see the stands at Coors Field from my apartment and I love $5 games. Plus, the Rockies are killing it right now.
5. The pool. See above and below.
6. Microbrews. I live in Colorado, home of the Great American Beer Festival...no big deal.
7. Camping. I could camp this summer, but I have no gear. I'm leaving it with the boyfriend, MB. He and Nina will get better use of it than I will.
8. Chocolate and peanut butter. Asia is a step up from Europe from the standpoint that they actually see the value in peanut butter. However, they have yet to figure out just how excellent it becomes when added with chocolate.
9. Somewhat normal tanlines. Superficial, but I will be coming back with a serious farmer's tan...unless I can find time to even it out on a beach somewhere. Being in that type of sun everyday will leave its mark...for a while.
10. Spitting on the streets. Only kidding guys.
Things I will not miss...
1. Driving/my car. I will still have to deal with traffic; traffic that is much worse in KL...but I won't be the one behind the wheel dealing with massive amounts of dinks on the road.
2. Paying a lot for food. Food is expensive. Going out to eat is even worse. Granted, you can pay American prices in KL for food if you choose. But Hawker stalls are where it's at. Food is just as good or better (you are essentially paying for air con...unless at a high end restaurant). A meal at a hawker stall will only set you back $2-$3 US.
3. The TV. It's on way too much. I really don't need it.
4. School. No offense school, but after 19 straight years with no break, it's time to get some space. I also will not miss summer school.
5. English. Odd I know, but I wanna practice my Malaysian with actual Malaysian people, not saying random phrases to my friends/repeating a recording. I want to know if people can actually understand what I'm saying. I'm self-taught so this is a big test for me.
6. Studying for my LEED exam. See #4.
7. The Green Peace solicitors who hang out outside my school. Seriously, I don't want to join.
8. Not having my weekends free. Once again...See #4.
9. Overpriced starfruit. I love starfruit. There is much more of it (so most-likely much cheaper) in KL.
10. The train. I live right above a BNSF coal train track (3 tracks to be exact). Don't believe America is addicted to coal? Tell that to the 20-30 2 mile long trains that loudly pass by my apartment every day. The cars are easily 2 stories tall.
It will be interesting to see what I actually end up missing and what I don't bother thinking about.
Until next time
-M
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Rant of the Day
So instead of boring you with more tedious details of my planning escapades, I decided to focus on something else. In anticipation of my trip, as well as knowing very little about Muslim culture, I've been keeping up with world news (I am notoriously bad at this, not because I don't want to know what's going on in the world, but because I find the American news media so damn depressing). However, since shit is hitting the fan all over North Africa and the Middle East, I figured if I'm going to a Muslim country (not to mention my current studio project is working with a school in Saudi Arabia), I better know something about what is going on over there. Furthermore, I've been reading this book on eastern (particularly Malaysian...thus Chinese, Indian, and Malay) culture, belief systems, and customs. I'm beginning to form opinions about what is going on and why we can't just all get along (well, not quite yet anyway).
I'd first like to start out with what prompted me to write this in the first place....WTF is America doing in Libya? First of all, you went in with just the FRENCH...the French. Now I don't have anything against the people of France, but the military?...come on I'm American (we just can't help ourselves). Second of all, WTF is America doing there? But wait, you say, America handed the duties over to NATO. Well who's really in charge of Nato? It isn't the Canadians I'll tell you that much (once again, it's this America thing). So, in order to mask direct involvement, America is currently hiding behind NATO. Technicalities aside, how can the American government bounce off into another armed conflict (which are never short endeavors), costing citizens more tax dollars, pilling it on top of a deficit so large it's comical, send human beings into violence so they can get involved in a conflict that they have no attachment to what-so-ever, just so they can live in fear constantly and fire mis-hits (adding to the fear and detachment) because of the lack of proper mapping in the region? Not to mention they are doing all of this while the economy is in such a poor state that hourly jobs are hard to come by even with a master's degree? Something is just plain wrong with this picture.
Isn't Gadhafi evil and shouldn't we free the people? Didn't the rebels ask for our help? Well I've got news for the world, America shouldn't (and quite honestly, can't) be the world's babysitter. Yes, before I get accused of being some type of dictator lover, it is obvious that Gadhafi is crazy. I mean bat shit insane. He's like Charlie Sheen but on a whole new level, he's openly been 'winning' his whole life (King of Africa?....Really dude?). He's done awful things, and the world is most likely much better off without him, but I have no doubt that if the people are that pissed off, he'll go without our help (I've always said that the best solutions are those that come from roots up approaches). Oh and yes, the rebels did ask for our help. But (allegedly) so did the Iraqis way back in '91. How did that turn out for us? Seriously, did we not JUST go through this? Has the American government really not learned that they are digging themselves large hole? Or are they really that greedy for oil, money, and power that they just don't care that they are screwing over Libya as well as their own people? I suspect oil is the reason, because well, if we love repeating our mistakes that much, that's the general belief as to why we bothered with Iraq. It's an obvious statement that the world's dependency on oil needs to end (read Collapse by Jared M. Diamond). However, I am not the one with the answer. It's there, but I don't know enough about economics to suggest anything that could begin to answer that question (I'll save cap and trade for another day).
If we are there primarily for oil, we are going about getting it in the complete wrong way (military violence seems to create more problems than it solves). Here's the problem, whenever we go into a place (from a government standpoint) we assume that the native people want to be just like America. Well guess what? They don't. Now, this mistake is most likely an accident, because it is really hard to accept that there are other world views than your own. I'm not talking at a personal level, I'm talking about a deep cultural connectivity that makes us not just American, but Westerners as well. I would argue that other western cultures may be better at recognizing this than us, but that is simply a matter of how isolated we are relative to other western countries. Furthermore, we loudly, proudly, and ignorantly try to go impose our views and focusing on ourselves. This may be borderline acceptable to our other western counterparts, but in places like the Middle East, the Far East, and Africa, this can be extremely offensive to say the least. In other words, as an American, we tend to believe in certain core values that affect our everything from our everyday lives and behaviors to how we make choices and what our country (in theory) stands for. We were founded on a distrust of government, right to act as we please (within reason -and at our founding, 'we' meant white males), and the celebration of the individual. That is what we believe in and it has (for the most part) worked for us. A country under completely different circumstances containing cultures with completely different belief systems may have a different type of solution. In fact the cultural differences can be so great, that us westerners may not be able to even comprehend why a group would act a certain way. Our celebration of the individual is the complete opposite of many cultures, where decisions are made based upon group consensus. In fact, so much emphasis is placed on total group consensus that any act made outside of that consensus can be seen as betrayal (aka a serious offense). So if we go running in and set up a government as fast as we can (because our culture values efficiency) we may end up not only offending an entire group of people, but we may have made the wrong choices in the process. It is important to understand that just because one group of people does something in a way so foreign that it seems useless to us, that it isn't bad or wrong. It's just different. Do I believe that westerners or Americans in particular are especially bad at this? No, I believe that the world shrunk so fast that most of the world is unable to really wrap their heads around it. Westerners seem to travel and spread out more, so we are faced with dealing with these problems on foreign soil more often. I'm sure the business man from Japan who is used to going through a long process of consensus for big choices made by the company was most likely shocked to find out that he had no input on a move made from higher up.
I can already hear the words 'well if you don't like it here and you think we are all ignorant then why don't you get out?' Well, luckily for you, those thoughts have crossed my mind and more frequently as I get older. However, I like being an American. I like American people (just not a huge fan of the government, but that's part of being American). Even if I did become a full-time expat I was born an American. That means I have certain cultural values and views that are so deeply entrenched in my brain that they won't simply leave. I would always be an outsider, no matter how hard I tried to understand another culture. I'm simply stating that if there is any hope for our generation to take a forward step in the opposite direction, being comfortable with differences beyond your understanding, keeping an open mind, and LISTENING instead of hearing we may be on the right track. Oh, and America, get the heck out of Libya and help your PEOPLE (not your wallet) you have been SWORN to PROTECT (that goes beyond military spending).
Phew. Glad that's over.
-M
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Springtime, cleantime, shoptime...
It's that time of the year again. The northern temperate climates are slowly waking up from a long freeze. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. I very much love the change in seasons, but something about the renewal of spring makes me simply happy. Denver happens to be crazy this time of year. To say the weather is unpredictable would be an understatement. I've seen it be 70 degrees til 4, thunderstorm, snow 12 inches, then have a snow day only to find that the snow has melted by noon. Fortunately, today looks as if it's going to be sunny and in the 60s, which means I get to sit out here on my balcony all day and enjoy some much needed rays. I used to be relatively tan (for a polish/russian/austrian/brit/name another European country known for it's pasty-ness) back in the days as a lifeguard in LA. I'm not saying that the reason for getting a tan is all superficial (although as a woman, I'd be lying if I said that didn't play a part), but if I show up in Malaysia without some form of natural protection from the sun, it's gunna be a painful first few weeks.
It's also odd for me to say that I've had a productive spring break. As a grad student, spring break is much less about the party and much more about needed rest and a large amount of getting your life outside of school all caught up. Usually, (but thankfully not this semester) it is a time to catch up on everything else you ignored in favor of studio. Thus, my extra free-time was spent doing some much needed organizing (I had lost my medical records in the black hole I call our home office). So I cleaned, organized, threw stuff out, figured out what I did and didn't need. That way, in case something were to go wrong while I was away, I wouldn't have to send the boyfriend through hell to find it. I found the medical records.
I am also proud to say I finally bought myself some work clothes. Although I spent more money than I would like to admit, this was a necessary purchase for me. Aside from my last office job, in high school, at Drive-Thru Records, which had no dress code, I haven't worked in an environment that requires things such as a suit. I generally find work clothes extremely uncomfortable, so it was nice to shop with the requirements that it had to be made out of a natural fiber and airy. Although this may cost a little more, I am not going to wear polyester in a place that boasts 80-90% humidity with equally as high temperatures. Just not recommended. See the sweat rant a few posts down. Furthermore, all of my causual clothes are either too dark, denim, or may offend some people (Muslim country, so I'm taking about things like strappy shirt sleeves, not t-shirts with awkward slogans). I tried to get things I would also wear at home, which proved to be interesting, because I wear a lot of dark colors, so this super light thing is all new to me.
Lastly, I discovered a goal I would like to fulfill while in KL. I found this great website (here) that had some tasty looking Malaysian recipes. I decided to try the chili crab (where the link goes). Apparently this is the writer's mom's recipe and it's pretty authentic (according to the author). Now if my unexperienced self, living in a landlocked state on the other side of the world could cook this dish and think it is awesome, I can only dream of what the real thing will taste like. The sauce totally opened up my palette to a new type of tastes, not to mention I also discovered I loved eating with my hands even more than I thought I would. I would love to learn from a local how to cook Malaysian food. I'm hoping my fast-improving language skills will be able to help me out. As an adventurous food enthusiast, I think I'm going to enjoy South East Asia. D, a friend of mine, spent a summer in Singapore a few years back. She's been telling me all about the food of Singapore and KL. She told me that Singapore has tons of food festivals, even one for the famed Durian fruit (another item on my 'to-try' list, donno what it is? Google it). I'll have to try to make it down there for one of these festivals. Singapore, and occasionally Malaysia are often called 'Asia 101' countries because of their unique mix of Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, Filipino, and local influences. I will be getting the best of many worlds, not just both.
Well, I hate to break it to you, but it's just too damn nice out to spend any more time on my computer. Time to shut down and enjoy the day.
Until next time
-M
It's also odd for me to say that I've had a productive spring break. As a grad student, spring break is much less about the party and much more about needed rest and a large amount of getting your life outside of school all caught up. Usually, (but thankfully not this semester) it is a time to catch up on everything else you ignored in favor of studio. Thus, my extra free-time was spent doing some much needed organizing (I had lost my medical records in the black hole I call our home office). So I cleaned, organized, threw stuff out, figured out what I did and didn't need. That way, in case something were to go wrong while I was away, I wouldn't have to send the boyfriend through hell to find it. I found the medical records.
I am also proud to say I finally bought myself some work clothes. Although I spent more money than I would like to admit, this was a necessary purchase for me. Aside from my last office job, in high school, at Drive-Thru Records, which had no dress code, I haven't worked in an environment that requires things such as a suit. I generally find work clothes extremely uncomfortable, so it was nice to shop with the requirements that it had to be made out of a natural fiber and airy. Although this may cost a little more, I am not going to wear polyester in a place that boasts 80-90% humidity with equally as high temperatures. Just not recommended. See the sweat rant a few posts down. Furthermore, all of my causual clothes are either too dark, denim, or may offend some people (Muslim country, so I'm taking about things like strappy shirt sleeves, not t-shirts with awkward slogans). I tried to get things I would also wear at home, which proved to be interesting, because I wear a lot of dark colors, so this super light thing is all new to me.
Lastly, I discovered a goal I would like to fulfill while in KL. I found this great website (here) that had some tasty looking Malaysian recipes. I decided to try the chili crab (where the link goes). Apparently this is the writer's mom's recipe and it's pretty authentic (according to the author). Now if my unexperienced self, living in a landlocked state on the other side of the world could cook this dish and think it is awesome, I can only dream of what the real thing will taste like. The sauce totally opened up my palette to a new type of tastes, not to mention I also discovered I loved eating with my hands even more than I thought I would. I would love to learn from a local how to cook Malaysian food. I'm hoping my fast-improving language skills will be able to help me out. As an adventurous food enthusiast, I think I'm going to enjoy South East Asia. D, a friend of mine, spent a summer in Singapore a few years back. She's been telling me all about the food of Singapore and KL. She told me that Singapore has tons of food festivals, even one for the famed Durian fruit (another item on my 'to-try' list, donno what it is? Google it). I'll have to try to make it down there for one of these festivals. Singapore, and occasionally Malaysia are often called 'Asia 101' countries because of their unique mix of Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, Filipino, and local influences. I will be getting the best of many worlds, not just both.
Well, I hate to break it to you, but it's just too damn nice out to spend any more time on my computer. Time to shut down and enjoy the day.
Until next time
-M
Friday, March 18, 2011
2 months and counting...
Today marks exactly 2 months until I leave for LA. I will be taking the early red eye (think 12:45) the next day. Then, magically, a day disappears, I wake up briefly for a re-fuel in Taipei and arrive in KL on the afternoon of the 20th of May.
Before I get into the meat of today's ramblings, I'll give a quick update on logistics. I tend to get disorganized easily, mostly due to my inability to remember where I put things, so I make lists. Lots and lots of lists. It's kind of interesting because sometimes I write these lists in my sketchbooks and journals so I get to see them so far after the fact I'm not really sure what they are for. Needless to say there lots of lists in my life right now. I've decided to do something a little different this time around. I am so used to traveling, it was once so common (and frequently still is when I return to my family's place) that I always had a bag packed or partially unpacked. Those days are over, but one habit has lingered around; packing at the very last minute. However, this time around, I'm determined to get my shopping done way ahead of time, so I can actually enjoy the 5 days I have between finals and departure. Thus I've got a shopping list/packing list, list of things to get done over spring break, list of things to do before school gets out, list of things to do/'teach' the boyfriend before I leave, and the list goes on (ugh...puns...my apologies). Aside from lists I've been poked quite a few times. I had an appointment with a travel doctor, nothing new for me. Except this time it was less about why to avoid swimming in the Amazon (which I did anyway) and more about expat life and things I need to have because I will be there for significantly longer. I got a few shots (thankfully I got half of them done for the Amazon), taking an oral vaccine for Typhoid, and made an appointment to finish the stabbings at a later date.
Enough of the boring logistics, I am going to miss my dog. Now, before you go and think that I hate people, I will obviously miss my friends, family, and boyfriend. It also shouldn't be surprising that I would miss my dog as well. There's just more to it than meets the eye.
I knew that once I graduated college I would get a dog. I figured I'd wait a year so I could get settled. However, it only took me three weeks to acquire Nina. The whole thing was, contrary to my boyfriend's belief, more or less whim. He visited before moving. I couldn't get a job for the summer so I started looking at volunteering at an animal shelter in order to get out and do something for the summer. We stopped by the shelter and the next thing you know we were filling out adoption papers for a dog. It was a huge gamble to say yes. In fact, I really wouldn't recommend getting a pet without having an honest conversation about the responsibilities, costs, and potential for things to go wrong. Since I am one to frequently carve my own path, I went for it.
I still can't tell you to this day what made me so sure of my decision, but I felt confident that this was the move to make. It later occurred to me that she chose me. Instead of boring you with a sappy description of my dog's personality just take my word for it, she is a quirky dog. She makes you earn her trust. At that time in my life I was struggling with the adjustments to the 'real world' (whatever that is supposed to mean). I graduated, packed a car, and headed cross-country to Denver. I did not go home, I did not pass go and collect $200. I just plopped myself down in Denver, living out of my car until I found a place (which only took about a week, thankfully). I didn't know a soul. As a woman, I found it odd to just go to the local watering hole alone and try to make actual friends. The best that would bring is some creeper bothering me all night. Many of my college friends were headed off to other countries or staying east so I was far from my friends. I also applied to a countless number of summer jobs, but showing up in June and having zero connections in a cruddy economy the job search turned out to be futile. Nina forced me to get out and wander. I met a lot of people through her (my building is 70% dog owners). She had been living in a shelter for months and although nothing is known from her (she was transferred to the a no-kill shelter called MaxFund after being on the euthanize list at DMAS) she has had a rough past. She needed me as much as I needed her.
The striking similarities between moving to Denver and moving to KL (sub a totally new culture and language for no job) leave me knowing I will miss her more than I think. The last time I spent a significant amount of time away from Nina was last year's trip to Mongolia, and that was only a week. I can't imagine three months.
So here's to you Nina (her drink of choice is cheap beer)! Even though you can't read, and even for a dog, really aren't that smart, you're a woman's best friend.
Before I get into the meat of today's ramblings, I'll give a quick update on logistics. I tend to get disorganized easily, mostly due to my inability to remember where I put things, so I make lists. Lots and lots of lists. It's kind of interesting because sometimes I write these lists in my sketchbooks and journals so I get to see them so far after the fact I'm not really sure what they are for. Needless to say there lots of lists in my life right now. I've decided to do something a little different this time around. I am so used to traveling, it was once so common (and frequently still is when I return to my family's place) that I always had a bag packed or partially unpacked. Those days are over, but one habit has lingered around; packing at the very last minute. However, this time around, I'm determined to get my shopping done way ahead of time, so I can actually enjoy the 5 days I have between finals and departure. Thus I've got a shopping list/packing list, list of things to get done over spring break, list of things to do before school gets out, list of things to do/'teach' the boyfriend before I leave, and the list goes on (ugh...puns...my apologies). Aside from lists I've been poked quite a few times. I had an appointment with a travel doctor, nothing new for me. Except this time it was less about why to avoid swimming in the Amazon (which I did anyway) and more about expat life and things I need to have because I will be there for significantly longer. I got a few shots (thankfully I got half of them done for the Amazon), taking an oral vaccine for Typhoid, and made an appointment to finish the stabbings at a later date.
Enough of the boring logistics, I am going to miss my dog. Now, before you go and think that I hate people, I will obviously miss my friends, family, and boyfriend. It also shouldn't be surprising that I would miss my dog as well. There's just more to it than meets the eye.
I knew that once I graduated college I would get a dog. I figured I'd wait a year so I could get settled. However, it only took me three weeks to acquire Nina. The whole thing was, contrary to my boyfriend's belief, more or less whim. He visited before moving. I couldn't get a job for the summer so I started looking at volunteering at an animal shelter in order to get out and do something for the summer. We stopped by the shelter and the next thing you know we were filling out adoption papers for a dog. It was a huge gamble to say yes. In fact, I really wouldn't recommend getting a pet without having an honest conversation about the responsibilities, costs, and potential for things to go wrong. Since I am one to frequently carve my own path, I went for it.
I still can't tell you to this day what made me so sure of my decision, but I felt confident that this was the move to make. It later occurred to me that she chose me. Instead of boring you with a sappy description of my dog's personality just take my word for it, she is a quirky dog. She makes you earn her trust. At that time in my life I was struggling with the adjustments to the 'real world' (whatever that is supposed to mean). I graduated, packed a car, and headed cross-country to Denver. I did not go home, I did not pass go and collect $200. I just plopped myself down in Denver, living out of my car until I found a place (which only took about a week, thankfully). I didn't know a soul. As a woman, I found it odd to just go to the local watering hole alone and try to make actual friends. The best that would bring is some creeper bothering me all night. Many of my college friends were headed off to other countries or staying east so I was far from my friends. I also applied to a countless number of summer jobs, but showing up in June and having zero connections in a cruddy economy the job search turned out to be futile. Nina forced me to get out and wander. I met a lot of people through her (my building is 70% dog owners). She had been living in a shelter for months and although nothing is known from her (she was transferred to the a no-kill shelter called MaxFund after being on the euthanize list at DMAS) she has had a rough past. She needed me as much as I needed her.
The striking similarities between moving to Denver and moving to KL (sub a totally new culture and language for no job) leave me knowing I will miss her more than I think. The last time I spent a significant amount of time away from Nina was last year's trip to Mongolia, and that was only a week. I can't imagine three months.
So here's to you Nina (her drink of choice is cheap beer)! Even though you can't read, and even for a dog, really aren't that smart, you're a woman's best friend.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Booked
Today is the first official short sleeve day here in Denver. The wind is calm, the sun has been out all day, and even wearing a hoodie is uncomfortable. Some are even wearing shorts. The skate park across the street not only contains its normal patrons of pot dealers and bros looking to get sponsored, but also the families and even a few people who got off work early (the Dockers are a dead giveaway). I'm not too sure what the temperature is, probably in the mid 60s if I had to guess, but I don't really care. It is gorgeous out. Why am I not outside you ask? The answer is simple, I'm a graduate student. However, Nina (my dog) forces me to pull away from my work and enjoy at least part of the day.
All of this is a simple reminder that within two short months, Denver will be a far, far away place. I'll be in a new environment with a new language and a new cultural system. This dry, 60 something warm day will be a thing of the past. As of yesterday I'm officially going to Malaysia. I bought a plane ticket, non-refundable, non-transferable. I am all in baby.
The number one thing I am worried about this summer is adjusting to the humidity. As an American, I really don't know what humidity is. Ya ya, I know many of you are saying - what about the deep south? The Florida Keys? Yes, those areas are humid, and yes I have been to many of those places. I'm talking about hardcore humidity. The punch-to-the-gut humidity that hits you the second you step off a plane in any region between the tropics. The kind of humidity that overwhelms you, makes you want to take a cold shower 4 times a day, and is completely inescapable. The kind where you can smell and feel the vegetation breathe. The last time I experienced such a thing was my arrival in Iquitos, Peru the start of my 5 day stay in the Amazon. It's one thing to tolerate something for 5 days, but it's another to live in it for a summer. I will be 3 degrees north of the equator where the temperature is about 80 degrees with 80-90% humidity at all times. Fortunately, unlike the Amazon, air conditioning in KL is rather common; unfortunately (and also unlike the Amazon), I will be enduring the punches in business clothes. I understand it is all a part of the experience, don't get me wrong. However, I'm already going to be that crazy, pasty, white girl. I just don't need to be known as the smelly sweaty one as well.
The beginning of this experience has also reminded me of just how time consuming moving to another country really is, even if it is temporary. Moving to Denmark required quite a lot of planning, but as I say, the bigger the body of water you cross, the more that is involved. Compound that with being a full time graduate student taking 5 classes and the to-do list is never ending. It's a happy kind of busy though, an enjoyable busy (except contacting health insurance companies...just don't get me started) the kind of busy that you just know is going to pay off, so don't think I'm complaining.
Among this list is something extra that I have made as a goal for myself - to learn a little bahasa Melayu, or Malaysian. I'm not just talking about what a tourist to any country should know. Please, especially if you are an American (notorious for being the more ignorant of the tourist community) at least learn to say 'please,' 'thank you,' 'hello', 'goodbye,' 'cheers,' and if you are getting the hang of it 'yes' and 'no.' My goal in Malaysia is to not be shy and divert to English all the time. Now, this is a significant challenge for me. Those who know me (or will soon learn through this blog) know that I barely have a grasp on my own language, let alone a foreign one. Despite my inherent disabilities in the language department, I have found bahasa Melayu to be a relatively easy language to get the hang of. I've been using a website with audio files and 64 lessons in bahasa Melayu. There are no crazy intonations like Chinese, there are no verb conjugations, to make a word plural you say it twice, and words like 'I,' 'me,' and 'my' are all the same word (forgive me, I don't remember the technical terms of each of those pronoun derived subsets). Furthermore, the sounds of the language are ones that someone who speaks languages of latin or germanic origin can actually pronounce. I can actually say quite a lot, hopefully I'll eventually learn how to say 'speak slower' so I can communicate in day-to-day life.
As I sit here writing, the to do list isn't getting any shorter. It's back to the grind for me. Until next time.
M
All of this is a simple reminder that within two short months, Denver will be a far, far away place. I'll be in a new environment with a new language and a new cultural system. This dry, 60 something warm day will be a thing of the past. As of yesterday I'm officially going to Malaysia. I bought a plane ticket, non-refundable, non-transferable. I am all in baby.
The number one thing I am worried about this summer is adjusting to the humidity. As an American, I really don't know what humidity is. Ya ya, I know many of you are saying - what about the deep south? The Florida Keys? Yes, those areas are humid, and yes I have been to many of those places. I'm talking about hardcore humidity. The punch-to-the-gut humidity that hits you the second you step off a plane in any region between the tropics. The kind of humidity that overwhelms you, makes you want to take a cold shower 4 times a day, and is completely inescapable. The kind where you can smell and feel the vegetation breathe. The last time I experienced such a thing was my arrival in Iquitos, Peru the start of my 5 day stay in the Amazon. It's one thing to tolerate something for 5 days, but it's another to live in it for a summer. I will be 3 degrees north of the equator where the temperature is about 80 degrees with 80-90% humidity at all times. Fortunately, unlike the Amazon, air conditioning in KL is rather common; unfortunately (and also unlike the Amazon), I will be enduring the punches in business clothes. I understand it is all a part of the experience, don't get me wrong. However, I'm already going to be that crazy, pasty, white girl. I just don't need to be known as the smelly sweaty one as well.
The beginning of this experience has also reminded me of just how time consuming moving to another country really is, even if it is temporary. Moving to Denmark required quite a lot of planning, but as I say, the bigger the body of water you cross, the more that is involved. Compound that with being a full time graduate student taking 5 classes and the to-do list is never ending. It's a happy kind of busy though, an enjoyable busy (except contacting health insurance companies...just don't get me started) the kind of busy that you just know is going to pay off, so don't think I'm complaining.
Among this list is something extra that I have made as a goal for myself - to learn a little bahasa Melayu, or Malaysian. I'm not just talking about what a tourist to any country should know. Please, especially if you are an American (notorious for being the more ignorant of the tourist community) at least learn to say 'please,' 'thank you,' 'hello', 'goodbye,' 'cheers,' and if you are getting the hang of it 'yes' and 'no.' My goal in Malaysia is to not be shy and divert to English all the time. Now, this is a significant challenge for me. Those who know me (or will soon learn through this blog) know that I barely have a grasp on my own language, let alone a foreign one. Despite my inherent disabilities in the language department, I have found bahasa Melayu to be a relatively easy language to get the hang of. I've been using a website with audio files and 64 lessons in bahasa Melayu. There are no crazy intonations like Chinese, there are no verb conjugations, to make a word plural you say it twice, and words like 'I,' 'me,' and 'my' are all the same word (forgive me, I don't remember the technical terms of each of those pronoun derived subsets). Furthermore, the sounds of the language are ones that someone who speaks languages of latin or germanic origin can actually pronounce. I can actually say quite a lot, hopefully I'll eventually learn how to say 'speak slower' so I can communicate in day-to-day life.
As I sit here writing, the to do list isn't getting any shorter. It's back to the grind for me. Until next time.
M
Thursday, March 3, 2011
KL Bound
I've recently accepted my first internship on the architectural stage. I started my master's program fresh out of undergrad thinking that once I'm out (a mere 3 and a half years later) the economy will have suddenly and magically bounced back to its former self. Ahh...the naiveté of the young college graduate. Needless to say I passionately, boldly, or - as some professors have mentioned - stupidly entered a business that is notorious for being the first to crash and the last to recover. Without going into too much detail, there simply are very few, if any jobs in the States. Despite the fact that there are several massive construction projects going on all around my apartment, Denver does not seem interested in hiring architectural interns at this time. Their loss I suppose. Fortunately for me, I have my eyes set on a bigger horizon. Travel and world culture is half the reason I became interested in architecture in the first place. Furthermore, while the west struggles to figure out what the hell it did wrong (although most of the educated youth could probably give you a better answer than the media or the White House), the east is experiencing an economic boom. Economic boom = building boom. What better way to get one's feet wet in the industry than to dive right in - no swimmies. Thus, I was fortunate enough to get hooked up with Veritas, a Malaysian based firm, for the summer. So come this May I'm packing my bags and moving to Kuala Lumpur or colloquially known as KL.
It would be an understatement to say that I am excited. With excitement comes many other emotions. It isn't going to be all happy glitz and picture snapping like a casual holiday, but I'm going to actually have to live here, figure out how to squeeze by on very little money, and hopefully be confident enough to communicate with Malaysians...in Bahasa Malayu. However, this ain't my first time at the rodeo folks. I lived in Denmark for 4 months and I've at least been to Asia; which is enough to say that I can expect a long flight with multiple day changes. My first trip to Asia, despite its messy story, changed my life forever. There is something about the east that absolutely intrigues me to know more and more about a place so different from anything I've ever been exposed to. One could argue a lot of places in the west are like this; however much of east Asia operates on a completely different set of core values. It is a 'we' society, with the western world being a 'me' society. You aren't a gringo and you aren't a stUpEED AmericAn. They've got something entirely different going on over there and it seems to actually be working for the most part, at least in terms of longevity (there are obvious human rights abuses, an enormous wealth gap, various environmental issues, and don't forget our dearest friend Kim Jung Il...but I will save you from those rants). So why not learn a few tricks from a different trade? Maybe it could help us figure out why we do the things we do as a western culture or even help to bridge the massive communication gap between the two. It definitely can't hurt.
It would be unfair not to mention my first experience in Asia, a trip to Mongolia (and I was supposed to end up in China) last May. I know many of you who actually know me will be rolling your eyes at this one, but I promise to refrain from getting into the whole violent, death-threatening food poisoning ordeal that happened there. Although it ruined my trip, and (compounded by traveling alone), undoubtably, had a permanent affect on my psyche there is really nothing more to mention about it other that I am concerned for my digestive system in Malaysia as well. If it happens again, so be it. Although in a large city like KL I'm less likely to be immediately confronted with a hot plate of late May's mystery meat and noodles at some Mongolian roadside cafe where the road is simply a series of hard-carved ruts on a dirt path (also known as a Mongolian super highway...if you don't believe me buy yourself a ticket to Ulaan Baator and see for yourself). Plus, I am too much of a food enthusiast to let a sensitive stomach ruin an amazing meal. I'm not going to miss out on the finer parts of Malay cuisine and its wide range of influences just to avoid heart burn. No pain no gain I say.
Despite the end of that trip, what I really took away from my Mongolian adventure wasn't about being a lone patient in a hospital in the least densely populated nation in the world. It was about the journey. I made 2 lasting friendships (I will hopefully be able to meet up with one of my friends, an expat living in South Korea this summer - fingers crossed). There is something to be said being in a place where nomadic life has ruled for centuries and if you want (and you really should, cuz it would be a damn shame if you didn't) get out of UB and live life out on the steppes for a bit. Unlike many a Disneyland-esque places that exist because of mass tourism, you can actually participate in it. I can sometimes still close my eyes and remember what it feels like to stick your head out the window like a happy lab; wind blowing across your face, maybe even your tongue hanging out while you bounce around on a so called 'road' (aka a small set of dents in the grass where someone drove 5 days before you) and literally look out and see vast expanses of open space. No fences, no property lines, the occasional white ger and massive amounts of herds of yak, camel, sheep, goats, and horses off in the distance or crossing your path constantly. It is here where I truly learned the power of the journey.
The roots of ancient Malaysian culture are also embedded in the concept of the journey. Personal journeys are present in the traditional art of tattoos in tribal Malay cultures. Furthermore, KL and the rest of Malaysia have something to teach the world about co-existance. Malaysia is a predominately Muslim country (60%) with Islam being the national religion. However, the law allows for freedom of religion, therefore alcohol, and even goes one step further to include the other major practiced religions (Buddhism, Hindu, and Christianity) in the public holiday calendar. Yes, women have rights, and aside from PDA, you can dress how you want and come and go as you please. So with that whole issue aside, I am excited to learn, and hopefully be able to report how exactly these four major world religions have co-existed here in a peaceful manner since Malaysian independence back in the 60s. It is an example, especially given today's events and what is going on in the Middle East/North Africa, that everyone could benefit from.
Well enough questioning of the world's problems and the so-called meaning of life. What the hell do I know anyway? I've got some logistics to figure out. I've gotta see one of those travel docs again. Last time I visited one I got poked in the arm 4 times in order to be allowed to venture into the Peruvian Amazon. Apparently, that wasn't enough intimate times with the needle, so I've got two more on my list and I need to make an appointment. Not to mention I've been procrastinating my Systems homework all week (hurray for reading about fire suppression systems and phone lines!).
Until next time.
-M
It would be an understatement to say that I am excited. With excitement comes many other emotions. It isn't going to be all happy glitz and picture snapping like a casual holiday, but I'm going to actually have to live here, figure out how to squeeze by on very little money, and hopefully be confident enough to communicate with Malaysians...in Bahasa Malayu. However, this ain't my first time at the rodeo folks. I lived in Denmark for 4 months and I've at least been to Asia; which is enough to say that I can expect a long flight with multiple day changes. My first trip to Asia, despite its messy story, changed my life forever. There is something about the east that absolutely intrigues me to know more and more about a place so different from anything I've ever been exposed to. One could argue a lot of places in the west are like this; however much of east Asia operates on a completely different set of core values. It is a 'we' society, with the western world being a 'me' society. You aren't a gringo and you aren't a stUpEED AmericAn. They've got something entirely different going on over there and it seems to actually be working for the most part, at least in terms of longevity (there are obvious human rights abuses, an enormous wealth gap, various environmental issues, and don't forget our dearest friend Kim Jung Il...but I will save you from those rants). So why not learn a few tricks from a different trade? Maybe it could help us figure out why we do the things we do as a western culture or even help to bridge the massive communication gap between the two. It definitely can't hurt.
It would be unfair not to mention my first experience in Asia, a trip to Mongolia (and I was supposed to end up in China) last May. I know many of you who actually know me will be rolling your eyes at this one, but I promise to refrain from getting into the whole violent, death-threatening food poisoning ordeal that happened there. Although it ruined my trip, and (compounded by traveling alone), undoubtably, had a permanent affect on my psyche there is really nothing more to mention about it other that I am concerned for my digestive system in Malaysia as well. If it happens again, so be it. Although in a large city like KL I'm less likely to be immediately confronted with a hot plate of late May's mystery meat and noodles at some Mongolian roadside cafe where the road is simply a series of hard-carved ruts on a dirt path (also known as a Mongolian super highway...if you don't believe me buy yourself a ticket to Ulaan Baator and see for yourself). Plus, I am too much of a food enthusiast to let a sensitive stomach ruin an amazing meal. I'm not going to miss out on the finer parts of Malay cuisine and its wide range of influences just to avoid heart burn. No pain no gain I say.
Despite the end of that trip, what I really took away from my Mongolian adventure wasn't about being a lone patient in a hospital in the least densely populated nation in the world. It was about the journey. I made 2 lasting friendships (I will hopefully be able to meet up with one of my friends, an expat living in South Korea this summer - fingers crossed). There is something to be said being in a place where nomadic life has ruled for centuries and if you want (and you really should, cuz it would be a damn shame if you didn't) get out of UB and live life out on the steppes for a bit. Unlike many a Disneyland-esque places that exist because of mass tourism, you can actually participate in it. I can sometimes still close my eyes and remember what it feels like to stick your head out the window like a happy lab; wind blowing across your face, maybe even your tongue hanging out while you bounce around on a so called 'road' (aka a small set of dents in the grass where someone drove 5 days before you) and literally look out and see vast expanses of open space. No fences, no property lines, the occasional white ger and massive amounts of herds of yak, camel, sheep, goats, and horses off in the distance or crossing your path constantly. It is here where I truly learned the power of the journey.
The roots of ancient Malaysian culture are also embedded in the concept of the journey. Personal journeys are present in the traditional art of tattoos in tribal Malay cultures. Furthermore, KL and the rest of Malaysia have something to teach the world about co-existance. Malaysia is a predominately Muslim country (60%) with Islam being the national religion. However, the law allows for freedom of religion, therefore alcohol, and even goes one step further to include the other major practiced religions (Buddhism, Hindu, and Christianity) in the public holiday calendar. Yes, women have rights, and aside from PDA, you can dress how you want and come and go as you please. So with that whole issue aside, I am excited to learn, and hopefully be able to report how exactly these four major world religions have co-existed here in a peaceful manner since Malaysian independence back in the 60s. It is an example, especially given today's events and what is going on in the Middle East/North Africa, that everyone could benefit from.
Well enough questioning of the world's problems and the so-called meaning of life. What the hell do I know anyway? I've got some logistics to figure out. I've gotta see one of those travel docs again. Last time I visited one I got poked in the arm 4 times in order to be allowed to venture into the Peruvian Amazon. Apparently, that wasn't enough intimate times with the needle, so I've got two more on my list and I need to make an appointment. Not to mention I've been procrastinating my Systems homework all week (hurray for reading about fire suppression systems and phone lines!).
Until next time.
-M
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