Thanksgiving approaching

I'm not sure if anyone is still reading this blog or wondering about the service time five of us were able to spend in Malaysia. To me it seems surreal and lives as a distant dream in my mind. There are small reminders throughout day that remind me of my time there and now as we near the holidays the reminders grow even more. It is odd to think that at this time last year the other volunteers and I were scrambling to prepare a Thanksgiving feast for about 50 people. We had no idea what we were doing and relied greatly on our families to guide us through the baking process. I now wonder if those that attended this diner last year will remember the event and if they may make some of the feast on their own. It is a little doubtful as Thanksgiving is an American holiday. There are three things that stand out in my mind about this holiday from last year: 1) Cooking in a small oven about the size of a microwave 2) Our house hosts ordering pizza as backup 3) The many friends and family that gathered to celebrate a holiday they new little about.

It is interesting how these memories keep sneaking up and how my perspective on life has changed because of this experience. Malaysia has helped formed my life and it seems to show more and more each day that I am no longer there just how much of an impact the people and the culture has has on my life.

It is a little crazy being back in the states and the things I notice as being different. Here are just a few of the things that struck me as different since I have been back.

- Public Bathrooms are free and provide toilet paper

- the light-switch to the bathroom is inside the room

- driving on the other-side of the road

- cheese or milk is a part of almost every meal

- the sun is still out past 7 pm

- noodles is not something usually eaten for breakfast

- everything just seems bigger (people, food, buildings, etc)

- there aren't buckets in the bathrooms to flush the toilets

- there is only one language being spoken

- you can order coffee black without anyone giving a strange look

More to come later. It is good to be back but also very odd. I miss my family and friends back in Malaysia and am also having fun seeing old ones once more. Right now many things seem overwhelming. They are familiar yet they are strange at the same time.

Leaving on a Jetplane

Hard to believe that this year is coming to an end. The last few weeks have been a blur as work speed up with last projects to work on and goals to accomplish. Now I'm standing in the Singapore airport and am wondering how I have gotten here. I know the litteral answer to that question but ther is so much more too it then I got on a plane. The year has been an experience I will never forget and will always cherish. Many people have asked me if I was excited to go home. To that I told them there are mixed feelings. I guess the simplest words I can put my feelings into are: I'm excited to go home and see family and friends but I'm sad to leave family and friends. Malaysia has become a home and with that many of the people have become a part of my family. It is hard to leave but I hope that contact can continue and the friendships started can keep on growing. Ok, that is it for now. It is time to head onto one of the longest flights I will face. Singapore to San Fran. Now the questions remains: Do you lose a day or do you gain a day? Time changes: one of the worlds trials and challenges of international travel. Peace.

NOW

It is hard to believe that I am entering my final week in Malaysia. The year seems to have gone by very fast. At first it was slow as it was a time of adjustment. Then it just took off as my community started to form and a daily routine was somewhat established. Now just as I seem to be fully comfortable here it is time to say goodbye. Is it really time to go? I have mixed feelings about this. I hear from both sides of the world about how happy and sad I must be to go home. There have been many marriage arrangements (not done by me) in the hopes of making it possible to stay longer. There is also the question of "When will you come back?" Then from the other side of the world there are the statements of "We can't wait to see you", "Only ___ days till you are here", "Are you excited?" To all these questions I can say yes and I don't know. I'm excited to go home and see family and friends but at the same time I am sad to leave family and friends. It is a very mixed feeling and each day, no each hour, it can change. The easiest way for me to look at this final week is to not look at it. I am not going to to look at the calendar and will just live in the here and now. Enjoy the rest of my time in Malaysia with the people I have come to know and love being with. Then I will look towards the reunion with the people I have not seen for a year. It is the living in the now attitude and as much as I am looking forward to going home I am also home right now.

Tragic Humor

For the past week and a half I have been teaching a small English class at Cheshire Home each morning. This week one student came in on Monday and said he wasn't feeling well. He couldn't concentrate and kept falling asleep. I asked him how he got here and he said he drove very very slowly. So slow cars were honking at him. This was not a good thing as he couldn't stay awake long enough to answer simple questions. Well, class ended he went home and didn't return again until Thursday (today). So today I asked him how he was and he said much better but he got in an accident. Here is the story of his accident.

He was driving home Monday on his motorcycle and was going very slow trying to stay awake and not crash. It didn't work. He ran into a car and got thrown off. The driver of the car rushed over to help him. Driver picked him up and looked down. Driver, "Where are your legs???" My student looked at him in a daze then said, "Legs? Hahahahahaha!" Driver, "Your legs?" Student, "Hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!" Driver started looking around frantically while my student just laughed. Finally the driver realized that there wasn't any blood. My student informed the driver he doesn't have any legs and that he never has had legs!

Don't worry both student and driver are fine and there wasn't too much damage to either vehicle!

Random from today: I was told my eyes look like Lion eyes! Is that good or bad???

Sad News

So after my traveling I can back to work fully refreshed and ready to take on any new challenges. The first morning back at Cheshire Home was great and it felt good to be with the residents again. Then the afternoon came with some bad news. Three of my students would no longer be staying at Care Haven. I don't want to get into details as I am still trying to figure out exactly what the reasons are but Nelwe, Edward, and Idrus were going to stay in their villages. This was and still is sad news to me and I miss seeing those three energetic and eager boys each day. They were my highlight on many days and taught me a lot about themselves, where they are from, and what their dreams are. To an extent it was a shock that all three weren't going to be there. I knew one probably wouldn't come back if he had the opportunity to go live with his relatives but the other two I thought would stay. It is a different feel without the three and now I just hope they are alright and happy. The hardest part about them leaving is that we didn't get to say goodbye to one another. I knew the Friday before that they may be going to their villages for holiday on Monday but wasn't allowed to tell them as the plans were still unsure. With that in mind I couldn't tell them goodbye that Friday and had to act like I would see them on Monday. It is almost as if they have just disappeared.

A different perspective

(Way up in the tree is an Orangutan having breakfast!)

So I started this blog last week and have been struggling with how to put some things into words. This is still pretty rough but so much has been happening and I'm not sure if anything will fully come out right. I will try and put other experiences I have recently had in posts throughout the week. Here is what I have thus far:

Ellen and I recently took a little time to travel over to the other-side of East Malaysia. Our first stop was in Sandakan where we were graciously hosted for a night by the Sandakan Cheshire Home. This Cheshire Home is very different from the one I currently volunteer at. It was a wonderful opportunity to see Cheshire Home in a different light. The Sandakan Home residents are very self-mobile and most of the cases are downs syndrome or mentally handicapped. I spent most of the time sitting with one of the residents holding his hand and watching tv. It was a different vibe than the KK branch and it felt like I entered into a family. It was a short stay and I wish we could have been there longer than a short evening and one night. Maybe someday I will have to opportunity to go again and get to know the residents and staff better.

Our next stop was Uncle Tan's Wildlife Adventures in Sepilok!!! We had a wonderful time heading up the Kinabatangan River to spend three days and two nights in the jungle. For this journey we actually looked like tourists. It was a refreshing change of pace, to an extent, and also an odd one. We traveled up the river with fellow travelers from Australia and England. This is one vacation that I loved. We were sleeping in a simple hut on a thin mattress under a mosquito net. Every evening and morning the sounds of the jungle were all that could be heard. This is a side of Malaysia I had not had the opportunity to really experience and appreciate since I have been here. It was simple and sweet: it was perfect!

At Uncle Tan's we went on morning/night boat safaris and a jungle trek. All the the safaris and trek were well worth it and we were able to see crocodiles, Orangutans, many different birds, and other animals. My highlight on the safaris was being out on the boat at night. For this trip we thought we might get rained out because a storm started brewing just as we were getting ready but the guides said if we were willing to get wet we can go! So we went out and found some amazing sights along the peaceful river with a glorious night sky above us. Seeing the wildlife was only half the fun of this trip. The other half were the guides or guys that worked at Uncle Tan's. It is hard to describe then and there personalities. I guess the best way to put it is imagine a group of young men living by themselves in the jungle hosting random people each week. Ok, that is more of a job description but these guys were great at it. They were very hospitable and open about anything you wanted to ask them. It was funny to see them interact with one another and with the other guests.

This trip was a great break in my current routine but it was also hard being with actual tourists and hearing about their travels. It made me more aware as to the cultural differences there are. Some things I have grown accustomed to as just being a part as my everyday life in Malaysia and it was interesting that these things (using a bucket to flush the toilet, eating fried noodles/rice for every meal, putting chili on everything are a few examples) would be odd to others. I guess talking to these travelers really opened my eyes to how Malaysia can be seen if you only spend a short time here.

For our last trip as a group we headed to Singapore and spent a night/day out on the town before flying back. It was a short trip but we managed to fit a bunch into it! For our first night there we all headed to a jazz club that Jacob found to hear a show and relax our muscles. All of us girls were a little sore as we had just come down from climbing Mt. Kinabalu and anything that required the knee to bend and lift or was an in/decline was a scream to the muscles. On our way to the jazz club we found an arts show all done with fire. It was amazing to the eye and from a distance it looked like fire was floating in the dark. Who would have thought in the middle of Singapore you could find giant balls of fire and some blues music? Not I but it was the highlight of my trip to Singapore! We did eventually made it to the jazz club and enjoyed a few hours there before heading back to our host house for some much needed sleep. The next day we spent our time at the massive Singapore zoo. It is a very large zoo with so many different animals to see and shows to catch. We were able to watch a water show and the elephant show! Something unique to this zoo is that many of the cages are open. At some parts you needed to watch your head because there could be a monkey or two hanging above you! Here are some pics to sum up the trip.

Side note: Kiley the mini pic is for you!

In the clouds

Well it has been a busy time here on this side of the world and the computer has not really been a part of the adventure lately. For that I am sorry and will try to update you the best that I can in the events that have happened in the last couple weeks. The first main event was the scaling of Mt. Kinabalu by myself and fellow YAGM volunteers (Erika, Ellen, and Katherine). It was a grand adventure that we have all been looking forward to for quiet a while and at last it became a reality. So in getting ready to hike up a mountain we asked the locals who have done it what we would need. Many of them told us to pack warm clothes and chocolate. Well, packing for Malaysia really didn't spark the idea for a sweatshirt (however a flannel shirt did make it is!) so a warmer layer was borrowed and some chocolate was donated and we were ready. Early in the morning we grabbed our bags and headed to the bus stop to find a ride to the base of the mountain. We arrived around 9:00 am found our guide and headed out. At first we started walking down some stairs (the wrong direction when the goal is to get to the top) but soon after the trail took a turn and it was all up hill from there. From talking to people before hand I was able to learn that much of the trail had been made into stairs and depending on who you talk to these stairs may or may not be steep. Well, they were pretty steep in some parts and not so steep in others. After the first few hours of hiking my legs started to feel that upward climb pretty well and by 5 km my lips were a lovely shade of blue but with only 1 km left to the lodge I was not going to turn back. Finally, there was the outline of a roof when you dared to look up. The last km seemed to take a very long time and was also the most rocky but it was worth it. We reached the lodge mid-afternoon and were very thankful for a warm beverage and a chair to sit in. The four of us had made it to 11,000 ft and were now in the coldest weather we had ever felt in Malaysia. It was time for a little rest. The final leg of the trip would start early in the morning, 2:00 am so now it was time to sit, stretch, and eat.

Early the next morning we all got up and put on many layer

s of clothing because we were told the wind was very cold on top and headed to the lodge to grab some food. I walked down with my friends feeling slightly dizzy but ready to persevere and climb that mountain. Once we got to the lodge and found a table the others grabbed some food and I just sat. My body was not cooperating and the thought of food made me want to hit the bathroom right away. The outlook for me making it was not looking good. The others gave me a package of

crackers thinking that if I could eat anything maybe it would be ok but just thinking about opening that bag and smelling the crackers. . . lets just say it wouldn't have been a happy ending. 2:30 rolled around and it was time to summit. I wanted to go and I wanted to force my

body out of that chair and go but my body wanted to lay down and sleep and just breath. The others got up and left as I remained at the table wishing I was walking with them. I came to Mt. Kinabalu planning on climbing the mountain to the top but it didn't happen. Instead I came to Mt. Kinabalu, climbed to 11,000 ft., watched the sun rise in the clouds (we were literally in the clouds), felt sick most of the time, and had a blast. Would I do this again? You bet! Next time I would just bring along some altitude sickness pills so then there is nothing standing in my way of the top! It was a great trip that I, mostly my legs, will never forget and hope to someday do again.

Day at the Beach

This past Wednesday Cheshire

Home took all the residents on a picnic

outing to the beach. It started early

by loading everyone up in the one van with a wheelchair lift and as many set up our camp for the morning. The of

the staff cars as possible. The van had to take a few trips as more than a few

residents are in wheelchairs and only about five can fit in the van at a time. We

went to a nearby beach that is fairly

wheelchair friendly and residents had fun dancing, swimming, eating on the grass, a little bowling, and more than anything just enjoying our time out! The day wasn't too hot and it was great to see the residents outside of their normal routine. It is amazing how different people are when their

environment is changed. Some of the residents surprised me in how well they adapted to a new routine and environment. It seemed to help that they were

also surrounded by their normal group of

people. After a relaxing morning we dove into our picnic. This consisted of a fried noodle dish with chicken and vegetables, steamed vegetables in a thick sauce, some fruit, and KFC chicken. Oh, and don't forget the

rice!!! It was a great picnic and the residents enjoyed it immensely.

After the food and a

little bit of time to let it settle it was time to hit the water. This basically meant having anyone not in a wheelchair jump in and take a bath. It was a fun time to watch as some of them

enjoyed it and others thought it was the end of the world. In the end though they all ended up being wet and for the most part clean!

I just hope next time we could have our swimsuits on for this. I think

the pictures can explain a lot more how fun this event was!

Village Doctors

My supervisor at Cheshire Home used to travel with this group quite a bit when she was working in Sandakan and when the opportunity arose for her to join them on this excursion she invited me along. We started out early on Saturday morning and started the long drive through windy roads in the mountains to a small remote village. Here we got busy right away. There were tables set up, in what appeared to be the villages meeting house, to see patients and distribute medicine. It was a fantastic event to witness and be apart of. We spent all day Saturday meeting the villagers and distributing medicine, food, toys, and clothes. At first it was

very overwhelming for me because I had no idea what to expect and what needed to be done. The group I was with had a pretty solid routine and they each had their duties to complete. When asked to do something I gladly pitched in otherwise I was left to observe, visit,

and learn. Let me tell you, I learned a lot on this short trip. There was one doctor with us and he was very willing to teach me about the conditions of the village and what sort of things they usually encounter. If memory serves me right he called

me over and said, "Sit down and learn." So I did. I learned about arthritis, asthma, malnutrition, lice, and much more. Watching all the people come through our little makeshift clinic was eye opening to how different the world can be just two hours away from your own home. In the village it was hard to get to a clinic of any kind for medical help. Through many conversations with different volunteers on this trip I was able to learn that they try and do these village runs as much as possible. Some will try for the minimum of once a month but organizing enough people to go and getting the supplies in is sometimes difficult and they are not able to go. When asked how often a doctor, themselves or others, come to each village they said it might be once a year. It is just amazing to think that many of us can drive 15 minutes and see a doctor and others wait a whole year.

After a busy day a group of us gathered up our bags and followed the local kids down to the river for a bath. We thought the kids were just going to show us the river and turn around and head back up but that is not how it went. As soon as we reach the waters edge they stripped down and jumped in! The joys of being a kid in a village. No worries, no shame.

Just the joy of swimming in the river with friends and in this case a few strangers. The rest of us were a little more modest and either wore a swimming suit or our clothes. After our bath it was finally time to get some food. So we all headed back up to our base camp and through our bags in their respective spots and

got ready for dinner. The night lasted a long time with visits from the head of the village (and a group of boys that hung out with me for a long time), sharing stories and songs, and having many discussions. It was a great end to the day. All that was left to do was sleep. We were very blessed and offered a place in the main area of a house. It was very kind of the village and they went out of their way to make us comfortable.

The next morning was a blur of goodbyes and loading into the large 4X4 trucks to carry us home. The weekend was one of the best weekends I have had and it allowed me to see so much more of what Malaysia is made of. It is one weekend I hope can occur at least once more before heading home.

Robbers, Yelling, and Marriage

1) As I was teaching at Care Haven on Monday the neighbors were robbed. Crazy?! It was. We were working on our math lesson when voices started yelling and two ladies that live next door were banging on the gate. Apparently three men jumped their fence and stole money, jewelry, and credit cards. Don't worry we were all safe and this doesn't seem to happen to often. It just seems crazy that this happened right next door during the middle of the day.

2) I never imagined myself having to yell at a almost sixty year old man but alas it had to be done. At Cheshire Home one of my responsibilities is to make sure one of the residents exercise. Well, some days (lets face it: most days) he doesn't want to walk and will literally try to run away from me. He has yet to win by this method and fake sleeping doesn't work either. This is an interesting task I have and have learned a lot about perseverance and patience.

3) Today one of my 15 year old students tried to arrange for me to be married. Every once in a while they ask me when I have to go back to America and today was one of those days. We were having a great lesson and everyone was on task. Then came a question of "do you have ... in America?" This brought up the subject of when I would be leaving and them asking if I could stay longer. Very sweet but I don't think it is possible. However, today Edward was in top form and thought I could marry someone in Sabah and then stay longer. He took this one step farther and decided I can marry their house Aunties son. After all she has two to pick from and they are both in their late 20's. (Yes, he took age into consideration.)

Easter

On Palm Sunday we spent time in Girls Brigade discussing Easter and what leads up to it. There was a handout for each girl that talked about the days between Christmas and Easter. On this list was Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and finally Easter. Out of all of these days all of them knew Christmas and Easter. A few knew Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, and Good Friday. Almost none of them knew Mardi Gras, Lent, and Holy Thursday. This was very eye opening to me and really made me realize how different places can be. After Bible Study with the girls on of the leaders came into my classroom and started asking me many questions. It turns out she had never heard of Lent or Mardi Gras. She had heard of the other days but was curious as to how they are honored and what exactly they mean. It was one of the best religious conversations I have had in Malaysia so far. She shared with me what she knew and asked many questions as to why I honor these days. The main question that stuck out during this conversation was: "Where is this in the Bible?" This launched another whole conversation about the gospels and what they talk about.

Easter this year was very different than any Easter I have experienced in the past. This year it really didn't feel like Easter was here. (Maybe it is the time warp in the weather!) It was very different because within the BCCM church there weren't any Lenten services. There were services held on Good Friday. From what I have gathered the Lenten services that were help in the vicinity were at Catholic or Anglican churches.

So how did I celebrate Easter without my family and friends:

The other volunteers and I worshiped together by singing and reading scripture. On Easter Sunday I celebrated with the Girls Brigade by having a party full of games, food, and a devotion. Afterwards my housemate, Ellen, and I invited two of the STS students over for dinner. It was a fun dinner where Ellen and I made whatever we felt like eating. We just warned the students that it would be western dishes and there wouldn't be any rice! The menu turned out to be pasta bake, potato salad, fresh fruit salad, and apple crisp! It doesn't all really go together but it was good and I think the students liked it. It is always hard to tell. The nights meal was a great end to the holiday.

KL

Last week Erika, Ellen, and I took an adventure to the West side of Malaysia to the capital Kuala Lumpur (KL). It was a great four days spent running around the city and seeing as many sites as possible.

Ellen and Erika at our Hostel at the YWCA. (top left)

An amazing Indian meal. (Middle)

View from the Petronas Towers. (Below)

Petronas Towers at night. Taken from the fountains in previous picture.

Reflection of Petronas towers.

Ellen and I at Taman Tasik Perdana (lake gardens)

We were able to go canoeing for a half hour!!! My favorite half hour of the day.

After climbing 272 stairs this is the sign that greeted us at the Batu Caves

We swam at a park on our way back with some local kids and students!

Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) on the left and a really neat building on the right. We took many detours on our journey which allowed us to see some amazing structures and more of the local life. It pays to Jalan Kaki (go by legs) and not be able to always read a map!

Two scenes from Melaca. An small town with a lot of history.

We also visited Chinatown, Little India, central market, the local night market, and Masjid Jamek (Jame Mosque). It was a wonderful trip with lots of adventure and a little sleep along the way.