I’m Coming Home

I’ll make this short and sweet.

After three years in Malaysia, we are moving to the U.S.

It’s been an eventful time. We survived a pandemic. Had two kids. Lived in the city. Lived in the kampung. We enjoyed family time, holidays, beaches and more. I learned to drive on the left. I wrote a book. 

Now it’s time to move on. Our flights are booked. Our visas are secured. Our bags are packed. (Well, sort of.) It’s exciting and scary and a little bittersweet.

I haven’t set foot in America in over two years. My last visit was February 2020 when my father passed away. Covid was just getting started. Malaysia locked down a few weeks later.

Since then, I’ve become Malaysian in a sense. I’ve immersed myself in the lifestyle and grown accustomed to the culture. I’ve negotiated neighborhoods and hospitals and everything in between.

I’ve learned a lot. I’ve been through a lot. I’ve grown a lot. I’m ready for something new.

Coming back to the States will be an exhilarating rush. There are so many things I want to do, foods I want to eat, people I want to see. I’ve got two kids in tow and a whole country to explore.

At the same time, it will be sad to leave this land I’ve made my home. There’s a relaxed pace to everything here. People are easygoing and friendly. Things aren’t quite as efficient, but they aren’t as rigid and unforgiving as in the States.

I’m sure a lot has changed in the U.S. and I will experience some culture shock at first. I need to retake my driver’s test and buy health insurance. I’ll have a lot more on my plate with a family to support.

Right now I’m focused on getting everyone back in one piece. The logistics of flying 30 hours with two toddlers and all our stuff keeps me up at night. I’m constantly fretting over immigration procedures, covid requirements, travel insurance, airport logistics… how to occupy a two-year-old through a fourteen-hour flight.

In the end, it will just be something we have to endure. I’ve done plenty of research. I’ve had months to prepare. My wife and I are experienced travelers and we’ll do the best we can.

Though my time here is ending, I’ll still be blogging and I hope you continue to read. I’ll do posts about our journey, getting our green card, and adapting to life in the U.S. I’ll keep updating about the kids and my various writing endeavors. I’m just getting started.

I hope you’ve enjoyed following my adventures and learning about Malaysia along the way. We’ll be back here at some point. Maybe a year. Maybe two. I plan to visit as much as opportunities allow, and keep the kids connected to their birthplace. We’re fortunate enough to have two home countries. They just happen to be on opposite sides of the world.

Anyway, that’s the news. Cue up the obligatory anthem, I’ll see you on the other side…

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