Malaysia Achieved (I made it!)

Well here I am. The ‘Land of the Indigenous Malay’.

I had a hell of a time getting here, which I guess should be expected for a 10,000-mile trip.

My journey began on January 28^th. After months of planning, packing, preparation and prayer, I was ready to embark. Or so I thought…

I arrived at the airport around 8 a.m., strode up to the ticket counter and told the agent I was there to check in for an 11 a.m. flight to Chicago.

She looked at me incredulously. “Nobody’s going to Chicago right now. It’s snowing and they’re not clearing any planes to land.”

Great.

So my 11 a.m. flight had already been pushed back until at least 3 p.m. The agent kindly booked me on an earlier flight that she said, “Might take off around noon.”

With limited options and an international connection to make, I accepted the boarding pass, said goodbye to my parents (😭) and schlepped my luggage and cat through security.

Did I mention I was carrying a cat?

Here’s the old girl. What a trooper.

So we got to the gate, all dressed up and ready to move abroad. Then the waiting game began.

We waited and waited, then waited some more. At one point, the gate agent said the captain was almost ready and we should begin boarding in 20 minutes.

Fifteen minutes later she announced there’s a ground stoppage in Chicago and the air traffic control system went down.

😱

More waiting. Everyone was growing restless as about 30 passengers lined up for standby on what we were assured would be, “The first flight to Chicago once they reopen O’Hare.”

Finally, around 2:30 in the afternoon, we got a window of clear weather and lifted off in a fully-loaded plane. I had to gate check my carry-on and pray it would make it all the way to Kuala Lumpur.

About an hour later we landed in Chicago and the real fun began. It was a tricky connection because I had to claim a plastic cat kennel that I’d checked on in Cleveland, swap the cat into her new carrier and recheck her for the duration of the trip. I’d booked myself a long layover to make this all possible, but our lengthy weather delay blew that all to hell.

So, I landed in Chicago with about an hour to process my cat and subsequently catch a 13-hour flight to Tokyo.

This is where I have to commend the representatives of All Nippon Airways (ANA), as they did everything they could to get me on that flight.

The biggest snafu was when they realized I had booked a one-way ticket, and didn’t have a visa for the country to which I was travelling.

“I’m moving there,” I explained. “My wife is there. I have marriage documents. She has a good job,” etc.

None of this seemed to matter.

In the end I frantically booked a return ticket on my dying cell phone as the clock ticked down on a flight I couldn’t afford to miss. It was at this point I texted my dad, despondent, “I’m not sure this is going to happen.”

A few minutes and $600 later, a trio of ANA agents escorted me and my cat through security and across terminals and we somehow made it in time to board.

Of course by now it was snowing again, and I watched anxiously as they de-iced the plane in the middle of a raging snowstorm.

We taxied for a while then de-iced some more. Finally, against all odds, the plane took off. We were on our way.

I breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a long, crazy day, and I still had about 20 hours of flying ahead of me. I could only hope my cat had been safely loaded on board. (She had.)

The next 24 hours are somewhat of a blur. I watched a few movies, (Cool Runnings!) dozed on and off, and tried not to think about the enormity of the life-change I was about to endure.

My connection in Tokyo went much more smoothly. I even had enough time to grab a shower in the ANA lounge.

When I finally landed in KL, I claimed my baggage and my poor shell-shocked cat.

I wish I could say we went home together, but Malaysia requires all imported animals to spend seven days in a quarantine facility, so that’s where Clay currently resides. I’ll give an update when I finally get her home. Suffice to say, I feel pretty terrible for what I put her through, but she’s a fucking champ and it will be worth it in the end.

So that’s that. I live in Malaysia now. It’s a lot to process.

To be honest I’m a bit overwhelmed. Actually, very overwhelmed.

Malaysia is very different from the U.S., and I am very much a foreigner here. The food, the weather, the traffic, the language, the lifestyle… it’s all new and different to me.

I think the most difficult part so far (besides the obvious homesickness) is just a general feeling of helplessness.

I’m used to living a pretty independent lifestyle. In the U.S. I could drive myself around and I always knew where to find stuff. Here I’m dependent on my wife and her family until I get a driver’s license and/or my bearings.

Fortunately, my wife’s family is awesome, and they’re doing everything they can to help me adjust. Malaysians in general are very friendly and hospitable, but it’s a weird sensation to be the only white person everywhere I go.

Thus begins my new life on the other side of the world. It won’t be easy, and it will take me months or years to truly adapt. But I’m here for my wife and I’m in it for the long haul. Everything I experience will broaden my perspective and make me stronger. Right now, I’m just trying to hold on and take it day-by-day.

I hope you enjoy reading about my travels and continue to check in on my adventures. I miss you all and would love to hear from you. I got a new phone and a new Malaysian number. My apartment should have WiFi soon. Feel free to comment on my posts and hit me up on Facebook. We’ll find ways to keep in touch.

Until next time,

Selamat Malam (Good night.)