This is a love story.
It’s a tale as old as time.
I met a girl, we fell in love, and we’re going to see the world.
Here’s the girl:
Her name is Su and she’s a treasure.
Su and I grew up on opposite ends of the earth. Literally. She’s spent most of her life in Malaysia, and came to the U.S. four years ago to pursue a PhD. We met at Ohio State, and found that despite our disparate backgrounds, we were basically made for each other.
Su is everything I could ask for in a life partner. She’s smart, beautiful, and unfailingly kind. I love her so much I married her twice.
Of course, I knew that marrying a Malaysian girl would eventually bring me to Malaysia, and I can now officially announce we’ll be moving there in January.
It’s exciting! But it’s a lot to process.
I visited Malaysia last December and had a ball. We enjoyed a traditional Malay wedding (see above), I went all over the country and met my wife’s wonderful family. I look forward to some amazing adventures experiencing a new country and culture.
That said… it’s a lot to process.
Malaysia is very far away and very different from the United States. I’ll have to relearn simple things like driving, eating, and shopping, all while grappling with a language that’s not my own.
I think I can handle most of that. I’m well-traveled and adaptable, and I have some experience living abroad. But I’ve also lived in Ohio for most of my life, and I’ve been settled in Columbus for fifteen years.
It’s going to be a big transition.
For the moment, I think I’m equal parts excited and terrified. I’m eager to step outside my comfort zone, but nervous about what I might find. I’m thrilled to start a new adventure with my wife, but sad to leave friends and family behind.
At the end of the day, I know my wife faced the same challenges four years ago when she moved to the United States. She came here with a goal of broadening her horizons, and she’s leaving with a husband and a PhD. Not bad at all.
So I’ve started this website as a means of sharing my journey. I’ll update regularly with stories, pictures and impressions from my travels, and I hope you enjoy following me throughout.
Feel free to leave comments, ask questions, and keep me company while I jet off to the other side of the world.
I don’t know what to expect, but it should be interesting.
Stay tuned…
Such a great idea! I’m so excited to read all your stories, and experience some of them in person in Malaysia. Malaysia is amazing. And Su is so great that they even put her name at the bottom of the page by the Facebook logo!