Where The Heart Is: My New Malaysian Home

Hello world!

It’s been almost two weeks since I put boots on the ground in Malaysia.

I guess a more appropriate phrase would be “flip flops on the ground,” because that’s really the footwear of choice here.

It certainly makes sense with the climate. Flip flops and sandals are ideal in the heat and humidity. They’re also easy to slip on and off, which is customary here before you enter someone’s home.

Like most Americans, I used to think removing your shoes at the door was some “quirky Asian thing.” But really our shoes are so filthy and germ-ridden – why track all that inside? It’s not uncommon here to remove footwear before entering an office or some other indoor space. And if you saw some of the public bathrooms I’ve trod in you would understand.

But anyway, I’m starting to settle in here and get comfortable in my new home. I live on the south side of Kuala Lumpur in a town called Seri Kembangan. Here’s a bit of a reference:

We’re far enough outside the city that I don’t feel the crush of traffic and crowds, but it’s still a big change from the quiet Ohio neighborhoods I’m used to.

Our apartment sits on the top floor of a 24-story high-rise. This is a completely new experience for me. I’ve never lived in a tall building and I’ve certainly never had a view like this:

My vista has a little bit of everything: mountains, lakes, buildings, and roads. If you look at about eleven o’clock you can see the skyscrapers of downtown KL, including the iconic Petronas Towers.

The apartment itself is a spacious two-bedroom unit with high ceilings and tiled floors.

We get lots of natural light but never direct sun. We have enough air conditioners and fans to keep the place comfortable, and a nice guest room in case anyone wants to visit.

It’s a short drive to my wife’s office and there are plenty of places to eat and shop nearby. Best of all, our cat has arrived!

She endured a long, crazy travel experience followed by seven days in quarantine. It’s still hard to believe she came all this way but she’s starting to understand that this is home.

Life here is still very different and I’ve got a million things to learn. The hardest part is not being able to speak the language, which makes simple tasks like shopping and dining a bit of an adventure. That said, Malaysian people are super friendly, and a bit of broken English is usually enough to get the point across.

This week was Chinese New Year, which is a big deal here. There’s a large Chinese population in Malaysia and people were setting off fireworks throughout the week.

Having a nice home helps a lot. I feel safe and comfortable here, and it helps ease some of the homesickness of moving so far away. We’ve got great internet, so I’m available to video chat when time zones permit. For your reference, we are currently thirteen hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. So when you’re going to bed at night I’m basically waking up the next day.

With that said, it’s time for me to make some dinner. We went to local grocery store today and stocked up a cartload of food for the equivalent of about forty dollars. Living expenses here are very affordable compared to the United States. You don’t even want to know what my apartment costs, but the monthly rent is probably less than what many Americans pay in a week.

That’s all for now. You can rest easy knowing I’m resting easy in my new home.

Hit me up with your questions and be well.