KL + Orientation - Interwebs = A Late Start

Hello! Apologies for the late start in blogging my experiences in Malaysia and beyond. As most of you know, or can figure out by reading on, I'm spending the next nine months working as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) through the Fulbright Program. This blog will serve as a way for me to share my experiences, ponder cultural differences, vent frustrations, and most importantly, to post photos of cute cats. 

Although I hope that all (three) of my faithful readers will be sated by my undoubtedly irregular posts, please email if you're not! Blogs are fun, but personal correspondence can't be beat.

The Journey
Four flights, two delays, one 9-week old baby, zero personal TVs and 30+ hours of travel makes for one heck of a government-funded trip abroad. If not for the first season of Homeland and a giant Cuban sandwich, I would not have survived the trip.

Orientation
Although we only finished the main section of our orientation program in Kuala Lumpur less than two weeks ago, it's difficult to remember all that occurred and all that we were taught (sorry, MACEE ... it's all scribbled in a notebook somewhere). The highlights, however, include:

• BREAKFAST BUFFET - though I may have poopoo'd buffets in the past, the one offered by our hotel was one of the best parts of orientation (seriously, it had curry, make-your-own-ramen, fresh yogurt, donuts, omelet stations, waffles, pancakes, and more)

• Bahasa Malaysia classes (the most important phrase of which is, "Saya nak makan ..." or "I want to eat ...)

• Baju kurung scramble, wherein all the ladies sprint to pick out the "best" (read, the most correct futting and non-body odor smelling) baju kurungs from a table

• Dr. Jim Coffman's take on dealing with monkeys

• Lunch with the Ambassador to Malaysia, Paul Jones and the Deputy Chief of Mission, Lee McCLenny (a UW grad, to boot)

• Reception at the Ambassador's residence welcoming ETAs and saying bon voyage to  Malaysian high school students studying in the U.S. (these kids were great fun to talk to)

• State reveal, when we all found out the states in which we will be teaching

*I'm one of the three pins at the very southern tip of Terengganu.

• School, housing and roommate reveal - I lucked out big time with very cool roommates, a comfortable house and a town with decent coffee and roti canai  

Kuala Lumpur (or, KL)
The weekend after our arrival was full of free time and when we weren't sleeping, we explored the city, its food stalls, its malls (so much free air conditioning), and its parks. Although I didn't get to explore all the parts of the city that I would have liked, I did get to see and do (and eat) a lot. Behold a photographic representation of those experiences:

More information about Terengganu, my placement and monkeys to come soon ...