Stranger?

Life in Malaysia is becoming less and less foreign to me whereas the idea of living in America now seems distant, far away, and surreal. Now, it is difficult to imagine a place with so many freedoms, so many different things to do, and so many complications. Here, my life is simple. I teach English during the day, and cycle at night. I don’t have a car, I don’t have any other responsibilities except the ones that I left for myself at home. Things like planning a career or finding a place to settle seem more and more distant the longer I spend here. When I first started writing this blog, it was a very personal way for me to stay in touch with people at home, and let everyone at home know what I was doing, as well as being a therapeutic way to help me deal with such a big change.
But that my American home now seems like such alien idea that it is difficult for me to actually picture the people for whom I write. On any given afternoon, in Malaysia, I can ride my bicycle into town and discover new and completely different from everything that I have already experienced. Speaking enough of the local language helps, as locals tend to be very surprised when a white guy cycles into town and starts speaking the language. Most of the “orang putih” that pass through this area are on their way to somewhere else, do not speak any Bahasa Melayu, and do not stay long. I do believe that I am the only white man that lives around here, and for that matter the entire district. But now this is my home. I can actually say that I live here. And I do; I do my laundry here, go to the bank, cook, clean, and work in this community. At first, I felt like a tourist, and in some ways I still am, but the stares are less frequent and what used to be radical changes are now daily routines.
My work is extremely satisfying and even though I face challenges that can be quite complicated (finding toilet paper in an unprepared pinch can be like trying to defuse a timebomb), I am more than happy. So much so that I have decided to stay another year in hopes of seeing some of my projects continued to a higher level of completion, as well as giving the next generation of Fulbright English Teaching Assistants the tools an they need to have as wonderful an experience as me. There are some in my program who have come up against challenges that they were unable to overcome by themselves, and hopefully with an advocate like me around, such things will not pose such a problem in the future.
That said, the people that I meet here are made off something different than those back in America, and it is difficult for me to explain exactly how. Sometimes I wonder why exactly people are so nice to me, and they are extremely welcoming, hospitable, polite, and generous. One of the teachers at my school comes in about once a week with a half gallon of iced tea and comes back a few days later to pick up the bottle. She never asks for anything or tells me why she gives me tea, yet sure enough, each week a slightly different but equally delicious variety arrives in my classroom. “Good for your voice,” she says. I spent a week touring peninsular Malaysia from north to south with a wonderful Malaysian family, the same one that welcomed me into their home when I first arrived. They are some of the most wonderful people I have met in my time here, and I will not forget their generosity. Not only that, but I got a chance to improve my language skills with the smartest seven-year-old teacher I know, and she was very willing to answer any of my questions. And of all my students here, official and unofficial, she seems to be the most bright and interested in learning English.
I have recently learned that a few teachers from my school, who I work with very closely, will be attending an international course in teaching English in just a few days. Not only will this course be held in America, but to make matters even stranger, it will be held at the University of Connecticut, just forty miles from my hometown. I’ve told me parents to look them up, and they have agreed to have them over for dinner, and maybe even a bluegrass show. When I signed up for this program, I expected to be completely removed from almost everything and anything American, but it turns out that the world is smaller than I imagined, and hopefully my family will be able to return some of the kindness that these teachers have shown me. I had no idea that I would turning my own family into diplomats when I agreed to come to here! I hope they will forgive me, but I think that it will be good for everyone involved to meet and share some food. It might be a little tricky to arrange a Halal (similar to Kosher) meal, but I think the obstacle can be overcome without too much difficulty. I would also like my teachers to see where I go to church, where I went to high school, and maybe even a few of the places I used to work so they can get a real feel for what my life was like back in the U.S. I’m thrilled at the possibility, and I hope my parents can get a better understanding of where I now live and who I have been hanging around with so much.
And even more than that, I hope that the All Souls Unitarian Universalist congregation of New London, Connecticut will be a truly welcoming community and show my Malaysian friends the same love and understanding with which I was raised. Some things about my church might be difficult for them to understand, like the lack of a definite creed or the potpourri of religious ideas (after all, the minister wears a robe with the symbols of every major faith embroidered on the front). Not only that, but there is a statue of Buddha and a stained-glass window of Jesus in the sanctuary. Nevertheless, if circumstances permit, I am excited that people from opposite ends of the planet will have a chance to meet and share a few commons experiences. Since both parties are quite familiar with me, I don’t think ice-breakers will be a problem. And mom, if you are reading this, please don’t show them my naked baby pictures. I’m begging you.

Next week: “English in Camp”

Along with Pn Aminah, one of the teachers who is coincidentally heading to Connecticut in a few days, I was able to put help together an entire day of English activities for one hundred and twenty of my students. It was a huge success! I think those students who participated had a great time and got to see English used in a context far removed from that which they are accustomed. All day, contests were held in various English activities, as well as a Frank Sinatra sing-a-long, and a To most of the students, English is the official language of being told what to do. Elders always tell them that they must learn English and that English is important for their future. It is also a large part of their university entrance exams and will play a major role in whether or not these students can find a job after they graduate. There are thousands of bright energetic young college graduates in Malaysia that are currently unemployed because they lack English proficiency. In short, English is the language of responsibility for the kids. This camp was fun, competitive, and exciting. I think they appreciated the change of teaching style, to say the least.