I have only been living in Malaysia for a little over one month but it feels like I have been here for much longer. I think it feels as though time has been going by quickly because I have been so busy learning about Malaysian culture. This experience has been very different from my life in the U.S. because although I am here to teach English, I actually haven’t been speaking very much English. At least not yet, because it is important to listen first.
Since I am new to the country and to my community in Kuala Berang, I think it is important for me to listen and learn first. I have been learning from my students, teachers and community members about their food, environment, cultural traditions, religion, school rules and more! These details will help me to build trust and strong relationships with my school.
My favorite ways to make connections are unplanned encounters. When I go to the night market my students will get excited to see me and bring me to meet their parents who are selling fruits and vegetables. When I am in the supermarket, I often bump into other teachers from school and they introduce me to their families. Today, I met some students at the local park and we practiced English together.
