Headline News in PJ's Malaysia

This past week's activities run through my head like a serious of headlines. All are worthy of detailed articles but, due to a lack of time, here are a few of the stories:

On-Line Education Center Loses Internet - Teachers Scramble to Find Alternate Activities
After repeated attempts to log-on to the on-line education site on Friday and after numerous calls to the local internet provider, the school was informed that late-night robbers, in an attempt to "get rich" from the resale of copper wiring, climbed to the roofs of four local businesses including the on-line center and stole the internet wiring. When asked when internet service would be restored, the internet company replied,  "soon if we have wiring in stock; later, if we don't."

(I wonder if the robbers and the internet provider have a "contract" with each other)

Poor Air Quality Cancels Sports Practices
The burning of land by Indonesian farmers during the current dry season are impacting the air quality in Malaysia. Unhealthy levels were reported on Monday and Tuesday. All after-school sports practices were cancelled, but the entire day's classes in open air classrooms were conducted as usual.

(It seems to me to be the same air. I guess we just breath less of it while studying.)

Radio Station Announces 800 Number to Report Open Burning
Expat driver hears the public service announcement to report open burning while driving past a large pile of burning trash at her neighborhood park. She wanted to report the unlawful burning but was afraid to make a cell phone call while driving.

 (Darn American upbringing!)

Local Malaysian Driver Hits Road Sign 
"Texting while driving" is listed as the cause of an accident on Friday afternoon. There were no injuries in this low-speed crash but both the road sign and car were totaled. Hopefully the Malaysian driver's friend got the message.

(Pun intended)

Anwar's Sodomy Acquittal Overturned - Opposition Leader Is Sentenced to Five Years in Prison, but He Vows to Appeal.
This is an actual headline about a Malaysian politician in the March 8th, 2014, edition of the Wall Street Journal.

(I needed a dictionary to understand this article. In all fairness, we've got Bill Clinton and Monica; Anwar's got his driver.)

Woman Cyclist Groped by Pervert on Scooter on His Way to Morning Prayer

Luckily, the woman's high-pitched, ten-decibel string of profanities deterred assailant.

(If the assailant is found, an all-female jury with a mandatory sentence of castration is advised.)


Chinese Mothers Suggest Young Professional Sons Give Salaries to their Moms to Invest

In the tradition of "Mother Knows Best", sons are advised to give their paychecks to their mothers to invest in real estate and stocks rather than waste money on alcohol, fast cars and women. Although handing money to mom has been long-time Chinese tradition, modern sons are just saying "no" to their moms while trying to grow up and make their own decisions (or mistakes.)

Blockbuster hit "The Journey" is the Must-See Film of the Year

Even without English subtitles, you'll be able to enjoy and understand most (like about 70%) of this Malaysian-Chinese film production about an English guy, Benji, traveling to Malaysia with his Malaysian fiancee, Bee, to meet her very conservative Chinese father. The story is both funny and poignant as Benji navigates his way through wedding traditions in his quest to marry the love of his life. The film is worth seeing for both the story and the beautiful Malaysian landscape.

So, that about sums up my week.

Missing Four Seasons

As much as I like going to bed at night with warm feet and not having to curl my legs up trying to make myself as warm as possible during long, cold winter nights, I do miss having four seasons. Life here is perpetual summer. Oh, the temperature may change by an occasional degree or two, the humidity levels may fluctuate from  between 90 to 100%, and the clouds or morning haze may lift a bit later on some days making it feel cooler for a little longer. But, in general, it's hot.

One of the difficulties of teaching in a country with no seasons is trying to help students find context clues about setting, especially when the clues are phrases like "crisp apples, juicy peaches, crunchy leaves, crisp air and bright Harvest moons." Just this week I was trying to help a student determine the setting (time + place) of a story and the setting seemed SO obvious (see words in quotation marks above), but then I realized that most students have never picked a crisp, fall apple off the tree nor savored the delight of a warm, ripe, juicy peach.  The apples here are imported - from Washington, I might add - and a bit expensive. Students don't get the joy of jumping in piles of leaves. Oh, the palm fronds do turn brown, fall to the ground and crunch underfoot, but their "dropping" is random and their feel is razor-like and spiky.  And, although we do get some beautiful, full, orange moons, they remind me more of a summer solstice moon with sweat drenching our brows but without the laziness of long, late summer nights.

Another difficulty with the absence of four seasons was trying to "engage" in the Sochi Winter Olympics. On a normal Winter Olympic year, we would have alternated watching the events at home or in a ski lodge with an ice-cold Hefeweisen and some warm chili while we critiqued each athlete's ski technique or nerve. We would have been getting motivated to ski just a little faster or more aggressively the next day or commenting that "we probably could have made the Olympic team, too" based upon the great runs we'd made that day. But, watching this year's Winter Olympics in our sweat-drenched work clothes and sipping a warm Tiger beer just wasn't the same.  Although we did critique many athletes' techniques, it was with half-hearted conviction. We were having self -doubt... Can we even remember how to ski? Can we remember how to bundle up and try to stay warm? Do we want to?

As I sit here typing in my bare feet, thread-bare t-shirt and shorts, I do miss the four seasons but I don't miss being cold.

Song Birds Part 2

Eric and I are empty nesters for the second time. Our baby birds have left the nest and gone in search of their own trees singing new, original songs of joy. I feel sadness at their loss but joy that they survived and eagerness to see where their wings will take them.

Of course, there were some scary moments as we watched our babies grow into teenagers in a brief span of four days.. One evening, while mama was out searching for food, the babies were in danger from a stray, black cat slinking along the fence in anticipation of an easy evening meal. I worried all night that the cat would return for a free meal but, thankfully, our growls and scary gestures were sufficient to keep him away.

And then there was the afternoon two days ago when I noticed two little, furry clumps snuggled together on the short grass beneath the tree. They were so still that I was afraid neither of them had survived gliding practice from nest to ground. However, upon closer inspection I was relieved to find their little downy feathers rising and falling with each tiny breath. I suffered another sleepless night in fear the cat would return or the the lawn mower man would make his random, surprise visit.

The baby birds and their parents became our dinner entertainment last night. The fledglings were pecking for their dinner - I hope they ate lots of the many millipedes that invade our house - when  Mama and Daddy came home from work with "take-out"  - fresh worms  -  and chirps of admonishment to their teenagers  to "make better choices."

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, cats and pit vipers are NOT your friends!" squawked Mama.

Consequently, Daddy posted himself as "lookout" in the weeping willow tree while Mama gave beginning flying lessons. The plump, eager fledglings reminded me of little 737s practicing "touch and goes" as they ran along the grass, flapping their wings until they were airborne for about five seconds and then dropped back to the ground to repeat the whole process again.

Tonight we're remembering how to be empty nesters again. I hope our little birds will remember to send a quick text message or make a brief call when they are in the area. We would love to hear from them.