Malaysia

So It has been a while since I've blogged even though I've thought about doing it just about every day, but I simply don't really know what to write about Malaysia, or maybe I just don't want to..haha but I will. I just have to sit down and actually think about it, so here goes the thinking….mm that done, now comes the writing! :P

We spent just under two weeks in Malaysia in it's capital city Kaula Lumpur. Yes we were right smack in the bustle of city life in Brickfields KL, right near Little India. Speaking of which, we were there right at the time of the festivities as Little India was having it's grand opening!  There was a market across the street from the YMCA we were staying at which made the city even more busy than it usually is. The traffic was insane, the amounts of people milling about was overwhelming and the market blared loud music from about 11 am to 1 am every day! I heard the same songs over and over through out our days and evenings there! The market itself was huge! There were many many people, most of Indian background It appeared, some tourists, some Malay people, and people simply from wherever. Walking through the market was crazy! The sellers were constantly yelling and  pushing their items in our faces saying things like "discount for you", "special price for you", "come try." Much of what was sold in there were Panjabi suits, Saris, jewellery (Bengals), shoes, some treats, there was also an area of clothing that wasn't Indian style. There were mass amount of people walking through there, hardly room to move it seemed. We were always shoulder to shoulder with some one or another! At first I didn't mind being in there, it was thrilling and exciting! I think adrenaline had taken over! But eventually my head was spinning and I was quite overwhelmed by the noise, the people, the bright bright colours! (so crazy that me of all people became overwhelmed by bright colours! That's a shocker!) There was just SO much to take in.  When Debbie, April and I left that market and were walking out I was in a daze…my head has never felt how it did that night. Not even sure how to explain it…it was crazy. We walked across the street to a coffee shop and sunk down into the comfy couches, ordered a cold drink before heading back to the Y. My head was so full of what I'd just experienced that I knew I wouldn't be able to go to bed for a couple more hours even though it was nearly 11 pm at this time. There was just too much, so much that I didn't bring myself to back into the market til over a week later. I didn't think I could handle it anytime before then.

While in KL we had many lectures in one of the meeting rooms a the Y. The program with the University of Malay isn't as great as the programs we have with NWU in Laoag and CMU in Chiang Mai. So there wasn't a homestay program at all, or even interaction at the school with other students. We went to a few museums around KL, a mosque, Puja Jaya, the Batu Caves, and a day trip to Malacca. We had a lot of free time in KL and since we were right in the centre of the city we were near the mono rail and the train stations, so with help from a city map and tour guide booklet we were able to go off in lil clusters and explore the city to our hearts content. There are an abundance of HUGE shopping malls there, I went to a few. I went and saw the twin towers one evening and to the mall that was under them. I went out one day with a few friends in search for a Hindu temple, a church and back to the central market where I'd already spent a lot of time!  It was a great day! I was even trusted with the map and leading our way to find the temple right from the Y! Although my friends did doubt my abilities and I did have to ask for help… I may or may not be slightly directionally challenged at times…sigh…but we were successful! Yay team work!

Malaysia was a good couple weeks, but in my opinion it was the dullest and least exciting part of the trip. Now don't get me wrong for thinking I am say it was dull and not exciting…it just wasn't as great and exciting as Thailand and the Philippines.

I did have a rough time in Malaysia with being around so many people all the time. I definitely missed my alone time, my space, my walks out in fresh air. I shared a room with Kelly and Emily, two great friends of mine, and we had a lot of fun together. But this being the third and fourth week of the trip being around people, the same people, all the time was starting to get to me. There was no where to escape to at the Y to be alone, no quiet corner or empty room I could go to. There was some tension starting to build between some friendships with people on the trip, for me as well. But it was almost to be expected to be traveling with a group of people like this. I did find one evening of quiet and alone time as I escaped into April's room when she we went out (with permission of course :)). It was a much needed time to be alone with my thoughts, my journal and my Bible. It was that cool breath of fresh air that I needed to keep on 

going.

Last year at school I noticed this already, but I became aware of it even more so on the Asia trip. I value my alone and quiet time so much! I need my space and need to get away from people, even my closest friends I can't be around all the time (no offense intended what so ever). But I also LOVE being around people, I thoroughly enjoy talking with people (more listening than talking :P), I value friendships and I always want to get to know people better no matter how much I already know. I want hear their stories. Here as I sit at home now a days, with very few people around me and SO much quiet and alone time, I am aware that I have gone from one extreme to another. The Asia trip where I struggled to find the almost impossible quiet and alone time, to now where I do not have 30 other people and loud noises around me all the time, just my parents (that is not a bad thing at all just to clarify) and I find myself missing that (as in the 30 people and loudness….crazy)! I would like a balance of each please…I am enjoying being home with my parents, there are some good times at home, but I miss my incredible fiends! Every one of those crazy people that were on this trip with me! They were the ones that made it so great! It was having such a fabulous group of friends around me that made this experience full, even if at times, I wanted more space, quite, alone time - solitude.  

Putra Mosque in Putra Jaya

Emily and I at the Putra Mosque

Batu Caves - Hindu temple inside 

April, Debbie, Myself and Emily as we make our way up the 300+ sitars :D

My first coconut experience! and I LOVED it! So good!

April and I - we split the cost of 3 ringet (1 c. dollar) to enjoy this treat before we made the climb into the Batu caves

Me in Malacca - A city that was rather significant in the trading routes of SEA and the world. the Dutch greatly influenced this city, hence the windmill... (it was not planned to be wearing my orange shirt that day, but I was quite pleased when I discovered this coincidence!)

Group photo at old church remains in Malacca (I seemed to have forgotten the details...)

Emily and I under the Twin Towers in KL