Dim Sum in Kuala Lumpur (KL): With Faculty Friends

Hera and Bawany

"Porridge" with Cod Fish, delish!!

January 14, 2011

I went out for Dim Sum lunch with me couple faculty friend buddies. What a treat! Last time it was chicken feet they made me try, you may remember. This time I enjoyed watching the banter in Cantonese between my Chinese-origin, Canadian-raised friend, named Hera, with the Cantonese-speaking waiters. She seems to argue and lightly bark at them and they respond with equal enthusiasm. And, I benefit with the awesome spread that magically appears, as a result. And, our conversation only deepened with time to what it's like to be wives and "scholars" at the same time. I really like having Hera and Bawany as friends to pop in on a few doors down from my office at HELP University.

A day in the life of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

My ISKL parent friends from France, Oklahoma, Sweden and Norway.

Muslim Men returning from big Friday mosque prayers in KL.

Dining with the Assistant Ambassadors from China, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.
Their wives are hidden at the end.

January 14, 2011

Here's one Friday in my life, after returning to Kuala Lumpur. Not a typical day but will gave you a taste of the international realm here:

1. Met with Chinese Malaysian leaders of the refugee school. Also met Indian-Malaysian and Burmese refugee Assistant Principals there.

2. White wine and Lunch with other expat moms of kids at ISKL, my children's international school

3. As we sat at a posh Irish bar called Malone's, having white wine on a Friday afternoon, literally thousands of Muslim Malaysian men returned from the BIG mosque Friday afternoon prayers, many of them streaming by, staring at us drinking. It's actually a very tolerant society here -- I think some were just curious. Click HERE to see the hordes of Muslim men leaving the mosque after Friday prayer, near my home.

4. Pizza party by the pool with the largely Southeast and Eastern Asian families living in our building. Alice's new friend is named "Manantika" from India. Her mother is named Varsha. There were families from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, China, and Venezuela. We find it a bit easier to connect with the Latin American crowd, but after 6 months in the building the Asian mothers finally feel more comfortable doing playdates with a stay-at-home Dad, namely Ken, and so our kids are hanging out more with Asian children in the building now.

5. All of us at the pizza party were invited to a buffet dinner held next to us by the Pakistan Assistant Ambassador. I dressed and went at 9:30pm, barefoot but with a dress. I ate excellent Pakistani food with the Chinese and the Sri Lankan Assistant Ambassadors. They were a little confused when I sat with the men, rather than the wives who were seated at the far, other end of the table. They explained the huge amount of trade between Malaysia and China, in the billions of dollars. And, the million Chinese tourists who come every year (maybe because of so many Chinese-Malaysians being here). Then, the Pakistani Asst. Ambassador asked to me sit with his wife, and I ate her homemade dessert while discussing exercise and managing the "help."

Bad-Ass Griffin's Vietnam Duds

January 8, 2011

I had to show you Griffin's bad-ass outfit he designed himself. Well, really, he designed the shoes. Alright, he just chose the style and leather for his shoes and had them made in a few hours in Hoi An, Vietnam. Then, he wore his red-starred Vietnam hat paired with his new shoes and Vietnam Bambou hip t-shirt for the flight home. He loves experimenting with wilder styles in the safety of his family, when none of his peers are around to make fun of him.