What Do We Live For?

I had just cruised from one end of the Penang national park to another at the cost of a frozen yogurt in Hong Kong. The boys that operated the motor-boat smiled at me as they collected my life jacket. I had no doubt that these young men enjoyed their jobs as much as racing cars, they were the princes of this coast. Looking back to the rainforest, we cannot believe how far we had trekked. The day was so far so good. 

We immediately gravitated towards the smell of coconut curry as we climbed up the hill. We had our eyes on the food shack Mum and Papa's even before our hike. The owners of the stall were an elderly couple famously known throughout the island for their cooking. As our meal was being served, I felt like a little kid making it home just in time for dinner. We curiously asked the lady what was her favourite thing about Penang. She replied, 'Penang is heaven. We have plenty of sun, a beautiful nature and the people are simply just happy.' Together with her husband, they were born and bred in Penang with a multicultural heritage. Everyday, they get their groceries from their neighbours and cooks for the entire community and the occasional travellers. Internet and TV is not important in their world, their kids can play for hours in the nearby waterfall. Their family could live like this for generations, born and dying happy and free.

Coming from a career-focused culture where people are constantly stressed to feel a sense of worth, I wonder why we can't just be happy like these islanders. At the end of it all, are we valued on how much money we make or on how much happiness we feel?

My Malaysian Odyssey

Although I didn't know anything about this country, I had fantasized about living here for a very long time. Since I was in the area for the time being, I just absolutely had to visit. I wouldn't be able to eloquently convey my impressions of Malaysia. This is not a country that fit any stereotypes, I was constantly blindsided by what it can offer.

Roaming around Georgetown, the historic centre of Penang, I felt like I was at the World Expo. Ladies and gentlemen, to your right you can see pastel-coloured colonial architecture common in Latin America and on your left you will see a neighbourhood typical in pre-war Shanghai. If you look straight you can see a mosque, a Buddist temple and a Baptist church. Somehow these ethnicities managed to coexist with little conflict and adapt into a whole new culture. This doesn't happen in most parts of the world.

Breakfast with our favourite host

This phenomenon also led to Penang to have the most friendly people on earth. Our homestay host took us in like we were his own kids. He took us to his favourite food shacks, drove us off the beaten path and introduced his friends who just as awesome. We celebrated our trip by going to a retro karaoke bar on Christmas Eve. I'm thankful for Glee or else I would not know any of the songs. At a downtown restaurant in Chinatown, a fellow customer helped us order Hokkien food and instructed us on what combination of condiments tasted best. On our last night, we were practically treated like family at the local church's Christmas service. This was a place where I didn't feel silly smiling at complete strangers, wasn't worried that I would be ripped off because I'm a tourist and didn't feel embarrassed asking ignorant questions. Now that's what you call chicken soup for the soul.

Lost in Food Heaven

I can go on and on about the food. Naturally, I'm in a satisfied and very bloated state post-Christmas. Imagine wondering past a food shack every five minutes, how do you resist not having five meals a day? In fact I think if I lived in Malaysia, that photoshopped photo of chubby Sandra will look pretty accurate. I can still recall the tangy taste of the fragrant Laksa soup noodles, the tasty rojak salad dressed in hoison sauce and peanuts, the greasey but mouth-watering Hokkien char goey teow and the freshly baked roti served with the curry of the hour. I tell myself that I deserve to binge eat in Asia because last year in Hungary, Asian food was something that I would have only on my birthday. This helps me sleep better at night.

I'm slightly sad that such a great cultural experience was over, but I also missed Hong Kong (I guess this means that I have become fond of the place). With New Year's Eve and the Spring Festival coming up, could I ever be bored in Asia?