Friday, April 29, 2011

Thunder storms in KL.

I absolutely love the thunder storms in Kuala Lumpur! We had a particularly ferocious one yesterday with sheets of rain and very loud smacks of thunder. The lightning too is spectacular and we can sit on our balcony watching the storm pass by, completely mesmerised by it. Our balcony is only used as a spectator box when the rain isn't coming in sideways and drenching all of our balcony furniture. (It did this yesterday!)

The only other place I have experienced such energy and showmanship from a storm is in Johannesburg, South Africa. There the lightning strikes a pose long enough for you to take a photo of it! The electric tentacles weave across the sky, over and over again, as you watch holding your breath.

In Kuala Lumpur the rain literally looks like sheets of water falling from the sky and visibility is obscured as if you were looking through steamed up glass.
Have a look:


Petronas Towers obscured by the rain storm.

The fact that the temperature sinks slightly but is still warm enough to wear shorts and a t-shirt always brings a smile to my face. There have been times though that I have jumped out of my skin because the thunder was so close and so very loud. You can watch too, as the birds go crazy, flying around just as the storm is moving on. I call them "dare devils" because they fly around when they could still be struck by lightning. I am guessing that they are feeding on insects that are airborne because of the storm. They look like swallows but don't quote me I am not an ornithologist.
The other quite scary occurrence is how quickly the water accumulates on the roads and over flows from the drains. The water in the canal section that goes past Central Market Area, (LRT station Pasar Seni), doubles if not triples in volume. You can tell because the water level reaches right up to the graffiti artwork along the walls of the canal.





It's useful to have a passenger on your motorbike a.k.a an umbrella holder.


Thursday, April 28, 2011

Things to try in KL.

If you never have before you must try yellow water melon. It is absolutely delicious!


Most people have at some point had fresh coconut juice. If not you must also give this a try as it is highly nutritious and refreshing on a hot day.



Fresh coconuts at Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur.


Saturday, April 23, 2011

Tips for when you move country.

After moving from an 11 year stay in the UK to Malaysia, I felt the need to share some tips around my experience so that these may help anyone who is planning to move country. As the economies of the world throw up uncertainties, I can imagine that there will be many people who will choose to move country for a better lifestyle. Others may be forced to move in order to find work. What ever your circumstances, I hope that these tips help you transition into your new country of residence smoothly and will help squash any dilemmas that such a big change may throw up.

My notes below are about my experiences of moving country as a wife following her husband. Many of the points however, could be equally useful for a husband/boyfriend or girlfriend moving country to join their partner.


Before you Move.


1. Visit first

Visit your new country before deciding to move. Go check the place out first. Many large corporations these days insist that, when a job offer in a foreign country has been accepted; both husband and wife are flown in for an “ inspection tour”. Many companies wish to avoid employees quitting their jobs pre maturely. Aside from stress and frustration caused by cultural misunderstandings, differing work mentalities and conflict in the work place, often spouses quit their new jobs and return to their home country because their partner is absolutely miserable! A visit can give you both an indication on whether you will be happy to live and work in the new country. It can also save you months of misery because of un-fulfilled expectations and possibly your marriage/relationship which can rupture under the strain of one partner loving the new home whilst the other would even swim home to get away.

2. Cultural Awareness

Attend a cultural awareness session or do some research on the culture of your destination. Talk to people who are based out there or who have recently lived there. Be aware of the negatives but don’t let these cloud your own judgement. People’s perceptions and experiences in a place can be so misleading at times so listen to their advice but go with an open mind.

Some useful internet links below.

http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=my#cn-6
http://www.culturosity.com/resource_cultures.htm


3. Enjoy the process

If you are lucky enough to have professional movers helping you with your beloved belongings, then leave the packing to them. If you are like me and you can’t help but get involved, then go ahead, roll up your sleeves and get stuck into it. I found it somewhat therapeutic packing certain items away and labelling the boxes. If it is not for you, leave the work to the professionals. For reminder tick lists of what to do before you move check out the following sites:

http://www.johnmason.com/moving-overseas-faqs/moving-guides-2/
http://www.relocationapartments.com/relo-checklist.html
http://www.ktimatoemporiki.gr/content/134/



4. Immune System

Distress, meditate, stock up on multi-vitamins. Do everything you can to keep your immune system working at optimal levels. For most people moving and change are extremely stressful, especially moving to a new country. This is a huge experience crammed with worries and surprises. It doesn’t mean that things have to go wrong for the stress to manifest. The simple upheaval of packing and moving to a new and strange environment is sufficient. Therefore, find healthy ways to release the built up tension and give your body all the support it needs.


5. Leaving people behind

Moves are also extremely exciting and full of adventure. They can be just what you need if you feel your life has fallen into a dissatisfactory routine. If you happen to be moving to an exotic country, you will be envied by your friends and family. Some of you family may be full of warnings about how dangerous your new home is. Others may have visited the place in the past (like 20 years ago!) and will describe things to you that may no longer exist. Others will share in your excitement and others may become cool towards you because of a mix of envy and sadness that they won’t have you nearby anymore. Take all of this as a given, part and parcel, for when it comes to leaving others behind. Knowing this will help you with your transition.

ARRIVAL
1. Don’t judge yourself

We all can be too harsh on ourselves at times. If your move is supposed to be exciting and full of adventure and you find yourself feeling low and depressed; don’t worry. This can be one of the emotions you experience. You are in a foreign place, with few or no friends, unfamiliar surroundings, possibly a language is spoken that you don’t understand- bluntly put you can easily become overwhelmed. I struggled with this myself. Our move was to an exotic country, warm weather, blue skies, modern condominium with a luxurious pool, all the mod cons of modern living, English spoken and tropical, lush vegetation mixed with modern skyscrapers. Our dreams had literally come true. Yet the excitement was short lived and was replaced by other thoughts and emotions that I will cover further on. So what happened? Yes, I started being very critical of myself. “What’s wrong with me? Folks back home would cut their right arm off to be living here, to have this opportunity I am having. How sad am I that I am not excited and happy 24 hours of the day to be here?” This self criticism reared up its head in my case mainly because of 2 reasons: in my new country I had a lot of more free time as I was no longer working and secondly I was trying to live up to an obviously flawed expectation that a new life in a new country equals our dreams coming true which should equal continuous joy and happiness. As with all dream destinations there are pluses and minuses so take these in your stride. If you are a bit of a perfectionist, take a deep breath and tell yourself that there are challenges even in paradise and these too are surmountable!

2. Mini-warning: Idle Time!

If you are or become a “trailing wife” beware of idle time! Excuse the expression but “trailing wife” is the name given to wives who give up their career to follow their husbands abroad. Some spouse dependant visas do not allow the other partner to work in the new country. Therefore trailing wives have to become creative in learning ways to fill in time. Idle time is particularly menacing for people like me, who were career women, with regular, cut-throat routines and without any kids. Going from a stressful career that consumes your waking hours (and sometimes your sleeping hours as well) to having time to do absolutely anything you want, is total bliss at first! Yet after some time it can lead to boredom and surprisingly feelings of inadequacy. This is of course not true for the highly organised, goal focused, fearless women out there who plan exactly what they will be doing with “their spare time”. Such women have nothing to worry about. But for those of you who took an initial break and just wanted to see what came up, I have jotted down some ideas below of things you could try.

Things to try:

1. Network and make new friends. Get out there and say yes to every invitation you get in the beginning. Everybody needs support so get out there and meet some incredible people. You may even make friends for life in your new country. You can find networks or associations you can join on the site below:

http://www.expat-blog.com/

2. Explore your new city, new country. Really enjoy your new surroundings. Pace yourself though. I went into overdrive and did all the city sites in my second week whilst undergoing root canal treatment in 2 of my teeth. By week 6, I was ill in bed.

3. Pursue forgotten desires. Use the time to do all of those things you always wanted to do.
A) Hobbies,
B) Learn a new skill (like driving or the language of your host country)
C) Tick off items from your bucket list
D) Study,
E) New Career, freelance or start a business
F) Get fit
G) Travel
H) Volunteer
I) Start and run a blog (or spend time reading other blogs. Funny one to check out is: http://www.trailingwife.blogspot.com/)

4. Pamper yourself
Massages, manicures, shopping and sunbathing spring to mind. For most women this is a dream come true. Others however, be warned. There are only so many massages and shopping sprees you can do before your mind screams: “What next? There must be more to life than this?!”

5. Start a family
A route many people take especially in countries where a maid is part and parcel of the culture and living costs and school fees are more affordable or are sometimes included in the contract of employment. In addition housing tends to be more spacious than back home, so a spare bedroom or 2 is standard. I have heard that cities like Bangkok offer such excellent maternity services that people return there to deliver each of their children.

6. Meditation: start practicing regularly. Even if you think meditation isn’t for you, this may be one of the best times to give it a try. All who do swear by it. Sivananda Centres are based in quite a few countries and some offer free meditation sessions.

http://www.sivananda.org/

If you can’t find one in your country try googling: free meditation courses in your area and there is bound to be something.

7. Do whatever keeps you feeling happy, alive and helps you achieve your goals. If you wish to share what you did to pass your idle time, drop me an email at: expatliving@ hotmail.co.uk

3. Relationships

Moving abroad can often mean spouses or families have to spend time apart when one of the family moves first to the new destination. This time apart can strengthen relationships or can cause others to break up. During the time apart questions may arise in each partner about the relationship, their love and what it is they really want. Time apart can lead to reflection. New experiences and change in lifestyle can lead to changes in character. Values and priorities may change. These can all be extremely positive or quite negative for the relationship. I don’t want to panic anybody but there is something known as the “Asian Syndrome.” This syndrome is usually associated with western men being continuously approached and propositioned by single Asian women regardless of whether the man is married or not. In some Asian countries single western women also find it difficult to find a date so they too, in desperation will approach married western men. This is a field day for men and offers up huge temptations for them to stray. This can be hell for wives and can really test marriages. Of course this is a generalisation and many people do not have these experiences at all. If you do however, unluckily happen to get caught up in such a situation, don’t simply let jealousy and mistrust eat you up. Communication is key, talk to each other and if need be hire a relationship coach. You may find that mistrust is causing both of you to imagine things that aren’t really there. Whatever brought you together and kept you together is greater than the frivolous temptations that you both may face abroad. Do all you both can to save what you’ve got. If that fails then maybe the move simply uncovered a relationship that wasn’t solid after all and you both are better off apart. Either way get professional help as an outsider can bring some real clarity and solution to a very emotional situation.

Louise Legat is an expert in helping individuals and couples with their relocation problems on an emotional and psychological level. You can contact her here:

http://louiselegat.typepad.com/my_weblog/what-we-do.html

4. Health

A new climate brings with it new bacteria and viruses therefore, it is imperative that you keep up your immune system and health in tip top condition. Children tend to catch things at school as is normal in every country but you can give yours a helping hand by giving them cod liver oil.. Women can also get infections in humid climate easier than back home where the winter tends to kill of most bacteria. Don’t be embarrassed if you suddenly get thrush or a urinary infection. These are apparently quite common in the expat community in tropical climes and they are not linked to sexually transmitted diseases.
Be careful of mosquitoes and take precautions to avoid getting bitten. Mosquitoes carry malaria or dengue fever. Be gentle on your stomachs as well and don’t be too adventurous in the beginning with local food. After some acclimatisation you will be able to eat most things but the body does need some time to adjust. I can say for certain that the local “mama stores” (street food stalls) have one of the best reputations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and are known for their hygiene as well as tasty fresh dishes. Other countries are not so blessed, so please be careful.

On arrival register with a good and recommended doctor. These can be found via an international company called International SOS. They also provide emergency medical cover as well as evacuation services in case of a severe emergency.

Have a look at their website for more information:
http://www.internationalsos.com/en/

5. Fung Shui

If you practice Fung Shui then you will know that energies of a certain place and of certain configurations can mean prosperity or doom. Moving house and country will unsettle all energies, so you need to ride the anxiety and excitement of being in limbo and allow the energies to settle once you have un-packed and re-created your home. Be patient and kind to yourself during the whole process and know that any change unsettles the ego. When the ego is unsettled you feel vulnerable and your emotions act like an elevator: going up and then down. Feeling homesick and craving certain foods
from back home are just reminders that you are out of your comfort zone and long to be back where you were last comfortable. Know that this is normal and that you are not the only one who is going through this.

6. Expat life

Once you have settled in, enjoy the expat lifestyle. You will find all sorts of networks and magazines that offer expats information and opportunities for social events.
If you Google the word expatriate you will find a host of sites offering all sorts of information specific to your country.


Moving country is a great opportunity, one which many do not get to experience. You may even get hooked like some friends of mine and move country every 2 years! The 1st move may be the most unsettling one for you. Once you have the hang of it though and start to enjoy what the different countries can offer you in experience, life-style, career and business opportunities, you may never look back again. You may even start to wonder why some people stay in the same country for years and never leave. They really don’t know what they are missing!

Enjoy and good luck!

Is Kuala Lumpur (KL) a safe place to Live?

I received an email from someone wishing to move to KL and they were naturally concerned about the safety of the city. I welcome all your views because as with anything perception and experience is subjective.
Having lived in both Kenya, Austria and England (for stretches of 10 years or more in each location), I tend to compare the security of Malaysia with these 3 reference points.
I find KL to be relatively secure and like with most city's you just need to be aware of your surroundings and not go to any "dodgy" areas at night. I personally do not get the feeling that it is a very dangerous city.
I have been advised here that when walking along the road, I need to watch out for bag snatchers who come along on motorbikes. The rule is to carry your handbag on your side furthest away from the road.
All condominiums have 24/7 security and surveillance cameras and stand alone houses usually employ a guard or watchman.
I have family living in Johannesburg and my experience of the feeling that this city gives me is that Johannesburg is more risky than KL. Even parts of London have me feeling more nervous than I do in KL.
Certain sites on the internet suggest that Japan and Singapore are the safest Asian countries to live in. I am curious to hear from you how you think Malaysia compares to other Asian countries.
Wikipedia states that the most common crimes in KL are snatch thefts, robberies and motor vehicle theft.

So, I welcome your comments. How does crime in KL compare to other countries you have lived in? Where can people find statistics on the current crime levels and ideally a comparison with other countries?

Looking  forward to hearing your opinions!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The Great Backyard Chicken Adventure, part 26 - Hen Fever

I love reading about chickens. There are some good new books and some great websites. One book mentioned ‘Hen Fever’, referring to the obsession with fancy breeds. Country gentlemen William Randolph Hearst commissioned Julia Morgan to design an elaborate poultry house for his estate, La Cuesta Encantata, in San Simeon. It has since been refurbished as a house for the present day ranch manager.

The first American Poultry Show was held in 1849 at the Public Garden in Boston. Daniel Webster was an exhibitor! Poultry shows were very big.

In some of my books there are sections about preparing for a poultry show, including ‘how to wash’ a chicken. Which I thought was hilarious until recently when one of the girls had a problem…and I ended up giving her a warm bath.

Growing wisteria


Curious about growing wisteria? We've selected 3 excellent varieties for bay area gardens this month. You can see them in our stores, and learn to grow wisteria by reading this excellent primer.http://www.sloatgardens.com/wisteria.htm

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Great Backyard Chicken Adventure, part 25 - Early to Bed

When the days are shorter the girls aren’t laying. That’s fine, they still contribute to the compost pile. This morning we had leftover spaghetti and warm oatmeal with raisins because it was cool. They have been going to bed before I get home so breakfast is the big meal now.

We tied a tarp over the run to keep some of the rain off the girls and the soil in the run.

I did notice ‘someone’ had tried to dig under into the run in a few places. So glad I sprang for enough hardware cloth to line the floor of the run. We dug down a foot, laid the hardware cloth, then covered it back up with soil. The girls can still scratch and dig without touching the cloth, and no one can burrow under and up into the sanctum sanctorum.

Monday, April 4, 2011

The Great Backyard Chicken Adventure, part 24 - Synching Our Schedules

The girls are good with the morning schedule, generally breaking the fast between 8 and 8:30 (no more sleeping in for the Food Lady). I did have two mornings when I needed to get up and out by 7:30…and they weren’t very enthusiastic about it. I, of course, was all chipper because I was going to see them, so I put their food out, opened the coop door, and called hello….nothing. I lifted the roof to check and they both lifted their heads, “Seriously? It’s still dark…”. They always make me smile. In my researching I found that up until World War I, poultry in cities and suburban areas equaled half the human population!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

The Great Backyard Chicken Adventure, part 23 - Reality Check for Beginners Answers from the Chicken Whisperer

Q: How many times a day do you feed your hens?
A: The chickens are checked most mornings to ensure they have crumble and clean water. I say most mornings in that after 19 years with chickens, I confess to missing a day here and there. But, the chickens are ALWAYS checked on when the weather is hot or we have stormy weather. Extra food such as kitchen scraps and garden weeds are offered as they become available.

Q: Any beginner mistakes to avoid?
A: Don't keep the coop too clean in winter. Some passive composting of bedding and manure helps keep some warmth in. Stop severe pecking and feather pulling bullies immediately. Some birds are too aggressive and should be separated away from the rest or be rid of. Egg eaters may need to be ‘culled’ if you have one, but if you get there early enough to collect the eggs that may prevent the broken egg.

Another coworker found that his Araucana/Ameraucauna mix laid green eggs and his other chickens would eat them, because they were not brown like the rest. Americaunas have can ear tufts and beards, lay light blue-green eggs and have a tall tail.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

The Great Backyard Chicken Adventure, part 22 - How the Chicken Whisperer’s Journey Began

Q: What got you started?
A: I was into permaculture and edible landscaping. I was growing/studying herbs for medicine, I was a mushroom hunter. Chickens seemed a logical next step. Maybe was is the wrong verb because I still very much believe in being as self sufficient and sustainable as possible.

Q: Why do you have chickens?
A: I keep chickens to create compost from their bedding and manure, I spread my pile every spring all over the garden. The chickens have almost entirely eradicated the earwigs, sowbugs, slugs, and snails from my yard. They have also eradicated many plants. If you let your chicken have free reign, you had better protect your favorite flowers. I also enjoy tasty, fresh eggs.

Q: Were there chickens around when you were little?
A: I did not have chickens growing up but my father did. They kept a backyard flock for meat and eggs at his home in Los Angeles during the depression.

Friday, April 1, 2011

In the spring...

‎"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."

~Margaret Atwood

The Great Backyard Chicken Adventure, part 21 - Friends with Chickens

One of my co-workers has chickens and has been a great, patient resource for a “beginner’ like me. I call her the Chicken Whisperer. Here are some of my questions from the last year as I prepped for the girls’ arrival.

Q: How long have you had chickens?
A: I have kept chickens for 19 years.

Q: How many do you have?
A: Right now, we house 4 egg layers and have a fifth as a family pet. The difference is the pet chicken is carried about, held and petted much like a cat by my son.

Q: What breeds do you have now?
A: Right now, I have a Rhode Island Red and her daughter whose father was a crazy Bantam rooster named Monsieur Cheep Cheep. The other 2 egg hens are Wyandottes. The pet is a Bantam cross hen.

Q: Do you start them as chicks/eggs/pullets?
A: I have started all my chickens from chicks. Peu Peu, the banty cross daughter was obviously an egg. It was very exciting for my son to count the days before the egg hatched. On September 23rd, 2006.

Q: How many have you had at one time?
A: We have had as many as 9 at one time. I started with Araucanas but have had Brahma, Australorp, Rhode Island Red, Wyandotte, Bantam and Buff Orpington.

Q: Do you have a favorite breed?
A: My favorite breed is the Buff Orpington. They are gentle, good layers, and take to penning well.

Q: M'sieur CheepCheep is a great name, any other memorable names?
A: We have hadTeeco, Pica, Buffy, Pecker, Grandma Chicken (she lived 15 years, one of the original Araucana), Oreo, Dots, Fireball, Speckles, Blackie, Christmas Chicken (as a young chicken, she was placed in the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, nestled among the ornaments. She slept there all night for my son to find in the morning.), Redhots, Chicky, and the Magical Jumping Chicken.