 A view from the waterfront of Kuching, Sarawak Every time someone asks how my experience in Malaysia is going, my first response is "an absolute whirlwind." There is so much happening nonstop, that it's difficult to grab hold of anything! Don't stop movingAfter two weeks in Kuala Lumpur, the 15 of us placed in Sarawak boarded a plane headed for Kuching, Sarawak where we met our mentors for 5 more days of fruitful orientation! Shortly after, we said our temporary goodbyes as we were off to our schools!  The Sarawak team upon completing our orientation! Although I've only known these goons a few short weeks, they've been absolute pillars of support, and I'm really looking forward to growing with them over the next 9 months and seeing all the amazing things we can accomplish as a team. Bau Boys, Bau Boys, Watchya gon' do?Home, sweet Bau! Myself and My roommate Cole finally made it to our home for the next 9 months. It's nothing special, but it has all the necessities. Some people prefer to see the Gecko's scampering around as pests, but I prefer to see them as pets we've inherited! So cute..... so in my bath towel... but still cute! Side note: "Bau" means 'smell' in the Bahasa Malaysia, the national language. 'But why would you named a town smell?' one might wonder. But you don't worry your little head, I did the research for you! Here's the explanation on the Sarawak Tourism website: "History-wise, Bau had witnessed many conflicts. On May 1, 1837, the Skrang Ibans invaded the Jagoi-Bratak Bidayuh settlement on top of Bratak Peak, killing over 2,000 Jagoi-Bratak Bidayuh men and taking 1,000 women captive....it is said that [the name] was derived from the fact that the place reeked of odour after the many deaths that the place had witnessed from the conflict." Despite the countless tourist shops that proudly display "Headhunter" tshirts, we're plenty safe from both the head hunting, and the stench.  At least it didn't seem to bother Cole and me when we got the keys to our house!
1st Week of SchoolSomewhere in all this craziness, every Fulbright ETA had their first week of school. The kids are energetic, but shy. They're intelligent, but doubtful. They're angsty, but accomplished. Ya know... kids! No different than anywhere else in the world. - They think I look like Charlie Puth (Woah.) - They think I'm handsome (so flattering) - They think white people are rich (Ha. If they only knew...) - They don't laugh at my jokes (They'll learn...) - They LOVE selfies...
Home is not forgottenHome matters. Family matters. Friends matter. I've only been here for one month. I have 9 more to go. I can't say that I'm feeling homesick (yet...), but I CAN say that I've already been relying on my supports back home for a lot, and I feel grateful to have such a close circle. I'm a homebody. I love my family and friends and I love routine, and this adjustment has been all the adventure that I knew it would be. Everyone experiences emotions and change in different ways, and this is new for me. More to come on this emotional mix... TBD. And now, pictures:
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 In August 2014, I decided I wanted to apply for a Fulbright Grant to be an English Teaching Assistant. In September 2014, I decided I wasn't cut out for the program, and closed the application and thought that other endeavors might better suit me. On January 4th, 2016, a plane touched down in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...and I was on it! It's been a whirlwind of an experience so far, but I've been in Malaysia for one week now, and I couldn't be happier. A Quick TimelineOn January 2nd, I was dropped off at the airport by my loving and supporting family (at a rockin' 3:30am) and got on a plane alone. Between crossing the International Date Line and spending all of eternity on an airplane, January 3rd just didn't exist. And at 12:30am on January 4th, myself and 13 other members of the total 100 from the 2016 Cohort were greeted by staff members from MACEE! (Malaysian American Commission on Educational Exchange) WE MADE IT! A Day in the lifeHere's a quick rundown of the average weekday for an ETA going through orientation: Wake up > Chicken&Rice > Bahasa Malayu (language) Class > Chicken&Rice > Sweat a bunch > Info session on Malaysia > Sweat a bunch > Info session on driving > Info session on culture > Chicken&Rice > Sweat a bunch > 5 ringgit Mojitos > Sleep If ever there's a question during the day, the answer is inevitably that "It depends on your placement!" But in all seriousness, I feel very lucky to be a part of a program that is run by an efficient staff that truly cares about each person's future experience. We're only halfway through orientation, and I feel like my theoretical cultural toolbox is already jam-packed with instruments I'll take with me through this journey. Not to mention, it really does depend on your placement! Malaysia is an amazing country with a lot of different cultures inhabiting the same space. It seems to create a unique dynamic. I'm anxious to delve more into that. Speaking of Malaysia's diversity, I'll try to showcase a small sampling of the beauty that comes along with such a diverse people. Here's how I spent my weekend off:
We all have homes!Even though so much of the Malaysian experience "depends on the placement" between Wednesday and Thursday, we all learned where our new homes will be! I'm off toward the Indonesian border on the island of Borneo to a town called Bau, Sarawak. Wikipedia can only tell a guy so much, so I'm thrilled to get to the house and meet my community and students at the end of next week! This little red peg is my home for the next 10 months:  Beautiful people in a beautiful placeAlthough I'm really excited to get to my placement and begin my life as an ETA for the 2016 academic year, the most difficult part of going to our state placements will be leaving the beautiful and passionate people I've met during this past week. It takes a special type of person to commit to a program such as this, and I've enjoyed getting to know and being stimulated by so many interesting and accomplished individuals. I'm sure a similar sentiment can be shared among all groups of foreigners placed in an unfamiliar culture, but our cohort has grown closer with each passing day. I'm looking forward to our final week of constantly being together, and am anticipating FREQUENT visits to each other's homes around the country :) Oh, how time fliesHard to believe that it's been a year and a half since I first opened and read the Fulbright application. (Makes me think these next 10 months will float on by) Now, after just one week, I'm eternally grateful for the pressure put on me by faculty, family, and friends to submit that application. And now, drum roll please, here's a cheesy video trailer using excerpts from my first week as a preview for the year to come! |
Angelo SylvesterStories of my time as a Fulbright ETA in Malaysia for 2016 Archives
August 2016
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