Fortunately, even here in Malaysia the March mid-semester break pretty much coincides with our anniversary.  We were looking for a unique holiday and came across an article in Time magazine entitled “Waves of Bliss”.  Sumba Island is one of the islands in the Indonesian archipelago and is about 400 km east of Bali, in the Indian Ocean.

The eco-resort, called Nihiwatu, consists of  only seven bungalows and three villas.  There is a cliff-top spa and dining takes place in a beach front restaurant and in open air pavilions. 

The resort has a neat relationship with the local island people and it has established a charitable foundation which has virtually eradicated malaria in the villages, built clinics and schools and provides training at the resort along with employment for about 150 locals.

Our stay on the island includes a flight from Bali, horse back riding on the beach, a massage at the spa, visits to a local village and a trek to a hidden waterfall. Apparently the surfing here is fantastic, but the waves look pretty intimidating!

We know that this is an extravagance, and this not something that we often do for ourselves. But thirty years of marriage is worth celebrating, don’t you think?

Malaysians went to the polls on Saturday and woke up Sunday in a democracy. No one can quite believe it. The ruling coalition, made up of mostly the Malay Party (UMNO) with a few token Chinese and Indian flacks, has ruled this country since independence in 1957. They own the media, both print and video, and have gerrymandered the electoral districts to ensure a majority even if they lose. In 2004 for example, they got 64% of the popular vote and 91% of the seats in parliament.

The only time they ever lost an election was in 1969, which was suppressed by a state-sponsored race riot resulting in a local bloodbath and a palace coup. The Internal Security Act, put in place in the late ’50s to deal with the communists, has never been rescinded and allows the governement to declare illegal any peaceful assembly and jail indefinitely without charge anyone they deem dangerous to the public good.

It is in this context that Saturday’s election took place. Without any support from the media, using only the internet, cell phones, and word of mouth, the word went out to give this arrogant, corrupt government a stinging rebuke that will rebound in this country for years to come. Democracy is coming to Malaysia. It will be messy and confusing, but it looks like it is going to finally take hold.

For a look at a local blogger who ran in the election – and won by 62,000 votes over the incumbent! – check out http://www.jeffooi.com/

A year ago today I retired. I spent a happy three months getting ready to move to and then settling into a new life in Malaysia. Basically just a summer holiday for a teacher, perhaps a little extended. It was nice, but it wasn’t real.

Then I started teaching. Again. I really don’t have to do this, you know. I could just retire. I wouldn’t make much, but it would be enough to live on. But I can’t; I love teaching. Yes, it is demanding and tiring and even on occassion, boring (very rarely). But it fulfils me in a way that I can’t easily verbalize or even rationalize. It’s like I’m wired for it. I’m hooked on the learning environment.

I do about three hours of prep for my classes each day, less if I have to mark. And its all fun. I read scores of online articles on everything that is relevant, and a fair bit that isn’t, but just interesting. Constructing a good lesson or a good test is like painting for me, as much art as science. Then I deliver the lesson. I’m like a kid unwrapping a birthday present. I bring out each little bit in turn, and like a bad comedian, internally giggle at each little success, each point that goes home.

When a student who has been struggling gets 90% on a test, it’s like I got it myself, I’m so happy for them. Marking bores me, and the hassle of dealing with admin who are only interested in making a buck off these kids is disheartening. But I love being in a classroom, and I love to learn, and so long as those things are true, I guess I’m stuck working.

If God has arranged some “Honourable Mention” awards in heaven, I am sure He has one in store for my friend Lalita for her faithfulness in leading our Friday morning Coffee Bible Fellowship.  This is the most unruly group of  women, almost impossible to keep on task as everyone loves to talk and everyone loves to have fun.  It is a never ending challenge for Lalita to keep us focused on Genesis when everyone knows that there is a Victoria’s Secret sale going on in PJ.  One person just needs to mention a physical problem and they instantly recieve ten diagnoses and treatment strategies.

I have learned so much from each of these women about the joys and struggles of being a women, wife and mother in their own culture and really look forward to my time together with them each week.  I am thankful to have had the support of this group for the last seven months. 

Oh, and another shared interest is food and there is always plenty of that.

We don’t do a lot of sightseeing in KL these days, but we couldn’t turn down an opportunity to go and hear the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and see the lovely concert hall in the Petronas Towers. The school paid for transportation for seven of us to go, and the tickets were a very reasonable 20 ringgit (about 6 Canadian dollars) each. The Bach was beautiful, played on a period replica harpsichord, which had a very gentle tone, and accompanied by a twelve member chamber orchestra. The acoustics were excellent, warm and clear and the whole aesthetic experience was like a cool drink on a hot day.

gong xi fa cai !

Apparently literally translated this means “Happy Prosperity” but it is the “Happy Chinese New Year” greeting that we see everywhere right now.  Chinese New Year is a two week long celebration that involves many traditional rituals and is a most significant holiday for Chinese families, which is why the current storms in China are so devastating. 

It begins with a refreshing “spring cleaning” of the home that includes worshipping the kitchen god, paying homage to ancestors and many celebrations with family and friends.  Sweeping must never be done on New Year’s day for fear the good fortune will be swept away. 

Homes are decorated with vases of blossoms signifying wealth and high position, platters of oranges and tangerines and a candy tray with eight varieties of dried fruit each representing some form of good fortune.  Bright red clothing will ensure a bright and happy year but washing ones hair on New Year’s Day is apt to wash away any good luck. 

A family dinner is served on New Year’s Eve  that includes a traditional dish of sticky, sweet pudding made from glutinous rice ,called “nian gao”  along with many delicacies such as prawns, dried oysters, raw fish salad and dumplings.  Each of these dishes has significance, representing wellness, happiness, good things, good luck and prosperity.  The entrance of the new year is marked with great fireworks displays which are believed to chase away the mystical monster, Nian, which once terrorized the people of China.  At midnight every window and door is opened to let the old year out. 

All debts should be paid up and nothing should be lent on New Year’s or you will be lending all year long. No one is to use any bad language or unlucky words and especially the word “four” which sounds like the word for death.  If you cry on New Year’s you will cry all year so children are pampered and naughty behaviour tolerated.  Children and unmarried family and friends are given little red envelopes called “lai pee” with money inside for good fortune. 

For us, this means a week of school vacation, which we will spend in Cambodia, teaching and continuing research in information regarding women’s health issues.

Oct 31st turned out to be a real treat for us as the college decided to spring for a turkey dinner.  Not only are turkeys a rare commodity here but non of us have ovens and the thought of a microwave turkey is not very appealing.  Anne Marie and Gertrude, the wives of two of the teachers, cooked us a couple of fine turkeys with trimmings and it tasted so good.  You can bet that Steve was right in there to help with the carving.  We all felt a little homesick, I think.

This past weekend marked the “Fasting Day of Celebration” or Hari Raya, the end of the month of Ramadan, during which it is mandatory for followers of the faith to fast from dawn to dusk.

It seems that every mall, parking lot and empty space is filled with temporary markets or bazaars where all sorts of food and traditional Malay delicacies are prepared and sold for “buka puasa”, the breaking of the fast.  Lights and decorations abound and it is a huge month for sales in the malls as people buy clothes, decorations, gifts and supplies for the celebrations.  Much like Christmas at home everyone heads “out station” or home to be with their families for the holidays.

We took advantage of the bazaars to sample a variety of new foods and experiences with our friends Sebastian and Simone.  It was great to have three of their kids, Eileen, Ivan and Isaac along as they were happy to finish up anything we didn’t find particularly appetizing.