When you become an expatriate there is always something good: you can learn a lot about life, and learn you are a very very small part of this world. One person over millions. One life over millions of different lifes. A unique life in a unique timing.
Before I came to Kuala Lumpur, I was living in Spain, had a job, had my family, had my friends. I felt my life was somehow settled down, more or less focused on a future in Spain. But when you go out and live in a foreign country, you learn that life is huge, lots of places to see, lots of different people and really different and unique lifestyles. You feel like a small ant in this big world, at the same time you learn the world runs and you feel part of it, and that the life you used to have is very small compared to how big the world is.
At the time I was leaving and saying good bye to my family at the airport, I didnt know what would become about me in Malaysia, since this was the first time for me to live in a foreign country for a long time.I used to be in Japan and Thailand in totally different conditions -as a tourist-, and I was wondering how would it be to work and make my daily life in asia.
When I took my flight from Alicante heading Amsterdam and then Kuala Lumpur, I didnt know where I would stay, nor even the people I would meet. I was alone. Alone facing the real world!
This feeling was actually nice, though, 'cause I was very excited to know how would it be like.
My mind could only think forward and positive, of course I was nervous too but when I took my first flight I knew there was no way to go back.
My life was going to change and I had no chance to change whatever my destiny was going to bring me.
To tell the truth, I was nervous at the same time. I knew I had been waiting for a chance to work in asia for years, and finally my chance came, after hard trials! If that would be a good or bad experience was not only destiny but also how I could face and make good relations in Malaysia.
In this sense, I could meet two of my closest friends who are also expats in the same flight from Amsterdam to KL. All of us were new at the office but in different situations and work, and taking the same schedule to come to Malaysia. It was the first meeting for us at the airport, first time to see, first time to talk. The beginning of a new family. My new family.
So, let me introduce you these two special friends and coworkers, whose names are Sergio and Emily. Sergio, a Valencian who really loves soccer and Emily, from Malaga -but born in Galicia- whom I use to call "the malaysian Shakira" since her looks are really simiar to the singer!
They were the first friends to share the "Malaysian experience" with me and still doing very fine and closely day by day. You will certainly see them in a lot of pics from now as I keep updating the blog.
And yes, Emily is NOT my girlfriend but my housemate... :)
I believe to have a proper environment in a foreign country is very important. When you are alone everything looks different, the country can become interesting at the same time empty and lonely.
Depending on how you face your daily life you will meet good or bad people, feel your stay enjoyable or unstable.
Now I am in KL for three months and I certainly know how the environment can change people. I have changed much since I came here because my life has changed. And as for my past experience, I can tell people's character can become totally different if they can not adapt themselves to a new environment.
Thats a good topic for a future post as well :-)
Sergio and Emily have become very close friends of mine and so I wanted to introduce a bit about them. Actually the spanish community in Kuala Lumpur is not very big, but we are lucky to work at the Embassy and so we can meet many of them.
At the same time, I particularly wish to know people who are not spanish as well, to get to know the local culture as much as I can during my stay here. How long will I be in Malaysia? Certainly I dont know yet. But so far I like it, also thanks to my new family, so I hope as long as possible!
