Amelia Air-Heart: Recap till Christmas day 2010

So it took me till Christmas day to write something... Don’t blame me – trust me, I was up to my neck in activities for the past couple of weeks.

To recap:

*I’ve arrived in Penang (my mother’s home island)

View from my window just over Penang island - it looks big but don't be deceived; the road closest to the shore is only 80km around the island!

*I’ve met the relatives and surprisingly enough I really like most of them

*I’ve been drinking very expensive beer, Chilean wine and cognac on a regular basis as well as my family’s home brewed coconut wine (excuse my language but it seriously tastes like piss unless you mix it with Guinness Stout >__< ) - my family really loves to drink

*I’ve finally been able to meet my aunty’s lovely Spanish husband – they really suit each other and I wish them a long and happy life together

*Christmas day itself was probably the most uneventful I've had but the people I was with made all the difference :) Plus, how often can you say that you had an excellent bowl of noodles for breakfast for 80c Aus. ?

*I’ve managed to embarrass myself multiple times in front of my relatives... language barriers *sigh

You know, the funny thing about ordering toast and boiled egg for breakfast is that you feel like a complete twit until you taste it. Eating this for breakfast was like eating eggs for the first time in my life... Eggs, white pepper, vinegar, crustless toast with sweet margarine.

Hokkien Mee, Prawn Mee, Har Mee... This noodle soup has many names and few variations but if you want a bowl of pure prawny goodness then this is the soup for you. This is my favourite noodle for breakfast- a rich broth boiled from kilos of saved up prawn shells, chilli paste and other fragrant spices. Thin rice noodles (bee hoon) and yellow, thick hokkien noodles with bean sprouts, thinly sliced pork, prawns, extra chilli paste and fried onions... Are you salivating yet?

The last couple of weeks have been a blur for me of constant feasting, meeting new relatives and learning to appreciate the nuances of a culture I had preconceived notions about. Have I turned into a ‘proper’ Asian yet? I think that still remains to be seen but I’m slowly learning that I can’t take anything at face value here.

Yes, things are stricter; censored in ways that my life has never been. Yes, I often find myself frustrated that stupid cultural and language barriers hinder my ability to communicate with people. Yes, I know I’ll never really be completely Asian but I also know that these people I’ve met play just as hard as they work. They have an unrivalled sense of humour and just like me they believe that there need not be an occasion for good food and drink.

Ever heard of the Toilet Cafe in Taiwan? There's one in Penang too! The food is pretty average but the novelty of sitting on a toilet seat and eating chocolate ice cream from a mini toilet bowl is priceless :P This was some sort of iced dragon fruit dessert in a mini bath tub.

Choco poop? You decide... ;P

A few of my relatives have asked if I would consider living here. When I first came to Malaysia the answer was a straight up “NO” but now? I couldn’t give up the freedoms of an Australian lifestyle – I’m much too comfortable as a laid back Sydney-sider to ever really consider taking up residence in a country without the securities and conveniences I’m used to. However, at the same time I know that once I go back I’m going to miss the food, the humour and my new relatives as well. I think that quite a big part of my reluctance to leave is the fact that I click well with a side of my family that had always scared me; having known them from stories and pictures but never having met them, I felt as if I became embroiled in family affairs before I even had a chance to really know the people involved. Now I know better of course (what does this say about me if I judge everything and everyone so callously?).

I hate writing as if these realisations have just hit me in the face because while I’ve been here (in Malaysia) it really has been a slow progression but this is a blog and I must continue to sum up weeks of adventures and change in a few short paragraphs. So of course I will leave you now to eat some more, drink some more and enjoy the short time I have left with these lovely people.

P.s. I apologise for not posting anything for weeks- I've been exhausted and a little sick. I've written up more posts but have yet to edit and choose photos. I'll post two more in the next couple of days.

P.p.s. I miss all of you in Australia! (and those few people who went to New Zealand for the summer too!).

Check out some of my cute cousins (these are only a few!). Kawaii desu ne?