YA LEUM.27 — Malaysia, goodbye
Once we finished our experience at Alliance Chin Refugee, we stayed a couple of days longer in Kuala Lumpur to relax and visit some of the towns around it.
We were full of energy to keep meeting new people. Getting to know people helps me to comprehend human beings better. Why are we what we are? How culture shapes the human nature? What are the concerns of human beings and why? Are we all different or just about the same? Does it change from continent to continent, from country to country or it’s an hemisphere matter?
Couchsurfing has been so far the best platform to meet people with open minds. People who are willing to share their life and home. People who decided to trust in Humanity instead of blaming the system. People who are curious about the world and other people’s culture.
Our hosts were Horas and Ajanthan.
Horas, the first host lived down-town in Kuala Lumpur, close to everything. Horas was shy in the beginning, but then a fun young working man from Indonesia ready to tell us the story of his life. He works in cyber security, his family lives in Indonesia but he misses them very much. Being in Malaysia was also a way to support the family back home. He offered us his bed and he set a bed for himself on the floor. He made us feel comfortable and took us to eat an amazing traditional Hainanese Chicken. Dish that I repeated dozens of times!
Ajanthan, also a young and charming Indian man, living and working in Kuala Lumpur for 2 years. With a social nature, it was easy to talk and find common interests. His apartment was beautiful and comfortable in the outskirts of KL. In our context of backpackers, we felt in paradise with such a hotel vibe. He made us feel home. We spent 3 days with him and had an extremely fun time together: from going out for dinner to watching movies, cooking crepes and naan, learning from him how to make the best scrumbled eggs, walking in the city, watching sunset with wine and even showing Indian weddings dresses, we spent quality time with this beautiful soul.
Indians are well connected with their families and Ajanthan, as an only child, is very much missed by his parents back in India. He tries to go often there, but it is not always easy and affordable, so he ends up staying a lot of time by himself in Malaysia. A feeling I share myself, by the fact I live far away from my family.
Ajanthan is a kind soul, interested in getting to know you and giving you what he can to make you feel at peace.
I am grateful for crossing paths with these two beautiful beings who, once again, showed us the path of trust and love towards strangers.
They were the last people we met in Malaysia.
Before we left, Ajanthan wanted to have a dinner on a beautiful place on top of a hill in Kuala Lumpur. So, we thought about inviting everyone we met in Malaysia.
Just like back home, we joined a group of 10 people to say goodbye to us.
On top of a hill, with a beautiful view over Kuala Lumpur, with the table filled with food and fresh beers, I saw myself back home, at my birthday party with my friends.
A group of people, now friends, that we met along our stay in Malaysia, came to say goodbye to this adventurous couple.
It was our first country traveled as a couple, our energy was at the top and we experienced everything we could.
We hitchhiked the whole country, we pitched the tent in every city, we volunteered at a refugee center, five strangers gave us a place to stay and we created connections wherever we were.
This experience set the pace for the upcoming countries. I understood this is who we are.
They gave us strength to believe in other people, love to keep us warm and hope for the humanity.
September, 2017
Patricia Assis
