trapped in paradise

I just realized the other day that I've been here for over a month. Almost a month and a half. I have a local bank account, a phone, a condo, a driver's license that works (actually just my Canadian License, but it works!) and I'm working on becoming a Malaysian "resident". That status, however, comes with some hitches...

If you're a "resident" you qualify for local taxes (15%) versus foreign taxes (28%) + being taxed again upon returning to Canada (I think). In order to become a resident you have to spend 182 days of the calendar year in Malaysia. However, once I arrived I realized that I only had something like 185 days left in the calendar year - you can do the math. I think I'm going to take some time to go south to Singapore for a weekend or two, but aside from that it's all Malaysia, all the time.


Fortunately, this is an interesting country.

I made it out for a walk in the jungle close by (the above photos), and I've crossed Peninsular Malaysia twice on my way to the east coast and the South China Sea (photos below). The sea is nearly blood warm and it has these amazing little creatures in it that are like underwater fireflies that light up when they sense motion around them. As you pass your hand through the water 10-20 of the little things start glowing and it looks like sparks are flying off of your hand. When they are caught in the breaking waves they light up and make the crashing waves glow. Last Saturday a bunch of us were nightswimming in the ocean as a lightning storm rolled in. All of the stars were covered so it was pitch black except for the glowing waves and the lightning breaking the sky over the ocean.


I have my first holiday coming up in a week and a half (9 days off). One of the other teachers and I are going northern Borneo to climb Mt. Kinabalu - South East Asia's highest mountain (4100m). After that I'm going to tour around the eastern end of Borneo for the week and then return to the mountain for the last weekend. I've signed up to compete in a race up and then back down Kinabalu. I've been running the stairs in my building to prep for it (which is one good thing about living in a condo). The mountain may be a painful climb, but at least it will be out of the heat! The photo below may give some idea of the power of the sun here. I've honestly walked around on a sunny day holding up my umbrella like a lumbering t-shirted geisha. Anyways, here's the link to the race website:

http://climbathon.sabahtourism.com/2008/


I should get back to work now. I like my students and I like what I'm teaching, but it's been busier than I expected. At times that seems like a good thing: I was on a 6 hour bus ride the other day listening to Sarah Harmer and started missing Kingston - something I haven't done in years. Whenever I think about canoing I get a little sad too - my Asian suburbia is a far cry from northern Ontario. Still, I have no serious regrets about coming, and I'm happy to be working/living here rather than wandering around South East Asia with a backpack - even thought that would be fun! With my "resident status" aspirations taken into account, the two seem as different as can be.