If you’re a wind junkie and wondering what the kiteboarding, foilboarding and windsurfing is like in Penang, I’m going to cover everything you need to know, including wind and water conditions, launches, how to join our kite crew, and hazards to avoid. I’ll also give you an overview of other location to ride in Malaysia…
6 Things You Need to Know about Hair Loss and Effective Treatments Look on any expat forum and you’ll find a common plea: “Help, I’m losing hair!” There are a number of reasons for this, and also some effective treatments. But there are also an alarming number of myths about the causes, and bogus “miracle…
You can’t go to Hawaii without getting a coconut bra, or visit Thailand without picking up a pair of hippie pants. While there aren’t any quintessentially “Penang” gifts, there’s a cool little store in Georgetown that carries an array of uniquely Malaysian items, many of which are hand-crafted by local artists, and all are surprisingly…
Thank you, humidity, I always wanted to look like The Lion King. Hair it is: the ugly truth. The humidity level in Malaysia is so high that you have to peel leg skin off chairs. Your sheets often feel like Saran Wrap. And unless you have incredibly thick hair, the humidity will transform your once-luxurious…
Moving to a new country is a fresh start, which can feel exciting, scary, fun and challenging all at the same time. The quickest way to settle in abroad and make your expat life a fulfilling experience is to make new friends. But that can be one of the biggest challenges of all. So I…
Every time I travel to a far-off land, I always meet a smiling, happy expat who lives there and teaches English as a foreign language. And they always rave about how much they love the chance to live someplace exotic while doing something fun and fulfilling that makes decent money. Truth be told, I usually…
Malaysia is almost always in the top 10 lists of best international places for expat living and retirement, and for good reason. But just not for the reasons they list. Those “10 Best” write-ups are hilarious fantasy fictions written by people who are either completely high, closely related to Pinocchio, or have never set foot…
Wow, getting a check-up in Penang, Malaysia is a pretty eye-opening experience! The medical lightsaber wielded by one particular doctor certainly made my eyes pop out, but more on that later… Not only are health evaluations here a fraction of the cost than in California (where I’m from), but it’s also the most comprehensive one…
One of the most frequent questions I get from recent transplants and people thinking of moving to Penang, Malaysia is: “What do you do with your time?” When you move someplace new, you have a chance to make a fresh start. Whether you’re retiring here, working as an expat in Malaysia or retiring early and…
Tricks to Make Living in Malaysia Easier My husband and I love living in Malaysia. But coming from the US where we had unknowingly become addicted to Amazon and other conveniences that don’t really exist in Malaysia, it took some time to figure out workarounds. To save you the frustrations, I’ve come up with our…
Oh MY Expat Life 