Looking after yourself healthwise in Malaysia - Expat Diaries

The climate in the tropics of Malaysia is an entirely different challenge to the one in England. England rarely gets hot and is mostly a cold country. Looking after one's general health presents various problems in each climate.

I lived in England from birth for around 20 years and suffered with asthma and eczema amongst others. The cold and dry winters cracked my lips and was terrible for my lungs and breathing. 

I didn't drink much water in England - soft drinks, hot chocolate and fruit juice was the norm, even though drinking water came straight out the tap!

Influenza and tonsillitis were common illnesses which required nothing more than a routine trip to the doctor and a prescription.

Living as an expat in Malaysia is a completely different kettle of fish! For starters, my asthma and eczema problems completely and rather magically disappeared the moment I set foot in South-east Asia. It was remarkable how these ailments I had had since birth just vanished as soon as I got to the equator.

But other health issues soon arose. The heat in Malaysia is intense, and coupled with 90% humidity, it can be pretty unbearable at times. Such a climate makes dehydration a common illness.

I learned through a hospital bed that if I don't drink enough water and electrolytes, bad things will happen to me. Drinking water has now become a conscious part of my life. It's always on my mind. I also keep regularly filled with 100plus, Revive and Gatorade. At least once a month I will take a rehydration salts sachet which can be picked up from the local pharmacy.

If the worst comes to the worst and the stomach discomfort, dry tongue and nausea associated with dehydration set in, get to the nearest hospital, preferably private, and get yourself hooked-up to a saline drip - that stuff is magic and will get you feeling great in no time!

You'll also have to be careful what food you eat. While expats love to try out all sorts of local food, some of it may not be very healthy or clean, and some food stalls may operate in tardy conditions. Stomach bugs are all the more easy to catch if you don't quickly learn what your stomach can and cannot tolerate, and which places are clean and safe to dine at.

Finally, I know that most Western expats crave the sun, the beach, and getting a tan, but when temperatures are approaching 40 celsius, it's better to stay in the shade than risk getting severe sunstroke!

Featured in The Expat Magazine

I have been featured in The Expat magazine for the month of September 2013:

I submitted my answers to a series of questions by email about a month ago and am excited to see the feature.

The Expat magazine is a free-subscription monthly magazine for expats in Malaysia, written by expats. It's nice to know a little more about the expat community, even though the vast majority of expats are based in Kuala Lumpur.

Here's the link to the website if you're interested:

Expat Go Malaysia

Spending time Vs Socializing - Expat Diaries

I have always hated the word "socializing." I'm not anti-social. I just don't like the word.

"Socializing" brings back a lot of memories, mostly negative, from high school. Back then when I was a teenager, socializing meant going out on a Friday night with mates to drink. Alcohol. It was the 'in-thing' - but not for me.

I have never touched alcohol and have no plans to do so. But it's pretty hard to explain that to peers when you're an adolescent! I lived my high school days either coming up with false excuses why I couldn't join my friends on Friday nights, or just avoiding them on Fridays by hanging out in the toilet during breaks, or going to the art studio to work on a project that didn't really need working on :)

"Socializing" was not something I had any interest in doing.

And so I've been living in Kuantan since 2006 and for the vast majority of that time, we have kept ourselves to ourselves, remained busy with teaching English, and only went out by ourselves.

Maybe I thought that "socializing" was not for me. However, recently we have become close friends with some locals and have enjoyed "spending time" together. (As an expat, it's great to mingle with the locals and get to know them. Though it can be hard at first, particularly if you are in a faraway country and trying to get to grips with language and culture. But it's very rewarding too)

"Spending time" is a much better phrase that I like to use. Our time is precious. We can never get it back once it has gone. I believe my school friends genuinely enjoyed their Friday night socializing at the pub or club. It's just that for me it would have been a waste of time.

Living as an expat and spending quality time with great friends has added a new dimension to my state of happiness. While I will always be from England, I definitely feel Malaysian, and spending time with some of my Malaysian friends is a very enjoyable part of my life!

I'm a self-made expat!

Skimming through my email inbox from my ipad, I recently came across a newsletter from an expat site I occasionally browse.

One of the articles was titled "self-made expat", a term new to me but describing me to a tee!

Expatriatism is growing all around the world with better living conditions, job offers and the thrill of travel all large factors. But I'm not any usual expat.

I didn't get sent to Malaysia by a company, neither did I relocate here with my whole family for any specific reason. I have a number of expat friends, mostly in Kuala Lumpur, who were sent here on a working assignment with their company from back home. It usually lasts for 2 or 3 years before the contract is up and they return home.

I am a self-made expat. 

I came here to Malaysia with no job, no money, all by myself. My Malaysian fiancee and later, wife, was the reason I expatriated to Malaysia.

Another factor was that I already knew Malaysia very well after living there for 2 years before I met Fidelia. I had already developed a love for the place, the people and the lifestyle.

Nobody sorted out my flight tickets. Nobody took care of a work placement and contract for me. Nobody took the time to organise insurance plans for me. Nobody transported all of my possessions half way around the world for me.

I am a self-made expat.

I took what I could in my suitcase and completely started my life over in Kuantan, just me and my wife. Now that sounds scary, and for a short while it was, but it has also provided me with an immense sense of achievement and satisfaction. I made it! I started with nothing, in a foreign town and country, and made it!

I'm also unlike other expats in that I don't really mix with fellow expats at all. I am immersed into life with the local Malaysians. My wife and I have found some magnificent Malaysian friends, both here in Kuantan and around the country. I couldn't ask for anything more in my life. Several years ago, it was an impossible dream. 

We send our daughter to the local kindergarten. When I'm sick I go to the local clinic or hospital. We go shopping down the road and buy Malaysian food. In another 4 years I'm planning to become a Permanent Resident and have my own IC card. 

Rather than living the 'expat life', I'd say I'm living the 'Malaysian life.'

2013 marks 7 years of living as a self-made expat in Kuantan, Malaysia. 7 exciting years where I've grown a lot, have my dream job, am my own boss, and best of all, there is no expiration date for my time here!

Expat Diaries: Do Not Underestimate Dehydration - A Personal Experience and Warning from an Expat in Malaysia

Dehydration is a very real threat to your health - foreigner or local - in the hot and humid climes of Malaysia. 

Located close to the equator with 90% humidity and daily temperatures year-round of between 32-36C, it is hot and wet.

Dehydration occurs when the amount of water going out from your body exceeds the amount going in. For example when there is more fluid lost from urinating and sweating and water vapour dispelled when you breathe, than there is from fluid being consumed by drinking water, you may experience mild, moderate or severe dehydration.

This is particularly useful to know if you are an expat in Malaysia and may not be accustomed to such high temperatures and humid conditions.

I've been living in Malaysia for around 9 years but I've learned to NEVER underestimate dehydration. Some of the signs that you are dehydrated may include: 

• a dry mouth
• feeling thirsty
• stomach discomfort
• feeling nauseous
• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• dizziness
• weakness
• confusion

Now I will share my personal experience with dehydration:

On October 15th, 2012, I began to feel unwell. I hadn't drank much water in the preceding couple of days and I was beginning to feel rather nauseous. Around 7pm I was very weak and noticed my mouth had become particularly dry. It was difficult to drink water, even a little. I started vomiting, 4 times. Then the diarrhoea came along. I was becoming increasingly distressed. My body was going hot, then cold and I started shivering. My wife helped me get to the bed and that's when the scariest part of my ordeal occurred.

As I lay on the bed, I started having convulsions. It started with my hands. I couldn't stop them from shaking. My wrists bent inwards and became locked in place so tightly. The same with my fingers and thumbs. Sharp pains followed before they became completely numb. That's when I screamed out for my wife to call the ambulance. My legs soon started shaking too and were likewise starting to get very tight and slightly numb.

For a few moments, I thought I was going to die. It's funny, when confronted with the prospect of death, I actually wasn't afraid. I was in physical distress and pain which I had never before felt, but something inside of me said, "If I'm going to die . . .then let's do it!"

My wife later told me that the 2 minutes I thought it took for the ambulance to arrive was in fact 20 minutes. Whether I passed out I don't know. I vomited once more outside the ambulance while people were carrying me in my bed sheet.

Then the IV drip was inserted into my vein in the ambulance and everything suddenly changed for the better. I was no longer 'going to die', but I knew that I'd be alright. The saline drip of sodium chloride is heaven! Over the next 48 hours I would have a further SEVEN bags of sodium chloride pumped into my veins!

Here I am in the Accident & Emergency area of HTAA Kuantan with the IV drip working its magic.

I was diagnosed with food poisoning and severe dehydration. Spent that night in the hospital, all day on the 16th (which incidentally was my birthday!) and was discharged after lunch on the 17th.

Here I am in my hospital bed at HTAA Kuantan

The moral of the story is: If you're living in Malaysia or places of a similar climate, especially if you're an expat, you need to drink plenty of water daily, coupled with electrolyte drinks like 100plus, Revive or Gatorade. Dehydration can both hit quickly, and creep up almost unnoticed. Make sure you have access to clean drinking water wherever you are, and drink it regularly, even if you think you are not doing much physical exercise or sweating rapidly.

Stay happy, healthy, and hydrated in Malaysia!

Windows, Light, and Space

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever in the world you may be visiting from!

There are just a few more days to go until the expats blog awards will be announced for Malaysia, and I'm hoping to do well. I've given my blog a bigger window, a little more light, and plenty more space. Perhaps you've noticed the change?

I'm hoping to attract your vote. If you haven't already done so, would you be kind enough to leave a short review/comment of my blog by clicking the following link: 

vote for my blog to win an award!

Scroll all the way down the page until you reach the comment form.

Talking of windows, light, and space, I discovered all of these 3 elements at The Zenith Hotel lobby last week. I've always thought that where these 3 luxuries exist, I feel peace (even with 2 young children running around!)

The lobby at The Zenith Hotel exudes windows, light, and space

Could I ask for some help from my blogger/facebook friends?

Yes, I need just a little help from my friends on blogger and facebook.

Many of you have complimented me on my interesting articles, great photography, cute children, by saying so in a comment. Today I'd like you to write one more comment at the following link, if you enjoy coming to view my blog.

*Our home called Kuantan* has been nominated by expatsblog.com for the Expats blog award 2012 - Top Blog.

Here's the link:

Vote for my blog at expats blog!

You will just have to scroll down the page until you see this:

Your support will be gratefully received. Thank you once again to all who visit my blog and help to make it what it is!

Blog Hopping

During a spare hour this afternoon while my oldest daughter was colouring, my youngest daughter was sleeping, and my wife chatting with her sisters on Whatsapp, I had a hop around the blog world, to check in on what my friends are up to today. I enjoyed seeing the variety of different friends I have and posts they displayed. Here's a run-down of what people are up to today:

FOOD

First up is Mary's food. Mary has a plethora of tasty recipes just waiting to be discovered!

PHOTOGRAPHY

My friend Doug takes some wonderful photos with well-explained captions, like this one:

TRAVEL

Follow Travelling Hawk as she takes you on a journey of Japan

EXPAT LIFE

My fellow-countryman, John, and I, really enjoy the Malaysian sun. Here he is in Johor Bharu:

PHOTOGRAPHY

Lotta from Sweden takes lovely photographs of the Swedish countryside

WRITING

Rosalind and I are both from Leicester, England. She's a really good writer. Today she wrote a reminiscing piece about a teddy bear and her grown-up daughter

HEALTH & LIVING

Andrea is busy tending her garden:

ABSTRACT PHOTOGRAPHY

Leovi is sharing more of his mouthwatering images

Hope you enjoyed that little blog hop around America, Europe and Asia. If you have a few minutes, go and pay a visit to any of these people who catch your interest. I'm sure they'd appreciate your visit!

Have a great day!

An Expat Life - or not?

Good day everyone and welcome to my post for today.

I received an email from a gentleman who runs an expat site named Internations who invited me to join the site and connect with other expats around Malaysia and the world. He had come across my blog and apparently loves it. So I signed up and filled in a questionnaire. There were 9 questions and I must admit that I really enjoyed answering the questions.

It reminded me of the very first time I ventured to the shores of Malaysia and Singapore back in 2002, how I settled down, overcame culture shock and eventually lived here like it had always been my home.

This is a picture of me and a friend taken in June 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, shortly before embarking on a 2-year volunteer placement in Malaysia and Singapore. I was a fresh 19 years old, travelling without my family for the first time, going to a strange tropical country I had never heard of before.

In Klang, Malaysia with a very good friend I met there

Celebrating my birthday with local friends in Klang, Malaysia, October 2002.

On a packed bus full of local Sarawakians heading to the beach, Kuching, Malaysia, probably around February 2004.

At a local Malaysian's farm, Kuching, Malaysia, around February 2004.

Fully settled into life in Malaysia, at a food stall in Ipoh, Malaysia, around May 2004, a month before my 2-year volunteer service came to an end.

I thought I would share with you the questionnaire I filled out today, which brought back so many great memories from the last decade of my life, seeing this young English boy mature and grow into a man in South-East Asia.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Who you are, where you come from, when you moved to Malaysia, etc.

My name is Duncan Horne and I’m from Leicester, England. I first moved to Malaysia in June 2002 as a volunteer worker. That lasted for 2 years upon which I returned home to England. In May 2006 I moved back to Malaysia again, this time as a result of marrying a local Malaysian.

When and why did you decide to start blogging about your experiences?

I began a blog in 2009 originally to be the topic of Roger Federer – how quickly things change! My blog changed into a blog about Kuantan, my new hometown, and has found much success and a wide following as a result.

Do you have any favorite blog entries of yours (please insert URL as well)?

I have a number of favourite entries, particularly those about our stays at hotels and visiting tourist attractions here in Kuantan.

Our stay at Swiss garden Resort & Spa:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2010/05/swiss-garden-resort-and-spa.html

Our tour of The Zenith Hotel and interview with the GM:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2010/12/tour-and-interview-with-zenith-hotel.html

Our stay at Vistana Hotel:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2011/10/our-stay-at-vistana-hotel-kuantan.html

The fascinating Lao Zi dragon temple near Kuantan:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2010/06/lao-zi-temple-dragon-temple.html

I really love this post documenting the Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall in Kuantan:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2011/10/ten-thousand-buddhas-hall-wan-fo-tien.html

Always enjoy visiting this lovely scenic park in Kuantan:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2011/02/taman-gelora.html

Had an intriguing visit to Sungai Lembing:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2009/08/sungai-lembing.html

Exploring the hidden charm of Kuantan old town:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2011/07/kuantan-old-town.html

Hindu temple in Kuantan:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/2010/10/sri-sithi-vinayagar-temple-kuantan.html

All of the blog posts on this page:

http://duncaninkuantan.blogspot.com/p/malaysia-singapore.html

Tell us about the ways your new life in Malaysia differs from that back home. Did you have trouble getting used to the new circumstances? Did you experience culture shock?

When I first moved to Malaysia back in 2002 I did have a bit of culture shock which lasted for a month or two. I found myself thinking about home and missing friends and family quite often. However, once I got to know the local people and settled into my work, things became a whole lot easier. The hot and humid weather was a big thing, as well as the wide array of Asian food on offer. I soon got used to dirty and smelly public toilets too. Anyway, I took the good with the bad and just really started enjoying living the Asian life. Life is much more laid back here in Malaysia, easy to get on with people and make good new friends, which was quite the opposite in England. The drinking culture of England brought a lot of pressure as I’m not a drinker, and that aspect is so much more comfortable and tolerable in Malaysia. Every day feels like a holiday here, and I wouldn’t give it up for the world.

Do you think you were fully prepared for what awaited you in Malaysia? If you could, would you change some decisions/preparations you made?

I think it’s impossible to be fully prepared for everything about a new life abroad. You can read endless books on a new country of residence, its food, people, economy and so on, but nothing beats experience! I think it’s important to go with a positive attitude and open mind, and realize that the way of life is not going to be like back home, then you will be able to settle a lot quicker and be more adaptable to change.

Every expat knows that expat life comes with some hilarious anecdotes and funny experiences. Care to share one with us?

My wife was taking driving lessons and one afternoon somebody from the driving school called. My wife was asleep so I took the call. Unfortunately the lady on the other end couldn’t speak English, so trying to be clever I attempted to tell her that my wife was sleeping. However, I didn’t realize that I was speaking in the Iban language, which my wife had been teaching me, and not Bahasa Melayu (the national language). So I was saying “Fidelia tinduk” (in Iban) getting myself confused with “tidur” (the word for sleep I should have been using!) So there was a lot of confusion before the call ended and I remember myself complaining, ”That woman can’t even talk her own language!” Not until I related the story to my wife did she inform me that it was I who was using the wrong language!

Which three tips would you like to give future expats before they embark on their new life in Malaysia?

1.      Approach the expat journey with an open mind

2.      Try to live the local way of life instead of your own ‘back home’ way of living

3.      Immerse yourself in the work you’re doing in Malaysia

How is the expat community in Malaysia? Did you have a hard time finding like-minded people or fellow expats?

I am a different type of expat to what is usually understood by the title “expat”. I didn’t move here together with my family like most expats do who move abroad for work purposes. My wife is actually a local Malaysian and I moved here to settle down with no money, no job, a complete fresh start in a town I had never knew existed. However, I am still living the expat life now, it’s just that I’ve gone through it in an entirely different set of circumstances. It was very tough at first but gradually I’ve settled down to normal life and have now met one or two fellow expats here too. It was pretty difficult locating other expats but I have made a friendship with one guy from the Netherlands, whom we see from time to time. However, it is with the local Malaysians whom I converse with the most. Sometimes I forget I was from England and really don’t think of myself as an expat. I thoroughly enjoy my life in Malaysia and I feel like I’ve never been anywhere else!

How would you summarize your expat life in Malaysia in a single, catchy sentence?

“Every day feels like a holiday!”

Hope you enjoyed that question and answer session with myself. I really sometimes wonder if I am an expat or not? I may have white skin but I certainly feel Malaysian. I feel at times as though I've been here all of my life. People ask me how long I'll stay here in Malaysia. My answer always is the same - 

"perhaps until the day I die."