One year in Malaysia
I wake up nowadays to the sound of the koel’s call. It is untimely, at least that is what I would have thought in India where we associate the koel with the onset of Spring. It could , at least during my student days be heard even in central Calcutta by lanes. However I now remember that this call had welcomed me when I came to Malaysia one year ago. How time flies, it has already been a year since I came here and it is time to take stock. What are my impressions?
The first thing that strikes you as you enter the country through the KLIA is the wonderful infrastructure that has been built up. The highways are better than anything I have seen in the West, and most of the other infrastructure is also impressive. It is now a semi developed country, far ahead of India or any other South Asian country.
It was raining than too, just as it does every day now. And well it might as this is the rainy season: so the first lesson to be learnt here is that the seasons simply do not resemble anything that we have seen in India. There is no winter. The distinctions can be of a (comparatively) dry and wet seasons, or perhaps wet and wetter seasons. The only good thing is that the temperature almost never increases past the 32° C mark. All through the year the maximum and minimum temperatures do not vary more than a couple of degrees. I now crave for some nice and cold crisp weather. In Siliguri it must be cold now, the jackets and cardigans are out and it must be freezing in the nights. Especially if we have to go out to see an emergency patient!
It has been a fruitful year. I have learnt so many new things: corporate culture, working in a research environment, living alone. I have adapted to a new culture though that has been the easiest part: Malaysians are very friendly and easy going. There are no political demonstrations to speak of and no disruptions that rare a part of life back home No problems there. I am looking forward to going home next week for a short holiday. Time to visit the hills again and the forests of the Dooars. Then back for my second year in the land of the Malays.
The first thing that strikes you as you enter the country through the KLIA is the wonderful infrastructure that has been built up. The highways are better than anything I have seen in the West, and most of the other infrastructure is also impressive. It is now a semi developed country, far ahead of India or any other South Asian country.
It was raining than too, just as it does every day now. And well it might as this is the rainy season: so the first lesson to be learnt here is that the seasons simply do not resemble anything that we have seen in India. There is no winter. The distinctions can be of a (comparatively) dry and wet seasons, or perhaps wet and wetter seasons. The only good thing is that the temperature almost never increases past the 32° C mark. All through the year the maximum and minimum temperatures do not vary more than a couple of degrees. I now crave for some nice and cold crisp weather. In Siliguri it must be cold now, the jackets and cardigans are out and it must be freezing in the nights. Especially if we have to go out to see an emergency patient!
It has been a fruitful year. I have learnt so many new things: corporate culture, working in a research environment, living alone. I have adapted to a new culture though that has been the easiest part: Malaysians are very friendly and easy going. There are no political demonstrations to speak of and no disruptions that rare a part of life back home No problems there. I am looking forward to going home next week for a short holiday. Time to visit the hills again and the forests of the Dooars. Then back for my second year in the land of the Malays.
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--Subir(chat_subir@yahoo.com)