I had lunch with an American I know from the internet. She has lived all over the world and we had a great time talking about culture and boundaries and family and health. She pointed out lots of places I should take the kids and she is so right.

I could live here for a while. I think it would take me 3-6 months to learn just the city center and it’s not big there’s just…. so much. This city is dense. Not like NYC is dense. Not like London. I haven’t been to other cities in Asia yet so i don’t know how it compares to them. But it’s just… it’s so much.

NYC is overwhelming and hard because everyone is aggressively yelling at you to buy their stuff or actively shutting you out because you don’t look rich enough. KL isn’t like that. There are only a handful of people promoting projects, mostly stuff is just around and people hop up eagerly to be available if you want them to be. There’s just so much stuff. I’ve seen 3 malls so far and there are many more within a mile of me. That’s intimidating! Each mall has more eating places than Valley Fair in San Jose and then the whole street is lined with restaurants and food trucks and people selling food out of the backs of their vehicles. There are also people with blankets set up selling food.

It’s just… so much. I can’t imagine that most people here cook much. There isn’t a good reason to.

The blending of cultures here is like nothing I’ve ever seen. It makes me much more eager to go elsewhere in Asia.

And yet it also makes me want to go to South America.

I love travel. I love seeing how people live. I love seeing how people want to organize the stuff they want to look at. I love seeing what things people consider optional or mandatory. I love meeting people.

Sometimes I’m deeply afraid that I’m better at meeting people than staying friends with them.

I love how much I’m walking here. Out of the last 7 days I had one day when I walked 1.65 miles (we were sick and barely moved) and every other day it’s 4.5-6 miles per day. I feel like it would be a lot easier to stay in shape in this kind of environment. I’m learning how much suburbs make it hard to stay in shape even though ostensibly it is “easier” to exercise there. It has to be something you go out and do on purpose and set aside time for. Here… you just move because it is life. My body is feeling pretty good.

And the massage here…. Is great. Great. GREAT. I’m getting another one tomorrow and I’m so excited. And it’s cheaper than at home by a lot.

Today I figured out that the other end of the street our apartment is on is a whole row of food vendors. I’m just saying. This place is serious about food. And it’s all so good. Given that my doctor asked me to cut back on pork, halal is awesome.

Oh gosh, we’ve had a few things that are “British”…. but they are all spicy. I think Malaysia is getting even with England for colonization. Ha.