Hotel California: The Shah Village

The coolest thing about working overseas is you get to learn things you didn’t know you even wanted to know about.  And you get to go on this life adventure with friends you haven’t yet met. 

Here in KL I am one of many project workers, from one of many places around the world.  There are great stories here. 

There is a woman that has fled Tunisia.  She spoke of how strange it was when the city shut down and everyone went into hiding. 

“It was so quiet, and we were so scared.”

She shared the myriad of emotions that ensued as she appeared at the airport with a ticket, while hundreds of others arrived without one.  She talked about the fear of what would happen if she wasn’t able to get on that plane.

“What the televisions can’t show you is how small that airport is.. how personal it got there.”

But she made it and was here in the lobby this morning… along with an Aussie that has been living in Vietnam, a South African that hasn’t been home in a while, an American from Mississippi that arrived after four years in Korea and a British grandmother.  All ages.. all different life experiences.. all on the same adventure.    

They have been waiting here at this lovely hotel in KL ...for a while now:  Some weeks, some days. Paul called this period of calm, when we arrived in Oman and waited at the Al Quarm in Muscat, Hotel California, after the song: you can check in, but you can’t check out. 


The group here are getting tired of waiting to get started on their new lives.  Waiting to see their new villages, schools, homes.. waiting for the cars that will take them there.

It should be fun to stay in a lovely hotel in an exciting city,  but it is different when you aren't on holiday: only waiting for something to begin.   

Waiting is familiar to me.. I think I have finally learned that lesson, at least it is easier for me this time.  I know things will happen and I consider this wait more of a lul.. a break.. a holiday.  I am thinking of it as sweet anticipation.  The thrill.. The adventure itself.  I appreciate how warm it is here.. how accessible the pool is.  How good the food is!

In six months all that is new will be familiar.. normalized.  I know that now and welcome the sweetness of this new adventure .. because that is what it is, an adventure. 

Some of the ‘girls’ were showing me the different locations on a map of Malaysia.

“If they put you anywhere in this area, be careful to keep the windows shut.  The monkeys are a nuisance.  They sneak into the house and steal your food, your wallet, your panties.”

“You need to be careful about tigers around here.  And there are elephants too.. but they’re ok.”

I woke up this morning to the sounds of birds.. ones I heard only once before.. when I was in Phuket with Trav and Monte. 

I woke up to the smell of the jungle: quite different than the tropics of Queensland or Darwin.  Not better.. but different.

I woke up calm.  Not thinking about what I would get done today… not excited about what the day would bring.. not worried about all the things I don’t know yet.  Just calm. 

This place is very cool and I am so totally ready for it.  I know that there is so much to uncover here.. and I have absolutely no expectations about what I am going to learn .. but I suspect it will be a lot.