Common Questions and Statements I Hear

(Note that the grammar of these sentences does not necessarily reflect the grammar when it was spoken.)

-lah (it's a slang suffix used at the end of almost every thing-lah)

You don't look American.

I thought you were Arabian.

Why are you so skinny? (one guy actually sounded offended that I wasn't fat)

I thought Americans ate more/were fatter.

I thought you would be taller.

Does America really hate Canada?

Who are you voting for? (I hear more about American politics here than I do in America)

How did you grow a beard?

Put some pants on. (shorts are considered too conservative in some places)

Slow down, you talk to fast.

A few of the only English phrases the orphan children know:
I want _____ (this, circle, monkey, jump, camera, phone, paper, etc.)
Michael! (I hear my name shouted at least 200 times a day here)

Finally Doing Something

While my access to the internet has been getting less and less, I feel like I've finally been accomplishing more and more.

Last week, we held a youth conference for high school students teaching environmental awareness and entrepreneurship. Things started out kind of rough, but in the end, you could tell that we made an impact on most of them.

This week, I've been at a community home that is a mix between an old folks home, an orphanage, and a shelter for troubled/single mothers. While my abilites as a teacher are limited since most of the youngsters speak Mandarin and little to no English, I still get to offer them plenty of love and care. When I play with the little ones, I'm not sure who has more fun, me or them. Unfortunately, tomorrow's my last day here.

I could write a lot more, but I've caught some of the lazy Malaysian sickness and will wait til later.