Family Journey Through Asia

Welcome to What I Like About Malaysia!

1.  Affordability

I am paying $600 for a 2-bedroom, one bath apartment with a kitchenette that has a cooker, a refrigerator, and a washing machine.  All bills paid. I recently had internet installed by Time.  The monthly rate for unlimited internet with 100 Mbps is $37.46.  A down payment of  $75 and valid passport information was required.   I ordered the service online, and the service was installed two days later.   It took approximately fifteen minutes for the installation.  The internet is fast, but my kids say that when they are chatting on Xbox, they receive complaints about a lousy ping issue.  Otherwise, it works very well until a month after the installation when we were not able to get a connection.  The installer informed us beforehand that it would happen and for us to call customer service.  That's what I did.  The only problem was that you lose the network name that you created as well as the password you provided.  The network reverts to default settings,  but the password under the modem.  Someone was scheduled to come out and fix it, but they never showed up.  It wasn't a big deal since the internet worked.  The installation was on April 24, 2018, and the first bill wasn't due until June 5th.

For three months, we tried accessing the internet via a portable Wi-Fi device, but it wasn't dependable.  I needed internet to work.  I was unproductive and frustrated.  If I didn't get back to work, we would run out of money.  After receiving dependable Wi-Fi, I worked twelve to fifteen hours a day catching up, and it's paying off.  I've added more content to my online stores, and I am now selling eBooks.  I'm more active on social media to help boost my brand.

So, my expenses are $600 for rent and $37.46 for the internet.  The total cost is $637.46.  Not too bad, huh?  It would be cheaper if I moved to a different location.  Back in America, I was paying around $1300.

2.  Food

This topic should also go under the affordability category.  I've mentioned this in previous blogs, but it's worth mentioning again.  The price of beef and pork is astronomical.  Before I go further, I want to indicate that pork is sold separately with the liquor, beer, wine, and cold-cuts.  Be warned; if you enjoy pork chops or pork roast, you will not get it here.   If you are looking to purchase large packages of meat, you won't get it here.  For instance, in Texas, I can buy a bag of leg quarters which consists of approximately ten leg quarters for a reasonable price.  In Malaysia, leg quarters come in a small package with one leg quarter (one leg, one thigh).  The price is less than $2.   They also sell whole chickens, but it comes with a price.  The price is that you also get the head and feet!  Oh, gross!  When I saw that, I immediately dropped the bag.  Could you imagine chicken eyes looking at you?  The price of whole chickens with the head and feet is lower.  I think the price is around 14 RM ($3.50 a chicken).   The organic chicken price is about 24 RM ($6).   We typically get the chicken wings.  The bag has three to five pieces for no more than $2.  If you do the math, a family pack of chicken wings in Texas ranges from $12 to $14.  For that price, you get approximately twenty wings.  In Malaysia, twenty wings would cost roughly, $7.  That's a considerable saving.  I recently went shopping.  The total was 127 RM or $32 from Jaya Grocer (see below).

EXPLANATION:

Chicken ribs are thighs.  They call breast, carcass.  There are two thighs per package. 4.28 RM ($1.08)

The Kleenex bundle was five big boxes for 12.74 ($3.21).  Isn't that amazing!  They do not offer kleenex with lotion.

Eight rolls of paper towels 10.25 RM ($2.58)

The potatoes come in a small satchel bag with approximately 5 in each bag for 5.40 RM ($1.36).  They do not sell potatoes in 5 lb, 10 lb, or 20 lb bags.

A liter of 100% orange juice was on sale for 4.70 RM ($1.18)

100% Honey for 13.68 ($3.44!) for real honey!!!  When my kids first tasted the honey, the first word that came out of their mouth was, "Oooh!"  They fell in love with this stuff. They say it doesn't taste as thick as American honey.

I want to talk about cooking oil. I didn't buy any on this trip, but the price is 2.95 (0.74!!) for a regular size bottle.  Can you imagine cooking oil for less than a dollar?

The examples above prove that food is very inexpensive in Malaysia.  I don't know how they do it.

The Malaysian's think we are rich.  They are bold enough to ask how much are we paying for the apartment.  Maybe people who live in apartments above a mall are targeted as rich.  If they only knew.   The locals are surprised when they hear how much we are paying on rent.  According to the locals, we are spending too much.  I should be paying roughly $450 for a two bedroom, but we like the host.

MEAL

Here's an example of what a meal costs.  As you can see on the list, I purchased two bags of potatoes.  There are approximately five potatoes in each sack.  I already have a bag in the apartment.  The meal will be potato soup without the bacon, which costs 27 RM or $6.80.  I usually cook three bags of potatoes, add onions, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, cream of chicken instant soup in a package, and cheese.  We are going to do without the cheese this time around.  A container of cheese with twenty-four slices costs $5.  The broccoli and cauliflower are used to make the soup voluminous.  This soup will last two days.  Now, let's break down the cost. Potatoes are $4, broccoli and cauliflower  $2.  Add in another $2 for the extra stuff, and the total for this meal is $8.00 or $4 per day or one dollar each (four of us) per day for all of us to eat.  We couldn't eat for a dollar day in America.   This only for dinner though.

BREAKFAST 

For breakfast, we would eat rice or oatmeal.  Oatmeal is on the list and priced at 15.80 or $4. Add in the butter and sugar for another buck, and you get $5.  The oatmeal usually lasts three days.  If you divide $5 into three days, you get $1.67 a day for breakfast for four.  For $1.67 a day, I can feed four people.  FYI - A thirty count of eggs costs approximately $3.00.  They do not sell eggs by the dozen.  It's either eight or thirty.  They do not have biscuits!

MEAL 2

Another meal would be fried chicken, ramen, and broccoli.  On the grocery list, it shows five packages of meat totaling 26.52 RM or $7.  That's pretty darn good for five packages of meat.  The big packet of plain ramen without the spices was 4.24 or $1.   For flavor, we add salt and pepper or use the instant soup mix, which we are going to do with this meal.  The soup mix was 3.62 RM or $1.  I already have the oil and flour.

Chicken $7, ramen, $1, soup mix $1, broccoli $2.  The total is $11.  This meal will feed four people for two days.

3.  Transportation

We are presently living in a rural area where we must depend on taxis or Ubers.   A trip to the airport only costs $10 for the four of us.   Not only is the fare affordable, but they are also quick.  If I had to choose between public transportation and an Uber, Uber will win, even though it would be cheaper with public transit.

4.  Deliveries

I love the options of ordering groceries and fast-food online and having it delivered to you for less than a dollar per delivery.  That's right!  Less than a dollar.  I don't know how these people can survive, financially, for what they offer.  Food is either delivered via truck or scooters. 

Well, that's about it.  I know the list is short, but hopefully, it's informative.  My kids are ready to move to South Korea or China, but the cost of living is too expensive.  Our next big move will be Thailand. First, I need to figure out how we can stay longer than thirty days. 

5.  Convenience

I love the idea that the apartments are above a mall with a grocery store.  I can shop, buy groceries, go bowling, and get an eye exam at one location.  That's a big thumbs up.

Welcome to The Visa Run!

April 18, 2018

Our three months are almost up.  I booked an apartment in Bangkok, Thailand for March 29-31, 2018.

At 1:00 p.m. on March 29th, we packed our backpacks and headed downstairs to the mall.  The girls picked up a waffle before heading to the airport.  We stopped by the information desk and asked the kind man to call a taxi for us because I couldn't get the Uber app to work.

The taxi arrived fifteen minutes later, and we were on our way.    We arrived at KLIA2 around 2:00 p.m.  The trip costs 40 ringgits ($10) for four people.

The check-in process was simple.  You either go to the self-check-in kiosk or the counter.  I tried the self-check-in method, but it didn't work.  After receiving our boarding passes, we went through two security scanners without any problems and then we were off to the gate lodge.   The process was less than an hour.  Our flight was due for takeoff at 4:25 p.m., but it delayed until 5:20 p.m. which was delayed again until 5:38 p.m.  The plane didn't show up until 6:00 p.m.   Suffice to say, we had to wait three hours before boarding.  The flight duration was approximately an hour and a half with a one hour time difference.

During the flight, the flight attendants passed out customs forms to passengers to fill out before they arrived in Thailand.    That was very helpful and saved us a lot of time.   The information required was your name, passport information, and return flight information.  I booked a return flight to Malaysia a few days before departure.   The one-way ticket price for four was $361.17.  When I booked the trip to Bangkok, Thailand in December 2017, I only paid $249.  Flying with Air Asia is cheaper.

After arriving at Don Mueang International Airport, we were in customs for about forty-minutes because only one person was working.  When another lane opened, the process went by quickly.  No questions asked.  Even though we are a family, only one person can approach the counter.  They took the passports, stamped it and sent us on your merry way.   I exchanged $21 for tbh and received 653.21 in Thailand currency.  Let me back up a bit.  In Malaysia, I tried to convert $21 to ringgits, but they said that they couldn't take it because it was too old, had a tear, and they couldn't sell it.  Apparently, no one wants old-looking money.  Sounds stupid to me when it spends the same.  Another thing that I've learned in Malaysia is that they do not fold bills.  When you receive change, all the bills are crisp unlike me, and I always fold the money before placing it in my wallet.  Maybe it's disrespectful to the person on the currency.   I stopped folding.

The host, whose apartment we were renting in Bangkok, offered to pick us up from the airport but for 600 thb ($19.28).  Although we were an hour behind, I felt kind of guilty for delaying her.  She didn't complain, though.  She dropped us off in front of the building where her daughter was waiting to escort us to the apartment.   It was after nine o'clock that night, and we were hot, tired, irritable, and hungry.  I hadn't eaten all day and only had 53 thb left from the conversion. I needed to get some money converted to purchase food.  The closest money exchanger was not opened.  After dropping off our backpacks in the room, I went to the ATM and prayed that it would allow me to withdraw money. 

In regards to debit cards, I have learned that you need to contact your bank and let them know that you will be traveling to another country to prevent potential fraudulent activities.   I also have a PayPal debit card, and I was trying to transfer money from my bank to the card, but it wouldn't work even though it didn't have a problem with it in January.  I contacted PayPal and was informed by a couple of employees that I needed to update my profile to include my travel locations before leaving the country.  After completing my travel profile, I still wasn't able to transfer money.   I contacted Paypal again, and they gave me excuses.  Well, guess what?  In Thailand, I was able to move money without any problems!

Back to the ATM withdrawal.  I was happy when the card worked.  I withdrew $100 but charged $29 for conversion fees and another $7 for ATM fees.  A hundred USD would have converted to 3111 thb.  Instead, I only received 2022 thb; 600 of which will be used for transportation back to the airport. 

With thb in hand, we wandered out to find some food and found a small restaurant.   The proprietor/server was terrific.  Our meal costs 453 thb ($14.56).  The problem I have with thb is the quantity.  When I see a price of 15 thb for a bottle of water, I freak out.    After using my currency converter and learning that 15 thb is only 0.48 USD, I felt better.  But when your bill is over four hundred, and you have a thousand dollar baht bill in your possession, I only see money quickly diminishing.

My concern now is that I didn't book a return trip from Malaysia.  I hope there aren't any questions because I sure don't have any answers.

Welcome to The Mesa Hills!

Around 1:45 p.m. on February 1, 2018, two taxis dropped us off at the North entrance of Mesamall in Nilai, Malaysia.  After dropping 150 RM/ringgits ($38.01) in one of the driver's hand, we set off to meet the owner's father, who was tasked to lead us to the place we would spend the next month; a two bedroom, one bath, apartment with a mountain view. All located over Mesamall. 

After getting everything settled, I wanted to rush downstairs to the mall which offered a blessed grocery store.  For an hour, we walked around but didn't find anything exciting.  The reason could be that the mall is still new and not fully occupied.  Although the mall is not what we expected, it is still an excellent place to hang out.

Like the other places, this one did not come without its own set of problems.  On the second day, the toilet wouldn't flush thoroughly, but the host sent someone over within a couple of hours to fix the problem.  The internet did not work, but the host called the provider to upgrade the service.  It took eight days before the Wi-fi kicked in.  The washer went out on the second day, but the host replaced it within the week. The electricity went out on the third day (no fault of the owner).  He came over to check it out but couldn't fix it.  He called the building maintenance who came over within three hours to fix it from the main breaker.  A few hours without electricity did not bother us because at night there was a fresh mountain breeze. 

Even though we experienced these issues, it did not deter us from enjoying this place.  The owner was on top of everything.  He did what he could on his part and left the rest for the building maintenance or the internet provider.

It is now day 9 of our stay, and we are still enjoying our stay despite the resolved issues.

On our first weekend, the mall began celebrating Chinese New Year with dancers, live entertainment, contests, and street food starting at 1 RM ($.25).  I spent 36 RM ($9.14) on all our goodies (mostly on fruit).  We enjoyed the festivities for three hours before heading back to our apartment.

We spent the next five days at the pool, gym, sauna, and mall.  The only complaint I have was that we still didn't have internet and I was unable to order groceries online.  I had to convert USD to RM/ringgits to pay for everything opposed to using a credit card online.  I spent my free time playing spider solitaire.  A sad way to waste time in a different country.

I want to talk about what we are eating.  At the last apartment, I was able to order groceries online and cook on a portable cooker.  Now,   we can hop on the elevator and walk to the store.  Since we didn't have a way to prepare food, we had to be creative with the microwave.  So far, our microwave creations are scrambling eggs, rice, hashbrowns/eggs/cheese casserole, and stew (precooked meatballs, mixed vegetables, baked potato, and stewed tomatoes).   Finally, in March, I requested a cooker and received it without questions. 

During February, I decided to give my girls 70 ringgits ($17.94) each to purchase their dinner for a week.  I took care of breakfast food.  With their ringgits, they would buy waffles with chocolate for 4 ringgits each ($1.03) and chicken sausage on a stick for 2 for 5 ringgits ($1.28).  They would usually get one waffle and two sausages on the stick which would cost 9 ringgits ($2.31) for a meal.  Some days they would venture out to subway for the 11.50 ringgits special ($2.95) that includes a six-inch sandwich, cookie, and medium drink.  I would always get the same thing (2 pieces of fried chicken) for 9 ringgits ($2.31) and pair it with ramen or a salad.  We don't 't have a lot of options when it comes to eating.

Welcome to The Empire

Ten days into Malaysia we were on our way to our third destination, Empire Damansara.  The hotel called an Uber to transport us.  The fare was 10 RM or $2.50.

When we pulled up to Qliq Hotel, we were impressed with the area. Two employees met us at the curb with the luggage cart and wheeled our luggage into the cool hotel.  When they found out that we weren't guests to the hotel, they quickly removed our luggage.  When I booked our suite, I didn't know exactly we were supposed to meet the host.  I provided the Uber drive the directions, and away we went assuming the host will meet us at the hotel entrance for check-in.   We began to sit down on one of the sofa's in the lobby, but a staff member informed us that the area was only for the hotel guests.  I provided one of the employees the address and tried to explain that we didn't know where to meet the host.  I spoke with host earlier, but she didn't give any specifics. 

Eventually, one of the employees from the hotel called the number of our host (I still didn't have any minutes on my phone).  The employee stated that she was not supposed to make calls to host and that it was against their policy.  Goodness, I thought.  It was only a freaking phone call.  I didn't understand why she was making a big deal out of one phone call.   She was irritated, but she made the call anyway probably just to get rid of us.   She called the host and spoke with her in their language.  When the employee finished talking with the host, she told me that the host said that check in wasn't until 3:00 p.m.  It was about 1:00 p.m.  We already knew we were going to arrive early and was willing to sit back and wait in the lobby.  I informed the employee we knew we needed to wait. 

We left the hotel lobby and found seats at this small restaurant.  We were exhausted from wheeling and holding luggage and coats.  I went inside the small restaurant and ordered something cold to drink.  Besides, the employee inside the restaurant was looking at us as if we committed a crime by sitting in the seats meant for patrons only. 

While we were having our drinks one of the security guards came over to us with someone who spoke English and explained our situation in their language.  I provided the man with the phone number of the host, and he used his phone to call the host who provided him with our location.  Hallelujah!  Thank God for small favors.  The host arrived an hour and a half later and led us to our temporary home.

When we arrived at the unit, I was confused.  In the description from Orbitz, it stated that there were two queen beds but the first thing I saw when the door opened was floor mats.  I didn't complain because I knew that we didn't have anywhere else to go.   I looked in the kitchenette and asked about a microwave and stove.  She stated that we were not supposed to cook in the unit.  I'm thinking ‘what's the point of a kitchenette.'  After showing us around, she left and came back within the hour with some extra toilet paper, two towels, a microwave, and stovetop cooker with a pan.  Okay, this might work out.

While she was there, I asked about the nearest grocery store.  She provided me the information and called an Uber for us and off we went to Tesco.  When the driver dropped us off, we walked into the store expecting to see an actual ‘grocery' store, but this was more like mini-mall.  We eventually found the grocery store upstairs and was shocked at the prices and products.  I was hoping to buy essential items like salad mix, canned vegetables, canned chili, lunch meat, water, etc.  Our experience at the grocery store was depressing.  We end up with water and ramen.  They sell lunch meat by the piece.  Who does that?  We also had to pay for bags. 

We went back downstairs to the main entrance.  I pulled out my phone to contact Uber since it only required internet but the internet at the mini-mall wasn't working.  Frustration had built up again.  I had my girls go back upstairs and see if one of the women we met earlier (they were working at a table trying to get people to sign up for facials) would call an Uber for us.  Fifteen minutes later, my girls and the lady came down to the main entrance to get me.  Since it was raining outside, the driver was going to meet us in the covered parking lot.  Again, thank God for small favors.  The lady was nice.  Even though I was going to go back to sign up for the facial, the opportunity diminished when two of my daughters and myself end up sick.  What a pity because the promotion was only for that weekend for 20 RM or $5.13.

We got back to the hotel and plopped down.  The bottled water (8-1 liter) was heavy, and the humidity was unforgivable. 

The next day I went downstairs to one of the convenient stores and purchased minutes for my phone.  Now I was able to communicate with Malaysia.  I'm not sure if I mentioned this in one of my other posts, but I signed up for a Skype number as well as phone service.  I paid $13.99 for phone service for a month and $18.99 for the phone number for three months.  That is how I communicate with my family back in the U.S.  This works great if you have excellent wi-fi.

Within a couple of days, we kept seeing bugs.  I went online to see if they had grocery delivery services and found one called HappyFresh.   I have included the link you will need to access the store.  After you are on the site, you will need to click on a store; click on Tesco.  You will also need to add an address to verify if they deliver to your area.  You can use the address for Empire Damansara (Jalan PJU 8/8, Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor 47820 Petaling Jaya Selangor).   I placed an order which included more food and bug spray.

I contacted the host, via text, to let her know that the place had bugs and the water from the upstairs bathroom was leaking so badly that your feet end up soaked when you use the sink.  I also informed her that she received a disconnection notice for the water and that we couldn't get the stove top to work.  She came by and did something to the pipe under the sink but said that she would send someone to fix it.  The water stopped draining on the floor, but the water flowed slowly.  She also mentioned that a queen bed would arrive in 3 weeks and would that be okay.  I was wondering why she asked because we wouldn't be there in 3 weeks.  The booking was from January 20 – February 1, 2018.  Big mistake on my part.

I want to take a brief break to talk about the ink-marked sofa sleeper.  This thing was so old that when you sat on it, you fell into a hole, which is why there were three pillows to cushion your "cush" and to prevent you from sitting into a hole.  It was very hard trying to lift yourself out of that hole.  I just gave up and sat on the floor mat located on a cement floor.  Everything was uncomfortable.  The bed was lumpy and hard.  The bed didn't sit on a bed rail but on those cones used to lift the bed off the floor.  Let's not forget the single bean-bag chair in a corner under the stairs.  I'm assuming it was there because some of the stuffing was coming out.

The next week around 2:30 p.m. the water was disconnected.  I contacted the host who said that she paid the bill.  After an hour and a half when the water still wasn't on, I called her.  She said that the water would be back on that day.  After three hours, the water was back on.

Everything went downhill after that.  On January 27, 2018, the water was off again.  I tried to contact the host, to no avail.  She ignored all my texts and phone calls.  We didn't hear back from her until 10:00 a.m. on February 1, 2018, when she called to remind us that check out time was at noon.

We were out of water from Saturday until Tuesday and not once did she respond to my messages.  We were stuck.  I tried to find another place to live but everything was out of my price range, and we would have to move again because I had already booked another site that was cheaper and newer.

In case you're wondering how we survived without water - well, there was this water faucet in this small room where we placed trash.  We filled buckets and did what we had to do.   I also ordered some bottled water for cooking and drinking.  On late Tuesday evening, January 30th, the water was on.  February 1, 2018, we moved out with a ‘friendly' text reminder from the host informing us of the check out time.  Wasn't that sweet of her?

On the day of our exit, I used the apartment's internet to schedule an Uber.  Sounds easy, huh?  Nope!  When the driver arrived in his small car, he looked at us in astonishment and said that I should have ordered two Ubers.  He asked if I had another phone to order another Uber.  Apparently, you cannot request separate Ubers on the same account.  I asked him the price for two Ubers, and he quoted around 200 RM ($50).  When I initially ordered the Uber, the quote was 66 RM ($16.76), but when he pulled up the address to our destination he came up with a different quote.  Of course, I was skeptical.  He said it would be cheaper to order 2 Ubers instead of a taxi.  Well, since I didn't have another Uber account or Wi-Fi to set up another account, he left.  So, here we were in the lobby with no internet service or transportation to our new location.

After the Uber driver left, I sat down on the lobby sofa to do some thinking.  It was hot, humid and I was getting frustrated by the second.  We are unlucky when it comes to traveling.  Five minutes later I decided to go to another part of the building that offers free WIFI.  I left the kids and luggage in the lobby.  I didn't make sense to drag all that luggage around.  My first stop was the laundry facility.  We've visited it a couple of times, and I knew that it offers the free WIFI service.  When I got there, I looked around for the guy who works there, but he was nowhere in sight.  I began to look around and found a bulletin board.  I walked over hoping that the WIFI password would be listed somewhere on the board, but it wasn't.

Frustrated again, I walked out and toward the hotel's lobby.  I knew that taxis are always lingering around and by heavens, I found a couple of men standing by their taxi vans looking eager for a customer.    I gave them the address and asked how much.   They put the address on their phone and said that the address doesn't pull up.  I called the host of the new place and passed the phone to one of the drivers.  Remember, I'm still trying to communicate with people who speak limited English.  After the driver finished the phone call, he gave me a quote of 63 RM ($16.76), which was cheaper than the Uber and with more space.  I told him that my luggage was in a different location, so he drove me to where my kids were waiting. 

I jumped out of the taxi van to summon my girls who were waiting patiently in the cold lobby.  We got all the luggage outside and began stacking luggage in the taxi.  The taxi driver said that the luggage was too heavy, that there was a weight limit for the toll.  He said if he forced the bags, it would cost more because he would have to go a long way around which would charge more; 85 RM ($21.58).  I shrugged.  I just wanted to get to my destination.  When we tried to force the luggage in the back of the van, there wasn't enough room.  He suggested that I use two taxis.  He called the other taxi, located in front of the hotel to make sure it was still available.   I asked him how much it was going to cost.  He stated 170 RM ($43.16), which was double.    He said that rate would pay for everything.  In a couple of minutes, the other taxi parked behind the first taxi.  I told the first driver that I didn't have 170 RM.  I lied.  My RM's were getting low.  The driver said they would do it or 150 RM ($38.08).  Two taxis, 45-minute ride, four passengers, four large suitcases, four carry-ons, and four oversized winter coats. 

After packing everything in the two taxi-vans, we were off with 500 RM ($126.94).  This dollar amount is only an estimate.

Welcome to The Arrival!

On the last blog, I talked about our air flight experience.  In this blog, we are moving on to our arrival in Malaysia.

Now, here we are at Kuala Lumpur International Airport with no phone service or hotel shuttle.  I wasn’t worried as much because at least we had made it this far.  While I was casually taking my time, I found a booth where I had $1000 converted to RM, and I received 3700 RM!  Sounds pretty good, huh.

So far, in Asia, we didn’t have to worry about transportation.  Taxi and Uber drivers were lined up soliciting their services.  It reminded me of the red carpet where ropes were blocked off on two sides while the passenger walks down the ramp as drivers tried to get your business with handheld signs.  We ended up using a taxi service that charged 43 RM ($10.97).  Not too bad for a 45-minute ride in a taxi-van.

As usual, we had to hold on for dear life during the ride!  What I’ve learned so far with the Asian drivers is that they are not much on small talk or talk at all; show them where you want to go, and they go about their business.  In my case, I had the address written down just in case the person couldn't speak English.   I was so happy when we got to our destination until I walked inside of the hotel lobby.  What a dump!  I hoped the rooms were better than the lobby, but they weren't. 

The name of the hotel is Citin Seacare Hotel Pudu Kuala Lumpur in Chinatown.  I booked this hotel based on the pics, but that was a mistake.  The images I saw online did not look anything like what I saw up close and personal.  The place was filthy.  The carpet was dirty, the ceiling had water damage and moldy.  The doors in the bathroom would not close.  It was so disgusting that as soon as I got in the room, I started looking for other places to stay.  It reminded me of a cheap motel.  Within thirty minutes I decided we needed to get something to eat.  We stepped out into the humidity and was shocked at what we saw.  It looked as if we stepped into a different world.  I don’t want to bash Malaysia, but the area we were in was too shocking to us.  Everything looked old (not in a right way) and dingy.

Before I continue, I need to provide some tips on searching for a place in Malaysia.  Make sure you search for an apartment with a western toilet, air conditioning (you would assume that this would be standard in a location where the average temperature is in the mid to upper 80's), and hot water for your shower.  You'll probably be safe if you go to a hotel opposed to apartments or homes.   Make sure to asks for pictures of the place before you commit.

Moving on.

We looked around to see if there were any hotels nearby and found one located less than a block away.  We went in and asked if they had any rooms we could see.  Pleased with what we saw, we rushed back to the other hotel and checked out.  I told the receptionist that the hotel wasn't what we expected and that I have asthma and wouldn't be able to breathe correctly with the filthy carpet and molded ceiling.  He was pissed but gave me a refund minus one night stay. I paid for a week.  We rushed back to the hotel to find one of the staff members rushing to help us with our luggage.  I'm sure we looked a spectacle rolling luggage down the street with coats.  Since we were desperate for rest, cold air, and food, stares were the last thing on our mind.  We were on a mission.  We were tired, hot, sweaty, and hungry.  After we cooled off and got settled in the room, we went back out to face the humidity looking for food.  We ended up eating at a KFC located between both hotels.  

The staff at the hotel, Comfort City Hotel Chinatown, were very attentive to our needs and provided us with everything we needed plus more such as a power plug adapter because the American electronics (cell phones, laptops, video game console) will not work in the Asian's outlet.  See below for example.  

The first image is the Malaysian outlet.  You have to click the button on the top left for the power to work.  The second image is the power plug adapter you will need to plug in your American electronics.  The last image is a picture of the laptop plug.  This adapter works well for the electronics but not for the curling iron.  I don’t know the price of this adapter as it was a ‘gift’ from the second hotel.

One of the staff members provided us with two power plug adapters.  They also went as far as bringing us extra bottles of water and more towels.  I heard/read somewhere that the water in Malaysia wasn’t safe for drinking.  I don’t have anything concrete regarding the tap water but played it safe by either purchasing bottled water or boiling and then refrigerate.   But, I’ll talk about this in this next blog.

As with the hotel in Shanghai, the card key was also used at this hotel also for electricity.  A big shout out to Comfort City Hotel Chinatown location No 1&3, Jalan Pudu Lama, 50200 Kuala Lumpur KL.  I would send a link to the hotel, but it’s new (2 weeks to be exact), based on an employee, and doesn’t have a website yet.  What I find interesting about the hotels in Asia is that the toilets do not have handles but a button at the top for flushing (see pic below).  Another surprise is that none of the hotels have face towels!! Yep, you read correctly.  No face towels.  I wonder how they wash their face or ears.  Oh, well, we used the end of one of the bath towels as a face towel.

   The next day we went down for free breakfast, but it was only for two people. I had to pay 20 ringgits (RM, MYR) each for two of us.  That is equivalent to $10.33.  Apparently, we were in a room that sleeps four in two regular size beds, which I think is their version of twin beds.  It was tight, but we made it for six nights.  We were grateful that the room was clean and affordable at 99 RM ($25.56) per night.  That's a reasonable price for a decent hotel room. Can’t get a hotel in America that cheap.

Let’s talk about the weather.  The humidity is so stifling that my clothes were sticking to my body.  That's saying a lot seeing that I’m a Texan where the temp can skyrocket to the low one hundred.  Texas is hot, but nothing compared to Malaysia’s 88 degrees.  It was sweltering!  Here I was dripping sweat like a faucet, but the weather didn’t seem to have any effect on the locals.  I noticed that when I went out into the humidity, my left knee would swell instantly causing me to limp.  I usually walk it off.  When I go back into the cold air, the swelling will go down.  Interesting, huh?

After breakfast, we decided to do some exploring, despite the humidity.  The staff employee recommended a nearby mall.  She called for an Uber, and we were off to Berjaya Times Square (swollen feet and all)! 

When the driver pulled in front of the main entrance of the mall, I was pleasantly surprised.  It’s as if we were being dropped off in front of a hotel.  Pretty good first impression.  There were also taxis lined up everywhere. Stepping into the mall was as surprising because I’m accustomed to American malls.  For instance, you usually find food in the food court but in Malaysia food is everywhere.  They also have an information desk on the first floor.

We walked around the first couple of floors until we ran into this shoe store named Tomorrow Shoe Time.  This place was aesthetically pleasing for a shoe store.  The theme wasn’t just about shoes.  In the end, I purchased each girl a pair of custom shoes worth approximately 437 RM or $112.  I know I shouldn’t be splurging on sneakers, but my kids deserved it especially when they were experiencing swollen feet.

We explored more until we realized that we couldn’t put off going to the restroom much longer.  What a scary thought with all the stories we’ve read about Malaysian’s bathrooms and toilet etiquette.  I’m going to go off script for a minute.  When we arrived in Kuala Lumpur International Airport the day before, my daughter had to use the restroom while we waited for our luggage from the baggage carousel.  She walked into the bathroom and walked out because the first thing she saw was a squat toilet.  I would go into more details about the squat toilet, but it’s too disgusting, but you can click on the link above.  You can also read more about Malaysian’s toilet habits by clicking HERE.  Back to what I was saying…my daughter walked out of the restroom.  There was an accessible restroom nearby with a western toilet, so we all used that one instead. 

Back to the script.  The restroom at the mall wasn't as inadequate as I imagined.  There was an attendant present to clean up if needed.  I went into one of the stalls and noticed it didn't have any toilet paper.  I stepped back out and grabbed some from a dispenser near the entrance.  I wasn't sure if it was drying hands or wiping.  At any rate, I grabbed a handful before returning to the stall.

Berjaya Times Square isn't just another mall.  It is a 48-story twin tower hotel, condominium, indoor amusement park and shopping complex with 1000 retail shops, 65 food outlets, and 1200 luxury service suites.  It also sports a grand musical staircase.   When you step on a piano-key, you make music.  The three-story theme park is Malaysia's largest indoor theme park.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves until it was time to leave.

Around 5:30 p.m. we were ready to head back to the hotel.  I pulled out my phone to call the hotel, and nothing happened.   Let me back up a little.  Remember when we switched hotels and then the girls and I went down to KFC for dinner…well, there was a stand where this man was selling sim cards.  I purchased one for 10 RM ($2.50).  I didn’t buy minutes because I assumed that the sim card came with minutes.  The next morning, I received a text from the mobile company (Digi) stating that I can get sixty minutes free with I clicked on a link. 

Based on that, I assumed I had sixty-minutes and could use a couple of minutes to call the hotel, but that wasn’t the case.  I walked over to the information counter hoping they could assist me, but they said that their phones could not make calls outside.  Yeah, right, I thought.  After about fifteen minutes we went to the front entrance where all the taxis were located and asked how much they would charge to take me back to the hotel.  Their prices ranged from 20 to 33 RM or $5 to $8.51.  I thought that was outrageous!  Especially considering I only paid 5 RM or $1.29 to get to the mall.  Even though we were stranded, I wasn’t about to let them take advantage of me just because I am a tourist and don't speak their language.  We went back inside of the mall to get out of the heat and humidity.   I pulled out my phone to see if by some miracle the phone would work and thank God, it did! I contacted the hotel to arrange for an Uber to pick us up. 

We went outdoors to wait for the Uber.  We didn’t know exactly who was going to pick us up or what vehicle they would be driving.  After about five minutes this taxi pulled up, and I asked if he was from the hotel.  He didn’t speak much English.  I told him that we were waiting for an Uber. He said he would take us to the hotel for the same price.  Well, I wasn’t going to turn him down.  We were ready to eat the food that we had purchased.  When we arrived in the area of the hotel, my kids spotted the hotel and pointed it out to the driver.  Apparently, he didn’t know where he was going.  The driver aggressively (it’s the only way to drive) forced the taxi into the right lane and made an illegal U-turn.  When he pulled in front of the hotel, it was in the middle of the street in front of the hotel; I passed him 5 ringgits ($1.29).  He shook his head and said that it was 10 ringgits ($2.58).  I repeated the conversation he had previously about the rate. He said that taxis cost more.  We went back and forth until he gave up mainly since cars were blocking him from the front and back.  I gave him the 5 ringgits and got out of dodge.  I wasn’t going to pay any more than what we had agreed on.  If that meant jumping out of the taxi, so be it.  It’s a good thing it didn’t come down to that.

The third day in Malaysia didn’t go so well for my eldest who developed a sore throat.  My youngest daughter and I walked to a convenience store to get some medication as well as some food and water.  Purchasing medication is also different.  Instead of walking into a store and browsing medication, in Malaysia all drugs are behind the counter.  The employee will take medicine off the shelf and then ring it up.  The medication must be paid for right then.  You just can’t throw it in your basket and continue shopping.

We spent a total of six nights at the hotel.  I wasn’t sure how long we would be staying there, so I paid two days at a time while I continued searching an apartment online.  That proved to be difficult due to the slow internet connection and not having access to my checking account due to fraudulent activity on January 1st.  Stuck in a new country without access to my money but fortunately, I had a mom.  I was able to transfer money from my account to hers because we shared the same bank and I listed as a depositor.   On our last night at the hotel, I was finally able to book a place. 

Welcome to The Trip!

So far, I have discussed the Beginning and the Preparation.  I am now moving on to our experience in the airports and the new country.  Our first flight was from Dallas Love Field to LAX.

In the last post, the Preparation, the family was busy preparing for the move.   We spent our last night, which also happened to be New Year's Eve (December 31, 2017), at a hotel to be closer to the airport in case of icy roads.  At 6:00 a.m. on New Year’s (January 1, 2018) the girls and I rolled our luggage down to the lobby of the hotel.  After checking out, the person at the front desk called an Uber for us.  Suffice to say; everything went downhill.  The first problem was that Uber driver went to the wrong hotel and a five-minute trip to the airport took twenty because the driver didn't know where she was going.  We got the airport around 6:30 a.m. and checked in our bags.  One of the bags was over the weight limit, so we had to shift items from that suitcase to one of the others.  No biggie.  The clerk asked to see our onward ticket.  I politely provided him with a printout of our flight to Thailand after our three-month layover in Malaysia.  Anyway, I was surprised that we were able to check in two bags each.  We kept the backpack which contained two laptops.  Now it was time to head toward the long security line.

Two out of four of us had to be patted down, but it wasn't enough.  Security went through my daughter's backpack and confiscated her toiletries and to add insult to injury they had to take my fifteen-year-old to a private room to do another pat down.  The only saving grace is that they were women.    What we learned during the security check is that laptops need to go in separate bins. Shoes, coats, hats, jackets, and scarves were also required to be in containers.  I had my reading glasses hanging around my neck on a string and had to place them on my face.  It didn't make sense to me.  After they finished, we had five minutes to get to correct gate.  He had to hustle if we were going to make that flight.  We had these oversized coats that were slowing us down and made us hot.   In the end, we barely made that flight.  Once we got on, they closed the doors.  Talk about being tired. All we got on the plane was a drink!

I assumed that if we arrived at the airport early enough, we would have time to sit and enjoy the scenery, but that delay in the security room almost costs us our flight.

When we arrived at LAX, we had a two-hour layover.  I thought we'd have time to do a little sightseeing in the airport, but I was wrong again.

I asked a staff member if our luggage would transfer to our connected flight, but they didn’t know.  So, my girls and I went to the baggage claim area looking for our luggage.  When it didn’t show up, I went to one of the offices in the area and asked about the bags.  I presented her with our airline tickets, and she verified that our luggage would be on our flight.  Relieved that we didn’t have to drag around baggage, we searched out which gate our flight was departing and did not see it on the flight screen.  I asked the security guard who was sitting at the information counter where could we find the gate for our flight and was instructed to go through security located behind his desk.  So, we got into the long security line and waited our turn.  What a big mistake!  After spending twenty minutes in the security line and three of us being patted down, they confiscated the backpack again because of freaking fingernail polish.  After which, security informed us that we were in the wrong line and that international flights were on the other side of the airport.  

I was pissed and hot!  It took us another fifteen minutes to get to our destination.  We handed our tickets to the clerk, and she informed us that we needed a different boarding pass.  What!  He pointed us where we needed to retrieve our ‘new’ boarding passes.  Now, take in consideration that we only had about thirty minutes before our flight was scheduled to depart.  The people who gave us our new boarding tickets saw our distress and knew that we were dangerously close to missing the plane, especially since we needed to go through security check.  

We were running late.  It was time for the flight to depart. One of the staff members called the pilot asking them to hold the plane.  The problem was they wanted to go through the backpack again.  There were already four other bags that needed to be checked by a security guy, and he wasn't in a hurry.  While we were waiting for our bags, the co-pilot and two flight attendants showed up and remained with us for our bags.  The co-pilot insisted that I sit down and rest while we waited.  After ten minutes, the co-pilot became impatient at how slow the process was going.  He kept calling the pilot asking to not leave without us.  The co-pilot returns to the plane, but the two flight attendants stayed with us until the security checked our bags.  Five minutes later, we ran through the airport to the gate with the two flight attendants leading the way.  We gave our boarding passes to the staff.  When we were on the ramp leading to the plane, we heard the pilot say 'Come on its New Years.  There's a family of four.  We can wait a little longer."  When we got to the door of the plane, both pilots and all the flight attendants were clapping at our arrival.  After getting settled in our seats, they immediately closed the doors.  Again, we barely made a flight.  The good thing is that it was going to be a long flight and we had time to rest.  We received two meals and unlimited drinks.  Overall, it was a pleasant flight.

After landing in Shanghai, we had to depart the plane from outdoors (like you see on TV).  Buses were available to transport you to the main airport where you could pick up your luggage.  These are not regular buses.  There were only a couple of seats, and the rest of us had to stand.  I would not recommend this for the elderly because the step up into the bus is very steep.  Getting off the bus isn’t any better.  I want my mom to visit, but I don’t think she’ll be able to get on and off the bus.

Things just seemed to get worse for this traveling family of four.

After we arrived in Shanghai, we had to go through customs before collecting our luggage.  We had to fill out this card with our names and passport information.  We then had to stand in a long line which took about twenty minutes. I guess twenty-minutes isn’t considered long unless you’re tired while carrying oversized winter gear, walking all over the airport, and can’t find a cold drink of water to save your life.  In their defense, they did have water cooler which wasn’t plugged in.  If you were thirsty, you'd have to drink tepid water.

Anyway, the guard asked for our passports, put some stamps in it, and then took our picture before we allowed to collect our luggage.  After that, I needed to call the hotel to see if they could provide transportation.  When I booked the hotel initially, I called the hotel and tried to schedule a shuttle, but the lady informed me that I had to call twenty-four hours before arriving.  Well, when I got to Shanghai my phone did not pick up a signal so I ‘tried’ to ask employees if there was a phone I could use but no one spoke English.  Now, I’m frustrated again.  Not only did no one speak English, the locals, tourist, and employees were also RUDE.  They would intentionally run you over to get where the needed to go.  So, I followed their lead.  I am not a rude person, but I didn’t have a choice. I tried to get on the elevator, and this lady decided to move in front of my daughter, but I cut her off.   I told her she had to wait.   I wasn't sure if she understood English, but I bet she couldn't mistake my reactions, the tone of my voice, and the look on my face.   Sometimes you have to be rude to get respect.

We had a twelve-hour layover but didn’t have transportation to the hotel.  After asking a few more people, to no avail, I saw a group of ‘important’ looking employees; about five.  I walked up and ask if anyone spoke English.  And, bless her heart, this one lady came to my rescue.  She listened to my distress and called the hotel while the rest of the group looked on.  It’s a good thing too because the people at the hotel did not speak English.  After talking with the hotel, she directed us to where we needed to wait.

Whew!  I was beginning to hate Shanghai but thank God for this woman’s act of kindness.

About fifteen minutes later we were on our way to the hotel.  Now, let me warn you - people in Asia are very aggressive drivers.  I kept praying that we make it to the hotel without any mishaps.  People on mopeds were driving between cars on the highway. It was every man for himself.  The driver got us to the hotel safe and sound.

When we arrived at the hotel, a man had just parked his car in front the hotel.  Apparently, the parking space was for the hotel shuttles only.  The driver aggressively got out of the shuttle van and began yelling at the man.  The one-sided argument went on for about a couple of minutes before the man finally moved his car.  I couldn’t understand what the shuttle driver was saying, but I’m sure there were some expletives included in the conversation.

Well, after all the commotion, two women rushed out with the luggage cart to assist us with our luggage.  There was one lady behind the counter who attempted to speak English.  It took a while to get past the language barrier, but we eventually got to our beautiful room.  The name of the hotel is Vienna Hotel Shanghai PVG Heqing.  I liked the hotel the moment we drove up.  We wanted to explore the area, but it was late, and we needed to get some rest.  We needed to be up and ready by 6:00 a.m. to get to the airport and through security before our 9:00 a.m. flight.   Hopefully, we will be able to revisit without rushing.  

Before I move on, I would like to inform you that the room key not only opens the door, it also serves as the primary electricity source.  Inside the room, next to the door, there is a slot where you place the key.  The key controls the electricity and air conditioning.  If you remove the card key, there will not be any power.  

Welcome to The Preparation!

In this blog, I will discuss the process I used to prepare for leaving America.  Interesting enough, I did it all in less than a week.

Let's begin.

I've been planning the big move since August/September 2017.  I wasn't sure when or how I was going to make this happen, but I wanted to be as prepared as possible.  The first thing we needed to do was to downsize.  I had all the girls go through their property and get rid of everything they were not using.  If it couldn't fit in their suitcase and carry on, it couldn't go.   It was challenging and heartbreaking knowing that your whole life would dwindle to a couple of bags.  But my babies were troopers.  They knew they had to make some sacrifices to make this move successful. 

Next, I went through all our memorabilia (baby books, school info, etc.) and necessary documentation.  When I say, 'get rid of' I meant digitizing.  I spent two weekends going through and scanning pictures and essential paperwork.  I end up dwindling two feet of photographs and documentation to a couple of inches.  You never know how much you have accumulated until you must move. 

We were living out of our suitcases.  The next couple of months flew by quickly due to birthdays and holidays.  We even went as far as purchasing a Christmas tree because we wanted our last Christmas in America to be memorable. 

Now, this is when it got hectic.  Christmas came and went.  I worked Christmas and the following Tuesday and Wednesday.  My brother previously mentioned that he was going to purchase my car but was waiting on a check from his 401k.  On Wednesday, December 27th the money was deposited into my account.   Friday, December 29th, my kids had dentist appointments.  After which, I met my brother to do the title change.  I rushed home to meet my other two brothers who were interested in purchasing everything in my apartment.  They spent the next couple of hours moving out the furniture.    While my brothers were busy moving; I was busy trying to find cheap air flights to Malaysia. Take into consideration that I also needed to book proof of onward travel from Malaysia, which would be Thailand.  Some countries require that you provide evidence of onward journey from their country; in this case, Malaysia.  They want to ensure that you’re not overstaying.    The flights were for January 1st. 

The reason for the rush is that I knew that I had to be out of the apartment by January 3rd or spend another $1300. Initially, I was going to stay until January 3rd to give me more time to get everything in order but based on the ticket prices; it was advantageous to leave on January 1st.

After spending hours online, I finally got all the traveling and hotel stuff all situated.  The next morning, Saturday, December 30th, we got up early because we had a lot to do.  First, we packed up the SUV (even though my brother purchased the vehicle, he allowed me to drive it – isn’t that sweet!) with items we needed to donate and some other things that didn’t fit in the moving truck.  Our first stop was at a thrift store, and then I had to go to the bank.  Since Monday was a holiday and the bank only opened for half a day on Saturday, I needed to get out enough cash to hold us over in Malaysia, which happened to be $3k.  We then rushed across town to return the cable box and router before they closed.  We still had a vehicle full of household items, so we dropped it off at my brother's place.  Luckily, they lived a few blocks from each other.  Part of the original plan was to go to my mom’s, but it was getting late, and we were getting tired and hungry.

The next morning, Sunday, December 31st, we arose early again to find out the temperature had plummeted to blistering 15 degrees with the northern wind gusting to 42 mph.  Let’s not forget the snow flurries.   When I say it was cold; I am not exaggerating.  Could you imagine stuffing last minutes items, four suitcases, and carry-ons in an already stuffed vehicle?  Five minutes was the longest any of us could handle in the weather.   The day before was a sunny 42 degrees.  I shouldn’t be surprised considering we’re talking about Texas weather.  Sunny one day and snowing the next.

Well, we got the apartment cleaned, took pictures of it, delivered everything else to my brother and headed to my mom where we said our goodbyes.  Of course, a couple of the girls cried before we got there.  I told them that this wasn’t actually “goodbye” but a “see you later” kind of moment. After biding mom farewell, we got a pizza and headed to a hotel close to the airport.  It was pertinent due to the forecast prediction of ice on the bridge the next morning.  Since our flight was at 8:00 a.m., I thought it would be in our best interest and safety to stay somewhere close. 

Around 7:30 p.m. my brother, his girlfriend, and my niece showed up at the hotel.  The plan was for him to come pick up the car.   After they left, we went to bed.  We usually bring in the new year watching the ball drop, but since we had an early flight we decided to celebrate later (which never happened.)

Let’s recap.  In six days, I managed to sell the car and transfer car ownership; visit the dentists; sell the furniture; purchased airline tickets for Malaysia and Thailand.  Booked two hotels; get everything moved out; disconnected utilities; bought a VPN, canceled car insurance; returned cable box/router.  Withdrew money from the bank; cleaned the apartment; and visited family!!!!!  Oh, let's not forget that I worked twelve-hour shifts on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

The ability to pull this off in such a short time is a testament that if I can organize such a feat in such a short time, anyone can.  It only takes a lot of dedication, planning, organization, cooperation, family, and money. 

Our plane landed in Malaysia on January 3, 2018, and now I would like to share our exciting experience in a foreign country, provide real facts on the process, funding required, and the trial and errors that come with traveling to an international country with children. I must inform you that I did not attempt this move blindsided.   I spent months researching the benefits of living/touring in Malaysia.  One of the biggest sellers was watching YouTube videos of actual residents/tourists and their experience in a different country.  But I found out quickly that everything you see and hear on YouTube videos is not what it appears.  I hope that my trials and errors will help others who are considering traveling internationally.   I’ve been here three weeks and find myself sitting on the floor (yep, that’s right) trying to figure out what I’m doing.  I’ll explain later.

Let’s start from the beginning.  It all began with my kid’s interest in Asian culture.  Watching it from afar is different from experiencing it.   For years, they have been spending a lot of time watching animes (a Japanese term for hand-drawn or computer animation such as Attack on Titan, Dragon Ball, Yu-gi-oh, Pokémon), Korean dramas via YouTube videos, and listening to KPOP music.  I didn't see the fascination because I was too busy living my so-called good ole American life and California dreaming.  That changed over the years due to my kids’ persistence in involving me in their wonderful world of Asian knowledge.  In other words, they wanted to broaden my horizons.  They even tried to teach me some basic Japanese and Chinese phrases.  I also began watching some of the music videos of some of the famous KPOP entertainers such as EXO-K, EXO-M, B.T.S, BigBang, B.A.P, Jackson Wang, NCTU, and Jay Park.  But, I had to draw a line when it came to dramas. I am not a fan of subtitles.  When the kids voiced their desire to live in Asia, I decided it was time to do some research.  Besides, I was bored with my job especially when there wasn't any room for advancements.

Now the story begins. By August 2017, I was overworked and underpaid at a local hospital and wanted to make a significant change.   I spent two months applying/interviewing for teaching jobs throughout Asia just to learn that I was too old!  Well, I did receive one offer, but it came in the form of a 'blank contract.'  Yep, you read it correctly.  An empty freaking contract in a different language.  In case you are asking, 'how do you know if it was blank if it was in another language?'  Simple; there were blank lines.  My name wasn't anywhere in sight.  It was as if they found a random contract online, emailed it to me, and thought I was going to be stupid or desperate enough to sign it.  After the shock, I considered filling in the blanks to help the school out a little but thought better of it.  I kept asking myself, "did they send me a blank contract?"  I'm supposed to be working with educated professionals.  What happened to the professionalism or common sense? Anyway, I contacted the person who worked as the mediator between the school and myself (take into consideration that there is a language barrier as well as twelve-hour time zone separating us).  She mentioned in a previous email that the school wanted to offer me a job and to check my email for the contract.  I was surprised because I didn't have an interview with the school because the interviewer was "traveling”.  That would have been good to know before wasting fifteen minutes on WeChat.  I guess no one else was qualified to interview me, huh?  Professionalism, at work again.  Well, I contacted the mediator after the ‘supposed’ interview, and that is when I learned about the interviewer being on travel, and they wanted to hire me.   I received the contract a couple of days later.  I contacted the mediator again and explained about the blank contract.  She said that the school was going to send a correct one.  After a week, I contacted the mediator to see what was going on and asks her some basic questions such as; living subsidy, travel arrangements, work visa, meals, health benefits, holiday/sick pay, etc.  She didn’t’ know the answers and had to check with the school and then get back with me with their answers.  

Days went by before she contacted me with answers.  I decided to decline the offer when she stated that I would have to share an apartment or get my own, but the school would assist me in finding living quarters close to the school and pay a rental subsidy.  I asked if they would pay the deposit (two months’ rent upfront), and was informed it was my responsibility to pay the deposit, but the school will assist with some of the rent.  So, I asked if they would pay for travel expenses and they informed me that the school would pay for half of the plane ticket after I have worked three months and the rest at the end of my contract.  Okay, nothing was working out.  Final question. Would they pay for my work visa?  They would only pay a portion of the visa, but I would have to pay for all the associated fees.  Now, I'm thinking - they want me to uproot my family to a different country to help teach their students, but they don't want to pay for anything.  How would that benefit my family or me?  It wasn't. I wasn’t asking for the moon.  These accommodations are usually included in an English teacher's contract.  Shouldn’t have been a big deal.  Not unless the school didn’t’ register for a work permit.  I guess I’ll never know. The only reason I was seeking employment is for the work visa. I assumed that if I received a working permit, my kids would also receive one.  But the facts are - I would have to work 30 days, come back to America and apply for S1 visas that will allow my kids to stay longer than 180 days.  To wrap this up, accepting a teaching job would have meant coughing up thousands of dollars just to get to China and then thirty days later pay for a round-trip ticket from China to America and wait possibly weeks for S1 visas.  And all for a mere $1200 a month income.   I don't think so. I voiced my concerns to the mediator who said that the school still wanted to hire me and are working on the contract.  Suffice to say, three weeks later I didn't receive it.  I wasn't expecting it or wanted it.  The whole process was unprofessional from the beginning.  What's frustrating is that during the waiting period, I was still completing applications and having interviews (just to be informed that I was too old).  I was offered another teaching position during the time I was working with the first school, but I turned it down because I was foolish enough to think that the contract would come through and I didn't want to go through the whole process again.  Working twelve-hour shifts and trying to interview during my time off was exhausting. Well, that's how searching for a teaching job worked out for me.  Time to move on.