The Expatographer: A New Penang Culture, Travel & Lifestyle Guide

Before departing the shores of the U.S.A., I managed to gather three degrees:  an Associates of Arts degree in 2000, a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Networking in 2010, and finally a Master's of Science in Information Systems Management in 2012.  As one can see, I come from a highly-skilled, highly technical background.  I, also, enjoy writing (which is why I am starting these blogs.)  I hope I can share what I have learned, not just from my time here in Southeast Asia, but from other areas of my life as well.  This is to, hopefully, help those that have experienced similarly to my own; or who want to.  ​

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In June 2016, I was featured in a BBC Capital article about transnational marriages and the difficulties these couples face. 

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Also, in February 2017, I was featured in ExpatGo magazine's monthly section "Expat Extracts".  Each month, Extracts features a new expatriate living in Malaysia.

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During my time living in the Far East, I have been to places that I could never imagine seeing when I was younger.  My lips were blessed by delicious foods of exotic lands. The shutter on my camera was kept busy trying to capture that perfect shot that tells the story of the place that I am currently visiting.  I have met and befriended some of the finest people, which has served to further enrich my life in an already-rich exotic locale.

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I created The Expatographer to better showcase and share the unique culture that is Penang, Malaysia with the rest of the world as most don't even know where Penang is and how special and unique it is. Here, you have Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures mixing all together or "rojak" in the local Bahasa Malaysia language.  You even have some British colonial influence thrown in for good measure. Anyways, one can see this reflected in the food, the architecture, the spoken and written languages, the festivals and public holidays and even what side of the road they drive on!
 

What better way to illustrate this rich culture of the Pearl of the Orient is by watching entertaining and informative videos about it  That is why coming soon is a dedicated Youtube channel for The Expatographer. It will start out by showcasing the culture of the exotic locale I now call home for almost nine years: Penang, Malaysia.  Each episode will feature a facet of this culture: from newly-refurbished back alleys between the pre-WWII shophouses that line the heritage-laden streets to the different cultural festivals that normally occur, if not for COVID-19.

Here at The Expatographer,  it is my hope that you find my experiences living abroad informative, humorous and even thought-provoking.  I strive to make each blog post the best it can be.  If reading about far off and exotic locales awakens a sense of wanderlust in you, then I have done my job. Of course, as always, if you see any areas I could improve on, just click on the Contact button below this paragraph. Thank you and Bon Voyage!