When one experience ends, another is just beginning...

Life in Malaysia may have come to a close,
but another experience is just beginning...

My journey in Malaysia has concluded, but I know another chapter of my life is just beginning. I look forward to what lies ahead, because I know every experience leads to another. I am enthusiastic to see what adventures are in store for me, right here, at home in America.

Thank you for joining me on my Fulbright journey this year! You were a wonderful travel companion and I very much enjoyed sharing my experiences with you. Although this officially marks the end of my Fulbright journey and my Fulbright blog posts, I will be featuring some simple Q & A posts. Since my arrival home, I have been receiving a plethora of awesome questions. In the weeks and months ahead, if you have questions, please feel free to email me at rachaelchesley@gmail.com. I will feature them in my Q&A series.

Sharing my experiences with you this year has been such a blessing and a gift.

Until next time, thank you!

A New Lens

Kapas Island, Terengganu, Malaysia.

For most people, the most rewarding aspect of an adventure is the adventure itself. The experience of summiting a mountain or taking a road trip across country or living within a new culture for a year.  However, having returned to the United States after eleven months abroad, I have come to a new realization.

Perhaps the most rewarding part of an adventure is the aftermath; when the traveler gains a new lens towards the way she sees and experiences the world.

My time as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Malaysia was the most eye-opening and challenging experience of my life. My daily life in America was replaced with a new culture, routine and community. 

There were good days and there were bad days. There were moments when I felt as though I failed and moments when I felt as though my students, my community and I succeeded. There were times when I was homesick for the comfort of my own home, the Midwest climate and a big American dinner. And there were times when I looked out over the South China Sea and thought, “Wow! I get to live here!”

Now, back in America, I often look back on my experience and reflect. As I adjust back to my own identity, I feel as though I am looking at the world around me differently and with a new understanding.

I sit in church on Sunday mornings and admire the glare from the sun that beams through the massive stain glass window. I hug my family and friends a bit tighter. I speak and react with more patience. I drive my car through the suburbs understanding what a privilege it is to sit behind a wheel. I admire the Chicago skyline that extends across the shore of Lake Michigan. I savor each bite. And, I look back on my photos from Malaysia with a humbled smile. In a way, I feel as though everything that has always been part of my life still remains, but I see it with a new lens. The adventure itself is a true gift, but perhaps the most rewarding part of any undertaking, is the new lens gained afterward.

O'hare International Airport, Chicago before I departed in January 2012.
I was reunited with my family at O'hare eleven months later.
I came home with a new lens towards life and the world around me.

Coming to a close: Beginning my journey back home

On a rainy Wednesday night (no lie… it was rainy!), I pulled three suitcases out of my house and headed to the bus station. Tears filled my eyes as I waved goodbye to the little neighbor boys who waved and yelled, “ Goodbye, Cikgu!” I watched as the house disappeared behind me, and I looked out the window of my mentor’s car. I tried to forever imprint the images of the village I was part of for 10 months.

I boarded the bus, and I waved goodbye to my mentors, as well as my friend Jamaliah who came to see me off with her family. I also waved goodbye to Christina who was staying for a few extra days. I sat in my seat, and I looked out the window. It took me a moment to catch my breath. When I did, I took a big, deep breath that brought air all the way down to my toes.

I gave one last wave to everyone.

At that moment, I still had not made full sense of my experience. However, I did realize one thing – the most important experiences are the ones that pull at your heartstrings in ways you never imagined. The experiences that have peaks, as well as valleys. The experiences that have successes, as well as failures. The experiences that make you smile, as well as cry. The experiences that culminate understanding, as well as confusion. The experiences with potential accomplishments that seem far too overwhelming and difficult to actually earn, but you earn anyway. And more than anything, I realized that some of the best experiences in life do not provide all the right answers, but rather generate the best questions.

It was one heck of a year. It was one heck of a journey. I believe it will remain one of the most important experiences of my life. It was the toughest experience, as well as the most challenging time of my life. For that reason, I think it will prove to be one of my most worthwhile endeavors as well.

As I departed from Besut, I held my head high. The visions of life in Besut were still fresh in my mind and the stories of my time as a teacher were in my heart. After almost a year, it was time to begin my journey back home, back to where I came from.

After months upon months of Skype session, I could not wait to
see my family in person!

Coming to a close: Peace Corps/Fulbright Commemoration

The Terengganu ETAs, 2012.

In late October, my friend Jordan and I were asked to prepare and present a Peace Corps Commemoration Speech. It was to be presented to the U.S. Ambassador, U.S. Embassy, MACEE, representatives from the Malaysian Ministry of Education, teachers from Malaysia and several other honorable guests. 

The speech was to commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of the first Peace Corps volunteers arriving in Terengganu, Malaysia. At the same time, it was also to mark the conclusion of our journey as ETAs in Terengganu. Jordan and I were honored to be selected to represent our cohort. However, we understood the difficulty of encompassing seventeen different Fulbrighters’ year-long experiences into one commemoration speech. Fortunately, together, we created and presented a speech that represented our cohort and a speech that truly came from the heart.

Terengganu ETAs during our first along the coast.
January 2012, when our journey was just beginning.

“Nine months ago, as we drove north up Route 3 along the beautiful coast of Terengganu, we looked ahead and tried to imagine our future experiences in our new Malaysian villages and homes, and especially our time ahead in our assigned schools… That is where our journey as Terengganu ETAs began…”

Jordan and I went on to explain our journey as ETAs in Terengganu, a place very different than our hometowns in America. We broke our journey into five stages. We explained the stages and told little, personal anecdotes that corresponded to each stage. The five stages we identified were – shock, confusion, learning, exploring and finally, understanding. The personal anecdotes and emotion really captured the attention of the crowd, as well as the fellow Fulbrighters. Although some stages were more difficult than others, each stage was crucial to our experience. All in all, our experiences, living and teaching abroad in Malaysia, challenged us, moved us, and allowed us to embrace the highs, as well as the lows.

Jordan and I ended our speech by saying, “ Senyum sokmo.”

Smile always.

Coming to a close: Pancakes with a dose of coconut

Enjoying food with fellow teachers!
Photo Courtesy of SMK PNZ

During one of my last days of school at SMK PNZ, Form 3 students had finished their long-awaited PMR exams. Therefore, Form 3 students engaged in different activities that did not involve textbooks or papers. It was something similar to “free days!” Fortunately, I had the opportunity to spend a morning with about thirty, happy, enthusiastic Form 3 students. When I asked what activity we were going to do together, the students exclaimed that they wanted to make “pancakes from America!”

Their wish was Cikgu Ruhanna’s command, so Cikgu Ruhanna hosted a pancake event in the school kitchen, and she generously invited me. The students were excited to make pancakes. One girl even took my hand and said, “Teacher, we make you feel home.” It nearly brought tears to my eyes. 

As we made homemade pancake batter, I shared stories about Sunday mornings at my home in America. I explained that my family often makes pancakes and shares breakfast together on the weekends. The students were happy to hear my stories. I was even happier when Cikgu Ruhanna suggested a “variation” to the typical American pancake recipe. She put coconut flour in the homemade pancake batter.

There I was, in my school, with my students, making pancakes with a “Malaysian” twist. Best of all, they were delicious! I looked around the kitchen. The students were sporting green, pink and blue polka dotted aprons, flipping thick, perfect pancakes on the stovetop. I smiled, because when I looked around, it occurred to me that this was indeed what cultural exchange was all about- sharing. After all, it had been the sharing of thoughts, perspectives and ideas throughout my year as a Fulbright ETA that culminated the bridges to mutual understanding.  

*Quiet*

Living in a rural, Islamic village with unreliable internet and a 13- hour time difference from Chicago did not provide many opportunities for distractions. As I mentioned in early posts, I did not have my regular spin classes, Tuesday $2 draft nights with friends, frequent text messages vibrating my phone, train rides and adventures in Chicago or my familiar community of family or friends around me. All in all, it was perhaps the most ‘quiet’ I have ever experienced in my life.

I am from a family that keeps its doors always open. With that, life in America is full of people, laughs and splendid little moments each and everyday. Therefore, as I acclimated to a ‘quiet’ life in Malaysia, I strived to find things that could keep my mind occupied after school hours. For someone with my personality, it was not easy, but I did it. And, overall, looking back, I realize that the ‘quiet’ I experienced allowed me greater insight to me, myself and I. Without so many distractions, I was faced to nurture a relationship with myself and in essence, really get familiar with who I was.

In fact, earlier this week I explained my ‘quiet’ experience to a dear friend. I explained that the lack of ‘noise’ in my life made me feel very much alone at times. However, it is neat to have experienced a long-term, intensely quiet and seemingly lonely experience. Without ‘noise’ (even working Internet at times and a sufficient television), I was faced to sit with myself and my thoughts. Not many individuals get so much time to build a relationship with themselves. That in itself is neat, mind boggling and eye opening all at once.

Now, with that being said, I think ‘quiet’ was a once in a lifetime experience. Therefore, I probably would not rush to sign up for having so much ‘quiet’ again. Also, in no way would I romanticize the experience either. Parts of it were tough. Really tough. All in all, I am merely mentioning that if you allow yourself true ‘quiet,’ you may be amazed by how much you can learn about yourself. 

I had a great deal of quiet time this year.