Malaysia

Teach Them How to Say Goodbye

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“It’s like they were building you a little shrine, even though you’re still alive,” my friend commented in the aftermath of my telling 2nd grade that I was leaving the school. 

And it really was – I’ve never said goodbye to so many little people at once and their reactions were so heartbreakingly touching. 2nd grade took it upon themselves to start giving me whatever precious treasures they happened to have on hand. This included half-finished bags of candy, a handful of crunchy noodles, some stickers, a piece of cardboard with a drawing on it, and a rock. 

They were just one of the eight classes I visited to tell them that I was leaving Malaysia. And then there was the aftermath of the middle schoolers finding out and forming a circle around me as they chanted “Don’t leave!” – one girl asking, “What in the summoning circle?” while another responded, “We are casting a spell so that she can’t leave!”

Have you ever said goodbye to 100+ students in one day? It is exhausting – I think I went to bed at 8:30 that night. 

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Delight 10: Home

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(Awesome globe art thing I found in Incheon Airport)

The past week and a half has been a whirlwind – scrambling to check in resources, making sure my suitcase is packed, running to get police permission to travel. Finding out I don’t need police permission to travel. Running to another police station to double check – yes, no need for police permission if you take a Grab driver. Making copies of my passport. Printing off plane tickets, getting a COVID test to travel, printing off the COVID test results for traveling. Saying goodbye to all of my classes in back to back Google Hangout meetings, crying over all the people who left.

And then…travel.

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Delight 4: Dance it out

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So…if my grumping in my first delight (what a contradiction that is!) didn’t give it away, Malaysia’s in it’s 3rd lockdown and has just announced tighter restrictions, which, given that we’re only allowed to go to the grocery store and school (with all our students online), I’m not really sure how it could get much tighter (that is not a challenge, Malaysia!).

As a couple of my friends and I debated what this lockdown would be like, we started talking about hobbies we’ve picked up over the course of the lockdowns. I.E. – spots of happiness in some rather tough times.

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Delight 1: Burnished Skies and Kitty Paws

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It’s been a rough couple of months and I haven’t been wanting to write, but a couple of years ago I read The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay (thanks to my friend, Sarah, for her amazing book recommendations!). I have always wanted to try something similar.

If you’re not familiar with the book, it follow Ross Gay as he tries to write about a “delight” that he finds every day. Not in a toxic positivity, “everything is amazing” way, but rather, what’s something, even if it’s the smallest little thing on the worst day, that delighted him? He covers some amazing topics, including how he finds delight even when he’s experiencing racism or prejudice. He’s deep and you should give him a read.

So, I thought I’d try something similar. Something to lift my spirits and help me not focus so much on the things that are depressing me right now. Something to help me appreciate the little joys and delights a bit more.

It’s not going to be as deep as Ross Gay’s musings. There’s probably not going to be a post every day because I’m struggling to just get work done and finish the school year out as best as I can in a pandemic-ridden world and I know I won’t be able to write every day.

But, if you’re interested, stay tuned. Here’s my first “delight” from a few days ago.

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