Conversations (S)

There are a lot of differences between Malay culture and American. For instance, you never wear shoes in the house and you always address older people by aunty or uncle. I knew this from the beginning, however, I did not realize how different conversations with my host family were going to be comparatively to the ones I have with my natural family. That was one aspect of my American life that I had not valued before it wasn’t there anymore. Sometimes when I am having conversations with my Malay family there are memories I want to bring up or references to previous experiences that connect to what we are talking about. But they don’t know these references and memories because they weren’t there. Just as how I don’t understand their previous jokes and experiences. I think that this is one of the weirdest parts of my new life. For me, I love sharing about the people who I love and talking about past moments that have meant a lot to me. The other day, my host family was commenting on my shoes since I had opted to wear converse instead of the normal flip flops. It must seem pretty silly to intentionally wear laced shoes when you take your shoes off so often in Malaysia. However, for me converse are more of a way of life than an efficient shoe. Ask anyone in the USA, I wear converse hands down 90% of the year. It’s one of those things that don’t always make sense for the occasion but I just always feel the need to wear them. I remember when I got my first pair of converse, it was in 6th grade around my birthday. I had never heard of converse before until that day when my dad introduced them to me and told me how he used to wear them a lot as a kid. I guess it was just the comfort of the shoe or maybe the style but I instantly loved them. I wore them to the pool that day with my entire family with jean shorts and a floral top and my hair in that awful low ponytail I used to wear. While it may seem silly, it’s one of my favorite memories ever. Since that day I have now owned over nine pairs of converse and I have worn each pair until the white rubber is too grey and dirty to wash off. I hope to share memories like this with my host family, I just forgot how they haven’t lived with me for the past 16 years and how everything is new. Just as I don’t know what they prefer and what makes them happy, they don’t know what I prefer and makes me happy; and I can’t expect them to until I tell them. YES likes us to make goals for the year about what we want out of the experience. Originally, my only goal was to learn the language as well as possible. I am now adding a new goal, to get to know my host family almost as well as I know my natural family. I also hope to share my experiences, funny moments, favorite memories, favorite foods, etc. with all of them. Shoutout to my mom, dad, and brother because I totally didn’t appreciate how you guys know almost everything about me and how much of a difference in day to day life that makes. 

- SEJAL