# ANYONE in Penang?



## NEWBIE-Lin (Nov 11, 2012)

Originally from Los Angeles, CA - I am new here in Penang and would love to make some friends, locals or otherwise.

/SNIP/
Look forward to hearing from you


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## hana lee (Mar 3, 2013)

*Hi!*



NEWBIE-Lin said:


> Originally from Los Angeles, CA - I am new here in Penang and would love to make some friends, locals or otherwise.
> 
> /SNIP/
> Look forward to hearing from you


Hi newbie-Lin! i am a newbie as well here 
I am from Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta. been in an American school before I finally moved to Atlanta, GA when I was 17-25y.o. My mom has been living there for over 20 years, so I hold a Green Card. Because of my background, I sometimes confuse myself where I feel more like a westerner amongst Asian peers but more Asian amongst the westerners lol. 
So this happens here too. I live in Penang now because my husband is from here. i feel very homesick amongst the local people around me. I mostly meet with my husband's family, who are very typical Asians that sometimes can be very loud :-( I am not very comfortable with the local culture here on daily basis,
That's why I joined this group..to meet with other expats so I can feel more at home sometimes. 
For complicated reasons, I live in this area called Bukit Mertajam. i cant find anything International or any expat around. do you know if there is any expat living in BM??


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## hana lee (Mar 3, 2013)

*By the way,*



hana lee said:


> Hi newbie-Lin! i am a newbie as well here
> I am from Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta. been in an American school before I finally moved to Atlanta, GA when I was 17-25y.o. My mom has been living there for over 20 years, so I hold a Green Card. Because of my background, I sometimes confuse myself where I feel more like a westerner amongst Asian peers but more Asian amongst the westerners lol.
> So this happens here too. I live in Penang now because my husband is from here. i feel very homesick amongst the local people around me. I mostly meet with my husband's family, who are very typical Asians that sometimes can be very loud :-( I am not very comfortable with the local culture here on daily basis,
> That's why I joined this group..to meet with other expats so I can feel more at home sometimes.
> For complicated reasons, I live in this area called Bukit Mertajam. i cant find anything International or any expat around. do you know if there is any expat living in BM??



By the way, I lived in Los Angeles, CA for 3 months before. lived in this Asian town, Arcadia. My sister and her husband live in West Hollywood


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## cvco (Mar 20, 2015)

hana lee said:


> Hi newbie-Lin! i am a newbie as well here
> I am from Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta. been in an American school before I finally moved to Atlanta, GA when I was 17-25y.o. My mom has been living there for over 20 years, so I hold a Green Card. Because of my background, I sometimes confuse myself where I feel more like a westerner amongst Asian peers but more Asian amongst the westerners lol.
> So this happens here too. I live in Penang now because my husband is from here. i feel very homesick amongst the local people around me. I mostly meet with my husband's family, who are very typical Asians that sometimes can be very loud :-( I am not very comfortable with the local culture here on daily basis,
> That's why I joined this group..to meet with other expats so I can feel more at home sometimes.
> For complicated reasons, I live in this area called Bukit Mertajam. i cant find anything International or any expat around. do you know if there is any expat living in BM??


At least one does. Im from US and stay in BM. But your post is 2 years old so I dont know what happened to you (?) Maybe you will reply.


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## cvco (Mar 20, 2015)

NEWBIE-Lin said:


> Originally from Los Angeles, CA - I am new here in Penang and would love to make some friends, locals or otherwise.
> 
> /SNIP/
> Look forward to hearing from you



Im in Penang and also from Los Angeles...actually San Marino.

Should I know better than to reply to very old posts? hmmmm


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## cvco (Mar 20, 2015)

So thats two. Two people in Penang! Whats wrong with Penang, nobody wants to be here


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## gardimar_5 (Aug 27, 2015)

Hi. My name is Geoff. I'm new also to Penang. Been here 3 months now. Originally from Indonesia also, but went to the States when I was 2. Stayed there for almost 25 years. *<Snip>*


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## MaryKelly (Nov 10, 2015)

I am also from Los Angeles...I will inform you once I got information about Penang..


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## cvco (Mar 20, 2015)

MaryKelly said:


> I am also from Los Angeles...I will inform you once I got information about Penang..


You live in Argentina now? Why do you want to leave?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

MaryKelly said:


> I am also from Los Angeles...I will inform you once I got information about Penang..


Small world,,, I grew up in N. Hollywood/Van Nuys. Glad to be out.


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## prof.ishack (Jul 4, 2014)

Actually Penang was on the International Living's list of top ten cities to retire to about 2-3 years ago. Last year they took off the list because the high cost of living there, and added Ipoh to the list. My feelings was that they should have made that move 4-5 years back, I love the Ipoh area and the COL is very cheap in comparison to KL or Penang. But not much to offer an expat, however that seems to be changing. I was in Ipoh a few months back and starting to see more in the way of western food at restaurants and grocery stores.


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## cvco (Mar 20, 2015)

Yeah but IL is a hocus pocus lie to sell real estate they invested in before the recommendations. It took me years to get on to their game. After they sell, or the investment goes sour, their "hot" city or country goes off the list. Years ago they heavily promoted Malaysia--but they didnt tell you they bought scores of condos in KL and pressured would-be expats to call their special IL agent-partner. Nice racket. I dont believe a single word they say but IL is good as a interest point or jumping-off point to learn more about a place.

That said, Penang, and really all of Malaysia is fine for vacation and retirement but not for jobs or anything serious you want to get done. In that sense, all locations are good in my opinion. Prices are even-ing out to about the same. A cheaper city today is tomorrows inflation nightmare. Prices leap frog each other and its gone out of control.


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## prof.ishack (Jul 4, 2014)

I find IL interesting reading, but I'm not giving them any of my money or investing in any of their schemes. Actually this being a public forum and my user name being far from anonymous I'll reserve my comments on many topics here. But I suspect we agree on many topics regarding working and getting things accomplished her in Malaysia. Actually many of the local population are in agreement as well.


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## cvco (Mar 20, 2015)

Well....i'll speak my mind, im too old to care, but i never attack anyone and never have the intention of hurt. What I dont care about is the over sensitivity of some people. Im happy to see Malaysians online but they have to understand that expats dont always see things the way they would like us to and I cant help that. They need to give us some space even if its just to vent or rant.

Actually, as you say, the locals have approximately the same views/complaints expats do when it comes to work, business, government. Its not only hard for expats.

IL....ive followed them almost from the beginning which has to be decades now. My father subcribed to their IL magazine and it was like Natl Geog, full of pics and information about wonderous, exotic places. But they found other ways to make money and that was, in my mind, their decline of trustworthiness. I never figured anything out, another intl investment newsletter talked about Kathleen Peddicords husband who was handling investments while she handled the writing and then it was clear. But yes, for info to wet the appetite, sure. Ten years ago when they did a story about KL, I was right there living and I even wrote to them and said, Hey what you said isnt true! I suggested they interview me and I never got a reply. lol

But in terms of Penang, it was more fun when I came on weekends as a tourist. Living in Penang is different and doesnt have a fairytale ending.


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## prof.ishack (Jul 4, 2014)

Actually living anywhere is not like going there as a tourist or even being on a short term contract. When I first lived in Malaysia back in 1996-97 and I was first on a 15 month, then a one year contract I treated every weekend like a mini-vacation with some place to visit that I may never see again when I go back to the states. 

Now that my wife and I have moved back to KL and I've taken a regular job here it's not near as fun. We haven't really done any traveling since we've moved back. Later this month my son is going to Bali for a couple of weeks from the states, so I'm going to go there. But after 10 months of working here full time, it's the first vacation time I'm taking. 

I can see Penang being a not so fun place to live full time, working or doing business there. My ex-wife's sister lives there and I hear the same thing from her.


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