Heading East

News of my recent posting to the East certainly didn't come as much of a surprise to anyone in the medical fraternity. After all, I'm essentially a footloose, fancy-free bachelor with no strings attached. In our medical speak, that's an almost sure bet to get transferred as far away as possible without much further ado.

Given a choice between the various cities in East Malaysia, I obviously opted for one that seemed familiar by association. In my case, that means Miri - otherwise known as the town of HomosexOil. Figures.

For everyone else that I know, it simply means I've practically been banished to the back of beyond miles away from known civilization. Typical bias of the well-heeled urbanites from out West! Much to the indignant cries of the proud natives.

Paul : OMG. I've been banished.
Calvin : Why do you all have such ideas? It's not the back of beyond.
Paul : Do they have malls? Do they have cinemas? Do they have roads?
Calvin : Of course we do! And we have kolok mee.

Not exactly a recommendation. Someone who looks as fine as this might be though.


Friendly treefolk?
Frankly I'm starting to think the same as my friends. Despite hailing from said city, Charming Calvin doesn't have much to say to recommend the place apart from wildly enthusiastic exhortations to savour the renowned kolok mee. I'm half-expecting to be greeted by grunting treefolk swinging on vines from their jungle homes.

Crazy prejudices of mine.

Fortunately I have the internet to prove otherwise.

Isn't it amazing that I'm far more interested in dressing up my apartment in the local Orang Ulu style ( bead baskets, pua kumbu throws and reed baskets? ) than starting work? That I'm more curious about how I'm going to fare in a new city with my erstwhile in-laws living barely a stone's throw away?

Hell, it seems that fate has already decreed that I should spend some time getting to know my reticent mother-in-law Milady Borgia. Not sure what we'll talk about but I'm sure I'll hit on a shared topic of interest. With the leisurely lunches I'm planning to have with her, I think it's time I stocked up on my drugs. :)


Certainly somewhere beyond the sea.

BTW if you haven't guessed already, that old enemy of mine called exams? By some miracle, I actually managed to take it down :)