Well, our Malaysia Adventure is over. Quite an adventure it was, filled with many highs and unfortunately some lows. But through it all we have come away stronger and wiser.

We learned that people are the same all over the world. They want to love and be loved. They want happiness and joy, a roof over their heads, food in their bellies, and purpose.

We learned when you think about going to war that the people who will be hurt are the same ones you shared a beer with at the local tavern, or the little children you saw playing in the park, or the lovers stealing a kiss on the metro. Suddenly everything is personal. When you travel, you develop a love for other cultures, religions and lifestyles and you fully understand that people are our greatest treasures. We believe if more people traveled, there would be more peace on this planet of ours.

We gained friendships that now span the globe and found out some old friendships and relationships were not as strong as we thought. We learned that language is not a barrier to friendship and that kindness, empathy and understanding are more important than words.

We learned to embrace diversity and celebrate other cultures and customs. Ours is not the end-all, be-all. There is so much to learn from others.

We learned the world is a lot smaller than we thought.

We gained in confidence….we can drive on the left side of the road, navigate any airport, bus system, or subway system in the world, and order off a menu with nary a word in English. We can gather necessary visas, start up a bank account, lease an apartment, secure a phone plan, and find food for the kitchen. The world is not a scary place.

We learned to adapt. Travel and living in another country is fraught with the unexpected. You learn to go with the flow, you learn to substitute, to do without, to embrace new ways of thinking and doing things. What worked for you at home may not work in your new environment.

We learned monkeys are not our favourite animal and that durian will never be served in our home. We learned to take our shoes off at the door and business class is sometimes worth the investment. We learned to always carry some tissue with you for it is as handy as duct tape.

While our Malaysia adventure may have come to an end, our travel will continue. As such, we have decided to continue to blog. So our “Malaysia Adventure” continues. We hope you come along for the ride…..first stop, TURKEY!!!!!