From Malaysia to Japan: Chasing Dreams from the East to the West and Back
“Being a mother is a wonderful journey for me”, shares Mida, a full-time stay-at-home Malaysian mum based in Missouri, USA. This Penangite lived many different lives before finding her way halfway across the world five years ago, where she started a family. Quite the globetrotter, Mida is well-travelled, having been to 25 countries during her youth. She was also a career woman in the IT industry who was driven, ambitious and committed but also had personal goals that kept her grounded. “I paid off my car loan, my student loans, so I’m happy with what I was doing back then” she shares. After years of chasing her dreams in corporate, it came to a breaking point when she experienced burnout. Not long after that, Mida left her job, got married to her American husband and uprooted her life in Malaysia to embark on a new adventure on the other side of the world. The roller coaster of motherhood It was during the pandemic when she welcomed her firstborn, “He was an easy baby until now”, she said. While admittedly rewarding, this journey came with a multitude of challenges that Mida could not have anticipated. Two years later, she was blessed with another son who, not long after his birth, was diagnosed with a health condition. Two months of sleepless nights and unending anxiety caring for her son through medical procedures took a toll on her health. “It’s a very tough journey for me because since the second one was born, I think I’ve been through like a depression phase”, she recalls. During a health check-up, her doctor noticed some early signs of postpartum depression. It was a wake-up call for realising that she needed to make changes before the situation escalated further. Lifestyle and mindset changes made a world of difference. She was committed to putting herself first and finding time to practice self-care. Mida found solitude in having morning walks and working out at her home mini gym. Having a support system When asked how she kept her spirits high through challenging times despite being away from family, her immediate response was, “Thank you for asking me this question, I feel like someone heard me”. “I usually video call with my mum; she’s old now, and my dad has passed”, she added. She also stays connected with friends back home through WhatsApp groups. Mida mentioned that, at times, she used to wish she was back home during her confinement days. After giving birth, Mida tried to follow the traditional Malay postnatal care on her own. The traditional confinement practices tend to be elaborate, so she improvised and tailored them to make them more manageable. “My husband mana la reti masak sup ayam melayu or ikan goreng Melayu” she laughs. Early on in her move to the States, she joined different Malaysian groups on Facebook. However, due to her circumstances, she did not have the chance to foster a close bond with them. As a one-stop platform for all Malaysians abroad, MyHeart hopes to help Malaysians like Mida to connect with Malaysians alike. Whether a working professional or a homemaker like Mida, MyHeart welcomes you, providing a space for individuals from all walks of life to come together, engage and build meaningful connections. In Foreign Parts Mida started blogging when she moved to the States, with the intention of sharing her travel adventures, passion for fashion, and inspire her readers. Some of her blog entries were written in Malay as she wanted to ensure her mum, who does not understand English, could read her stories. Many may be able to relate, but there’s nothing quite like expressing your feelings in your mother tongue language. “I want to rant or write in Malay too sometimes. It’s just more expressive”. She adds that she also speaks Malay to her kids, emphasising the importance of them learning it alongside English. There was a time when she created content on YouTube, which served as a way for her to channel her creativity. If time permits, she plans to start vlogging in the future. Moving forward, Mida is keen to see Malaysian content creators on MyHeart share their craft and speak about their tips and tricks in making videos. If you’re a Malaysian content creator living abroad, sign up to MyHeart and explore collaboration opportunities on MyHeart
From Malaysia to Canada: Henry Lee’s Love for His Home Country
After over 40 years of residing in Toronto, Henry Lee’s passion for promoting Malaysia is still as alive as ever. In our conversation with the Honorary Consul and Chairman of the Malaysian Association of Canada (MAC), he shares some insight on the importance of promoting good relations between countries and nurturing relationships amongst the local communities of Malaysians living abroad. Henry has been involved with the MAC since its conception in 2001. The organisation aims to bring Malaysians residing in Canada and Canadians together through educational, social, cultural and economic activities, promote the interests of its members and foster Malaysian-Canadian understanding and cooperation. The MAC also acts as a voice for Malaysians residing in Canada with its ties to the Police Department of Toronto and the Canadian federal, provincial and city governments. As an Honorary Consul, Henry promotes business opportunities and the Malaysian image in Canada by encouraging friendship and good relations between Malaysia and Canada. He also supports the Malaysian community in Canada by helping with tasks such as renewing their passports and any other aid that they may need. The power of building good relationships The relationships between Malaysia and other countries can affect business opportunities and Malaysia’s economy. As Henry mentions, with Malaysia recently signing the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), free trade between Canada and Malaysia will be made easier as 95% of tariffs between the countries will be reduced. He states, that with the removal of tariffs, there will be great opportunities for Canadian businesses to set up operations in Malaysia. Malaysia as a standout business partner Most Malaysians speak English well, making it easier to communicate internationally. Additionally, we adapt to different cultures quickly as we live in a multicultural society from a young age. Malaysia also shares similar law systems to Canada, having both been ruled by Britain at some point in their history. All these similarities make it easier to form good relations and in Malaysia’s case, makes the country an easy choice for international relations as both the country and the people are very adaptable to other cultures and economies. Henry has certainly done a great job in his role as an Honorary Consul and Chairman to make the Malaysian presence known in Canada over the years. Having done so much for the Malaysian economy from over 12,000 kilometres away, his story is a prime example of how the diaspora can contribute back to their country directly and in a meaningful way even whilst living abroad. This begs the question of what regular Malaysians living abroad can do to support their nation from wherever they are. To quote Henry: “The Malaysian diaspora are the best ambassadors for Malaysia.” Malaysians living abroad can promote the image of their home country by keeping up-to-date with local news and events and continuing to spread the word about Malaysian culture. They can also make an effort to gather Malaysians in their communities, keeping Malaysians abroad connected to their roots and aiding to ease the feeling of homesickness. This is the essence of what the Malaysia @ Heart or MyHeart platform aims to achieve. MyHeart strives to help Malaysians abroad find and connect with other Malaysians in their areas to form their local Malaysian communities. Not only can you find Malaysians in your area, but you can also connect with Malaysians from many different countries worldwide and organisations such as the MAC near you. As we talk to Henry, Toronto is in the middle of another cold winter season. And though he has settled down in Canada, he states that he will always be a Malaysian at heart. He expresses longing and fondness for Malaysia’s overall ‘warmth’, from the weather to the people and their smiles. If you are a Malaysian Association abroad, head over to MyHeart to register your association and be part of a large global Malaysian network. More MyHeart Stories
From Malaysia to the UK: Pursuing Higher Dreams in Nutrition Sciences
For Nur Najiah Zaidani Kamarunzaman, pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nutrition Sciences at King’s College London was a dream come true. After completing her bachelor’s degree in Dietetics at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Kuantan and her master’s degree in Sports Sciences at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Kelantan, going abroad under the Graduate Excellence Programme (GrEP) by MARA provided her with the opportunity to further explore her interests in the areas of nutrition and exercise. Najiah has always been interested in exploring ways to encourage people to stay healthy by combining nutrition and exercise. Her research examines how nutrition can affect one’s mental health, where she is specifically researching how cranberry juice can reduce one’s stress and improve one’s mood. Pushing the boundaries beyond your comfort zone Najiah’s biggest advice to anyone considering furthering their studies abroad, especially to pursue a PhD, is to be open to new knowledge. “You may come into a programme with your own set of skills and experience. But remember that everyone in your cohort has their own unique set of knowledge and experience to share. You may need to clear out some space so you can take in new knowledge and learning, rather than sticking with your own experiences.” As a PhD student, having a good relationship with her supervisor is key to getting through the challenges. “Even if you are not confident in trying out something new, just go ahead and try. Your supervisor will be there to support you.” For Najiah, the biggest challenge for her during her PhD journey is the immense focus on lab and hands-on work. During her undergraduate years, it was very heavy on practical hospital work, where she worked with patients on their dietary needs. Transitioning from the social aspect of dietetics into the lab-based nutrition sciences posed a steep learning curve for Najiah, but she is grateful for her supervisor’s support, guidance and encouragement, as well as the support from her PhD team. “When you’re stuck during your study, always ask for help from your friends!” PhD – Passionate & Highly Dedicated The biggest difference between doing your undergraduate and master’s as compared to a PhD is that your PhD is very much dependent on your supervisor rather than the university or the course itself. “The first thing that you choose is your supervisor – you want to be really particular with who you work with,” Najiah advised. She herself researched hundreds of potential supervisors, looking at their research profiles and interests before sending out cold emails. On top of being a dedicated PhD candidate, Najiah is also taking the opportunity to explore life outside of academia. This includes travelling across various cities and towns within the UK, as well as other European countries. As an outdoorsy person, Najiah enjoys visiting places with magnificent natural landscapes and views and finds Switzerland as one of the most beautiful places to visit. She also plans to go hiking up in Lake District later in the summer to explore the beautiful countryside with her friends. Connecting with Malaysian postgraduates and professionals Being far away from the country does not stop her from connecting with people. Forming new friend groups and getting to know more people is a beautiful experience. It happened when one of her friends invited her to be a part of the Malaysian Association of Postgraduates and Professionals (MAPP). “Through MAPP, I can connect with Malaysians in London, build my self-confidence, learn how to become a leader and leave a long-lasting impact on society”. MAPP provides a channel for Malaysian postgraduates, researchers, academics and professionals in the UK and Ireland to network and connect with one another. For Najiah, MAPP is more than just an avenue to network and develop professionally, but it also provides the opportunity to connect and learn from one another on a variety of topics. As the Head of Activities, she works with a small team to plan various activities for the members. This ranges from informal gatherings and interactive dialogues with panel speakers, to Malaysian Sports Day, as well as sharing sessions with field experts. “MAPP has also grown a lot! We are not just in London, but we have branches in Manchester, Sheffield and other cities,” Najiah added. Aside from being an active MAPP member, Najiah is also a member of the Nutrition Society; a diverse collaborative and research community within the field of Nutrition in the UK. Through her involvement as a representative in a Special Interest Group (SIG), she has the opportunity to meet and network with subject matter experts in the Nutrition field. This widened her perspectives in the field and allowed her to exchange knowledge and research ideas with industry leaders. “Don’t stick to just one person or a group of people. At the end of your course/term, you might have friends from many places around the world whom you can visit in the future!” She is keen on leveraging on the platform to initiate collaboration with other Malaysian associations and like-minded professionals. Are you a Malaysian abroad who’s interested in collaborating with Najiah or MAPP? Head over to MyHeart to register and get the conversation going! More MyHeart Stories
