Last night I went to Georgetown to watch the Nine Emperor Gods Festival (Kew Ong Yeah). This Chinese festival is one of the most important in Penang and is celebrated on the 1st till the 9th day of the Nine month in the Lunar calendar. During these 9 days many devotees go on vegetarian diet and on the ninth day a big procession is held. More »

I’ve arrived yesterday on the island of Penang in northwestern Malaysia. The island is relatively small, with hills in the center and covered with deep green vegetation. The town is on the eastern side, with a lively city center and historic neighborhoods in the north (where the British initially settled in late 18th century) and a more modern and functional area to the south with the university and airport. More »

In a few days I will finally be leaving for Malaysia on a volunteering program (see my earlier post). Needless to say I’m very excited and more and more conscious, as departure approaches, this will prove a great experience from which I will learn a lot. More »