Over the Hill Backwards -- I'll be alright: December 2007

Dear friends,
This year Christmas letter is a bit different to say the least! We hope that many of you are following our experiences from living in Malaysia on the blog http://joda58.blogspot.com/

Last time we sent you a mail we were just setting off for a few days in the Jungle. We went to Tamana Negara a forest reserve in the middle of Malaysia. It was a three hour boat ride on a river before we arrived to the cabins were we were going to stay. The boat trip was great and we saw some interesting animals. Once at the cabins where we were going to stay there was so many people! After a good (?) nights sleep, wondering if the animals were inside or outside the cabin we set out to go for a canopee tour. At the starting point we had to wait for two hours since there were so many in line waiting. As you can imagine they were not too quiet so we did not see many animals. Ann was not pleased with the tour 80 meter up in the trees walking on ladders held by ropes. With good moral support from the boys and Jonas taking pictures we made it! We also made a visit to a tribe village and got to see how they live. It was interesting but we wondered if it is not just a matter of time before they are part of the normal society.

Back in Kuala Lumpur the hard schoolwork for Christoffer and Andreas got on its way. They have really had a hard working term both coping with a new language, new way of teaching, finding friends and not the least trying to catch up with the part of the term that they had missed. Besides normal subject like math, English, physics.. they have been taking some interesting classes like Story in Art and band. The boys have been really extraordinary with their schoolwork. They have studied all week round. If it is not homework then it is projects to conclude. Jonas have been supporting them as much as possible and now all of us are happy that there is a break.

Andreas is still very interesting in singing. The school cannot offer anything to his liking so a few weeks ago he did an audition to a youth choir and came straight into a group with 13-15 years old. The conductor introduced the idea behind the choir to them and they were told that they do not sing pop song, much to Andreas liking. Rehearsals begin in January. We all hope that this will be a nice experience.

Andreas has also found badminton as an after school activity. In the facilities where we live there is also a badminton hall so there are plenty of possibilities. On top of the wish list for Christmas Andreas has an electric guitar so we have to see what Santa is coming with. Maybe there will be guitar playing annoying our neighbors in our 36 story condominium!

Christoffer has been trying to keep up his French horn. He has band as a subject and is amazed that you are getting grades for a subject that you do for fun at home! Besides school he has also been involved in a movement called Young United Nations. The international schools in Asia meet a few times per year and they then get to "play" that negotiation play in the UN. Christoffer had at one point to try to argue for the military regime in Burma. That was interesting for all of us.

Jonas is more then fully occupied studying and taking care of the rest of us. Everything you need to here do takes so much more time then at home. Since Ann has been traveling a lot most of the family matters falls on Jonas. Even if the boys have their school bus that takes them to school (even home after school activities) seems there to be a number of occasions each week when Jonas is required at school. Fortunately Ann is carpooling with some colleagues so Jonas can have the car most days. Ann is not to found of driving in KL either! Jonas is also doing a lot of physical exercise. Two to three times per week he walks for an hour with some of the other Swedish women that are at home. They are so fit that Jonas has a hard time to keep up with them! In the heat you think he has gone via the swimming pool before coming home!

Ann is traveling just as much as usual but it feels a bit easier when the flights are not as long (only 12 hours to Australia and Japan!) and the time differences are minimal. The time differences though makes her work some nights when Sweden is awake and working. The work is though still very rewarding. The work will take Ann home to Sweden in January and it will be nice to meet the family again.

We are all on and off longing for Sweden, it would be a lie if we said something else but we all think that the experiences that we get is worth it. In Christmas times you long more for home then usual. Celebrating Christmas in 30 degrees Celsius is not what we are used to and the coziness disappears somewhat. We will over the Christmas days go to Lankawi, a Malaysia island close to the border to Thailand. We will hopefully put up our feet, bathe and just be lazy. For the New Year we will go to Borneo and have a look at longhouses and orangutans hopefully. Since we will be away during Christmas we have already celebrated a bit with having Swedish Julbord. Jonas had arranged so that we had ham, smoked salmon, herring, cheese … Andreas said it was the nicest food he have had for long. When you do not have it everyday you appreciate it more!

We wish we could meet you all but …

Form us all to all of you