New Staff Orientation Begins!

Dalat offered an amazing orientation program for its new students as well as new staff! 3 days of cross-cultural adjustment training, new organization familiarization, team building and networking.

They even provide experiences with local food that help us through this transition.

These experiences were invaluable in causing us to feel welcome, and part of a group that is new to a wonderful, caring and generous organization!

We started off with Chili's. This was the first time our family ate at a place that was remotely Americana since arriving in Penang!

The next place the school took us to was Karaikudi Restaurant--a Northern Indian Food place in our neighborhood.

Neither of these places challenged nor appealed to us. We preferred the more local stalls and coffeeshops.

Ian was addicted to the little parcels of Nasi Lemak (coconut rice with anchovy fish in chili sambal).

Aria also took to Wan Ton Mee (Egg noddles with BBQ Pork and Pork Dumplings) like it was going out of fashion!

Both Monica and I got hooked to the local coffee (which is so strong it is silty). Eventually, I had to downgrade to the local tea which had less caffeine and easier on my system!

The next thing the school challenged us with was durian! Not many took the plunge, but a few did!

Here, Monica was goading the others to eat some, so she HAD to have some herself!

I had no problem making a mess of myself! The durians were from the infamous Balik Pulau growing region, and were only RM5 each from the Kampung! Bittersweet, moist and pungent! I could have skipped lunch for these!

Here you see some of our peers tasting the notorious fruit...

The kids dove in first...

 They didn't like it but they ate it...

 I was very proud of them!

Eventually, there were leftovers... so I ate what I could, and brought the rest home for later!

Even though Monica invited me to eat it in the house, I honored her generosity by eating it downwind on our entryway porch.

~ Shien