if amy ran the world...: Another stamp in the passport

I can now proudly add Malaysia to the list of countries I've been to!

A few weeks ago Mama Bear, Mouse, and I went on a day trip to Johor Bahru in Malaysia. I know it sounds exotic and extravsagant to go to another country on a day trip, but seriously, Malaysia is easier to get to than my church. We live about a five minute drive to the Causeway, the bridge that connects Singapore to Malaysia. So getting there was a cinch.

It was definitely a new experience, considering that I have never passed through customs and immigration outside of an airport. We drove through this massive checkpoint, going through emmigration on the Singapore side, across a bridge, and through immigration on the Malaysia side. And once we safely made it through, we were in a whole different world.

As you know from my previous rantings and ravings about Singapore, it is a beautiful country. It's clean, safe, and fancy. Very rarely do you see litter on the ground, let alone graffiti or other typical marks of disintegration in a big city. The economy is thriving and there is a high standard of life. If there is any poverty, you certainly don't ever see it. It's comparable to having Minneapolis without North. Or Madison without East. Or Chicago without the Southside. I think you get the point.

Which makes Malaysia the equivalent to North Minneapolis, the Eastside of Madison, and the Southside of Chicago. As we drove into Johor Bahru, I turned to Amy and pointed out that we didn't just cross a border, we crossed the poverty line.

It reminded me a lot of Dakar. Garbage everywhere. Storefronts crammed together, with advertisements accosting us from all sides. Old cars. Dirt and dust. A lingering smell of gas and trash and rot.

We had a pretty great time, Mouse certainly thought it was an adventure. We did some shopping and found a fantastic bakery with the most delicious and cheap buns. Given the chance, Mouse would probably eat his way through Malaysia.