Being Flexible and Staying Cool

Its been a tough week at work trying to get research and information completed.  We have experience 3 blackouts, 2 internet outages. The internet was down for almost an entire day.   To top of the week Survey Monkey was down today on the day we were to train the customer relations department. My IBM parnter - Juan and I have the only laptops on our floor, so when the power was out we continued working by the light of our laptops in the dark until either our batteries died or the heat drove us outside.  At 31+++ degrees Celsius and very humid the building heats up pretty fast.  So wish me luck on Friday. 

#ibmcsc malaysia

 Here are a few photo's from around Kuantan.

To Try or Not Try - My Challenge in week 3

Out client has given Juan and I a challenge to eat durian Fruit.  The senior manager is evening willing to pick us up at night and drive us to a fruit stand to try.  So why am I not jumping at the opportunity you may ask.  Here are a few facts about durian to help decide if given the opportunity you would jump at the chance to try. #ibmcsc malaysia

• Durian is a very smelly fruit
• How smelly – there are restrictions on selling durian in stores and restaurants. (you never see it on the menu)
• We can have search but not been able to find  it in the grocery stores
• You are not allowed to bring it into the office or any item that contains durian.
• Within the business district where I work and live,  stores are not allow to sell..
• Thialand has created a version of durian that does not sell
• Its recommended to eat durian at night before bed so you don’t offend others with the smell.

Would you try durian after hearing all this information?  I will let you know how the experience goes and if my taste buds survive. PS. Juan is planning to wear disposable clothes.

A Working Day in Kuantan

A view of our Office from the River

So what does an average workday look like while working in Malaysia? 

After looking at all the photos of our weekend adventures many of you are probably wondering what happens during a weekday.

 

7:30am - our client sends a driver to pick us up. Each morning 4 IBMers representing Mexico, Brazil, Columbia and Canada climb into the van. Sounds good - well it can be a little tricky. Our driver changed this week so we started from scratch trying to communicate (our drivers does not speak any english). So out comes google translator, lots of hand waving and head shaking,  then we board the van hoping we arrive to our destination. 

9am to 10am everyone leaves the office and walks outside for breakfast. The IBM team may join in or keep working. Then back to  the office for client meetings and research.  Every now and then we have a Director or the President come in to see how we are progressing on our projects. (no stress).

1pm Lunch time. Our driver takes us off to a local restaurant or he drops us off on a street then we venture off to find a food either Malay, Indian or Chinese. Everyday is a new adventure.

5pm The office shutsdown so we have to leave.The staff are lined up outside using punchcards or thumb print technology to sign out for the day.

Evening: Its time to run errands drop off laundry, shop, and exercises. 

7:00pm IBM Team meeting - time to share projects and help each other out then off to dinner.
9pm - Trying to Skype (if the internet is not too slow) to see how everyone is at home and laugh about all the snow as we sit here in a hot humid environment. #ibmcsc malaysia

Our office inside. The Air Conditioner was brought in when our client thought we were too hot.

Our Office from the Parking Lot

Malaysia 2013

Malaysia 2013, a set on Flickr.

Photos from Malaysia

Honoured Guest at Malay Wedding

On  Sunday our CSC team of 12 was honored to attend a traditional Malay wedding reception in a small town outside of Kuatan. The actual wedding took place two weeks prior, and this was the formal welcoming of the bride to the groom’s family.

We arrived prior to the ceremony to help with setup, and try our hands a Malay cooking for 400 guests:  in two large cauldrons a spicy beef stew simmered over an open fire, and several other pots on gas cookers (fried fish, coconut rice, curried banana's). The photo below shows vegetables cooking over gas burners.  The smells were wonderful and the food was amazing.

The actual ceremony involved elaborate dress, drumming and marshal arts dance. All under several large tents outside the grooms home. The IBM team went shopping earlier in the week to dress for the occasion and experience. Which was an experience itself.

We were honoured to be invited to the wedding and sat directly upfront close to the bride and groom. The monsoon season was in full force on the day of the wedding.  So as we enjoyed the beauty of the event we also learned how to navigate small rivers and large puddles in traditional dress.
#ibmcsc malaysia

Helping to cook the Wedding Dinner

Dressed for the occasion but not the monsoon.

Presenting the gift to the grooms parents

Reflections on a week of New Experiences

Its been 10 days since I left Canada and arrived in Malaysia.  After traveling by bus thru the beautiful green countryside we arrived on the east coast to the city of Kuatan.  After looking back on the last week I have experienced many new and wonderful experiences. #ibmcsc malaysia  Here a few experiences:

* Performing on stage (Karaoke) Dancing Queen in front of 70 clients (I'm still trying to find out how I was selected to represent IBM????)
 * Eating Malaya, Indian and Chinese food all in one day
* Having dinner for 3 meals a day

* Using a traditional squat toilet in high heel shoes.
* Having an air conditional the size of a small fridge put in my office. (the staff must have felt sorry for Canadian arriving straight out of winter snow.)
* Eating traditional Indian meal off a banana leaf, with your right hand - no utensils. All in business attire. I can only imagine how difficult it would be for people who are left handed.
* Taking a local bus and not getting lost
* Finishing work friday and heading to the beach to kick back
 * Seeing a field of  Palm Trees
* Going underground into a Tin Mine (Sungai Lembing)

Tin Mine in Sungai Lembing - IBM team with Dato - President of Kuantan Municipal Council

Celebrating Chinese New Year

Twenty five hours after leaving Toronto I arrived in Malaysia.. First stop a beautiful hotel in Kuala Lumpur. I dove straight into bed to try and make a fast adjustment to the 13 hour time change. I left Toronto at 7am on Wed and arrived in Malaysia on Thursday 8pm. At 5am I woke up to the sounds from the outdoor speakers of the local mosque.

The city is alive  with celebrations marking the Chinese New Year. Everwhere you go you see red lanterns celebrating the year of the snake. You may also hear 2013 referred to as the year of the Water Snake, Black Snake or Black Water Snake.  In Kautan at midnight fireworks continue to be sent off marking the celebration.

#ibmcsc Malaysia

More info on Corporate Service

For all of you who love videos - here is a clip that shows in 6 minutes what this program is all about. Learn why it was recognized by Fortune Magazine as key program in Corporate and Social Responsibility. 

So my next blog will be from Malaysia - slightly sleep deprived. Wish me luck.

Leaving the Snow Behind

Just when I thought I could jump on the plane and go from -20 to +86 degrees and 80% humidity the snow arrived. So my send off was truly Canadian involving lots of shoveling and skating with neighbors in our community rink.  I can only hope my arrival in Kuantan in a few days will not be a monsoon.

Is this my car?

Skating with neighbors - 3 days before leaving

#ibmcscs malaysia

Countdown to Malaysia

I'm about to embark on the journey of a lifetime through my participation in IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (#ibmcsc Malaysia).  From past IBM alumni  I have heard this is a fabulous experience and many would love to have the opportunity to go a second time. So expectations are high

I will be living in Kuantan, Malaysia for four weeks as part of a team of 12 IBM employees from 9 countries. As a team we have been working together for the past few months next week we will  finally meet in Kuala Lumper. Our team has been assigned 2 customers and 5 projects (wow)

Follow my journey as I leave the snow behind, immerse myself in Malaysia culture and business.