By Fin Clancy

A few months into my exchange at Universiti Malaya, I already had so many cool, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I love learning and getting involved in Malaysian culture. Being an exchange student at the Uni has given me great opportunities as they often organise plenty of activities and trips. This has also meant I have got to meet tons of great people from around the world and from countries I wouldn’t have expected.

I opted for the on-campus accommodation which means sacrificing the luxury of warm showers but looking back now I wouldn’t have changed my decision as it’s been far more practical plus it’s where I have made most of my closest friends. With these friends, I have got to explore some very cool parts of the country with my highlight being part of the east Island of Malaysia, Sabah. There we got to check out some of the beautiful islands just off the coast of Kota Kinabalu and got to see probably the best sunset I have ever seen. Then we spent a couple of days getting to the peak of one of the tallest mountains in Southeast Asia.

Something I also have to mention is the scrumptious food that I have had the pleasure of eating. Not only is the local Malaysian food amazing but the diverse nationalities they have meant that the international food, for example, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Thai is so delicious. Plus I can usually buy my dinner for about $2.50.

One challenge is the consistent heat every day, all day. This has made getting used to public transport, all the more important. Luckily most buildings have good air conditioning so it’s nice and refreshing once you’re inside. Having an umbrella is also very important as the rain can be very sudden and very heavy which I have learnt the hard way, multiple times.