Name: Helmut Lamberger
Home country: Austria
Marital status: Married
Other countries you have lived in: USA, China, Lativia, Denmark, Switzerland

What brought you to Malaysia?
After many years venturing around the world, my wife and I decided to move to this beautiful country for career prospects.

What do you like and dislike about living here?
What is beautiful about Malaysia is that it is a melting pot of different races, cultures and religion. I also like the country for its plethora of food that is available at any time of the day. Malaysia being a Central South East destination also makes travelling to other parts of Asia relatively easy. Like most people, I dislike the traffic jams that makes travelling by car tiresome at times.

Name three typical weekend activities that you enjoy.
My weekends are mainly spent with the family and the sunny weather here allows us to enjoy outdoor activities such as playing badminton, cycling. We also go to the cinema to catch a movie or two.

What is your favourite holiday destination in Malaysia or in the region? Why?
There are many nice places in Malaysia but I especially enjoy visiting the East Coast and for now Pulau Redang is my favourite.

Describe a memorable eating experience you have had here.
One of my memorable experiences would be the banana leaf meal. The waiter had served me and after waiting for quite some time for the cutlery to arrive, I was informed by the waiter that the banana leaf meal is usually best eaten by hand.

Do you own property here? If so, where? If not, why?
Not in our pipeline to own one at the moment and we only own a property in Austria.

What do you miss most about your home country?
As Malaysia is blessed with a tropical climate, there is no change of seasons here and I definitely miss that. And also skiing – an activity I enjoyed back home when I was growing up.

What advice do you have for a newly arrived expat?
Being open-minded and patient goes a long way here. Once you get used to the way of life here, the people’s hospitality, and warmth and scenery will likely win your heart.

How long do you plan to stay in Malaysia? Where would you like to go next, and why?
At the moment, we are waiting for our son to finish his schooling here in Malaysia. After that, we’ll keep our options open and see where it might take us from there.

Is Malaysia a good country to raise children? Why?
Growing up in Malaysia will provide my son an advantage for its multicultural environment and my children will develop a better understanding and respect for other races and cultures.

Is Malaysia a good place in which to work and do business? Why?
Malaysia and the whole of Southeast Asia is still in a developing stage and provides a great opportunity for investment purposes or starting up a new venture.

Read This: An American Shares Her Experience Living in Malaysia

Source: The Expat Magazine January 2015

Read more Expat Interviews here.