Name: Kimbra Naber
Home Country: USA
Marital status: Married, with 1 child
What brought you to Malaysia?
My husband’s company brought us here to KL and we have been here about one and a half years now. We hope to stay another two years, maybe more if possible.
What do you like or dislike about the country?
I love the diversity of Malaysia, the central location within Asia for travelling, the amazing food in restaurants, cafés, and bars, exploring the country and finding new friends. I strongly dislike the drivers and terrible traffic here, the lack of parking, and customer service, and the
outrageous cost of imported goods (such as grocery store items and baby gear).
Describe a memorable eating experience you have had here.
The first time I tried durian along Jalan Alor shortly after moving here definitely stands out. I know people either have a love or hate relationship with it, and for me it’s not love for sure! I will say though that if you are an expat, I think it’s absolutely mandatory that you try it. You cannot say you’ve lived in Malaysia unless you’ve tried the King of Fruits!
What advice do you have for newly arrived expats?
I would tell them to enjoy the ride and to experience all the emotions that come along with it – including all the ups and downs that will be there at one point or another. I also think to have a successful experience, you need to get out of your comfort zone to explore and meet others.
Is Malaysia a good country to raise children? Why?
I would say so. Although my daughter is only 8 weeks old, I have nothing but praise for our paediatrician and the nurses. The midwife services are outstanding, and everything is extremely reasonable in terms of costs. The only thing that irks me is the price of baby goods. There are amazing mother support groups and children play groups to get involved in. I hope to have another baby here before moving!
Is Malaysia a good place in which to work and do business? Why?
I don’t want to speak for my husband but he tells me mostly great things about working here and doing business. As for me, I manage a website about expat life and have managed to meet great people as a result.
What do you miss most about your home country?
I miss freeways that are not congested, courteous drivers, big parking lots, and wide lanes. I also miss Target, Costco, and Nordstrom, but mostly I miss my family and friends.
Read more:
"ExpatGo welcomes and encourages comments, input, and divergent opinions. However, we kindly request that you use suitable language in your comments, and refrain from any sort of personal attack, hate speech, or disparaging rhetoric. Comments not in line with this are subject to removal from the site. "
