Name: Robert and Tana Litowski
Home Country: Canada
Job/Industry: myTESOL Language Centre (we teach teachers and teach English)
Marital status: 4 young-adult children, 2 working in Canada and 2 in Malaysia completing their studies.
What brought you to Malaysia?
We have been in Malaysia for seven years now, originally with a manufacturing company. That jobended but we wanted to stay on so we started our own business, which has now been successfully operating in Penang for six years.
What do you like or dislike about the country?
We love the weather! We come from a very cold and dry part of Canada so the humidity and the warm temperatures are never anything to complain about. Living in Penang, we get to meet people from all over the world – we never thought we would have a chance to get to know so many interesting people! We would like to see more lanes and safer places for cyclists to ride. I ride to work more days and it can be a bit stressful. Cars are respectful of me but the motorcycles whiz by so closely.
Name three typical weekend activities you enjoy most.
Living in Penang is truly living on a resort island. We love to go for morning walks at the Botanical Gardens and then enjoy some fruit ice or juice, then head to the market while we are still sweaty and grubby and poke around for some ingredients for the day. A nice swim in the pool in the afternoon makes for a perfectly rounded Saturday for us.
What is your favourite holiday destination here? Why?
We spend time in Langkawi and Perlis, they are such different places but we can’t get enough of them! Perlis has stunning, exotic views and in May we eat piles of the sweetest mangoes. Langkawi has food everywhere and we love the incredibly long white beaches, and the serenity that comes with the island.
Describe a memorable eating experience you have had here.
We had the chance to go to a quiet place near Kuala Perlis at the end of Ramadan. The Mufti and some VIPs were there with this interesting sort of telescope to wait for the signal of the moon to confirm the start of Eid or Raya. The villagers then brought us special food to break fast. It was truly humbling to go deep into the kampung and meet with people, and then eat again outside the mosque.
Is Malaysia a good place to work and do business in? Why?
Working in Malaysia is great. Doing business has some red-tape and other hurdles, but nothing that cannot be overcome with persistence.
What advice would you give to a newly-arrived expat?
We would tell them to take their time to soak it all up, and to try to understand the culture here and to enjoy it, of course!
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