Settling in...

Settling in a new apartment in another country has been an interesting new experience.  Part scavenger hunt, part endurance, it is a bit more complicated than settling into a new place in the USA.  Fortunately I have a furnished apartment in Kuala Lumpur, so my purchases are minimized.

When I first arrived I knew I needed a few basic things like bath towels, kitchen towels, bedding, pillows, bottled water, hand soap, toiletries, toilet paper, additional power converters, iron, washing detergents, basic food supplies, coffee maker, hair dryer, clothes hangers, and so on.  Normally in the USA, we would go to Wal-mart—one stop shopping—maybe not shopping at its’ best, but none-the-less one stop.   That’s not the case here.  Each store seems to specialize in a product or product line.   My shopping list represents a variety of stores to shop at.  Additionally to complicate the matter, not knowing the local stores, customs/local practices, local brand names, etc requires additional time to educate yourself when making a purchase (bedding is a lot different here).  And once you’ve worked through all these matters and found the item, you still have yet another hurdle that we don’t have in the USA.  You have to bring it home—literally.  No multi-store shopping and throwing it in your SUV and off to the next place.  You can purchase as much as you’re willing to carry back.  And depending on the location of the store, that could mean a subway ride, a walk, or on several occasions a taxi ride.   

This also doesn’t account for the other items you need to begin your life in a new city.  There are other matters like local cell phone, local checking account, prepaid subway pass, internet service provider, passports & visa, and the list goes on.  I’ve been here a week as of today, and it’s been pretty busy trying to get things settled.  Luckily a co-worker showed me a local store that is within 5 minutes of the apartment that is very convenient.  It has a wide variety of things, but not a large selection.  So you probably won’t find name familiar brands but at least you probably can find a version of what you’re looking for.  In particular this place seems has a grocery store and basic household items.  I wish I would have discovered it before now, but I’ve frequented the store several times since its discovery. 

I think I’ve just about located the main items I need to feel settled.  It’s starting to come together.  I feel like I’ve accomplished something!