Kicking off my Malay/Malaysian adventure

In this episode, I’m checking in from Kuala Lumpur to kick off my first language and travel project of the year: using Malay to enrich my experience as I travel through Malaysia. I talk about how closely related Malay and Indonesian are, more like regional varieties than entirely separate languages, which means I can focus on reactivating my Indonesian rather than starting from zero. I share how I’m gradually getting my momentum back, brushing off the rust, and learning the small but interesting differences in accent and vocabulary as I begin using Malay in everyday situations.

I also outline my planned route through Malaysia, with bases in Penang, Ipoh, Malacca, and Johor Bahru, before heading over to Borneo and ultimately reaching my 50th country. I reflect on how Malaysia feels culturally distinct from its neighbours, with large Chinese and Tamil-speaking Indian communities, and I recount a memorable half marathon through Putrajaya that gave me my first real chance to use Malay with locals. While English has been enough in Kuala Lumpur so far, the real adventure starts as I move beyond the capital, and I’ll be sharing more updates as this project continues, while wishing you the best with your own language and travel plans for 2026.

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