What to expect as a teacher in Malaysia
Malaysia is a welcoming multicultural country that has recently burst onto the world stage, and teachers coming to Malaysia will find a variety of teaching opportunities.
You will find expatriate focused schools serving a variety of nationalities, single nationality schools and a large number of schools that serve both Malaysian and expatriates alike. Malaysians take education very seriously and parents will sacrifice much to enable their children to experience the best schools possible. In addition there is a large expatriate community with much interaction between host nationals and expatriates. Teachers can expect to work hard during the week, with the ability to enjoy the excitement of KL, the jungles of Borneo or the beautiful beaches on the weekends.
About Malaysia
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Language: Bahasa Melayu
Population: 28.7 million
There really is something for everyone in Malaysia. There is a huge range of foods to choose from, rainforests to explore, beaches to relax, clear crystal waters to dive in, temples and mosques to discover and high streets with shopping, museums, cafes and much more. Malaysia is a welcoming and complex country that is home to expats from all corners of the world.
Malaysia is both a developing country, and also a country that is very much keeping up with the fast paced developments of the world today. You will discover quite quickly these two very different sides once you arrive.
The peninsula, is where you will find the capital, Kuala Lumpur, as well as a few of Malaysia's other larger cities and more western way of life. The other half of Malaysia, which includes Borneo will see you trekking through rainforest and coming across orangutans and small villages.
Malaysia borders Thailand in the North, as well as Singapore in the South and Indonesia to the west.
Climate
Malaysia has a tropical climate, where you will experience hot and humid temperatures, which on average stay pretty consistent throughout the year between 25 degrees C to 30 degrees C. However, temperature can soar well into the 30degrees, and it is quite likely that you won't experience temperatures below 20 degrees C.
Activities
Whether you are a city buff, or if you want to get off the beaten track, Malaysia has activities to fit both. Around Borneo, in Sabah and Sarawak, you can visit the majestic orang-utan, go cruising around the islands, go cave exploring, or go canoeing along the mighty Batang River to see some of the local tribes and villages in their long houses. In the cities, Malaysia offers fantastic nightlife, 5 star restaurants, glitzy high end shopping malls as well as amazing street food markets.
Eating and Drinking
As a very multi-cultural society, Malaysia has a fantastic selection of different cuisines; from traditional Malay to Indian, Chinese, as well as of course western food and restaurants. A regional specialty is the Nyonya cuisine, which is a mix of both Malay and Chinese cooking - an absolute favourite among visitors and locals alike. Malay food has a lot of spices and herbs and a majority are comprised of stews and curries.
Generally speaking, alcohol is easily available in licensed outlets in the larger, more tourist areas, however alcohol is still banned in some areas so please do your research if you are going to a smaller village.
Transport
Trains are the most used method of transport. Within cities, taxis are plentiful and cheap. Between cities Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu are the two main airports in Malaysia and they have access to many countries and cities with Asia and further afield. Kuala Lumpur is a gateway city, so many planes use the airport as a stopover, opening up the travel options ten fold.
Currency
The currency in Malaysia is the Ringgit (MYR).