The first things I heard about Malaysia were not positive. A relatively high crime rate, a large number of tourists robbed, car crash, dirt and indifference. Moreover, Johor Bahru, the first town on the border, was known in the past as a vanity city, with mobs, gambling and prostitutes. Fortunately, our statistics were old and in the meantime the situation had changed for the better. The government took action in eradicating corruption, imposing drastic laws and punishments, cleaned the country of mobs and prepared the city for a peaceful existence. Moreover, tourist programs have been successful, as 2014 is considered the year in which Malaysia brings the highest number of tourists in the country, giving all its best in terms of tradition, religion and beauty of the country and its people. Thus, while fearfully reaching Malacca, a city which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage, our surprise was huge.
We met Howard by mistake, but we went to his house. He had a villa with 11 rooms where he was receiving tourists from all around the world at low prices. But this was not his main quality. In the eight days that we lived in one of his rooms, we became good friends. Howard is an open-minded person, friendly and eager to show to everyone that people of Malaysia are more than nice.
He invited us to have a lunch with his friends, sharing some of their traditions with us: how to prepare tea, how to wash the cutlery before the meal and their eating ritual. In addition, I first entered the house of a man found in the lower strata of society with Howard. The house was simple, with Chinese signs at the entrance, a statue of Buddha and a special altar for prayer. It was consisted of a simple room for guests and a dormitory where the old woman was sleeping. Howard was careful that his mother did not miss anything, but the mother chose to live modestly, as she had done her entire life. Then, Howard took us to visit a local market, away from the tourist area of the city. He explained to us that ordinary people gather weekly in the market for nutrition or for selling various products for locals. There, friendly people made us feel the atmosphere of the place by giving us traditional dishes, telling us how they prepare them and by expressing joy and hospitality. One evening, Howard told me that a family in the village remained homeless after a fire. I immediately asked what I could do to help them. We took his car and, after a long way in the night, we arrived at the house where those escaped from the calamity found refuge. When we arrived, the firefighters had already left and despite the darkness we could distinguish somewhere nearby something what I suspected to be the remains of the house burned. We did not spend too much time there. All that we did was to get those poor men and to go to Howard’s home. A child of about ten years with mental problems, a man that looked older than he was because of the hardships and misfortunes that he had to pass be and his wife, a lady who remained paralyzed because of the fear that she felt when she saw her house burning. We went back to Howard’s home, where the generous man offered them a place to live. The next day, I went cycling with other people who wanted to help the family after we told them about the tragedy to buy food. Apart from the other persons that we took the day before, other three children and an aunt that were living in the same house arrived. They were away on the day of the fire and had the misfortune to come back and no longer find their house. Howard hosted everyone and bags full of food were offered by all who were mobilized for charity. Besides food, I felt the urge to offer a sum of money for the affected family. Words could not explain what I felt when I saw the father's eyes when he shook my hand. He was a man burdened with needs that had lost all his savings in a fire that became homeless with five children, among whom one had mental problems and a paralyzed wife. No matter how much money I would have given to them, it would not have been enough to give me a feeling of relief. However, people cried out of gratitude for any amount that they received. Also in Malacca, we saw another face of the Islamic religion, which was nothing like the pictures full of malice that we had to see every day presented in the media. I was with Smaranda and Mark, and, as we were walking under the scorching sun, I saw a towering mosque few steps away from us. It took more than a moment to understand that my colleagues share the same desire to enter the courtyard of the mosque. Admittedly, it was impressively beautiful with its clear crystal waterfall that we saw glowing from the street. I slowly entered the yard and stared at the imposing building, when I heard a friendly voice that welcomed me inside the mosque. We all entered inside, but not before taking a coat suitable for Islamic ceremony.
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