Photo by Syazani Nizam on Unsplash
My latest update — I have moved to Ipoh.
If you asked me if I ever thought of moving to Ipoh, I never did. Bred as a city girl and lived in Klang Valley, I thought I would live in the city until I got old.
After all, the city is the land of opportunities and entertainment. Museums, live bands, extensive job scopes (well, not as much as other developed countries), and cosmopolitan vibes. My previous job was mostly found in the city. Other than that, competition is greater in the city. The good thing about competition is everyone pushes themselves for better quality services. The downside of competition is feeling left behind and useless. No matter how much you try in the city, no one really cares. After all, the ends justify the means. If we are truly honest, we actually do not care very much about others, and it is amplified in the city.
In short, I had to make certain decisions with my husband after that traumatic incident. We prefer the slower pace of life, and my husband told me that my skills can be contributed to those who need it more. After all, why contribute back to those who are privileged? Contributing back to the privilege will only make the social, educational, and economic gap wider.
Also, Ipoh has developed significantly, especially after the pandemic. Locals have told me that young Ipoh people who worked overseas came back to start their businesses. These new businesses give vibrancy to the old-school vibes of Ipoh. There may not be a variety of jobs compared to the city, but there are options with remote work. In the past, when we mentioned working from home, people made snarky remarks about people working from home as people who are unfocused and have too much time for themselves. It was until the multiple lockdowns that happened during the pandemic that people were forced to work from home. I will be honest that I was (not so secretly) glad that lockdowns happened so people would stop making snarky remarks about working from home. Finally, we have a global shared narrative about working from home, that mentioning it to others will not feel so alien.
I have rough plans for my future in Ipoh, but I need to be brave to execute them. To a new life ahead.
