opportunity to travel with a professor from the University of Montana. Professor Sobieszcyk traveled north after presenting a paper in Singapore. Introducing her to KL was a great blast as we visited Batu Caves and the Orang Asli museum. Fabulous Indian food was had both near Masjid Jamek and beyond, and wonderful pictures to capture each moments were snapped.Professor Sobie and I then had the great opportunity to attend a panel discussion sponsored by the Malaysian Bar Council. Panel opinions were given my Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch Asia, a top attorney for the US State Department for Human Trafficking, and our very own, Daniel Lo (the consultant for Tenaganita). We then went out to an amazing Chinese dinner that gave us a true taste of authentic Chinese food, over discussion of trafficking within the context of Malaysia.
After the KL experience, we hopped an AirAsia plane to Penang to visit Professor John Spores and his amazing wife, Bi. Professor Sobie gave a lecture on Thai migration and 'trafficking', and I was able to chat a bit about the internship and Tenaganita's role in Malaysia to an audience of Social Worker Master's students.
John and Bi were such wonderful hosts and introduced me to a Penang I hadn't met yet. Once returned to KL, my wrap up of work began. It is so difficult knowing I have only one week left in Malaysia. While I am excited to go home, I am not so excited to leave. Sitting in a staff meeting, I am realizing there is so much more to do for Malaysia. And things that matter. Trafficking and labor rights are just grazed by official Malaysia policy. I cannot wait to return home and process the implications for Missoula, my studies and advocacy efforts.
