Yao  (Mother) and Jasmine(Daughter, Year 6)
from Heilongjiang, China

Through Malaysia’s MM2H program, we have stayed in the country for 4 months. It took a total of 10 months from the moment we learnt about this program till we got our application approved. We are really honored to have All Seasons to assist with making our application a success and allowing us to share our thoughts.

The two compelling reasons that drove our decision to relocate was education of our child and finding a place that we feel comfortable enough to stay in. Although education was the main deciding factor, we realized after living for a few months that we can gladly call Ipoh our 2^nd Home. To quote the popular saying ‘Killing two birds with one stone’, was what my husband would share with his friends on our move.

The education in Malaysia follows the UK Cambridge education system and the syllabus is very similar to those in Europe, America and Australia. With students coming from all over the world, the international schools here uses English as its main medium of communication which we felt is a good environment for our daughter to pick up the language. Most importantly, the Chinese culture is very strong in Ipoh and at the same time the affordability of the school fees works well for us.

Ipoh is strategically located in peninsular Malaysia which is well connected via the North-South Expressway where to its north is Penang and down south is Kuala Lumpur, of which requires a 2 hour drive. To Ipoh’s west is Pangkor island and Cameron Highlands is located east and both places can be reached within a 1.5 hour’s drive. Shopping and leisurely activities are conveniently located within Ipoh’s vicinity.

Ipoh city is a valley which is surrounded by limestone hills and each time after a downpour, the entire city literally transforms into a piece of mesmerizing Chinese calligraphy painting. This is one view that we enjoy the most. The weather was not like how we expect of a tropical climate where there would be extreme heat and rain. During the day it is mostly hot but each afternoon when the sun is at its peak, a sudden gush of rain would wash the heat away. This makes living here very pleasant.

The cost of living for getting daily necessities like clothes, food to paying bills for water and electricity, petrol and property prices are relatively lower than that in China. Therefore, relocating to a place with cleaner air, where food safety is not a concern, a civilized place and most importantly with no strain in our wallets, choosing Ipoh is the ideal solution for a medium income family like us.

Xin Su Ping (Grandmother), Eric Ju (Grandson)
from Heilongjiang, China

When surrounded by an environment that has lush greenery, one would immediately feel at ease and at peace.  There is always a co-relation between nature and human and its co-existence is undeniable. The crisp fresh air, moderate temperatures, surrounded by hills, mining lakes are the highlights of Ipoh, Perak’s capital city and now known as our second home. Ipoh has a population of 700,000 people of which 500,000 are Chinese. The city has good infrastructures, excellent surroundings and low cost of living which makes staying here a relaxing time.

With a country that is multiracial, you are exposed to various cultures like the Chinese, English, Malay, Indians and they live harmoniously together. Food is likewise to the culture where we have a huge variety like Chinese Cantonese style, Malay food, Thai food, Indonesian cuisine to Indian curry.

Ipoh is also well known for its Cameron BOH tea and Ipoh White Coffee. After a hearty meal one can savour tropical fruits like the Musang King durian, rambutan, mangosteen and also indulge in well-known local favourites like Heong Peng(Traditional fragrant biscuits which are flaky) Kaya Puffs, Ipoh Hor Fun (Flat rice noodles with Chicken and Prawn) accompanied with fat and juicy Bean sprouts.

Shopping can be done at Parkson at Ipoh Parade, where there is always a crowd and for under 100 Chinese Yuan, you are able to buy a branded T-shirt and a pair of shorts. As for getting your groceries done, there is Jusco, Tesco, Mydin for all your daily essential needs.

With just an hour’s drive, you can get to the lush valleys and meandering hill slopes of Cameron highlands where it has a cooler climate to for strawberry picking or to Pangkor island to bask in the sun, beach and to enjoy fresh seafood. There are also many golf courses in the city.

Staying in fully furnished double storey villa, we are usually greeted with the sound of birds early in the morning. With a cup of tea in one’s hand, enjoying the lush greenery and rolling hills amongst the dreamy morning mist or when the cool rain falls in the evening. All of this can be done within the compound of our house where we can bbq lamb chops and pair it with thai seafood sauce.

This is what life should be.