Jennifer, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Hard-working business lady, family-oriented, warm, friendly, easy-going, super-funny. Someone who loves coloring books. Her everyday live is so similar to any other girl or boy working in high-speed business. Jennifer is a great ambassador of Malaysia – working in Tourism for 25 years and promoting and selling this amazing country! Working as a travel agent is definitely not about laying on the beautiful beaches, travelling round the world or sleeping in 5-star hotels. There is so much work behind the scenes: from something as preparing a holiday program to being ready for action 24/7 in case of emergencies!
But as she says: “the passion for traveling is the key driver and I could not imagine working in any other industry.”
Meet Jennifer from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her family consists of her beloved parents at age of 80 this year, two siblings (one brother and one sister, Jennifer is the oldest) and their families. Jennifer’s brother with his wife and two small kids lives now in Singapore and her sister with her family of six lives in Kuala Lumpur. Jennifer’s father has retired from his retail business earlier this year. He was a watch dealer. Her mother has always helped him in the business and taken care of children and home at the same time.
Jennifer has been in tourism industry for past 25 years. She started from reservations, sold Malaysia-products and services through the European wholesale agents, moved into sales role in 2002 and became Director of Sales in Reliance Sightseeing in Malaysia, a tour operator that promotes Malaysia. She is mainly working with European business partners and prepares unique, tailor-made holiday packages. The most popular holiday packages in Malaysia are cultural and wildlife experiences and beach stays.
It is not only the pure business-side of the industry, but she has always been enjoying building up partnership & friendship with her business partners.
In fact, Jennifer and Tiina met for the first time in Langkawi Island, Malaysia on a business trip. Tiina worked for a tour operator who purchased services from DMC where Jennifer worked. Jennifer tells: “I still remember we have been running around in Langkawi and doing hotel inspections and checked the different excursions. It was very hectic couple of days but so much fun and really memorable trip together.”
Go and check Jennifer’s hidden travel gem; Langkawi. Travelers visit Malaysia for many reasons – sunny beaches, lush rainforests, mouth-watering food and vibrant culture. Jennifer recommends you to visit the stunning, beautiful island of Langkawi. This island offers quieter, less-tourist packed beaches that are ideal for enjoying some peace and relaxation. There are many fantastic accommodation options, beachfront resorts and spas along the coastal areas.
EVERYDAY LIFE
Jennifer’s normal Tuesday, as all the other days at the office, is hectic, but well-organized.
Tuesday starts with a big cup of coffee (one of her favorite routines in everyday life) while checking the emails, setting up the calendar and preparing a to do-list. Everything needs to be ready before morning meeting at 9.30. Meeting starts with checking of previous days achievements in sales. “Sales is crucial, but the biggest wins are when customers give feedback about their amazing holidays”. This leads the team into discussion how to develop and improve the customer experience even more.
After setting the motivation for the day with the team, Jennifer focuses on emails, completing her to do-list, and as her main task is to prepare tailor-made holiday packages according to customers request, day is filled by phone calls with suppliers and lot of quoting.
After work, she heads back home to enjoy a nice dinner with her family and later, walks in the park to get herself stay healthy – the other favorite part in normal Tuesday. Before going to sleep, it is time for some reading and watching TV.
What is Jennifer’s source of energy and what helps her to recover from hectic work? First, it is the support that she gets from family and friends. That helps her to stay in balance no matter what. In addition to evening walks, she loves to watch movies and drama series, reading and coloring. And the best ways to pamper herself is to travel to new places with buddies, shopping for new clothes, enjoy a relaxing massage or facial, food hunting, have a cup of coffee and pastry.
DREAMS & FEARS, PAST & FUTURE
What are your dreams?
“Travelling around the world.”
What is your worst fear?
“Being not healthy.”
What is the most important advice you have received?
“Don’t wait for things to get better, life will always be complicated, learn to be happy right now, otherwise, you will run out of time.”
What has been the greatest global invention of your time?
“E-wallet, Business Online, E-learning.”
Where would you donate your time/money to?
“Orphanage, World Vision.”
Has the position of girls/women changed during your lifetime?
“Women are more educated, independent, equal status in the society now. More women holding high position, i.e. CEO in the company and President of a country.”
If you could, what advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?
“To experience everything in life if possible, in order to widen your knowledge and exposure.”
Where will you be in 10 years?
“Retirement, I would like to spend more” ME-time” and enjoy life the fullest.
What would you say to a woman of your age who lives across the world?
“You are the books you read, the movies you watch, the music you listen to, the people you spend time with, the conversations you engage in; choose wisely what you feed your world.”
What about Christmas traditions? Malaysia is a multi-racial country, but Christmas they do celebrate. Locals and expats share the joy and fun on Christmas. Even without snowy white-Christmas, the festive season is filled with warmth, cheers and excitement. Major shopping malls are decorated with thousands of lights and the huge Christmas trees are placed in the center of shopping malls and surrounded by wooden houses, toys and everything possible! It is very popular to take pictures of Christmas decorations at the shopping malls.
Malaysians normally eat various Christmas delicacies, including roast meat (turkey, chicken or lamb), mashed potatoes, salads, assorted steamed vegetables, with desserts and drinks. And add in a few Malaysian dishes such as curries and satay (skewered meat grilled over charcoal). Fruit cakes and mince pies are the most popular desserts during Christmas.
STORY
In November 2019, I was browsing through all sorts of books in BookXcess store. Suddenly I spotted” A Zen coloring Book”, out of curiosity I took the book and flipped through it. There were 70 coloring templates. The author explains: “One of the great things about coloring is that it is highly accessible for everyone, even if you lack artistic instruction or experience, and it can be as nuanced or generalized as the colorer wishes.”
I was curious and decided to purchase the coloring book. However, I just kept it in my study table. Rest of the months I was very busy, and the book fell to the back of my mind.
Fast-forward four months later. Our whole country was in lockdown due to COVID-19, I put my busy career on hold as everything was on hold. I was staying at home and feeling trapped, nervous and anxious. I remembered the” A Zen coloring book”, which I thought would be a great project to keep my hands busy. On the first day I was surprised how time flew when I was coloring a geometric patterns template. I believe, as a child, many of us enjoyed coloring on our favorite characters or screens in books with our trusty pack of crayons. But as we got older, added responsibilities came along that pushed a side all those things we used to do for enjoyment. Slowly I pick-up this coloring as my new hobby. I discovered that coloring can relax my brain. It induces the same state as meditating by reducing the thoughts of a restless mind. It allows me to switch off my brain from other thoughts and focus on the moment. Completing a coloring page provides a sense of accomplishment. The instant gratification I feel, gives a sort of wave of positivity, which elicits more happy feelings.
At the same time, I did some research on the colors. There are two types of colors, cool colors consist of blues, greens and purples are considered to have calming qualities. Another type is warmer colors including red, oranges and yellows, which have more activating qualities.
To be frank, living through a global pandemic is not necessarily something I thought would ever happen in my life; I think that goes for all of us. It is a strange experience, and everyone is being affected differently. As lot of my friends live in different cities and countries than me, but we still stay connected by texting, using WhatsApp, posting on Instagram and other social media sites. I am glad that our technology has made this easier on us by continuing to provide some form of social interaction while we stay physically distanced. Although our technology can definitely make it harder at times too, constantly being able to check the number of cases in the cities or the deaths in our country makes it hard to stay positive.
However, I am very glad, though, that there are so many people spreading positivity so we can all be reminded of the good things that are still happening. For the past 3 months, billions of people are in lockdown, unable to attend school, unable to go to work, unable to visit one another, unable to go public places. Unfortunately, we are forbidden to be close to our family and friends, to hold their hands and embrace them. For every act of physical contact could bring illness and death to us.
I start to think ... during the lockdown period, we have learnt to appreciate things that we normally take for granted such as freedom, friendships and human contact. These are things that we have been missing during the pandemic and are only slowly beginning to recover. This experience will undoubtedly have changed us all and hopefully make us all value the things that most matter in our lives and which can so easily be taken away, something we never thought was possible. It could make us all more appreciative of human contact. Indirectly this might also make us more patient, more respectful and more tolerant. How often we believe that we are supreme masters of the world around us? The health emergency that the pandemic is waking us up to is connected to the emergency of extinction and disappearance of species, and it is connected to the climate emergency. People and nature must be at the center of this deep transformation for redistribution, regeneration and restoration.
I pray that our scientists will successfully develop the vaccines on Covid-19 very soon. At the same time, we all need to remember to be positive and enjoy the good moments in our lives, no matter how small, because that can help us overcome this one day at a time.”
QUICK ONES
Drink: Mojito
Favorite food: Char Kuey Teow
Delicacy: Nasi Lemak
Restaurant/Café: Sushi Zanmai https://www.supersushi.com.my/
Spice: Curry
Feeling: Grateful
Music: Country Music
Scent: Lavender
Travel destination: Lapland, Finland
Book: Becoming by Michelle Obama
Movie: Fast & Furious by Justin Lin
Favorite public holiday: Chinese New Year
Artist/band: Hyun Bin & Son Ye Jin
Plant: Sakura
Evening routine: Walking in the park
Favorite piece of clothing: Casual Dress
Animal: squirrel
Scenery: White sandy beach
Sport: Swimming
Motto: Don’t worry, be happy