EP 102: (Merdeka Special) People, Places & Experiences that Shaped Us.

What does Merdeka mean when home is thousands of miles away? 🇲🇾 For us, growing up in Malaysia, Merdeka (Indepence Day) meant school celebrations, the Jalur Gemilang, and proudly singing the national anthem. But now, as two Malaysians living abroad, we've realised that being Malaysian means so much more than where you’re from. In this special Merdeka episode, we get nostalgic about the things that make Malaysia feel like home - chaotic family gatherings, incredible food, “have you eaten?”, Malaysian hospitality, and the effortless mix of languages and cultural references that never need explaining. We also reflect on how leaving Malaysia has made us more conscious of our identity, more appreciative of home, and perhaps even more proud to be Malaysian. From the little traditions we recreate overseas to the parts of Malaysia we never realised we'd miss, this is a conversation about home, identity, and the pieces of ourselves we carry wherever we go. 🇲🇾💛 In this episode: 🇲🇾 What Merdeka means to us now 🏡 The childhood memories we miss most 🍜 Why food is the ultimate love language ❤️ The Malaysian warmth we took for granted 🌏 How living abroad changed our relationship with home ✨ The little ways we keep our Malaysian-ness alive Exciting announcement for our KL Community: Come join us in person this October for our next Actsplore This Community event: Own Your Career: How to Thrive in an Age of Change. We'll be joined by Azran Osman-Rani and Freda Liu for an honest conversation about navigating uncertainty, making intentional career choices and staying relevant in a changing world , plus plenty of opportunities to meet and connect with our community. 🎟️ Tickets are coming soon. Follow @ActsploreThisPodcast on Instagram and stay tuned. We’d love to see you there! CONNECT WITH US HERE: ✨Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@actsplorethispodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✨Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@actsplorethispodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✨Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Actsplore This Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✨Apple Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Actsplore This on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✨Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✨Buy us a coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/actsplorethis