Sambal on the Side...With a Kick: A Malaysian's Take On Living Abroad

by Brenda Benedict

Brenda Benedict left Malaysia in 2004, married, jobless, and clueless about the nomadic life awaiting her as an expat spouse. However, she took with her a penchant for languages, a curiosity for cultures, and a sense of humour. They were to flavour Sambal on the Side…With a Kick, her unique take on living abroad.

Whether riding with leather-clad bikers in the U.S., separating rubbish in Germany, or haggling with “hugging taxi” drivers in Vietnam, her storytelling provides unvarnished “been-thereand-muddled-through-that” accounts that are in turns straight, sassy or spicy.

Yet, what began as a rant has given way to an evolving realisation that rooting and uprooting require patience and fortitude, and the ability to laugh or let go when things go spectacularly wrong. And that a bottle of sambal can sometimes soothe the pangs of living away from Malaysia.

Paperback

Published April 15, 2016

Reviews

[Jana Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for several reasons: I am living in Malaysia, I have been to several of the locations she lived in, I am interested in her perspective and her choice of words as a Malaysian writer.

[Shelly Frick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this and relating to some of the incidents while living abroad. Wish there was more of a theme that held it all together.