Kristina Khoo-Rhodes - Penang Monthly

Love Across Borders: Celebrating Multiracial Families

4 min read

“ FOR SO MANY YEARS, I just wanted to fit in. At one point, I wanted to have blue eyes and blonde hair, and wished my hair wasn’t so thick, dark and curly. My f...

Let’s Talk About Men’s Mental Health

5 min read

“AFTER I WAS diagnosed, I felt insecure, and I worried about what people would think of me; my employees, my colleagues, my investors… I had all these doubts an...

Kyrgyzstan: Simply Another World

7 min read

“BUT WHY KYRGYZSTAN?” my friend asked, puzzled. “Well… it’s beautiful,” was all I could say. How do I explain to someone who loves the bright lights and fast p...

Is Side Hustling an Obsession, a Privilege, or Already a Norm Today?

5 min read

MY FATHER HELD more than one job when I was growing up. A school teacher on a meagre salary in the 70s, he had to not only feed and clothe the family, but also...

Time for Comedy to Bloom in Penang

5 min read

“HI EVERYONE. My name is Juliana Heng. I have autism. Because of autism, I’m a bit slow. When you listen to jokes, you’ll laugh immediately. I’ll laugh a bit la...

The Invasion of Ukraine: Coping at a Distance

4 min read

War cuts deeper than flesh wounds. Weeks into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Penang Monthly speaks to a Ukrainian and a Russian based in Malaysia, on how “home”...

Accepting Bodily Imperfections and Physical Variations

5 min read

SHOWN, HIDDEN, CELEBRATED, hated. Our bodies have never been more scrutinised in recent years. From advertisements promoting remedies for underarm wrinkles, the...

Leaving London and George Town for a Quiet English Village Can Bring Peace

4 min read

A GREAT REVERSE migration is happening the world over. Instead of big cities, youths are now seeking greener pastures in the countryside, and the great outdoors...

Covid-19 Exclusives: Schools May Be Shut, but the Learning Continues

6 min read

“BEEN HOME-SCHOOLING the kids, they aren’t listening and I’m having my 10th meltdown! Hats off to all teachers for teaching our children with...

One Man’s Food Waste Can be Another Man’s Meal

5 min read

UNCLE TEOH TAKES out his knife and cuts off the bottom end of the radish that has gone bad. He tears off the lettuce leaves that have browned and puts them all...