Penang, Malaysia | January 2023

Come join us in Penang, Malaysia for a fun-filled and community-centered worldschooling gathering January 23 - 29, 2023. Chinese New Year is celebrated on Jan 22, 2023 and we will enjoy the festive season in Penang. 

Our pop-ups provide a super casual, budget-friendly opportunity to gather, connect with other worldschoolers, learn about the local area, instill new friendships, share your insights, and immerse in a friendly, accepting mobile community.

We've cherry-picked the best low- or no-cost activities that highlight local nature, arts, history, food, and culture... but you'll also have plenty of time to relax, get to know each other, and even stray from the itinerary to add activities that cater to the group's interests (we provide supplemental ideas to tailor your experience).

Pop in for a few days or the full week. Join as many activities as you'd like. It's up to you! We would love to have you come and simply hang out with like-minded families while we dive in and explore the local offerings.

Our itinerary will include activities such as the following:

*Chinese New Year festivities

*Georgetown UNESCO World Heritage Zone + murals

*Clan Jetties

*Penang Hill

*Penang National Park

*Eat at a Hawker Centre

*Kek Lok Si Temple

*Balik Pulau - Saanen Dairy Goat Farm

COST per Family

US$70 Early Bird Rate, expires November 15, 2022

US$100 Regular Rates (solo parents receive a 25% discount, use code SOLO at checkout)

MEET YOUR HOST:

Hi everyone, my name is Max and I'm excited to be your host for the Penang Pop-Up Hub!! My wife and I have two young boys (6 & 4) and have always been avid travelers. Now that we have kids, we continue to travel as much as possible to learn from other people, places and cultures. In December of 2021 we left our home in Miami for an 8-month worldschool adventure that "ended" in August 2022 when we landed in Taipei for the start of our expat journey! We expect to live here for the next few years, though continuing to travel as much as we can during school holidays =)

In February 2022, we attended our first Worldschool Pop-Up Hub while in Merida, Mexico. A few months later we hosted one in Mexico City where we explored the amazing wonders of North America's largest urban population. My parents are both from Penang, Malaysia, and we will be visiting family for Chinese New Year... I figured it's the perfect opportunity to gather worldschoolers together to show you around our hometown, an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008!! I've never celebrated CNY in Penang before, but it is known as a major New Year's destination and the region transforms into a bustling, chaotic celebration.

Can't wait to meet you and ring in the New Year together!

LODGING & NEIGHBORHOODS:

Georgetown - The historic center and capital of the island... and is the UNESCO World Heritage Zone. Housing will typically be in old, unique shop houses although many units are renovated and modern on the inside.

Tanjung Tokong and Straits Quay - North of Georgetown, a much more modern-looking area with many skyscrapers.

Batu Ferringhi - The popular beaches area and expat haven (although expats will be found in all these neighborhoods)

*Note, traffic everywhere will be quite bad for the holidays, but perhaps most especially along this entire northern stretch of the island, from Georgetown to Batu Ferringhi.

Bayan Lepas - On the southern part of the island, this is a bit more of a locals neighborhood, although you will find many of the working expats here due to its proximity to the industrial parts of Penang. This is where the host family will be staying with their family.

Air Itam - A decidedly more local neighborhood, despite being home to many tourist attractions in Penang Hill and the Kek Lok Si Temple.

GETTING AROUND:

Grab will almost always be the best option, so be sure to download the app (basically Southeast Asia's version of Uber). Unfortunately, traffic will likely be awful for the entire week. This is the downside to being in a popular destination during the biggest holiday of the year. However, we will plan a logistically efficient itinerary, grouping activities by proximity.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Join the private Facebook group to ask questions, stay up to date on activities in the area, and interact with other potential attendees:

www.facebook.com/groups/penangpopup2023

Browse our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about how our pop-ups work:

https://www.worldschoolpopuphub.com/faqs

Read more about what is included in our event and what each family needs to arrange on their own:

https://www.worldschoolpopuphub.com/event-details

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