Years 3-4: Indoor Playgrounds and Learning to Live with Pest Control

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Years three and four of our time in Malaysia, 2022 and 2023, were honestly a quieter stretch compared to the big events of the earlier years — the move, starting school. We don't have many photos from this period, but this article covers the everyday moments that come once you've settled in, along with a few realities we only learned by actually living there.

What you'll find here

Unwinding at an indoor playground in central Kuala Lumpur
The reality of pest and rodent control once you live there
What years three and four looked like once the big milestones had passed

1. An indoor playground in central Kuala Lumpur

In 2022, we visited an indoor playground at a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. A blue tunnel slide was the favorite — wrapped in a big blanket, my child went down it again and again.

*Wrapped in a blanket, sliding down the tunnel slide*

Here's another shot right after coming off the slide. The mask is a reminder that this was still an era when masks were part of daily life.

💡 Tip with kids: Kuala Lumpur's shopping malls have plenty of indoor kids' play areas, which came in handy on days with heavy heat or sudden tropical downpours.

*Inside a shopping mall — indoor space to spend time in was valuable.*

2. A reality of living there: pest and rodent control

Here's an honest note on something we only learned by actually living there. In a tropical country like Malaysia, dealing with insects and small pests is just part of daily life. One thing that stuck with me from this period was seeing sticky rodent traps sold as an everyday household item on supermarket and hardware store shelves.

*A rodent glue trap spotted at the supermarket*

Unlike housing back in Japan, in a country with a hot, humid climate year-round, being prepared for insects and small pests is simply part of normal life — something I came to appreciate only after living it.

💡 Tip with kids: in a tropical climate, it's worth keeping insect and pest control supplies on hand early. They're easy to find at local supermarkets and hardware stores.

*A hole that opened up in the ceiling. This sort of thing does happen.*

*A seam in the sofa — the kind of gap insects use to get in.*

*Look closely and you sometimes find marks like this.*

*Under the sink — droppings scattered across the shelf.*

*Look closely and these traces build up over time.*

3. Looking back on years three and four

With fewer big events, years three and four were, looking back, the period where "living abroad" quietly turned into just "living." Without dramatic milestones, small realizations — like getting used to pest control — were what accumulated during this stretch. In the next article: year five (2024), when school events and life changes picked up again.

Q. What changes did you notice once you were past the halfway mark of your time abroad? A. The big events — moving, starting school — had settled down, and I found myself noticing smaller everyday details instead, like pest control. What had once felt like a "special" life abroad had, for better or worse, simply become "daily life."

📌 Last updated: July 2026. Living conditions change. If you're considering relocating, please reconfirm with official sources and current information.

4. You might also like

Series overview → Malaysia — 6 Years Living Abroad
Previous year → Malaysia Relocation Diary — Year 2 (2020-21)
Next year → Malaysia Relocation Diary — Year 5 (2024)
Start here → Home

All photos in this article were taken by our family during our time in Malaysia in 2022-2023. Living conditions can change, so please reconfirm with official sources or on-site information if you're considering a similar move.

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