Year 5: Speech Day at Epsom College Malaysia, and How Much My Daughter Had Grown

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Year five of our time in Malaysia, 2024, was a year that really brought home how much our child had grown. She was at an international school in Malaysia, and watching her stand on stage at its end-of-year Speech Day, she looked far more grown-up and capable than I could have imagined back when we first arrived.

What you'll find here

Epsom College Malaysia's end-of-year Speech Day
Year five, and how completely our daughter had settled into local life
The biggest change we noticed after five years: how much our child had grown

1. Speech Day at Epsom College Malaysia

*The awards at Speech Day. Hearing her name called, I was more nervous than she was*

In June 2024, we attended the end-of-year Speech Day at Epsom College Malaysia. Watching our daughter called up on stage as a top student, receiving a trophy and certificate from the teachers, was a genuinely proud moment as a parent.

*Receiving a trophy and certificate from a teacher at the ceremony*

Rows of past championship trophies lined the stage — a fittingly formal atmosphere for a school with this kind of tradition.

💡 Tip with kids: traditional British-style schools like Epsom College Malaysia tend to treat these ceremonies with a fair amount of formality. It's worth checking the uniform and dress code for events like this well ahead of time.

*On stage. She had rehearsed for weeks.*

*After the ceremony, certificate in hand.*

2. Fully settled into daily life

*Walking through school. Even the way she moved had changed since we arrived*

In September, I also caught an ordinary moment: my daughter having dinner in our kitchen, hair down, flashing a peace sign as she ate. The toddler-like uncertainty of our early days abroad felt like a distant memory — she'd completely settled into life here.

💡 Tip with kids: five years in, life in Malaysia had simply become "normal" for our child. On trips back to Japan, we sometimes noticed her feeling more out of step with life there instead — worth keeping in mind, since the sense of "home" can shift in both directions.

*Watching her go — the daily routine that year.*

*Craft at home. She likes making things.*

*In the car. Coming home from lessons, it was always like this.*

*A day we put her in a yukata. We kept up the Japanese occasions at home.*

3. Looking back on year five

What struck me most in year five was how much our child had grown. The daughter who'd arrived not knowing which way was up had grown into someone being honored at school, completely at home in her life here — and that really brought home just how much weight five years can carry. In the next article: year six (2025), the year we returned to Japan.

Q. What changed the most after five years? A. Our child's growth, more than anything. Language, daily habits — she'd settled in far beyond what she was capable of when we first arrived. As a parent, getting to watch that growth up close was the biggest reward of all.

📌 Last updated: July 2026. School details change. If you're considering enrolling, please reconfirm with official sources and current information.

*The two sisters. The younger one had grown up too.*

*Meeting up with her father after school.*

4. You might also like

Series overview → Malaysia — 6 Years Living Abroad
Previous year → Malaysia Relocation Diary — Years 3-4 (2022-23)
Next year → Malaysia Relocation Diary — Year 6 (2025)
Start here → Home

All photos in this article were taken by our family during our time in Malaysia in 2024. School details can change, so please reconfirm with official sources or on-site information if you're considering enrolling.

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