A few of the other ETAs living near Johor Bahru and I got an official day off from school to celebrate the grand opening of a library’s “Lincoln Corner,” a place where one can learn all about the good side of the U.S. of A.

During the opening ceremony, Abe Lincoln was virtually reincarnated via a hologram projected onto smoke. Suddenly a real-life Asian Abe Lincoln steps through the smoky hologram into the audience. (I think the hologram was magically transfigured into a live modern-day Abe.) I sincerely apologise for not having a picture of the show–I was paralysed with bewilderment. Here’s a pic once we picked up our jaws off the floor:

Posing for pictures at this publicity event the grand opening:

After the event, a motorcade of police motorcycles escorted us to lunch with the Deputy US Ambassador to Malaysia (officially the “Deputy Chief of Mission”) at the most American restaurant around:

One of my biggest gripes with Malaysia is how much times it wastes on paperwork, ceremonies, and formalities. This is a typical example. Not only were my mentor (an English teacher at my school) and I pulled away from school for an entire day, but I was asked to bring six students to the event, seemingly for the purpose of filling the room and posing for pictures.

Now excuse me while I go complete a mandatory report that no one will ever read.