Finding The Silver Lining In People

An NLP trainer, life coach, corporate consultant, public speaker and an author, Eleni Sarantinou excels in all her roles. Despite her busy schedule, the mother of two is a compassionate individual who has a heart to help others

- Lorraine Chai

What brought you to Malaysia?

My husband works for an oil and gas company and was asked to set up a regional office here. We were in Dubai at the time. We adopted our kids from Cambodia and there was a request for us to move as close as possible to the kids’ homeland. And then the offer to come to Malaysia came along.

Do you and your family find it difficult to adapt to a different lifestyle?

Our family is very international. I’m Greek, my husband is a Dutch from Holland, and the kids are from Cambodia. We’ve all lived in different places and continents, so adjustment is our middle name. We love it! My kids would travel around |to Holland, Greece or Cambodia, but once they are back in Malaysia, they would say things like “We are home!” To them, this is home.

You’ve been to so many countries because of your work. What’s so unique about Malaysia that you’ve decided to stay?

It’s the people. They are an example of how every human being should aspire to be – kind, sweet, and with a great sense of humour. Once they are given the medium and education, Malaysians are the fastest learners I’ve ever met. They have supported me in unimaginable ways, both professionally and personally. For these people, an act of kindness is like an everyday routine.

Do you have any significant memories that greatly affected you? Where do I start?