It’s not every day that you can have an intelligent discussion about American politics with an Australian, a Canadian, and an Austrian.

We find ourselves in a quaint guesthouse in Penang, Malaysia four months in to our world travels. Although the area is home to many expat travelers and tourists alike with high-rise condotels, beach resorts and even a Hard Rock café, it’s certainly not the type of place you’d expect to find people who care about U.S. politics.

The lone traveler that is sharing the guesthouse with us is a retired backpacker from Austria. Upon first meeting him, I asked if he spoke English. He responded “a little bit,” which is the typical response from fellow travelers whose first language is clearly not English.