Thanks for the Memories: Jumpa Lagi Malaysia, See You Again

            So I packed my bags, walked around KL for the last times and I am about to take off for the states again. What a year it has been. At some points it has felt like a lifetime, at others it has been a flash, gone by too quickly. How can I eloquently express what I have experienced this year? How can I illustrate how special it was? Truly, words cannot describe my year. I have too many stories with too many photos that still do not fully capture what this year has been for me. I have grown and changed as this year progressed. I know I am going back “home” to Virginia in the USA for now, not sure where I will venture next.

Things I thought I knew or wanted have changed. My self-knowledge has changed and grown. My passions have become skewed in beautiful ways. My career goals have become more ambiguous with more paths open before me. All of these are blessings yet also terrifying. I am not sure how I want to shape my next year. This year opened my eyes to new things, new places, new people, new ideas. Many of which will stick with me for life. I established a second home where I have been welcomed to return to whenever I have the ability to return. Which, I hope to do so very soon! As I will and already do miss my Kelantan community!!

I know however, nothing will be the same after this year. This year in time, with the situation I was in, will forever stand apart as an experience I will never have again in this lifetime. It was so unique to be placed in a rural tradition community in Malaysia for a year. I had a great support system yet I was out in the community to explore and find my own place individually apart from my larger cohort. I was able to be silly in my job, to fully embrace my energy with students and thrive from it. I was not told “that is unprofessional” or “be careful how that might appear.” I was fully embraced with my quirkiness and all the love I had to share. I was able to test theories and projects with my students without many boundaries or barriers to stop my creativity from running wild. I was able to change the face of school a bit here, as they changed mine. So much was accomplished this year, that I will not even fully realize until after-the-fact.

I woke up every morning wanting to pinch myself, thinking I was dreaming. I could not believe I was on this rollercoaster and adventure of a lifetime. I was and still am so blessed to have had this opportunity. Yet, everything beautiful fades, right? Good things come to and end… Things are temporary anyways… Why did I get so attached? Why did I allow myself to fall in love so deeply with something I knew would end. I knew I was on a one-year contract. I knew the ride would end. Yet, how could I not pour myself into something so incredible? I cannot just get a half serving of ice cream. I cannot eat part of the donut or taco and leave the rest. I wanted to consume and absorb all that I could from this year. I have many mixed emotions as I am leaving which is why my thoughts are all over the place.

In this moment and time, I feel a bit numb. I established something so great here and re-created my every day life. Just as I was getting into a rhythm of things, now, I am leaving. Now do I start again? What do I take with me? What was all of this for? What have I gained? What have I lost? I am not sure. I do know that this was the most incredible ride of my life. I do know that I want to remember this. I do know that I am excited for what is in store for me next, whatever that may be. I do know I need to remind myself and others around me that I have changed and patience will be key as I readjust to many things. I know life has not stood still back home and that I need to be ready to face whatever is presented to me when I get home. I know that it will take time but that this year was so special, anything I will face will be worth the experience I had this year. Thank you all for following along on my adventures.

On my Malay Way, signing off. I have older posts to finish which I will as I finish processing this experience.

Malaysia today. USA tomorrow. An adventure to begin the day after that…

Skali Kem: One Last Camp, Bookstore Collection

October 17th was an amazing day! It was my last camp and boy was it nearly perfect! I was so proud of my students’ behavior and cooperation. We went to four different stops and had so much fun all along the way. We bought over RM 2,000 worth of over 100 books for the library, ate a tasty lunch in the famous mall in Kelantan where I live, took many selfies along the way, toured a university campus, and had fun all the while!

During June my cohort met all together for mid-year meetings, with all of our stakeholders in KL, giving us reminders for the year. One reminder was that the US Embassy had some funding that we could be eligible for if we can with a solid idea and proposal. I had been hoping to improve the English book collection in my school library so I started brainstorming a way I could swing getting a grant for my school. I did not just want to buy books. I could have fundraised and done that in several ways. I wanted to turn it into a special opportunity for my students to remember too.

Once I had the idea, I went through the process and was approved in plenty of time to nail down the details of the event. I was planning to venture to a few books stores in our state of Kelantan and then take the students to visit a university for a tour and the experience to start “thinking forward” which was our theme for this field trip project. I was going to find partnering bookstores who would host us while we shop or do some book-related activity to find books good for our library. This way I could involve the students in the book selection process (with some guidance of course). I took a day with one of my school secretaries and her niece who was a fill-in practical teacher at my school as well to go store to store where I had called ahead (in some cases) to meet with the manager or arrange a talk in person about my ideas. After-the-fact, two stores agreed and the whole event was a huge success!

The grant money was on the way, I was buying the thank you presents and I had the schedule solidified for the event, the week leading up to the event. For a Malaysian-school event, which can typically be planned the day before depending on the scheduling or day of, I was feeling pretty good about how it was coming together. I had extremely high hopes and expectations for this since it would be one of the lasting moments and last memories with my students for the year. It had been a great year already so I wanted to end on a high with a special last camp for my students. I told myself it would work out for the best but definitely had slight anxiety, hoping to make it the perfect last event of the year. It all worked out much better than I could have expected. Not only was it successful but because the planning worked out as it should, I wasn’t extremely stressed out and living a bit of an out-of-body experience running the event as I usually have with some of my other planning this year. I was able to fully enjoy the event and conversations with my students.

We met early at the school to check in at 7:30am. Many of the students were so excited they came at 7am, which I was luckily there for however there was even an earlier bird crowd who were anxiously waiting my arrival in the morning. Then we left on the bus at 8am with one of the student’s father driving the bus (and who graciously gave us a discount). We arrived at SMO Bookstore in Kubang Kerian near the capital city of Kota Bharu in m state for our first stop. There I had planned a scavenger hunt for students to mix with others in different classes and forms (grades) to work in teams to find books. Then I allocated money for the teams to run the books by me, checking if they matched the clues, and then purchase them themselves. The students who attended camp were a mix of high-academic leaders to lower-achieving students who have never been chosen for an event like this before. Everyone was very eager and took their participation contract I had them sign before the event, very seriously which helped make the event more of a success.

The manager of the bookstore had prepared goodie bags for each of the students and teachers after we purchased the books and then invited the head chairman of the bookstore chain to come meet the students and congratulate us on our event. Everyone was so thrilled they wanted to make this an annual tradition and the bookstore wanted to start partnering with more and more schools for other programs like this. Then we boarded the bus again to head to our second location in the mall, which of course the students were more than excited to pay a visit to, in the city. We called roll in our groups then went into Popular Bookstore in KB Mall for more book shopping. This time I let them have the freedom to explore the English section in their groups with team money to choose books that interest them to add to the school library.

It was so sweet to watch the students light up and ask our teachers and helpers if the book they found was a good choice for our library. They took their role representing the school so seriously. One student came up to me and pitched how their book was perfect for the school. “Miss, how it this book? It looks like something secondary students could like to read. I think many students would like this book. It has many topics inside for many students.” I of course gave my approval and loved watching the students peruse for the hour we allocated in the store. Then we checked out, took a few group photos, and headed to lunch.

The students were so happy they could be trusted with money, pick what they want to eat, and eat with their friends. There were so many highlights of the day, for some that was one of them. Excitedly talking about the books they found, how happy they were to be downtown, and laughing with me while they watched me frantically trying to calculate all of the receipts and keep everything in check. Finally, our last stop was heading to UMK (Universiti Malaysia Kelantan) in Kota Bharu. This was saved for the last but certainly was not the least exciting stop.

We not only had university helpers giving us a tour thanks to the English Language Fellow, my friend Shaheed, from the Embassy connecting us with willing staff and students to help, but also a talk about the importance of English in university life. We got to see a classroom, tour the library, talk to real students, and sit through a Q&A about all aspects of university life for Malaysian students. We talked about how English plays into many aspects of their application, school life, and professional opportunities after they finish their education.

The students were excited to talk even privately afterwards to our volunteers (both those who were already considering university and those who might not have been before today). When I had heard less than 10% of our last year students had exams grades good enough for university, which was also our school average, I knew a goal of mine this year was to expose them to higher education as much as I could, especially those at the age considering their next step. It is not for everyone, especially in my state where a good population stay in state to work for the family or otherwise local business nearby. However, I wanted students to see their options, “thinking forward” to their life ahead to see what might be the best path for them.

The bus ride home was a bittersweet experience. The students were beaming from the day. However, I knew this was one of our last big moments together. My teaching contract was ending and I knew my last week or two left would be a lot of cleaning house with my reporting and otherwise. This was the last camp with my school. My favorite aspect of being an ETA in Malaysia. Though I was sad, it was the best last camp I could have asked for. Even after we got back over the next couple of weeks, the students kept talking about how much fun they had and how excited they were to read all of the new books.

Building Libraries today. New goals and adventures tomorrow!

 

Closing Time, Reflecting Upon the Year

A kampong backroad with beautiful greens. How I will best remember Malaysia- many hues of green!

TB to Langkawi SMKS field trip

 

This was a difficult year. I have to acknowledge that. Sometimes I forget that things are hard because I am trying to make things a reality. I tried to excuse behaviors, cultural differences, difficult social situations, uncomfortable times, and bad days for “it’s all a part of the experience.” Sometimes I need to stop, sit, and say “yeah, today was tough and it is okay.” That being said, it has been the most incredible year of my life.

TB to meeting my students for their school trip at Pulau Perhenthian. One of my favorite places in the world- most beautiful place I have seen and made many sweet memories there!

This year has challenged me more than I could have ever anticipated. I learned more about myself than I thought I could. Being a theatre person, you are supposed to know yourself well from the little to the big things. I saw more this year (than I even wanted to) of myself and learned what that meant. I grew as a person. I grew as a cultural member. I grew in my language skills. I grew in my interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. I fit into a new cohort of diverse Americans. I found a place for myself in a place and community very different from me. I fell in love with my school community, fellow staff, and students. It will be hard to leave.

TB to a montage a student made for me from my first English Beach Clean Up camp!

As many songs fly through my head while I try to capture my sentiments at the end of the year, I mostly hear and keep revisiting “Closing Time” by Semisonic. The lyrics are the most appropriate for how I feel and how I am coping with leaving this beautiful state and country. Truly words cannot fully capture my experience and time here but it is the closest I feel I will get for now. I know I will come back to visit someday but not knowing when, makes it hard to tell these teary-eyed faces that I will see them again someday. The line “time to go out from the places you will be from” is how I justify my leaving. Yes, it it time for me to go home. I miss my family, friends, and community. I am ready to see them even if I am not quite ready to say goodbye here. I am tired of the bugs, heat, and lack of freedom in my community here even though my school is like a family to me where I can be myself 100% with silliness or seriousness and they accept me. I found a job I love where I do not quite have the full responsibilities of a teacher but I am teaching and having fun with students!

TB to my Female Empowerment Camp with the help of Miss Rachel. Some Form 4 and 5 girls sporting their confidence poster of future goals 🙂

“I know who I want to take me home” my parents and my puppies at home. I want to embrace them, even if for a moment. They are so important to me and this was the longest and farthest I have been away from them. There is still a lot of time in life and there will be a time I can travel and return to Narnia (aka Malaysia) some day but it is not next month or possibly even next year. It is time and I want to return home even if just for a short while.

TB to the Kelantan Vocational Arts Camp 2015 with my SMKS boys at the Royal family dinner!

TB to one of the interviews I did on the radio talking about the arts camp 🙂

“Turn all of the lights on every boy and every girl… last call” in a metaphorical way. I am spending my last moments celebrating with my students and loving on each and every one of them as much as I can. I have one last camp I got an US Embassy Grant for to celebrate them and build up their school English library. I am entering as many classes as possible. I am trying to visit with families or students I have grown close to as much as possible. And soaking up all of the love they are giving me in return. “Last call” for selfies, “sweet memories”, and so on here. This is not over or the final end but the end of a chapter for now. I am trying to not say “goodbye” but “see you later” in reality, that I truly believe I will be back someday. Possibly sooner than I realize…

TB to one of my favorite units with Form 1: Going Places. Today we did stations and traveled to California, USA

Form 1 sporting their “passports” after a long week “journey” to the USA!

“You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here” is where I am now. Okay yes, technically, I have to go back to the states as per my contract before whatever my next adventure and career move is, knowing it could be abroad again or close to home. I am at a pass where I want to be, what I want to be, or what I want to do next year but I know I cannot stay here in Malaysia. This year has been a great experience but I realized it needed to stay isolated as a year and I need to move onto something else, whatever that may be. Stopping at home will be nice to refresh, recharge my batteries, and then make a clear decision about my next moves.

Form 2 deciding how they would feel with certain diabilities

Form 2 final posters for our unit on people with disabilities. Trying to imagine and sympathize. Powerful and emotional day in class

“This room won’t be open til your brothers and sisters come.” This line could be literal that I need to bring my family here the next time I come or that I will revisit with a new grown relationship with these community members that I stay in touch with while I am gone until I return. There are many people I will stay in touch with here in Malaysia. I let students add my personal Facebook account as well as teachers. I also will try to maintain WeChat and possibly download WhatsApp again to keep in touch with students. I was a student teacher last year so technically they were my first students but this was my first group of full-year students (pretty much). On top of the crazy experience of a year they watched me grow through alongside of them this year.

Captured moment of me teaching the entire school the Cha Cha slide in groups to nominate students for my Talent Show “Selising Idol” camp 🙂

“So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits. I hope you have found a friend.” Time to pack up my things and fly to the exit. I did make some friends and I will remember this place but it is closing time for me, so I got to go. “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end” here in Malaysia. It is time for a new start in my life, something new, not knowing what yet. This ending starts a new beginning of something. I look forward to finding out what that is.

Some upper form boys teaching me the traditional performative art of Dikir Barat. A popular art form in the state of Kelantan where I have lived this year.

This has been a special year and trying to replicate it or add on did not seem right. It is now a foundational part of my philosophy as a teacher and citizen of the world. I will use this year to remember many things I am passionate about and want to fight for in society on small and large scales. Most of my ideologies were reaffirmed. Some grew, some changed. I am ready to jump into a new adventure while also learning this year what I need in my life to make me happy and comfortable. Closing time in Malaysia. On my Malay way… tomorrow, a new adventure begins.

Form 4 boys trying to be cool for a camera as we are in between takes of our film for the Sarawak Culture Exchange project we did with SMK Seburian

Bus moment from my last English camp buying books for the school library 🙂

TB to YES camp in Setiu, Terangganu making some friends my age 🙂

TB to teaching drama in my happy place, in my element at SMK Sri Nepah!

TB to first picture of my mentor and I when we first met!

TB to one of the first chorale speaking after school days this year 🙂

TB to a typical day in the office with some of my favorite people 🙂

Lyrics to Closing Time

Closing time

Open all the doors and let you out into the world

Closing time

Turn all of the lights on over every boy and every girl

Closing time

One last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer

Closing time

You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here

[Chorus:]

I know who I want to take me home

I know who I want to take me home

I know who I want to take me home

Take me home

Closing time

Time for you to go out to the places you will be from

Closing time

This room won’t be open till your brothers or your sisters come

So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits

I hope you have found a friend

Closing time

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end

[Chorus:]

I know who I want to take me home

I know who I want to take me home

I know who I want to take me home

Take me home

Closing time

Time for you to go out to the places you will be from

[Chorus:]

I know who I want to take me home

I know who I want to take me home

I know who I want to take me home

Take me home

Closing time

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end

Music Video of Closing Time

Girl’s Leadership Camp: Taking Risks and Taking Care of Business

So I hosted a girl’s empowerment camp a few months back at my school. It changed the relationship for the better with a lot of my female students here in Malaysia. I did not get to take all of them and so when another opportunity came up for a girl’s camp. I took five other girls who have never attended a camp before and boy was I glad I did. It was a memorable experience for all of us there.

The past weekend, the first weekend in October marked two important things. One, it marked the beginning of my final month here in Malaysia as a 2015 Fulbright ETA. Second, it was the weekend of a spectacular girl’s camp put on over three days with almost 10 schools of students from across Kelantan. This camp I knew, would be one of my last I was be involved with this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed camps as they provide thematic topics to discuss, become active in, and learn from in unique environments outside of the classroom which create for more memorable and interactive learning for the students. This camp focused on empowering girls to see themselves and the people around them as leaders, looking up specifically to Kelantan women leaders and how to turn themselves into one as they mature into their adulthood after secondary school. This camp was aimed towards Form 4 girls who are finishing their second-to-last year in school before they take their big final exam called the SPM the next year which determines their placement among their peers and ultimately their future.

MORE COMING SOON…!

Tasting China: The Great Wall and Fine China

Trying to navigate through China while only knowing hello and thank you… Got to see three major cities: Shanghai, Xian, and Beijing. So many sights to see in so little time. I know 10 days did not do China justice but it was a nice first visit with many adventures anyways…

MORE COMING SOON!

Kelantan Vocational Arts English Camp (KVAEC) 2015: The first of its kind and a new beginning

Yesterday we wrapped up a very successful and incredible two-day Arts English camp as part of a statewide cohort collaboration along with eight primary partners who helped make this possible: MAJLIS AGAMA ISLAM ADAT ISTIADAT NEGERI KELANTAN (MAIK), UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA KELANTAN (UMK), JABATAN PENDIDIKAN NEGERI KELANTAN (JPN), MALAYSIAN AMERICAN COMMISSION ON EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE (MACEE), YAYASAN ISLAM KELANTAN (YIK), LIMKOKWING ACADEMY, TAYLOR’S UNIVERSITY, and MAJLIS KEBUDAYAAN NEGERI KELANTAN (Culture Centre). With more than 120 students from the state of Kelantan, 12 different art forms, several distinguished guest visitors including members of the Royal Kelantan Family, and 3 different news stations covering this event, it truly was an arts extravaganza extraordinaire!

The planning for this camp started months ago when we were approached by a leading foreign employee of MAIK for this idea. We had just finished our first big collaborative event with them and he wanted to start-up another one this time instead of American culture focus, make it Kelantan rooted-arts focused. It started as a small-scale idea to display artwork made by our students throughout the year featuring various Kelantanese arts from our state where we are placed. But through various connections made and much planning that arose in the months along the way, it turned into the mega arts camp that we carried out through this weekend. Our partners grew, our budget, grew, our VIP guests grew, yet the dedication remained constant throughout the planning process. Everyone involved was passionate and eager to see this event through the last bow and selfie taken on the UMK Bachok stage where we held this major camp event.

One feature that made this camp special was the fact that we had our “glue” Dr. Simon Cooke from MAIK making major connections for us as a collaborator along with many other talented as well as smart, hard-working people, and we wanted the focus to be in arts rather than English. Through our limited experiences as ETAs in Kelantan, we saw our top students month by month and event by event be praised for their academic results or competition awards they won. Yet the same students from each school tended to be praised for similar reasons, leaving a majority of the students lacking with positive reinforcement, praise for their efforts, special camp opportunities, or recognition otherwise. The lower performing students were often the focus to improve as per usual with an uniformed schooling systems, similar to struggles in American education. The top students were continually praised with treats, prizes, and special trips. Our middle-ground students were left behind, and checking out of school mentally and even physically. We could change the system but could we change the methods, we thought? Is there a way to praise the middle-performers who have an interest in art and often go unrecognized yet have so much potential to do so and improve? This camp was our first step towards seeing if we can change this mentality and system-building we saw in our schools specifically and in other instances we saw throughout the Malaysian education system.

We chose students who were not necessarily the highest performing students but showed us potential through various ways throughout the school year. We noticed specifically their interests related to vocational arts whether it be singing, drawing, or otherwise that we saw they took interest in or even had a talent for yet no space to show in school. Since this was a Kelantan arts focused camp, we also looked into partnering with our art teachers and other local experts who knew the arts well to seek out these students and appropriate art workshops for them that students could learn, participate in, and have something to perform for our showcase we planned to have on the second day of camp. This resulted in 12 different types of art we were able to provide for these students to try out in a 2 hr or so workshop, then rehearse and put final touches on for a comprehensive showcase on the second day of camp, closing out the programming for our mega arts camp event.

The arts featured included Modern and Traditional Wayang Kulit (a storytelling art form using puppets to re-tell local stories and tradition that is nearly outlawed in all of Malaysia but updated and re-purposed to remain alive in Kelantan), Wau (a traditional kite-making technique to produce beautiful intricately designed handmade kites for flying pleasure or competition), Gubahan (a traditional Malaysian style handicraft of floral arrangement used typically for wedding ceremonies), Dikir Barat (a traditional Kelantan art form using various instruments as the backdrop to the recitation and singing of chants in Bahasa Melayu and local dialect with groups accompanying in a seated position using synchronized hand motions and assisting in the chants), Silat (a traditional performative-style Malay martial art form), Mak Yong or Joget (traditional Kelate dances used for ceremonies and special events including holidays), Eco-fashion (a fashion technique using traditional Malay styles such as Baju Melayu and Baju Kurung with recyclable materials to design and display in a catwalk presentation), Batik Tye and Dye (a traditional method for designing and coloring clothing used throughout Malaysia and using local Kelantan resources for this specific style of Batik), Syair (traditional poetry recited in multiple styles solo or in groups for an audience at special ceremonies and occasions), Animation (using basic technology that the university leading this session used often to comment on Kelantan culture and helped tutor the students in learning basic maneuvers with the software for the workshop purposes) and Cooking (demonstrated on the second day by Taylor’s University using local Kelantan ingredients to maintain the same Kelantanese focus and local tie into their demonstration).

Over the two days, students arrived by bus organized by the JPN and began with breakfast provided by MAIK. Then participated in a dance workshop, lead by a visiting previous ETA, Jolene Hernandez who introduced them to the world of jazz and hip-hop getting them warmed up for the mega camp ahead. Next, the students heard from each of the participating artists who would provide the primary workshop demonstrations for students to learn and interact with throughout the camp and finish something to present at the final showcase. After recording their top five preferences, us ETAs collaborated over lunch to decide how to divide the students into two different sessions for them to get as much variety as possible. Then the students wandered away into the different art sessions, some even by themselves representing their school in hopes to make new friends, throughout the large UMK Bachok campus with UMK and Limkokwing Academy students assisting in giving directions and making the art alongside our secondary students (great mentoring opportunity)! Once the two sessions finished we gathered for a celebrity gala planned by Prof. Rosdi from UMK who invited TT and Her Majesty (Third ruling Royal family member from the top in Kelantan and his wife the first daughter of the first Prime Minister of Malaysia), their daughter, the Vice Chancelor of UMK, and other distinguished guests from our various partnering organizations. The Royal family walked through the entire audience of students, teachers, and helpers alike greeting every individual during a multi-art performance over a catered dinner both planned by UMK artists and staff. Then a surprise Malaysian karaoke including a classic song sung by TT himself, breaking typical Malay Royal protocol to entertain the crowd and share his love of song, among me singing “Let it Go” from Frozen (my go-to performance song for this year), and ending the night with a final group number and official end offs before calling it a night.

The next day, students gathered for breakfast then a special talk and presentation from Nik Farhan also from UMK who introduced a video specially produced for this cohort of campers by none other than the famous New York bound Fashion designer who claims roots from Kuala Krai, Kelantan- Zang Toi himself. A professionally produced and quality short video narrating his childhood and growth into the famous, successful fashion designer he has become today. The students were impressed and enthralled with his words (all in English mind you) as well as seeing how he came from a background similar to theirs yet has become such a success today! Following that, Limkokwing Academy and Taylor’s University gave short talks about arts vocations in the professional world, university life, and options for these students interested in similar vocations.

Following that Taylor’s University who flew in all the way from Kuala Lampur, the other side of Malaysia brought their master chef, Khairul Anuar Muhamad to run a cooking demonstration for all 120 students making dry-ice ice cream with local Kelantan herbs and flavors for the students to see and try themselves. Along with the Chef, a staff member Nuqman Jauhari coordinated bringing two students that attended the University now as chefs-in-training who came from Kelantan (first Kelantan students in the culinary program in the history of Taylor’s University) that are MAIK scholarship students there funded by our main partner and a true testament of the possibilities for our students’ futures to come, to help with the ice cream-making. These two female university students now at Taylor’s were dropped off about six months ago, with very little vocabulary to converse in English and here they are finished with their third semester, officially in the culinary restaurants helping with the gourmet menus and using very “brilliant” English as Dr. Simon Cooke exclaimed. Finally, students put final touches on their visual and performative pieces then the showcase began.

I was the MC for the closing showcase, but still able to appreciate all of the magic that unfolded on that UMK Bachok campus stage. Students were a bit nervous and apprehensive as we could see yet, they still came to life, being applauded, and recognized in a new way, maybe even for the first time ever. Almost every student was significantly featured including a very shy student of mine who barely speaks or participates in school yet designed most of the puppets for the Modern Wayang Kulit workshop and narrated the story written by him and his friends from our school SMK Selising, Pasir Puteh, Kelantan for the performance. When I saw MJ from Limkokwing Academy who lead the session, hand him the microphone I nearly jumped on the stage to congratulate my student. Although instead, I excitedly poked my head out from the MC stand and whispered to my English cohort of teachers attending the showcase, “Syukur has the microphone! This is him talking!” They were thrilled beyond words to hear this news and were beaming as they recorded the whole performance. I was so proud and ecstatic to see the work that the students produced and the level to which they performed for this event. As our Kelantan JPN coordintor Che Najib said himself “There has never been an event like this… in all of Malaysia… I am very proud of the work you have accomplished… a job well done!” Many parties were very impressed with the turnout for this event. All of us collaborators and planners were both proud and beyond satisfied as well with how the weekend turned out. We hope this is a new model for a new way of teaching and opportunities that can be provided for the future generations of students in these districts, in all of Kelantan, all of Malaysia, and even worldwide. It is a weekend that will remain ingrained in our hearts and memories forever. We forged new relationships. We took roads never taken before and risks unthinkable as it seemed at the beginning of this planning process. We stuck to our mission and objectives then watched them be achieved before our eyes during the final showcase.

Coming to Malaysia, I had high hopes and big dreams to make a difference and leave a legacy here. I wanted to conduct some sort of arts and cultural exchange through the programming I was instructed to carry out. I hoped to foster relationships with students as well as my fellow cohort members, meet new faces, and learn new local traditional art forms to understand the true Malay way. I wanted to grow and change and see the fruits of something I worked on. This weekend was the epitome of that thought coming true in a reality I could see. I do not know what the students ultimately took away from this program. I do not know what they will do with the experiences they had, the art forms they were exposed to, the things they learned, or the “sweet memories” we shared. However, I do know I was proud of our event. I saw the students light up in various ways at various times throughout the camp. And whether we fully see it ourselves of not, I believe we did make a difference this weekend. I could not have envisioned, imagined, or dreamed of something like this happening this year, yet here we are. I am so blessed and forever indebted to all of those who helped make this camp become a reality and success! I hope to see and hear more things like this happening in the future of Malaysia and education beyond these borders.

Changing lives and creating artistic cultural exchange today, mystery lies ahead for tomorrow. Learning the Malay way.

          

Singapore Luxury: Trying out Singapore Despite our Wallets

One of my friends and I decided to go on a slightly last-minute getaway to the luxuriously clean and beautiful Singapore for a weekend. It coincided with their month of Independence and a school holiday we had for Malaysia’s National Day of Independence: Hari Merdeka which we would hope to fly back for and enjoy on our way home in Malaysia. We had little time and money to plan but it was just the relaxation and taste of big city we had missed for so long and needed to get a break from our busy planning we currently had going on in Kelantan Malaysia. It was the week before a mega statewide arts camp so we wanted to give ourselves a break and a treat for all of our hard work. We got to see some major sights, fit in shopping at some glamorous malls, see old and new friends, as well as play with puppies which we also has missed. It was hard not to fall in love with the safe and pristine state of Singapore as we ventured through the city without much worry about anything.

MORE COMING SOON…!

Brilliant Club programming with MAIK: Building Confidence through Exploring Theatre

An organization who we have worked with all year-long through various programming invited me to be a guest speaker for one of their educational organization programs called the “Brilliant Club” focused on providing additional interactive educational activities for students from low-income families with potential for bright and “brilliant” futures. Of course when I heard about this program and the openness this organization had to topics they could address or cover based on our individual expertise, I jumped on the opportunity to join in! I of course was planning to focus on theatre and titled my two hour workshop as “Building Confidence through Exploring Theatre” as was thrilled for another opportunity to teach and use theatre in this country!

MORE COMING SOON…!

Climb Every Mountain: Exploring a different side of Chiang Mai, Thailand

Through an important partnership us ETAs in Kelantan had forged all year through various programming, we were treated to a lovely weekend getaway to the mountains of Chiang Mai, Thailand for a time of rest from our vigorous lives and culture shock we experience in Kelantan, Malaysia. Of course, we actually have very suitable lives but we were fortunate enough to receive this offering anyways for us to enjoy and relish in for the four days that we went. Coming off of busy days, weeks, and even months we nearly forgot the details of this approaching trip since we were not the ones planning it. What a nice change of pace to just tag along for this joy ride through another area in South East Asia we had yet to discover. Some of us has visiting Thailand before, for me, it was my first time. I knew I was seeing a special side not many people had the chance to see or ever experience as part of this trip which made it extra special and memorable.

MORE COMING SOON..!

Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) in Sarawak, Malaysia

We had been hearing about this epic music festival held every year in Sarawak called the Rainforest World Music Festival since we arrived in Malaysia from our cohort members who had been here last year. Many of us left this weekend available to join in on the excitement for this long-anticipated weekend of events. As a result, a couple of us also wanted to create a student exchange program out of it. Students from Peninsular Malaysia often only read about students in Borneo so we thought, let’s do an interactive educational pen pal and video exchange for our students to learn more about each other and break some myths or stereotypes. Even as I was leaving some students pleaded with me to ask if Sarawakians still practice cannibalism “Miss… see if they still eat people..” Which clearly was a myth that needed to be resolved, along with many others. Little did I know how epic this weekend and exchange program would inevitably turn out!

MORE COMING SOON…!