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

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…!

Harry Potter English Camp at SMK Pelagat: Here We Go Again

We prepare ourselves for this day long or three day long phenomenon as part of our ETA experience called an “English camp”. If we are planning it, by the end we are pulling our hair out making sure all goes right. If we are a guest ETA, as I was for this one, we usually show up in our Fulbright t-shirt we were given during orientation for free. I on the other hand took on a new and different role for this one. Our two friends teaching as ETAS in Besut, Terangganu, Malaysia were planning a Harry Potter-themed English camp. I was supposed to take a personality test and be placed in one of their camp-created “houses” but I forgot. Also, I am a unique individual so they gave me my own character to create for the day. A peavishly-annoying character who would cause chaos and reward English-usage but scold the use of their native tongue in BM with house minus points in the form of a frizzled professor by the name of Professor Magical Crazy pants; a character they would never forget.

MORE COMING SOON..!

Arts Therapy Camp at SMK Panji

On July 28th when I had 4, almost 5 English camps in one week, I got to take a day working with students with special needs in Malaysia at a friend’s school where she is placed, SMK Panji, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. I did not know what to expect working with ELL students who also had disabilities but it was such a relaxing, refreshing day for me. The students were so excited and we got to just play motor skill activities all day. My job was to lead a play doh making session with my good friend and ETA Miss Becca which got the students working on the skills we hoped to improve and interacting with us in a playful way. There was not a lot of pressure working with them nor expectations. The goal was to have fun and get them moving! We used whatever body language, BM or English we could but the activity was simple and self-explanatory enough. The kids really enjoyed themselves and so did we!

MORE COMING SOON!

Feels Like Home: Balik Kampung Selemat Hari Raya

Balik kampung….balik kampung… Plays in several songs on the radio as the end of Ramdhan comes to a close and the annually anticipated Hari Raya (meaning Great Day, the Malaysian holiday equivalent to the Muslim Eid in other Muslim-practicing countries and cultures) approaches… This was my experience celebrating Hari Raya here in Malaysia for the first time.

I had waited all year, leading up to this big day, for this holiday to finally roll around. It was more spectacular than I even imagined. Travelling around during the full holiday experience, going house to house, meeting all of the extended family, trying all of the traditional and popular or “glamour” foods for Hari Raya all made it so special. I was starting to really miss home and my family so this was a nice taste of family life and seeing how Malaysian families interact. One of my favorite moments, was when we all dressed in our Baju Raya (matching color clothes as you can see in the pictures) for a photo shoot and celebrated the youngest sibling’s birthday. He was born on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri (full name of this holiday since there are two Hari Rayas in Malaysia- fun fact I found out, the second is in September) so his middle name is named after the holiday. The night before we also lit up some fireworks we had purchased at the Ramadhan bazaar the night before to kick off his celebrations. It was so nice to see how the family celebrated him, laughed with him, siblings made jokes to tease him, and I myself started reminiscing in the silly moments I was missing with my siblings. I sat slightly off from a distance and could not help but smile. I just wanted to watch them laugh and interact with each other all day. Of course, then I was served ice cream cake from Baskin Robins and got distracted by the sweet chilly tastes in my mouth. But it was a favorite moment of the experience.

I was approached a couple weeks before Hari Raya by an English teacher I share an office with, who asked me to come with her back to her kampung (village). I had met a couple of her siblings before in Putrajaya (same awesome family who toured me around there) and she thought it would be nice for me to meet the whole family, especially since I would be alone without family for this momentous holiday in Malaysia. Besides.. the city in my state called Kota Bharu would be impossible to get around since nearly all of Kelantan is roaming around house to house- with over 90% of a Muslim Malay population in my state celebrating the upcoming holiday. I was so honored and flattered by the invitation, I did not think twice before agreeing to come along with her. I did not know how to fully prepare myself for this trip but was so excited to be tagging along!

Leaving for Melaka was an experience in itself as we drove over night from Kelantan (luckily against the traffic). So many people who grew up in my state where I am placed in Kelantan often grow up to work in the West coast in peninsular Malaysia (on the opposite coast) yet they always “balik kampung” (go back to their home town) for the holidays so there is a huge jam (traffic). We stopped around 2:00am or so at my teacher’s husband’s sister’s house in Negeri Sembilan (another state where I had not visited yet) to give gifts and wish her well on her upcoming trip to America. Another “Sweet memory” as is common to say in Malaysia here. We got to discuss all of my favorite things in Washington, D.C. and New York City where she would be travelling. Then made it around 4:00 am to her family’s house to sleep for almost an hour and wake up to break the fast. Luckily with Ramadhan still finishing once we got up to eat before the sun came up and we had to stop around 5:30 am before we fasted until about 7:30 depending on the movement of the sun for that day, the family would go for prayer and I could fall back asleep as well as take frequent naps during the day when we were not cooking or going around town. Most of the sight-seeing happened after Ramadhan ended though, since we only had a couple days left and wanted to save our energy for the fasting.

From helping prepare the chickens for slaughter, cooking ketupat (a traditional style of rice in coconut leaves wrapped a special way, steamed for hours, and eaten with various savory meat dishes), sharing a room with her younger sister, sharing moments and memories with all six of the siblings, meeting the extended family at buffets for breaking the fast or celebrating Hari Raya, serving the extended family when we hosted, roaming around Melaka at night taking selfies, and MORE- it was one of the “sweetest” (literally and figuratively) parts of my year here. Just what I needed to break up a difficult month of fasting and hitting the half way point in my grant. I really wanted to feel as much as part of the family for that week as they would allow me- give me chores and work to do I pleaded! They did! It was great. I was so happy to have a family to be a part of when I was missing mine so much, even if just for a week. It brought my English teacher and I closer as well which was another bonus on top of all of the wonderful things that resulted from this week in Melaka with this family. I took a night bus home and got sick on the way back, nearly got stranded at 3am 4-5 hours from my Asrama (hostel) where I live in my state of Kelantan on the way home… but all apart of the adventure and worth the extended 12 hours overnight bus home!

I was stuffed SO full with each house visit and so tired after the trip but I would do it all over again. I loved everything about Hari Raya. I saw how special the holiday is, seeing the tight-knit community of family, Muslim culture, more exchange of ideas, religion, and culture as well as so many family photo ops. Another great week in Malaysia! I am so blessed to be in the placement I have, meet this generous teacher and her family, as well as have all of these amazing life experiences that help me grow in my faith, experiences, ideologies, and passions in this world. These are the moments that help me shape my adult life into the further adventures that lay ahead. Melaka for Hari Raya this day. Who can guess for tomorrow?!

 

Malaysia boleh on my Malay way. What a year so far!

Navigating through Ramadhan: Fasting and Culture 101

    RAMADHAN

So, with permission from my community, I decided to take it upon myself to attempt fasting for the entirety of the month of Ramadhan. My entire school community would be partaking as part of the Malay Muslim tradition here in Malaysia. Christians have their own times of fasting which I have always been curious about, and I thought this would be a good self-reflective as well as educational experience for me. It was a long month, arguably the longest-seeming month of the year but I made it!

Starting from the very first day I was very conscious of my choice not to eat. It is one thing to get caught up in things throughout the day, remain busy and forget to eat. However, making the choice not to eat, in this instance, from my experience was a lot harder to not focus on or pass the time without craving food. Food was on my mind all day especially at first. I had to wake up much earlier, I was trying to keep energy up while I was teaching, I was not sure I would make it through the whole month, even struggling through the first week. In the end, with a few flexible days to break the fast while I traveled or waking up slightly late and eating a bit later for a couple of days, I was able to partake the full month. With the late days, I gave myself a bit of a break since this was my first try.

I also still drank some water to keep myself from getting dehydrated in the heat which I share with me school. This was a point of contention however with my school community because to them, this is not a true fast. However, I tried to remind them, this was my way and my first time. Additionally I had no religious or cultural requirement to withhold from drinking some water. I was also worried about my health. And finally, there is a spectrum of fasting as I tried to explain with other religious communities of people. In some countries and communities of religions, fasting is just with holding from a certain food or pleasure for the time of fasting such as is typical for those who practice Catholicism during Lent. Others just do a solids fast such as Christians sometimes or other communities of Muslims. Then like Malaysian Muslims typically practice, there are people who withhold from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset. Then there are even spectrums of requirements or decisions for fasting based on the time of the sunrise or the religious practice, etc. Then there are certain Muslim cultures and communities in other countries which do not even keep in the saliva in their mouths. Although, being in such a close-knit society without much travel outside of our kampung (village) or Malaysia, my fasting was very different from what they knew so it was difficult to navigate through conversations with some, but it created a great opportunity for cultural exchange.

I promised to commit to trying to participate in the whole month and journal all the while. This was a great exercise since I was not writing in my journal much this year before Ramadhan, which I regret. Since Ramadhan I have tried to journal once or twice a week to record my more intimate reflections and moments here aside from my blog narrative. It has been fun reading through this month after-the-fact and seeing how my reflection changed, noting which days were clearly harder than others, and what days were really positive in terms of self and religious reflection as I had hoped. The first two days I had energy and thoughts to fill two pages but most days after that were limited to just one. “And so I pray to be reminded of the reasons that I am choosing to do this, be true to myself, not to confuse those around me, also find a balance of remaining productive, find ways to relate to my school community, and have a lot of reflection time with God. And so the journey begins as it also continues…” Were my final words in my first entry. Compared to Day 5 “Couldn’t sleep for over two hours due to itchiness. I believe from bugs and being hot… We’ll see how my energy lasts tomorrow.” Clearly frustrated but trying to be hopeful for the next day. Honestly, journaling kept my mind balanced and focused on trying to think of the positive while processing this journey through Ramadhan and winding down at the end of the day.

My month became more and more tolerable as well as rewarding as I got used to the schedule and cadence of fasting. In the midst of all of this there was mid-year, breaking the fast with students, celebrating July 4th in Malaysia away from home for the first time (one of the big holidays for my family), typical monthly school activities minus my after-school activities plus lethargic students who were not motivated even for my most exciting lessons (most days), saw time flying by and two brothers finishing important years of school as I missed these important moments back home among others and remained abroad, listening to my sister and dogs grow up back home, get a new teaching timetable to adjust to (schedule), experience Hari Raya, and many other events in between. It was a whirlwind of a month that felt long during the hours passing by between sunrise and sunset as I waited for the time to break the fast yet included some of the most rich cultural experiences I’ve participated in during this year teaching abroad in Malaysia. I was invited to several student and teacher’s houses, including an English teacher whom I have grown close with over the year that you can read about in my Hari Raya blog post, and got to experience nearly the full Malaysian experience during this significant religious and culture time here in a Muslim Malay community. In my last journal entry I was more than thrilled to have pushed through and it made Hari Raya that much more special to experience as a reward! “Selemat Hari Raya! Yay, I did it! Finished, now to a day I have been excited about since hearing about it in January!…Then the grand tour began as we went to five…houses… I even tried to pace myself at most houses not knowing what foods were left in store at the next house…great to see all of the families…” I really enjoyed getting the homegrown experience with my teacher. I hope to reflect upon this time which was a different type of challenge than I have tried. Whether emotional or academically or otherwise before, this new physical challenge was a great feat! I was proud and blessed to have been awarded the strength to make it through. First time, a success! There were many tough days but the reward was greater than the defeat!

Fasting during Ramadhan… tomorrow lies ahead another mystery in Malaysia. On my Malay way…

Caving with Students and Malaysian College Town: This is Perak

Left for a weekend trip to the Western regions of Malaysia knowing we might experience a different side of life than the East coast but not expecting what we found…

MORE COMING SOON

Philippino Excurtions: The Charm of Cebu and the Islands

 

When you are living abroad, having friends abroad in the same hemisphere, even in the same time zone makes you feel closer to home. My friend staying in the Philippines joked we were about to be “next door neighbors” before I left for Malaysia this year. Depending on your perspective, and proximity to home, she was right and half way through the year I finally got to visit her. After sharing my world with a friend, she got to share her world with me. What a beautiful, colorful, welcoming, warming, inviting, and friendly world to see.

    

I arrived with no plans and no idea what to expect. I usually try to be an informed traveller wherever I go but I knew I had a better-informed expert on the ground so I could just wait until I got there for a majority of the research. Being my type-A self I did do a bit of research but it was nice to go without having much homework to do for this trip. I had just come off of a long trip entertaining my friend from home in Cambodia and Malaysia for two weeks so this was very refreshing. I landed in the airport, realizing if I could not connect to WiFi that I could not contact my friend, luckily I snagged some from the airport and it all worked out. We embraced when she arrive and jumped in the taxi to begin our journey in Cebu.

 

First we went back to Rachel’s house where she has been living in the homestay for the year. The family was lovely and so hospitable to let me stay and feel welcomed there. Got to meet some special people in her life which was nice. We called it a night and were happy to just have girl time to catch up after not seeing each other for a year and not knowing much about our new foreign lives. We also last-minute decided to wake up for a 5am free dive the next morning to check out some cool fish and coral on the coast since I was certified. We only had one mask and a pair of goggles to share and got some pretty bad jellyfish stings. It all ended okay though since we followed the pain up with giant pancakes. And we did see some cool fish and coral to be fair before having to evacuate the water from stings including a school of sardines, swordfish, some other schools, and a beautiful sunrise.

After a recovery nap we took my first hubble-hubble type of bus/taxi transport to the mountains for an exploring adventure. We started with one intention in mind to ride some water slides on the mountains but since the water had been drained we took a new route to a new part of the mountain to see views and stop for some good food. We also saw a random Portuguese mansion on one of the mountains in the style of a Spanish Roman temple in homage to a man’s recently deceased wife. Rushed back to the house to change for evening yoga before salsa night with friends. Met some amazing people, had fun dancing salsa after a long hiatus, and had chips with guacamole which just made the whole night nearly perfect. Finishing the night with some of the most amazing sushi as a midnight snack before bed though really put the icing on the cake for me that night. So many good things I had been deprived of all year that I had missed so much. Besides, after that we planned a two-day trip to visit another island. A total YOLO move…

 

Woke up to catch a 9:30am ferry to reach Bohol by the early morning and arrive at our mountain view stay by the afternoon. We jumped on another hubble-hubble ride with our new friend Clifford for our quick touristy view of the island. We went from the Laboc floating river tour with amazing food and live music to seeing the famous local Tarsier (smallest primate in the world, aka my spirit animal), then to the Chocolate Hills (a geographical phenomenon that happened on top of a coral reef after much land erosion, creating miles and miles of almost 3,000 identical small hills, which turn brown during the dry season, hence the name), and finally riding off into the sunset to catch a private evening tour of firefly watching. You hop into a small boat and ride for almost two hours through the river surrounded by forest to catch glimpses of hundreds of fireflies dancing together in shapes, motions, and let your mind wander into the darkness listening to the peaceful sound of them in rhythm buzzing together all around you. One of the most amazing sights I have ever seen.

  

The next morning we spent half a day on another tour dolphin watching (following behind in a boat watching around 100 dolphins in their natural habitat feeding on their breakfast and jumping through the water), then went to a private island for lunch and a quick swim where we also did a short free snorkel to check out the preserved coral garden with stunning shapes and colors right off of the coast. They even had a vegetarian option for lunch which was a great surprise. We bought some trinkets to support the locals on the island since they live off of eco-tourism and people visiting their isolated, small island then got back to change for dinner before an evening party at a friend’s house.

  

During my last morning we stopped at two breakfast places for more of the Cebu wealth and variety of food. The second place was by far the most impressive out of all the places I ate, primarily because it exceeded my chocolate desires far more than I could have ever imagined possible before… TCC in Cebu, a privately owned chocolate shop serving all foods and drinks based in Philippines cocoa infused in various ways to make pizzas, sandwiches, cookies, coffees, and other tasty, sometimes sweet delights. We feasted on a whole meal of chocolate items and listened to my friend tell the incredible story of the owner who grew up helping cultivate cocoa which became an important source of inspiration and revenue for her family growing up. The owner then tried the sweetened version in chocolate and fell in love with the taste, inspiring her to move her and her family out of that small mountain village to one day open her own shop starting from the ground up. And she did. My friend went with her and her family to visit her home village after many years, the children not even remembering that place and seeing it in a way for them to process where they came from for the first time. It was an incredible life story to hear and the chocolate matched the passion the woman and her hard-working family seemed to pour into their work.

 

It was a bittersweet, mainly bitter goodbye not knowing when I would next see my friend. It was such a re-freshing time to be with someone from home and share another experience in Southeast Asia from a new context with her. I also almost tried to leave the country without my passport and had to have her rush it back to the airport, so, I fit in one more hug. This trip changed a lot of my perspective about this year and what could lie ahead for me. My experience in Malaysia has been unique, life-changing, and a wonderful growing experience for sure. There are however, many things from home and my usual life back in America that I have missed. Some of which, I got a taste of this past week in the Philippines.

The Philippines today, back to Malaysia tomorrow. Salamat (greeting and goodbye in the Philippines) and Selemat Malam (goodnight in Malay).