Development Seminar

The other day, a friend and I were able to do a training in principles of development for about 20 college students interested to varying extents in community work. I taught the concept of 'holistic health' in order to make them aware that just because someone is healthy physically doesn't mean that they are healthy socially, emotionally, and spiritually. If we only focus on one aspect of health, real development won't happen. We defined good health as harmony with God, self, others, and the environment. Developing a community will require focus on restoring harmony in all these areas. I was able to explain how in the beginning there was harmony, how harmony was broken, and then we discussed how to restore it. In the photo you can see a small group discussion taking place about how what it means to live in harmony with God, self, others, and the environment and how to obtain it. The learners were enthusiastic and I hope things from our conversation will stick and that I will be able to follow up with them.

Ice? Skating?

No one had ever seen so much ice before, let alone strapped blades on their feet to stagger around on top of it, until... it came. The people from the other island, the modern one, brought it over one day and just plopped it down in the middle of our shopping center and then started charging people to enter and perpetually fall on their backsides. At first, most just looked on from the outside while the brave few entered into the slippery zone of wonder for approximately $2.50 per hour. Now it's 2 months later and some folks are really getting the hang of it, including some of my staff from the language school who have caught the bug and can't get enough. It has been a bright spot for me these last couple of months, however, the people from the other island say we have until February before they pack it up and take it home from whence it came. We'll just have to enjoy it while it lasts and hope they change their mind...

Visa Run

Every once in a while when living abroad, your permission to be in the country in which you abide will expire. At this point it often becomes imperative to leave the country in order to apply for permission again. This event is commonly known as a "visa run". It normally takes a few days. I am currently on a visa run. The only international direct flight from where I live is to Kuala Lumpur so it was somewhat of a no-brainer as to where I would go. Did you know that "Kuala Lumpur" can be roughly translated as "River Mouth of Mud"?

Now, I don't have much time to write this post, so I'm just going to post a smattering of photos illustrating the day's activities.

Visited a Buddhist temple...


Got pictures with our respective animal counterparts according to the Chinese zodiac (oh yeah, I ended up with some travel companions... long story)...


We went to one of the many huge malls...

We (2 Hindus, 2 Buddhists, and 2 Christians) visited a famous mosque...

Saw the Petronas Towers (former largest buildings in the world) by night...

And the best part of any trip... eating food...

Thosai...


Roti Canai...


Kwetiau...

Satay...

Did not try...



The end...

Asia's Amish

Some people are isolated because of geographical issues while others cut themselves off purely by choice. A few weeks ago, myself and some other language school staff took our language and culture students to see an example of the latter. Not only does this tribe reject all things modern, but they also have a dress code. Even visitors to their area must wear black or white and are required to take their shoes off before entering their borders... which is fairly inconvenient considering the 3/4 mile walk from the border to the settlement is over a pointy stone laden path...

So, after the painful trek, we were invited into a house where all the leaders were meeting. We were given an opportunity to ask questions about their culture through one of our friends who speaks the local dialect. This particular village is known for their strong links to black magic, but they were very secretive on the topic. We were warned to be very quiet and very polite the as long as we were on their land. My friends told stories of people who were disrespectful there and either got their heads shrunk or ended up walking in circles for days upon trying to exit the village. Below is a picture of our group...


Apart from the one at the very top of this post, we weren't really able to get any pictures of the villagers as the chief told us that is forbidden to take photos of them after noon. I guess we came at the wrong time.

Teaching and Learning

A month or two ago I started doing an evening English conversation class with some of the university students. I don't charge anything, but I do require them to bring me food. It is the ideal arrangement.


When you start to get to know people, however, a lot of times they start inviting you to do the things with them that they like to do. Even if that includes things like corporate aerobics at 6 AM on Sundays. I'm not really one to reject an invitation.


Every week they pack out this "city square" sort of area near the beach and break out the music and sweatsuits. I may have been the only white guy, but I was certainly NOT the only one completely lost during the routine. I guess as long as you're moving that's all that really matters right?

Making a Language Course

One of my recent activities has been building a new language program for foreigners from scratch to be used by the university that sponsors me. There are little to no culture and language acquisition programs in the city, and that presents a good opportunity for both the university and for foreigners interested in working short or long term in the area. The course is designed to accommodate the desired timetable of the learner who may be a professional, a tourist, or a student looking to get anywhere from 2 weeks to 1 and a half years worth of language.

It's actually been quite fun and beneficial for me. First of all, I really enjoy language and have often thought it would be a neat and challenging task to develop curriculum. Now I'm able to get experience doing so. Secondly, I have been able to meet many people in the process and build rapport in the educational community. Lastly, getting to know the people I have been working with has been a joy. Below are some pictures of our curriculum development team...

And the first class in action...

Di Pantai... (at the beach)

I've been trying to get to know some people around here. Right now I'm volunteering at the language center for the local university and a middle school teacher that I met there invited me to the beach for an outing with his class and some friends. It rained the whole day, but it was pretty fun anyway.

One thing about being invited places here is that you're never really sure what you should wear. Going to the beach one would think bathing suit... towel... sunscreen. Well, none of those things were to be seen on this particular day at the beach. The more conservative culture here opts for things like jeans and t-shirts instead. I actually felt really quite wrong dipping into the ocean with my levi's on, but I kind of got used to it by the end. And after I thought about it, I was glad that t-shirts were the rule of thumb... it really spared some shock for the folks around here who aren't accustomed to seeing excessive white and hairy-ness. I believe many lives were spared today.


Anyways, before heading to the beach that morning we had a traditional breakfast food called "bubur ayam". It is basically overcooked rice served drenched and drowning in it's own mushyness mixed with some other stuff like chicken and green onions




I actually feel blessed to have met these people and I'm hoping the relationships continue. This weekend I'm headed to one's home area so that'll be cool and it'll be my first time leaving the city since moving here. Looking forward to that...