For those of you that sit at home and wonder, "what is Ellen doing today?" (though maybe some of you never do...) here is your answer!
Now that STS is on holiday I have a new routine and schedule to my days. I teach English in the mornings, to students who are staying here for holiday (ones that cannot go home to China and Myanmar). Each day I teach from 9-12:15 between the six students. I really love the small group atmosphere of it, though I still am struggling with how to fill my time outside of teaching. This week I have a Malay class in the afternoon (Saya belajar bahasa melayu tengahari ini?) so I am attempting to switch my thinking into Malay a bit. Although the timing isn't great, as now the only language the students and I have in commmon is English, so I can't practice my Malay like I could when school was in session.
The students and I have created a bit of a routine where we have class in the mornings and then eat lunch together. This lunch consists of a water-based soup, rice, meat, vegetables, and fruit, and of course, eating until all the food is gone. Today they officially invited me to eat with them everyday, which I am extremely grateful for! Even when the conversation switches to all Chinese, I still enjoy the company and the cooking. To be honest, I don't think I was ever meant to cook for myself with only a stove top-- I can probably make a total of three meals. On the list of things I miss... an oven! As well as baked goods and dairy products.
In two weeks, I'll get to try my hand at cooking again for our Thanksgiving celebration! We'll see how that one turns out. I'm hoping through my lunch dates I'll be able to learn some cooking (and then I'll be the best Asian cook in the States!). I was joking with Erika that we will forever be really strange cooks since we first learned to cook for ourselves in another country. It seems perfectly normal to me to eat a fried egg over rice with a little bit of chili sauce. Hmm...
Back to my routine... evenings are quiet here, with a lot of down time. My plan for this evening includes correcting a student's thesis paper, lesson planning for tomorrow (I still find that I can only take it one day at a time), studying Malay, and maybe a little leisure reading.
Did I answer your question? :)
I'll be posting an entry about graduation soon! Sekejap lagi!
18 November 2009
16 November 2009
pictures first, then the entry
Temburong National Park
"One Language, One Nation, One Kingdom"
The longhouse housing 16 families
The Mosque
Kampung Air, water villageYesterday I just got back from a six day trip to Brunei. Brunei is a small Muslim country, located on the island of Borneo, surrounded by Malaysia. A flight from KK to Brunei is... (drum roll please) a whole nineteen minutes!
In Brunei we (the four volunteers, Laura, our country coordinator, and I) took our first retreat and stayed with some of Laura's friends. Our main host was Isabel, a beyond-gracious host and a mother of three. She took much time away from her week to provide comfortable accommodations for us (in her late grandparents' apartment), and showing us around the city. We were in the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan.
A few tidbits about Brunei... first, because it is a majority Muslim country, the entire country is alcohol free. Also, it is a monarchy, with one of the world's richest sultans. The palace itself has over 1,300 rooms. We also learned that they use golf carts to travel around within the palace, AND there is a zoo inside. Also, Michael Jackson performed for one of the princes' eighth birthday party, but you can ask me about that story another time.
Anyway, we spent most of our week in fellowship with each other and our hosts, doing Bible studies, and sight-seeing. Brunei is a small country, so I have to say that six days is more than enough time to get a feel for the city. It was funny to go to a new country and not experience any culture shock (since it is so close to Malaysia, and we are maybe finally adjusted to Asian culture); it was nice to enjoy somewhere new. Brunei was more relaxed than East Malaysia, as well as a lot cleaner and well kept. It was also much greener and spread out.
Some highlights of the trip...
We took a water taxi through the "kampung air" (water village). Brunei has an entire community on its river. Not only are there stilt houses, but stilt schools, mosques, fire departments, and hospitals. Because so much of the city population lives on the water versus the land, the government had to adapt and provide for this. Over 30,000 residents live in the kampung air. These houses have electricity, plumbing, and some even satellite television. People with cars keep them on the land, lining the sides of the roads (giving the city almost a small town feel). This housing differs from Malaysia, where most of the people living out on the water are illegal immigrants. In general, it seems like Brunei's government wasn't really a fan of this concept because they would like the people to have land for themselves. Therefore, whenever there is a house fire or something of the sort in the kampung, the people are not allowed to rebuild their houses, but have to move onto land.
Some other things we saw included the Brunei Museum, which had a lot of Islamic art, the Omar Air Saifuddien Mosque, the six star (who knew this was possible?) Empire Hotel, and the Royal Regalia Museum. The Royal Regalia had every single thing you could ever wish to know (and see) about the Sultan-- my personal favorite: the golden hand that holds up his chin when he is crowned. Second place goes to the yellow umbrella that he uses every time he goes somewhere outside.
My favorite day though, was spent at Ulu Temburong National Park. The four girls (Kelsey, Katherine, Erika, and I) took a day trip to see the rainforest! To get to Temburong from Bandar we had to take an hour boat ride (a morning commute for the business men), a 30 minute drive, a hike, and another boat ride. I have to say though, it was totally worth it. On our way to the park we stopped at a long house. A long house is traditional housing for some of the indigenous people of Brunei and Malaysia, specifically the Murut. The long house we saw provides housing for 16 families (mostly relatives). This was used to provide safety for the tribe during the head hunter days. Now it is more of a sense of community, but once families have enough money, they usually move out of the long house. During the Harvest Festival (in May to celebrate the harvest of rice), the long house sounds like quite the place to be for the festivities and the rice wine.
Anyway, back to our day in Temburong... :) We had tea at an eco village (where they do a lot of overnight trips and camps and things), then made our way over to the park in a long boat on the river. I have to say that a river in the jungle is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen (though I kept expecting to see a deer cross the water or an eagle to fly overhead). We then proceeded to "jungle trek" through the jungle, climbing uphill towards the canopy. Once reaching the end of the trek, we had the opportunity to climb up into a canopy walkway. Despite my fear of heights, and a deterring bee sting, I made it to the top of the canopy walkway! It was a great view, and worth the scary ladder climbing. After hiking around in the top layer of the canopy, we then hiked through a stream to a waterfall, which was GORGEOUS. It was so awesome to be surrounded by these huge butterflies in the air, and refreshing to swim in the cool water. We finished the day off by floating down the river in tubes. Luckily, the current was fairly strong in spots with even a few rapids, so we enjoyed the trip immensely. I think it was one of my favorite days in Southeast Asia in general!
While all the sightseeing was great, I also just enjoyed spending time in Brunei. It was so great to get to know the other volunteers better and laugh and joke around. Also, we spent some time with two families in particular, and it was so wonderful to have dinner at someone's house, or take the kids to the local pool, or teach them how to play Skip-bo and Spoons in exchange for learning how to count to ten in Chinese. It's a funny sense of home to know you have friends in other countries.
I'll finish with just a few photos of the trip, to give you a glimpse! As always, thanks for reading.
06 November 2009
Shopping malls
I decided I am going to try and give you a glimpse into one of the many sights and attractions in Sabah.
Today's topic-- shopping malls.
For the avid shopper, you will not be disappointed in KK. There are malls pretty much everywhere, and more in the works. In walking distance alone, I can reach three malls. Maybe four. And let's not forget that KK is now home to the world's largest hypermall, available by free shuttle.
While you may feel that you have your choices of shops and malls, you may, however, not be ready to shop.
Even after shopping three or four times, I still find shopping to be a stressful experience. There are people everywhere, floors and floors of stores, flashing lights, loud music, food stands, and every shop imaginable.
Then once inside a store, it is even more overwhelming. The tiny aisles, the overflowing racks of mismatched clothes, and the random assortment of items are a store attendant's worst nightmare. To give you a perspective, maybe walk into the teen store "Forever 21" in the States, and times that by four. Atleast.
Needless to say, shopping is a very popular activity here. And quite the cultural experience. I have to say that I prefer to hit up the grocery store and the occasional market, and then make my way home.
On a more serious note, lately I have been reading an excellent book called "Beyond the White Noise: Mission in a Multicultural World." The author, Tom Montgomery-Fate, writes of his experiences as a missionary in the Philippines. He too, discusses malls in his writing. I'm not an expert on Malaysia's situation, so I cannot say how close this is to being equally true here, but I have felt these elements at times. It is hard, to say the least, to see a new mall being built next to the shack homes of numerous illegal immigrants.
He writes:
"I had been to SM Megamall and two other malls during our orientation and language study in Manila. SM City, the mall nearest our apartment, was the most interesting and disturbing, because of its location near a large squatter community. Before arriving, as I peered through the front window of the Monumento bus, through the black clouds of diesel exhaust, I would see the mall slowly materialize from a hot, wavy mirage into an imposing palace of cool, white granite: an island of wealth surrounded by sprawling poverty, by packs of street children and dogs straying in the dust, scrounging for scraps of food and hope.
Like malls in the U.S., Philippine malls are timeless, Muzak-filled escapes from the real world. Cool, controlled environments tailored to rapidly quench bodily and material thirsts without distraction. They are three times as crowded as U.S. malls. This may be because nearly two-thirds of all Filipinos live below the poverty line. There is more physical hardship, but fewer places to escape the grind of daily life-- fewer public oases.
The best part is that it's free. A free escape and free entertainment. Any who the armed entrance guards consider appropriately dressed can enjoy the air conditioning, ride the glass elevators, smell the bread in the French bakery, wander through rows and rows of imported underwear and polo shirts, and stay as long as they like."
Today's topic-- shopping malls.
For the avid shopper, you will not be disappointed in KK. There are malls pretty much everywhere, and more in the works. In walking distance alone, I can reach three malls. Maybe four. And let's not forget that KK is now home to the world's largest hypermall, available by free shuttle.
While you may feel that you have your choices of shops and malls, you may, however, not be ready to shop.
Even after shopping three or four times, I still find shopping to be a stressful experience. There are people everywhere, floors and floors of stores, flashing lights, loud music, food stands, and every shop imaginable.
Then once inside a store, it is even more overwhelming. The tiny aisles, the overflowing racks of mismatched clothes, and the random assortment of items are a store attendant's worst nightmare. To give you a perspective, maybe walk into the teen store "Forever 21" in the States, and times that by four. Atleast.
Needless to say, shopping is a very popular activity here. And quite the cultural experience. I have to say that I prefer to hit up the grocery store and the occasional market, and then make my way home.
On a more serious note, lately I have been reading an excellent book called "Beyond the White Noise: Mission in a Multicultural World." The author, Tom Montgomery-Fate, writes of his experiences as a missionary in the Philippines. He too, discusses malls in his writing. I'm not an expert on Malaysia's situation, so I cannot say how close this is to being equally true here, but I have felt these elements at times. It is hard, to say the least, to see a new mall being built next to the shack homes of numerous illegal immigrants.
He writes:
"I had been to SM Megamall and two other malls during our orientation and language study in Manila. SM City, the mall nearest our apartment, was the most interesting and disturbing, because of its location near a large squatter community. Before arriving, as I peered through the front window of the Monumento bus, through the black clouds of diesel exhaust, I would see the mall slowly materialize from a hot, wavy mirage into an imposing palace of cool, white granite: an island of wealth surrounded by sprawling poverty, by packs of street children and dogs straying in the dust, scrounging for scraps of food and hope.
Like malls in the U.S., Philippine malls are timeless, Muzak-filled escapes from the real world. Cool, controlled environments tailored to rapidly quench bodily and material thirsts without distraction. They are three times as crowded as U.S. malls. This may be because nearly two-thirds of all Filipinos live below the poverty line. There is more physical hardship, but fewer places to escape the grind of daily life-- fewer public oases.
The best part is that it's free. A free escape and free entertainment. Any who the armed entrance guards consider appropriately dressed can enjoy the air conditioning, ride the glass elevators, smell the bread in the French bakery, wander through rows and rows of imported underwear and polo shirts, and stay as long as they like."
01 November 2009
It's been a while...
And sorry to disappoint, but this isn't going to be much of an update. More updates (and a newsletter!) to come soon.
Tonight I just wanted to post part of a blessing that a volunteer passed onto me. I think it's reassuring to remind ourselves, and truly believe, that what we do in life has a purpose, and that we can make a difference (no matter which country or community we are in).
May God bless you with discomfort... at easy answers, hard hearts, half-truths, and superficial relationships.
May God bless you so that you may live from deep within your heart where God's Spirit dwells.
May God bless you with anger... at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people.
May God bless you so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears... to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war.
May God bless you so that you comfort them and turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world and in your community, so that you will courageously try what you don't think you can do, but, in Jesus Christ you'll have the strength necessary to do.
And sorry to disappoint, but this isn't going to be much of an update. More updates (and a newsletter!) to come soon.
Tonight I just wanted to post part of a blessing that a volunteer passed onto me. I think it's reassuring to remind ourselves, and truly believe, that what we do in life has a purpose, and that we can make a difference (no matter which country or community we are in).
May God bless you with discomfort... at easy answers, hard hearts, half-truths, and superficial relationships.
May God bless you so that you may live from deep within your heart where God's Spirit dwells.
May God bless you with anger... at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people.
May God bless you so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears... to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war.
May God bless you so that you comfort them and turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world and in your community, so that you will courageously try what you don't think you can do, but, in Jesus Christ you'll have the strength necessary to do.
12 October 2009
21 things...
...(and a few more) that you might learn after living in Malaysia for a month.
1.) Malaysians don’t like hot weather
2.) If not chopsticks, utensils include a fork and a spoon. Have fun cutting your meat.
3.) Table manners are flexible-- though you should always excuse yourself from the table.
4.) It is unclear if toilet paper can be flushed, but to be on the safe side, I’d say don’t do it.
5.) Dinner is at 6, Supper is at 9
6.) You are a proud member of the clean plate club at every meal.
7.) Nothing is too spicy.
8.) After lunch it’s time to rest and shower
9.) Carry your own toilet paper
10.) When entering a home, take your shoes off outside of the door
11.) Texting is very common among all ages- “I’ll SMS you”
12.) Common phrases include take some more, it’s okay for you?, you like? And if the answer is yes, take some more
13.) Roommates include ants, geckos, and cockroaches
14.) Never leave the house without closing your windows
15.) Twenty minutes is far away, especially if you were planning on walking
16.) If you receive a bowl of hot water at a restaurant, it’s for washing your utensils
17.) “lah” is added on to most words, as in okay-lah?
18.) Need a napkin? Ask for a tissue.
19.) Never leave the house without an umbrella
20.) Showering multiple times a day is the norm
21.) Do not be late for meals, even by a few minutes, you’ll miss the prayer and the food might be gone
22.) A bowl is better than a plate
23.) Need to dry your clothes? Hang it on the line.
1.) Malaysians don’t like hot weather
2.) If not chopsticks, utensils include a fork and a spoon. Have fun cutting your meat.
3.) Table manners are flexible-- though you should always excuse yourself from the table.
4.) It is unclear if toilet paper can be flushed, but to be on the safe side, I’d say don’t do it.
5.) Dinner is at 6, Supper is at 9
6.) You are a proud member of the clean plate club at every meal.
7.) Nothing is too spicy.
8.) After lunch it’s time to rest and shower
9.) Carry your own toilet paper
10.) When entering a home, take your shoes off outside of the door
11.) Texting is very common among all ages- “I’ll SMS you”
12.) Common phrases include take some more, it’s okay for you?, you like? And if the answer is yes, take some more
13.) Roommates include ants, geckos, and cockroaches
14.) Never leave the house without closing your windows
15.) Twenty minutes is far away, especially if you were planning on walking
16.) If you receive a bowl of hot water at a restaurant, it’s for washing your utensils
17.) “lah” is added on to most words, as in okay-lah?
18.) Need a napkin? Ask for a tissue.
19.) Never leave the house without an umbrella
20.) Showering multiple times a day is the norm
21.) Do not be late for meals, even by a few minutes, you’ll miss the prayer and the food might be gone
22.) A bowl is better than a plate
23.) Need to dry your clothes? Hang it on the line.
07 October 2009
a successful week
I've finally taken the time to update my blog and make some changes. I hope you enjoy the pictures, and now you should be able to leave comments without having a google account. Hopefully a few more changes on the way...
This morning I woke up to an utter downpour. Rain here is cooling and refreshing, but heavy. I wanted to lay in bed all day just listening to the sheets of rain, but I trekked through the rain over to the seminary.
Wednesdays are my down day, as I have no classes to teach. I have office hours in the morning, so I spend my time grading papers and preparing lessons. Today I am excited, because I have an outing! There is a break in the day from 12:30-2 (the hottest part of the day). During this time today, one of my students is taking me out to the tailor to have a skirt made out of some traditional fabric that was given to me, and we are also getting lunch. Even though she was asked by my country coordinator to drive me (as I have no car), I am looking forward to this time of just hanging out.
A few things I've accomplished or experienced in the last week that I consider a success, whether small or large--
- Joined the choir
Yes, after three years of not singing, I am back to it. It's true, music is one thing that doesn't really stop being a part of you, and I'm already enjoying it. The choir is a bit motley, as there are so many men (a choir director's dream!). To make up for the overabundance, all the women are first sopranos, and the alto section is men. However, I find that most people do not read music, and rhythm is quite difficult. The choir sings in English, Malay, and Chinese. On my first day, after being welcomed, I immediately was asked to read the English translations. Right now we are working on the Hallelujah chorus which we'll sing for the opening of the new building next year. A great piece, but difficult, and I do have to say I am nervous we won't be ready in time...
- Found the library, post office, and the store
And all within walking distance! Now the next step is investigating the library and seeing if a library card is worth the 50 RM (approx. $14). Also, this is good news for letters, because then they hopefully won't sit on my table for two weeks before they are mailed.
- Made an acquaintence with one of the professors
This isn't exactly an easy task as everyone has their own schedules and agendas, and to be honest, I'm only 23 and not actually a seminary professor (contrary to popular belief). However, Jacob and I went over to one of the international professors' house, and it was great to just talk freely about our observations and experiences in Malaysia. Unfortunately, he'll be leaving in November to take a new teaching position in Costa Rica, but we'll hopefully be attending an Anglican church service with him in a few weeks, so that will be a good experience. I think the Anglican church here follows more of the traditional service that us midwest lutherans are used to.
- Had weeknight plans
There is a young adults group at one of the volunteers' churches, so last week Monday I had plans! This is very exciting news, and we enjoyed a good dinner and time of fellowship. Hopefully this is a group of people I can get to know and hang out with a bit more often.
Hm, I think that's about it for now, but I'm sure there will be future additions of little victories to celebrate. Hope all is well.
This morning I woke up to an utter downpour. Rain here is cooling and refreshing, but heavy. I wanted to lay in bed all day just listening to the sheets of rain, but I trekked through the rain over to the seminary.
Wednesdays are my down day, as I have no classes to teach. I have office hours in the morning, so I spend my time grading papers and preparing lessons. Today I am excited, because I have an outing! There is a break in the day from 12:30-2 (the hottest part of the day). During this time today, one of my students is taking me out to the tailor to have a skirt made out of some traditional fabric that was given to me, and we are also getting lunch. Even though she was asked by my country coordinator to drive me (as I have no car), I am looking forward to this time of just hanging out.
A few things I've accomplished or experienced in the last week that I consider a success, whether small or large--
- Joined the choir
Yes, after three years of not singing, I am back to it. It's true, music is one thing that doesn't really stop being a part of you, and I'm already enjoying it. The choir is a bit motley, as there are so many men (a choir director's dream!). To make up for the overabundance, all the women are first sopranos, and the alto section is men. However, I find that most people do not read music, and rhythm is quite difficult. The choir sings in English, Malay, and Chinese. On my first day, after being welcomed, I immediately was asked to read the English translations. Right now we are working on the Hallelujah chorus which we'll sing for the opening of the new building next year. A great piece, but difficult, and I do have to say I am nervous we won't be ready in time...
- Found the library, post office, and the store
And all within walking distance! Now the next step is investigating the library and seeing if a library card is worth the 50 RM (approx. $14). Also, this is good news for letters, because then they hopefully won't sit on my table for two weeks before they are mailed.
- Made an acquaintence with one of the professors
This isn't exactly an easy task as everyone has their own schedules and agendas, and to be honest, I'm only 23 and not actually a seminary professor (contrary to popular belief). However, Jacob and I went over to one of the international professors' house, and it was great to just talk freely about our observations and experiences in Malaysia. Unfortunately, he'll be leaving in November to take a new teaching position in Costa Rica, but we'll hopefully be attending an Anglican church service with him in a few weeks, so that will be a good experience. I think the Anglican church here follows more of the traditional service that us midwest lutherans are used to.
- Had weeknight plans
There is a young adults group at one of the volunteers' churches, so last week Monday I had plans! This is very exciting news, and we enjoyed a good dinner and time of fellowship. Hopefully this is a group of people I can get to know and hang out with a bit more often.
Hm, I think that's about it for now, but I'm sure there will be future additions of little victories to celebrate. Hope all is well.
06 October 2009
a little lantern festival
I think the best way to describe this weekend's mooncake festival is through a few photos! This was my favorite part of the evening; walking with the lanterns. Even though it didn't include any candy or costumes, like halloween, it was so much fun! Enjoy!
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