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DOMEX: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Our Own Backyard
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Domestic Exchange (DOMEX) Program was launched in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary of AFS Malaysia. DOMEX is a new program which is a 5-day festival exchange program for Malaysian participants to stay with a host family and experience what it is like to be a Malaysian from the perspective of others. During the program, participants take part in cultural activities and learn more about the religions, culture, practices, aspirations and value systems within the diverse communities that Malaysia has to offer. During the pilot period, four DOMEX cycles took place in conjunction with main festivals in Malaysia. Each cycle includes pre and post program orientation in order to discuss experiences and extract learnings. The program was launched with Deepavali celebrations, followed by Christmas in Ipoh, Perak and Chinese New Year in Kuantan, Pahang. The final cycle of DOMEX will be for the celebration of Hari Raya. Following the launching of the program during the 60th Anniversary Gala Dinner, five participants from Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Sarawak and Selangor embarked on their five-day journey in Ipoh, Perak in November 2018. AFS Perak Chapter planned many activities for the participants
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post-mortem session with the participants
which included attending open houses, hitea with the chapter and other social events. Some of the things they did with the host family included having a henna night, making kolam decorations, preparing for Deepavali, cooking delicious meals, visiting the temple and visiting friends and family. The next DOMEX cycle took place in December 2018 with another five participants from Kelantan, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor who spent five days in Ipoh, Perak to celebrate Christmas. This time around, the program included an interfaith and cultural walk in which they visited various religious and historical sites in Ipoh. DOMEX participants also had the chance to attend a Christmas mass at Church, bake Christmas cookies, exchange presents, visit a night safari at Taiping Zoo and spent quality time with their host family. The most recent DOMEX cycle took place in conjunction with Chinese New Year in Kuantan, Pahang in February 2019 which involved four participants from Kelantan, Johor, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. This DOMEX cycle Deepavali in Perak included a community service element in which participants volunteered at an old folks’ home during Chinese New Year. Besides that, Pahang Chapter organized activities such as baking kuih kapit, visiting a church to watch a lion dance performance, organizing a Chinese New Year dinner and lunch and activities at Sungai Lembing so that participants get to learn more about the history of Kuantan and what the state has to offer.
Christmas celebration in Perak
Chinese New Year in Pahang 5
FOCUS
CP Meeting: Taking Stock at Chapter Presidents Meeting
By: Annie Yap
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hapter Presidents agreed to focus on more aggressive roadshow promotions and an effective marketing plan at the 2nd CP Meeting of the year recently.
A Chapter Presidents Meeting held in the afternoon raised issues like student allocations to chapters, DOMEX festival hosting, and the stringent YES Selection criteria. It concluded with a plan to have an ICL Level 1 Workshop done on a big scale in 2019. A Farewell Dinner followed in the evening, with the usual fun and games and performances, including insightful speeches by host students and families.
During the three-day event, National Office department heads discussed and shared 2019’s strategic plan and brainstormed with chapters on overcoming challenges faced by The final day featured a session by ex-staff and the organization in view of drastically reduced also ICL expert, Suyin, who touched on the topic program numbers. of understanding the millennials of today. There was a general consensus that younger volunteers On Day 2, newly minted Board Member, Mr. must be included in chapter management and Elangeshwaran Muthusamy conducted a that any generational gap can be bridged using half- day session called “Coffee with ME” (a ICL as a framework. Senior chapter leaders were moniker for Mr. Elangeshwaran). Consisting awed by the capabilities of the young adults in of teambuilding and ice breaking sessions, he the room and were inspired by their capacity managed to draw participants out to share and to fulfill tasks albeit “in their own way”. Overall, give suggestions on how to build a motivated everyone acknowledged that young volunteers working relationship between volunteers and are an integral part of everyday volunteering at NO staff. AFS and should strive more for their inclusion. 6
First AFS Club at University By: Lavania Somasundram
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unway University has set a record of being programmes and scholarships to Sunway the first tertiary institution in Malaysia to College, Sunway International School and other establish an intercultural club. students and collaborate with other clubs/ societies and NGOs. The AFS Club is open to non-returnees and the university’s international students with the “We are going to collaborate with other clubs purpose of bringing together people of various and societies around the campus and organize ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds and impactful events in the future to show AFS sharing with them the values and mission of is much more than just sending students for AFS. The club aims to celebrate similarities and cultural exchanges and providing volunteering respect differences via committed volunteerism, opportunities. Not only that, being the first intercultural activities and exchanges. university to have an AFS club, we hope to empower people of all ages and backgrounds According to the club’s president and AFS with essential intercultural knowledge, skills returnee, Lavania Somasundram, the AFS Club and understanding as global competence hopes to broaden students’ perspectives, is fundamental to building just and peaceful enhance their soft skills, provide a platform societies,” she added. for networking purposes, promote exchange
Top: Recruitement for new club members Top left and left: The launch of AFS Club in Sunway by YAM Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, Tunku Ali Redhauddin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz, the Chairperson and Board of Trustees for Teach for Malaysia.
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FOCUS
Promoting Educator Exchanges with India
By: Khalilah Talha
and educators. “We need to step up our FS India is ever ready to accept volunteers, programs with each other and, to do this, we staff and educators for an exchange need to interact with each other more,� she experience in the subcontinent that has the emphasised in her opening speech at the Board Interaction session. most populous democracy in the world.
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This open invitation was issued to all AAI Partner Board member Siddaharth Singh who is countries at a recent meeting and special interaction Principal of the Emerald Heights International School in Indore, personally issued an with AFS India Board members in New Delhi. invitation to educators interested to AAI President and AFS India Chair Angela Royes said experience Indian high school teaching at AAI Partner Countries must do more to encourage its sprawling property in Indore. The private intra-AAI exchanges among staff, volunteers school is ranked second best Co-Ed day cum boarding school in India where modern, stateof-the-art facilities are offered. These include an Olympic size swimming pool, shooting range, smart classrooms, robotics lab and a Career Centre. On campus accommodation is also available for educators.
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AAI Partner Chairs were invited to the weekend retreat hosted by AFS India. They were also taken on a visit to Delhi International School to observe the school facilities, teaching staff and ambiance with a view of promoting the school to students of AAI countries for an exchange experience.
To the Land Below the Wind in “Search� of AFS Volunteers By: Annie Yap
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he trip to Kota Kinabalu was initiated by a Sabah returnee to the US from the 1990s, who is now working in the Ministry of Education. A group of educators had expressed interest to be AFS volunteers in Sabah with a view to setting up a chapter there. The returnee, Daniel Yap, went along to do the introductions and to act as a bridge between the new-found volunteers and National Office. Coincidentally, another returnee previously based in KL had just relocated to Kota Kinabalu. Nina Othman was at the airport to greet us and we adjourned to a sumptuous tom yum lunch, prepared ala Sabah style. A fruitful meeting followed on the possibility of hosting short programs and even the Domestic Exchange in Sabah. Later in the evening, we got to meet up with the educators consisting of school teachers and a university lecturer. Being state level interviewers before, they had seen the benefits of the program and how it impacted the students before and after participation. Slowly but surely it had gained their trust and belief in the AFS Program and hence the enthusiasm of becoming fullfledged volunteers. The meeting started with an ice breaking session and self-introduction all around. A slideshow on Volunteer Induction which covered the commitments of being a volunteer was presented and a Q & A session saw them eagerly asking questions to find out more on Roadshow recruitment as well as interviewing skills. The night ended with them pledging to increase the applications from Sabah and Daniel to seek the cooperation of the State Education Director to allow roadshows in schools. If all goes as planned, we should see a new chapter in our midst by the second half of 2019!
Going through the Volunteer Induction with Sabah volunteers
With some of the awesome volunteers in Kota Kinabalu
Presenting Appreciation Certificate for volunteering at State Level Interview forSabah
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Farewell Dinner SH18: Thanks for the Memories
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riends, families, CPOs, schools and activities were the highlights in speeches made by outgoing AFS participants at a farewell dinner held in their honour recently. Speaking for the hosted students were Kaho Asao from Japan and Sebastian Kociok from Germany spoke on behalf of 18+ participants. They shared how strangers had become friends and how destinations on a map had now become meaningful places that created special memories for them. “Through the program, I got to make many new friends. By talking to them, I gained more confidence. Whenever I talk to them about host family or host school, they always give me good advice,� said Kaho. Regardless of the early challenges of culture shock, home sickness and language barrier, they embraced them all as a part of life. “Despite not knowing me well yet, they brought me Performances from school based students and 18+ participants along to join them for their leisure activities entertaining all guests for the night and introducing me to all their friends. This 10
Sebastian Kociok (Germany) and Kaho Asao (Japan) delivering their speeches on behalf of other students and participants
From above far left: A dance performance by Male and Female Best dreesed Award winners Hiroaki and Malin Above: Yurika Ota (Best Student), Sebastian Kociok (Best Participant) Left: Host family representative, Puan Wan Rahiza Wan Zainuddin from Negeri Sembilan Chapter sharing her experience
showed me that many people are hospitable, and they care about your well-being. During this time, I learned to be more open and sensitive to people from other cultures. Ultimately, we are all humans with our own interests and dreams,� added Sebastian.
Although many expressed sadness at leaving the country they had come to love and call their second home, they agreed that, “the world is small and sooner or later we shall meet again!� All participants and their families received certificates
and tokens of appreciation from AFS Malaysia and guests were treated to special performances from students and participants throughout the evening. Awards were also given to Malin Esseln for Best Dressed Female and Hiroaki Okabe For Best Dressed Male at the Bollywood themed night.
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Empowering Persons with Disabilities By: Celine Lean Yew Lin
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ince 1992, the United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities has been annually observed on 3 December around the world. In celebration of this year’s IDPD, YES Alumni Malaysia organised ‘Inclusive Society: Look at our Abilities, Not Disability’ (ISLAND) Regional Conference to provide a platform for YES alumni from the South-East Asian region to share, learn, and better understand and brainstorm ideas to address issues surrounding persons with Participants were having a video conference session with MIUSA disabilities in their local communities. Of the 20 participants, three were from Thailand, four each from Indonesia and the Philippines, and nine from Malaysia. Two of the participants were alumni with disability — Ernest Teoh (a Malaysian YES ’18 alum, who is blind) and Qurrata A’yuna Adrianus (an Indonesian YES ’14 alum, who is a wheelchair user). The seeds of the ISLAND Regional Conference was first conceived by YES ’14 alumna, Celine Lean, when she attended the YES Alumni Social Entrepreneur (Change-Makers) Workshop in Alexandria, Virginia, in March 2018. As an alum with disability herself, Celine is highly passionate about the rights of persons with disabilities and strives for a society fully inclusive of persons with disabilities. It goes without saying that her greatest inspirations came from her American exchange experience. The inspiration for the Conference’s theme came from Robert M. Hensel’s famous quote, “Know me for my abilities, not my disability”. It is also worth pointing out the witty irony of the acronym, “ISLAND” — ironic because of John Donne’s resonating aphorism, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main,” — thus, persons with disabilities too are “part of the main” and, therefore, should be fully included in society; a bold irony that is a loud calling for action. The first day session saw participants conducting a half hour presentation on the state of persons with 12
Ernest giving his best shot for the opening of the night
disabilities and their rights in their respective local communities. During each presentation, other participants asked question that helped them better comprehend and learn and made comparisons amongst their communities. In a stereotype breaking session, they explored the various misconceptions towards persons with disabilities and debated the causes and how best to address such stereotypes. The biggest takeaway from this session was “Ask? Yes. Assume? No.” And ‘#JustAskDon’tGrab’, which were frequently brought up throughout the conference during discussions. The forum proper began on the second day in which the first part discussed issues surrounding visible disabilities. The panelists — all of whom are prominent advocates for disability rights — were Prof. Dr. Ruzita Mohd Amin (a lecturer
from International Islamic University Malaysia, who is a wheelchair-user); Mr. Faiz Shuhaimi (a youth volunteer and advocate, who is hard-ofhearing); and Ms. Amanda Kong (a lawyer, who is blind). The second part of the forum took place after lunch, this time discussing issues surrounding learning disabilities. The panelists — once again comprising disability rights advocates — were Dr. Daniel Leong (a former lecturer in the field of special education, who so happens to be autistic); Mr. Fazri Hassan (a teacher of primary school children with learning disabilities, and a YES ’11 alum); and Ms. Puteri Farhana Dato Megat Ahmad Shahrani (a strong advocate for autism awareness, whose brother has severe autism). Despite each forum lasting approximately two and a half hours, the participants felt it was not nearly enough time, for they were all highly intrigued and had many questions. Both forums were aired live on Instagram. Other YES alumni not involved in the Conference were also welcomed to attend as part of the audience.
Attendees were able to have some meaningful conversations with advocates for the PWD Community through the forums.
The next session that followed was to aid the participants in digesting all that they have learnt from the forums — though they thought it overwhelming, the session helped put together all that the participants had learnt so far and enabled them to begin forming ideas on action plans. That evening, the organizing team took participants on a cultural outing around Kuala Participants from the Philippine sharing their projects and Lumpur. Far from merely feasting on the joys ideas towards building a more inclusive society of the city, the participants were tasked to observe anything that were either inclusive of persons with disabilities or exclusive. Some of the observations made included inaccessible staircases in newly opened and popular tourist sites, poorly maintained and inadequate tactile pavements, and an airlift for wheelchair-users that were not available in some of the participant countries. The next day was the actual International Day of Persons with Disabilities. After morning reflections, participants settled in for a video conference session with Mobility International USA (MIUSA) via Zoom. The three representatives of MIUSA — Cindy Lewis,
Cultural outing around Kuala Lumpur!
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FOCUS Justin Harford, and Olivia Hardin — all of whom dedicated their Sunday evening to spending time with the participants, shared inspiring and thoughtprovoking details about advancing disability rights and building community actions. The participants then explored possibilities and the different types of actions — passive, active, or proactive — that could be taken. After lunch, all participants had brainstorming sessions to put into plan their very own projects that would promote the rights of persons with disabilities. Each participant was to come up with at least one short-term action and one long-run action. YES ’17 alumna, Umi Nabila Mat Yusuf, then guided participants through some steps that would be helpful for them when putting their ideas into action, especially where the short-run projects are concerned. Nabila adopted the model she had recently learnt from the YES Alumni Training of Trainers workshop she attended in Egypt. Later that evening, a grand dinner was arranged Ernest (Above) and A’yuna (below) shared with us the which was attended by Dean Thompson, Deputy most insightful opinions and ideas of improvements as Chief of Mission and second to the US Ambassador; persons with disabilities themselves his spouse, Jane Thompson, who has had over a quarter of a century’s experience advocating for and working with children with disabilities; Dr. Mohd Nor Azman Hassan, representing the Malaysian Minister of Education, Khalilah Dato’ Mohd Talha, National Chairperson of AFS Malaysia; Atty Sulaiman, National Director of AFS Malaysia, AFS Malaysia staff members, and members of YES Alumni Malaysia. As the opening gimmick, Ernest Teoh performed a set of awe-inspiring music with his violin. Guests were also entertained to performances from each participant country. Time to examine where we are in building a more
On the final day of the conference, participants inclusive society presented their proposed projects and ideas, followed by discussions, Q&A and suggestions for improvement. Some of the more intriguing ideas are conducting disability awareness workshops in high schools; penning novels and children’s books that feature protagonists with disabilities to raise awareness and setting up support systems to enable students with disabilities to have access to the YES program. At the closing ceremony, each participant received a certificate of completion. And there was a gift exchange moment, forging greater memories among the participants and bonding them even closer together. Official launching of the dinner by our VIPs 14
Ismael Ma’s Life Through the Lenses By: Shaun Yeoh
The YES Committee’s newly-minted Public Relations and Media Director, Shaun Yeoh, t was an eye-opening and inspirational made the trip down from Penang to take part in evening at The Co. Bangsar when many of the Leadership Encounter Series. Being 18 years our YES Alumni were able to meet Ismael old and interested in photography/videography Ma (AFS Egypt Returnee, Sony Ambassador, just like Ismael a decade back, it was a fruitful Photographer and Producer at Pinang Films) discussion on gears, cameras and improving the through the AFS Leader Encounter Series. YES/AFS media scene through these means.
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Ismael narrated his journey in discovering his passion for photography. Having received his first ever camera over a decade ago, his exchange experience in Egypt was the first step of his photography career. The quality of those early photos was suspect according to Ismael (who did not show any of them to the audience) but he would later on explore photography in Hawaii while doing his degree there. These photos were shared with the audience who gaped in awe at Ismael’s skill in capturing beautiful mountain ranges, lush greenery, oceanic views and longexposure astrophotography. A failed work visa application ultimately led Ismael to leave the US to pursue photography elsewhere. New Zealand, China and India turned out to be just a few of the places Ismael travelled to while working with AirAsia on their “Through the Lens” campaign. Now back in Malaysia, Ismael is a Sony Ambassador and works with Pinang Films where he is able to do projects with Sharing his experiences to the audiences good friend and YES 09 returnee Jim Chua.
An appreciation token from AFS Malaysia
Mingle around with the others returnees
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CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS Perak Last December, Perak chapter hosted Christmas for DOMEX. Five participants participated in Christmas related activities like trimming the Christmas tree, making cookies and gift wrapping. Early February, a Pongal festival celebration was held for host students and 18+ participants. This four-day festival of thanksgiving to nature takes its name from the Tamil word meaning “to boil� and is held in the month of Thai (15 Jan-15 Feb). Perak chapter conducted their State Level Interviews also in February, which saw 47 applicants from Perak taking part.
Ampang Ampang kick started 2019-chapter activities by holding a Mandarin and Chinese New Year culture class. They also had fun making vegan wanton soup dumplings! Apart from learning Chinese culture, students also had an opportunity to learn about Hindu culture in Ampang and celebrated Thaipusam at Batu Caves. As part of the recruitment process, Ampang conducted a State Level Interview for 91 applicants.
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Kedah Last January, Kedah Chapter received a visit from a former hosted student, Tommy McCarty and his family from the US. Tommy was a YES Abroad participant in 2016. They also attended a wedding of the daughter one of the host families in Kedah. For Chinese New Year, Kedah Chapter brought their students to experience a Chinese festival at one of the host families’ houses. They had reunion dinner together with the family, while learning more about Chinese traditions in Malaysia. Kedah conducted their State Level Interview earlier this February, participated by 48 applicants. Kedah’s hosted student, Corey Hart, did AFS Malaysia proud when he participated in the opening ceremony of Majlis Sukan Sekolah Daerah MSSD Kota Setar recently.
Johor Early January, Johor chapter organized its first chapter meeting for 2019 to discuss and plan chapter activities for the year. The chapter also brought their hosted participants to Batu Caves for Thaipusam celebration and conducted State Level Interviews recently. Some 80 applicants from Johor took part.
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CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS Sabah Sabah conducted their State Level Interview earlier this February. This interview was participated by 45 applicants from Sabah.
Kelantan Kelantan Chapter has completed State Level Interviews for all its AFS program applicants. The interview was held at Balai Sakura, SMK Zainab (1) Jalan Telipot Belakang PPD Kota Bharu, Kelantan which saw 31 program applicants attending the session.
Pahang This year, Pahang chapter hosted a Lunar New Year Domestic Exchange involving four Malaysians. During their exchange, they learned how to make the traditional kuih kapit, cheered residents at an Old Folks Home and also visited a church to watch a lion dance performance. Pahang chapter conducted their State Level Interview earlier this February. This interview was participated by 30 applicants from Pahang.
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Negeri Sembilan Earlier in February, State Level Interviews for Negeri Sembilan Chapter were conducted for 43 applicants from Negeri Sembilan.
Terengganu Terengganu Chapter conducted its State Level Interview which was attended by 29 AFS and Asia Kakehashi Program applicants from Terengganu.
Penang Penang chapter celebrated Thaipusam with their hosted 18+ participants and hosted aa welcome lunch for their SH19 18+ participant. The chapter also introduced new activities for their hosted participants during the recent Lunar New Year. They were brought to the 5th Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta at Padang Polo Penang and had the opportunity to witness the Jade Emperor God’s Birthday celebration which was held at Chew Jetty, Georgetown. State Level Interviews were conducted in February with 38 applicants from Penang.
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RETURNEE REFLECTIONS
French And Fantastic By: Annabelle Tan It all started when I was 14, when I knew that I wanted to study abroad… and then I found AFS. I have vivid memories of when I got my first email from my French host family; I was sitting on my study desk home alone, unable to believe that my dream was finally coming true, screaming and jumping alone, and then picking up the phone to call my parents to scream the good news to them. France really is everything they say it is: berets, baguettes, fashion central, and of course, French! I remember the surreal feeling when I finally got to see the Eiffel tower for the first with my very own eyes. It really did feel like a dream come true. I was placed in a little seaside town of Auray in Bretagne. My host family was a religious Catholic family, but I had no problems getting along with them. They accepted me with wide arms, and I really felt like a part of the family from the very start. Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same for my high school. It was really difficult to adapt and integrate with the French teens. I have to admit that I wasn’t crazy about high school, but I don’t regret going through it. I learn so much more about myself, and how much my friends and family back at home mean to me at that moment. I learnt to be grateful for them. France being on the other side of the world from home, I had to adapt to their culture, food, language, weather as well as the people. I must say that the people here are friendly, but I really missed the touch of warmth and kindness that we find in Malaysians. Nevertheless, I managed to adapt and got used to my little town eventually. It was also thanks to the constant support of AFS France as well as some of the other exchange students that were placed in the same town or in neighboring towns.
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Fast forward to May, I remember telling my host mother that I was not ready to go home in two months. I might be having a hard time in school,
but I really wanted to explore and discover more of this city apart from the grassy plains and chilly weather. It all happened really quickly; it started off by my family saying that I could stay until the expiration of my visa and ended up with them proposing to me the idea of staying another school year to take the French high school diploma program. Despite all the difficulties I had throughout high school, the fact that this made me one step closer to achieving my dreams of studying in a French university made me say yes right away. At that moment, all I could think about was how lucky and grateful I was for everything that had happened to me so far.
myself waking up some days giving myself the occasional pinch to make myself believe that this is happening. I really am the luckiest girl on earth; being able to live my dream and achieve my goals. The AFS effect is a real thing; the exchange experience never stops. And for me, it is in a literal form, and I only have everyone to thank!
I’m so glad I decided to take the leap of faith to extend my stay here in France. I got to spend the summer getting to know my host family as well as their extended family, going on island trips. It was absolutely amazing; I got the opportunity to meet so many new people and learn so much more about life in France outside of high school. I also spent the summer catching up on the French syllabus and improving my French so that I could be prepared for the new school year. I changed classes and I’m getting the hang of school life. I was also very worried about being one of the last in classes due to the fact that it was a completely new syllabus, but I surprisingly managed to achieve some decent results, and I’m really proud of that. I knew that a crazy adventure awaited me, but never would I have imagined this outcome for me. I have learnt so much throughout my (still ongoing!) exchange experience, even some things I never thought I would’ve learnt. I know so much more about myself now, and I gained so many good qualities as well as international friends. To know for a fact that a year ago I was just a normal Malaysian city girl with big dreams and now I have friends all over the world, I speak a new language, I have a new family, a new culture, a new place to call home. The biggest lesson I learnt throughout my stay here is how proud I am to be Malaysian. All this would not have been possible without the support of my family and friends, the AFS community, and a lot of luck. I still find 23
MALAYSIA MOMENTS
A Heartwarming Journey By: Sebastian Kociok
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few days after Malin, Antonia, Wei and I arrived in Malaysia, Jasmin, our AFS contact person, and two other AFS volunteers brought us to an Indian restaurant where we ate our first banana leaf rice. I immediately fell in love with the fantastic new flavours of the different sauces in this cuisine. Seeing the Hindus dance in a trance during Thaipusam was one of the highlights of my program year. You could feel the spiritual atmosphere and it was great to see that thousands had come together for the same reason. After my arrival in Kuantan, I started teaching children in an orphanage, “Rapha Children´s Home”. Many of them had to improve their English proficiency so we worked on their weaknesses. It was a good feeling when I could see how my students were succeeding little by little, step by step. I met many generous people during the first weeks in my new host community. Despite not knowing me well yet, they brought me along to join them on their leisure activities and introduced me to all their friends. This showed me that many Going to the old mining town in Sungai Lembing with people are hospitable, and they care about your the children from Rapha Children´s Home
AFS volunteers bring us to an Indian restaurant where we ate our first banana leaf rice
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well-being. During this time, I learned to be more open and sensitive to people from other cultures. Ultimately, we are all humans with our own interests and dreams. The beautiful nature of Malaysia never fails to amaze me each time with its breathtaking view whenever I travel around the country. One of my favourites is the clear panoramic view from the mountain top in Sungai Lembing, Pahang. I would like to thank the children, staff and Aunty Grace from my CPO, Rapha Children´s Home for the unforgettable time, for the trips we went on together and for the many funny moments. Big thanks to AFS Pahang for doing so much for me during my volunteering year. Thanks to my friends in Kuantan who supported me during my ups and downs and together created good times with me. Heartfelt thanks to Aunties Lina and Linda and Uncle Tom for their kind hospitality. Top: Learn diving at Pulau Tioman Right: Visiting the auntie of a friend in an Orang Asli village was a great experience, not only because of the tasty durian we ate there. I learned how to maneuver an old traditional boat, which was made of a single piece trunk! Below: This is me at a Buddhist temple putting incense sticks in a big vessel to worship the gods
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EDUCATOR’S ENLIGHTENMENT
Story of a Teacher’s Cross-Country Journey By: Miss Riddhi Agrawal
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t was a little before my birthday in May that I first got the news of becoming a part of Educators’ Program in Malaysia. I was both excited and anxious at the same time, because while the teacher in me was thrilled about the opportunity, the traveller in me was overwhelmed by the angst and pangs of the journey that lay ahead. But it was no time to dwell on such thoughts and I grabbed the opportunity without hesitation. From the moment I first stepped out of the airport, I was greeted by the epic beauty of the land and the warmth of its people. Beautiful skies, fresh air and buzzing life of the Malaysian people made me comfortable from the get-go. I spent a day in Kuala Lumpur, exploring the city life and visiting its best-kept secrets before making my way to Ipoh, the town where my school was located. I was received with open arms at the Ipoh Train Station by my host family and immediately we connected on a personal level. They treated me like their own family member and made me a part of their culture and celebrations. Before I began my program at school, I had the opportunity to explore Ipoh with my host family and learn indepth about the strong cultural values of Malay people. My first day at school was especially thrilling. Meeting students of a completely different country, culture and educational background, filled me with a sense of challenge, which cannot be explained in words. But despite my limitation of language and understanding of Malaysia’s education system, working with fellow teachers, and interacting with enthusiastic students got me in touch with the strong values of culture that the education system of the country instils in its students. Amid my busy schedule, I had the opportunity to explore Ipoh which has a beautiful cityscape that merges quaint charm with modern delights. 26
This is food lovers’ paradise offering myriad street stalls and restaurants all eager to serve up a sample of mouth-watering local dishes. I had the opportunity to see a few pretty shop-houses and heritage buildings around the Old Town, like the Railway Museum playfully referred to by the British during the colonial era as the Taj Mahal of Ipoh. I saw the finest colonial architecture stand side by side with old fashioned kedai kopi (coffee shops) that I spent my evenings at. Ipoh is flanked by towering white cliffs, some with magnificent cave temples pocketed in the limestone. It was inspiring to step into these caves and see the magnificent, untouched beauty of nature that is sliced into old and new towns by the Kinta River. Along with this, visits to Concubine Lane, Gunung Lang Recreational Park made my learning more enriched. More treasure troves of Malaysia like Penang, Putrajaya and Gopeng’s marvellous beaches, enigmatic caves and the richness of Malaysia’s heritage made my visits to these places memorable and enriching at the same time. I am a vegetarian, but that did not stop me from trying some fantastic local dishes. Nasi Lemak, Dim Sum, Kuih Pau, Mee Goreng Mamak and many more got my taste buds to experience a completely different palette, and really catered to my epicurean side. I was privileged to have experienced the holy Hari Raya Celebrations, cooking and feasting with my host family and their relatives. I was also warmly invited to a traditional Malaysian wedding, and to various family get-togethers that led to an unforgettable inter-cultural exchange. My program ended in August 2018, but my travels continued to Malaysia’s best and most prized destination – Langkawi. The stunning beauty of the island, its epic locations, and wonderful people was an apt conclusion to my journey in Malaysia. Visiting the magnificent places, interacting with enthusiastic students and exploring local culture, all played a vital role in making my experience as a teacher in Malaysia, journey towards becoming a global educator for students of global classrooms. 27
INTERCULTURAL
10 Lunar New Year Dos and Don’ts
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ollowing right on the heels of Christmas comes the Lunar New Year. For us parents, this involves the hustle and bustle of springcleaning the home, the purchase of new clothes for everyone in the family, and the preparing of red packets to be given out to family members and friends.
DO The Early Bird Gets the Ang Bao On the first day of the Lunar New Year, children should wake up early in the morning to greet their parents and wish them a happy and healthy New Year. In return, they will receive a red packet blessing from their parents.
Some families today don’t follow the Chinese New Year traditions and practices of their elders, however it is still good for us to be mindful of our manners during the celebrations, so that we won’t accidentally offend an elder or friend. Some traditions are built around moral etiquette, while others have a more superstitious basis.
the orange on a sunny day. For the Chinese, oranges and tangerines signify abundant happiness. What better way to start the new year than to present your friends and loved ones with an abundance of joy…
Set off fireworks The more fireworks or firecrackers you set off the better. Not only do you light up the night sky with a symphony of color, but the loud banging sounds are thought to scare off evil spirits. Wear Red Everyone, including children and babies, should be dressed in new clothes to celebrate the new year, and in bright colors. Red is a favorite color of choice, because it symbolizes luck and prosperity. Above all, don’t wear white or black clothing, since these are the traditional colors of mourning.
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Display oranges and tangerines For many of us, the Mandarin orange is a juicy and yummy citrus fruit and there is no greater joy than peeling the skin off before biting into
Here’s Something Fishy Eating fish is a must for Lunar New Year, because the Chinese word for “fish” (yú) is similar to the word for “plenty” (yú). However, you don’t want to “eat up” all your good fortune. Flipping the fish is also considered bad luck. After the top half is eaten, the fish’s spine should be removed instead of flipping the fish, to prevent turning your gain into a loss.
DON’T Do not clean or sweep Before the Spring Festival, there is a day of cleaning. That is to sweep away the bad luck. But during the actual celebration, it becomes a taboo. Cleaning or throwing out garbage may sweep away good luck instead. If you must, make sure to start at the outer edge of a room and sweep inwards. Bag up any garbage and throw it away after the 5th day. Similarly, you shouldn’t take a shower on Chinese New Year’s Day.
Don’t buy books Avid readers will want to stock up on their books and magazines before the Lunar New Year, because it’s bad luck to buy them during the 15day Spring Festival. The Chinese word for “book” (shū) sounds exactly the same as the word for “lose” -- so buying a book right after ringing in the New Year is considered an invitation for bad luck. Also, avoid giving books as gifts to anyone, because it’d be like wishing bad luck upon them.
Don’t borrow money To avoid getting into debt for the rest of the year, you should not borrow money during Chinese New Year. It is also advisable to clear all your debts well before the new year and start with a clean slate without any preceding financial difficulties.
Don’t use scissors, knives or other sharp objects There are 2 reasons behind this rule. Scissors and needles shouldn’t be used. In olden times, this was to give women a well-deserved break. Sharp objects in general will cut your stream of wealth and success. Therefore 99% of hair salons are closed during the holidays. Hair cutting is taboo and forbidden until all festivities are over.
Don’t give New Year blessings to someone still in bed You are supposed to give New Year blessings (bài nián). But let the recipient get up from bed first. Otherwise, they’ll be bed-ridden for the entire year. That is why everyone, even the sick should be dressed and seated in the living room.
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INTERCULTURAL
I am a Global Citizen
by Daniel Obst, AFS President & CEO
W
ho would have thought two simple rather than citizens of their country, according words—global citizen—would cause to a 2016 BBC World Service poll conducted by such an emotional debate around the GlobeScan. world. More than 20,000 people worldwide in 18 countries took part in the poll—and for the first Perhaps one reason, says global trendcaster time in 15 years of tracking, more than half of the Josh Bershin of Deloitte consulting firm: “While respondents saw themselves as global citizens the idea of being a “global citizen” is attractive, rather than national citizens. it turns out that citizenship is a very local thing.” There are many ways to read into this statistic and I agree. I also believe that individuals afraid of the poll itself. I will leave that up to you. But my differences, sharing resources or giving rights to call-to-action after reading this study was simple: people not born in their countries are clouding Find ways to nurture and harness the sentiment the more important conversation: how global of this growing band of global citizens to help citizens are changing the world. On that front, them better communicate and collaborate with focusing on Oxfam’s definition of global citizen each other to improve the prospects of all.That’s puts any contentious discussion back on track: embedded in the mission of AFS. A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world—and their place in it. They take an active role in their community, and work with others to make our planet more equal, fair and sustainable. The good news is that more people around the world identify themselves as global citizens 30
Leading a not-for-profit organization and global network with operations in 60 countries comes with its share of challenges. But the reward of seeing the tremendous contributions of thousands of active global citizens working across 60 countries outweighs losing some sleep working late nights.
These are just a few examples of the amazing work AFS alumni are doing around the world: • Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba is a former Mayor of Hiroshima and a committed advocate for peace, the abolition of nuclear weapons, environmental protection, and open, transparent, democratic government. Dr. Akiba has held commendable positions as president of the Mayors for Peace Network, Chairman of the Middle Powers Initiative (MPI), President of AFS Japan, in addition to a post as a Professor by Special Appointment at Hiroshima University. For his commitment to peace building Mr. Akiba has received many international prizes including the prestigious Ramon Magsayay Award, the Buddha International Peace Award and the Otta Hahn Peace Medal. • Lisa Sophia Marti, AFS Switzerland volunteer and alumna, is the leader of an extraordinary changemaking project, “voCHabular”, that fosters inclusion and integration by helping refugees in Switzerland learn German, and by providing workshops for immigrant teenagers to reflect on their intercultural experience. The project now includes 50 volunteers in various teams, and it has been expanded to include interactive books covering Arabic, Persian (Farsi/Dari) and English translations to (Swiss) German. Lisa co-created the working group which incorporates aspects of global learning into the trainings of AFS Switzerland and she has facilitated numerous workshops on active citizenship, global learning, racism, gender, stereotypes, debriefing, refugees and sustainability, all with the aim of fostering peace and understanding. • Shafiq Najib, an AFS alumnus from Malaysia, says the following: “My AFS experience taught me to be more compassionate, and to always think outside the box. Since then I have gone on to pursue my passion to become a journalist. I gained life skills that have been very useful to my career and life in general. I learnt to adapt to a foreign environment, communicate with people from all walks of life and accept people for who they are, without judgement. I am very appreciative of these experiences and will never trade them for the world.” Credit: (@shafiqnajib)
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HERE & THERE
Another AFS Club to Be Set Up Soon
Y
et another high school in Negri Sembilan has come forward to express interest to start an AFS Intercultural Club.
Established in 1923 during the British colonial administration, SMK King George V is classified as a premier school and cluster school of excellence. It is also widely regarded as the most prestigious secondary school in the state. AFS Chair Khalilah Talha, National Director Atty Sulaiman and Volunteer Development Manager Annie Yap met with En Tuan Haji Roslin Balia the newly minted principal of the
school who expressed the school’s intention to establish an intercultural club as soon as possible. The group discussed potential club activities and future collaborations and the visit concluded with gifts of books from AFS to the school.
The DiGi Connection
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eam AFS met up with Digi Telecommunications recently to discuss possible collaboration and funding for its Domestic Exchange (DOMEX) Program. Led by its Chair Khalilah Talha, Fundraising Board Member Datuk Yasmin Yusuff and National Director Atty Sulaiman, they presented on DOMEX to Digi’s Head of Communications and Sustainability, Joachim Rajaram. Digi and AFS staff will meet over the next few months to follow up on discussions, proposals and action plan. The telco’s Chief Executive Officer Albern Murty later joined the meeting and reminisced on his AFS experience in Japan. The Digi team also took advantage of Datuk Yasmin’s presence to record a public service message on safety of the internet.
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New Team at YES Alumni
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he newly elected YES Committee 2019-2020 wasted no time in getting down to business when barely two weeks after assuming their positions, the team met to discuss the way forward. Committee Member, Shawn flew in from Penang just for the meeting, proving his commitment and passion. The team discussed their roles and job descriptions with senior alumni, Jia Hui giving some insights on how to run the alumni group. Shridha, the current president noted that YES camps are important and mandatory at every cycle. Other activities discussed for 2019’s calendar of events included a YES conference, Think Tank, Kita Bagi Kita Buka, and Christmas party. The current line-up consists of Rinisha, Shridha, Shawn Yeo, Umi Nabila, Nur Effah, Hamizah and Ang Zheng Feng.
Dinner with Chief Government Relations and Sponsored Programs Officer
T
he new YES Alumni committee line-up had a yee sang dinner with Keri Dooley, AFS USA’s Chief Government Relations and Sponsored Programs Officer during her recent visit to Malaysia.
expressed delight at seeing diversity in the new committee and wished them the best in handling the new term while also appreciating the previous committee for the work done and for acting as mentors to the new committee.
Keri manages the YES Program at AFS-USA and was on a regional visit to Asia to catch up with YES Alumni and touch base with AFS National Office and US embassy staff at the various locations. Keri herself has been on an exchange programme sponsored by the ECA which was the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program. Since Chinese New Year was around the corner, the prosperity salad toss was a must, hence the choice of a Yee Sang dinner to wish for good luck, prosperity, health and everything auspicious in the new year. While waiting for the main course, committee members shared their experiences in the United States, and the challenges faced when conducting camps for students. Keri
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SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
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