AFS Malaysia Alumni

2011-11-17T12:58:00.006+08:00

Hi guys!

It's been awhile hasn't it! I know that many returnees have been periodically asking about volunteering opportunities and haven't received much feedback. Well I have got good news for you, because the volunteering season is now here! November to January is usually a very busy time in AFS, and we need all the help we can get!

Read on to find out where you can lend us your time, enthusiasm and youthful energy!

INTERNATIONAL ICL TRAINING

Starting on the 24th till 28th of November, 2011.

The National Office are looking for:

1) Volunteers to greet international visitors & arrange transportation to their hotel

All arrivals are on 2th November at 7:00am (G1), noon (G2), 8:00pm (G3) & 10:30pm (G4)

Contact Person-in-Charge, NAMBEE at nambee.ragavan@afs.org

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VOLUNTEER CONGRESS

Starting on the 25th till 28th November.

The National Office is looking for some 30 volunteers for various tasks.

For more info and registration, please contact Kak Nani by calling the National Office at 03 -7725 4966/03 - 7722 4866 or email her at nani.taha@afs.org

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INTENSIVE PROGRAM PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION

France Group

December 1, December 8 (1oam - 1pm @ National Office)

Italy & China Group

December 15, 9am - December 16, noon. (KL Hotel to be decided)

Turkey Group

December 23, (KL Hotel & time to be decided)

Germany Group

January 2, 2012 (KL hotel & time to be decided)

If you are interested, or need more info call the National Office at 03 -7725 4966/03 - 7722 4866 or contact Person-in-Charge Ms. Inani at inani.aziz@afs.org

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Volunteering in Chapters

2011-10-08T17:06:00.001+08:00

Would you like to continue volunteering with AFS?

Would you like to be more involved in chapter activities?

Would you like to have the opportunity to get to know our hosted students in Malaysia?

Do you find it too hard to make it to events centered in Klang Valley only?

Click here here here!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/88524463780/doc/10150358596328781/

Camp Facilitator Training

2011-09-12T02:28:00.008+08:00

Hello Guys!

Gosh it is already September! How time flies, and guess what? We have new events coming up so it's going to be a real exciting and buzzing end of the year.

For now, We are looking for individuals who are passionate about orientation camps and are available to participate in them. Here is a question.

Are you keen on being camp facilitator with AFS?

Have you received formal training with us yet?

If not, then apply today for the next Camp Facilitator's Training!

It's at Quality Hotel, Shah Alam from the 23rd - 25th September, 2011.

What you can do is write to us at afs.returnees@volunteer.afs.org.my with a short motivation letter as to why you are interested to join. Hurry! We only have some 4 seats for the Alumni, so serious takers only!

Any questions please comment here or email it to us and we'll reply to you ASAP! :)

Good day all you lovelies.

SPLASH before Ramadan! + Potluck

2011-07-14T03:57:00.004+08:00

It's been a while, so let's make this next event extra fun! We are going to bond over water fights before Ramadan comes at Wet World, a water theme park located in Shah Alam (directions below).

Date: 30 July 2011 (Saturday)

Meeting place: Wet World entrance at 10am. Even if you arrive later, just buy a ticket, enter, and follow the group with the most noise :) As much as possible please keep the attendees limited to alumni only, please :)

Price: RM12 (pay on the spot)

How to go:
- By Car - check Google map - 'Wet World Shah Alam'. Parking is free! It's next to an aquarium/fish shop.
- Public transportation - [By rail] Get to Shah Alam KTM Station, then get taxi to Wet World (shouldn't cost more than RM10 - come with fellow returnees and share the cost :). [By bus] Bus U80 (RM2.50 one-way from KL Sentral) will stop in front of SIRIM Shah Alam, then you can walk to the theme park :)

Attire: Shirts and shorts/sweat pants are allowed. If possible wear AFS shirts so we can take some nice pictures.

To bring:
1) Towel and change of clothes.
2) Food (potluck and smuggle in style! - bring something that everybody can enjoy!)
3) Flip flops
4) If you have water guns, BRING IT. If you have balloons suitable to make water bombs, BRING IT.

Contact person: Suraya (0172029658 - text only please!)

AFS Intercultural Link newsletter is UP

2011-06-03T16:04:00.002+08:00

Good news, people!

The AFS Intercultural link newsletter is UP!

In it, you'll find the key concepts of Intercultural Learning - essential for any international organization participants (and that includes you!) to know.

If you'd like to make contributions towards the newsletter, you can contact us and we'll direct you to the person who made this - Jason Lee - our senior (*cough*, I mean experienced) volunteer and also an AFS Malaysia boardmember.

Get it HERE now!

The Picnic!

2011-06-03T15:34:00.006+08:00

Miss AFS?

Want to meet some AFSers and returnees from other countries?

Of course you do :D

If you guys want some love and bonding time, why not come to the The Picnic this Saturday 4 June 2011 at 4pm at Taman Tasik Taman Jaya (near Amcorp Mall)? It's nearby Taman Jaya LRT, so transportation is not a problem, ok! This month's theme is BBQ - so bring anything glazed with yummy sweet marinade - or just bring yourself!

The Picnic is organized every first Saturday of every month, so even if you cannot make it this time around, there will always be others to go to!

Much thanks to YES for organizing these wonderful sessions :) Map is below (can enlarge), or google yourself the coordinates 3.1059397264438,101.6482156535.

For more info, click here.

Volunteers for Hosting Camps

2011-05-30T15:45:00.002+08:00

Dear all,

This June is an exciting time in AFS Malaysia as we're going to have a number of Hosting Camps coming up!

In case you're wondering, Hosting Camps are the orientation camps for hosted exchange students in Malaysia. AFS Malaysia is looking for fun-loving and dedicated returnee-volunteers to help lead the camps! You'll meet other awesome AFS volunteers, as well as some funky and interesting hosted students from all across the world.

We have three camps coming up next, they are : -

1. End of Stay Camp NH10 batch (11 - 15 June, 2011)
2. Mid Stay Camp SH11 batch (21 - 24 June, 2011)
3. Arrival Orientation Camp NH11 batch (14 - 16 July, 2011)

So if you are interested, please follow this link and fill up the application form ASAP! Remember that we only have limited space for volunteers, so you'll want to hurry!

p/s. It's alright if you've never done this before, we'll guide you along the way :)

How to Volunteer with AFS

2011-05-30T15:32:00.004+08:00

I must admit, charts are my guilty pleasure. It's amazing stuff. It's straightforward, and looks nice!

So today, we have a chart for you who *wants to volunteer with AFS*. There has been so many questions from so many people who wants to jump into the AFS volunteering bandwagon that we are happily overwhelmed by the responses! So, we've made a special chart for you to follow :)

Just click to enlarge!

HELP WANTED

2011-05-27T17:38:00.006+08:00

We are looking for fun-loving,

dedicated

TEAM-orientated
VOLUNTEERS

to join in our crew for the 53rd AFS Malaysia Gala Dinner / Farewell Dinner for YPnh 10 & SMsh 11. Job delegations will be briefed to you when you volunteer :) The Gala Dinner will be held on June 10th, 2011 at the prestigious Grand Season Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Currently, we're also looking for photographers and videographers for the event. You must have your own DSLR camera / video camera.

All who are interested to join in the adventure of making a night to remember for AFS Malaysia, are more than welcomed to email one of our Organizer Extraordinaire, Syant Alias at syant.alias@afs.org.my with details including: -

Your full name and contact number,
and if you are a returnee - your hosted country and year of exchange.

REMEMBER
spots are limited so hurry hurry with writing to us!

AFS Gala Dinner 2011

2011-05-27T16:54:00.007+08:00

Hey there fellow Returnees,

When was the last time we last saw each other? Met again to catch up? When was the last time we spent hours just exchanging memories of our AFS journey, and spend even more hours talking about our current lives, and feeling that we're part of a bigger family out there?

Too long, too long ago. Don't you agree?

IF you are feeling just like me, and would like some AFS-goodness, then cheer up cause I have good news for you! Well now there is the PERFECT chance for us to meet again! Come 10th June, 2011 is AFS Malaysia's 53rd Annual Gala Dinner, and I think it would be a wonderful time and event if we would all go together. What do you think?

Below are the details regarding the Gala Dinner, so do let me know by emailing your details to afs.returnee@volunteer.afs.org.my. You can also contact us if you have further questions.

Place: Grand Seasons Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 10 June 2011
Time: 7.30pm onwards
Theme: Colours of the World

Ticket Price: RM100 per pax

Just in case you're wondering what to expect in the Gala Dinner, I've decided to write down some 5 solid reasons why you should come to the Gala Dinner. So here goes : -

1. It's a family reunion. In AFS, we are like one big happy, even though sometimes somewhat dysfunctionally funny family. And each year, we come to reunite to celebrate our family-ness! It's a time to catch out what fellow AFS-ers have been up to and have a good hearty meal like the Malaysians that we are :)

2. The AFS Gala Dinner 2011 is also a combination with the End of Stay Dinner of our hosted students of 2011. Come see and cheer for the foreign students who have spent their year in Malaysia and how they have experienced AFS in their own unique ways.

3. There will be a variety of performances during the night, many of which done by fellow AFS-ers and current AFS students having their exchange here in Malaysia. It's going to be a big, colourful night!

4. It's a very good reason to dress up, look damn good and party the house down with most fun people you know. And if AFSers doesn't know how to have fun, who does?

5. repeatedly read point 1 -4. :D oh, and plus +++ Grand Seasons has good food. We know, we tried it :D

So what are you waiting for? Go call up EVERYONE in your AFS batch, book a table to seat all of you, and get excited!

Guo Xian in Germany

2011-05-13T02:27:00.001+08:00

My experience with AFS was extraordinary. Like every other AFSers, my experience was unique. Many might not understand what we had experienced. What I’m trying to say here is that every one of us learnt a precious lesson and had priceless experience even though we might not really enjoy the process of learning it sometimes. However, I had enjoyed mine a lot.

As soon as I finished my SPM, I attended my first orientation camp with AFS. It was a great experience, and filled with joy and laughter. At that moment we were confident that we were well prepared for the exchange program. The excitement continued for another 3-4 weeks, until the day we (those who went Germany, =)) gathered in KLIA and flew to Germany. Our excitement was at the maximum level upon arrival in Germany.

For the next whole month it was always a good experience. Everything seemed new to us. Right after the camp (LOC, late orientation camp), I went to London with my class. London is a cool city. Although it was the capital of England, the air wasn’t as polluted as it is in Kuala Lumpur. I also went on a trip to Berlin during the first month. It was a 4 days 3 nights trip and it was excellent. We had a tour around Berlin but too bad I cannot understand everything because it all in German.

After 3 months when I was thankful that I had “survived” for 3 months, but was the most boring part of the program. Because everything is settled, I had nothing else to do. I started to read books and also watched televisions to overcome my boredom. I also played with my host brother with his video games console. It was always fun to have a little brother that had the same interest with me. I picked up some drum from him (Too bad both my hands cannot synchronize. :/), and also learned some guitar from him. Apart from that, I hung out more often with friends during weekends.

It was summer holidays in July during my stay in Germany. It was the happiest time in my whole experience. I had a 6 weeks holiday and I went on a mid-stay camp (not with AFS) for 3 weeks and had a lot of fun during these 3 weeks. It was organized by another organization and the participants were international. We stayed in an open-air museum in Cloppenburg. The museum itself is surrounded by walls, where all the 18^th, 19^th century buildings were moved from all parts of Germany to this little town.

During the work camp, we had the river cleaned up, cleaned the wells, built some house to cover logs. We stayed in an old German house which had at least 100 years of history, and cooked our own food in a kitchen. During weekdays after working, we had the chance to learn about German history, for example, how people lived in middle age German, how they cook, write, etc. During weekends we would go around the large cities nearby, like Hamburg, Bremen and Bremenhaven. It was a good experience, and it was also a turning point in my experience. After the summer camp ended, I became more outgoing, I started to visit the other exchange students and cities, and I picked up some guitar from a friend, and started to read German stories and articles.

After 1 week the camp had ended, I moved to Berlin for 2 weeks. As I arrived in Berlin, I met my second host family, which is only for two weeks. While in Berlin, I was on top of the Berlin TV-tower (radio tower, like KL tower.), it was amazing to look around Berlin from the top, especially for the sunset. It was pretty but too bad my camera’s battery died at the time. For the next two weeks, I enjoyed myself to the max. Berlin is a good choice for a holiday. Of all of the places of interest, I like Madamme Tussauds and the river the best. I also had a free tour to the Mercedes Benz factory. It was located right behind the apartment my host family was living in. It was huge and fun because I got a free tour by the manager since he was also an exchange student and since he was generous enough. This is actually the first time I am proud of my German because I did not use any English words throughout the whole tour, and yet I understood everything. 2 weeks passed really fast, and I enjoyed my 6 weeks summer holiday in Germany.

The time flies. It was then the last 3 weeks of my stay in Germany. It was the first white Christmas I ever had. It was really cool because I have never seen snow in the past 17 years. Now that I have a chance to experience it, I made a snowman, of course, and also played snow wars with my host brothers. They were good. I am always the loser if we were to fight against each other alone. However, I will always cooperate with my younger host brother against the other because he is seriously too good at it. There was once that I actually ate some snow by accident. Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun. Also, I decorated the Christmas tree and exchanged Christmas present with them. One week after was New Years. It was a pleasant experience to celebrate New Years with my family members. We played poker the whole day, and even though I suck at it, I had a lot of fun.

Throughout the whole year, I experienced joy and laughter, sadness, anger and so on. Even though some of us did not have an entirely good experience, we actually enjoyed it because no matter what happened, we learnt a lot of things that are useful in our future. If you are exchange student in the future, and also, I wish you all have a good and pleasant experience and all the best in the future.

Yau Guo Xian

AFS YP Germany 2010/2011

A Talk for YOU?

2011-04-28T19:49:00.000+08:00

Dear all,

We have been allocated 30 free seats to a talk titled "Perangi Kerintangan Ubat-Ubatan Bertindak Hari Ini Untuk Penawar Masa Depan" organised by the International Youth Centre KL in conjunction with Hari Kesihatan Sedunia. Details as below :

Date : Tuesday, 10th May 2011
Time : 7:30 pm
Venue : Dewan Kampo, Pusat Belia Antarabangsa

For further info/details, please refer to the attachment enclosed.

If you are interested, kindly let me know by 8th May 2011. Any other expenses incurred is at your own cost.

Thanks & regards
Nani Taha

Nani Taha
Office Administrator
AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia
40 A Jalan SS22/21, Damansara Jaya
Petaling Jaya, 47400 Selangor
Tel: +603 77224866 / 77254966
Fax: +603 77253966 / 77221105
Email: nani.taha@afs.org
Web: www.afs.org.my

AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia 1st Idea Spinners Meeting: Intercultural Learning, Training and Beyond

2011-04-23T10:23:00.001+08:00

Dear all,

As part of our strategic plan in developing AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia as the regional intercultural learning hub in Asia, we are inviting motivated returnees and members of AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia to come join us in the inaugural Idea Spinners Meeting on May 20th-May 22nd at Quality Hotel Shah Alam. The theme for the first Idea Spinners Meeting is "Intercultural Learning, Training and Beyond". This 3 day event aims to get together the best minds within our organization to plan, develop and execute trainings and modules that would tap into our expertise in intercultural learning and push forward the organization to beyond intercultural exchanges.

We are looking for highly motivated individuals to attend this meeting in May with the following qualities:-
1) Passionate about developing modules with the ability to follow through the development and execution of the modules
2) Team player and ability to work with other highly energized individuals
3) Willing to sacrifice your time to help drive AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia to higher levels

With your participation in the Idea Spinners Meeting, we promise you the following:-
1) Your chance to be a change agent within the organization
2) Opportunity to work with people with diverse talents and skills both locally and internationally
3) Develop your intercultural communication skills
4) Working with individuals who are equally as passionate about intercultural learning such as yourself
5) Recognition in the modules you have developed

If you think you are up for the challenge, kindly fill in the following form before the 6th May and we will get back to you by the 13th May to inform you on the results. Limited space is available so why wait? This is your chance to contribute and we would love to hear from you. The link for application is:-
http://tinyurl.com/ideaspinners2011

However, if you are unable to make it to the meeting and would like to contribute, kindly fill in the form and also indicate that you are unable to make it to the meeting this time. We will try to absorb you into different workgroups based on your skill sets and interest.

As a reminder, closing date is by 6th May 2011.

Thank you.

The Idea Spinners Team

Suitcase of Memories in Italy

2011-04-04T03:32:00.004+08:00

Hi there & ciao! I’m Muhammad Faizan, an AFSer from Sabah, Malaysia, who went abroad on an Intensive Program to Italy during the short winter terms break (18Dec-18Feb).

18 December 2010 is an unforgettable date for me. All of us (32 Malaysian students) had actually step foot in Rome after the 13hours+ ride in the airplane. We were greeted with warm welcome by the AFS volunteers. All of us were so excited plus crazy that time as we had made our first Italian friends with those volunteers as soon as we meet up at the airport. The volunteers then took us to the arrival orientation camp in a hotel at Rome and we had so much fun throughout the camp. I can still remember the following morning as we including two of our friends from South Africa experience our first white snow in Rome. We were like monkeys non-stop taking picture with the snow without wearing any winter jacket and the temperature was like almost 0˚C. Mamma Mia! E molto freddo (Very cold)! I almost caught the flu that day.

The following day, we were split into groups and was sent to our respective host family throughout Italy. I was placed at the northern part of Italy which is located in small town called Cassine, Alessandria.

I was in a 9hours train along with some of my Malaysian friends going north. I only had one host sister and mom and dad in my host family. My host sister was very generous in letting me to use her bedroom during my 2 months stay because she seldom stayed at home as she is in university right now. She is currently doing her practical in medicine in Torino. My host dad is a director while my host mom is a tourist guide in that area. Although my host parents are quite busy with their career, there was never a day that they would not treat me with a generous heart. Sometimes, I follow my host mom on her tour guides every week and so I had a chance to visit many places in Italy!

Then I attended my first day of school. I was placed in a Liceo Linguistico (language school) in Alessandria. I learned other kinds of foreign languages which I never expected to ever learn. I met many new friends with various kinds of faces and attitudes. Some of them are friendly and nice, yet some of them are way too crazy and are passionate to know about me and my home country as they don’t know where and what Malaysia is. But as least, they know where Borneo a.k.a Sabah and Sarawak is and it make my job lot more easier to introduce Malaysia to them!

I can still remember the day when I present my Malaysian presentation to my fellow friends, wearing full set of Baju Melayu that I brought all the way from Malaysia. With only around 30minutes of my presentation, they were all amazed with the beauty of Malaysia, the culture and also the people. Some of the teacher and students even plan to visit Malaysia someday. Proud to be Malaysian! Being a young ambassador representing your home country is a honor especially when you are in a completely different surrounding. Not to mention the language. But I manage to speak their language fluently with all the help from my teachers and friends. This helped me to communicate with the people in my surrounding a lot easier. With that, I can now speak a total of 5 different languages, including Italian and Spanish.

My relationship with my host family and the people in my town is one of the important part in my experience. I was welcomed with incredible hospitality by the people at Cassine as soon as I first arrived. Not to mention my host family but many of the people of Cassine gathered and prepared a welcome feast for me. And that is the first time I ate my host mom homemade meal. To be straight forward, my host mom and my sister are great cookers. Thanks to it because now I can eventually cook many kinds of Italian meal and dessert, including lasagna which I like the most!

The following morning, I was in the local newspaper. Throughout my home stay at Italy, I was visited by quite a number of people. First is a doctor (my host sister friend) from Peru who celebrate Christmas Eve and New Years Eve together with the family. And another one is a girl (a friend of mine) from Malaysia. Their appearances during my home stay in Cassine really turn-out to be an unforgettable memory for me which I can't really describe it one by one.

As time pass by, our relationships became deeper and deeper. I was well recognized among the people at the town and also in the city of Alessandria. As I walk into the streets, I was like part of it where I belong to which I cannot described or explained in only a few sentences. Every AFSer knows that feeling. My life as an exchange student as well as a young ambassador of Malaysia ended just as quickly as how it started. The two months in Italy was definitely more than just a student exchange programme. It had changed my life entirely as a person.

The suitcase of memories with my host family, school friends and the people in Italy as well as my others foreign and Malaysian friends really will stay in my heart forever. I hope that someday, I will have the chance to see all of them again. No matter whatever and wherever the circumstances are, this bond of friendships and relationships will never end. With AFS, I believe that the people in the world really are connected. Sharing different culture and different ways of living truly lead to a peaceful and better world.

Thank you,

Grazie mille per tutto AFS!

Muhammad Faizan Bin Mohamad Su'ait

AFS Returnee,

Italy Intensive Programme 2010-2011

En Ying in ITALY

2011-03-24T17:25:00.009+08:00

There are many things in life that cannot be described or explained in a few sentences. My experience with AFS to Italy is one of them. Standing right under the Coliseum, it is definitely a dream come true as I have always been longing to come to this part of the world. But all too soon, I am snapped back to reality. I am here as a young ambassador of Malaysia in this marvelous country, and not as a tourist.

16 December 2010 is a date I will never forget in my life. All the 32 Malaysians gathered at the Maluri Hotel, Cheras for a pre-departure orientation. A few AFS volunteers shared with us their experience of being abroad as exchange students under AFS. That evening, we departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, leaving family members behind in tears. For most of us, that was the first time travelling to a faraway country without the company of our families. Quickly, friendships were fostered amongst the merry group. All I had in mind at that very moment was, I should be grateful for being selected to participate in this once in a lifetime chance.

As I stepped foot on to Rome, the once capital of the world as its name is in Latin, I totally had no idea what lay ahead that would change my life so profoundly. The journey is yet to begin. In the beginning, there were lots of obstacles to be overcome. The culture was so different, not to mention the language, but I clearly knew that these were some of the reasons for me being here.

I was welcomed with incredible hospitality by my host family. We lived in a small village named Sant’Agata dei Goti. My host sister had been very generous in sharing her bedroom with me. Although my host parents are quite busy with their career, there was never a day that they would not treat me with a generous heart. So, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them from the bottom of my heart for all of their patience and unconditional kindness for letting me become a part of their lives. Of course, there is no way I could forget the trip to Rome and Naples with my host family.

Besides that, I was also glad to have a chance to celebrate some of the main festivals such as Christmas, New Year and Epiphany in the Italian way. We went to one of the majestic churches on Christmas Day and on New Year’s Day. I was totally amazed by the painstaking carvings in the church. We had a late lunch on Christmas Eve, a very late one indeed, which started at around 6pm. A variety of scrumptious, typical Christmas Eve dishes were served. The atmosphere of the festival was made merrier by the presence of relatives from afar.

As this is a school-based programme, we were required to attend school. In school, everyone enthusiastically helped me to fit in. Just in a few days, I was already involved in a drama which required me to speak in Italian! As I attend a classical school, Liceo Classico Tito Livo, I had to study subjects such as English, Italian, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education and many more. The challenging part was that all the subjects were taught in Italian. In the first two weeks of school, I had to fight boredom listening to the professors teach in a language so unfamiliar, which made me unable to track the beginnings and the ends of the lessons.

My Italian professor gave me crossword puzzles to help me learn some basic Italian vocabulary. Then, there was my English teacher, who was also my tutor, and who even challenged me to introduce Malaysia to my schoolmates in Italian. At last, I managed to promote the wonders of Malaysia to almost all of the classes. This is my first step as an ambassador to let the other corners of the world know Malaysia better. The students were also very cooperative and expressed their curiosity about Malaysia by asking lots of questions.

My schoolmates threw a party for me on the last week of my stay in Italy. They organized a sort-of fashion show and I was to wear baju kurung to school. The main idea of the fashion show was to make a comparison of the daily clothing and traditional costumes of Malaysia and Italy. I was shocked when I saw another Italian friend of mine wearing cheong sam! The student representative of the school even made a short video for me and I was simply touched by their thoughtfulness.

I also found myself discovering new bonds of friendship between myself and my schoolmates, although initially I knew that both party could barely understand what the other party was talking about. So, I began by communicating with everybody slowly so that the vocabulary will get into my head. As time went on, words after words were forced into my mind and before I realized it, I could already participate in many of the conversations, ignoring the grammar mistakes I made.

Some of the most cherished moments during my homestay in Italy were born out of daily lives, too. Little things such as watching football matches with the family while listening to them cheering for their favourite teams, going out for a walk with friends in the historical centre of the village on Saturday nights, playing Scopa (a popular Napolethan card game) with nonna (grandma) on Sunday mornings and watching many of the Italian movies or listening to Italian songs were all the unforgettable memories that made my two months stay more wonderful than ever.

Looking back, I remember the times being showered with questions such as: Do Malaysians have tigers as pets? Do Malaysians live on trees? Oh, so, Malay characters do not look like Chinese characters at all, and they are written in alphabets too? Perhaps some of these questions may sound ridiculous, but to me, I am proud to have done my part of clearing the misconceptions of the many Italian friends of mine about my home country.

My two months in Italy as an exchange student as well as a young ambassador of Malaysia ended just as quickly as how it started. It really broke my heart to part with all my beloved family and friends. However, the suitcase of memories and experiences that I would not have achieved anywhere else will be etched in my mind for the rest of my life. These experiences belong to me, and there is no need for me to compare my experience with the other Malaysians who went along together with me because no one could have the same experience as mine, and I cannot have theirs either. Thanks for the memories, guys!

AFS gave me a strong belief that we are able to make this world a better place as long as we are willing to be tolerant. If I were given another chance, I would surely want to share Malaysia with more people from more places. The two months in Italy was definitely more than a student exchange programme. It totally had changed my life somehow and prepared me for the road yet to come. For this, I shall be grateful to AFS, my host family and family, both my schools in Malaysia and in Italy, and of course all my friends!

GRAZIE MILLE PER TUTTO!!! (THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!!! )

Summer Academy on Intercultural Experience

2011-02-11T21:38:00.001+08:00

Dear Returnees,

AFS Germany will again organize the “Summer Academy on Intercultural
Experience”. This program will take place in the city of Karlshruhe
(which is the southern part of Germany) for two weeks. It is a
cooperation between the Karlshochschule – International University
and AFS Germany.

The Summer Academy will last two weeks (August 1st - August 12th 2011)
and you can enroll for either one or two weeks. Classes will be
organized in three different tracks:

This is the second year that this program is offered and there are in
fact a limited number of scholarships available for AFS Returnees!
Yes, that means all of you quality! These scholarships are partial
scholarships and valid for a 2-week enrolment in the Summer Academy.
Your are required to contribute 450 € and the scholarships will cover:
accommodation, participation and the reimbursement of air fares (Up to
700 € will be reimbursed to you for your airfare upon completion on
the program)

The following criteria will be relevant in the awarding process:

- Intercultural experience (e.g. internships abroad, semester abroad,
school exchange)
- English language proficiency (level C1 highly recommended)
- Academic record of the past 2 years (Grade average of at least 2,3
respectively B)
- Proven record of active participation within the civil society (e.g.
community service programs, volunteer work, school/class
representative)
- Individual indigence of the applicant

In case of equal qualification of applicants, preferential
consideration for scholarships will be given to those who are
successfully participating in the AFS Core Competency Development
Program.

Please note that this is only a partial scholarship and you will have
to come up with the 450 € commitment fee (non refundable) and also the
initial airfare to Germany which will be reimbursed back to you likely
in September by AFS Germany. This scholarship is not offered by AFS
Malaysia and we do not have control over the selection of candidates.
AFS Germany will be the one handling all the logistics and courses.

More information can be obtained from their website at
http://summeracademy-karlsruhe.org

If you like more details on the program, I can share with you some of
my experience on the program as I was part of the pioneering batch
last year.

Kind regards,

Jason Lee
Director for Returnees Affairs
Returnee Australia 2000
Jason.Lee@afs.org

ADAPT Aftermath

2011-02-03T23:28:00.000+08:00

AFS Malaysia Alumni and the core committee of the ADAPT movement would like to thank each and everyone of our participants for your kind and super-b-ly enthusiasm in joining/supporting the ADAPT flash mob that happened on 23rd January at e@Curve! The journey has been long, tiring but totally fulfilling cause it was just sooooooo muuuucccchhh ffffuuuuuuunnnn!

Now that that photos are up, we'll just let the pictures do the talking :)

after tonnes of meetings....

...came tonnes of practices. For dance...

...for formation (and loads of fun yelling and head bobbings!)

...to learning how to sign "Imagine" at the park

Miss Cheng Shae Nee woo-ed the crowd with her beautiful rendition of a CNY song

whoopsies make way, fireworks boys and gals coming througghhhhhhhhh....

first we did the point to the sky thing... cause we awesome like that,

then we did the star thing....

and the get together in a circle thing...

and the merry-a-go-go-round thing, cause we're "fireworks" :D

"Imagine" singing with our hands

Amalen was our charming host for the day after the performance.

Kudos to the dynamic duo that brought the performance together : Karen & Shu Fei

and lots of play time after the event :D

Watch the videos!

The ongoings on performance day

THE PERFORMANCE!

Of course, these are but a tiny, itsy bitsy, eeney weeney portion of all the pictures and videos that was taken over the course of this performance production. Check out more of the photo collections by clicking HERE (find & tag your friends and you!)

all photos are credited to our wonderful, heavyweight camera wielding superheroes Hsien Yew, Mark, Isaac Cheah, Jason Leong and many others!

Japan Will be in Our Hearts Forever

2011-01-24T02:33:00.006+08:00

“Japan will be in our hearts forever,” was one of the phrases mentioned by the participants when the JENESYS Programme was nearly coming to an end. Perhaps this was why the JENESYS Programme was so unique; it touched each and every soul of the participants; it had the power to create the ever all embarrassing moments when tears came flooding out from the eyes of literally everyone more than once, beyond the understanding and comprehension of those who first felt that parting could be so difficult.

In a society where the values of respect, tolerance, care, and accommodation have been embedded in every citizen, I have always said, “Never underestimate the Japanese’s hospitality.” Throughout the programme, all volunteers had shown dedication beyond their own tasks and responsibilities, they treated everyone with great compassion. The places that they have brought us to: the Kiyomizudera temple and the Arashiyama in Kyoto, the Peace Memorial Park and the Disaster Reduction Centre in Hiroshima would be entirely different, if there were no signs of constant welcoming smiles and friendliness on their faces.

But beyond their great hospitality, I found that the Japanese are bonded from one to another, civilised for the sake of the community and disciplined for the sake of others. One of the situations that we encountered was in the Kansai Airport, Osaka. At that time, we were all rushing to the first lavatory that we could immediately caught sight of, which was just located not more than 10 metres from the escalator. Immediately, we were informed by the airport officials to avoid congesting to the washroom as it hindered others from walking past the route. And, you will most likely gasp when you enter their washrooms, because of its unusual cleanliness that you can almost never see in Malaysia. As some people put it, “You can always sleep in the toilets of Japan.” If you were in Japan, you will also realise that the fire extinguishers, unlike in Malaysia are placed literally at the corners of the floor, without any form of containment.

What’s up next is how the Japanese put things at their own hands when it comes to the environment. Virtually everywhere there are recycle bins, but finding a trash bin is a difficult task in Japan. It has become a habit of the local people to carry their trash with them back home. Walking down the streets, there are cyclers along the clean pathway. Cycling and walking are few of the preferable transport means to the Japanese.

Overall, the JENESYS programme has taught me a lot. Besides those mentioned above, I have also learnt the importance of peace and harmony, the effects of an atomic war, ways to prevent disasters and how to face one when it hit you and of course, love.

Michael Fork

JENESYS 2010

My Experiences in JENESYS Program

2011-01-23T23:18:00.011+08:00

Hi! My name is Nor Aqilah, JENESYS returnee 2010. I will start my story from the very first moment I know about AFS.

One afternoon, my 2^nd sister was surfing the internet for information on student exchange programs because she wanted to apply for it. She found AFS, but unfortunately she can’t apply for the AFS program because she was already beyond the age requirement. So she asked me to apply instead. At first, I don’t want to apply because I know I am not qualified. But everybody in my family supported me. So I just applied.

A few week later, after I came back home from school, I found a letter from AFS in my mailbox; I was so happy that I was jumping around with my sisters. I read that letter and it asked me to go for an interview at JPN PERAK on 7^th Jun 2010. I went there with my sisters. The best part was that I was the first person to enter the interview room. Luckily, I’m not a nervous and panicky type of person, so I went inside the room with confidence. In the room, I talked about myself and answered their questions. I did some syair since I’m not really good at dancing and singing. Then I went back home, relieved.

About 2 months later, I got the letter for the Selection Camp in Kuala Lumpur. And I got a place in JENESYS Program. This is where the real story begins.

Before departing to Japan, we had to attend a pre-departure orientation for 2 days and 1 night at Hotel Maluri Cheras Kuala Lumpur. We did games and some sessions to prepare ourselves in Japan. It was fun.

On 4 Dec 2010, at 11.50pm I boarded the Malaysia Airlines flight MH52. It took about 6-7 hours from Malaysia to Kansai Airport in Japan. We arrived in Japan at about 6.30 am. As we arrived there, we were welcomed by the JTB people. We then took a bus and travelled to Osaka, about an hour’s journey. When we arrived in Osaka, we had to attend an arrival orientation. In the hall at Otsu Prince Hotel, more than 400 JENESYS scholars from other countries were gathered. We took this opportunity to introduce ourselves and make friends. I met people from New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, and more. In that orientation I was in the group called Country Mix 9 or also known as CM 9. We stayed one night at Rhiga Royal Hotel.

The next day, we went to Kiyomizu-dera (temple) in Kyoto. The view at the temple was really nice with the variation colour of the leaves, red yellow and orange. It was a view that I’ve never seen in my life. The weather was cold; it’s about 9°C. I learned about Japanese beliefs when they come to this temple. For lunch, we went to Arayashima to eat udon. The udon was served in a very unique way. It was really delicious. I ate all of it and nothing was left behind except for the meat, because I’m a Muslim.

After lunch, we started our journey to Hiroshima by shinkansen or in English, the Bullet Train. It is a very fast train, travelling at about 300km/h. It is the fastest train in the world and is considered to be never late. It took about an hour and the half from Kyoto to Hiroshima. When we arrived in Hiroshima, they brought us to Okanomiyaki Restaurant for dinner. It is one of my favorite food in Japan. I love it so much. We stayed at Rhiga Royal Hotel and my room number is 2705. We stayed for 2 days and 1 night.

Dec 6 2010, our first study trip in Hiroshima was the Peace Memorial Park. I learned about the Bomb-Dome, Cenotaph and Children Peace Monument. We cannot make noise while we were there. We ate udon again for lunch, but this time we ate it in a traditional Japanese style. After lunch we went to the Hiroshima Reduction Centre. Here, I experienced man-made earthquake at the size of 7 magnitudes. I also learned about how to escape from smoke when a building is on fire and rode the fire truck. After that, we went to the Hiroshima Memorial Museum. I didn’t have a chance to explore the museum because it is the time for me to do my prayer. So, I have to search place to take ‘wudu’ and pray. I decided to pray at the bus parking lot, I prayed between two buses.

Dec 7- Dec 12. This was the time when all JENESYS scholar would spend our 5 days at our host community and family. My host community was in Kumamoto. My host parents live in condominium. I shared host family with one Indonesian girl named Ferralda. I’m the only Malaysian in that Kumamoto group. I tried my best to be a good ambassador of Malaysia. My school was at Kumamoto-Kita High school, we spent 2 days there. There, I explained about Malaysia culture, food, education system and our flag. I also brought a replica of the PETRONAS Twin Tower and showed it to the Japanese student. I also explain what I know about it to them. The Japanese student was really nice and friendly. Time flew really fast, I was reluctant to go back to Tokyo and I cried a lot at the last night.

We went to Tokyo from Kumamoto Airport by flight. When I arrived at the Tokyo Airport, I was so happy to meet my fellow Malaysians, you won’t know how much I miss Bahasa Malaysia. Dec 14 was our last day in Japan. That day, all 559 students from all the different countries were gathered in a big auditorium for a closing event which is the JENESYS Festival 2010 and Pre-Departure Orientation. There were a lot of dances from about 10 countries. It was a happening event. After the event, we travelled from Tokyo to Narita and stayed at Marroad International Hotel Narita.

The next day, we went to Narita Airport. Our flight was at 10.30 am. And this is the time all of us from Malaysia felt sad and happy at the same time. Sad because we had to leave Japan, happy because we are coming back to our country, a land where we belong. The conclusion of my experiences is this, I learned to be myself and confident. I appreciate my country more and wish to bring changes. I gained a lot of wonderful experiences that helped me to be matured. I made a lot of friend from many countries, which is better than chatting with them. These are the experiences that I will never forget and wish to share it with people. Thank You AFS Malaysia and Japan for giving me these unforgettable moments.

NOR AQILAH BT SEDEK SHAH,

IPOH PERAK,

JENESYS 2010.

YP & SP Volunteers Needed

2011-01-03T02:23:00.006+08:00

Hello all,

It is time for the much anticipated annual Year Program Pre-departure Orientation Camp! So busy busy busy with preparations and organizations! We need help! Hence we are looking for willing, fun-minded, hotel food loving, great with crazy kids returnee-volunteers to join our camp facilitator bandwagon :)

We are in need for *facilitators that can stay for the whole duration as well as returnee with fresh experience to pass on to the next generation in the country orientation (2nd day of camp).

Send us an email at suyin.chia@volunteer.afs.org.my / chengyee.chong@volunteer.afs.org.my if you are able to join us with the following details:

Who:
All YEAR PROGRAM & SEMESTER PROGRAM returnees only

Camp Date:
14th - 16th January, 2011

Location:
Quality Hotel, Shah Alam

Stay required:
YES for main facilitators / NO only for country briefing volunteers

We will answer any inquiries ASAP! Your favorite student exchange organization thanks you :)

If you don't qualify this time around, don't feel bummed out! There's more events and activities happening REAL soon! Have you checked out our ADAPT page yet? :D

*New returnees / first time volunteers are highly encouraged to apply. Relive the memories. Pass on the experience!

ADAPT - AFS Deaf Awareness Project

2011-01-03T01:22:00.009+08:00

AFS is kicking off 2011 with another fun, yet meaningful project called the AFS Dear Awareness Project (ADAPT). Inspired by hearing-impaired volunteers of our own, ADAPT aims to raise awareness for the deaf community among society members like us by introducing and learning Malaysian Sign Language (MYSL) in a fun way! There’s even a Flash mob zomgoodness!

What are we doing you ask? Well for starters, we are launching a 2 week pledge to post your ADAPT M.Y.S.L profile pic and AFS badge on Facebook starting 8 January! Then, we're going to close the event with a BANG by having a flash-mob signing the song "Imagine" by John Lennon (inspired by Glee!) at a yet undisclosed location within Klang Valley!

So YES! Come join us at our Facebook page where you can find tips and guidelines on how to be a part of this campaign (and also see who is already involved!) Hurry! Download the step-to-step guide today on how YOU can be a part of ADAPT on Facebook and join the flashmob!

People to People International Peace Camp

2010-11-25T02:23:00.002+08:00

Hey guys! Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to join the People to People International's Peace Camp in Turkey next year!

This prestigious full scholarship program will select some 50 students, ages 16-19, from around the world to participate in an educational adventure in Turkey from June 7 - 17, 2011. Students will learn about PTPI's mission to work towards Peace through Understanding and visit remarkable cities of Turkey!

Application deadline for this program is December 10, 2010 so chop! chop! hurry up and apply! As this is a competitive full scholarship program, we suggest you read the program description carefully. Click on the LINK HERE to learn more about the program and itinerary.

Kindly note that applicant selection will NOT go through AFS but will be done by People to People.

Learn to Sign the AFS Song

2010-11-10T17:08:00.007+08:00

Do you know the AFS Song?

Oh, silly me. Of course you do.

BUT, do you know HOW TO SIGN the AFS Song?

Bet you don't!
But no worries, Farhan and Tim is here to show us all how!

Join us in Paradise!

2010-11-10T16:34:00.011+08:00

HELLO DEAREST RETURNEE PEOPLE,

How does Paradise sound to you?

Cool breeze, straw hats, shady coconut trees as you listen to the gentle crashing of the waves against the sandy beach. Ohhhh YES. Now we're talking!

After a year-long worth of hard work, hectic schedules, stressful days and deadly deadlines. Paradise sounds exactly like what you need right now, don't you agree?

The time have come yet again for YOU, YES YOU, to be recognized and pampered for your efforts and contributions towards the AFS common goal. We are delighted to host the AFS Returnee and Volunteer Camp 2010 to give a chance for us to meet and bond again at the Corus Paradise Hotel, Port Dickson.

However, you have to be quick in confirmation as alas, we have only 40 spots available. Gasp!

This event is OPEN TO RETURNEES AND VOLUNTEERS OF ALL AGES in Malaysia, no age limit attached!

Given the sheer number of AFS volunteers, we suggest you email Kuhan at kuhan.chelvanathan@afs.org as soon as possible, and no later than 17^th November 2010! We predict the spots will go fast :)

Below is the information regarding the event:

Date : 10th - 12th December 2010

Venue : Corus Paradise Hotel, Port Dickson

Attendees : AFS Returnees & AFS Volunteers (no age limit)

Fee : RM 30.00

RSVP Date : By the 17th Nov 2010 (first come first serve basis!)

So how about it? Come join us in Paradise, party by the beach with your friends and let your hair down. Grab your swimming gear, cameras and your glamorous self and come on board for a fantabulously good time!

We've missed you so much! And sincerely hope to see you there :)

Regards from,

everyone of us in AFS Malaysia Alumni

p/s: Here's a sneak peak at what Corus Hotel looks like!

English Enrichment Programme with YES

2010-10-29T12:17:00.003+08:00

Dear all, oh what exciting news awaits you!

In an effort to foster relationships between the AFS Returnee and the YES Alumni, SK Taman Keramat, Gombak has invited us to conduct an English Enrichment Program at their school this 3rd of November (Wednesday).

So here's your chance to give back to the society!

Drop your names and contact numbers to Jim Chua (jim91_dc@yesalumni.afs.org.my) or contact him via FB. He'd be very happy to hear from you and share further details with you :)

Then you can be like,

Ok. Just kidding.

AYA Performance Updates!

2010-10-17T15:09:00.003+08:00

Dear all,

Just a quick updates for those currently interested in participating in the AFS Malaysia performance for the upcoming AYA Awards Night.

Rehearsals will commence on 29th October until 4th November.

Time from 4pm till 7pm per rehearsal session.
Location is yet to be confirmed, but it will definitely be within Klang Valley/KL area.

The AYA Awards Night is on the 7th November 2010 at 7PM-11Pm at Panggung Bandaraya, DBKL. All rehearsal and sound check for the performance is on the same date (7th Nov) at 2PM at Panggung Bandaraya DBKL.

For those who are interested in participating in this exciting nationwide event can drop us an email at suyin.chia@volunteer.afs.org.my with your contact details!

See you there at the rehearsals!

p/s for more information check out the blog post below =D

AYA Awards Performance

2010-10-09T11:41:00.005+08:00

Before you scroll down this post, there are some things you should probably know.

Firstly, what is the AYA?

AYA stands for the Asian Youth Ambassadors (AYA), a non-profit youth organization whose mission is to nurture young people to be the best that they can be and to be of service to others.

What about the Awards thingy?

The AYA Awards was set up back in 2005, to acknowledge, reward and further encourage good work and deeds by Malaysian Youth.

Okay...so what does it have to do with AFS Mas Alumni?

Wah! I can't believe you don't know this! Last year the AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia was awarded the Youth Friendly Company of 2009 by AYA.

Look look! That's us represented by Ms. Shazalyna (5th from right) and Kenneth Chin, founder of AYA (5th from left)

Why we won?

Because we're awesome-lah. What else?
(Okay so there IS much more depth to that answer, but it all boils down to because we're awesome to begin with :D)

Oraits! Now that we know what the background story is between AYA Awards and AFS Mas Alumni, lets talk about the important part of this blog-post. *drumroll please*

AFS Malaysia is invited to perform at the 6th AYA Awards Night at Malaysia's Heritage Building on the 7th November 2010 (Sunday)

Therefore, we are looking for YOU to be involved in the performances! The National Office would like to suggest that we returnees can collaborate with our hosted students to perform a combination of 5 Malaysian traditional dance: the Zapin Melayu, Indian Candle Dance, Chinese Fan Dance, Sabahan Bamboo Dance and the Sarawakian Ngajat Dance.

The Finale will be a sign language performance of the AFS Song.

Dance practice is scheduled to start on 24th October until 4th November 2010. So if you would like to be INVOLVED, please do send us a mail at suyin.chia@volunteer.afs.org.my

If you want to read more about the AYA Awards, log on to AYA Awards Website. And while you're there, browse around and send in your votes for THIS YEAR's 2010 finalist for all categories! Get involved today!

Annual General Meeting

2010-10-07T03:00:00.008+08:00

The AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia Annual General Meeting was recently held at the Mandarin Court Hotel Kuala Lumpur on the 2nd October, 2010. The fruitful meeting saw the coming together of volunteers, returnees and staff of various ages, racial, ethnic and even religious background in the united vision of voting for the future of AFS Malaysia. As such, AFS Malaysia Alumni would like to congratulate the four dedicated and visionary volunteers re-elected to serve for the next two terms as AFS board member:

Dr. Yahya Mat Hassan

Mrs. Khalilah 'Kelly' Dato Mohd Talha

Mr. Bernard Poobalan

Mr. Thiruchelvam

We would like to thank all who took the time and effort to exercise participate in this year's AGM and have exercised your right to vote as an AFS member. For *those who were unable to make it this time around, there is always next year so make sure you come!

On another joyous note, 2010's AGM is particularly memorable and significant for us here in the AFS Malaysia Alumni because, for the first time ever, the AFS Malaysia Alumni was invited to take part and participate in the Chapters Presidents’ meetings held alongside the AGM. The leaders of our Alumni were given the privileged platform to address, understand, and help give solutions to current and potential problems arising in all AFS related programs.

The AFS Alumni President Chong Cheng Yee and Vice-President Suraya Zainuddin both expressed their heartfelt appreciations to the National Office for including the Alumni within their ranks of discussions. The AFS Alumni is looking forward to continuing our strive in doing our very best in helping to anticipate the needs of AFS Chapters as well as provide help in volunteer support as needed. We hope to serve well in our goal to develop a reserve of well-informed, all rounded volunteers in the future.

Till then,

We'll see you again next year at the 2011 AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia Annual General Meeting!

* voting privileges only comes with the official AFS membership (RM20 for 2 years or RM300 for lifetime). Please call the national office @ 03 77224866 / 77254966 for more details.

5th National Volunteer Conference CHINA

2010-08-10T12:35:00.000+08:00

AFS Malaysia Alumni would like to congratulate our President Ms. Chong Cheng Yee, for attending the 5th National Volunteer Conference in Beijing, China from the 16 to 19 July 2010. Representing AFS Malaysia, Cheng Yee brought with her the experience of her volunteering days to the conference, meeting with key AFS colleagues, volunteers and representatives from the local chapters of China.

We are sure that her memorable trip has added unto her vast experience in leadership and faithful volunteering with AFS, especially as the helm of our AFS Malaysia Alumni ship, yet again.

Mission Zoopossible: Accomplished!

2010-08-08T16:03:00.006+08:00

On 8th August, the mighty cleaning warriors from AFS Malaysia Alumni from all parts of Malaysia united and embarked on a brave journey to the Zoo Negara to fight of the evils that is giant poopies and dirty cages that plagued the animals living there.

At approximately 0830, the 46 Alumni warriors, armed with nothing but a bright orange volunteer sticker on their chests, puppy eyes, shovels, brushes and brooms spread out in groups of 5 to various stations to begin battle. Fighting the bleeding smell, the dust and dirt, sweat, sore body parts, pesky flies and raw fishes, the warriors cleaned away in the background whilst the wild animals entertained the paying crowd in the foreground to prevent suspicion of the grueling fight behind in the cages.

Some had to pick up poop and sweep the floor the whole day. Some hacked and chainsawed away in the kitchen to prepare basketful of food for the hungry animals. ~~Some walked around and pretended to be busy~~ Some had the privilege to work in extremely close proximity with the animals such as the stripy zebras, big-mouth hippopotamus, dancing deers, roaring bears, lazy camels, playful primates, various birds of flights and even with slithery pythons. They ventured into areas usually prohibited to the masses, and learned the ways of the zoo keepers.

Leading the warrior army at the front of the battlefield was Iron Lady Yelena Ramli, followed by Iron Lady Suraya and Iron Lady Cheng Yee, who united the warriors and made them work enthusiastically by providing direction and a scrumptious variety of food while lavishing each one with heaps of praises for jobs well done. They even broadcasted the backbreaking efforts of the Alumni warriors to the Malaysian world through THE STAR and NST (click on it!)

At exactly 1600 the Alumni warriors regrouped and declared victory over the Zoo Negara with zero casualties to both human and animals alike. There was a huge celebration of food eating and many a random photo-taking sessions followed by the Alumni Warriors being duly rewarded for their efforts with the presentation of certificates. Thus the fight had ended, the battle was won. Mission Zoopossible: Accomplished!

p/s more pictures coming your way really soon. Keep your tabs on this blog, people!

JENESYS Selection Camp

2010-08-07T11:09:00.003+08:00

On 31st July, AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia held its first ever JENESYS Selection Camp in Hotel Maluri, Kuala Lumpur. The overnight camp, consisting of some 100 nervously excited student candidates was run by a dedicated team of 8 alumni members.

The alumni members did the camp module with the participants with activities such as Talent Time and Malaysia Through My Eyes presentations, fun energizer games like Untangle Me, My Bonnie, Big Fat Pony and Daruma-san ga Koronda. The campers also enjoyed the Commercial performances put up by the very creative bunch of students who displayed a multitude of talents and laughter inducing abilities. Everyone present had laughed so hard so much in this camp we had to wipe away tears.

However throughout the entire sessions on the other side of the fun door, was the solemn interviewers' room. One by one the candidates were pulled out of the fun door and waited patiently for their turn to enter the interviewer's room to be interrogated of their abilities, confidence, personality and credibility. Many of the student candidates displayed admirable graciousness as they wished each other good luck for the interview through hugs and handshakes.

This selection camp was also geared to be an avenue for the AFS Malaysia Alumni to help train up the younger volunteers in the ins and outs of running AFS camps. Young volunteers Marina Abdullah, Nina, Amanda and Haiqal were given responsibilities and full guidance under the watchful eyes of the older ones Suraya Zainuddin, Chia Suyin, Khoo Hsien Yew, Syant Alias and Eric Yoh. They proved to be able to stand their own ground (much to our joy!) and the Alumni would be looking forward to putting them to work more often! :D

At the end of the two days, camp commandant Suraya could not help but laud heaps of praises for the student candidates, saying, "Considering this is the first ever JENESYS Selection Camp, things counldn't have run more smoothly. The Form 3 and Form 4 kids were generally well-behaved and polite, and their excitement is obvious, its infections to all of us old timers. I was most surprised by the puntuality of it all. Despite the early hours, the hotel's infamous hard to find location, the number of students AND parents, no one was late for registration and sessions! It must be a first!"

Well done everybody! To the JENESYS Selection camp kids, we give you the best of lucks and are looking forward to seeing you at the pre-departure orientation in December. Till then, study hard and stop Facebooking so much =)

p/s. pictures will be up on the blog shortly. Keep tuning in!

Zoo Negara Volunteer Programme

2010-07-13T09:51:00.005+08:00

Hey Guys!

Did you know that the Zoo Negara Malaysia is actually managed by the Malaysian Zoological Society, a non-governmental organization? Did you also know that Zoo Negara is the first zoo in Malaysia ever? Or the fact that today, it is home to over 5137 animals from 459 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

Most importantly, did you know that AFS MAS Alumni is having a volunteer trip to the zoo very very soon and that you are also invited, no not that, more than happily welcomed, to join? Below are the details so check it out and give us a beep to let us know your attendance (:

For the love of animals!

Date:

8 August 2010, Sunday (Mark your calendar!)

Time:

8a.m-4p.m (Gather at LRT Wangsa Maju at 7.15a.m)

Venue:

Zoo Negara, Jalan Ulu Kelang 68000 Ampang Selangor Darul Ehsan http://www.zoonegara.org.my/

What:

One day volunteering at the zoo

Who:

AFS Alumni (yes, you!)

Why:

1. Get together

2. To uphold the spirit of community service

3. To create awareness to wildlife conservation

4. To explore behind the scenes of zookeeping's daily routines

How:

Those interested, kindly leave your full name, identity card no., hand

phone no to suyin.chia@volunteer.afs.org.my

Attire:

No fur (of course)

No shorts

AFS Shirt

Sports Attire

NO flip flops

Extra:

Hats, sun cream, mosquito repellent, water and camera (so that you’ll have proof when you tell your grandkids about this!)

Food:

Lunch will be potluck style (Kindly list down what you’re bringing to avoid duplications)

Remember:

Zoo Negara will not tolerate impunctuality. Thus, we’re expected to be there at 8a.m sharp for a briefing.

Spread this good news around. The more, the merrier because that’s how we roll! Let’s not miss out on this opportunity! I’m sure those orang-utans, rhinos, elephants, camels, giraffes, monkeys, tigers, reptiles and sun bears can’t wait to see you!

For more information, click HERE!

Hey you, Smile for Change (:

2010-06-17T20:33:00.005+08:00

They say that the shortest distance between two people is a

Today, the YES ALUMNI MALAYSIA, would like to extend the invitation to you to the SMILE FOR CHANGE fundraiser.

All proceeds from the fundraiser will fund the operations of the Child Care Center runed by the Women's Aids Organization, which takes cares of the children of battered women. We do hope that many many of these children in need will be blessed with the event and smiles will be plentiful amongst them (: Don't you hope so too?

Further details about the Child Care Center can be found here

How about bringing a smile to a child today? Below are the details:

Date: 19th June 2010 (Saturday)
Time: 12pm - 10pm
Place: LG Rainforest, One Utama Shopping Center, Damansara Utama

Hey loved one, remember, a smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

(:

Hope you have a smiling day ahead too.

YES Alumni Party

2010-06-14T20:06:00.009+08:00

You see, guys, with the number of events AFS is throwing, you really don’t have any reason not be out of the big AFS family loop! We have just wrapped up the 52nd Annual AFS Fundraising and Gala Dinner (which was awesome, by the way, shame on you who couldn’t attend without a valid reason) and ALREADY we have another event organized by the YES Alumni, who had graciously, again, extended their invitation to us.

The details:

Date: Friday, 18 June 2010
Time: 7:00pm-9:30pm
Location: Annexe Gallery, Central Market, Kuala Lumpur
Dresscode: Casual. It will be very relaxing and informal.
Price: FREE

We really, really hope you guys can make it, and it will be a great opportunity for us to catch up and bond. There will be performances, video presentations, and video messages from the AFS International.

You guys can RSVP by clicking on this link here

Lastly, here's a little message from the Vice President of YES Alumni, Jim Chua especially for you:

"We realize that the relationship between alumni members is indeed very important towards the whole alumni structure as by close relationship between members will determine the progress of the alumni. Therefore, our main objective here, is to gather alumni together under one roof and basically bond together. We have alumni members that have long been missing , so we hope to update you on what we have done and grasp your interest and hopefully get you involve more in the alumni. We also would want to update our alumni about what we have done throughout the years as well as our future events. This is also a platform where we could ask for your feedbacks and opinions about the events that we are planning to organize so that we could have a more deeper idea on what do the alumni members want. " (:

AFS 52nd Anniversary Gala Dinner 2010

2010-05-20T15:37:00.005+08:00

...and we're back in business guys!

The AFS 5nd Anniversary Gala Dinner 2010 is finally here and it will be

AMAZING FUN!

The Gala Dinner will play host to a gathering of returnees, host families, exchange students, and friends of AFS once again for a time of laughter, catch-up sessions and lots of fun in between (lets not forget the extremely good food waiting too!)

There's going to be performances and dances brought to the table by our very own people in AFS as well, so come support your friends performing on stage okay, promise? (:

Good! So below are the details that you will need to :

When : 5th June, Saturday
Time : 7.30pm
Where : Nikko Hotel, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
Theme : Bling Bling / Dress to Kill

Ticket Prices per pax:
RM150 / RM100 (student discount)

For more information contact:
Dahnyor / Kuhan @
03-77224866 / 77254966
info-mas@afs.org

Now for the most important part, please follow the 4 steps below.

1. Check your calendar. Book the 5th of June so nothing last minute can EVER happen on that day.

2. Pick up the phone. Call the AFS office and ask for Dahnyor or Kuhan. Tell them you are going.

3. Put the phone down. Now pick up your handphone. Text EVERYONE you know about the Gala Dinner.

4. Go find suitable clothes to wear for the Gala Dinner. Shop if you must. (:

AFS YES - MAS Alumni Picnic

2010-04-21T01:10:00.003+08:00

Hey guys!!

Busy with life and wishing you had some time to just drop all the things that demands your responsibility and attention, take a breather and just CHILLAX with friends? Well, how does a picnic sound to you right now?

Our good friends from the YES Alumni have cordially invited us from the MAS Alumni to join them for a time of fun and fellowship for their 4th YES Alumni Picnic this coming 1st of May (Saturday) in Central Park, One Utama.

WHAT TIME IS IT?

4pm to 7pm!

Their selected theme this time would be America! So come dressed in anything that represent America, bring games that you played in America or even bring American food!! Yes bring real food people, as this is a pot-luck styled picnic.

So what you can do is just comment here on this post if you're interested/confirm coming. Just so we know and can look out for your AWESOME presence on the day itself (: Let us know too if you need maps/directions/recipes. Heh!

Toodles~

Volunteer Training to Denmark

2010-04-20T14:17:00.006+08:00

Dear all,

AMAZINGGG NEWS TO SHARE!

There will be a Volunteer Training in Denmark, home to Legoland, Little Mermaid and the Aarhus Cathedral in November 2010, and we're inviting YOU, fellow volunteers, to come apply for this rare chance of a lifetime to be a part of it and represent AFS Malaysia. So what do you need to know and what do you need to do? Read on below!

Basic Information:
The training is held from Nov 5th till Nov 7th 2010. The exact city where the training is not yet known for now. AFS Volunteers from all over the world is expected to participate in this training and each to bring fresh perspectives to the table. Further training information will be provided nearing the event itself.

Volunteer Requirements:
Firstly, you need to have been actively volunteering for at least 2 years. And when we say active, we mean really quite active in volunteering. Aside from that, it doesn't matter how old you are, what gender you are, or what anything else you are (:

To apply, you will need to contact AFS Malaysia for the application procedures. Look for Kuhan. The deadline is 30th April. From then on, all applicants will be subjected to an interview by a Selection Committee. The usual stuff lah, really (:

Costs
This is what must be on everyone's mind as they read this post. So I have taken the liberty of breaking it down into two parts for you : -

What you need to pay for :
Cost of traveling to and from Denmark only (for now)

What AFS Interkultur will cover:
1. Transport within Denmark (e.g public transport, domestic travels)

2. Room and board AFS Interkultur style, that means your lodging and yummy food is provided

3. If you arrive early, AFS Interkultur will arrange for you to stay with some volunteers and experience the warm welcoming of the Danish culture there.

4. Participation fee

What else should I know?
Upon returning from this training, the volunteer is required to conduct a nationwide training on what has been learnt from this Volunteer Training. In addition, a detailed report is required from the participant with photos and learning experiences.

So tuan-tuan dan puan-puan, you know whats the next step. Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity! Remember, the deadline to apply is April 30th!

Perdik Waterfalls : Not Your Average Sunday Afternoon

2010-04-07T00:28:00.004+08:00

Imagine the sounds and sights of nature. To be protected by the shade of huge bamboo shoots, the cool stream touching your feet while the insects sing their songs. To reach this state of bliss in paradise, a group of AFS students had to go through more than ten soiled diapers, mountains of plastic bottles and endless piles of wasted plastic bags. This is the tale of how I and my fellow comrades,”MAJLIS PERBANDARAN AFS”, cleaned up the disgustingly filthy Perdik Waterfall of Ulu Langat.

We departed rather late thanks to my tardiness. As I entered the bus that would bring us to the destination of our cleanup mission, I was disappointed by the small number of AFSers. Although we were a small group it didn’t mean we didn’t get the job done, for we accomplished great heights on that eventful day. Once we arrived on Ulu Langat soil, we were briefed by the lovely Cheng Yee, AFS Alumni Committee President and her equally charming Vice President, Suraya. We started with a few ice breaking games before getting our hands dirty, literally of course. We were divided into groups of five, to scavenge for rubbish. The group with the highest amounts of rubbish would face the promise of a treat from Starbucks.

If I do recall accurately, we spent almost two hours searching high and low for all types of rubbish. Amongst the “treasures” uncovered were the usual plastic bags and plastic bottles, but what proved more surprising were a used up barbeque pit, car tires, stinky socks and the jackpot, soiled diapers collected mainly by the courageous Jon Wern. Judging by the way he collected those diapers fearlessly, proved that he sure is going to make one heck of a loving dad someday. Everyone did a decent job collecting rubbish and by the end of it we had filled out the twenty black huge garbage bags.

We didn’t travel all the way to Ulu Langat to just collect rubbish; we AFSer work hard as well as play hard. So of course we enjoyed a mesmerizing forty five minute hike to the waterfall. At first all I could concentrate on was reaching the waterfall quick enough to avoid being the victim of leeches, but halfway through I looked away from the leeches and fell in love with nature. We were so lucky to be in the very depths of Mother Nature’s territory. We enjoyed a relaxing picnic on the rocks by the waterfall, feasting on sandwiches, “keropok”, cake and fried chicken together with each other’s stories and shared lame jokes.

By the end of it all, we were exhausted but reluctant to leave the once filthily disgusting place. We looked at the twenty black garbage bags brimming with rubbish from our sheer sweat and blood. I mention blood not to be melodramatic ,but blood was involved as several of us couldn’t escape the wraths of those blasted leeches. All in all it was a joyful experience, yet no matter how much fun we had as a team, it saddens me that even today some people can be so ignorant and easily pollute and strip away the beauty and marvels that nature has offered to us. It’s time we made a change.

Written by: Arththi Sathananthar ( Italy IP 05/06 &YES programme 07)
Edited by: Suyin
Photo courtesy of CNU @ cnu-cama.blogspot.com

You Know You're an Exchange Student When...

2010-02-20T10:00:00.000+08:00

Exchange students are pretty unique creatures. As exchange students, we did things that no one else would have really done, such as dream in languages that is not our mother tongue, simple because we can. We have experienced odd, awkward, hilarious, tickling moments that are applicable only to an exchange student. How much of an exchange student are you? Scroll down the list to check out!

You know you're an exchange student when....

1. You ask for some type of food/snack/drink to be care packaged to you as your X-mas present.

2. you classify "doing your homework" as translating half of it. And that alone took three hours.

3. you'll read anything in your native language just to have something to read...even packaging labels.

4. you're better than your teacher in your foreign language class.

5. you've ever mispronounced something in your native language (for example, names of products, TV shows, companies) because you know the others will understand it better if you say it with an accent.

6. after you come back everybody tells you that you have a weird accent.

7. your dreams are bilingual.

8. you automatically use words in a foreign language that you cant even translate but they just seem to fit the context.

9. you begin to enjoy foods that you had previously despised at home.

10. it becomes a habit to introduce yourself by saying: "I am from (country) and my name is (name)."

11. you are always counting the time difference between where you are and home.

12. you always forget the time difference when you call a friend or family member back home.....sorry for waking you up at 4 AM mom.

13. you carry a dictionary and a camera in your bag.

14. you do something wrong and people look at you weird, your excuse is "That's how we do it in my country" even if it isn't.

15. You can sing all the Top 20 songs from your exchange year...even a year later....

16. You get letters and emails in a language that no one else can read.

17. You cringe at the mention of 'baggage weight limit'.

18. You go to school only to do nothing

19. You 'talk' to your pets when you phone home.

20. You watch really stupid television shows late at night, and you stay up late to do so, just because they're in English.

To all our beloved returnees young and not so young anymore *ehem*, we hope this fun post made you smile a little brighter today. (:

Waterfall Postponed

2010-02-19T21:55:00.006+08:00

Dear All,

Due to unforeseen circumstances that was inevitably unavoidable, the Waterfall Beautification Volunteer Project has been postponed to 7th March 2010 instead. We apologise for the changes, and do hope that more people will be able to join us in our ventures to help save Mother Nature in the most heroic manner!

Like Captain Planet and his friends:

before our waterfalls becomes like this:

What are you waiting for? Sign up today! And we'll be seeing you there in a jiffy (:

Waterfall Beautification Volunteer Project

2010-02-03T16:06:00.013+08:00

Hey Folks,

Have you been back to nature lately? Surround yourself with lush greens and the sounds of gushing sparkling waterfall? Give back to Mother Nature?

No? We thought so.

That is why in February, everyone in AFS is invited to our Waterfall Beautification Volunteer Project for some nature appreciation, gotong-royong, and picnic fun at Perdik Falls, Ulu Langat!

Exclusively open only for AFS returnees and volunteers under the AFS Malaysia Alumni project, we decided it's time to branch out in our volunteering and explore something new in our community outreach! It's also an opportunity for all to get to know your recently-appointed AFS Alumni Malaysia Committee Members :)

So what will it be? Read the following for more details!

Venue :
Perdik Waterfall, Ulu Langat

Date :
21 Feb 2010 (Sunday)

Time :
9:00am to 6:00pm. Meet up at 8:50am.

Attire :
Sportswear and comfortable shoes.

Gathering place :
Taman Jaya LRT where bus will be provided (next to A&W PJ)

Contact person :
Suraya Zainudin
(who says please comment to RSVP or check out our Facebook event page)

Payment :
RM 5 on-the-spot payment to cover transport fees and water only.

Please bring a change of clothes and towel if you plan to "mandi" (bathe) in the waterfall. Don't forget that lunch is POTLUCK style, so bring something nice to share!

Please RSVP as by 17th February (Wednesday) as only 40 spots are open!

annnnnndddd.... in case you're wondering, this is what Perdik Falls look like. Awesome :D

German Language Crash Course

2010-01-27T10:27:00.007+08:00

Dear all,

[WARNING]
Please be reminded that a crash course does not involve any physical collision that will result in damages or pains in any way. Crash courses refers to an activity that will result in the possibility of mental trauma one may suffer from the forceful jamming of incomprehensible information into one's brain in the span of a short period.

With that said, AFS Mas Alumni is offering a

German Language Crash Course

for local AFS students who are leaving this year on the Year Programme to Germany. Details are as followed:

Date:
Sunday ( 31st January 2010)

Time:
2pm - 4pm

Fee:
RM30 per individual

Place:
To be confirmed

Tutors:
Julian Theseira/ Lucas Hornung / Chong Cheng Yee

Interested alumni are also more than welcomed to join if you want to pick up some basic German (:

JENESYS VSscNH09 Post Return Orientation

2010-01-18T10:19:00.002+08:00

On the 10th of January 2010, students from the JENESYS 09' programme were reunited once again after their two weeks stint to Japan in December in their Post Return Orientation Camp in Singgahsana Hotel, Petaling Jaya.

They spent the two days sharing about their experiences and feedback during the trip, about the places they visited and the sights they saw. Games were also played in between important sessions about understanding the cultural divide of Japan and Malaysia. The chaperons that led the students too gave their two cents about what was good, can be further improved and general opinions about the entire trip. Overall, everyone had very good reports about the trip and were excited to share how the experience had changed their lives and personal outlook on the world.

Lastly, a certificate awarding ceremony took place to acknowledge the success of each participating student for completing the two weeks JENESYS programme to Japan.

Boys bonding

Chaperon Alan Ch'ung giving out the awards to the participants

Once an AFSer, always an AFSer

Group photo
*All photos are credited to Marina Abdullah

Participants who would like to share their experience with us here in AFS Mas Alumni, do feel free to drop us an email at: suyin.chia@volunteer.afs.org.my (temporary account) with your essay/story/article/photo memories. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Toodles~ :D

Pre-Departure Orientation 09

2010-01-15T14:32:00.000+08:00

On the 19th till 21st December 2009 the Pre-Departure Orientation was once again organized in the effort to help orientate, educate and facilitate overseas bound participants of the AFS Year Program to get better prepared for their journey. Held in Singgahsana Hotel, Petaling Jaya, this time around we saw 47 hyperactive participants from all across the nation gathered together for 3 days and 2 nights, while the poor volunteers had only 7 people between them to handle the bunch of over-excited 17 year olds.

The volunteer facilitators were: Chong Cheng Yee, Chia Suyin, Suraya Zainudin, Edmund Chua, Dexter Yin and Chia Sze Jian.

The day officially began with an ice-breaking session, a time where everyone got to know everyone. As volunteers, it was also our job to try and force them to memorize each other's names. *laughs*

Going round the room with self introduction

We held various discussions on many important topics such as how to blend into a new community with minimal culture shock, the importance of being open minded and such. There was room for us volunteers to share our past experiences, as well as room for the participants to express their hopes, dreams and even concerns of what the journey overseas would bring to them and their family. Ultimately, it was important to instill the sense of responsibility as a young Malaysian ambassador into them, and that they understood this was not just a travel program, but a cultural one that will change their lives.

Much knowledge to impart

Being serious whilst in discussion...or maybe not so?

Edmund sharing his experience in Argentina

The country orientation took the bulk of the 2nd day. Technically, it was an extended sessions where each volunteer, who was a AFS returnee from a specific country, would speak to the participants who are on their way to the same said coutry. Here volunteers can share specific cultural information and experiences, do's and don't and certain how to's that applies to the country. The participants, eager to know more, would suck the volunteers dry of information with never ending questions!

But of course, it wasn't just all talk and no play. We at AFS knew how to have fun too! We played games and energizers in between sessions, had one too many photo taking moments and even had our traditional lets-cram-into-the-volunteer's-room-and-tell-ghost-stories time. :D

Everyone doing the "Funky Chicken"

Nothing beats a back massage from a friend

Each participant was also given an AFS bag, the iconic yellow AFS luggage tags and a free "Just Different-lah" t-shirt. Look how happy the girls are with theirs.

All in all, it was a good orientation camp where strong bonds of friendship were fostered, not just within the participating group but also between them and the volunteers. We hope that this camp had served its purpose in better equipping the participants and extinguish most of the myths, uneasiness and unpreparedness that they may have had previously.

Have a safe trip guys!

Oh, and here are more pictures to satisfy your need to see more pictures.

These are the volunteers, who enjoyed the entire camp way too
much as compared to the students

They may look all good and innocent, but we knew better!

Group picture with the volunteers

Hi Alumni!

2009-12-19T10:51:00.000+08:00

Alumni blog in renovation progress...