STOMP '11

"This Show was Great!!! I remember seeing them before but I don't remember much of it. I'm glad I went this past week to check them out. They use any and everything to make music. The Fun never stops. Beginning to End..Great SHOW!!" 


Earl, from Hackensack, New Jersey, has voiced each and every one of our sentiments after witnessing the mind-blowing, out-of-this-world performance put on by STOMP. As a treat for all the hard work we'd invested in carrying all our club's activities out successfully, 15 of us were treated to a STOMP concert held in KLCC's Plenary Hall on the 3rd of December. Due to the undeniable fact that KLCC is situated a considerable distance away from our school, a bus was even rented to chauffeur us to our destination. If that wasn't VIP treatment, I don't know what is! 


The show began at 2pm, and I have to say, we made it in the nick of time! Mere minutes after we were seated in our comfortable seats, the show opened with one of its signature pieces, entitled 'Brooms', which captivated the audience for a good 12 minutes. From there, the young, energetic percussionists cum dancers who make up STOMP continued to dazzle audiences by successfully coaxing music out of basketballs, plastic grocery bags, and even lighters! Though the audience was momentarily puzzled by the silent darkness that they were enveloped in before the set featuring lighters began, the avant garde musical piece that was produced by the rhythmic flicking of their lighters, and looked fantastic to boot, left the audience captivated until the very end of their performance.


One particularly interesting piece featured the completely unexpected kitchen sink, which was filled with water and strapped to their bodies. They most successfully proved how even the most common of everyday objects can function perfectly as a versatile instrument, as the mere acts of tapping on the sink with drum sticks, rubbing the sink with their rubber gloved hands, or even by simply releasing the water contained in the sink produced such a vast diversity of sounds that had we not witnessed their performance with our very eyes, we wouldn't have believed that only one 'instrument', the ubiquitous kitchen sink was used.


Yet another note-worthy performance featured rubber tubes of varying lengths being thumped on the floor. When thumped in the right sequence, they produce a melodic progression of notes, reminiscent of the beeping of an old computer. Another piece featured them being strapped into harnesses, and dangled in the air, close to the metal frame where a plethora of crockery, plastic pails, and generally anything that produced a sound were mounted. Armed with their trademark drum sticks, the variety of sounds produced by their rhythmic 'drumming' warranted a most enthusiastic round of applause from the audience.


Humour plays a bigger role in their concert than one would expect it to. Despite the fact that not a single word was uttered on stage, their wordless jokes and perfect comedic timing left had the audience in fits of laughter at various points in the show. At one point, a love triangle was even successfully depicted - without the aid of words! The piece featured two girls rummaging in a box of 'trash' to find a perfect instrument which they could utilise to outshine the other party and capture the heart of the lucky boy they were fighting over. All that drama was successfully depicted using only the power of music and their spot-on facial expressions. Would the wonders never cease?


All too soon, the 100-minute musical journey was over. As we stood up from our seats and reflected upon the stunning performance we had just feasted our eyes on, we came to the conclusion that STOMP offers the best of reminders to us that there's music everywhere, in everything, and we do not need lessons or degrees from fancy musical institutions to find it. Once again, we would like to thank the school for providing us with this fantastic opportunity to witness STOMP's truly inspiring performance, and we hope that the insights we managed to obtain from this concert could be successfully utilised to bring our club to greater heights!

A group photo for the ages!

An lucky snapshot of one of the performers. Isn't she pretty? :)

Farah, Empress, Punietha, and Niraanjana posing with the stage in the background!

Eco-Trip to Taiwan! (Day 4)

The final day of our Eco-Trip found all of us, with our luggage completely packed, standing in the hotel lobby, waiting for our bus with reluctance painted all over our faces. The delicious breakfast served by the hotel did nothing to make us feel better about leaving Taiwan after calling it home for four memorable days, but we were cheered up by the fact that we still had an entire day to tour Taipei and visit its numerous tourist attractions.

First up on our day's agenda was a visit to the world-famous Yehliu Geopark. The bus ride there gave us some time to ourselves, so the bus driver decided to play a documentary on the Yehliu Geopark on the bus's DVD player, giving us a little sneak preview of what awaits us at our destination. The documentary successfully whetted our appetite for adventure, and put us in a great mood for exploring the Yehliu Geopark thoroughly. 

After a brief group photo-session upon our arrival in the park, we found ourselves amongst the throngs of tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the hoodoo stones that can be found in the park. Some of the more famous hoodoo stones include the Queen's Head and the Fairy Shoe. The Queen's Head is such a famous structure that at any given time, the queue of people queuing up to take a photograph with the iconic structure is at least 20 minutes long! A replica of the structure has even been erected, for tourists who have less time to spare but would still like a photographic momento of their time at the park.

Returning to the city centre of Taipei, we then had yet another scrumptious meal at the Halal Bismila Restaurant, where we ate our dinner last night. At 1.20pm, we found ourselves at a memorial park, where two soldiers donned in their extremely smart uniform stood guard at the door. They were standing in a rigid position on a platform, and like every other tourist at the memorial park, we had a field day with our cameras. At precisely 1.30pm, the guards changed shifts, military style. Therefore, they put on a rather entertaining marching performance, which we all watched with relish. After the show was over, we took a quick look around the memorial park, admiring its structures and the numerous paintings that adorn its walls before taking our leave.

Our next stop was an international icon, as well as a highly notable Taiwanese landmark. At 509 meters tall, Taipei 101 is currently the third-tallest building in the world, after relinquishing its title as the tallest building in the world to the Burj Khalifa of Dubai. Like our very own Petronas Twin Towers, a shopping complex is situated on its lower floors, which we were allowed to explore to our hearts' content. Those who were willing  to brave the long queue and pay for a ticket were allowed to go up to the observation deck on the 89th floor, but due to time constraints, none of us were managed to do so. The shopping complex was a fun place to explore, though, and we were all glad to have gotten the opportunity to pay a visit to such a famous landmark.

Moving on with our touristy tour of Taipei, we then headed off to the Chang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, where we snapped a few quick photographs near the entrance. Due to the fact that only 5 minutes were allocated for our visit to the memorial hall, most of us couldn't find the time to make our way to the actual memorial hall, where the bronze statue of Chang Kai Shek sat. Oh well, there's always next time, plus, we were rather looking forward to our next and unfortunately, final stop, which was the Art and Souvenir centre. Apparently, nothing beats duty-free shopping!

We were presented with our duty-free shopping cards upon our arrival, and immediately proceeded to splurge on goods such as keychains, T-shirts, snacks, and other knick-knacks for our friends and family. Feeling satisfied after our shopping excursion, the time finally came for our tour around Taipei to come to an end. We had our dinner, where so much delicious food was served that we felt positively stuffed and satiated after our final meal in Taiwan. We then boarded our bus for the last time, and in what felt like no time at all, we soon found ourselves at the airport. Hendri accompanied us right up to the departure gates, where we exchanged farewells with the tour guide who did everything within his power to make our stay in Taiwan as memorable as possible.

 After a last-minute round of duty-free shopping, we finally boarded our home-bound flight at 11.30pm. We were feeling pretty tired by then, but even our exhaustion couldn't stop us from exchanging our thoughts on our supreme reluctance to be headed home. The four days we've spent in Taiwan flew past in a disorienting blur, and we would have given anything in the world to be able to stay there for just a few more days to get to know Taiwan better. Oh well, we had to once again pay homage to the old adage 'all good things come to an end', and look on the bright side. At least we would be reunited with our family, friends and for a certain empress, CATS again!

This trip to Taiwan has been one of the most memorable experience of our lives. It added a deeper meaning to our secondary school lives, and would certainly serve as a pleasant memory to reflect upon whenever we take a stroll down memory lane. Taiwan would forever be a place that holds pleasant connotations and associations for us, and we have the school to thank for that. We would like to extend our sincere and utmost gratitude and appreciation towards the school for giving us this invaluable opportunity to learn and explore, for we managed to learn what it means to learn through exploration on this trip, which is what makes the learning process memorable and enjoyable.

THANK YOU, SRI AMAN!

Eco-trip to Taiwan! (Day 3)

Day Three began on a bittersweet note, with us having to bid a heavy-hearted farewell to Love River Boutique Hotel, which we had called home for the past two nights. Oh well, all good things come to an end, after all, and the end of a chapter usually marks the beginning of yet another. We were headed for Taipei later in the day, which was a fact we were very pumped-up about. Before embarking upon our journey to the capital city of Taiwan, though, we still had a few places to visit in the lovely city of Kaohsiung. First up was our long-anticipated visit to the Tzu Chi Recycling Centre in Feng Shan.

The moment we disembarked from the bus, we were greeted by a friendly volunteer at the recycling centre, who readily offered to explain some basic aspects of recycling to us, such as the types of materials that can be recycled, and the sub-categories of every category of recyclables. That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Recyclables do not only include paper, glass, and aluminium cans. All that she requested of us in return was for us to spread our newly-gained knowledge with our Malaysian friends and families upon our return to Malaysia. Wasn't that noble of her? We most certainly thought so.

Afterwards, we were shown how to disassemble an item (a Pringles can, in this case) and separate its components (cardboard, and the metal base of the can) into its respective category of recyclables. On top of everyday items such as Pringles cans, the highly adept volunteers at the recycling centre also disassembles computers and VCR tapes to obtain valuable recyclables, such as small bits of plastics and metals. These plastics and metals are then separated into their respective and numerous sub-categories, which is obviously a skill that comes with experience and lots of practice. Whew! Being a volunteer is not as easy as it seems!

After a brief hands-on session during which we were instructed to sort the recyclables at the centre into main categories such as paper, plastics, milk cartons, and metals, we were taken on a tour to the recycling centre's organic vegetable garden. The vegetables at the well-maintained garden looked fresh, healthy and crisp, which was no doubt thanks to the usage of the recycling centre's self-produced compost and bio-enzyme. We were given a tutorial on how to produce compost, and were given the opportunity to take a whiff of their bio-enzyme's scent, which was pleasant, thanks to their usage of citrus fruits. We were all shocked to hear that bio-enzyme could be drunk and applied to our skin, to heal minor wounds. I guess we do learn new things everyday!

The final stop of our tour around the recycling centre was its adjoining shop, selling products made using recycled items. Plastic bottles are reprocessed to make t-shirts, bags, shoes, socks, and even baby apparel. Due to the heavy reprocessing required to transform the plastic bottles into breathable fabric suitable for making clothes, these items do come at a heftier price tag, with a t-shirt costing around RM 50, but these items are fashionable, durable, and worth every penny. Key chains, candles, portable chopsticks, and even dried rice that cooks in water to make a complete meal were some of the many items sold in the shop, and unsurprisingly, our departure from the recycling centre was delayed due to our immense and overwhelming need to shop. Oops!

Our final stop in Kaohsiung was none other than NKNUSH, a place we had been looking forward to visiting ever since the idea for this Eco-Trip had been conceived. The charm and appeal NKNUSH holds was apparent from the very moment we set foot into the school. Young, elementary school children were seen playing the diabolo at the entrance of the school, and it was truly an adorable sight. We were immediately ushered into a room next to the Social Studies classroom, where we were treated to a lovely appetiser and lunch. After lunch, we then went into the Social Studies classroom to watch a video presentation on their school, before we were divided into two groups and shown around the school by students of NKNUSH.

Each group was assigned two tour guides, who not only showed us around the school, but provided some background information and fun facts on certain parts of their school. Our guides were pleasant and friendly, and were even willing to accommodate our requests for them to show us their canteen. They even brought us to an elementary school classroom, to point out the Russian foreign student studying in their school. The library, new science labs, rainwater harvesting system, as well as their mini recycling centre were some of the other spots we were shown. All in all, it was a very fun tour, not only because we were given the opportunity to explore a school in a foreign country, but because we got the opportunity to communicate with our peers in a foreign country. A memorable experience, indeed.

We were then brought into a conference room of sorts, where some students had been gathered to partake in a Physics presentation competition. The objective of the competition was to select a candidate to represent the school in a national science competition. Despite the fact that the presentation was in Chinese, meaning that most of us couldn't understand a word of what they were saying, the ones amongst us who could understand what their presentations were about found it highly interesting. Then, the time came for us to give a presentation of our own, on the Eco-Projects that we have carried out through TER. As a bonus, we even through in an Eco Music Band performance. We were all very thankful for their attention and enthusiasm in giving us their support throughout the duration of our performance.

We had to make a hasty exit after our performance, so as to stick to our schedule of arriving in Taipei by 7pm. After a 5-hour journey, we managed to reach Taipei on schedule, and were immediately whisked off for a delicious dinner in Halal Bismila Restaurant. We all agreed unanimously that it was the best meal we've had in Taiwan. After the memorably delicious dinner, we checked into the hotel where we would be spending our final night in Taiwan - Yeso Hotel. Exhausted after a long day of travelling, we fell into a long and fitful sleep soon after checking into the hotel, grateful for the soft, comfortable beds to sleep on.

Eco-trip to Taiwan! (Day 2)

A scrumptious buffet-style breakfast courtesy of our hotel marked a delicious start to our second day in Taiwan. Though we could have sat in the lobby of the hotel stuffing our faces with the gastronomical fare, we had a tight schedule to follow and lots of exciting places to visit. Hence, we found ourselves on our private tour bus by 8.10 am. A fairly long albeit pleasant bus ride then commenced, during which most of us, at one point or another, seized the opportunity to sleep. Finally giving us the long-awaited opportunity of stretching our legs, our bus pulled up in front of the Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park at 9.30 am.

At first glance, the Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park may seem like a typical park, covering a wide expanse of land. However, a thorough tour around the park, courtesy of Mr Liow, revealed that it was anything but. Built on top of what used to biggest landfill in Kaohsiung, it is now 35 hectares of greenery, and is, aesthetically, on par with any other park you can name. That's not the coolest part about the park, though. A power station is located a mere stone's throw away from the park, and this power station generates electricity using... methane gas from all the rubbish decomposing beneath the park! The methane gas released as a by-product of the decomposition of all the rubbish in the landfill on top of which the park is built on is channeled to the power station, before it is used to generate electricity. To us, the Kaohsiung Metropolitan Park is truly a fine example of the importance of creativity and innovation when it comes to carrying out green projects.

Our day continued with a trip to the Kaohsiung National Stadium, which hosted the World Games in 2009. It was formerly known as 2009 The World Games Main Stadium, and it features a unique design, reminiscent of a dragon's body. 8844 solar panels cover the external surface of the stadium's roof, and some quick online research revealed that it's the first stadium in the world to be completely solar-powered. IN THE WORLD! Considering the fact that they were up against some pretty strong competitors, that's impressive! We spent around 25 minutes in the semi-spiral structure, frantically taking photographs of the majestic exterior and the little glimpses of the interior we managed to steal through the gates. It was as though we had come face-to-face with a celebrity, which, considering the fact that we are Eco Rangers after all, was somewhat true.

We then stopped by the NKNUSH to have a quick lunch in their art room at around 12.45pm. We were very much impressed by how well-equipped their art room was, as the room even had a metal rack for students to dry their wet paintings. Lunch was a quick, albeit yummy affair and after a quick look around the section of the school we were in, we once again found ourselves on the tour bus, eager for our tour to continue.

The moment we laid our eyes on the Kaohsiung Public Library, we were immediately captivated by the structure of the building. Though the structure may appear typical and ordinary at first glance, a closer scrutiny reveals roofs allowing the building to be well-ventilated, strategically positioned windows, and plenty of greenery. Hence, it came as no surprise to us that the Kaohsiung Public Library is an EEWH-certified green building. The fact that it was located in a site that was very much steeped in history lent it an even greater appeal.

Not a soul on this planet can feign the slightest bit of disinterest in the flora and fauna unique to another country. One need not necessarily be interested in wildlife to have a spark of curiousity, leading them to wonder what the plants and animals of another country with a different climate look like. Thanks to the fact that we were all Eco Rangers, this fact rang especially true for us. Thus, our exceptional eagerness to explore the Kaohsiung Original Botanical Garden was not at all surprising. Housing Taiwanese indigenous plants of all shapes and sizes, the park features mangroves, aquatic plants, coastal trees, and even coral reefs! It was indeed, a worthwhile place to visit.

The first thing that greeted our eyes upon our arrival at the Chongduo Wetland Parks was the sight of two long bridges not unlike the bridges found in Malaysia's very own canopy walks. While the sight inspired excitement and eagerness within the very depths of most of our souls, it inspired the tiniest twinge of fear and trepidation in others. The canopy walk cuts across a pristine river, with water so clear you can easily see the floor of the lake, on top of the many fishes that call the river home. One truly fascinating fact about the river was that up until a government-endorsed cleaning project was carried out a few years ago, it used to be a heavily polluted river, and an eyesore to the city. Today, the river is a tourist attraction, which only proves the important role cleanliness plays in boosting a country's image and popularity amongst tourists.

After paying an art exhibition a quick visit, we stopped at an Indonesian restaurant called Masakan Indonesia Pak Zainal Abidin for a quick dinner at around 5.20 pm. Due to our overwhelming hunger, all the food served disappeared off the dining table at an alarming rate, making dinner a quick and delicious affair. We then returned to our hotel after a long, exciting day of touring, where our comfortable beds welcomed us. Despite our exhaustion, it was indeed, a day well spent!

Eco-trip to Taiwan! (Day 1)

Armed with our suitcases, passports, cameras, and truckloads of anticipation for what awaits us in Taiwan, we, the 10 lucky members who were selected to partake in a Field Trip to Taiwan the school organised for us to attain and exchange ideas on implementing green projects with the people of Taiwan. A secondary objective of this trip was to reward us for all the hard work we'd invested in carrying our all our green projects to a respectable degree of success, which eventually led to us emerging champions of the Toyota Eco Rangers competition. :) We were accompanied by two accompanying teachers - Cik Tan and Puan Ngau.

All of us were gathered in the Malaysia Low Cost Carrier Terminal by 8.30 am to check-in our luggages, which all of us managed to keep below the allocated 15 kilograms, a small accomplishment that marked a pleasant start to our trip. Mr Jamil, the Malaysian representative of CS Holidays who would be accompanying us on this trip as one of the tour guides, was beyond helpful when it came to leading us through the check-in process. After a brief 2-hour wait, during which farewells were exchanged between the doting family members who had come to see their daughters off, we found ourselves happily boarding an Air Asia aircraft. The prospect of visiting Taiwan, a country foreign to us in every sense, be it linguistically, culturally, and even when it comes to the climate, successfully clouded any hint of heavy-heartedness we might have and should have had about leaving our country. Ah, the fickle-minded youth of today.

The flight was scheduled to take approximately 4 hours, and all of us came well-prepared in our own unique ways. For Siti Sarah a.k.a. Empress, she mentally prepared herself for a long, comfortable and uninterrupted snooze (due to the fact that her seat partner was Atikah, and Atikah's many attempts at coaxing Siti Sarah out of her deep slumber using her gentle, soothing voice seems to have the same effect as a lullaby, instead.) If only Siti Sarah's seat partner was someone armed with a camera, and was not afraid to use it. Meanwhile, an inter-aisle UNO game was taking place, which involved lots of card-passing and remarks such as 'Oh? My turn?', due to the vast geographical differences between the players. We like to think that our game also proved how useful Air Asia's aircraft seat tables can be in such situations.

This is a picture of a half-eaten in-flight meal. It was so delicious that it only occurred to the camerawoman to take a photo of this after she has devoured most of it, which is a sentiment every single one of us can understand. :)

All in all, it was a fairly pleasant flight, and at 2.30pm, we finally found ourselves in Taipei! If we had been part of the cast of a movie, inspirational music hinting at great adventures lying ahead would have played at that very moment, but unfortunately, the only movie we were a part of was reality. We noted that the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport reflected the environmentally-conscious nature of  Taiwanese in general, as numerous recycling bins were planted within the confines of the airport, while toilet paper made using recycled paper were used in its toilets. Yes, small notices informing us about the origin of all toilet papers used in the airport were thoughtfully placed near the toilet paper dispensers.

After retrieving our luggages, we were introduced to Hendri, the Taiwanese representative of CS Holidays who also made up the other half of our pair of tour guides. He led us to board a transit bus which took us to the high speed train station. As it turns out, this part of our trip turned out to be quite the eye-opener, as it allowed us our first glimpse of the streets of Taiwan. Also, the novelty of having one whole bus to ourselves doesn't quite get old. :)

Cameras were hastily whipped out to capture shots of Taiwanese streets, as well as the interior of the bus. This wonderful shot features our empress displaying her excitement over the bus in a toned-down manner. 

Upon our arrival at the aforementioned high-speed train station which looked more like a terminal, with its sleek, futuristic design and numerous facilities, we were presented with our train tickets. We had half an hour to kill before the scheduled departure of our train, and the appeal and allure of gleaming, familiar sign of the 7-11 we found ourselves standing in front of was too much to resist. Hence, 7-11 was where most of us spent our New Taiwan Dollars for the first time. The brief wait cum minuscule shopping expedition was over in a flash, and we were eagerly planting our weary behinds onto the plush, comfortable seats of a high-speed train before we knew it. UNO cards were onced again dealt to the tirelessly playful, while the saner ones amongst us made the sensible decision of resting and conserving their strength.

Faces of people who had just spent their first New Taiwanese Dollars. :) You can see the delighted 7-11 cashier in the background, if you squint hard enough.

Is the train here yet?

Is the train here yet?

OMG the train! It's here!

'You have now arrived at Kaohsiung'. The robotic voice that announced our arrival to Kaohsiung lifted our spirits sky high where they continued to soar. By then, it was around 6.15pm, but the skies had already darkened so much that to our Malaysian eyes, it looked like it was fast approaching 8pm. Such a sight brought only one word to our minds - DINNER. Hence, we were all more than pleased when our tour bus (an entire bus just for us, again!) pulled up at a posh-looking Shanghai Vegetarian Restaurant. Its interior was well-decorated, and so was its washroom. Actually, it looked so sophisticated that a term more sophisticated should have been used to refer to it. A term like 'lavatory', perhaps, and maybe, it should be uttered in a British accent. 'Oh, I do beg your pardon, but I'm afraid that I'll have to excuse myself to use the lah-vah-toh-reyh.' Yes, that should work.

We have a bus to ourselves! V for Victory!

Hendri briefly introduced us to the marvelous land of Kaohsiung. :)

The magestic-looking Shanghai Vegetarian Restaurant :)

This is Encik Jamil. He's the guy who's standing, by the way. :)

The interior of the restaurant.

The door of the toilet, which we immediately took a liking to and deemed photograph(s)-worthy. :)

Us touring the toilet to see what it has to offer.

Anisa demonstrating the wonders of the toilet bowl.

But I'm digressing, and back to the topic at hand, our dinner was, to put it simply, scrumptious! Despite the fact that we were all omnivores in every sense of the word, the extremely delectable vegetarian dishes served at the restaurant allowed us to effortlessly overlook the lack of meat on the dinner table, and not miss it at all. For some of us, that's saying a lot!

At the restaurant, we were greeted by Mr Lian, along with a few other iEARN representatives from the NKNUSH (The Affiliated Senior High School of National Kaohsiung Normal University). Not only did he willingly make his way to the restaurant to personally welcome and greet us, he even brought goodies for us in the form of egg puddings served in actual egg shells, possibly a delicacy that's unique to Taiwan. Needless to say, this thoughtful gesture was the warmest welcome to Kaohsiung we could possibly have been on the receiving end of. We polished the yummy egg puddings in a flash - already, we had fallen in love with Taiwanese cuisine. Thus, our dinner ended on a sweet note.

Mr. Lian, who had come to welcome us, came bearing goodies!

SO CUTE!

Even Puan Ngau felt the need to pose for a picture with the egg puddings!

After dinner, Encik Jamil and Hendri asked us if we were up for a trip to the night market. Needless to say, we answered with a firm, resolute, YES! The night market was everything we had imagined, and more. Stalls selling a plethora of goods, ranging from the typical - accessories, clothes, shoes - to the unusual - dog clothes, arcade-style game stalls lined the entire length of the street, and boy, it was truly a sight to behold. However, nothing could possibly top the range of food that was sold. Snake soup, nougats, Taiwanese sausages, seafood Teppanyaki, fruit blended with milk, stinky tofu... these are but a few examples of the wide range of delicacies sold at the night market. It was evident that every craving your taste buds could possibly have would be fulfilled.

At around 9.30pm, we were finally checked into the Love River Boutique Hotel. Staying true to its fancy name, the hotel was in fact, quaintly and beautifully furnished. After being assigned our rooms, we were finally free to call it a day, and drag our excited but exhausted selves to bed.

Upcoming Gathering of Young Minds Programme in Penang

On the 11th of November, 2011 (11/11/11), which is no doubt a date with aesthetic value and auspicious meanings, five of our members would be departing from the lovely state of Selangor for the equally lovely state of Penang, to partake in an programme known as the 'Gathering of Young Minds' programme, which would be held in SMK (P) St. George from the 11th to the 13th of November.

They would be taking a bus to their destination, and are scheduled to arrive at Penang in the afternoon. We would then be given a tea break at 4.30pm, before being given some time to pray (for the Muslims) at 5.30pm. At 6.30pm, they would be having dinner, and at 7 pm, all Muslims would once again be given some time to pray. At 8pm, the ice-breaking session and opening ceremony would commence, before it ends at 10pm. The days ends with them being served supper at 10.30pm.

On the second day, they are scheduled to rise and shine at 5.30am in the morning. Breakfast would be served at 6.30am, and at 7.30am, a fitness exercise would commence. They would be given a short break at 8.30am, and the poster presentation competition would begin at 9 am. After a short break at 10.30 am, the day would continue with a 'Best Practices Presentation Competition' at 11am until 1pm. It is a competition that is participated by six selected High-Performance Schools. At 2pm, after they've had our lunch, they would embark upon a 4-hour 'Heritage Tour' around Penang. They would then be given one hour from 7pm to pray and freshen up, before attending the 'Konsert Simfoni Perdana', which ends at 10pm. Like the day prior, supper would be served at 10.30pm, and then the time would come for them to call it a day.

On their third and final day, their schedule in the morning is more or less the same as the previous day, except for the fact that their fitness session ends half an hour later. They would then be given a break, and at 10 am, the closing ceremony would commence, ending at 11.30 am. Lunch would then be served for an hour, and they are scheduled to leave SMK (P) St. George at 1 pm.

It most certainly sounds as though our representatives have much to look forward to!

Organic Farming Workshop on the 4th of December

On the 4th of December, Eco Rangers, as well as the Form 3 students of our school, who were recently freed from the constricting burden of their PMR examinations were treated to a high educational and interesting talk on Organic Farming by Mr Tapur, an organic farmer who collaborated with The University of Malaya to bring this talk to us. He was accompanied by a few volunteers from the University of Malaya.

Firstly, we were introduced to the basics of organic farming, such as the benefits of organic farming, as well as the advantages of doing so over commercial farming. We were also urged to grow our own vegetables over buying them as he said growing our vegetables is an economical as well as an environmentally-friendly decision, and doing so also reduces our carbon footprint. Growing our own vegetables also ensures that we will have a constant supply of food. We were also given some theoretical information on how to carry out organic farming.

We were then shown how to improve the properties of soil. First of all, he said that Malaysian soil is acidic in nature, which is why a combination of Calcium Oxide and Magnesium is used to reduce its acidity. We were then given a live demonstration on how to make fish amino acid, which is a good source of nitrogen and protein for the soil and plants. Firstly, we had to cut up some fish into around 5 segments. The fish is then mixed with molasses, otherwise known as brown sugar. We were told that if we made the fish amino acid correctly, kept it out of damp places, mixed it every now and then, and covered it with a porous cloth to prevent flies from alighting on our mixture, it should not smell after a couple of days.  We were also told that the fish amino acid can keep for up to 6 months.

We were then shown how to extract the nutrients found in egg shells to increase the content of nutrients in the soil. We first had to juice enough limes to provide enough juice to immerse 10 eggs in. This is to corrode the shell of the egg, so that its nutrients can be extracted. The eggs would then be crushed and mixed into the concoction, as they are a good source of protein. Like the fish amino acid, this concoction can also keep for around 6 months. The upside to making this concoction? The peels of the limes used to provide juice for the eggs are perfect for making garbage enzyme, which is not only good for the soil, but also has a multitude of other uses. We were even told that it can be drunk!

After the demonstrations were over, every participant of the workshop was treated to a scrumptious late breakfast, consisting of chicken curry, roti jala, maggi goreng, pudding, and mango juice. After all the excitement, everyone was ravenously hungry. Thankfully, there was more than enough food to go around. Having sated themselves thoroughly, participants were more than happy and eager to move on to the next agenda of the day - the hands-on organic farming session.

Participants of the workshop were led to the proposed site of our vegetable garden, and were shown how to prepare vegetable beds. There was a lot to be done, apparently. First of all, all the grass had to be removed from the vegetable bed. Paths cutting across the vegetable beds also had to be dug, for our convenience. The soil also had to be loosened, and large rocks buried in the soil also had to be removed, along with any potentially harmful pests we uncovered as we were carrying out our respective tasks. Some corn seeds were then planted, and Mr Tapur kindly informed all of us that the corn would be ready for harvesting in a month.

The University Malaya volunteers added the finishing touches to our newly-prepared vegetable beds by sprinkling some compost over the beds. We were told that the compost was made using cow manure, which is a thought we would have cringed at, had we not obtained first-hand experiences in dealing with animal manure during our last composting session with Miss Tan. As it were, we bravely and boldly stuck our delicate, gentle (and gloved) female hands into the sacks of cow manure and sprinkled it over our vegetable beds as though doing so was part and parcel of our everyday lives.

We also harvested the batch of compost we made a few months ago, and Mr Tapur commented on the high fertility of our compost, a fact that was apparently evidenced by the fact that our compost was (and probably still is) completely overrun by earthworms and strange insects. Before taking his leave, Mr Tapur gave us a gentle reminder to keep up our efforts in organic farming by jokingly threatening to report us to the police should we give up on our vegetable garden. He then told us that he would return next year, after school reopens, to further assist us in improving the condition of our vegetable garden, a gesture we truly appreciated.

We can't wait for the next school year to begin, as we're eager to see our vegetable garden yield produce. Should we be allowed to consume the vegetables we planted, it would be the first time most of us got to eat vegetables planted by ourselves. That should be an unforgettable experience, as nothing tastes better than the fruits of our own labour. :)

Upcoming trip to Taiwan

Taiwan. Ah, the fabled land of good food, beautiful sceneries, and pleasant people. Never in my life had I foreseen that my very first trip to Taiwan would be on a school trip. The sheer thought alone invites incredulousity and disbelief, because to put it simply, it seems far too good to be true. As much as I can't believe my good luck, the fact that 10 lucky Eco Rangers would be visiting Taiwan from the 15th to 18th of November remains a fact, albeit a pleasant one.

We would be taking a morning flight to Taiwan, which departs from the LCCT. We would first arrive at Taipei, and would be taking a high-speed train to Kaohsiung, where we would be spending most of our time at. A quick internet check put my fears about catching a cold from the winter chill to rest, because the temperature is predicted to hover around 20 to 30 degrees celcius. Our teacher advisors for the trip, Cik Tan and Puan Ngau, were quick to put any myths about there being snow in Taiwan during the winter to rest by informing us that it does not snow in Taiwan.

On our first day, we would be touring various green buildings in Kaohsiung, such as the Green Library. On the second day, we would be visiting The Affiliated Senior High School of National Kaohsiung Normal University, which is abbreviated as NKNUASHS to learn and exchange ideas regarding implementing green features and projects in our school. We would be shown some of the green facilities implemented in their school, such as a water saving tap.

On the third day, we would be shown what Kaohsiung has to offer, through a thoroughly planned touring and shopping trip - what better way for us girls to get ourselves acquainted with a new place, right? On the forth day, we would once again, take a high-speed train back to Taipei as that's where our flight back to Malaysia leaves from. Fortunately for us, we have a night flight, which means that we'll have plenty of time to kill in the capital of Taiwan before we have to make our way to the airport. What an upside!

Needless to say, all ten of us are eagerly anticpating our upcoming trip. Stay posted to know how our trip went! :)

Upcoming trip to Stomp '11

There is no doubt about the fact that being an Eco Ranger is a lot of work, but more often than not, our hard work usually translates to a lot of fun, and if we're lucky, we might even get unexpected rewards in return. Participating in the recent Eco Music Fest was a good example. For around 2 to 3 weeks, our lives were a blur of band practices, skipping classes to carry out the aforementioned activity, taking short breaks, and then, practicing again. Not that any of us band members were complaining - practicing gave us golden opportunities to bond over lame jokes and off-pitch singing, after all. :)

I'm pleased to announce that our hard work paid off in the form of us emerging champions of the competition, allowing us to walk away with a digital camera and 15 thumbdrives. We were delighted, and overwhelmed with glee by our unexpected win and the prizes we received, so we thought that the rewards for our hard work ended there. Imagine our surprise when we were greeted by the news that in order to reward us for all the hard work we invested, the school was sending us on a trip to watch Stomp, a percussion group using everyday objects to produce music, live in action!

We couldn't believe our ears. All of a sudden, we were attending a concert, and it's not just any concert, it's the heavily publicised  STOMP '11 - LONDON'S WEST END SENSATION RETURNS TO KUALA LUMPUR! Our glees were barely suppressed enough for us to grasp more details regarding our upcoming trip to the Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, where Stomp would be entertaining us. Details such as the fact that we were going for the December 3rd afternoon show, and that we're taking a bus from school, would have soared over our heads, had those details not been of paramount importance. There are going to be around 30 students going for the concert, including us Eco Band members, which was yet another good news. As they say, the more the merrier!

We are eagerly anticipating the 3rd of December, as that trip would most definitely be one of the highlights of our years as Eco Rangers.

Malay College Youth Development Summit (MCYDS) 2011 (Daily account)

Day 1 - 20th June 2011

We arrived at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) about 11.30 am and we were welcomed with open arms by the MCKK students. We were required to register at the registration counters and were then shown to our dormitories, which are usually used by Form 3 students on normal schooling days. Lunch was served at 1pm at the Summit Square. This was when we first met delegates from other countries such as India, Pakistan, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand as well as delegates from Malaysia. After having our meal, we were allowed to go back to our respective dorms to freshen up and unpack.

The next program lined up for us was the sepak takraw demonstration by the MCKK sepak takraw players followed by the Kedah state players. We were shown two methods to play sepak takraw, the traditional and modern method. Then, we were divided into groups and were given the opportunity to play this traditional Malay sport. A mini competition was also organized whereby Hassan Ayub, the delegate from Pakistan, emerged as the champion.

At 8.30 pm that night, we had a welcoming dinner near the Hangreaves Hall. During the dinner, representatives from each school were asked to introduce themselves and to say a few words on what they expected to gain from the summit. Farhanah represented our school and spoke on behalf of all of us.

Once the dinner was over, we had an ice breaking session at the Hangreaves Hall. The highlight of the session was the Penguin Feet game, similar to Musical Chair. We also had a game which required us to obtain as much information as we can about any delegate within a period of one minute. The last game was mainly about trust as the delegates had to select a partner and work together to be part of the Dancing Newspaper game.

All in all, the games met the purpose of breaking the ice among the participants and it was the first step for us, delegates to get to know each other better. The program ended at 10.30 pm and we then went back to our respective dorms to have a goodnight rest.

Day 2 - 21th June 2011

We started our morning by having breakfast at the Summit square around 7.00 am that morning. After breakfast, all the delegates were asked to gather at the Hangreaves Hall as the opening ceremony was about to begin. During the opening ceremony, the principal of the MCKK, Mr. Anand bin Baharuddin gave his welcoming speech and wished all of us a pleasant stay at the Malay College. Mr. Anand also explained that the main purpose of organizing the Malay College Youth Development Summit (MCYDS) was to polish the leadership potential and soft skills of youths to produce great leaders of tomorrow. The opening ceremony was rejuvenated by cultural performances from the MCKK students such as the Dikir Barat & 1 Malaysia traditional dance performance.  

We then had refreshments and the program of the day proceeded with the first session of the “What Works Well (WWW)” Project Presentation from seven schools, including ours. SMK Raja Perempuan Kelsom started off their presentation by explaining about the eco- friendly detergent, followed by Vajiravudh College, Thailand. They spoke about the Vajiravudh Sufficiency Economic Movement the works well in their school. Students from SMA Negeri 1 Purworejo, Indonesia then explained about their student exchange program continued by SMS Sains Selangor. Finally, it was our turn to present about what works well in SMK (P) Sri Aman. As we are part of the environmental project of Sri Aman, we presented on the various eco efforts taken by us, in order to preserve and conserve the environment. It was an 8 minute presentation and a 2 minute Q & A session. During the Q & A session, Daanish Ibrahim Izhar, a delegate from Pakistan, asked us a few questions about the green initiatives that we had taken. Our presentation was indeed a success as we received and overwhelming response from the audience. The presentation session ended with the MCKK delegates talking about the “One (1) Decision” software that was designed by an ex- MCKK boy.

We later got ready for the Royal Banquet Dinner rehearsal which took place at the official Iskandariah palace. Upon our arrival at the palace, we were lead to the royal dining hall and were educated on the etiquettes of English fine dining. We headed back to the Malay College Kuala Kangsar after the rehearsal as there was a dialogue session on the “Role of Youth in the Society” planned for us. The speaker of the event was Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, also an MCKK old boy. This session was very interesting as the delegates shared thoughts and perspectives on what they truly understand about the role of youth as leaders in today’s world. We also had the privilege to listen to Dato’ Saifuddin’s view on this topic. The program for the day ended at 11 pm.

Day 3 - 22th June 2011

After breakfast that morning, we gathered at the Hangreaves Hall for the 2nd session of the WWW Project Presentation. SMA Negeri 7 Purworenjo, Indonesia started their presentation by talking about their school’s co-curricular activities and the Bonsai Program that had been organized in their school. Next, Olongopo City National High School talked about the special programs offered, such as the Journalism, Sports and Science programs. SM Sains Machang talked about their project to produce well-balanced students before the Aitchisonian College, Pakistan surprised all of us with the amazing project they have done to treat cancer patients in Lahore, Pakistan, by setting up the Shaukat Khanum Hospital in collaboration with various parties. SMK Raja Perempuan Bainun, Ipoh then spoke about the Living in Fine English (LIFE) program organized in their school, followed by Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR), which highlighted about the International Inspiration program, a sports program organized in collaboration with colleges in London. The next presentation was by SM Sayyidina Othman, Brunei Darussalam whereby they explained about how ICT is a major substance in their school education system. SMK Sultanah Asma, Kedah addressed on the environmental efforts that are being taken by their school and SBP Gopeng ended the second and last session of the presentation by explaining on the ISIS and WINJAWS System that is used in their school administration system. The session ended at about 1pm, just in time for lunch!

Then, we were given a short- briefing about the Pangkor Trip that was supposed to take place that evening before having our lunch. We left for Pangkor at 2 pm and and it took us about 3 hours to reach the beautiful and exotic Pangkor Island. Upon our arrival, we were served with some refreshments before checking in to our respective rooms at the Coral Bay Resort. Around 5.45 that evening, a community beach clean-up activity was planned for us. We were divided into groups and to make the activity more challenging, a mini competition was organized whereby the group with the most rubbish would win a token. Delegates from all around the globe, the MCKK teachers and even the principal worked hand in hand to clean up the beach. The judging session to determine the winner of the clean-up session was conducted by the MCKK boys and we were informed that results would only be announced during dinner later at night.

Dinner commenced at 8.30 pm followed by a speech from the guest of honour, who was brought up in Pangkor Island and by the organizing chairperson of MCYDS ’11. They both spoke mainly about the beauty of the island, also highlighting on the importance of carrying out community service. The winner of the cleaning up session was announced and they received hampers. After dinner, we went to the souvenir shop nearby to purchase a few items as memories of visiting the island. We then headed off to bed about 11 pm.

Day 4 - 23th June 2011

The main activity planned for the day was to take place at SMK Pangkor. We made our way to their school at about 8.00 am and we were welcomed with open hands by the students and teachers. The main objective of our visit to SMK Pangkor was to carry out team building activities with the students, in order to boost their confidence and help them to socialize. Before the activities started, we joined in their usual morning assembly. Via the speech from the student representative of SMK Pangkor, we learned that they were very honoured to have us to visit their humble school. We sang our national anthem for the assembly was formal and continued on with the Perak state anthem and SMK Pangkor song.

Since the aforementioned school was located just beside the beach, the organizers had planned the team building activities to take part by the beach. The games that were held were indeed challenging as we learnt the true meaning of teamwork and leadership skills. It was truly such and amazing experience not only because the games were fun, but we also managed to make new friends along the way. Light refreshments were served at SMK Pangkor’s school canteen before we headed back to the resort to pack up our things and leave for MCKK.

We headed back to MCKK after lunch as the Royal Banquet at the Iskandariah Palace was planned for the night and we were required to be at the palace by 6.00 pm for a final rehearsal before the royal banquet.  Dressed in our traditional clothes, we left for the palace at 5.30 pm. It was the first time for almost all of us to be having dinner at a royal palace. We were all excited and full of enthusiasm. Once we entered the palace grounds, we were awed by the aesthetic features of the palace, not to mention the fine architecture of the royal dining hall. The rehearsal began about 6.30 pm and we were reminded about how we were supposed to behave throughout the royal banquet.

We had to wait for about 2 hours before the actual dinner. Excitement slowly arouse in each and everyone of us. The royal dinner began at 8.30 pm as soon  as Raja Nazrin Shah, the crown prince of Perak arrived. There were a few protocols that needed to be done and therefore, dinner was served around 9.00 pm. We were served a 5 coursed western cuisine and were entertained by the MCKK Wind Orchestra throughout the dinner. After the royal banquet, we took the opportunity to snap loads of pictures at the palace as we might never obtain the chance to visit the palace again. The royal banquet was indeed a lifetime experience for all of us.

Day 5 - 24th June 2011

We woke up full of excitement as we were supposed to go for a tour around Kuala Kangsar that morning. Though we are Malaysians, we have not been to Kuala Kangsar, Perak which is also known for its royalty. Three buses were used as the mean of transportation and we were randomnly seated in the bus to allow us to get to know other delegates. We made our first stop at the Enggor handicraft centre which specialized in the production of Labu Sayong. Demonstrations were made on the process of making the famous Labu Sayong. Some of the delegates were also given the opportunity to make the Labu Sayong hands-on which carved smiles on the faces of the delegates, especially those from other countries.After two hours at Enggor, we then made a move to the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery. The items displayed at the gallery were mainly royalty items such as their royal wear and royal cars. We also learnt a bit of Perak royalty history during the visit to the gallery.

We went back to MCKK at noon for lunch. At 2.30 pm, we were given time to practice for the cultural night that was to take place the following day. The Malaysian delegates including us, decided to have two different performances which were the Sumazau Dance and the traditional song, Aladom. The practice for the performance prolonged up to 6 pm. Dinner was served at 8.00 pm and we were given about 2 hours after dinner to prepare for our WWW Project Exhibition. We slept around 11 pm after completing our WWW Project Booth which displayed the green initiatives taken in Sri Aman.

Day 6 - 25th June 2011

After a week-long stay at MCKK, it was finally time for the Closing Ceremony & MCKK Speech Day to take place. The guest of honour for the ceremony was Raja Nazrin Shah, the crown prince of Perak. A short performance by the MCKK Wind Orchestra with a number of instrumental pieces such as the “Ross Roy” pieces marked the beginning of the event. There were also speeches by the guest of honour and the principal of MCKK, Mr. Anand bin Baharuddin. The crown prince of Perak was brought for a tour around the WWW Project Exhibition Booths, including ours. Raja Nazrin Shah was indeed very impressed by the green efforts that we, Sri Amanians had taken. We felt very honoured to be given the opportunity to present our project to the royalty of Perak.

As noon approached, we had our final cultural performance practice and we got ready for the cultural night. Before the cultural performance began, we were presented with our certificates for attending the event and souvenirs as a token of appreciation. The cultural performances that were put up that night by all the delegates were very entertaining. The performances that stood out among the rest were the martial arts demonstration by the delegates from Thailand, the energetic Bhangra dance by the Pakistanis and the melodious voice of an Indian delegate who sang whole-heartedly and captivated the hearts of the audience. Overall, the performances were mind-blowing and received a great response from the audience.

Be that as it may, we were all feeling melancholic soon after the cultural night as that was our last day at the Malay College Youth Development Summit (MCYDS). We took pictures and exchanged our personal details so that we will be able to keep in touch with each other even after returning to our respective schools and countries. That night, we slept with a mixture of feelings owing to the fantastic experience we had attain as well as the naked truth that we had to utter words of farewells and goodbyes the next day.