Malaysia 2008

If you want to keep reading...

2008-09-14T10:23:00.001-07:00

then please go to

this one is now de-funk-t!

"This is the end...."

2008-06-26T02:01:00.002-07:00

Yes it was great!!! I hit Singapore up in the biggest night of my life so far, all night out: finishing whiskey from a random impromptu party the night before in the hostel until midnight, last orders for a Singapore Sling at the Raffles with Hamish and Euan, then a classic Blacker 'I know the way' mental map to the Ministry of Sound club until closing @5am, Mc Donalds until 6.30am and then brekkie, shower and pack. I then got the afternoon flight to Sibu in Sarawak from JB!!
I did all 4 show caves, the PINNACLES(wow, so much harder than Kinabalu yet a weirder view...like a moonscape of granite fingers from the middle of Gng Api [Fire Mountain]) random swimming in waterfalls and freezing mountain rivers,ankle deep barefoot mud trails, 3 million bats leaving a cave at dusk watched from lying on a grassy knoll, card games with pornographic cards. All this done with Jimmy's (and now my mate) mate Dominic Ow Han Jie, his Shanghai friend Jiang Yu Fei, Andy from Cologne in Germany and Joseph from USA...what a crowd, Mulu was fantasic with this motley crew...now i am in the richness of a lounge in KLIA, this internet is RM30 for 1 hour!

AHHHHH the Western World.....NO! Inflated prices, newspapers, politics, shoes, bins, cleanliness,..... I love Borneo so much...and I don't ever leave it behind.

x

p.s. pictures later...promise, I have the card, not the time to upload. Thanks for the patience and the fact that the updates have really really been bad. As in non existant.
____________________________________________________________________

Saya ma'afkan, sila sila sila Tuhan (Allah)

Saya suka Sabah dan Sarawak, orang-orang dan Pulau Borneo.

La Salle Gemilang, Terbilang dan Cemilang

JOHAN

"This is the end...."

2008-06-26T02:01:00.001-07:00

Yes it was great!!! I hit Singapore up in the biggest night of my life so far, all night out: finishing whiskey from a random impromptu party the night before in the hostel until midnight, last orders for a Singapore Sling at the Raffles with Hamish and Euan, then a classic Blacker 'I know the way' mental map to the Ministry of Sound club until closing @5am, Mc Donalds until 6.30am and then brekkie, shower and pack. I then got the afternoon flight to Sibu in Sarawak from JB!!
I did all 4 show caves, the PINNACLES(wow, so much harder than Kinabalu yet a weirder view...like a moonscape) random swimming in waterfalls and freezing mountain rivers,ankle deep barefoot mud trails, 3 million bats leaving a cave at dusk watched from lying on a grassy knoll, card games with pornographic cards. All this done with Jimmy's (and now my mate) mate Dominic Ow Han Jie, his Shanghai friend Jiang Yu Fei, Andy from Cologne in Germany and Joseph from USA...what a crowd, Mulu was fantasic with this motley crew...now i am in the richness of a lounge in KLIA, hope London is all pretty and sunny. Enjoy it while it lasts!!!!!!!!!!!

"This is the end....

2008-06-26T02:01:00.000-07:00

Yes it was great!!! I hit Singapore up in the biggest night of my life so far, all night out: finishing whiskey from a random impromptu party the night before in the hostel until midnight, last orders for a Singapore Sling at the Raffles with Hamish and Euan, then a classic Blacker 'I know the way' mental map to the Ministry of Sound club until closing @5am, Mc Donalds until 6.30am and then brekkie, shower and pack. I then got the afternoon flight to Sibu in Sarawak from JB!!
I did all 4 show caves, the PINNACLES(wow, so much harder than Kinabalu yet a weirder view...like a moonscape) random swimming in waterfalls and freezing mountain rivers,ankle deep barefoot mud trails, 3 million bats leaving a cave at dusk watched from lying on a grassy knoll, card games with pornographic cards. All this done with Jimmy's (and now my mate) mate Dominic Ow Han Jie, his Shanghai friend Jiang Yu Fei, Andy from Cologne in Germany and Joseph from USA...what a crowd, Mulu was fantasic with this motley crew...now i am in the richness of a lounge in KLIA, hope London is all pretty and sunny. Enjoy it while it lasts!!!!!!!!!!!

My 19th and the last week of La Salle

2008-05-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who rang, sent a text, left a facebook message or comment, sent cards in the post, sent money (pounds and ringgits) sent emails...I was really suprised and thankful for all of these. Thanks guys! Really reminded me of home in a nice way and that it was my first birthday away from home!

On my birthday, I was congratulated by teachers at school and then the boarders had bought a cake with a 'Happy Birthday Tom' message on. Now Bro. Charles is back, he joined in the sponge and cream cake fest! Happy Birthday in English and Malay was sung, it was really cool and the cake was the most filling thing ever! There's a piece left in the freezer as it will go off in the fridge, what with it being between 30-35oC all day, everyday!

I will miss all of them. It's been a real home from home. Just regular people my age who really live up to the friendly stereotype of Malaysians and have thanked us for improving their English and giving differences that I think has broadened them as people. It's not corrupting them (as people accused me of corrupting Jimmy way back!!), just Euan and I being ourselves.

The school is in a week of exams, this gives me time to reflect now. The best way to sum up the school is to post a two-page review I wrote about the highs and lows, here it is:

From 8^th January, the first day of the new term, we were made to feel welcome at La Salle. The School Principle, Puan Julia Willie Jock met us in her office. After, The Head Prefect, Leader of the Parliament and the Opposition Leader of the Parliament took Euan and I on a tour of both blocks of the school campus. This included both staff rooms, both halls, the La Salle Archive (museum of the school) and a computer lab that was installed in 2007.

The boarding house was equally as friendly. The borders and Brother Charles greeted us and we settled in as though it was home.

La Salle School itself is a Catholic missionary School set up in 1903 by the Mill Hill Brothers and then in 1957 was re-founded by Brothers of La Salle. Being a missionary school, it receives no money from Malaysian Education authorities except for teachers’ wages. There are over 1,000 pupils, most being boys as Upper 6^th is co-educational. Each class has between 45-55 pupils, with 5 sets per year, from 13 to 19 years old.

Until the first week of February, we took part in seemingly constant sports events: Standard Sports, sports practice and a grand Sports Day. Plus, winning a bronze medal in the open 4x100m and a gold medal in the alumni vs. teachers tug-of-war were great events. During the schooldays we observed all years in their English classes in both blocks and attended assemblies every Monday morning. Our experiences were new every day with the adjustments of a new climate, people, culture and style of living in a new house with new people. Some examples being: washing clothes by hand and always being sensible about the tropical climate and thunderstorms.

I taught English in the Junior Block for forms 1 and 2, this together with rugby coaching for U14 and the occasional form 3 class made my time very focused. The teaching was done by helping in the classrooms for the top 2 sets and taking small remedial group of 10-12 to a spare classroom to teach the same lesson but on a smaller scale. For these students, this improved their abilities as they were not in a large class of 50 which is difficult to teach all at the same level. From January to May I taught everything from English games; limericks, Literature such as Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, Robinson Crusoe and Malaysian poet’s work. When needed, grammar rules were taught so the understanding of English was comprehensive, fun and a new experience. I found the teachers to appreciate my input, though the true test was the improvement in written and spoken English I noticed.

I had many further opportunities with the school outside the classroom, such as: rugby training form 1 and form 2, who went on to be Sabah state champions and will represent the State in Kuala Lumpur in October. Added to this is the school sponsored jogathon, many school rugby festivals, the school mooting team who became Sabah state champions, school choir practice and inter-school competition, organising a treasure hunt for 20 pupils and other activities for English week, special assemblies and meetings for Chinese New Year, graduating as La Sallians and attending the local church with Brother Charles. Taking part in these activities integrated us further into the local area and increased the fullness of the experience in Sabah.

We showed that volunteers can add value to people, a community and a school. Hard work does bring good outcomes and truly learning from mistakes and difficulties helped our own development at La Salle Being the first gappers for La Salle, Euan and I supported each other through the five month term through difficulties and the many enjoyable times. Now reflecting on our volunteering, I feel we made many positive differences that were appreciated and will always remember that La Salle, Sabah was our home and community for part of our lives.

___________________________________________________________________
Just last weekend, I completed my PADI open water scuba course over on Mabul and Sipadan island, east Sabah. It was really great. We even had two MASSIVE tropical thunderstorms with the loudest thunder I have ever heard. The first one was worse: very high waters, strong winds, a leaking roof and lightning made for quite a worrying time. I thought our hostel room with metal bunk beds would be blown over or the roof would get ripped off -- this is what happened to some 'kampung' or village houses in the area. They were badly damaged. Even when we arrived on Mabul Island, the weather over was awful and the journey took 90 minutes, more than double the 40 minutes Lonely Planet says...! Anyway, we saw lots of starfish, tiger fish, box fish, sea turtles, white tipped sharks, schools of barracuda, amazing 50 metre++ wall of coral, a sunken toilet, sunken wooden fishing boat...really great place. Cool family run house that our diving company operated from; they even took us out to a birthday on the other side of the island where we had some coconut wine (to add to the 3 kinds of rice wine I have tried), some rum on the beach and then dancing the Pocho Pocho at a wedding reception. This was a large stage, whole village on the island seemed to be there; the party went on until 5am. Thankfully I slept from 1am without disturbance!:

Wow, great time away! Now it's goodbyes and farewells to La Salle...

Photos - Highlights of the first half term

2008-03-05T16:53:00.000-08:00

1/2 term and KK

2008-03-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that on Thursday we break up for 1/2 term. Half way through the placement at the school! There's national elections on Saturday so we get Friday off. There's loads of media interest and banners EVERYWHERE. It was so weird, getting a taxi back with Euan from KK late on Saturday night, we see a roundabout near our place absolutely covered to resemble a huge maypole of the government's party. It just appeared in a few hours before, yet no-one else seems to pay any attention to the streets being bathed in political party's colours.

6 days until we fly to Hanoi, Vietnam. Be Le, a gapper out here we see every week is letting us stay with her grandparents in Hue. Her story about how most of her family escaped civil war to Hong Kong and then Australia and being half-way in between the Socialists from the north and the Democrats from the south is amazing...especially as they wanted to escape to Canada but then settled for Australia!

KK is rocking still. We've got a few favourite hang outs here now.

Ah, bad news: Tom Askern, a gapper nearby at Sabah College has to return home to Australia because of family reasons. We're all sad to see him go but hopefully, he can come back out to do his gap year as he intended.

Anyway, must go, it's always busy busy busy!

Selamat Tinggal!

White Water Rafting

2008-01-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

Wow, Sunday was brilliant!

After booking the white water rafting last weekend, us 7 GAP Sabahans couldn't wait for the grade 3-4 rapids in the Borneo rainforest. To get there it took a 3 hour modern coach followed by a rickety-old and slow 2-carraige train that was packed with people, bags and cigarette smoke. Anyway, arrived and duly was given the makan (food) to begin. Then a small safety talk, donning of lifejackets and helmets; then it was a small walk further down the old trainline to the shore.

I had done white water rafting once before but this was in a different league! Us GAPpers had one boat, 6 tourists from HK had another. So much fun: the surrounding rainforest was incredible, amazing to be there and paddling down the river with the many noises from the trees. The forest was so dense, lush and amazing.

The rafting was mad through the rapids. 2 metre high rapids at some points meant we capsized 3 times! Lots of rain had fallen the night before and at one point we had to stop because the dam had to be opened. The water was very brown, warm, fast and full of jungle debris: huge logs were common.

After all the fun of around 1 hour of rafting, we more makan and my first can of coke out here! (I haven't yet been to the local KFC, McD's or Burger King yet though!) After this, we got the train back but as the carraiges were packed again, we hitched onto all the fruit on the open carraige -- it was literally like sitting on a big tray but as the train was slow, it was safe enough.

Great times.

In The Wilds of Borneo

2008-01-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

Well, not exactly. So far we have ventured by crazy-fast motor boat to an amazing small island of the coast of the capital of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu (KK). Its name is Mamutik. Wow, stereotypes were strong: white sand, palm trees, durian trees, beach restaurants at 1 pound per dish! Yes! Sun, snorkelling and a bit of a walk through the tiny forest...it was just like being Ralph in Lord of the Flies!!!

Anyway, I've done 3 days of school (SM LaSalle). It's near a suburb of KK called Tanjung Aru. There is a 7-Eleven, ShangriLa Hotel, a not-so-nice but long beach and our boarding house. A local legend called Datuk Brother Charles runs the house, he's now over 80 years old but a keen golfer, drinker and all round pleasant Irishman. He set up the school with others 50 years ago and he's still here.

I'm excited about Monday; there are big celebrations to launch the 50th year of LaSalle. No lessons or rugby, people from the education ministry and from far away are uniting for assemblies, parades (with rainbow coloured, plastic palm trees - !).

I have a decent sized room with a balcony where I can look over to the sea! It's so good, I've never lived by the coast so I love that.

The kids are all boys except for the UK equivilant of Y13, there are some girls in this year. So, Euan (the Aussie that I'm paired with) and I are coaching the Y7 and Y8 rugby squad each afternoon, 3pm to 4.15(ish). They are mad, love tackling and running but are doing well with it all being in English! This is their 2nd or 3rd language after Bahasa Malay and sometimes Mandarin.

No real photos as yet, hope to do this soon.

Happy New Year, also, less than one month until Chinese New Year -- :D

[Mamutik --->]

Melacca, KTJ and saying hello

2008-01-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

It's now getting very busy, KTJ is an independant school for 600 borders set in the most amazing grounds I've ever been in (for a school!). It's really top notch! KTJ stands for Koleg Tuan Ja'afar (College of the Sultan of the state, who is called Ja'afar). It's 1 & 1/2 hour drive south from KL.

The work experience today was in a local secondary school 30 minutes drive from KTJ. On arrival, we were sat in a staff meeting room and given lots of noodles and green tea.

[Vary nice, I like!]

The school was average sized but they gave us the best performing classes. The teachers were very kind. Myself and Euan, the Aussie who I'll be teaching with on Borneo, introduced ourselves in Bahasha Malay (national language) and English. My Bahasha Malay is very broken, Euan's is very good from previous study.

They are studying Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare, Somerset Maugham. Also, Indian and Australian literature!

I'm here!

2007-12-28T18:33:00.000-08:00

Hello!!

Hmm where do I start? The flights went fine, Birmigham to Dubai seemed quicker than Dubai to KL. Good things were the flight food (!), worst thing was waiting over 1 hour for my rucksack in KL with Jimmy waiting very patiently for this time.

Jimmy drove his cool automatic car into KL where he got me a room in The Grade Hotel. It's basic but just what I need. Straight after this, he called friends who all met up nearby at a outside eatery/hawker stall place. They were all really friendly, only thing was I knew I instinctively acted like the stereotypical silly Englishman. Trying to cut food and having table manners, whilst speaking formally and politely isn't done so it became funny for them all...I'll need to adapt to all this!

This morning, Jimmy has taken me out for breakfast which was Wan Tan, fruit, chocolate drink and nice toast stuff. It had honey-like spread but was much sweeter. Now I'm in his apartment he lives in with uncle, aunt, cousin and maid. Check the photos.

Overall, Jimmy is doing everything for me, he's being so kind. I'm really loving it and I still haven't been into the centre of Kuala Lumpur.

;D

Nearly There Now ¦ Currency

2007-12-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

Ok, after two quotes from The Post Office and Lloyds TSB, I will buy:

£20 in UAE which will be about UAE 145.00

£500 US$ traveller's cheques -- rate of £1 = US$ 1.98! Twice as much for your money, before the bargains!

and finally around £200 in Malaysian Ringgit. The vast majority will be on a cash card I'll manage online through transferring from Lloyds TSB to Nationwide. Nationwide are the only ones who offer 0% on taking money out of cashpoints worldwide....bingo

Well, what else now, I need Christmas to hurry up and then I'm away

Also, I'm having a party on 27th December. Theme is Malaysia, Borneo, the rainforest, the jungle and whatever my friends wanna do.

Pull shapes.

Malaysian Forums

2007-11-29T18:35:00.000-08:00

Hmm Facebook.com is seriously addictive.
So much so, I don't text much anymore and will probably remove the 'bolt on' for 100 texts a month for £6.99 to anyone, anytime. Well it's OK as deals go around here.

The thing is, switching networks from West Midlands (yep!) to Malaysia I found a forum about people working. I paraphrase in saying: "I'm going to a school next year out in Sabah. Anyone else in Sabah"
Then someone replies with, paraphrased: "not another rotary club exchange student"!

Argh! Why?!?

Hmm, maybe I'm being pretentious trying to engage online with Malaysians or perhaps they can't stand the sight of what I represent.

Oh well,
I'm off to the bank, petrol pump and then Manchester in a few hours. By car. Wish me luck and

HAPPY 19TH JAMES!

James Patrick Conolly (30th November 1988-). Pictured on the right above.
An Irishman true to his roots, since studying and drinking to excess, he has turned a shade of green found only on the Irish Tricolour. Top of the morning, sir.

Status: Pre Emptive

2007-11-24T14:06:00.000-08:00

These few weeks coming seem (ed. yeah, course. As if you can be a prophet!) to be planned out.

Well, Friday is driving to Manchester and enjoying a Panda Pop with Conolly for Birthday. This schedule is quite logical for me, apart from missing my 2nd appointment for Hep. B and needing to book another one. The idea of someone across the field administering my life in that transparent box on my dog walk would be great right now...

TB: " Yeah, and that's for free, y'know, I'm always walking past and causing no trouble, like "

Kind person: " Of course Tom, why don't I walk the dog for you next time? "

...ooops Mighty Booch moment. Keep it real!...

" You're just a teenager listening to Beck, your life is dull and painting won't make your stresses go away. "
Fact. Primae face.

Well, the link and its subject makes the school seem demanding of the highest degree of effort. They expect "every LaSallian to be:

a scholar
a sportsman
a gentleman

That's a lot to live up to. Especially as I'm partly the first one there.

I've just pre-empted the next 8 months, mui bien.

The Breifing

2007-11-21T06:15:00.000-08:00

It was this time last week I was taking notes and meeting the rest of the British contingent for the coming volunteering do-Gooding trip. Facebook proved to help break the ice so we all got on well. And yes, I am the only British guy going....Before that happened, the drive with Mother could have gone better:

We eventually made it through traffic jams around the NEC (west and south of Birmingham on the M42 basically) and had to go through 50 MPH limits. Why 50? National speed limit of 70? Anyway, made it down from Staffs., to West Mids., to Oxfordshire and finally to Berkshire. The centre of Reading is full of one way streets, no streets and jammed streets. Plus, not finding the quickest exit meant we were quite late but still not the latest. This was a strange blessing as we had travelled over 100 miles and the last one (no offence Sarah!) but only had to travel from London.

A tongue-in-cheek applause from all the other groups was given (hmph!) There were German, Fijian and Vanuatuan groups all there for the general advice on many aspects of the placements and to meet our respective project managers. Ours being the Malaysian one, was probably the smallest in size. Also, I've now completed the entry forms to Sabah so I won't be upsetting the demographics for too long, phew.

My ground hog days go on, 5 weeks and 3 days until I land there...bring it on

Old Skool // New School

2007-11-03T10:48:00.001-07:00

Well well well

I recieved a big email today, outlining that I'm going to a great school!

La Salle School, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Wow, I can't wait to go...seriously it seems like the distance of space and time between Malaysia and I is closing in. I'm paired with an Aussie guy called Tom aswell. It all seems to be fitting in.

This also raised another point for me which was: I don't want to be just another overseas student in this school or in general for the five months I'm in the school and further month afterwards - wherever this may be. This is a time to take different things over and exhibit and use different inspirations in and out of the classroom to make things better than before. I know this school is well off, succesful and not at all in need of the basics of language but to rather my role will to improve and build up levels of English, I must succeed!

Wish me luck, tonight aswell as it's a night out in Lichfield.

(see you there?)

x

Photography

2007-10-31T04:30:00.000-07:00

Well this actually is relevant to Malaysia, in a way.

My digital camera lead was found, so now I know I will definately be able to post photos as I go and store them on this blog or on Facebook!

This was worth blogging about due to the fact that an eBay shop had told me that this USB lead was not for sale in the UK by Samsung and I could not find this anywhere online...until I looked in the camera's box today, ah the strange life of running in my gear: picture attached taken just now

Ta-ra, got to eat and then work - HAPPY HALOWE'EN (spelt in a JK Rowling style) aswell!

Don't scare yourself, unless some kids' faces really should not be seen by a timid granny on her doorstep - or should they?!?

(replies and comments will be much loved)

A Half Too Far

2007-10-29T02:40:00.000-07:00

Half term normally means lie ins, no school and days out. Now I'm working for money to convert to Malaysian money (formally the Malaysian Ringgit or informally the 'dollar') for my six months there, I prefer the work to not be stress inducing. Two of my workplaces, where I'm only working around 20 hours between them a week, are popular places out for school-going kids and their parents who take the time off work. Thus, Fradley Junction was madly busy at lunch time on Monday and Thursday and The Crown in Alrewas had large families out too.

The 'Junct' shift on Thursday, waitering, I was put alone. As, of course, the autumn is quiet there. Shame it was half term - I did over 50 food table orders and subsequently washing those. The pace and volume was so that I spent over 45 minutes overtime. Left early without signing out (see the first picture below!). This meant meaning I had to delay my Lorien work (telesales surveys...don't ask) until 4.30 . Confused by all this work?

To put it bluntly, I came close to annoying my respective employers so much that I had stern talkings to. The 'shift from hell' (as I will always know it by) at The Crown on Saturday involved many mistakes, finally resulting in me leaving two hours early as I was having a bad day in all respects. Drove manically to Lichfield, bought a hot chocolate, new jeans and took the dog on a two-hour walk to release the stress. Silly looking back on it...

This three-way working pattern is weird to have kept up since September. I wish I had one full time job but no one does this for people looking for a three month period only, they want around 12 months at least. Even Eluned, a friend in the same position of working before travelling on a gap year, had to disclose the truth on her gap year to keep her full-time job until February.

Ahh, well. Only 8 1/2 weeks until I leave for Kuala Lumpur and then teaching English in Sabah, Borneo...No other half terms to come before then -- I'll hopefully have enough before the Christmas holiday arrives to kick in all these jobs!

:D

Jimmy @ http://thedropbystation.wordpress.com
Rob @ http://synthetic-man.blogspot.com/

(Not About Malaysia): Push The Tempo

2007-10-12T05:42:00.000-07:00

The Town Hall in Birmingham had a show last night, it was quite incredible to be there.

The CBSO (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) opened with a short concerto followed by a roughly 30 minute piece composed by Fyfe from the Guillemots. Eduardo played a cello solo throughout this, parts of Little Bear, If The World Ends and Sao Paulo were weaved into this, Fyfe later admitted this was all composed on Sebelius software!

Guillemots feautred after the interval and amazed everyone around me with the backing of a nearly full orchestra - all minus a full brass section. Nonetheless, the four double basses, two bass basoons, full percussion back line and the rest of the strings added wonder.

The set glided through until Fyfe started the Bridled Guillemots (Alex J Ward and Chris Cundy) off on Sao Paulo.

Best version of Sao Paulo on the third time of seeing them live and playing the CD and mp3s too many times to count. Fyfe ran up to the Town Hall's organ to blast out the chords in the salsa part, what a difference to his sound from guitar and piano from before!

After the gig, I got a photo with Fyfe who was at the stage door five minutes after the end of the gig, having a fag until I saw him and ran up and shouted, "Fyfe!". He is very tall (taller than me at 5,11) and very friendly, had a photo on my phone with him. Computer can't download it yet...I'll keep trying!

Standing Ovation deserved. £20 well spent, sorry Adam at Bristol Uni forgot to come...what a night he missed.

______________________________________________________________

After this, went to the Bar Academy with Tom Adams (he'd come from Liverpool Uni) for an expensive pint in front of a weird and noisy punk band.

Shame that if you didn't go, it was only a one-off gig...cameras were filming it however....DVD methinks?

Jimmy @ http://thedropbystation.wordpress.com
Rob @ http://synthetic-man.blogspot.com/

Viewing pleasure

2007-10-03T03:29:00.000-07:00

Map, south east Asia with Malaysia in pink

The Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur city

Booking the niceties

2007-10-03T02:31:00.000-07:00

Well another blog, eh?

This is crunch time. Fly with the group at £735.90 or go alone for a shade under £200 less.

It's not as simple as it sounds, I don't know these people, the flight including the Middle Eastern stopover could bind our group well. My experience of flying from Heathrow to Beijing on a family expedition through China was that flying with other people did not bind the group any more or less than people who arrived in Beijing before.

Travel insurance is also going to be at least £120, new passport £66 within the next two weeks (whenever the office decide to charge me). How glad am I that a visa isn't needed...have to check the surrounding countries for planning (if any) travel by hopping over the border or South China Sea.

Not forgetting the volunteering charge for the project, accommodation and most meals. Pocket money is all I'll need when there!

Grants

2007-09-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

Well, a new cheque came through from the Vandervell Foundation: £250. Their bank is Coutts - Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John and the Royal Family's banker!

Anyway, added to the £300 from Lichfield Conduit Lands and £250 from The Colonel Swinfen Broun Trust, this totals £800 in grants! :)

It's getting close, work will probably change to a more full time basis instead of part time stuff - the local Aprés and Tesco are likely at the moment.

Before I go

2007-08-14T02:59:00.000-07:00

OK, I officially start on 1st January 2008 in Malaysia on a TEFL course with GAP.

I can't wait, at the moment I'd like to thank Swinfen Broun Chartitable Trust (Reg. Charity no. 503515) and Lichfield Conduit Lands for their generosity in donating £250 and £300 respectively for this project.

So, my project is being managed by two guys based at GAP House, Reading, Berkshire: Bernard and Jonathan Miller. These are brilliant for advice, so far it all looks good.

Not much else to mention apart from a Samsung digital camera is arriving soon so I'll be able to update this blog from when I'm there with pictures for all bloggers, friends and family to read.

No updates for a while now!,

Tom