Hey Adriene

SSEAYP TRAVELS

Wow! I can hardly believe that I've been in SSEAYP for over a month! Feels like only yesterday when we flew in to Changi airport.

I've a whole journal full of stories to share! But for now, I'll just do a quick run through of the highlights, country by country.

Singapore

Ni hao! I've already written about Singapore in my previous post.

Indonesia

Selamat siang!
Our ship berthed at Tanjung Periuk port.
Malaysian contingent performed "boria" as our port-of-call cultural showcase.
Courtesy call on President Megawati at the Presidential Palace.
Courtesy call on ASEAN Secretariat.
Courtesy call on Ministry of Education.
Institutional visit to Keong Mas IMAX theatre and Mini ASEAN park.
3D/2N homestay with an Indonesian family at Jakarta Selatan, or better known as Jakse among the locals.
I've three super friendly sisters and a mum and dad. Really nice, kindly people.
Was taken to my host sister's secondary school where I was introduced to the staff teachers. Spoke to a few classes of students about SSEAYP, ASEAN and Malaysia.
With teachers and students of the school, visited Bogor gardens, a zoology museum, a drive through safari and the highlands.
Was wowed by the sheer size of Jakarta city. And all the skyscrapers. It just stretches and stretches... Very heavy traffic in the city.

Malaysia

Homeland again!
Felt really excited about coming back to Malaysia. Especially when the ship was cruising along Port Klang. It was my first time at Port Klang and I was really impressed by how huge and modern it was.
Malaysian contingent performed "dikir puteri" as port-of-call cultural showcase at Mandarin Oriental.
Institutional visit to National Science Centre.
Played host youth ambassadors. Took them to Petronas Twin Towers and Little India.
When our ship finally left Malaysia for Bangkok, I stood on the deck by myself for two hours, just looking at Malaysia for as long as it was still visible. And at the same time, making phone calls to friends on my mobile, for as long as I still had reception. It was almost as though I was trying to hold on to Malaysia for as long as I could.


Thailand

Sa wad dee ka.
Institutional visit to Chulalongkorn University and Wat Phreo (Marble temple with Gold Buddha).
Malaysian contingent performed rhythmic martial arts as our port-of-call cultural showcase.
3D/2N homestay with a Thai family, who stay in a village some 50 km away from Bangkok city centre. My host brother taught me some muay thai. Hai-yah!!
Visited Emerald Buddha temple, Chinatown and some shopping malls.

Phillippines

Mabuhay!
Malaysian contingent performed joget as our port-of-call cultural showcase.
Courtesy call with President Arroyo had to be cancelled unfortunately, due to President Bush's upcoming visit to Manila.
Institutional visit to Ayala Museum and University of Phillipines. Interaction with local youths.
Currently on homestay with a city councillor for Pasay City.

We set to sail for Japan tomorrow.