Thaipusam & other things...

Julan Alor, known for awesome street food =]

Quick review of my 2nd week of Orientation

Jet lag caught up to me... or maybe it was the gluten in the soy sauce. Anyways we had a jam packed week! It started with meeting the US ambassador of Malaysia. I also sat next to the guy that replaces your passport at the embassy in the event that it is lost or stolen. With my passport history, it may be helpful to become friends with him.

The Jungle Trek 

Tiger leech

Before we even left for our jungle trek our beloved Bahasa Malay assistant teacher told us of the many types of leaches that reside in the jungle. There are 2 types of leeches in Malaysia the Brown leech and the Tiger leech. 

Roots of a tree on our trek a whole person could fit inside.

The brown leech likes to live on the forest floor under leaves or clings to branches waiting for animals to pass by. Whereas the sneaky Tiger leech likes to drop from trees and aims for your back and neck. 

The Tiger leech has more of a painful bite to it than the Brown leech, which you may not even notice. My teacher pleasantly reminded us that these leeches are so small they can get through your average cotton sock. Thank you cikgu (teacher in BM).   

Luckily I made it out leech free that trek. While I believe, 3 other ETA's out of 100 ETA's got leeches or signs of leech bites.

Our trek ended at a waterfall, at the bottom there was a deep swimming pool to cool off in. Once we returned from our adventure we got to talk about some very sensitive issues in Malaysia including race, religion and sexuality.

 

WATERFALL!!

Thaipusam

WARNING: The Pictures below are graphic

 This is my interpretation of Thaipusam.

It all starts with the climb up to the Batu Caves. 272 stairs but who's counting...

You bring your kaadavi or burdens (milk is in the silver tins)

And do some self-inflicted pain.

It's a really big cave once you're up there, I promise.

There is a Temple inside where you are blessed and present your Kaadavi.

This is the Kaadavi in the process of being made.

And you bring some displays along the journey.

Then the climb down...

 Okay, seriously it gets graphic now

You really bare your burdens

And there's some talk about a hallucinogenic tea they drink... this guy...

Some movies I took of thaipusam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJciiNiVbrQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-gEtxMVJOE

Orientation

View from the Penthouse

Day 1 of Orientation

I feel like I am going to school the first day. I'm super excited and can't wait to start! The Hotel serves us breakfast which is very good and includes lunch options as well as breakfast foods. Then we went up to the pent house of the hotel with a picturesque view of KL.  Orientation will be until January 22nd then we get split up into our states.

Team JOHOR!

I was placed in Johor Bahru aka JB!

Overview of Orientation 
My 8:30 am-5:00pm Mon-Fri

All-in-all they have covered all the questions I could have ever even thought of in orientation. Including giving us three Baju korongs to wear as teachers!! Baju's are the most formal wear you can have in Malaysia as a Muslim. They wear them to dinners, interviews and other important outings were they want to look their best.

Some lovely ladies in their Baju's.

We have Sundays off for a full day of adventuring.  

 Some explorations and discoveries...

What the metro "token" looks like..

Petaling street, filled with vendors!

This past Sunday I went to Brickfields or one of the little India's of KL. It was just like what I thought being in India would look like. Except they aren't joking when they say "little" India.  Because before I knew it the few streets that encompass Brickfields ended and little India was over.


I met up with a friend in Brickfields to get massages by blind masseuses. Later I learned Brickfields has a large blind population including a school for the blind.

It was nice to see a community where people with disabilities can support each other and have job opportunities. The massage was RM 45 or $16 USD for a full body massage. It was quite needed and relaxing.

Mall set up for Chinese New year!

Year of the horse!!

Bird Garden

 

 Bird Garden

Visited the bird garden in KL. Where there is also a butterfly, orchid, and hibiscus garden. The photos alone will describe the trip.

Orchid Garden

Monkeys!

 

 

Islamic Art Musuem

Beautiful Domes inside the museum.