What’s it like to be a refugee?
To witness your family torn apart by war and conflict?
To lose everything you value – family, friends, your home –
and be forced to flee in order to save your life?
To travel hundreds of miles, on foot through dense jungles and in leaking boats across dangerous seas?
This is a journey made by millions of refugees as they flee war, conflict, human rights abuses and persecution.
People often misunderstand who a refugee is,
thinking that they are migrants looking for economic opportunities.
The truth is refugees have no choice but to run,
and are unable to return home safely.
In Malaysia, as of June 2011, there are some 93,000 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with the UN Refugee Agency.
The majority of them from Myanmar, but many also from other countries around the world
including Sri Lanka, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Their journey, and the journey made by millions of other refugees worldwide,
is one that is hard for us to imagine.
What we know is that in the wake of having lost everything,
refugees have an incredible courage and perseverance to remain steadfast and positive in their will to survive.
But they need our compassion and understanding and a humanitarian space to be able to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.
20 June is World Refugee Day.
It is a salute to the indomitable spirit and courage of the world’s refugees.
World Refugee Day 2011 puts a human face to the refugee issue,
that behind the numbers and statistics are real people with real stories and real dreams and desires for a life of safety.
World Refugee Day in Kuala Lumpur will be held on 18 and 19 June
9am – 4pm
at the KL Sentral Station (main entrance).
The event provides an opportunity for the public to experience the journey a refugee takes and the life they lead while in exile.
1. Experience what it’s like to be a refugee
Two experiential-learning exhibitions will re-create the journey refugees take in saving their lives, and displays the lives of refugees in Malaysia and the challenges they face daily through a photo exhibition. A photo exhibition and a general information exhibition will accompany this.
2. Refugee Bazaar
Some 20 refugee groups will participate in showcasing their crafts and food items. 100% proceeds go to the refugee communities.
3. Cultural performances by refugees
Throughout the two days, refugee groups will perform traditional songs, dances and musical instruments.
4. Others
Radio DJs and celebrities will be present to perform and meet the public with messages of support for the refugee cause. Exclusive UN merchandise can also be won through quizzes that will be held throughout the weekend.
Admission is free.
Visit www.unhcr.org.my or call 03 2141 1322 for more information.
[All copy and pictures courtesy of United Nations]
The FIRST time i heard about Kandy mountain was from Marcel when we were hanging out in Dusun.
And i immediately thought of Charlie the Unicorn
My imagination ran off with how Kandy mountain must be filled with
ponies and unicorns and candy canes and all things happy and colourful.
They didn’t have any of those, but it was still very pretty *trying not to be disappointed*
“Kandy served as the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom,
which fell to the British in 1815 after defying the Portuguese and Dutch for three centuries.
It took the British another 16 tough years to finally build a road linking Kandy with Colombo.
The locals still proudly see themselves as a little different – and perhaps a tad superior – to Sri Lankans from the island’s lower regions.” – Lonely Planet
Kandy is a pretty small town.
There’s a lake in the town,
with a hill next to it where most of the guesthouses are to be found.
Because this was our first night staying in Sri Lanka,
i didn’t know that this was going to be our nicest stay for the midrange price of RM90.
Our first choice for a guesthouse had raised their price to RM120,
so we went hunting for another one as we’d budgeted roughly 2500 rupees per night/RM90.
With the owner of Freedom Lodge, where we stayed that night.
His family has owned the house and land for decades,
and because it’s so large with so many bedrooms,
the typical practice in that area would be for the well-to-do families to rent it out and make money that way.
Clem and i decided to visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic,
where one of Buddha’s teeth is said to be kept.
The temple is next to the lake,
where people who were against the labour to build the lake were ruthlessly put to death on stakes on the lake bed.
It’s said that the tooth is SO important,
the real one isn’t actually kept in the temple,
but a replica instead (they’re too afraid someone might try to steal it).
It’s such an important symbol that back in the day,
it was believed that whoever had ownership of the tooth,
also had ownership of the island!
Some drum-beating was going out inside the temple,
but i got distracted by the angles of the building overhead instead oops.
Look at all those poor elephant tusks!
This man’s wife approached me and started touching and admiring my red hair while i just grinned back at her.
After a few minutes, the couple gave us some joss sticks to pray with.
People in Sri Lanka are so nice!
They wanted to take pictures with me after that,
and jotted down their address for me to send the picture to via airmail.
It wasn’t just one address… but three!
Right next to them, another family stood close by and asked to take pictures with me too…
then they proceeded to write down ALL their addresses for us to send the pix to.
By this time, Clem was hissing to me, “KEEP THE CAMERAAAAA”
Manatau we’ll end up with dozens of addresses of strangers to send pix to.
This trend continued throughout the rest of our trip!
I had to number all the jotted down addresses i received lest i mix them all up.
After the temple, we went to the Palace Gardens of Kandy for a looksee and small stroll.
It was such a culture shock to see every bench taken up by a couple!
It was the total pak toh place man.
I tried counting how many couples i passed by,
and lost count at 30.
Reckon there were about 50 couples in that little park,
all staring curiously at us as we walked by.
They were all just sitting and talking to each other,
arms casually hung over the girls’ shoulders,
or holding hands.
Didn’t see any kissy kissy stuff.
Since i couldn’t even find ONE bench to sit on,
i settled for a swing.
Ventured to town after that to potter about abit
and find lunch before leaving Kandy to make our way down South.
I’ve always liked observing fonts people use in diff countries.
Aren’t their trees just marvelous!?
Lots of women carried umbrellas cos it was JUST TOO HOT.
Spot the unicorn!
Guess all my wishful thinking managed a toy unicorn in Kandy after all!
Clem really wanted to get his head shaved
This random man took us to the barber…
and lured me to walk around a clothes market even though nothing there really interested me.
He was bargaining for me (things i didn’t even want…!)
and i was afraid he was going to be one of those ‘tour guides’ that would pressure us for a tip after.
We asked him a few times to make sure he wasn’t going to ask us for money,
he said he wasn’t,
and took us to a food market next door.
I guess the catch was he was trying to sell us drugs!
He was being all shady and talking to Clem quietly and i guessed it right away.
We said no, thank you bla bla bla and sent him on his way.
I bought some curry powder
which is just sitting in my kitchen cupboard
which i’d better not forget about!!
Betel leaves are larger than i imagined them to be!
Maybe cos ‘betel’ is close to ‘beetle’
so i thought they’d be small >.<
The restaurant we were looking for was closed,
so we went to another that our driver Was showed us:
It turned out to be an AWESOME MEAL.
AWESOME cos it was cheap = RM3.50
and i got so many dishes to go with my rice!
All that! For 100 rupees!
I think we were being overcharged previously…
the night before i had a menu taken out of my hands cos it wasn’t stating the ‘tourist prices’.
Most meals we had there would cost us 500-800 rupees / RM17-28 each,
which is a bit steep seeing they were just little restaurants.
Small roadside restaurants would charge us 500 rupees / RM17 for 2x people so that was alright.
Even breakfast at the guesthouses had a habit of charging 500 rupees per person.
So $ flew faster than we expected in Sri Lanka.
Still, that 100 rupees meal MADE MY DAY.
It was so good, i whacked it all!
Another great thing about Sri Lanka is their seemingly endless supply of fresh fruit juices!
After lunch, we walked to the car to continue our journey,
and i spotted some denim being sold on the roadside.
Managed to buy a denim dress that fit me to a T for RM17.
I think i could have bargained it lower,
but it was so hot,
and the guy was pleading that he’s poor and needs money.
Hard to bargain la liddat
My super talented friend Reza Salleh will be having a special performance end of this month!
“One of the top names in the Malaysia’s acoustic scene,
Reza Salleh has been called the quintessential singer-songwriter by his audience and peers alike,
a title he lives up to with his personal brand of alternative acoustic folk rock.
He is a central figure in Malaysia’s thriving singer-songwriter circuit
and is often seen in an intimate, solo acoustic format
or backed by a full-piece band.
His music, despite early influences by… the Seattle grunge scene and the vocal stylings of African-American artists,
is a diverse mix and is rarely limited by genre or tone.”
Guest performers stepping in on the same night include Az Samad, Liyana Fizi and Zalila Lee;
and the Choir of the Philharmonic Society of Selangor!
I’m really looking forward to it!
Nothing like a Monday night with music to pull one through the week!
Book your tix by calling the no on the FB page,
the Filharmonic website’s page to buy tix like not working, cacat la.
Visit the Facebook event page for more info *here*
If there’s one thing that gets me praying and talking to God at odd hours,
it’s when my internet / pc isn’t working properly and a deadline is looming.
In a generation where almost everything we do depends on our pc,
i’m sure we’ve all had our experiences with internet security.
The thing is, HOW MANY of us take precaution?
I can’t say i do…
i always leave it up to my IT expert brother to take care of these things for me.
But if you’re not an IT kinda person of have one as a friend/family member,
then you really have to take things into YOUR OWN HANDS.
Trend Micro, an internet security company,
is holding a simple contest where you can WIN CASH by just talking about your internet concerns!
College Edition Prizes (12 in total) 1st Prize – RM1,000
2nd Prize – Titanium Maximum Security (3 users) + Samsonite backpack
3rd Prize – Titanium Maximum Security (3 users) + 4GB USB Flash Drive
Grand Final Prize (open to all) 1st Prize – RM5,000
2nd Prize – RM1,000
3rd Prize – RM500 *Winner or potential candidate may be engaged as short-term Micro Trend Advocate / Ambassador
When you submit a video of yourself:
– introduce yourself, where you’re from
– concerns about internet security
– personal stories involving internet security
– required ending script – “This is my story, what’s yours?”
3 categories of vids:
– Being a good online citizen
– Using a mobile phone wisely
– Maintaining privacy online
To know more contest details, click the flyer below for a larger view:
Besides the contest,
there are also college roadshows going on – teaching you how to protect yourself from cyber criminals
– promotions for internet security packages
– free virus scanning
Click the flyer below to see when they’re going to be at YOUR college!
I know how to enjoy my life.
All my friends who know me well *know* I know how to enjoy life.
The secret to to making your life that little bit more fantastic,
is to applaud yourself on a regular basis (nobody has to know)
and reward yourself with things you love every time you’ve done something commendable.
Of course, everyone has a different view on what is commendable and what is not.
For instance, walking in between the lines without touching them is a very commendable feat (to me, and i’m sure to some of you out there too!).
I didn’t realise how often and unconsciously i do it… till Chelle started shrieking at me one day while we were walking in Gardens.
We were on the way to survey some new fabric,
and because we were talking while walking,
i had to jump every now and then to make sure i kept up with her while crossing that dreaded line at the same time.
She was wondering why i kept on hopping up and down in public like an idiot.
I couldn’t stop laughing when i realised what i was doing…
but i gave myself a BIG mental pat on the back for my commendable feat after that.
Sometimes a mental pat on the back doesn’t cut it
purely because a bigger effort at doing something
requires a nicer treat at the end of it!
Here’s a list of things i like to treat myself to
1. A crazy funky something.
Usually when i pick clothes and shoes, i easily convince myself that this is fundamental to my work
i.e. look presentable at meetings, fashion events, etc.
Once in a while, i’d stumble upon a fashion piece that’s kinda whacky and not something i can wear every day…
which brings me to why it’s a treat.
I want it just because.
I want it because it’s so unique,
that if i let it go, i’ll probably never see something like that again.
Of course, if i bought every ‘unique’ piece i saw,
i’d be broke as a joke (i don’t know why that line exists, being broke is nothing near a joke..!)
So once in awhile, when i haven’t bought anything special and crazy for a long time (read: 2 months)
i allow myself a crazy funky piece which i really want and feel i deserve,
usually after garnering a good-paying freelance job!
2. Crispy Dove chocolate.
I’ve been really angelic and keeping off caffeine for two years now. *cue mental pat on the back* (i could do that all day)
Every once in a while when i do decide to have coffee (usually at a meeting so i feel pressured to have the same as the person)
it makes me so hyper and crazy i swear i won’t touch the stuff unless i absolutely have to keep awake for something.
Coffee used to be my thing while i write at home.
But since i’ve had to replace coffee with something else,
that something else happens to be Dove chocolate.
And not just any flavour of Dove chocolate.
It has to be the Crispy one.
It’s got little crunchy rice bits that swirl in my mouth perfectly with the sweet smooth chocolate.
Munching on the rice bits is a satisfying job that also makes it seem like half a biscuit, half a chocolate bar, so i don’t feel so sinful scoffing chocolate in the middle of the night.
Alternatively if you suck slowly on small bites to try to make it last (like i do), you feel quite proud when you end up with cripsy rice bits to gnash your teeth on.
3. Facials & Fashion
Something i try to indulge in every weekend for getting through the week!
Slapping on something nourishing to sit on my skin
while i lazily flip through my latest fashion magazines is multi-tasking at its weekend best.
Thanks to Aps, i just got obsessed with putting honey on my face and bought a few tiny jars.
Don’t bother buying the cheap one, go for the proper (and more expensive) honey for your face.
Other products i alternate with depending on my mood are from Clarins and Hada Labo.
Depending on which one i feel like scaring Clem with that day.
4. Steak Tartare
Ever since eating a number of delectable steak tartare dishes during summer and winter in France last year, it’s taken precedence on my list of ‘Fine Foods To Spoil Myself With’.
Top of the list used to be oysters and foie gras,
but after OD-ing on it (i never thought it possible…) last Christmas,
i’ve turned to something my palate has had less experience with.
Conveniently for me, there’s steak tartare at T42 right oustide Celebrity Fitness,
where i try to force myself to go for my own sake.
You have no idea how hard it is to make me go to the gym.
I’ve infamously done a U-turn before to avoid reaching the gym,
and another time i spent a record-breaking 25 minutes on a ‘full’ workout (11 – cardio, 12 – strength training, 2 – drinking water).
So you have to understand, that a feat such as going to the gym,
deserves delicate slivers of raw beef mixed with onions, capers and quail egg yolk.
5. Toys!
Maurice the Mouse whom i’ve just adopted from Sri Lanka!
Ok i know i’m too old for this.
No, inside, i know i’ll never be too old for this,
but the former sentence came to mind cos my dad says to me, “Aren’t you too old for this?” One such occasion was when he saw me trying to carry my hula hoop quietly outside in the middle of the night.
Occasionally i find a toy (or how i like to say, the toy found me)
and i allow myself to buy it because:
1. I think i’ve been a good girl.
2. I’m buying it with my own money.
3. Nobody can stop me.
Well okay, Reason No. 1 is the only plausible one,
but i had to add in the extra two so it seemed like i had more.
6. Cheese & Wine
This is considered a regular treat because it has to be taken in small doses anyway.
I like nibbling on the cheese (like a little mouse, as Clem says)
and sipping on shiraz while divulging in a documentary or E! News.
Clem doesn’t like strong cheese (i know… don’t say the F word) nor E! News.
So it’s something i get to do if i’ve had a damn long day!
7. Whatever You Can Get
The first day we were in Sri Lanka, Clem and i climed to the top of UNESCO World Heritage Site – Sigiriya.
The hardened magma plug of an extinct volcano has been a monastery since 3rd century BC,
though local legend deems it to have been a palace and gardens of a past king.
The climb up was 12,000 steps. 12,000. By 9,000 we realised we didn’t bring enough water and had to ration it -_-
When we reached the top we were so thirsty and i (as usual) was hungry.
It would have been unrational wishful thinking to hope there would be a stall up there selling cold drinks (like they do on Mt. Batur, Bali)
and i was digging around desperately in my bag when i found
a melted and squashed bar of Dove chocolate.
“I found chocolate!” “Why didn’t you bring the crispy one?” “Hey, at least we have something okay.” “Are you going to give me some or what?” “I thought you didn’t want any -_-” “This one with nuts and raisins is quite good…”
Guess who ended up licking the wrapper clean…
Answer: The person who had earlier on sneered at my squished chocs.
Look at my red face… it was THAT HOT.
Sometimes after you’ve done something that almost deserves a certificate (like climb 12,000 stepts)
you can’t get yourself the ideal reward (an icy cold watermelon juice would have been nice).
But just like in every day life, it doesn’t mean a reward isn’t within reach.
You just gotta make it convenient for you.
I asked some friends what *they* do to reward themselves for little victories…
” Going to buy myself a nice breakfast when i, for some reason, am early for work (and then this makes me late in the end, of course). Or eating a gigantic, fat-filled, greasy, delicious meal for dinner after having a healthy salad for lunch.” – Yishyene, Professional Prankster, www.yishyene.com
“I’m a kickboxing junkie. After every soul crushing session, i look forward to having something awesome for dinner (and that first sip of ice cold 100 Plus) and spending some quality ME time to think about what I’ve just accomplished – 6 months ago, I would’ve never been able to complete a class without being completely knackered. I suppose the fact that I’m much fitter and healthier now is a reward in its own right!” – Sarah Chan, Copywriter, sarchan.tumblr.com
“I personally like alone time to watch and learn the choreography of Beyonce and Lady Gaga videos, and if they aren’t dropping singles, alone time to perform ones i already learned for myself. Sounds silly, but i like to have a little fun and a good sweat after a long, strenuous day.” – Claudia Low, Sub-editor of Harper’s Bazaar, cloudeeya.tumblr.com
“Ice-cream on my left, crisps on my right, chick flicks up ahead, and clothes wayyyy out of sight (they don’t call it a birthday suit for nothing).”
– Eleanor Ng, Designer & Mother, ginjacqie.com/blog
“When I catch up on my daily entries in my journal after a lapse of a couple of days I treat myself to an episode or two of Grey’s Anatomy! Or after working long hours on a shoot or project, I love to treat myself to a supermarket sweep! No reading of labels to find the ones with the healthiest ingredients. No rules! I get to put anything I want into the cart. Ahhh… I LOVE the grocery aisles.” – Chelsia Ng, Actress & Singer, http://www.facebook.com/chelsiang7
“I reward myself after a hard day’s work by playing futsal with the girls / playing on my ipad with the TV on in the background / playing on my Wii! The simple (albeit techy) pleasures in life!” – Melissa Indot, Singer, www.melissaindot.com
“When I manage a little victory, I like to treat myself to a holiday! My favourite form of escapism is to sit on the plane, miles above ground, knowing I’m on my way to discovering a new destination i.e. when Wedding Guide Asia was awarded columns in The Star and Hello magazine, I went on holiday to Hong Kong.” – Stephanie Chai, Model & Founder of www.weddingguideasia.com
I guess everyone has their version of rewarding themselves!
Theirs sounded so different from mine, especially Claudia’s -_-
What do YOU do to reward yourself?
Maybe i can adopt it into my own list too!
