My Total Japan Experience

2010 was a great year. Heck, it was the best year of my life. PERIOD.

I felt blessed by God for the wonderful opportunity He has given me.

An opportunity of a lifetime.

This is my story.

It all started when that letter came. I got the scholarship. And I was to be on an exchange to Japan for 2 weeks. The feeling of excitement and at the same time,the fear of not being accepted were the two main things on my mind. But I was assured that the 56 of us, including myself, would do just fine.

The clock was ticking. As fate would have made it, the 56 of us were reunited again, during the JENESYS Pre-Departure Camp. Catching up was brief, but what’s more important were the ever long advices from the chaperons and the volunteers. After all the formalities were settled, by the time we’d known it, we were on the next flight to Osaka.

The ASEAN Mix team!

4th December 2010. We've made it! All the months of waiting, all the interviews that we had gone through, were all paid off during that precise moment we landed at Kansai International Airport. That first breath of Japan air really blew us away, as it was the first time most of us had tasted cold air! And the friendliness of the Japanese volunteers were of course, top class. Orientation got the most of us, after the gruesome 6 ½ hours flight. But we were content, and made it throughout the day. The night was well spent with room mates from various nations, mine being friends from Cambodia, Laos and Brunei!

The ASEAN Mix group were treated to a tour to Kinkakuji, The Golden Pavilion Temple. It was one of the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto, as Kyoto was THE cultural capital of Japan. The golden structure of the temple really caught my eyes, not to mention the reflecting pond which surrounds it! Having Udon at Arashiyama, a popular site for hanging out and relaxing in Kyoto, complements the day all together!

Hiroshima City was the next stop for all 660 participants of the JENESYS Programme. The first taste of Okonomiyaki, the Japanese style pancake kick started the journey perfectly! The ride on the Shinkansen, the Japanese bullet train, was an enjoyable one. Riding on a maximum speed of 320 km/h, the journey from Kyoto to Hiroshima took no less than an hour and a half. The morning started with a visit to the Genbaku Dome, commonly known as the A-Bomb Dome, the only building which survived the atomic blast. I learnt that the 6^th of August, 1945 was a day of great sadness and were really attached in the hearts of the Japanese people. The visits to the Children’s Peace Monument, dedicated to Sadako Sasaki and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum really opened my mind on what was world peace and the obligations we had as the future generation in preserving it. The afternoon was filled up with the ASEAN Mix event, where I got the chance in representing Malaysia in a panel discussion themed “Asia and Us in 10 years time”. It was a proud moment for me, and I felt honoured representing my country in the world stage, no matter how small it was. Booths were set up, in conjunction with the event, and we did our part as young ambassadors; welcoming the Japanese students and also friends of different nationalites to our booth, giving out samples of traditional foods and also postcards, brochures and such. The night was well spent in the presence of the Mayor of Hiroshima, Mr. Tadatoshi Akiba, and a dinner was held in his honour. The mayor gave a mind-blowing speech on peace, and it drives us more in our effort in promoting peace in the world.

We parted ways the next day as we were heading to our respective chapters and host families. I considered myself lucky to be placed in Kyoto, and was the only Malaysian there. The first encounter with my Liasion Person, Junya-san, was rather an awkward one, as I presumed he was my host father! But the issue was finally resolved when I got to meet my host mother, Miku-san. The family welcomed me with open arms, taking me to various places, namely temples such as the Kiyomizu-dera Temple and the Byodoin Temple, both of which are certified UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But above all, the family had given me the chance to experience the ordinary life of a Japanese; riding subways, being punctual, and the ways of the Japanese. Though communation was a problem, but it didn’t stopped me from learning to the fullest what was to be taught and presented to me. The Lonely Planet guidebook really did me good during my period of stay in Kyoto! The 6 days with them capped off real nicely with a Christmas Dinner hosted by AFS Kyoto Chapter at a posh restaurant in downtown Kyoto. The next day however, was a sad one, as we parted ways. Nonetheless I assured my host family that this was not the final goodbye, and I will definitely return to Kyoto in the future.

All 660 of us were reunited once again in Tokyo, all of which had different experiences to share. The JENESYS Festival saw the performances of various countries, and as usual, the Malaysians would give a loud cheer when the Malaysians were performing. The evening was rapped up beautifully, with the singing of the theme song, “Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana”, in unision with the members of the programme from 13 different countries. But soon after, the time had come for us to say our final goodbyes. It wasn’t easy, some even cried. Nonetheless, we were excited to get back home, telling our ever wonderful experiences to family and friends back home.

MH 089 from Tokyo Narita to Kuala Lumpur was a real challenge for us. Some, excited to get back home, while the most of us, recalling back the good times we had in Japan. The weather got the most out of us, after being so used to the cold and windy Japan air. After the formalities of the Post Return Camp were settled, the most difficult part had befall among us, which was saying goodbye to our friends, partners and room mates for the past 2 weeks. It was very difficult, but we were assured that we were just a few hours drive away, and also a plane ride away.

The relationships that I had with my friends were greater than ever. New relationships were formed, and existing ones were strengthen. But above all, I had come to a consensus that the AFS saying, “No right or wrong one, just different lah” was true all along. Thank you Japan, for this wonderful experience, and thank you AFS, for being the platform in which all these were made possible. Big shoutout and thanks to all AFS staff and volunteers, especially to Abang Marvien, for the stress rendered and also to Suyin and Kak Suraya for the advices given. The moments spent in the Land of the Rising Sun would be treasured forever, and to spend it with wonderful people like you makes it even better.

P/S: Photos are on Facebook.

A Tribute, to the greatest man ever lived..

On the 6th of December 1935.

God sent down, from the highest heavens;

A gift, whom we fondly call our Papa and Babuk.

Smart, caring, helpful, independent;

But above all, God-fearing.

Who would eventually change,

The life of others around him.

Born into a world full of challenges,

He bravely battled the course of life.

With his sword and shining armour;

He did many great things.

That no other man could do.

When others believed that he would fail.

But no.

You proved them wrong.

You did what was right;

For your family, your people and your state.

And here I stand.

Saying Kudos.

You have succeeded.

And succeeded well.

Despite all your obligations,

You knew what were your priorities.

You always stood by our side.

In spite of all the things,

That others would deem important.

And that.

That was the very thing that made you special.

But most importantly,

You taught us the ways,

The ways of the Bidayuh.

Which you take pride and would proudly proclaim.

"Aba maya ngaku diri dep Bidayuh"

Those words.

Those words of yours;

Would be in our hearts and minds,

For us to ponder about,

And be proud of,

For a very long time.

Nonetheless, we always knew;

That all good things would come to an end.

15th September 2009;

That very day that you returned to the Heavenly Father,

Was like a sharp sword,

That pierced through our hearts.

It was like you yourself had seen it coming.

That you gave us a clue, during that Gawai evening, which was to be your last.

But we were too dumbfounded.

To understand what it truly meant.

And we often asked ourselves,

What could we have done.

To prevent that day from coming.

But, nonetheless, it has consoled us.

That the Lord loves you more.

And with your passing,

It has made us stronger.

More determined.

To continue on with your legacy,

And your expectations towards us.

It has been a year.

A year filled with tears and sorrow.

NO.

We are not here to add in to another year of mourning,

But rather.

To celebrate.

To celebrate your glorious life.

The wonderful 73 years, 9 months and 9 days

That the Lord has shown down upon us.

Many years will come and go.

And yet, the memory of you we still and will hold.

We love you, our Papa and Babuk.

You would always remain in our hearts.

Now and forever.

08/09/2010

Living It Up.

EXPECTATIONS.

That is something that one frequently has to comprehend.

Be it from family, peers, teachers and what not.

Being the cream of the crop in the academic field.

Being able to lead among peers when it is in one's capacity to do so.

Being able to complete assignments on time.

Being able to guide siblings.

Being a ROLE MODEL.

But the question is,

Can we actually live up to it?

Are we able to fulfill them even though it goes against some of our principles in life?

And what if we're able to fulfill all but one?

How does that bring an impact towards the other party which we have failed?

Are we fulfilling his or her expectations?

Are we killing ourselves slowly on the inside knowing that we have failed him or her?

Or is it making us stronger?

And what about assurances that it was all worth it?

EXPECTATIONS.

LIFE.

We MAY NOT live up to ALL our expectations.

The bottom line is, that we have tried our best.

And it is failure,

That keeps on pushing us.

To soar.

Soar to greater heights.

Knowing that,

There is ALWAYS someone there to guide us.

Of Magazine work, Prefects', Tests and Interviews...

Phew..

The past few weeks of my life were really hectic..

And yet, they were my most memorable..

Starting off with Magazine work..

We had to stay back in school from 2-4.30 each day.

YES

Just to do magazine work..

So it sucks to be apart of the committee..

But at the same time, it's nice to be trashing the Language Room and using free Wi-fi from the school once in a while..

Haha.

Just hoping that the magazine would turn up well..

Next, off to Prefects'.

Yeah, I was appointed the Assistant Head Prefect I.

It's the first time in history that a Form 4 got elected to the post.

Because usually, the Form 6-er's are gonna be the 3 heads.

Thanks to the old board and to the school's administration for placing trust in me.

I promise that I'll do my best.

Responsibilities comes with it.

The transition from being just a Probationary Prefect to a Probationary Senior and finally, a Head Prefect...

It has transformed me to become a better person..

And carrying with it, is an experience of a lifetime!

PREFECT'S NIGHT WAS A BLAST!

KUDOS TO EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED!

Just to let you know that there were many positive reviews..

Tests this year came at a not-so-pleasant time

Just when all the prefects' commitment and magazine work came piling in, there it was, test's week!

I gave my all, although it was difficult in juggling time to study and completing all my other commitments.

Tests results came in.

It was good, I would say.

Certainly can improve during the final term.

Then came the AFS JENESYS Selection Camp.

I was among the lucky 6 chosen from the rest from Sarawak to go for the selection camp.

Being the only boy from my school and also from Kuching, I didn't know what to expect.

There's only one WORD that could describe the scene of events which happened..

AWESOME

I met awesome people there,

And I felt proud that I could tell my friends about my culture.

And yes, we do have Streamyx in Sarawak.

Haha.

Although it was just camp which lasted less than 48 hours,

I felt so bonded during the camp.

Met friends from almost every part of Malaysia.

The interview went well,

Placing high hopes that I could be one of the 50+ to be selected to go to Japan..

And guess what?

My flight back to Kuching was at 10.15 p.m.

I reached KLIA at 10.00 p.m. by the ERL..

I ran up to the Domestic Departure Terminal from the underground section of KLIA in less than 5 minutes.

And when I got there, everyone was boarding the aircraft already.

Phew.

That was definitely an experience of a lifetime.

No..

All the events that happened were an experience of a lifetime.

Photos are on Facebook.

Signing off...

3.

The 3 weeks of holidays meant so much to me.

The scene of events that occured shall remain as memories.

Gawai came and go.

It was a sombre one.

The whole family went back to the kampung.

Extended relatives were happy to see us.

Some, even cried.

Because everyone thought that the spirit will die out once you were gone.

But no.

We celebrated it the way you wanted us to.

Bringing your spirit and aspirations along with us.

And that shall remain,

For many years to come.

Next, was the Lasallian Encounter.

The four of us, Peter, Reuben, Fabian and I were selected to go for the encounter, a special camp for Catholic Lasallian leaders.

It was held at the Lasalle Centre in Ipoh, surrounded by the legendary St. MICHAEL'S Institution.

Yeap, you've got that right, ST. MICHAEL'S INSTITUTION.

Anyways, it was great fun.

We met lots of people, people from Singapore, our sister school, St. Joseph's Institution.

Fellow Lasallians from Melaka, Klang Valley, Taiping

And of course, St. Paul's Seremban.

Not only we bonded as brothers, but we also achieved our goal.

A goal which was set by the four of us.

A goal to get one of man's greatest creation...

Yeap, you've gotta believe it.

B to the U to the R to the G to the E to the R to the K-I-N-G

Haha.

We had them twice, one in Ipoh

And another in KL

So much for craving eh?

Next up on the list

The Lasallian Regional Convention..

The four of us, we worn out.

And we had to go for the convention.

All of us were thinking,

Shit, we're all damn tired. Don't wanna go for the convention

Thanks to the OT's, for giving support to us, the Heritage crew.

It definitely was a tiring journey,

Especially after coming back from Ipoh and then straight to school.

Having the honour and privilege to perform what others can't.

Presenting the role as De La Salle himself.

Changed me to become a better person.

And till this very day, I keep telling myself.

That it was all worth it.

The cycle continues.

School reopened.

The days of endless responsibilities and stress came gushing forth like Niagara Falls..

*sigh*

Prefects', Scouts, YCS, KYCS, Debate, Ad Astra..

Juggling with school work..

And time for recreational activities?

Life.

Nah.

My life.

Will post up pictures soon. I hope.

Signing off.

Invictus

It's amazing really.

When the words of a person can really inspire you.

This is a poem, which really struck me when I was watching a movie entitled by the same name.

Nelson Mandela read this poem when he was imprisoned in Robben Island for 28 years.

And he rose up to be the first black president of South Africa..

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

Gawai's just next door. It's gonna be sombre, without you by our side. But I'm sure that you would want us to celebrate it, the way we would celebrate it with you, with laughters and joy within us. We are sure gonna miss having you by our side, especially during this festive season, where you taught us to go back to our roots.

Selamat Andu Bahas Gawai,

From All of us..

The Road Ahead..

The Road ahead.
What lies beyond that?

*Sigh*
So many activities.
So much responsibilities to bear.

Exams are in 2 weeks.
But I'm not really prepared yet.
Plus, inter-school debate is on par with the exams.
Oh my. How am I going to be able to cope?

Not adding to the LaSallian Heritage Play.
Being given the main role as La Salle himself,
I've got to live up to the expectations of my seniors.
*Sigh*

Next comes the Prefectorial Board.
Was selected as a Probationary Senior.
Did not expect it though.
But I guess it was the acknowledgement of trust by my seniors
Thanks and I'll try to to my best.
First task given, Green Ribbon Sale this Sunday.

So, what lies beyond the road ahead?
Are all this activities worth it?
Or is it just a waste of time?
Are they seriously going to secure my future?

I don't know.
Let's just follow the given path.
And see how it goes...

Jeremiah 29:11