Studying abroad in the US - Nasha Lee 15/03/2012
Let's face it. There aren't a lot of moments in life where you can point at and say, "That's when my life changed". Moments in life are fleeting, they fly by, and if you don't pause for awhile and bask in the glory of it, it goes away. Most moments aren't significant enough to be remembered. The ones that do get remembered get pushed back further in the space of one's memory, when other events take center stage. If there's one event in my life that I can safely say changed my whole course of action, it would be studying abroad. It's a lot to say that these few months of my life could change so many things, but I do believe that I have learnt a lot of valuable lessons, many of which will never be replaced. Since arriving to the US on August 2011, I have had many happy moments, excellent personal development experiences, made many wonderful friends and gotten the chance to explored my full potential that could never be realized back home. Perhaps the most important lesson that studying abroad has taught me is the lesson of being independent. Although I've been away from home for two years while studying in Kuala Lumpur, it didn't feel as though I was away from home at all, with occasional visits back home and the assurance of knowing that my family was looking out for me and my friends were always there. Coming here, not knowing a single person in Florida did scare me, but I was at that stage of my life where the mere idea of embarking on a new adventure excited me. I am still at that stage of life now, and great adventures keep appearing. For the first time in my life, I learnt to manage my own finances and my daily activities. I learnt to depend on myself for everything and to do things on my own. Being a very people-oriented person, I love spending time with friends, but being here has given me a new found appreciation of being quiet and being alone. A few months into this exchange and I already I can see how much the US has changed my thinking and opened my mind to many possibilities. I am starting to think critically, questioning what people tell me, especially in the educational field. The fundamental difference in the education system between Malaysia and the United States is the element of critical thinking. In Malaysia, your knowledge is transmitted from your teachers, and what you learn is what your teacher offers to you. More often than that, it is what he or she knows, and nothing more. In the US, you learn to study independently, relying not just on your the knowledge gained your professors impart, but also on other sources of information. I learnt to maximize my most loyal companion, Google, and to utilize books as well as online platforms of information, learning more than what is expected of me. The assignments and projects here require you to search for information on your own rather than to depend on your text books. That's what I believe learning should be- a process of thinking and discovering. Learning is an adventure on it's own. Yes, that is the nerd in me talking. It's a great feeling when you get your results back and you see the row of straight As, knowing that all the effort you put into studying and doing your work was worth it. It's nice to know that you are judged on your capabilities here rather than your ability to correctly predict what question will be on the next test, or on your "luck". Studying abroad is changing the way I look at the world. My knowledge of people, of culture, of history, of places has been transformed. It's one thing to see pictures in text books and scenes in movies. It's another thing to actually be at a place, to see something, to touch it and experience it. At that moment, you realize that those photos and those movies could never justify the feeling that when you see it in person. Studying and living in a difference culture gave me the chance to see the world from a completely different perspective. Talking with people from different racial backgrounds and different countries makes you think and question your stands on certain issues. I learnt how to talk to people who may not think or communicate like me, learning to understand their culture and sharing my values with them. Even boring things like shopping for groceries with them becomes a fun (and funny) educational experience! My stereotypes towards people and cultures are dispelled every day as I meet amazing people from all around the globe. My travelling experience here has given me a new perspective of Malaysia. Being in one country alone gives us limited views of our world. Upon taking a step out to a foreign place, I am starting to learn more about my own country and am starting to see how Malaysia fits into all of humanity. I am learning to see my own culture through the eyes of someone else. Margaret Mead sums up my whole experience perfectly in this single quote: As the traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep, so a knowledge of one other culture should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily, to appreciate lovingly, our own. Now, I think that I am officially able to think in a global perspective and finally step out of the box. Studying in the US has given me a lot of things. Confidence, passion and determination are probably the ones that are the most unforgettable. And the countdown to returning home begins. Six more weeks before classes end, and another 60 days till I bid good bye to the United States, a place that will always hold a special part in my heart. And though I know that I will be sad when I leave, I am not afraid anymore, because I know that the future will still shine brightly for me, as long as I keep this passion to succeed burning in my heart. By: Nasha Lee (UGRAD 2011/2012) Add Comment A Saturday in FGCU - Nasha Lee 04/03/2012
Last Saturday was one of those free-er Saturdays. Quite a rare occurrence since coming to the States, with all the activities here and the travelling and all. A few of us got together to do a short video for the Asian Culture Club after hanging out at Moe's Southwest grill at the town center, but most of the time we just had fun walking around FGCU. Sometimes I take FGCU forgranted and I forget how lucky I am to be here. Then I see these photos and I am reminded to take time to breathe, to appreciate the amazing views I get to witness everyday and to be grateful for the wonderful friends that have come into my life ever since arriving in the US. I learn something new here every day. Talking to people with such varied opinions really gives you a chance to ponder about a lot of things. You learn to see things in a different light AND you learn much more about yourself too. There's so much more to America than I expected. I have just two more months left here before I finish my classes, so I'm going to make sure every day passes by meaningfully. Going to miss this place very much! All photos were taken in FGCU. My temporary home.                            By: Nasha Lee (UGRAD 2011-2012) After visiting Sioux Falls and South Dakota, UGRADers Wilson, WeiJiet, YuPing, and Nasha continued their journey to: Seattle --> San Francisco --> Los Angeles --> San Diego --> Las Vegas --> Grand Canyon. Thanks to all of 'em for taking time to share so much about America and their journeys with us through videos and photos. Kudos to Wilson for putting all these videos together and Christine, Nasha, and Wei Jiet for being such great 'casts'!! Credits to Wilson, WeiJiet, YuPing, and Nasha for all the contents below...enjoy!! Our journey in San Francisco - my most favourite city in the US so far. Beautiful views, unique terrain and interesting small winding roads. From the historical Chinatown to the famous gay district of Castro, to the Italian district of North Beach, the heart of San Francisco lies in it's culturally diverse neighbourhoods. Nothing quite beats the feeling of biking the Golden Gate Bridge with the wind in your face and magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean at sunset next to you. - Nasha Lee                                              "Had the most amazing 3 weeks of my life travelling with awesome friends. So grateful and blessed to be able to have this chance. Will remember all the people I met on this trip, all the moments the 4 of us had together, and all the laughter shared. Time to go back to Florida ! :) In the past year I learnt that the that the journey is much more important than the destination, and that life is a one way street, no turning back. New year's resolution for this year: to stop being afraid , to live life as it comes and to trust God for all the plans He has for me. Life is wonderful :)" ~ Nasha Lee "Determination and perseverance of human being amazed me the most in this trip: From the ultra challenging sculpture engineering at Mt. Rushmore, successful Starbucks story that first started in Seattle, manufacturing of Boeing Dreamliner 787 that revolutionize flying experience, amazing architecture work of brilliant red Golden Gate Bridge completed in the 30s, Silicon Valley that changed our way of life, glamorous Hollywood which makes our imagination goes wild through motion pictures to the booming city of Las Vegas in the middle of dessert; the will power of man made the impossible possible. If we ever doubt of our own ability, look back on what we've done. Not just in the US but all other great civilizations in the world. Internet alone makes so many things possible. So let our imaginations go wild, even the sky is not the limit. Dream. Achieve. Share. Live. Love." ~ Wilson Beh It's Winter Break!! 23/12/2011
Woohoo...exam's over and winter break has started!! =) As 4 Malaysian UGRADers embarked on their big winter trip around the US, we'll also keep you guys updated on their 1-month journey across 7 cities. They've visited South Dakota and are currently touring Seattle - the home of Boeing, Starbucks, and Microsoft! "This is going to be the most exciting & adventurous trip so far. Life is a daring adventure or nothing. " - Wilson Beh "Trip of my life starts today ! can't help feeling excited. Hope everything goes smoothly." - Nasha Lee 1st stop: Visited Professor Michael Mullin's house & fed horses at his farm! It's the Wild Wild West! 2nd stop: Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Wall Drug and Rapid City.          ~ Global UGRAD Malaysia wishes everyone Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!! ~ Time passes in a blink of an eye. It has been more than 3 months since I touched down on Washington Dulles International Airport in United Airline 804. Mother nature greeted my arrival in US through a series of unconventional happenings: Virginia Earthquake, Hurricane Irene, Early October Snow and coming worst winter of the year. Last week was my best of time in US. I celebrated my 1st ever American Thanksgiving with Joey’s family at Eastern Shore, Maryland -A place I call it as 世外桃源 in Chinese, or A utopian land of peace and happiness away from the turmoil of the world. This wonderful place comes close to my definition of Shangri-la. Urban planning is my passion because the quality of a city decides the quality of living. I am grateful to have spent most of my time in the nation’s capital – Washington D.C. and visited the financial, cultural of the world – New York City, twice. Yes, they are amazing cities. However, the countrysides of Easton and Oxford amazed me even more. Trust me, the bewildering array of skyscrapers can never beat the lush greenery, farms, natural bay and starry sky which give you a deep satisfying sense of calmness, peacefulness and serene pleasure. The first sentence of John Denvor’s <Country Home, Take Me Home> - ”Almost Heaven”, concludes my impression towards this US’s countryside. I am very sure it is one of the best countrysides in the states. So, where exactly is it? Easton is located an hour and half drive away from Washington D.C. Joey’s house is at Easton but we stayed at his grandpa’s house at Oxford which is 10 minutes drive away. Eastern Shore of Maryland is connected to Western Shore of Maryland (Annapolis and beyond) by the beautiful 4.3 miles Chesapeake Bay Bridge. 
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The original span completed in 1952 and was the world’s longest continuous over-water steel structure. The parallel span was added in 1973. This sexy architecture stands majestically across the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary of the United States. The Chesapeake Bay was the site of major wars such as Battle of the Chesapeake and War of 1812 centuries ago. The toll fare is $4 eastbound. It works the same way as Penang Bridge - you only have to pay driving into the island. The classy 50's architecture that withstands the course of seasonal change. 
Easton Shore, Maryland
Wind Mill and the green. Geese flying above the farms in a rainy day. All the scenes in my childhood bedtime stories were right in front of me! Hello Poldy! Mum used to teach me English with this story book when I was 4, 5 years old. It was a story of Poldy the scarecrow comes alive and travels around the world. Maybe this is the reason why I love the farm so much… Country road, take me home… 
Cycling around Easton
Joey and I cycled to the inner part of Easton and saw someone hunting with guns. Joey speaks an impeccable London accent! He is a matured and wonderful guy who knows what he wants in life. Enjoyed his accompany so much throughout the Thanksgiving break. I was totally mesmerized by the tranquility of this place. When the sky turns pink. 
St. Michaels – the town that fooled the British in War of 1812.
This small town played a very important role in War of 1812 – where US fought with the British Empires. The US smartly hanging lanterns and lights on the trees beyond the town, and avoided the bombings of the British. Nice pier at St. Michaels. 
Easton town
Easton is a charming small town with 15,000 population at Talbot County. It is the home of many famous people like Dick Cheney and also Charles Thornton, the world renowned engineer who worked on Petronas Twin Towers and Taipei 101. Gun is legally sold in US. David vs Ben at Easton! These 2 boys are really adorable! 
Oxford – a wealthy neighborhood for the retirees
Oxford Fire Station was built by Joey’s father own company. Peaceful town. I don’t describe too much on these pictures because they already tell the stories. Few steps away from Joey’s grandparents’s house. Greenery and the bay. Crystal clear water. During summer time it is a popular swimming spot. 
Annapolis – The historical capital of Maryland
Annapolis – the capital of Maryland, is among the oldest cities in US. It was once a temporary capital for the nation. Visited United States Naval Academy. Downtown Annapolis. City hall of Annapolis. More than 2 centuries ago, George Washington delivered his resignation speech in this room. 
The People
Eastern shore is a wonderful place. However, my stay at this place could never be so joyful without Joey’s family – people matters. I came to US alone and explored this new land independently. It is here at Easton I feel very much at home. G for greatness – G for the Gardners. Joey's dad & mom - Mr and Mrs Gardner. They are awesome people with big and warm hearts – definitely a role model parents whom I respect a lot. I enjoyed my stay here at Easton tremendously. It was perhaps my best moment in the states. Thank you so much for all the good foods, care and love! We share same interest on The Carpenters songs too – and it was how their love story begun. We had a sumptuous lunch at Annapolis Yacht Club with Joey’s grandparents. Joey’s grandpa – Mr. Bright was the CEO of Mid American Energy. Friends at Midwest, his company supplies electricity and gas to your place! Mrs. Bright is a very thoughtful woman and tells good stories. I wish I have chance to visit Mount Kearsarge at New Hampshire one day! Joey had a reunion with high school friends. From left Kayla, Keats, Ben, Taira and Joey. Joey is a terrific swimmer. He won so many championships and keep on winning! Go Joey! Joey’s beautiful sister – Amy, her boyfriend Alex… and also black cat Simon. Ben & David! They are cute boys and always with so much energy! Ben is a good swimmer too. Actually he was featured on the newspapers for winning swimming comptition. He draws very well too! Learnt to cook “Pumpkin Pie” from Joey. 
Thanksgiving Dinner
Mrs. Bright in action – preparing the mouthwatering Turkey. Mr Gardner in action. Wine and sparking juice. It’s time for Thanksgiving Dinner! Turkey, ham, broccoli, mashed potatoes, rice, green beans – my best dinner in the states! Joey's relatives Emily & John came for Thanksgiving Dinner too! Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in US. It is the 2nd most important celebration, if not as important as Christmas. It is a season of giving thanks, appreciation and also reunion. This was a wonderful thanksgiving for me. Thank you. 
Mrs. Gardner left it to his husband for this challenging shoot! Haha! The happy Gardner’s family! And also this little Prince David… who brings so many laughter to the family! By: Wilson Beh (UGRAD 2011-2012) OK, its November 15th and I still haven’t done a post on Homecoming, my trips and Halloween. I know that I owe alot to this blog but these days has been so hectic. So what brought me to blog today? Well it has been quite a crappy day. I messed up my experiment today at the lab and I feel so bad because one experiment takes days to do and I just messed up this one that uses 10x the amount I usually use. To kill my guilt and crappy feeling, I munched on a chocolate chunk cookie from Starbucks just now and now i will blog. Why blog? Because blogging makes me edit my photos and what’s with photos? Because it snaps down the happy moments of your life. Thus I hope to gain some positivity from the happy memories and continue writing my 40%-grade review paper. I choose to blog on this mainly because the photos are lesser and easier for me to edit. Haha! This happened on a Saturday evening – November 5th. It was a social event for the Mizzou Hydrogen Car Team. Our super former marine team member – Marcus invited all of us to his farm somewhere a few miles out of Columbia to chill and have fun for the night. Tim fetched me, Kristina and Carlos in the evening and we headed off to the suburbs. This was my first time going to a farm and gosh, the scenery is so Be-au-ti-fullllll!!!! 
Farm! there were sheeps, cows, lakes, and its all green, nature, beauty!!!
Credits to my photographer - Ms Kristina Lazarevic
Evening sky... the look of it is just so soothing...
When we reached there, Marcus and Andy had started to brew beer. Marcus is the Vice-president of Mizzou’s Fermentation Sciences Club (sounds so ‘chun’ right, but it actually means you brew beer. LOL) That day they brewed Harpoon’s Winter Warmer (do not ask me what is it, i also don’t know. haha) All I know is, the final color looks like stout, other than the usual grains used in beer brewing, Andy added some green pellets (that smelt like fish food) and that’s it. So while the guys are killing their curiosity in beer brewing, me and Kristina headed out to snap some shots on the farm. So, if its a chill out night, there must be food! I was introduced to Chili (not the red chilly, but beef, beans type of chili), Sloppy Joe (chili on bread), ‘some type of biscuit that tastes like sour cream but is very good’, Haystack (made of chow mein noodles dipped in butterscotch), vegetable dip and the most famous American hot dog. 
Beer bottle caps. interesting right?
Very American. Hehe
Well, Marcus’ place is really huge. The workshop itself can be a studio apartment. Beside this workshop is his house. A standalone house on a farm. If you are here to see for yourself, it would be your ideal retirement home. So, here is beer brewing part 2. Just for your information, beer brewing takes up 4 to 5 hours for the whole process and the beer has to be fermented for 3 weeks before being consumed. 
Filtering, boiling.
That's me getting the potato in. it has to be really tight so that the hair spray does not leak.
Now, the highlight of my trip to the farm! POTATO GUN! Potato guns are a very American thingy. As you might already know, Americans have their own garage and workshop and they build their own stuff. A potato gun is usually made of PVC pipes and the purpose of it? The name says it all – fire a potato! How the mechanism works? I don’t know but what i now is there is the ignition top where you put in hair spray, press it and doosh! Your potato shoots off! I tried a few times to get my potato gun working. You have to work fast as the hair spray can leak very easily and sometimes your potato does not fit that nicely. I think i tried like 4 times before i managed to fire my potato. Thanks to Tim!  Other than potato gun, i learned about Beerpong. Its a game but I haven’t played it before. Haha! We left quite early because we were already there for about 6 hours, so I missed out the game part.  Lastly, we tried the beer. it is still alcohol-free so its not considered beer. Lol. Anyway, what i wanted to say that it tastes really good and Kristina said ‘Why beer doesn’t taste like this? This should be the beer for girls.’ haha. By: Yu Ping (UGRAD 2011-2012) Thanksgiving Thankfulness - Nasha Lee 28/11/2011
It's a rainy Monday night and I'm sitting on my bed, thinking about a lot of things. This is the week of Thanksgiving, I'll be having holidays from Wednesday and classes end the week after next. Time sure flies when you're having fun. Been traveling a lot this month, a new place every weekend. First the Bahamas, then St Augustine, which is the oldest city in the US, then last weekend to Key West, the most southern point of continental US, and this weekend I will be going to Orlando.  Fluffy clouds , golden sun. Taken while sitting at the edge of the dock in Mallory Square. Funny thing is, a year ago, I would never have thought that a year into the future, I'll be here, doing what I'm doing. I saw myself as a third year student in UM, going through the same old routine of studying. Who would have thought that I would come all the way to the US? I came here all by myself, but made a lot of really great friends on the way. So this will officially be my first Thanksgiving ever. And in the spirit of true Thanksgiving, this year I'm thankful for many things. 1. The obstacles that I had to face: they have made me stronger. In spite of everything, I am truly grateful for the lessons that those obstacles have taught me. Because in truth, I know that the finer moments in life are those that happen in the midst of great unhappiness and pain. It is only in these moments, propelled by discomfort that you learn to step out from your ruts and start becoming stronger. Trials make you stronger and they give you determination. Life throws you challenges once in awhile-they are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to make you discover who you really are. Thank you, for proving me wrong. I AM strong enough. 2. My family. Always supportive, always encouraging. I would never have been who I am today without their constant support and love. Come to think of it, I would also never have pushed myself to try harder without having two smart elder brothers who did well in everything. I had some pretty big shoes to fill and I knew it, and that made me work even harder. Growing up with that kind of mentality puts you under a lot of pressure, and it makes you believe that being average just isn't good enough. Somehow I'm glad that I grew up in that environment, because some of their ambitiousness and drive caught on to me. Call me "kiasu" all you want, but I do believe that some level of kiasuness is necessary to work towards your goal. Family- at times they irritate you so much with their demands and noise, but at the end of the day, you know that they are the ones that stood by your side the whole time. There's something so great about waking up and knowing that in another part of the world, your family is praying for you to be safe and to have a great day. I miss them so much ! 3. Friends. New friends, old friends. Good friends who've seen me at my worst and yet have chosen to remain a part of my life. The ones that appear mysteriously out of nowhere to give me a hug when I'm feeling down. The friends that have shared with me a part of their life and want to be a part of mine. The old friends that pick me up when I fall down and those that are brutally honest. 4. The opportunity to study abroad. The days here have been more than amazing, and every day I open the doors to something new and learn something different about life and people. I am truly thankful for the chance to be here, to have gotten the UGRAD scholarship so my one year here is fully sponsored. Knowing that you got here on your own accord has a different feeling than knowing you got here on your parent's money. I would never have enjoyed my trip here as much knowing that my parents have to work hard for each cent I spend abroad. Studying here has also given me a whole new perspective on life. Through talking to people from all over the world, I have come to realize that there are a lot of things that I don't know, and there is a much bigger world from the one I grew up in. I am grateful for the opportunity to be in this country, because despite everything, it IS one of the free-est countries in the world. There is nothing quite like the experience of seeing things from multiple points of view and being able to make decisions by yourself instead of being told what to do.  Sunset at Mallory Square, Key West , Florida. The last two trips within Florida has made me realize what a privilege it is to study here. I don't think I could have been happier in any other state. First of all, the weather is wonderful. Sunny and breezy, perfect for traveling. It suits me because I love nature and I like looking at beautiful views. When faced with sights like this, it's hard for you NOT to pause and enjoy life. 5. I'm thankful that although I'm loving my time in America, I still feel that strong sense of belonging to Malaysia. America shows you a lot of things, the good ones and the bad. I think in seeing the bad side of America, I realize how growing up in Malaysia is an advantage, and it makes me cling on to my values and beliefs even stronger.There really is no place quite like home. More importantly, there is no FOOD quite like home. 6. I'm thankful to God- for coming through when I needed Him to and for showing me that prayers does work wonders. Sometimes, when God closes a door, He not only opens a window but knocks the whole wall down so you stare with amazement at the plans He has for you. All you need is a little faith. It's been a crazy year, but I have so much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving, people! By: Nasha Lee (UGRAD 2011-2012) Grab Your Chance NOW!! 25/11/2011
Calling undergraduates from all colleges/universities in Malaysia... THE APPLICATION FOR 2012-2013 GLOBAL UGRAD EXCHANGE PROGRAM IS STILL OPEN!!!!!! If you don't know what this exchange program is all about...start browsing our website and check out all the amazing journeys that our past & current UGRADers are experiencing! This is definitely an experience of a lifetime not to be missed! =) Don't miss out your chance this year! Deadline is 9 Dec 2011. Make sure you've got all your documents ready as the deadline is approaching soon! P.S. If you have a dream, give it a chance to happen!! New York, New York! - Nasha Lee 15/11/2011
So this is a long overdue blog update, but just thought I'd share a bit about my traveling experience. I realize that I haven't been updating my blog in a long time. Truth is, I've just been so caught up with classes and homework and the multitude of assignments that take up a whole big chunk of my time. The good thing is that I'm starting to like the American education system a lot more now; where more emphasis is placed on continuous assessment rather than exams. I find that I learn a lot more through actually doing work week after week than just cramming for finals. The stuff I learn also gets embedded in my memory much more effectively than the short time marathon cramming I usually do for classes in UM. Bad thing about this system though, is that my ability to memorize decreases significantly. Oh well, life IS all about trade offs isn't it? Anyway back to the reason for this blog post. To share about my travel experience in New York ! I was there from the 6th to the 10th of October, representing Florida Gulf Coast University for the Columbia Model United Nations Conference in New York. Honestly I didn't think that I would go back to New York that soon, because I was there in May attending my brother's graduation from NYU, but as fate would have it, I joined the Model United Nations Club and heard that they were going to have a conference in Tallahassee (which I went to ) as well as one in Columbia University, New York, tried out for the conference in Columbia, and managed to get selected.                   How MUN works is it's basically a simulation of the United Nations and participants role-play as diplomats representing a nation or an NGO or a specific person in a simulated session of a committee of the United Nations. You have to do research on a particular country and take on the role of a diplomat, debate and develop solutions to world problems. It's a really cool way to learn about the world, current events , international relations and problems that the United Nations have to deal with. So this was my first time in Columbia University. I really liked the vibrant campus life : there was always something to see , activities going on around you and there was just something about the buildings that makes you want to stare at it. Because the university is one of the oldest in the States, the design of the buildings are a lot different than the ones you expect to see today, and there's a lot of history surrounding it. (Not to mention, those buildings are in a lot of major movies as well ! ) We arrived New York on Thursday noon and took the subway to the Hotel which was about 10 blocks from Columbia University, and registered for the conference. There were university students from countries like Bangladesh, UAE, Canada and from all around the US participating in this conference. We were in the committee with the topic "Ending the 30 years war : Peace of Westphalia, 1645." which in short was about the 30 years war in Europe between major forces in Europe that revolved around religious issues. Sometime during the conference, I looked at my partner Hadiza (from Niger, NOT Nigeria, she says) who by the way was awesome company because we were in a double delegation, and told her how funny it was that I'm from Malaysia, she's from Africa and we're representing an American university in a European committee. Talk about globalization !             This trip was a good one. Although I didn't really have much time in New York because the conference was for 4 days and I was there for only 5 days, I managed to go to a lot of places and met up with friends. Was in times square twice, the first day with Hadiza and Rhiana and we shopped in Forever 21 which was awesome because it had 4 storeys and was open till 2 am ! The 2nd time on Saturday evening where I met Johan from France who studies at FGCU as well, and Chase, my brother's friend. Ayesha and Hadiqa (my two crazy pakistani girl friends who brings out the craziness in me) joined us later and then I met Wilson (fellow Malaysian UGRADer ) .Wanted to go to the Wax Museum but it was too late =( Fulfilled my secret fantasy of watching the New York skyline from the Empire State Building on Saturday night ! The wait was worth it. When I reached the 86th floor, I could literally see people standing in awe and amazement at the sight of the lights below. I could see why people always have romantic rendezvous at the top of the empire state building and why so many guys propose to their girlfriends there, the views were amazing. Stayed there for awhile and met Wilson and his friend Trang from Vietnam at Korea town and then met my cousin Amanda for dinner at this secret hidden Korean place that had great food.The place was so hidden that I couldn't even describe where it was to my friends. After dinner we walked along the Brooklyn bridge till around 2 am. Actually Ayesha, Hadiqa and Johan were walking on the bridge, I walked with Taha for 30 minutes to find a toilet because apparently there are no public toilets in NY for some reason (I know, right?), and by the time we got back to the bridge every one was tired and wanted to go back to sleep. So I traveled an hour to the Bridge and another hour back just to take a long walk to the toilets. Haha. Being international tourists with incredibly thick faces who didn't care what people thought about us, we fell asleep lying down on the Subway. Wholesome New York experience, indeed. We also went to Grand Central Terminal and had cupcakes from Magnolia's bakery, walked along 5th avenue and saw a parade, witnessed the protests in Wall Street and went to the Ground Zero Memorial, a memorial to honor victims of the September 11 attack. Coincidentally this is also the 10th year anniversary of the attacks.                Tiring though it was, I had a wonderful trip with friends and the awesome MUN people. Would never have been able to be here if it were not for the UGRAD program. I've been here for less than 3 months and already I'm having so many memorable experiences ! This is really the best chance to get out of your comfort zone and to learn about the world (yes, you don't just learn about the US), to do the things you've always wanted to do and to travel. So if you're thinking of applying for this program ( I know you are), why not take a chance and try it? I've had some people tell me " No, I'll never get selected, I'm not good enough". Well , you never know until you try right? Every accomplishment was once considered impossible. Even Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything". He was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive." As an inventor, Edison made 1000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, " How did it feel to fail 1000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn't fail 1000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps." That's determination- the ability to pick yourself up and try till you accomplish something. Who cares if you fall down the first few times. What matters is the end product. So apply ! Just so you know, lately, I have a new hobby, it's traveling ! And with each travel I realize how true it is that the best time to travel is when you're young. You give yourselves opportunities to grow: you realize how much you don't know about the world. It teaches you to live your adventures, and when you look back in years to come, you'll remember how you felt when you saw the Eiffel Tower, or when the views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge took your breath away. You will be forced to make choices, to get rid of your fears , to immerse yourself in the local culture. You'll learn that the world is not what you imagined it to be, that people are not as kind and as good to you as your friends around you. Traveling allows you to embrace reality. And so I've lined up a whole lot of traveling before I return to Malaysia.Am saving up my allowance from World Learning every month so I can cover more places. I just got back from the Bahamas (will probably blog about that soon) and will be traveling to Key West and Orlando in the next couple of weeks. Can't wait to see what the world has to offer ! By: Nasha Lee (UGRAD 2011-2012) This is gonna be my first ever post written on a bus. After 2 hectic weeks with 4 exams, finally I can get a grasp of fresh air and getaway to New York City. Outside, the beautiful sunset turns the sky into a glowing orange colored picture. It is spectacular. I am taking Bolt Bus (bus version for Air Asia) and it costs me $40 ($27 + $13) for a round trip. The price is pretty cheap and if I were to buy It 2 weeks earlier it would cost even cheaper. It takes 4.5 hour to reach New York from Washington DC – the journey is just like travelling from Penang to Kuala Lumpur. The only difference is I enjoy the ride a lot as Bolt Bus provides free Wi-Fi and power plug. “Death is life best invention” – posted by Heng How on his Facebook is my favorite status of the day. Steve Jobs left an indelible mark in the world of consumer electronics and at the same time putting me into lots of thoughts. Last time in year 2008, it was Uncle Choo’s death which changed my perception towards “life”. “Life is only once, live without regret” is the principal I have been upholding strongly. Of course, as a human being, there are times I question about myself and uncertain of tomorrow. But life is a strange thing, life itself is already a miracle – what we need to do is make a wish and believe in it. Recalling back the first day I entered university and all circumstances that took place subsequently, they did not just happen – it was all well plotted in an unconscious way. Everything happened to us was shaped by our belief and action. Most importantly, every dot counts and at the end of the day – all will be connected. Amazing, isn’t? Hometown friends, new friends made at KMPP, USM, AIESEC, events that I took part all are interconnected in different ways. I told myself on the first day stepping into USM:” Hey, I must go exchange to overseas at least for a semester to learn and see different things!” Now, I’m here at USA for Global Undergraduate Exchange Program. I think I am lucky and feel very grateful to be here. It’s been 6 weeks since I left Malaysia – and until now I have not met any other Malaysian here at my area. Yes there are many Malaysians at DC but we are yet to meet. This experiment is totally something new to me but I find it to be challengingly fun. I am meeting new people, learning different cultures and seeing the beautiful city every day. Besides, I am learning to know myself more – and keep asking what I really want to do in this life. If you check my Facebook profile or blog introduction you might get some ideas. But I am still looking and still asking. Sorry if you think it’s too philosophical – it is just some thoughts on the journey to Big Apple. By: Wilson Beh (UGRAD 2011-2012) |  Global UGRAD MalaysiaThe Global UGRAD Program provides 1-semester or 1-academic year scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students leaders from Malaysia to experience an enriching undergraduate experience in an American college or university. Here we will share all latest updates about Global UGRAD Malaysia and follow the journey of 8 UGRADers who are currently in the USA for this exchange program. ArchivesMarch 2012 US Universities Scholarships & Grants |
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