Elli Heart KL

Acknowledgements

2009-12-31T23:18:00.006+08:00

It is the last day of the year 2009. Week and half ago my EVS project in Malaysia ended and I flew back to my home country Finland. I had an incredible experience in Malaysia. For that I have many people to thank.

PT Foundation and most importantly Raymond and Hisham for opening their home and life for me to take part. I definitely felt like a family member and will feel partly Malaysian rest of my life thanks to them.
Helsinki Youth Department and Sam taking good care of the project and worrying about me ;)
European Voluntary Service, Youth in Action and whole European Union for making this experience possible in the first place.
DAW. The whole group but most importantly our director Christopher Jacobs who taught me a lot. He trusted me to be able to do Shakespeare in English and co-direct 13-year-olds and so I did. Soon Heng and Kien Lee also deserve superb appreciation for lending a helping hand in the transportation, and for their guidance and friendship.
All amazing international friends: Nicholas, Veera, Celeste, Bettina, Lukasz, Clayton, Karolina, Julian, Guat Hong, Sandee, Sian Czhe, Rajibul, Jaja, Pallavi, Lotta, Riina, Farid, Qahar, Tapai, Hana and everyone I met and made me feel so welcomed.

Thank you! Terima Kasih! Kiitos!

In the verge of 2010 I am back home in Helsinki Finland and I feel complete happiness about my life. 2009 was amazing year... and 2010 will be even better with all the friends, courage and knowledge I've been lucky to gather this previous year. And Bye! Thank you for following my journey in Malaysia. See you soon again!

Happy New Year !!!

Fabulosity

2009-12-18T18:01:00.010+08:00

Fabulous night was as Fabulous as it should be. For my last post I'll share some pictures with you.

Our host of the evening: Edwin Sumun aka Shelah.

The night was a success! Congratulations to us all!

Ready to Be Fabulous!?

2009-12-03T16:16:00.001+08:00

World Aids Day

2009-12-01T12:25:00.019+08:00

I Am

I Am...

...proud to be a Red Ribbon Supporter and part of the PT Foundation family. Together with the staff and 250 volunteers we made the Red Carnival - World Aids Day celebration - happen last weekend in one of the biggest mall's of KL: Sungei Wang Plaza.

Many many volunteers were working hard. Celeste, American PT Volunteer, kept track of the ever changing lists of volunteers and participants and handed me my Official Photographer tag.

I enjoyed taking photographs of the colorful event but I also appreciated the fact that I wasn't the only one in that role. For example Ali, from Iran and a professional photographer, took amazing shots. Thats how there was time for me to watch the performances, socialize and dance like mad woman, when needed ;)

The objective of Red Carnival is to raise funds for the HIV work we do at PT but even more importantly raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. The theme this year was "I Am". We used four slogans: I Am Against Stigma and Discrimination, I Am Learning About HIV, I Am Practising Safer Sex and I Am Getting Tested.

Besides red ribbons we handed out mirror cards where it says in the front "You could be looking at someone who is HIV positive". The HIV does not discriminate. It is everybody's worry: Spread the awareness. Not the virus. As my wise colleague put it.

Balloons. And the cute trio of Fared, Andrew and Jeremy posing for the camera.

Also I Am balloons were given to the public, mostly children, in the carnival theme.

Quiz question: What does red ribbond stand for?
Answer: It stands for life. And it should be placed near your heart.

From the information table people could collect more specific brochures of HIV/AIDS.

There was also brochures about Finland cause Finnish Embassy was one of our biggest sponsors this year. Yey! Go Finland! (This funding had nothing to do with me. They found PT on their own. But they did know about my blog! The power of blogging :) )

The main event at the stage included performances from the community and local bands/ dance groups/ stars. The Rainbow of PT -show by the transexual and sexworker community, included beautiful singing by beautiful Nisha.

Young hip hoppers.

Between performances there was games and quizzes about HIV. One of the most touching moments were when the HIV positive people came forward to give their views on the issue the stigma and discrimination. HIV does not spread by hugging, kissing or being friends with a HIV positive person.

This perfect picture is taken by Polish Lukasz who borrowed my camera for just a few moments.

Harmonica Quarter made few of us really show of our dancing moves. We can definitely Can Can, can't we Steven! So much fun.

Gorgeous Jaclyn Victor - who is a Malaysian Idol winner - made crowds gather around the stage. Even the cars passing by the Fiesta Street slowed down. Her singing was a breathtakingly touching. The highlights of the concert was when all PT Volunteers - including me - joined her on the stage to dance in the background and her "Satu lagi - One more" performance after audience's request: I Will Survive a cappella.

She also has such a nice, down-to-earth, personality. I consider myself lucky to met her in person. You can see me sweating like a sponge after the jumping and dancing in the Malaysian heat while she looks glowing and fabulous.

Here I am standing in the red shadow of one of our celebrity MCs: Will Quah did excellent job on getting the sometimes shy audience to come to the stage to take part in the quizzes and games. Well done Will!

One of the best parts of the weekend for me was to see my design all over the place. All the posters, buntings, backdrops, patches, t-shirts, mirror cards etc. you see in the photos, are from my pencil and macbook. Here you can see my I am -graphic in men's underwear! It will be available on sale in late December in the Undershop ;)

The weekend was overwhelming, fun and exhausting but in a rewarding way! Today is the 1st of December - the official World Aids Day - and so I'd like to remind everybody to work together to Stop Aids. Keep the promise. Spread the word. Happy World Aids Day everybody!

Letters From Malaysia

2009-11-25T16:54:00.005+08:00

I've been a "visual reporter" for Finnish cultural web publication Satyyri since its beginning: creating "artistic" travel reports from the places I've visited. Since the start of the magazine in 2007 I've been reporting from Russia, Mexico, States... and now Malaysia. Please take a look at the freshly published 10th Satyyri here >>> www.satyyri.net/10/

My visual letters are to be found from the page 30. Enjoy!

Miss

2009-11-23T14:22:00.046+08:00

There is less than one month left of my project here in Malaysia. At the PT we are busy getting everything ready for The Red Carnival - World Aids Day which is just around the corner and soon after there is The Fabulous Gala Dinner and Show.

But especially during the rainy days like these my mind is not completely here anymore. I'm counting days to the take off. I miss home. But there is many things in Malaysia too which I love and will miss for sure after I'm gone. To clear my head I thought about doing a fair list comparing these two.

Miss Elli's Missing List:

(Writer's note: I'm not gonna list people cause they are the cause I miss the most. The close friends and family back home and the new marvelous personalities from here whom I might not see in very long while after my departure)

FINLAND

ANONYMITY - I miss being less visible. I would love to blend in but here I don't. I would look like a tourist even though I would have lived here over 10 years. Many pairs of eyes follow my every step. Men keep on greeting and yelling and doing funny kiss sounds. Motorcyclist toot their horns. Total strangers might take a picture of me before I have anything to say about it. When I meet a new person he/she might say that he has seen me before in the train/mall/in the audience of a theatre performance. In Finland I'm pretty unnoticeable unless I'm smiling way too widely for the Helsinki street scene.
SAFETY - I miss walking on my own without being so cautious and even scared. Here if I need to use the public transportation during the day I wear trousers with pockets where I can carry all my valuable items. I try not to carry any kind of bag with me. I also have a scarf along so that sometimes I can hide my head underneath it (like 65% Malaysian women).
FREEDOM - For previous reasons and cause the KL public transportation has its flaws I'm often dependent on others. I'm not use to being this helpless. I'm lucky to have so many good friends who can give me a ride when needed but I would love to come and go on my own schedule. Here I might recline from dinner/movie/concert invitation just cause it is too much trouble to get there and back(safely). In Helsinki - my home city - I trust the public transportation to take me anywhere in the city. If the night continues after midnight I can always walk back home. It's never too far and completely save.
HOBBIES: I miss the common day chores of my Helsinki life: jogging by the sea, salsa lessons with the Cuban dance instructors, my two unique theatre groups and the inspiring co-working with my fellow designers.
HEALTHY DIET: It is so much easier following healthy diet back home than it is here. Malaysian food is fantastic but it contains about three times the fat and sugar I would eat back home. My body and mind functions best when it is treated well.
WEATHER: After this ever continuing heat I must admit I miss the variations of temperatures. Not because I would like to feel cold but because I would love to wear different layers of clothes. I miss wearing the woolen socks my mom has knitted for me.
MY CAT: Pikke is my prince charming.
SILENCE/FRESH AIR/THE SEA/FOREST: The nature. The peace.
HAVING CONVERSATION OF SOMETHING ELSE THAN FOLLOWING: Where you from? What do you do in Malaysia? Why Malaysia? How long have you been here? What do you think about Malaysia? Do you like the food? Oh, you're vegetarian. Why? How long have you been? Would you like to eat/drink something? Is your parents vegetarians? Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend? - I've thought about making a brochure of myself having ready-made-answers to all these questions: Finland/ Voluntary work/ It happen to be/ Four and half months/ Interesting & exotic/ Yes/ Out of ecological, ethic and health reasons/ Sure, if it doesn't have meat/ No/ No&No. If you know some cute, fun, artistic (and straight) boy, let me know!

MALAYSIA

FRUITS: Oh. They keep on being divine!
FOOD: If not always so healthy it is delicious. All the vegetarian Indian, Chinese and Malay dishes. I'm gonna miss this ethnic variety of food. (And it is ridiculously cheap too!)
SHAKESPEARE: Even though I would have not guessed to meet "Shakespeare" here in Malaysia, the two-times-a-week Diligent Actor's Workshop - DAW has become important and anticipated part of my weekly routine. I love the group, the director, the challenge, and I genuinely feel like I've improved as an actress and in my english as well.
LIGHT: Bye bye daily sunshine after returning middle of the darkest time of the year in Finland.
JOB: I genuinely like my work a lot. I don't always like the long hours or that the work follows me everywhere I go but I do love the community, my tasks and title as the in-house-artist. It is magnificent that I can use my (and my macbook's) skills for such a good cause.
EXOTICISM: Every day when I step out from my room there is the whole new world in front of my eyes. New things to see, experience and learn: Bread-men in their motorcycles covered with bread, tropic storms, chanting from the mosques, beautiful Indian ladies in their saris, temples, monkeys, monorail (metro that goes over the streets), banana trees, lizards, the spectacular "space" -like sky line of KL and the green mountains surrounding the city, storytellers... people living in the trees and the haunting spirits etc.
BEING EXOTIC: After all that complaining of being so visible I must admit it is an advantage too. Looking like "an interesting person" (=meaning different/alien/foreigner) I've had a chance to meet lot of interesting people myself. How many times after and theatre show you meet the stars of the stage and they say they noticed you in the audience!? Or you get invitations to the after party after rock concerts. And then there is the free drinks&food (I don't mean in bars (cause I don't really go to bars here) but in restaurants waiters sometimes just give out drinks and desserts). Even though it is the blond hair and blue eyes I've born with (like 98% of my country men) some days I'm still flattered to be called beautiful.
EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE: Here I feel like everything you want to do is possible to do. Boleh lah! (= Can be done)
LIVING: In Helsinki I don't have a pool on my yard. But I do have the sea on my backyard.

So. As you see. There is two sides in the coin. Always is. I feel gratitude of being here and gratitude of having a home to return to and the liberty to do so. I am lucky. Thank you world!

Closer To Heaven

2009-11-19T11:30:00.011+08:00

Dear Soon Heng invited me to come along with them on a family trip to the mountains to visit his cousin's home, family and garden.

His lovely cousin - lady in the red shirt - use to be a piano teacher and moved there to the hills about 10 years ago from KL. She lives there with her architect-vegetarian-fruterian husband and two teenage children of which the other one is autistic.

Her parents (charming couple in the left of the picture below) do live in KL but travel often up hill to spend time with the offspring. Her dad is a devoted buddhist and does layouts for buddhist publications. He also gave me two books to read. Left of Soon Heng is his dad who is a funny fellow. Their loving-arguing father-son relationship is cute to watch.

The views from their house garden were breathtaking. I felt it was a small paradise. So peaceful, fresh and beautiful.

Little sketch from the back yard.

The plants and flowers of garden were blooming.

The house was also home for two cats and some turtles. All their "pets" had wondered there looking for shelter.

No wonder that also I felt so like home cause in the front door it clearly stated my name: Elli. (= the apartment number E1.L1)

Monkeys by the road side.

At the time we got to the magnificent fruit stalls the battery of my camera run out. Luckily markers come in everlasting energy so I sketch down how the mini honey bananas looked like: cute bite-size bananas. Sweet and delicious!

Kopitalk November

2009-11-16T09:25:00.000+08:00

In School With Shakespeare

2009-11-12T18:18:00.027+08:00

I took a week and half long leave from my voluntary work at PT Foundation to do voluntary work in very different surroundings. Cempaka International School invited us to help our director Christopher Jacobs to finalize four Shakespeare plays with group of 13-year-old students.

Cempaka is an international private school for privileged children. The facilities with their own tennis courts and swimming pool made quite an impression. Also the fact that every single student had their own laptop (usually macbook) to carry around like another school book or a mobile phone.

Tuesday 10th of November was the day of performances. For the students it was a result of 7 days of intensive training and 4 months of not-so-intensive preparation to get to know the world and language of Shakespeare.

In the morning the kids and us, the director/teacher/actor/assistants, gathered up to the dancing studio. Notice the text at the back of the girl's t-shirt: "Acting is the hardest profession in the world." You got that right!

Chris (light blue shirt) gave the pep talk and Kien Lee (dark blue t-shirt) led the warm ups. The girl smiling to the camera is Ilina.

Jump, move, shake, yell...

The warm ups usually made the kids giggle.

More pep talks. This time from Alfonso the teacher-organizer from the school.

Kien Lee came to help us for the last two days of the rehearsal period. Mostly he stayed with Soon Heng's Merchant of Venice -group. He is definitely the master of the dramatic poses.

Nicole was the most carefree considering that Hamlet group had no problems during the whole progress. The kids from the Hamlet were the most hard working from all the four groups and it did show in their performance.

Sandee - with whom we were in charge of the Romeo and Juliet group - looks a bit more worried.

Our kids were not always as organized, as the Hamlet ones, but they were wonderful personalities nevertheless. Here Kosmita, Kevin and Thomas enjoy themselves before the show. They seem carefree enough.

They were team players and that was wonderful to watch.

Last instructions from the head-guru-director Chris...

...and then let the Show begin.

***

ROMEO AND JULIET

(Sandee and me)

The classic love-story-tragedy tells a story of a two families, Capulets and Montagues, that keep on arguing with each other and disturbing everybody's peace. Escalus, the mayor of the city (Thomas in white shirt) have had enough and commands peace and order between the families.

Romeo - a Montague - (played by Zoe) enters party at Capulet's house to forget his affection to girl name Rosaline. In the party Romeo sees Juliet - the daughter of Capulet - (Ilina) and instantly fells in love with this beautiful 14-year-old and forgets Rosaline. Luckily Juliet feels the same.

The problem is that they're families can't stand each other. Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, challenges Romeo to a dual cause he is furious that Romeo has his eyes on Juliet. Romeo declines the battle cause he doesn't want to harm Juliet's relatives. Mercutio (Maneesha), Romeos dear friend and a proud Montague is ashamed of Romeo walking away from the battle. He steals his gun and attacks Tybalt. Tybalt kills Mercutio and then sad and angry Romeo attacks and kills Tybalt.

Juliet is devastated. Not so much because of the death of his cousin but because his loved one, Romeo, has to run away and hide. How will they find a way to be together?

Juliet turns to friar for help. He is the same man who secretly married the couple. Friar gives Juliet medicine that makes her look dead for 24 hours. Friar sends Romeo a message of the plan: they can run away together after the funeral. Nurse (Ee Min) and Lady Capulet - Juliet's mother - (Kosmita) are in shock to find Juliet (seemingly) dead from her bed.

Romeo never gets Friar's message. Instead he hears that Juliet - the love of his life - has died. Depressed Romeo goes to Pharmacy (Kevin) to buy poison to kill himself.

When Juliet wakes up from her 24h sleep in her tomb she finds Romeo dead by her side.

Mournful Juliet takes Romeo's dagger and kills herself.

***

OTHELLO

(Chris)

The plot of this play is way too complicated to describe in short notes. Let me just tell you that everybody dies in the end. Look for the synopsis here.

Iago plotting his evil plans.

Cassio, Desdemona and Emilia.

MERCHANT OF VENICE

(Soon Heng & Kien Lee)

This play is a comedy (nobody dies).

Shylock - a Jew - borrows 3 000 ducats to Antonio - a Christian - so that Antonio's friend Bassanio can travel to Belmont to try his luck marrying beautiful heiress Portia.

Soon Heng (the man in grey t-shirt) is watching closely the performance of his young actors.

Shylock agrees to the loan with the agreement that if Antonia does not return the money in time he can cut out piece of his flesh.

In Belmont Bassanio is successful and gets to marry happy Portia.

The play ends in a court room where first things look bad for Antonio but in the end it is Shylock who gets punished. He doesn't get the money back plus he is commanded to leave his religion and turn into Christianity.

***

HAMLET

(Nicole)

The play starts with the wedding.

Hamlet's dad has died and his mother Gertrude re-marries his uncle, her late husband's brother Claudius.

Hamlet and Ophelia are watching carefully this sudden wedding.

Hamlet's late father (in white) comes to haunt. He says he has been killed by his brother and asks Hamlet to revenge his dead.

Hamlet pretends to be mad so he can plan the revenge in peace. He confronts his mother while Polonius (Ophelia's father) is hiding behind the curtain. Hamlet mistakes him to be Claudius and kills him. Hamlet is sent away. Ophelia's father has died and his hopefully-to-be-husband has been sent away and probably killed too. Ophelia fells down to completely madness.

Laertes, Poloniu's son and Ophelia's brother, returns to the castle and is furious by the death of his father and the insanity of his little sister. He want's revenge. There is a dual between Laertes and Hamlet. They both die, so does Gertrude and Claudius. And Ophelia killed herself just little before. So everybody is dead again.

*aplodes*

The show is over.

Last minutes with the kids. Emilia from Othello is writing down her email so that I can send her the photographs I've taken. Ee Min waits her turn. They were also eager to send friend request in facebook... We live funny times!

Thank you (from the up left) Zoe, Ilina, Thomas, Kosmita, Maneesha, Amelia, Kevin, Ee Min and Sandee! Despite the drama ;) I shall miss your Shakespearian company.

House Lizard

2009-10-30T11:29:00.011+08:00

Hey! There is one tiny fellow in the banana bag.

My darling namesakes. (= My name Elli means house lizard in Tamil)

QAF November

2009-10-27T12:01:00.000+08:00

Aphorism

2009-10-22T21:52:00.005+08:00

Lady Navam clipped out this aphorism from newspaper and gave it to me to make an artwork.

I like the first sentence: For what is it to die, but stand in the sun and melt into the wind?

Red Carnival Coming Up

2009-10-21T10:24:00.003+08:00

At PT we are busy making Red Carnival - which is held in the Sungei Wang Plaza on 28th and 29th of November - into reality. You'll see my design all over the happening: in shirts, patches, posters, buntings, flyers, underwear etc.

More About Shakespeare

2009-10-17T20:16:00.009+08:00

It's funny that there is no more blog posts about my local theater activism. Only once before I've mentioned my most beloved hobby. Twice every week we gather up to practice the skill of acting with Shakespeare's works in the direction of brilliant Chris Jacobs.

Chris also teaches Shakespeare to 14-year-olds at the International Cembaka school and he has asked us to help him. To make the student's see what Shakespeare is about. Cause it is not literature to be read but it is a play that needs to be seen on stage. So last week we, with Kien Lee, Qahar and Nicole, performed couple of scenes from Merchant of Venice and Hamlet. I played the parts of Nerissa (MV) and Ophelia (H). Next Tuesday we'll enter the class room for second time and now I get to be part of the biggest love story ever told by playing the role of Juliet from Romeo and Juliet while Tapai will join us in the role of Romeo. Also Othello will be seen and in that one I am Emilia.

Today Chris asked me if I would like to be in a play that has an opening night on the 16th of December? Of course. Only thing is that my flight back to Finland is on 14th!

*to be continued*

Pure Joy

2009-10-12T23:20:00.010+08:00

Second time in one week music made me cry and laugh from pure joy. Today I had a chance to witness breathtakingly beautiful Jazz concert by singer Mia Palencia and guitarist Roger Wang. The concert was held in a Malaysian Philharmonic concert hall in Petronas towers, KLCC. Even when my seat - which was a last minute buy in almost sold out concert - was facing rather the back of the musicians than front I was completely mesmerized by both of the artists. The music painted landscapes to my heart and thoroughly touched my soul.

Photograph is not mine! Copyrights belong to this guy.

P.S. Who would teach me to play guitar? It is an amazing skill!

Celebrations In A Row

2009-10-12T14:57:00.018+08:00

Sometimes it feels like life in Malaysia is one everlasting festival. Maybe it has to do with the fact that three nations are living inside one so the amount of celebrations is tripled.

I week ago we had the Chinese Mooncake Festival. We ate mooncakes and burned incenses under the full moon. Kim (woman in the red shirt) told me it is important to choose either one or three. I made my own prayer with three incense, number 3 being my lucky number after all.

The night was cloudy so the moon was hiding most of the time. One traditional part of the festival is sending lanterns to the sky filled up with wishes. We didn't make our own lanterns but big red ones were sent from the neighbor's house (the red dots in the picture).

Part of the traditions of celebrating the muslim Hari Raya is to have Open House -parties for friends and family during the following month. We had PT Foundation's open house this Sunday and as you can see from the pictures it was quite an success. There was about 400 people visiting the PT's estate.

The guests came in colors of rainbow from all the communities of PT (Pink Triangle, Positive Living, Sex Workers, Maknyah, Ikhlas -programmes). Workers, volunteers and friends sharing a chat and a festive lunch.

One of the customs of Hari Raya is to give little money presents to the young ones of the families. Here the chairman Hisham is giving out the gifts to children of all ages.

As you can see violet was the colour of 2009.

I invited Veera to come along and we caused attention being the two blondes in traditional Malay Baju Kurungs. Oh, the amount of photographs people wanted to take with us! But I must admit, this time being compared to Nicole Kidman, I was quite flattered.

Smiles, friends, poses and some more photographs.

The same day but few hours later we were invited to celebrate a more private party: Raymond's dad's birthday. Again it was time for a ten course meal in the Chinese restaurant with the attendance of the whole family.

This cute pink teardrop shape cake represents longevity.

But of course Birthday wouldn't be birthday without a birthday cake of it's own.

It's always good to end the blog post to smiling group portrait. Selamat everything!

Friday Love

2009-10-10T00:01:00.003+08:00

Thanks to wonderful local band Stonebay I was today introduced to another Malay artist. And she completely stole my heart: YUNA. With her strong translucent voice she flew me back to the Autumn feelings of melancholy dreaming. To the moment when you're sitting in the corner table of a cafe, enjoying hot chocolate and looking at the rain falling down the window. Plus I've never seen as stylish use of hijab as in her style.

Kopitalk October

2009-10-07T23:02:00.000+08:00

No Durians to Metro

2009-10-02T16:56:00.020+08:00

It was finally time to go to my Visa extension trip to Singapore. There in the middle of China Town a camera shop seller made an offer I couldn't resist : "You're my last customer for the evening so I'll make an special offer". With more experienced Camera shopper, Veera, I was able to calculate that the offer was indeed a good one. So I left that shop as an owner of a beautiful SLR camera. Finally I was again able to capture moments, images and feelings with a natural extension of my self: my own camera.

The next day we headed up to the Singapore Zoo which might just be the coolest Zoo I've ever visited (I'm sorry Korkeasaari - the Helsinki Zoo! I like you as well but it is hard to compete with Orangutans and Polar bears). The animals looked relaxed and happy and the overall design for the people's gages was very enjoyable. The park was built like a theme park with lots of jungle and greenery.

The polar bear youngster Inuka is a genuine Singapore Zoo native.

Orangutan family.

"Pylly vasten pyllyä/ Pum pum"

Sleeping kitty.

Don't get too close to the animals!

But I guess wooden ones are ok.

Serious fish.

Baboons.

In the Zoo even this flower looked animal-like. Do you see a cat face?

More baboons.

Tapir.

Back to the human Zoo meaning the city itself. Near the Marina people had a handy way of drying their clothes.

The paradise view from the beach.

Mitsubishi transportation in the Little India.

The big Indian festival Deepavali is coming up. It's on the 17th of October. That's why the Little India is decorated with colorful lightings and decorations.

Here is the awesome people experiencing the Singaporian city night with me: Veera from Finland, Helena from Canada and Bryan from Singapore.

Little kittens made cute appearances everywhere. This fellow we met on our way back to the hostel.

Singapore is a fine city. This is the legendary country where for example eating gum is prohibited. But don't either bike trough this tunnel!

Skyscrapers.

They keep on expanding the city even though the limits of the nation have already been fully reached. Luckily the sky is sky high. Singapore is also building land on top of the sea to push the borders further.

Even when the famous Opera House has been inspired by the shape of durian...

...no durians are allowed to the neat and handy metro system of Singapore.

Fresh Karipap

2009-10-02T14:28:00.005+08:00

I want to share with you one more sight from Johor Bahru from last week.

This sympathique Salahuddin Bakery has served the citizens of the town about 100 years. From father to son in two generations.

The authentic pink oven they use has been the same for the whole lifetime of the bakery.

We bought these yummy buns that have vegetarian curry filling and karipaps for the road trip back to KL.

Hari Raya Celebrations

2009-09-25T15:18:00.013+08:00

To make it short: Hari Raya celebrations are mostly about family and makan (=food/eating).

But to make the story a little longer here is selection of glimpses of my first Hari Raya experience. During the 1st day of Hari Raya we went to Hisham's parents house. While eating and chatting for hours many relatives and friends passed by for a short meal.

The hosts and guests were dressed in traditionally Malay muslim costumes.

I didn't yet have a local dress to wear so I just put long sleeve outfit on.

Between meals different kinds of cookies, cakes and chips were served.

2nd house:

More cookies and more family.

Children of the house playing badminton. At least until I came interrupt them with my camera.

On the 4th day we left to Johor Bahru(state in the South of Malaysia) from where Hisham's family is originally from to visit more relatives.

1st Aunties house. New selection of cookies was served.

This cute fellow was so very energetic running and jumping over the room. I was pleased he stopped for a second so I was able to capture him. Smile!

Once again I was so warmly welcomed. When the meal they served included meat, they felt so sorry for me not to be able to eat it, they send the maid to shop vegetarian option for me. To every home I was greeted not like an outside intruder but like a special guest and agreeable addition to the family.

2nd house. This home belong to a uncle we visited in the hospital. He was told to be a very social guy who would have told me many stories about world war 2 if he would have been in better condition. Now lying in the hospital bed, surrounded by many generations of his family, he whispered to her daughters to keep me entertained.

Her wife (the lady in mint green dress)made sure that we arrived to their beautiful house for a proper meal. It was already the second dinner of the evening.

3rd house. The house of the daughter of the previous uncle (don't be offended if I remember wrong). The lord of the house was this smiling doctor in the picture. Conversation continued about the gossips and health of the relatives, complicated politics of Malaysia and food, food, food. Finnish = finished, joke was of course mentioned once again.

The ladies of the house kept remembering I was from Sweden because I reminded them of Agnetha of Abba.

Rojak: fresh vegetables served with spicy peanut sauce, is one of my favorite dishes. But when eating the dinner number 3 of the night it's not as easy to have a big plate. It is considered rude, like an insult, not eat the food that the host have prepared so of course I did confront the plate number three with healthy appetite.

This random dried tiny fish was already server earlier at the buffet lunch. Isn't it just cute!

Next day was time to visit the members of the family who had already left this world behind. It was my first time in the muslim grave yard. Notice the position of the graves. The bodies lay sideways facing the direction of Mecca. I was warned taking photographs in the graveyard cause I might also catch spirits to my film. If you notice some paranormal in these photos let me know (I think it would be super cool!).

The male ancestors have these 3D statues on their grave...

...when females have these more flat-design ones. This grave was particularly touching with its mom-children aspect.

On all 4 graves we visited Hisham and his mom made prayers and poured water.

When I asked from Hisham what the water signify, he told me "Well. Just think how hot it must be there buried in the middle of earth. So the corps are sweating a lot. This is their morning shower!" Puh! I can only tell you what I'm told and this is often as close the truth I get. I should collect a book of the stories Hisham is telling me.

The graveyard was covered with these trees. I heard is the common thing to have. The trees were full of loud birds and crickets. Hisham said to be scared of those sounds from the early childhood cause it is the sound of the graves - and so - sound of the dead.

For the last but not the least I want to show you that now I am too a proud owner of traditional Malay dress, thanks to Hisham. The jacket needs little adjustment cause it is a bit too big but otherwise the dress fits me very well. For next celebrations I can dress like a proper local. Yey!

Terima Kasih! It was one beautiful (cantik) Hari Raya!

Selamat Hari Raya!

2009-09-18T16:36:00.001+08:00

Ramadan is ending and the celebration starting. Selamat Hari Raya everybody!

Evening Snack at the Office

2009-09-15T19:03:00.005+08:00

Too bad I have only the the photo-eye of my macbook here at the office to share with you this extraordinary drink color: it truly is the same shade as the neon green on those highlight markers we all know. The drink itself was not bad at all, quite sweet and fulfilling. But we'll see if I'll turn into a Hulk by tomorrow, as Clayton suggested...

The color of photo has not been adjusted or photoshopped in any way!

I Believe I Am

2009-09-14T14:34:00.010+08:00

The volunteer orientation in PT Foundation started a week ago. The sessions held during weekdays deal with the facts about HIV/AIDS, other STIs, statistics, cures, treatments and safe-sex. Lot of essential information.

But during weekend sessions the participants are invited to take a look at themselves: why in this time in their life they wish to be counselors. Expectations of the organization and the volunteer need to confront each other. Last Saturday, with lady Navam and the group, we had good discussion about counseling-versus-advising-what-to-do, self-rated-morals and about life paths that can take surprising turns. Universal knowledge of how to treat life. Simple facts that we do know but often forget while living the everyday.

Lady Navam is seen as a spiritual leader by many. She has been counseling new counselors for different communal organizations for decades. In PT only she has been participating probably longer than I've lived. I admire her not only because of the wisdom she has but her way of spreading her knowledge. She doesn't see herself as a "leader" or teacher who knows how the world works. She has the gift of making people really listen, hear her and question themselves. Rarely have I encountered comparable silence like the silence when we are all waiting for her to speak. Such a charismatic and inspirational lady.

We were given some handouts at the Saturday session and I made some `scrap-art´ out of them:

Fast One More Time

2009-09-13T09:27:00.009+08:00

I went back following the religious diet for couple of days more. Reasons for continuing the experience weren't holy at all but more about vanity. A Finnish photojournalist friend of mine Veera had a muslim friend who was very excited of us both fasting as western girls without being muslims. She wanted to know our reasons and feelings about Ramadan. And cause she is radio reporter in Radio 24 she wanted to do a interview of us for the Buka Puasa (=breaking the fast) show. She even made us sing Hari Raya songs in Malay!

Exotic Love Affair

2009-09-08T11:53:00.008+08:00

Mom! You can breath! In spite of the title I haven't encountered a local prince charming. I just want to declare my love for the variety of exotic fruits available here.

This green Hulk-looking fruit is called guava. It can be eaten like an apple. The taste is bit more sour than a pear but very fresh.

Dragon Fruit is a beautiful and tasty creature that deserves it's fairy tail name. The whole package looks like it has come from out of space. The insides are bright pink with black polka dots. I must say who ever designed this fruit had a really funky style!

Mangosteen is one of my absolutely favorites. It looks like a child has molded it from playdough. The little pieces of fruit inside the thick but soft zest melts on your tongue with a heavenly sweet taste.

I'm not sure what this tiny thing is called but it is easy to peal and the taste is very nice.

Rambutan is a hairy fellow from the outside but smooth and juicy inside.

There is many more fruits still to be mentioned: the soft creamy papaya, the green mountain oranges and small bananas for example but I hope you got already some sort of tasting of the Malaysian fruit salad. For your information there is also apples available and my well known addiction to them hasn't disappeared anywhere even with this selection of fruits to choose from.

Cats Eat When They Are Hungry

2009-09-04T17:35:00.004+08:00

It was a rainy friday and my mind wondered far away and everywhere. I felt little homesick and nostalgia. The hungry stomach did not help the sad undertone of my being and when a friend from office offered me some cake I decided to Buka Puasa (break my fast) for good. After that I pampered myself by eating three apples in one go and drawing kittens.

Pink Volunteers

2009-09-03T15:29:00.010+08:00

Orientation for new PT volunteers is just about to start. Next Monday is the first meeting. I will attend myself some of the sessions to learn more about issues we are dealing with. Most excited I am about the lessons when an Indian lady Navam comes to speak about what makes a good counselor and "how you must know who you are yourself truly before you can listen to issues of other people" .

My pink-smiley-face-cloud was thought to be a bit girly design but it passed the selective jury of PT's cast and I'm happy about it because my personal name tag makes me smile.

Papaya Pie

2009-09-02T11:34:00.005+08:00

I decided to bake a Papaya Pie with the recipe of Finnish Blueberry Pie from my friend Rinna.

In our apartment we have a beautiful kitchen with nice stove and large oven. It is dreamy kitchen for making food. Little I knew that the oven had never been used before during its 5 year old history. When Raymond and Hisham came back from work they laughed "Oh! You took the virginity of our oven!".

After the Papaya pie there was so much of the dough left I also did a apple and mango pie at the same go.

The Fasting Experience So Far

2009-09-01T14:34:00.010+08:00

I have quite contradictory feelings about the fasting so far. The hunger itself is not unbearable but what I hate is the fact that I'm turning into semi-zombie. My brain is turning rather dim during the fasting hours. Like last Saturday in our theatre session the lines of Shakespeare remained behind a foggy cloud for the whole time. It was impossible to learn anything new or memorize even a word. My brain was asleep. I do also enjoy the calmness of the body and mind but only when I'm not in a situations that somewhat fluent brainwork would be preferred.

Then again we have been feasting with food for so many nights now Im glad I've skipped the lunches so that I've been able to stuff myself with so many different delicious dishes at evening time. There was Hisham's birthday, Merdeka Day, JiaJun's farewell together...etc. There is always a lot to eat after 7pm.

One more thing that the fasting has done is the fact that I'm thinking about FOOD so much. I've started collecting receipts from friends that I would finally/once again start cooking food! And I do also appreciate the food so very much these days. It is not only a necessity but a luxury of life. And as we know "hunger is the best spice" so when the sun finally sets and the food is served it tastes completely divine!

September Coming Up

2009-08-28T18:37:00.008+08:00

New month means new happenings and new posters.

Coming up in September:

Tea Paradise

2009-08-28T09:43:00.012+08:00

Cameron Highlands is a tea paradise located 5h bus drive from Kuala Lumpur. The scenic hills made us all (me and my enchanting traveling companions Missy, Paula and Vincent from the photo below) sing "the hills are alive with the sound of music" while we were wandering along the tea plantations.

They have also beautiful rose gardens with tons of roses and wide selection of other tropic and not-so-tropic flowers.

...and strawberry farms with little cafes selling strawberry milkshakes, strawberry ice cream, pancakes with strawberry jam, strawberry juice etc. and of course fresh strawberries. In Finland the strawberry season is usually in its peak exactly when I have my birthday (in the end of July). So for my birthday there is usually big selection of different strawberry themed desserts but this birthday I didn't yet get to have the strawberry flavor in my mouth, until our trip to Cameron where I was able to enjoy the sweetness of strawberries once again.

I found Cameron Highland the most relaxing place whit its humming silence and the fresh mountain air. The air was so fresh that I got a cold as a souvenir which wasn't as fun but even still I did enjoy the Cameron experience very much. If my other tea-lover-friends from Finland or elsewhere would pay me a visit I think we should do additional hike to the Camerons once again.

Once again I'm back in the PT office in hectic KL but I can still enjoy a piece of Cameron with a big cup of BOH tea and "share the Umpph experience" with you guys :)

P.S. My fasting has suffered from some setbacks:

1st the travel to the place of the most fresh vegetables and tastiest scones with strawberry jam

2nd getting stronger from the fever cold.

But now I'm gonna get back to the track and continue the fasting experience at least in some intensity.

Ramadan

2009-08-23T09:51:00.006+08:00

Yesterday, the 22nd of August, was the first day of Ramadan: the Islamic month of fasting from dawn to dusk from all the body pleasures like food, drinks, smoking and sex. In Malaysia Islam is the official religion and about 60% of the population practice it.

Hisham (my other "dad") is a muslim so fasting started also in our household. After asking lot of questions and doing some research in internet I decided to join the fasting experience. Not because I would be turning into muslim but to test out my own strength of will. Perhaps the fasting will teach me more about the "patience, modesty and spirituality" and in all it seems like healthy thing to try for a healthy young adult like me. But I cannot give up drinking the water so I am not completely following the rules.

Fasting month is not only about fasting but also about breaking the fast after seven o'clock when sun has come down. I was invited to join the start-of-the-Ramadan-celebration-dinner with Hisham's family. The pictures are from there. Lavish dinner was served and even if I did not have lunch that day I surely doubled the amount of food eaten daily during the dinner. But it was exquisite!

P.S. He is the wise Uncle of the household.

Gratitude

2009-08-21T11:27:00.014+08:00

It has been a long week. The question after the robbery hasn't been about surviving with the 5 stitches in my head, loan money and a new phone but coping with day-to-day life. While not being in my best emotional shape my tolerance to any kind of bad luck diminished completely. When a cashier at the 7-Eleven didn't have enough change from rm50 and I didn't have smaller coins to buy the tissues and bottle of water I burst into tears. And when I couldn't get home after work until a locksmith changed the locks cause my new key was a wrong one and in the end I got home 4 hours later than planned. I was tired, hungry and screaming to the empty hall way "I hate this country. Let me go home!" and few lonely drops of tears fall down my cheek again.

But I'm lucky. Even if my "honeymoon" with Malaysia is now officially over I still can and will answer when asked "what you think of the Malaysia?" that "I like it a lot". The people are friendly and polite. I can do the things I most love: travel, design, theatre and art. The food is heavenly. I'm even getting use to the weather and the traffic. I've had plenty of positive experiences here. Even in my greatest despair I was very lucky to meet the people who were willing to help. I don't have enough words to express my gratitude towards my good-hearted saviors. Instead I decided to draw them a Thank You -card.

To the Indian boy Saren who were the first ones to arrive to the crime scene. He got me help and calmed me down while I was still crying in shock.

And to Kien Lee and Soon Heng who took care of me after the accident. They for example treated me a Chinese vegetarian dinner (cause "good food is good comfort" as Kien Lee said) where I was able to taste vegetarian chicken! They also gave me a cute new sketchbook to replace the stolen one and even their own digital camera for me to borrow.

I might make one more card for the doctor. Besides the mentioned I have many friends to thank: Nic who borrowed me his phone - my "dads" Raymond and Hisham of their help and caring - Sam who took care of things in the Finland's end - Manis who escorted me to the police station to do the report - Pallavi who offered to be my bodyguard - Bettina who gave mortal support a good list of tips how to be more cautious. Just to name a few. The support of my family and friends has been important. I'm lucky to have such a force to back me up! Terima Kasih!

Temples of Penang

2009-08-17T19:36:00.011+08:00

Habitants, details and other views of Penang temples from the trip we did last week.

These are the last pictures taken with my lovely Vivitar camera. I'd like to dedicate a silent moment for my ex-camera. You were a good companion 2006-2009 from the wine yards of Argentina, to the top of New York and beaches of California until the butterflies and temples of Malaysia. You captured beautiful smiles of friends and made my unique memories ever-lasting. Thank you! Rest In Peace dear Vivi.

Holy turtles

Roof view

Best Dressed

2009-08-17T18:33:00.009+08:00

In spite of the nasty occur, Malaysia have inspired me with its natural beauty once again. Last week we did a 3 day trip to Penang with Nic, Vincent and Melissa. I have quite amount of photographs to show you and first I'll want to present the snapshots from the Penang Butterfly Farm.

Butterflies might just be the most stylish creatures of this world. Their magnificent wings full of details are always tip top elegant in their precise composition and light abundance.

Help! Help!

2009-08-17T11:28:00.005+08:00

Saturday afternoon two guys in the motorcycle decided to destroy my merry picture of the safeness of Malaysia. They stole my bag with my camera, phone, wallet, iPod while threatening with gun looking thing. The warrior spirit inside me did not surrender in peace (which would have been a better option) so while fighting back they hit me in the head with their gun. My head started bleeding. The cowards were driving away while I still cursed them in Finnish with so bad words I didn't even knew I know.

Thanks to good hearted people that helped me without any reward I got treatment fast. Young Indian boy who was first ones to arrive at the scene while I was crying" Help! Help!" became my guardian angel. He used his phone to call to ambulance and police which both refuse to come but then found me a private transportation to the nearest clinic. He escorted me until I was in save care of my dearest friend Kien Lee. I'm also grateful to the doctor at the clinic who stitched my head, clean out the blood out from my hair, face, arm and gave me a clean shirt, everything for free cause all my money was stolen and said "he is ashamed that something like this happens in his country".

In the end of the day what I most hate of loosing is the common sense of safeness. In just seconds totally strangers decided to invade my private space and narrow my freedom to move around in this city alone. But while the accident showed that one must be careful cause there is idiots around it also showed me the endless kindness and concern of both friends and strangers. Good hearted people completely outnumber the bad ones and for that I'm thankful!

Culture Groupie

2009-08-09T20:17:00.004+08:00

I've been lucky to be introduced to so many talented young performers in Kuala Lumpur! Last week I got a glimpse of the world of indie rock of KL thanks to my new Finnish friend Veera. I feel like a groupie after sawing local band Brainhead twice during one week. Tuesday night in the Urbanattic...

...and Thursday night in Salmah Cafe.

There I got introduced also to Stonebay.

After the show we of course makan (=eat/eating/dinner/lunch/breakfast/snack/food etc.). Here is some of the members of the court. From the left the boy showing a peace sign is the singer of Brainhead. Next to him is his brother and the guitarist and then the bass and then the last smart looking man in the cap is the guitarist of Stonebay.

Culture comes in many forms and today I finally visited klpac(The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center) for the first time. Friend of mine from our Shakespeare workshop, Sandee Chew, told me that she is performing in the Kaki Blue musical that is now being shown for the last week in klpac.

The play was like Malaysian version of high school musical but with more controversial aspects "Kaki Blue is about the many uniforms and roles we put on, and shed, as we grow up in this country." (quotation from the playbill).

As an outsider I didn't always get the jokes the same way as the countrymen but I did enjoy the music, good singers and stage charisma & intensity of the cast. I find the issues of this country mind pondering: the icy peace of different nationalities inside one nation and the limits of the self expression while still being relatively free. Problems are hidden under a surface that seems solid and clean.

After the show Sandee showed me around the Sentul Park where klpac is situated and introduced me to the rest of the cast and other workers and activist at the center. I'll definitely will be hanging around the Sentul area more in the future!

P.S. In the park there were also cute fishes.

Spirits in the Backyard

2009-08-09T11:12:00.000+08:00

Malaysia is quite superstitious nation. Many ghost stories have been shared about communal feelings of presence of a spirits. Usually the story contains goose pumps and a medium who can do the needed jinxes to calm the spirits down. The actual personal encounters with the after-life-people have been mostly individual experiences of something that is not common. Hisham for example told about seeing a woman in a white t-shirt walking strangely by the car at the park garage. She was smiling with and odd grin and waving her hand at him and then disappeared on the next glimpse. One fellow told me that he had seen an devil's face showing of from a clear sky. And that he wasn't the only one seeing it but the whole group of people he was with had the same vision.

Some habits I find very cute. For example if you're in a forest or in a jungle and you need to pee before you can do that you need to ask the permission from the spirits of the forest. You do that by asking from any tree "Can I have permission to pee?" You don't need to wait for an answer just the asking is enough. Also one European girl freaked out her Malaysian boyfriend by kissing him in the forest. After the confusing trek the boy landed to say "thank you forest for your kindness" to a butterfly that was resting on the ground. Politeness does never harm!

Can Lah

2009-08-07T23:03:00.002+08:00

I was feeling some what creative today and so just for fun I designed this print: CAN Everybody Can! Here in Malesia people usually say Can instead of OK. It's always Can! Or Bole in Bahasa Melayu. I like it. It's like everything is possible. Lah!

ICAAP

2009-08-07T16:33:00.001+08:00

If you have followed my blog lately it might seem that my life has been only about vacations but telling the truth there has been some serious work to do as well. Most of the PT's office are now in Bali attending International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. My job was to design their presentation posters. In less than two weeks I did seven(180cmx90cm) posters (besides the other posts). I'd like describe the great feeling when we got the first posters out of print successfully this Monday.

Clayton and Jeremy opening up the first posters.

They looked quite impressive yet cohesive and I was pleased.

Clayton noticed that I had forgotten one thing from all the posters: Designed by Elli.

No Black Tie

2009-08-07T14:41:00.003+08:00

Weekend Getaway From The City

2009-08-03T23:29:00.000+08:00

We did a weekend getaway to the rainforest resort in Gopeng with the force of four girls and delusional GPS.

Riina was our designated driver while Guat Hong (as the only local from the group) was our co-driver and translator. Bettina was the medicine cabinet and also in charge of our entertainment: a round of Uno or Rummy is the perfect way of spending the last hours of the day. In this division of labor I think I was mostly the mascot... Here are all four of us sipping fresh coconut juice in the town of Gopeng.

Gopeng is quite small but very picturesque town two hours from KL. There is lot of beautiful old wooden buildings. And pigeons, cats, dogs, chickens etc.

While I was taking the photo below an old man stepped out from the gate. I was spooked (under the influence of the endless amount of ghost stories my Malaysian friends keep telling me)!

We stop by the local food market to get some delicious fresh fruits for snacks.

Like miniature bananas. Aren't they cute?!

After the lunch break in town we continued our journey to Gopeng Rainforest Resort. Janice (lady in a red shirt) welcomed us by showing a slideshow movie of the french school class trip to the resort with Queen songs as the soundtrack.

Still further away, deeper to the forest, with a private transportation in a minibus, we reach our final destination. Little village in heart of the rainforest. Here we pose with our local guides who showed us the forest's treasures and picked out the leeches from our legs.

The trekking began!

Our guru told that the butterflies like especially this plant and it's not surprising with its butterfly-wing-shaped leaves.

After another adventurous trek in a pouring rain we reached this little piece of paradise. It was lovely for a little swim (I'll save the bikini photos later).

This tree looks like a rope.

The bud in this photo is of the famous parasitic flower Rafflesia which was the original reason for our trip. For our disappointment none of them were yet blooming. We should have waited approximately for another week but even the guides can't know for sure. Even the buds were impressive but I can just imagine the effect of the actual flower. It is supposed to stink a lot as well.

Sticks.

No! Look again. If you really look carefully the photos above you can find the little white eyes in the sticks. Introducing to you the brown and green Stick Insect. Quite a good disguise, don't you think!?

Looking for baby butterflies.

We saw thousands of these beauties and it was an impressive sight. One butterfly landed on my nose and I've heard it means good luck :)

The giggling children of the village were super cute. When our trip reached it's end and we were leaving many tiny hands waved for us goodbye!

Weekend well spent!

Birthdays

2009-07-31T18:38:00.000+08:00

It has been a week of birthdays.

Last Sunday we celebrated Raymond's mom's birthday with the force of the whole family: grandparents plus five siblings with their spouses and children. Plus me. We ate 10 course meal in a Chinese Restaurant. Delicious! (Even though I didn't taste the special delicacy, shark fin soup, out of ethic reasons.)

Make a wish!

My own birthday celebration started day early when Nick brought me this beautifully (self) packed present.

It contained this huge San Francisco coffee bowl: Life is Good! Perfect office accessorio P.S. The person behind the cup is the person behind the cup.

On my birthday morning - on the 30th of July - the whole apartment was decorated with cute Happy Birthday -notes.

On the evening I got my own birthday cake at the Italian restaurant where we ate delicious dinner with friends. I cut the cake half way and made a private wish. What a beautiful birthday! My first in Asia ;)

P.S. Happy birthday to all other birthday girls and boys out there! Make it a good one!

Putrajaya

2009-07-27T22:44:00.001+08:00

Just little bit to South from Kuala Lumpur lies a city called Putrajaya. It is the administrative center of Malaysia and it is completely "planned city". About 20 years ago a master idea was proposed and the city has been build according that plan. Each building is an unique artwork by different Malaysian architect while the over all style remains cohesive.

You know those moments when your seeing something so unbearable beautiful, or big or just otherwise unfamiliar for your eyes that it is hard to believe that sight. I had that kind of sensation when we - my KL family members as my tourist guides - were entering the Putrajaya. City surrounded by lakes (which were build after they build the bridges) and colored with majestic architecture.

Live Bollywood

2009-07-26T11:11:00.001+08:00

Last Thursday we went to Istana Buday a to see a big Bollywood musical called The Merchants of Bollywood.

Even though most of my friends in KL is gay men this was almost only ladies night. The taller Scandinavian girl next to me is my new Finnish friend Riina and right from her is her Malaysian work colleague. Pallavi, Indian American girl next to me, is also a volunteer in PT Foundation. Her husband Ravi kindly took the photograph. Note also that to Istana Budaya theatre there is quite strict dressing code. You might be turned away from the door if you are wearing sneakers, trousers, shorts, jeans or something else not suitable for the majestic surroundings.

Our seats were in the second floor which was good in the sense for seeing the whole set decoration and group choreographs at the same glimpse.

The play told us a story of a girl who wanted to become famous in the Bollywood movies against her grandpa's wishes. Mostly the show was about dancing scenes with beautiful choreographs and gorgeous costumes that were blinking in every shade of cold, red, pink and silver. Audience were of course not allowed to take photographs from the show so here is one detail pic from the booklet I bought.

After the show 4 dancers came to the lobby to give autographs.

Of course we had to have ours. I was almost the first one in the autograph line. I chatted with one of the male dancers "you must be exhausted to come there right away after 3 hours of dancing". He just pointed the big drops of sweat on his forehead. When I suggested to him that he should store a towel underneath the table he just laughed and was already smiling to the next thankful fan in the line.

My booklet with the autographs.

An art work inspired by the show. Moving dancers dressed in cold.

Beauties

2009-07-25T17:51:00.000+08:00

Orchids from the Orchid garden.

This butterfly greeted us on our hallway. I got my picture just before it flew away.

To Be

2009-07-25T17:15:00.000+08:00

I have so much to tell you! But as it goes the more I would have to tell the less time I have to actually do it.

Now I thought about sharing with you that I've joined a local Shakespeare workshop. We are working on the play Merchant of Venice. I've participated in three sessions already and I am really enjoying it. Our guru is an English gentleman Chris who has made a strong impression on me with his knowledge of Shakespeare and his mechanic acting technique workouts. After every session I feel like I've grown as an actress. Or at least my awareness of my self as an actress and a breathing-moving-being has grown.

But I must admit it is still a very big challenge for me. I have never done theatre in English not even mentioning of Shakespeare. But I really love it. And the small group of drama lovers with whom I can identify.

In pray you tarry; pause a day or two

Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong,

I lose your company; therefore forbear a while.

There's something tells me (but it is not love),

I would not lose you; and you know yourself

Hate counsels not in such a quality.

(Shakespeare - Merchant of Venice)

Volunteers Needed

2009-07-20T10:27:00.002+08:00

Finnished poster work from last week.

Updated PR-Photos of the Kurma Boxes

2009-07-20T10:14:00.000+08:00

Photos by my lovely pocket camera Vivitar.

My Sunday

2009-07-19T23:33:00.001+08:00

Today I did a little adventure around the city traveling with the futuristic Monorail. The Lake Garden was a peaceful place with it's own lake, deer zoo and orchid garden. I walked, draw and took photographs for the whole day.

Helo & Other Random Shots

2009-07-17T18:32:00.000+08:00

Helo, helo.

My first trip in a local bus. It was quite luxurious: space to sit, good air conditioning, music and it cost 0,70rm which is about 14 cents!

Flower Boy

2009-07-17T18:19:00.000+08:00

Jeremy got a huge bucket of flowers. I've never seen everybody receive such a big and beautiful arrangement of flowers. He was such a sweetheart and gave one rose to me as well.

FOOD !

2009-07-16T19:34:00.000+08:00

WARNING! Do not look at these photos if you are hungry or thirsty!

Giant prawns!

Selections from a vegetarian buffet.

Dramatic fish.

Ok. This one might not look as yammy or exotic BUT it is really good! It's a peanut toast with butter and Kaya yam which is really sweet stuff and made mostly from coconut.

Iced lemon tea. So good during the warm-hot-sweaty days!

The Pool

2009-07-14T20:01:00.001+08:00

Work days can be quite long but luckily in the morning I have time to take a little swim on our court yard's pool. There is never a rush at that time of the day. Only one lady jogger in a yellow shirt who walks around the pool and says with a big smile "Good morning!".

Boxes

2009-07-14T13:22:00.000+08:00

We are doing a Kurma fundraising project for charity. There is two different kind of boxes and each include 6 dates.

Kevin is concentrating on getting the dates inside the box.

I tied the ribbon.

...and took the pictures.

First Day at Work

2009-07-13T16:11:00.000+08:00

This is one of things I did today. I mean I re-did the graphic design. But it is also for you to know what PT Foundation actually is about. I will tell you a lot more during this 5 months of course but this is a good information package to start from.

P.S. I just saw a cute little lizard in the kitchen of the office!

Living

2009-07-11T21:37:00.000+08:00

I'm living in the 19th floor of a building that is situated in the northern side of KL. From the other side of the floor there is a this view directly to the famous Petronas Twin Towers.

This charming couple is my host. Raymond is on the left and Hisham on the right.

View from my room. The pigeon shall become my pet.

The same view at night.

Fresh passport photos for the key-identification-card for the building. P.S. Kevin and Jeremy said I look like I came from the Mickey Mouse club.

Kuala Lumpur Calling

2009-07-11T18:04:00.000+08:00

First night in Kuala Lumpur. Little jet lagged after 15h in a plane but overwhelmed by the view of the Asian city center. It is very hot and sweaty here. Three showers a day is not exaggeration!

Man repairing a Chinese temple.

Fruits in China Town.

Art Gallery exhibition and the artist him self standing in front of one of his self-portraits.

The visitors were able to draw their own artworks to photocopies of the artist's face. Kevin, who is originally from Ireland and has worked in PT Foundation in KL now for 9 months, is just hanging his drawing.

Farewells

2009-07-10T19:27:00.001+08:00

The farewell party during my last night in Helsinki was magical. An australian band called Chevrolet Rise played acoustic concert in a court yard of Cafe Engel. My lovely friends stayed up with me until the morning and wished me warmly Bon Voyage!

3 Days to Go

2009-07-07T04:24:00.000+08:00

People/friends are asking if I'm nervous. I don't "feel" nervous. More I'm anticipating to get everything ready and to be sitting in that plane. I think I will realize only then that I've gone. That I'm going. Flying over miles and miles and heading up to new adventures. My to-do lists are getting shorter point by point.

The Helsinki Youth Department has already said their farewells to me with warm hugs and cute souvenirs. The Activity Agreement has been signed by me and I must say that I'm quite excited about my upcoming work tasks:

The volunteer will be assisting the Advocacy Manager in work related to marketing, advertising, promotion, publicity, media liaison, communications and social networking.
She will help to develop content and design for both printed materials and internet media related to HIV prevention, support and care
She can also assist in designing communication materials for PT Foundation's World AIDS Day campaign held in end November 2009
She can also assist in PT Foundation's 21st Anniversary Charity Dinner and Show by getting involved in the costume and backdrop production and stage performances.
Help to organize fund raising projects eg. T-shirt creation for charity sale.

It sounds like I'll get to do everything I like to do and do it for important cause. What more could a girl possibly ask for?

On the Verge of Leaving

2009-07-02T17:21:00.000+08:00

One week from now I'll be flying over seas to Malaysia Kuala Lumpur. Before that I still have lot of things to do. For example:

arranging this blog
moving out from my apartment
moving out from my work studio
print my plane tickets
get a birth certificate
buy new sneakers
having a farewell party (never underestimate the importance of social commitments!)