Welcome to the elective posting journaling!

This journal platform will help you actively work on your development throughout your time in elective posting.

You can write, upload pictures/videos (lots of them please!)

Share your journey with your friends. Like & comment on others sharing too!

1. Your name, matric number, date

2. What have you done?

3. Points to remember from week 1!

4. Your feelings & thoughts

5. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

6. 2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

7. Your plan for next week (Week 2)

Don't forget to write the title of the project on top of your padlet.

Matric's No.: A182823

Date: 5-11 July 2024

2. What have you done?

I arrived at Universiti Alternatif in Kampung Air Hujung, Semporna on Friday.  I met some of the teachers of the alternative school, some permanent and other volunteers who come here multiple times a year to teach the children based on their expertises. For context, prior to the elective, I had attended an interview with Miss Shakila and Mr Mukmin Nantang, to discuss my strengths as well as brainstorm how I could contribute to the school, highlighting my proficiency in English and my ongoing education in the medical field, as well as my exposure on carrying out research. Upon meeting the teachers, we discussed what my tasks for the next few weeks would entail, which included a cross-sectional study among the students on their frequent illnesses/symptoms experienced, organizing their Mini Pharmacy which has already been set up, and to teach a class based on the students’ interests, on top of helping out in manpower for any upcoming projects they will be having. On top of the tasks at hand, I would be staying in the teachers’ quarters, or as they refer it ‘the Collective House’.

The main highlight of the first week was the launching of the Alternative University, the first ever in Malaysia for the stateless community of Semporna. I made multiple posters with the other students and teachers, assisted in setting up the school for the opening day, as well as helped organize the tentative for the event day. I participated in the peaceful demonstration on the day of the launching, as well as witnessed the various fascinating cultures of the Bajau Laut community. I also got to acquaint and interact with past volunteers of Borneo Komrad, teachers from other alternative schools under Borneo Komrad as well as representatives from the Cahaya Society of Sandakan who also share a similar goal of education for the stateless community.

3. Points to remember from week 1!

In terms of the internship as a whole, I learned that Borneo Komrad as an organization do not follow the basic structure of an organization, such that they do not have a director, but instead it is a relationship between an advisor (a professor from UiTM) and the community of teachers on ground.

As for the house rules for living in the Collective House, it is structured as an open house, such that any and all students, teachers and visitors may live in this house while they are volunteering or visiting the schools around Kampung Air Hujung and Kampung Bangau-bangau Semporna. The house is not limited to only men or women, as most of the teachers and some of the students whose personal houses are too far from the school lived under the same roof, regardless of their gender. On top of that, as a courtesy and respect, those who stay in the house are encouraged to cook three meals a day together, buy groceries according to the need of the house as well to clean up periodically whenever necessary.

For the launching day of the Alternative University, I was fascinated by the level of proficiency the students had in terms of writing their own poems, speeches and songs. Each and every one of the twenty students had their own specific talents which they showcased so eloquently during the event, all of which were taught in the course of 2-3 years by the teachers.

4. Your feelings & thoughts

 Every conversation I experienced with the students and the teachers helped me learn more about the Bajau Laut community, the beauty of their culture as well the struggles they experience as a stateless community, additionally the personal struggles they face. I was saddened to hear the limitations they experience, especially for healthcare resources, simply because they do not have an identity card or a birth certificate. Personally, in terms of the students, it was fascinating to see how much similarities we had in terms of interests and goals, as well how much hard work they had been exposed to at such a young age, and yet their passion for each and every project they carry out was incredible. Every detail is thought out so meticulously, and the students carry out their responsibilities with much enthusiasm.  Their passion was infectious, and it was easy to learn more, and empathise with their cause.

5. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

 One of the difficulties was comprehending the accent of the Bajau Laut community as well the Sabahan accent of the teachers. Although stressful, I did not allow that limitation to restrict my conversations with them, as I learned something new about the organization and the community with every single exchange. Each conversation also helped me adapt and understand their accents much more, which in return made conversing easier.

Another difficulty was adapting to the living conditions in the Collective House, specifically the cooking for a large number of people for each meal. However, the teachers were very welcoming and appreciative of me simply showing up at the kitchen area, assisting in any way I could to speed up the cooking process. Eventually, after bonding with most of the students and the teachers, it became a daily routine to learn new Bajau Laut cooking as well as techniques on how to ration food to also save money while accommodating to all the students, teachers and visitors of the house.

6. 2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

 Adaptive, Reformative

7. Your plan for next week (Week 2)

My plan for the next week is to begin my task of the cross-sectional student on the students, as well as to assist in organizing the tentative for classes for the first week of their Alternative University. On top of that, I would be taking on the role as a teacher to follow the students and teachers to the clinic as an intepreter if they feel ill.

A189603

29/8/24-2/9/24

What have you done?

This is my first week of learning Mandarin. I signed up for 'Kelas Mandarin Cikgu Zazah'. She is an internationally registered Chinese teacher with certification from Beijing Culture and Language University. This week, we primarily focused on pronunciation using Hanyu Pinyin. This makes learning Mandarin challenging, as different pronunciations can give different meanings. For this elective course, I will focus more on speaking, vocabulary, and grammar rather than learning Chinese characters since they do not have an alphabet system like English, Japanese, or Korean.

I also joined the daily public online lectures conducted by the company on their social media platforms to gain more knowledge. These public lectures do not have structured content and mainly focus on simple sentences for daily use. However, they still provided valuable insights into learning Mandarin.

Additionally, I took this opportunity to learn common Mandarin words that I can use when interacting with patients to understand them better. I did this through self-study, reading, and searching the internet. I started with common symptoms I encounter during patient interactions and compiled notes for easy review.

Points to remember from week 1

• Pronunciation is important in Mandarin. Different pronunciations can give different meanings. Although the challenge of learning Mandarin has not fully emerged since we are only focusing on pronunciation this week, mastering it takes a lot of practice.

• Practice makes perfect. Regular practice helps reinforce learning and improves pronunciation skills. Repeatedly speaking and listening to the correct tones and sounds is essential for mastering Mandarin.

• Be prepared before joining the learning session. There are recorded lectures provided before the online sessions. By focusing on these recorded lectures, it becomes easier to understand what will be covered during the live online sessions with the instructor.

Your feelings & thoughts

I feel excited about learning a new language. Previously, I learned Japanese in high school and taught myself Korean using online platforms. This first week made me realize why people say Chinese is one of the hardest languages to learn. The pronunciation, with its different tones, makes it challenging. Unlike Japanese and Korean, which have structured alphabets similar to English, Mandarin's tonal system adds an extra layer of difficulty.

Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

This week, focusing on Hanyu Pinyin, I found it difficult to pronounce words in Mandarin. With four main tones and a neutral tone, distinguishing between them can be challenging. Additionally, some letters in Mandarin have different pronunciations compared to English. For example, 'B' sounds like 'P' in Mandarin. Technique is crucial. To overcome these challenges, I always volunteer to pronounce words during the online sessions so that my instructor can correct me. I also review the pre-recorded lectures to improve my pronunciation.

Two words to describe elective posting progress so far

Fun and Exciting

Your plan for next week (Week 2)

Next week, after learning Hanyu Pinyin, we will continue with daily conversations and numbers in Mandarin. We will also start learning grammar rules. Additionally, I will continue to learn common medical terms in Chinese.

Matric number: A185407

Dates: July 29 - August 4

Preparation

Prior to embarking on this elective posting, I researched on various topics that would be covered; mangroves, seagrasses, corals and more.

I also learned more about the organization and found out on how I could help during my time there.

I planned to help in small tasks and whatever they would need me for, as well as in education.

Since I have previous experience with teaching children, although this would be different as I would be targeting the general public, I prepared myself for this too by watching videos on corals and their importance for the health of our lagoon.

After I arrived at Tawau Hills Park, I was escorted to 1StopBorneo Research Centre by one of the team members. I met with the director. I was then introduced to the lodge and the research centre where they had books and posters of the organisation. Throughout the day, I met and talked to the other members of the team. Then, I discussed about my tasks here with the director.

In the first week, I have done my tasks, which were to water the plants in the nursery, check fig trees in the forest if they are fruiting, purchased some items to introduce 1StopBorneo documentary to the public and made a list for potential places to play the videos of the documentary.

3. Points to remember from Week 1.

   - Wildlife conservation, which is what 1StopBorneo focuses on, requires various initiatives to ensure success. Some of them include having a plant nursery to nurture plants for reforestation, identifying the many animals species in Tawau Hills Park and ensuring the habitat is protected and organising programmes to educate the public about wildlife and how they can contribute to its conservation.

- Teamwork is vital among the members. They were able to conduct a lot of events and projects with equal efforts from all members, as they can help each other.

- Collaboration with other organisations plays a big role in wildlife conservation. Multiple organisations collaborate and had held events and projects to raise awareness. By collaborating, they are able to share their knowledge and resources to ensure optimum outcomes.

4. 2 words to describe elective posting so far.

Adventurous and adaptive

5. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

One of the difficulties here were the insects that attack me. Other than that, not much.

6. 2 words to describe elective posting so far.

Adventurous and adaptive

7. Your plan for next week. (Week 2)

I plan to be more proactive by asking my team members on how to do my other tasks. I also would like to be more productive and handle more tasks each day.

2. Points to remember from Week 1

   • Firstly, the volunteering work were very physically demanding. An average of 11308 steps and 8.23 km were done daily for my first week of volunteering. Thus, what is needed for me was to have enough rest everyday. What i did was to make sure that I have at least 7 hours of sleep everyday, take meals on time and breakfast especially!

   • Secondly, the need of planning my week ahead. Avvinesh and me was given a place to stay which is called Bjorn Hala or “Bear’s Den” in Batu 14, Sandakan. We would have to plan our groceries and meals to eat on our own. Eventhough every day we went back to our home feeling very exhausted, extra time was needed to plan and prepare our meals.

3. Your feelings & thoughts

• Feeling nervous but excited at the same time. My thoughts for the first week was I would want to exceed my 4 weeks of volunteering to the fullest, thus I would need to handle difficulties and adapt to the surroundings faster.

4. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

• One of the difficulties is, the daily activities are very physically demanding which is out of my initial expectation. Luckily I brought along some medications for muscle fatigue, joint pain and more to use it every time i have muscle fatigue after going back from work. To add more, i cope the physical stress by having 7-8 hours of sleep everyday.

• My concern was if i was able to complete 4 weeks of volunteering without any injuries. The way i cope is to make sure I follow my buddy’s instructions and take extra safety measures.

5. 2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

• Compassion and fulfilled.

6. Your plan for next week (Week 2)

• Firstly, make plans for groceries and meals for Week 2. Secondly, learn more on Sun Bear characteristics, diet, and behaviour.

Matric No. : A187965

Date : 28/7-2/8

2. What have you done ?

   • I arrived in Sandakan Airport and there a person assigned to pick us up. His name is Toney and he is the first Sabahan I talked to when I arrived there. I do not have much Sabahan friend and that was the first time listening to Sabahan’s dialect. It was different but I like how it sounded as it sounded polite and welcoming. We were sent to Mydin to get our groceries although I don’t know how to cook previously. In Sandakan, it’s difficult to get food especially dinner so we had to cook by ourselves and it was a new experience for me. We then went to the centre for briefing and induction on the rules of the work especially in the bear house in which the sun bears are kept. I felt nervous as I learnt that it is a very physically demanding job. We then went to Bjorn Hala, a place where we stay and honestly I was culture shocked as it was a wooden house and it was right beside a jungle. We had to share bedroom with 2 other staffs that work there. Finally, we cooked our first meal and slept early for work the next day.

   • We then were brought to the workplace in a van by staff. We had to do fence checking which is roughly 1.8km. Fence checking is actually the forest enclosure in which the sun bears are released for a certain period of time to train them to live in the forest. We check for the safety of the bears before releasing them. Then, we had to clean the cages in which had 5 stages. Sweeping the faeces, washing, putting disinfectant, brushing and squeezing for each cage. So, on average I clean 3-4 cages each day. We then, feed the bears by throwing the food from a distance for safety. Thirdly, we clean the kitchen and we go for lunch. Lunch hour is from 12-1:30pm. At 1:30pm, we leave to the bear house again to feed the bears again. We then do enrichments for the sun bears. Enrichments are any creating a creative way to stimulate the sun bears behaviors. As an example, we put honey in between ginger leaves and tie them. The Bears will try to open them to get the honey. At 4pm, we will then feed the bears again and clean the kitchen and utensils until 5pm and we are brought back to Bjorn Hala back. We rest and cook dinner again.

   • Some days, we are assigned for fence checking and some days we are assigned to kitchen in which we have to cut, weigh and prepare food for the sun bears. The food are prepared for 43 bears and each bear have 4 feedings. We have to give certain fruits in 1kg weigh to the sun bears. Other than kitchen, we also have medic, in which we prepare medication for certain bears that have medical conditions. We give the sun bears the medication by putting the tablets in the banana. Other than that, we also have fecal check in which we have observe each bear’s fecal to see if they have any conditions like diarrhoea, constipation, or liver problems.

     
     

   
   

3. Points to remember from week 1

   • To be more friendly and learn about different culture of people.

   • Give my best to help the conservation centre as by doing my part for the future of the sun bears to not go extinct.

   • How much groceries to buy for a week and the budget.

4. Your feelings and thoughts

   • Appreciate everyone who work in a conservation centre because it is very physically demanding. 2 staffs lost almost 10kg after working in BSBCC.

   • Appreciate the love of GOD of giving us amazing gifts, the rainforest and the wildlife. By working here, I learned by experience of how beautiful the rainforest and the wildlife are and how they make the chain of the Earth keep going.

   • I learnt not to waste food, it is difficult to prepare it and I am eating animals. These animals have life and I shouldn’t take it for granted.

     
     

5. Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

   • Staying with strangers of different age groups. I was friendly and build the relationships with these people and eventually got comfortable staying with them.

   • Cooking. I cooked with Amir and learnt by watching TikToks and making mostly simple dishes.

   • Physical demand. I kept my mind discipline and just did the work and eventually got used to it and increased my stamina.

6. 2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

   • Unique

   • Inspiring

7. Your plan for next week(week 2)

   • Increase my stamina and improve my workrate.

   • Groceries. Better plan and budget.

   • Explore Sandakan.

   • Learn more about the Sun Bears.

   • Ask questions to the founder.