Greetings from Penang!

Did you know that the "Pearl of the Orient" is also the "Silicon Valley of the East"? Penang is a place where high-rise residential condominiums and an industrial park co-exist with pristine beaches and ancient rain forest. Within a half hour drive you can quit the city for the high-pitched whine of cicadas in Penang National Park.

Assistant Governor Lee Li Fong arranged an excellent itinerary for us. Our first evening we were greeted by our host families at the bus station and treated to what seemed to us like a feast of Indian food. Various curries, tandoori chicken, fried fish, and naan were passed around the table.

The next morning I was particularly excited about our plan to visit Penang National Park. Though the park ranger was not on duty because it was the weekend, we had a knowledgeable Malay guide who introduced us to the rain forest flora: a fern that curls its leaves when touched, tree resins used for book bindings, and pitcher plants! At the end, we visited a meromictic lake, which contains saltwater and freshwater in separate layers.

The hike, about two hours long, was hot but worth it!

Yesterday evening our GSE team gave its first presentation, this one at the Intercity Meeting held in a hotel and attended by approx. 70 Rotarians.

This morning we toured the Adventist Hospital.

This afternoon our hosts escorted us separately on different tours of Penang, depending on our interests. Rotarian Michel Von Crombrugge took me to the Tropical Fruit Farm, where I learned about different fruit trees, their maturity times, and when the fruits are ripe. After the tour, we got to sample a variety of fruits, buffet style. There were at least a dozen! Did you know that pineapple grows on a low plant, not a tree? Did you know that dragonfruit, so popular here, is from Mexico? Have you ever seen a passionfruit flower, and how beautiful it is?

Greetings from Malaysia!

If "the first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it,” then my impression of our home for the next 5-6 weeks is firstly one of warmth (with some lemongrass and clove cigarettes mixed in).

Approximately 24 hours since being sent off in style by our sponsors and friends of Rotary District 5110, "Team Sungai" arrived in Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening and were warmly received by our gracious hosts of Rotary District 3300, including Dr. Joy Varughese, the District GSE Chair; Mrs. Sylvia Jayanthimalar, President of the Danau Desa Rotary club; and Mr. Christie Daniels, Director and Club Admin of Danau Desa. "Warmly received" is an understatement - our hosts made us feel like rock stars!

To supplement this view from our room's balcony, imagine the hum of an air conditioner, sounds of construction in the distance, motorbikes whizzing, and "polite" honking.

We finally had a restful night's sleep in our hotel (generously provided by a Rotarian) after not one but two delicious meals with our hosts. Last night we surrounded a lazy Susan piled with Tom Yum (yes, we like it face-perspiringly spicy!), lemongrass Mee (a kind of noodle), chicken satay with a dark peanut sauce, and an array of garnishes. Although this particular meal was inspired by Thai specialties, Christie and Dr. Joy were quick to point out that a "typical" Malaysian dinner is often a fusion of flavors that may allude to Chinese, Indian, and other fare. For instance, the crispy fried rice (nasi) served with the meal, peppered with anchovies, is in a league of its own.

In the Eugene airport, Chandra had told my boyfriend Evan, "she's going to come back so spoiled," a prophecy that didn't take long to fulfill. As if being fed two huge meals and being put up in a comfy hotel weren't enough, Christie offered to take our team for a night drive through downtown KL. The city transforms and shimmers at night, and I have a feeling that our cameras won't really do justice to the sights we experience here.

Like this photo, the first 24 hours of our Malaysian experience have been a blur.

In future posts, we hope to transport our readers here with more photos and video when our Internet connection speed allows.

Following a quick debriefing with Dr. Joy later this morning, our team will jump aboard a coach bus to our next destination, Penang. Our first full day in Malaysia is about to begin, so jumpa lagi (see you) for now!

Final Orientation

We met on Saturday, October 29, at the home of DGE Dell Gray, former team leader to the Philippines. We spent most of the time editing our team presentation, trying to get our time down to thirty minutes. The introductory five minutes is about our district, it's history, geography, and present day industry. The rest of the presentation, each person on the team shares about their profession, family, town of residence, recreation, and the Rotary Club that sponsored them. 

We went to lunch at Shanti's Indian restaurant in Roseburg and concluded the afternoon by dividing up the club banners we had already received, discussing packing issues, homestays, and itinerary. Thankyou to Tommi Drake, alternate team leader, who has been with us the entire time and for her good advice, information, and helpful insights during our preparation.


We will meet again on November 15 at 4:30 at the Eugene Airport to check in and have a farewell dinner.

Thank you to all clubs who responded to our ask for banners.

Your efforts are much appreciated.

Pamela Reber Joins Team

    I was born on May 2, 1973 in Mishawaka, Indiana. My family roots are German, Irish and English, with the Rebers being traced back to Langenselbold, Germany in the 1700s. I graduated from Cranbrook Kingswood High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1991. When I settled in Eugene, I completed my Bachelor’s of Science at the University of Oregon after first receiving an Associate’s degree from the Energy Management Program at Lane Community College. Later I received a certificate in river restoration design from Portland State University.

    South Lane County has been my home for the past decade where I work in water resource management as Executive Director of a local nonprofit with a staff of four. We focus on implementing habitat projects for native fish and wildlife, policy issues related to water quality, and involving the community in these issues.

    My travel experience includes 5 weeks in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2005 in a family and community-center oriented experience and living in London for a month with a friend’s family when I was young. I enjoy many outdoor activities including multi-day rafting and camping trips, cultural events, as well as local foods and wine with friends and family.

Team Member Ashley Bryant

Since I moved to Oregon at a young age, I’ve experienced most of my life as a Eugenean, where I remain close with my friends, family and community. It’s easy to cultivate new interests and passions here, and I’ve made many wonderful friends while taking African dance, learning Spanish, and volunteering at local organizations. I’ve also nurtured a desire to explore the wider world, and my journeys to Europe and Senegal are just the beginning of what I hope will be a lifelong commitment to international education and travel.

As a University of Oregon student, I took courses in international development and spent a term as a student intern in Dakar. There, I researched and translated health education resources for a Senegalese NGO serving youth. On top of the work experience, I gained new knowledge by living with culturally disparate families, mentoring ambitious youth, and sharing in the excitement of a presidential election. Back home, I resumed my studies while working at the Office of International Programs and later for Disability Services as a classroom transcriber for hard of hearing students. After completing my Honors thesis, I received my degree in International Studies and Economics.

 My collective experiences steered me to Mobility International USA, a national non-profit organization that works to include people with disabilities in international development and exchange. One of my roles is to provide resources for making international exchange accessible to participants with disabilities while drawing on the insights of those who successfully studied, worked or volunteered in other countries. Working for an organization that promotes international exchange has certainly accelerated my sense of wanderlust, and I look forward to the many surprises Malaysia is sure to have in store for our team.

 

Team Member Kristi Coleman

                                           

Born in Landstuhl, Germany as the last of five children, my family moved to New Mexico  when I was 5 years old.  This is where I stayed until moving to Ohio for medical school, then coming to Oregon for a residency in Family Practice.  My professional interests include rural/underserved full spectrum care, wilderness medicine, and tropical medicine. In college I had the privilege to travel to South Africa and collect water samples from deep gold mines.  This experience showed me how different their life was from my own;  like living in a miner’s shanty town to daily racial segregation.  The unique health issues of the miner’s population (50% were HIV positive) and of the country (soft drinks contained quinine to fight malaria) stuck with me more than the microbiology I was there to study.  That trip was the beginning of my journey to medicine and my interest in people.

 When I am not working, I can be found hiking, backpacking, or reading science fiction novels.  I also collect rare, old books and crochet an afghan from time to time.  My twin sister and I plan to hike the Pacific Crest Trail together in the next 5 years.  Maybe I’ll get to hike Mount Tahan or Kinabalu while in Malaysia.