My first week in UKM

Being a senior student at The American University in Cairo, living in a multicultural environment and having friends from all over the world did not protect me from cultural shock.  This is how I can describe my first day in UKM Malaysia. Part of the fact is that this is my first time I go abroad alone.

Before I come to Malaysia, I neither had time for thinking about expectations regarding the nature of my internship nor my accommodation in general. 

The nature of my job wasn’t shocking for me because I am always looking forward to challenging myself with new tasks to add spices to my life.  But, yes, it is the first time I work in AIDS project, and it is the first time I read that much about the disease.

Interestingly enough, I realized how ignorant some Egyptians, including me, regarding AIDS epidemic. But there is no wonder when one notices that AIDS is not widespread in Egypt compared to Western and Southern Africa.

I guess the most challenging or shocking thing in my job will be visiting infected people. Not because I get scared of them, but because sometimes I’m very emotional and it is hard to hold my tears.

The real shock happened once I arrived and saw the bathrooms. There is something I know very well about myself; I can adapt to any circumstances except “comfortable bathrooms”. The first day, seriously I didn’t know how these toilets are used because I have never used them before.

Another challenge I’m still facing is Monkeys. For me, Monkey = Lion, which made my first night sleepless; especially when I was told that monkeys can sneak to my rooms through the window.

Sadly, not only monkeys are my weak point, but I also get scared of insects and spiders. But I am so happy to realize that after my second day, I don’t care if a lizard or a “small” insect passes next to me.

Hend El-Taher

OILEY FROM HONG KONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HI this is Oiley, I am a student from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. This is my second time in Kuala Lumpur!!!! I love both indoor and outdoor volleyball =)!!!

Cultural Shocks

This is my 10^th days in Kuala Lumpur already, I had tons of fun. Meanwhile, I had a lot of cultural shocks as well.

The first one was on the way back to my accommodation place from the airport – the KLIA line. When I was walking down to the platform, I saw a train already stopped with its door closed. I slow down myself as I thought the train was going to leave. However, IT IS NOT. It had left when I reached the platform.

30 minutes later, another train came. I got into train and grabbed a seat. The seat was comfortable. UNFORTUNATELY, when I tried to get off from the train at my stop, the door did not open itself!! I was panic, I did not know what to do. I was lucky because a man pressed the BUTTON for me. The door opened and I could get off from the train. Otherwise, I would be staying in the train until the FINAL stop.

I did not expect the second one came that soon. I went to the bathroom and there was a water pipe. I thought it was for cleaning the floor or flushing the toilet. I was shocked by the truth actually, really eyes opening.

MY FIRST DAY

My first day night out was to Kajang, there were two AIESECers here bringing to buy some necessities. We went to Econsave, this supermarket actually was 10 times bigger than the one in Hong Kong. I was amazed and understood the reason that they had to tight our bags as it is too pricy to have CCTV all around this place.

After that, we went for dinner. I ordered DURIAN ICE BLENDED and a mixed KEBAB, I had already tried durian in Hong Kong and I loved it. However, this did not apply to everyone, one of us who is from Russia, not really into the king of raw fruit. “We should leave soon, it smells like gas” the girl said. It was one of the funniest joke I ever heard.

 

So BIGGGG!!!

                                                      Group Picture in Kajang





 
First Meal in Kuala Lumpur

                                                       Rice Dumplings!!!! Malaysia Style

the struggle of a HIV positive

PART 1

In the slums of Bangladesh's capital, drug use is fuelling a new crisis. Most of Dhaka's drug users are young, homeless and unemployed. Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest countries, with 60 million people living below the poverty line. For those struggling to survive in its capital, life can seem devoid of hope 

PART 2

While Bangladesh still has a low HIV prevalence in the general population, with less than 0.1% of the population living with the virus, among injecting drug users it is spreading at a worrying rate

PART 3

The low prevalence of HIV in Bangladesh means there is a lack of knowledge and understanding about the virus. Stigma and discrimination are rife

PART 4

In Dhaka, where most of Bangladesh's 23,000 injecting drug users live, 7% of them are HIV positive. In one neighbourhood, where the largest concentration of injecting drug users live, 11% are infected

PART 5

Mozibor Begum was a heroin addict for eight years. He started injecting drugs as a young man, when his parents arranged a marriage for him. He did not want to get married and felt out of control. After the marriage, heroin became a way to escape the life that had been forced upon him

PART 6

Begum injected heroin every day. Like so many drug users he shared needles. "There were so many reasons for this," he says. "Sometimes there was a fear of the police, so we had to do it quickly, sometimes I didn't have enough money so I'd buy a hit with other people. Often we just had one needle." In 2004 he discovered he was HIV positive. He became depressed. "I had no hope," he says. "My family presumed I wouldn't live for long. I'm not sure they cared. I took money from my mother and was not a good husband to my wife."

To be continued.....

Compulsory testing - bad idea or not?

One of the Malaysian government's policies in response to the HIV/AIDS situation is introducing mandatory HIV/AIDS testing for any Muslim couples planning to get married. This policy has been received in a negative by many AIDS NGOs. The following clips show a short debate amongst government officials, the MAC chairlady and a social worker dealing with PLHIV

Mandatory HIV testing - part 1
Mandatory HIV testing - part 2

What are your thoughts towards this policy? Please share your views over it.

A Different Spin : HIV

Are you AWARE that there are such things going on ?

Are you AWARE on what you can do to help making a difference ??

Ask again, after watching this video.

http://thestaronline.tv/v/5692

Quoted

" I have been given the opportunity to be here, working with community members the vulnerable communities understanding their difficulties they faced in Malaysia. " - Celeste Parin

"I did a HIV test here, at PT foundation, I just wanted to understand the process that we do, so I went through the free HIV screening myself and becomes ask me the question, are you prepared if you test HIV positive, and I had to straight up say no. " - Celeste Parin 

 " Sinilah macam satu keluarga, kami semua, golong pembawa HIVkan, jadi kami faham-memahami antara satu sama lain. " - Firdaus - living with HIV

 " Yea yea yea, especially in Malaysia, I mean here not, people don’t always talk about, they don’t really talk about it about it openly." Cassandra Wong, student

" You know, these people had decided not to see it as a life sentence, but rather, they have been given life. " Celeste Parin

"The best is to be happy and healthy and to get on with life."

We do not see cases of HIV being reported everyday in the newspaper, in fact i doubt you can really see it once a week. Most of us choose to be ignorant about HIV/AIDS than addressing these issues. How far are you equipped with HIV/AIDS knowledge in protecting yourself and your partner? do you know who to reach should you or your friend being infected with HIV ?

STOP . BEING . IGNORANT

Protect yourself. Protect your partner

make a difference starting from yourself

Workshop at Nilai College

Here we are, the Red Agents in Nilai College. on behalf of the Red Project, I would like to thank Nilai College and the students for giving us so much support and invited us to conduct an HIV/AIDS workshop in conjunction of the Ribbon Week. Thank you Miss adeline and Miss Daphne for providing us the facilities and refreshments for the workshop.

us chilling out at the bus station before going NC

Ribbon week

the condom demonstration

the students and teachers listening tentatively

Here, i would also like to thank the students for buying our Red Agent T-shirt and supporting us endlessly. 

Red Agents chilling out after the workshop... haha