The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) program funds recent college graduates to spend time abroad working as an English teaching assistant in schools. The ETA program offers opportunities to live in many countries around the world, so I urge all of you students to learn more about this opportunity.
http://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_teaching.html
ETA Program in Malaysia
The Fulbright ETA program in Malaysia brings in about 15 students, or so, each year to work for 10 months in schools in the state of Terrenganu on the eastern coast of penninsular Malaysia. Beause they will mostly be posted in rural areas and Terrenganu is quite conservative (the "Koran Belt" of Malaysia), these students will have a very different experience from mine in KL. Last week 17 new ETAs arrived for two weeks of orientation before moving on to their permanent assignment. I had lunch with the ETAs last week and they all seemed very excited about their new adventure and were quite interested in hearing about my experience so far. They come from all over the US, but I don' think that any of them went to school in Texas.
Trip to Malacca
Yesterday I went with them on a visit to Malacca. (see my earlier post about Malacca http://markinmalaysia.blogspot.com/2010/08/malacca-historical-places.html)
MACEE arranged for us to travel by bus with a tour guide, Joseph. Although I had been to Malacca once before, I was able to see some new places and learn some new things this trip. The bus trip to Malacca took about two hours. Because we were there on a weekday it was much less crowded than when I visited earlier on a weekend.
Joseph on the bus outlining the day's itenerary.
Joseph and the highly attentive ETAs.
Decorated trishaws waiting for some passengers. Most of these trishaws carry stereos that blare such loud music that it must surely cause ear damage.
Here are a couple of photos of diaramas from a museum in Malacca. I think that they both represent "Merdeka" (independence) Day.
Jonker Street wasn't nearly as crowded on a Tuesday as on a Saturday. Note the photo of Prime Minister Najib and the "1Malaysia" symbol on the sign above the sidewalk.
Chen Hoon Teng Temple
Chen Hoon Teng Temple (the Temple of the Clear Clouds) is the oldest temple built by Chinese in Malaysia was founded sometime in the early 17th century.
http://www.asiaexplorers.com/malaysia/chenghoonteng_temple.htm
The figures on the roof of the temple were covered in broken pieces of porcelain.
Interesting paintings of animals from the outside of the temple.
There were a pair of red Chinese dogs outside of the temple. This one is the female because she is holding the baby....
and this one is the man because he is holding the money.
Inside of the temple.
You can tell your fortune by shaking these containers until one stick falls out. That stick has your fortune (even if it was written in Mandarin and you don't know how to read it).
River Cruise- Malacca, the Venice of Malaysia
If you look carefully between the heads lined up in the middle of the boat then you might be able to see the "1Malaysia" symbol on blue stand that held the steering wheel. I guess that we were on the "unity boat".
Large monitor lizard going for a swim. Although I have never seen a swimming lizard before (expect for marine iquanas)they were quite common.
I enjoyed chatting with all of the ETAs and I wish them the best of luck in their upcoming adventure!
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