Kuala Lumpur

A fantastic week

/ Hannah Crawford Leighton

We have now returned home from what was a truly fantastic week in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Kuala Lumpur and at Sunway University and have enjoyed sharing all of my best photos and stories with family and friends. The wonderful weather, the friendly people and the amazing food are just some of the things that I am going to miss the most from my time there.

Whilst at Sunway, my fellow Psychology students and I took part in a research project where we aimed to replicate previous research investigating the impact of culture on memory. Although not all of our results were significant, we all learned a lot by being able to conduct and take a leading role in a research project first – hand. I know thay my experiences over the past week, such as recruiting participants, analysing data and giving a presentation in front of Malaysian students will no doubt be of great use when I return to my studies in Lancaster.

Lanterns

The trip itself has been a fantastic cultural experience. Malaysia benefits from being a made up of a mix of different ethnicities from all over Asia. This of course equals brilliant food! I’ve particularly enjoyed the Thai and Indian styles of food, whilst also experimenting with traditional Malay styles of cooking. However, if there was one thing I’d most love to bring back to the UK, it would certainly be the wonderful weather. Even spending time indoors analysing data is made all the more exciting when you know that lunch can be enjoyed by the pool. My favourite part of the week has been the guided tour of the city which we took on the weekend.

The Batu Caves

Exploring the different religious and cultural sites all over Kuala Lumpur was a brilliant experience as I was able to learn more about the diversity of the city and it’s rich cultural heritage. I particularly enjoyed visiting the “Batu Caves”, a site of great significance to many Hindus there, as well as the home of many monkeys. What has surprised me the most about life in Kuala Lumpur is the great ethnic diversity and the regular occurrence of thunder storms.

All in all, visiting Kuala Lumpur and studying at Sunway University has certainly been one of the highlights of my first year. My time here has been memorable, providing me with excellent pictures and an increased enthusiasm for my subject of Psychology, thanks to the opportunity to put in to practice my learning overseas. One thing for sure is that when I return to the UK, taking part in more opportunities to travel overseas, either with friends or with Lancaster, shall now be on the top of my bucket list for future plans.

A busy schedule!

/ Hannah Crawford Leighton

So far my time in Malaysia has been brilliant. We have enjoyed a busy schedule and experienced many cultural highlights, such as the wonderful food and great weather. I have had the joy of meeting Sunway’s Psychology society, who were all keen and excited to meet us. The chance to meet a group of students studying the same course but in a completely different part of the world was very interesting, as we all discovered many shared experiences and interests.

Kuala Lumpur

On Wednesday we all split in to pairs and travelled around Sunway campus, with the sole aim of recruiting as many participants as possible to take part in our Psychology experiment. Our aim is to test the impact of culture on memory, based on the assumption that those from a Western culture typically focus more on a specific aspect of a scene, whilst Eastern cultures are more likely to focus on all aspects of a scene.

Recruiting participants here at Sunway couldn’t have been more easy or more enjoyable. The students here are some of the friendliest that I have ever met and were more than willing to take part in our research, simply to give us a hand. Even those students who had lectures assured us that they would stop by later, or at least bring their friends. This would never have happened in the UK, as I’ve learnt people here are generally more interested in and welcoming to other people.

The next day we spent time analysing the data from our experiment – a great way to put in to practise my new statistical skills gained from the first two terms. Afterwards we spent time with our groups in preparing a presentation on the outcome of our research to the Psychology club here at Sunway. Whilst I have had many experiences in giving presentations in the past, I know that there will be plenty more to come as I progress further through my degree. Therefore, presenting here in front of Malaysian students will be a great learning experience in order to enhance my skills, which is what this trip is all about.

On Thursday evening we visited a helipad, 34 stories high, in order to watch the sunset over the tall towers of Kuala Lumpur. The evening certainly did not disappoint as it was a delight to take in such an impressive sight. Free time here at Sunway has generally been spent by relaxing in the pool and exploring the campus. Although Sunway has a great library and a large IT space, it also holds a giant water park, a zoo and a large shopping complex. Yes, really! This, alongside the glorious weather, has made Sunway University a truly exciting place to be. Even mornings spent analysing statistics and figures is made all the more exciting when you know you can splash around in the water park later, or even simply enjoy lunch by the pool.

Later on in the week I look forward to visiting the outdoor markets from some great local street food and for gifts and souvenirs to bring back for family and friends. Whilst I am feeling slightly tired after the jam – packed week so far, I am looking forward to what the rest of the week might bring. Travelling here to Malaysia has only made me even more keen to take part in similar trips overseas in the future, as I know that I have made friends for life, with the added experience of living life in a different culture.

Arriving at Sunway

/ Hannah Crawford Leighton

We are here in Kuala Lumpur and we are staying at one of Lancaster’s partner universities, Sunway. So far being here in Malaysia has been brilliant. The plane journey was long, but the in-flight entertainment system kept us going. On leaving the airport in Kuala Lumpur, we were immediately greeted by a temperature of 28 degrees, despite it being 1am. Warm weather at last! We took a coach journey to the university and were given the keys to our accommodation, which I must say is really nice.

Sunway University

On our first day we ran through the beginning of our academic research project whilst here in Malaysia. First we ran through the relevant previous research, in order to familiarise ourselves with the background to our study. Next we laid down the ethical guidelines which our experiment must follow, as with any Psychology research. Later on we were introduced to the Psychology society here at Sunway. The group were all very friendly, keen to get to know us and tell us more about Malaysia. It was definitely interesting to meet students of the same age and studying the same subject as us but from a country so different to ours. They were very welcoming which helped to put me at ease on my first day here.

Whilst the academic side was certainly interesting, I was excited to be given a tour of the Sunway campus, as often it is rare to get to experience being an international student overseas like we are, even if only for a short while. Sunway University is one of the largest universities that I have ever seen. Every building and facility has been purposefully built for students and is privately owned, making it more exclusive than other universities in Malaysia. The whole campus is connected by a large walkway, much like how “the spine” in Lancaster links the different campus buildings.

The next day we visited the centre of the city, in order to take in the views of the KLCC towers, one of the most recognisable features of Kuala Lumpur. I was surprised to see that the city centre really was as modern and new as any other; tall buildings made of glass punctuated the skyline whilst tall palm trees lined the streets. The city was bustling with tourists and we were all more than pleased with the fantastic photos we took of the towers.

So far the most amazing part of Malaysia is all of the beautiful greenery. Seeing huge palm trees alongside wide plants of the brightest colours really is the most beautiful sight. I look forward to experiencing more of Malaysia later in the week, especially getting to know more of the students here and trying the various dishes available.

Kuala Lumpur in a day

/ Hannah Crawford Leighton

Fountains outside the mosque in Kuala Lumpur

Well it’s certainly been a fun packed weekend. On Saturday we finally got a chance to do a tour of Kuala Lumpur. We all met at 9am, which was quite tiring but Alice and Caitlin came prepared with water and some breakfast for us which was really nice. We were taken to our tour bus and greeted by a friendly man called Tan. We first visited a mosque which was really pretty especially with all the water fountains and it being really sunny. We then went to see Independence Square which was also really nice to see, especially seeing all the flags lining the pavement.

The world's tallest statue of Murugan

We then went onto the Batu Caves, which was really interesting. I loved seeing all the monkeys roam free up the stairs. The caves are made of limestone and there is over 250 steps up to the top. I must admit I was very tired once I reached the top! The statue was also very beautiful, it was over 42 metres tall, making it the world’s tallest statute of Murugan, a Hindu deity it also cost around 24 million rupees to complete.

A monkey at the Batu caves

The monkeys were quite manic! I almost fell down the stairs a few times – they run around quite a bit and they were stealing coconuts off everyone which was quite funny. There was also some monkeys with babies which was really sweet especially seeing them cling onto their mums.

Scarf making in the fabric shop

For lunch we went to a Thai restaurant on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur- it was clearly traditional Malaysian food. They served us sweet and sour fish, fried chicken, sweet chilli fishcakes and lots of rice! After lunch we went to visit a fabric shop which used wax and paint to create lovely spreads of material. When we arrived a gentleman was painting a 4m piece of fabric in lovely shades of purple. Once they have finished a piece the wax is removed using a special machine and the fabric can be made into several scarfs or even a top. There were a lot of lovely pictures on the wall- and if I hadn’t have struggled to get one home, I definitely would have brought one. Once we had finished here we went to the Royal Selangor base factory where they make pewter which is used to make a variety of products. The museum was also home to the World’s largest pewter tankard which has been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records and stands at 1.987 metres tall.

Once we had finished here we went to another museum called ‘Muzium Negara’ which serves as a great part of Malaysia’s rich cultural and historical heritage. The museum had 4 rooms which all worked through the phases of Malaysia’s development. It was especially interesting to learn about the split from Britain in the 1960’s and learn about the challenges they faced as part of the independence. For example at the time, it seemed like it had great economic advantages- it was a world leader in rubber, tin and palm oil. However more and more competition decreased the need for Malaysia, which meant wages decreased and this perpetuated rural Malay poverty. I also found it interesting to learn about the clothes of Malaysia- all the stunning dresses.

Menara tower

Finally we went to the Menara Tower, we didn’t actually go up the tower, but we did have the option at an extra price. We did have chance to look around all the lovely cultural shops within the tower, and it was nice to see so many happy locals in their jobs. I was also very intrigued by the revolving restaurant there which has a panoramic view of the city- I can’t wait to go back and try this! It made me laugh a little notice on the wall- it described races that are held annually where participants have to race up the stairs to the top!

The tour was a great opportunity to see Malaysia, especially when being shown by one of the locals. It was a very packed tiring day but it was good fun at the same time. For dinner we went to a Reggae Bar close to China Town and it was nice to sit down and have a couple of drinks. I really don’t want to leave!

A city worth visiting

/ Hannah Crawford Leighton

I really am enjoying myself. The days are packed to the brim with activities and it’s just an all-round great experience. The research project I am undertaking is really interesting and is giving me a good experience of what it’s really like to undertake a study, especially a multicultural one!

On Tuesday, we compiled are own set of an information sheet, consent form and debrief sheet for the study which helped give us hands on experience in what is entailed in a research project. After we had completed this we had a go at making our own experiment using a variety of programmes included PSYScript. This was helpful to me as it could be applicable to my degree and dissertation.

Menara Ttower

During the afternoon we went to Kuala Lumpur to see the Menara Tower which opened in 1996 to the public. The towers looked amazing, however it did begin to rain, well thunderstorm! This didn’t ruin our day however, as we visited a lovely bar called ‘Lemoncello’ and had some divine cocktails! I think that’s what’s really nice about the Global Exploration Trip is that you learn something (i.e. psychological) but also get to go away on your own and experience things for yourself.

We had a look around the Suria KLCC shopping mall which was filled with designer shops including Armani Exchange, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton. I found lots of things I liked but funnily enough couldn’t afford nor justify 1500 ringgits on a bag! But it did make me think about my future and how excited I am to earn my own money and be in a proper job. I think trips like this really help boost your CV and help gain experience of life outside of the UK as well as appreciating other cultures. After this we went home, and had our dinner at Sunway’s cafeteria which was really nice- once again I experienced a real taste of Malaysia with a lovely chicken and rice dish.

On Wednesday we spent the whole day finding participants for our research project. At first it was abit daunting as it took quite a lot of confidence to approach people, however this was soon not the case. We exceeded our expectations and tested at least 150 participants when we expected only around 40 participants. The experience was great and it was evident how difficult it was for an experimenter in real life but also how rewarding the experience was. Once we had finished we came back to the accommodation and made our way to the outdoor pool. It was lovely to relax and enjoy the last hour of the sunshine as well as paddle in the pool. We went to the Pyramid for tea and went to a Chinese called Dragon-I.

Jess-post2-3

On Thursday, we analysed our data for our research project and tested the last few participants (turned out to be about 150!). In the evening we went to Kuala Lumpur to watch the sunset from SkyBar in the city centre. They did some really nice cocktails and the view was amazing. There was a thunderstorm too which was really cool to see, and we all got sent inside! Such a great place with a great atmosphere. Afterwards we headed back to Sunway and went to a few bars there, including The Rainforest it was really nice to sit on a big table and chat to everyone about the week.

Today (Friday) we completed our research project. We were divided into groups of four and asked to analysis a set of data and produce a PowerPoint with information about the study, our results and why we enjoyed Malaysia. It was really nice to listen to what everyone enjoyed. I have really enjoyed going into Kuala Lumpur because I have been there before and its changed a lot since I last visited (2005). The University has been so welcoming and I have felt so at home which has been really nice. We even got a certificate from the University which was a really nice touch! I really am considering coming on the LUSU trip to Malaysia in summer with Alice and Caitlin as the whole experience really has been amazing.

Tomorrow we are going on our Kuala Lumpur tour- it’s going to be a long day! We are going to Independence Square, National Mosque, Thean Hou Temple, Railway Station, Royal Selangor, Pewter Factory, Batik Design Centre, Batu Caves, KL Tower, Historic Ampang Road and the National Museum. So a very full, packed day! I am most looking forward to the Batu Caves and the Thean Hou Temple as it looks really pretty! I am also looking forward to learning more about Malaysia culture, religion and life.

Ready to go!

/ Hannah Crawford Leighton

I am going to Malaysia! Specifically to Kuala Lumpur, the capital. It will be quite some miles away and will require two plane journeys.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to visit Malaysia. Although I have friends from that part of the world, it will be the furthest that I have ever travelled. This makes deciding what to pack a little tricky, but so long as I have sun screen and insect repellent, I’ll be fine!

So far I have made sure to plan and organise myself in preparation for the trip. I have visited a travel nurse, brought some books for the journey and researched the city itself. It seems that Kuala Lumpur has both eastern and western influences. The food has a lot of variety and the landscape consists of beautiful palm trees and lush greenery set against the backdrop of huge towers, hotels and shopping malls. The average temperature for Kuala Lumpur in March is a sunny 30 degrees. Needless to say, after a cold winter in the UK, spring in Malaysia is just what I need.

Whilst in Malaysia we will be taking part in some Psychological research; looking at the way that different cultures can influence the workings of our memory. This is something that I am also excited about as the memory is on aspect of Psychology that I am most interested about. Meanwhile, the opportunity to take part in a live experiment first hand will be an invaluable experience that I have so far not had as a first year student.

I decided to take part in this trip as I love to travel and immerse myself in new cultures. One of the most brilliant opportunities offered by Lancaster University are the many overseas trips on offer. Before even starting my course, I knew that travelling overseas with other students would be important for making the most out of student life. Travelling overseas and doing research will be a great addition to my CV, allowing me to demonstrate cultural understanding and enthusiasm for my subject field.

All in all, I know that travelling to Malaysia will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience – I can’t wait to get over there! I hope to find nice souvenirs for friends and family, as well as great mementos for myself, not to mention some wonderful pictures to remember it all by.

Selamat jalan (Bon Voyage)!

/ Hannah Crawford Leighton

Hi, my name is Jess. I am one of the official bloggers for the trip to Malaysia. I will be at Sunway University, Malaysia for 10 days with LUSU as part of the ‘Global Exploration scheme’. There are 20 students plus 3 staff going and we are staying at the Sunway Monish Residence.

Packing a suitcase

10am – Saturday 21st March 2015
The joys of trying to fit everything into a suitcase! – By the time it’s all in the suitcase its literally bursting at the seams. I am very, very excited but also quite nervous about the whole experience. This is my first time away on my own so it’s all abit daunting- especially with the added pressure of having to remember EVERYTHING! I am counting down the time till I can leave. Considering a nap and some revision as I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate very much on the plane.

8.25am (Abu Dhabi Time- 4+ Hours UK)- Sunday 22nd March 2015
So we survived the first flight. All feeling rather tired but really really excited about Malaysia. The food on the flight was really nice and there was lots of films to watch! I’ve visited Malaysia before but when the Psychology department and LUSU decided to do a trip this March, I just couldn’t resist revisiting- it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world!

Malaysia: 9pm, Home: 1pm – Monday 23rd March 2015
We landed yesterday at 10.30pm and then got a bus back to campus where we arrived shortly before midnight. So of course today we all look like zombies out of a ghost movie! When we pulled up to the campus it was immediately evident that it was well looked after. We checked in and went to our room which I was really happy to be sharing with 7 other people, especially in such a nice, welcoming and clean flat.

As soon as I made my way out of the flat, I was hit by the sudden heat of about 34℃. Once we all woke up this morning, we had breakfast at Starbucks- which was really nice and once again the staff were very polite. We then made our way across the Sunway Canopy walk to meet the staff at Sunway University. They were so friendly, and I felt at home straight away. This reinforced why I had come back to Malaysia- mainly because of the kind community they have! Some of the staff gave a short lecture about Malaysia and the history of the University, followed by a lecture on ‘culture’ which I found really interesting and very applicable to Psychology.

We made our way to dinner about 12pm where we had a lovely curry, despite it being very spicy, I really enjoyed it. Shortly after we started the briefing for our experiment and discussed the relevant ethical considerations we needed to think about it. During this, there was a large thunderstorm, which at first really scared me as it sounded like a building falling down! Obviously with it being March, it is the season for the tropical rainfalls and hot, clammy climate. After the lecture we met the Psychology Society students from Sunway who were all very nice- once again they made sure everyone felt welcome. They showed us round there recently renovated library which was very beautiful and made me look forward to Lancaster’s library renovation even more!

Sunway University

After they had finished showing us round the various areas of campus we made our way to a ‘food stall’ court. The outside court was made up of a variety of foods including Thai, Chinese, Malaysian, Indian and even English. We received 20 Malaysian Ringgits to spend (from LUSU) and we found (very quickly) this was more than enough! It was really good because we were able to try a variety of dishes from different cultures.

Malaysian food

The exchange rate from Pound to Ringgits still astonishes me- 5 ringgits in every £1. Especially when in the food courts meals ranged from a mere 3 ringgits to around 12 ringgits maximum. Once we had eaten ourselves into a food coma, we decided to walk it off and head to the highly recommended Sunway Pyramid- Shopping Mall. This was not regretted! The mall has over 800 shops and covers a floor area of 396,000 m². We all ended up coming home with items from Topshop and H & M which we realised was rather silly when we have all these at home!

Hoping that tonight I get a good night’s sleep, as tomorrow we have another busy day. In the morning we are continuing with the experiment and setting up the stimuli and in the afternoon we are heading into Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) – where I’m hoping there are even more shopping opportunities!