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.
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.