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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.