AFS Malaysia Alumni Reunion

Hey folks, amazingly exciting news!

AFS Malaysia will be having an Alumni Reunion this 16th of August in Bangsar, and you're all invited!

Invitation goes out to all AFS Malaysia Alumni's and returnees from the 1950's till 2009 for a reunion get together. As we are unable to contact each and every one of the alumni's(due to the lack of updated information of the almuni's) please kindly pass this message to all of them in your batch or those whom you know. It is about time we all joined hands and work towards an AFs Malaysia Alumni, after all, you were all part of the Peace Project, to create awareness of peace and understanding through intercultural exchanges.

The event is an informal event and we would really appreciate confirmation of attendance for catering purposes.

Details of the event is as followed,

Date:	Sunday, August 16, 2009
Time:	4:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:	102-104 Jalan Maarof,
Street:	Bangsar
City/Town:	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We hope to meet as many of you as possible as we want the bond of AFS to continue and perhaps even prosper with your presence and ideas.

Please kindly RSVP by the 12th of August 2009.

Please contact me (Suyin), the Alumni Reunion event coordinator for J.E.D.I, through the following channels to let me know if you're interested in coming (:

Email: bloodypaws88@gmail.com
h/p: 012-6377880 (text messages only)

Overdue

Hello minna-san,

today we will tackle some 'overdue-ed' news and issues that has been shamelessly postponed day after day (sorry guys!) due to this writer's lifestyle which is extremely scattered all over the place. Now that the study fever, exams, camps, illness-es, deadlines, workloads and frolicking days are washed over for me for the time being, lets get down to business again before the entire vicious cycle starts all over again (:

FIRST AND FOREMOST:

On the 20th of June we had our first ever Election Meeting where we managed to get our team/ committee formed and our acts together. At current we have 8 people on board the ship and are still hoping for people to step out and step up to assist in running this alumni. Here's the list of committed people who pledged to float this ship.

Our team :-

Shazawati - President
Chia Suyin - Vice President
Izzat Morshidi - Secretary
Hui Yen - Treasurer
Suraya, Hsien Yew and Richie - PR/ Events

Among some of the items discussed during the meeting included the finalization of our alumna's logo:

The logo design is courtesy of Eric Yoh. (:

NEXT!

We've also decided to come together to perform an item, a dance to be exact, for the upcoming AFS World Congress happening on the 20th-25th October. It's so exciting that we've given a slot to perform and showcase our alumni to the ENTIRE AFS WORLD. So this event is pretty huge and it is vital that we do this right, we do this awesomely, and we rock their brains out!

This event is spearheaded by Izzat, our dear dancing secretary who is choreographing. You will find below the details needed should you be interested in participating in the dance item. We are currently STILL IN NEED of dancers. (Don't worry if you think you can't dance, join us still and we'll have fun learning together!)

Practise Date: Every Saturday
Time: 1.30pm
Location: Sunway University College, Bandar Sunway
Contact Person: Izzat
Number: 019-4125049
Email: iza_morsh@hotmail.com

LASTLY

J.E.D.I Alumni is going to the Bon Odori Festival!

Come and Experience Bon Odori, a Japanese Summer Dance event special in Malaysia with us this Saturday from 5.oopm until 9.30pm at the Matsushita Stadium, Shah Alam. There will be dances, performances, drums, culture, carnivals, beautiful people dressed in beautiful Japanese traditional wears and lots of good food! So what we we waiting for?

All you have to do today is contact Shazawati for more details/comfirmation at 0166206040 or email her at shazawati@gmail.com. Maps and transportation possibilities for the direction senseless can be provided upon request :D


Thank you for reading. Now if you will excuse me, precious sleep is beckoning. Nights all (:

ELECTION MEETING

Hey all ye followers of this blog! 

In the midst of all the buzzing and fuzzing of a life so hectic, (as you all can probably relate when I say rushed assignments/workload,forgotten mini-tests, looming of finals exams, family responsibilities and a diminishing social life) the temporary J.E.D.I committee is happy to announce that they have managed to come together with AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia and decide that an Election Meeting is in order. 

The reason?

As of now, the alumni is only being taken care of by a TEMPORARYcommittee who took it upon themselves to propel the alumni forward. To get the alumni running, we need leaders. But more than that, we need leaders that areVOTED by the people, which is the lot of you, that they be recognized and accepted as the chosen ones to sit in the committee council and by vote are liable to their given responsibilities. =D 

(Sounds like Obama's election yet? hurhur.)

So, to get Master Yoda and the teams to run this Alumni, we are inviting you to join us for the election meetings that will be held in accordance to the following details:

Date : 20th June 2009 

Time : 2pm

Venue : AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia National Office,Third(3rd) Floor, No 40A, jln SS22/21, Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya. 

Please confirm your attendance before 14th June 09 by sending us an email at bloodypaws88@gmail.com for us to get your name updated in the data. 

Spread the words to other batches if you have their contacts too! :D 

Thank you and we're looking forward to see you there.

Cast your votes

Hey guys!

Is it just me, or has the weather been absolutely hot, hot, hot here in tropical Malaysia!

Really, what I wouldn't give for a little less sunshine, some rain or even some snowflakes now. Well, maybe not snow cause that means we'll be hit by a global snowing, and penguins will come raid our land.



Please laugh. D:

Right! The agenda for today is of a very, highly, extremely important matter. In fact, the outcome of this will be totally in your hands. Yes, you have read this right fellow readers. Totally in your hands!

As it has been previously suggested, we the alumni would like to hold at least one event per month. We would like to collect a list of possible events from May - November. Now as we don't quite know what kids these days *coughcough-I-am-old-la-cough* enjoy doing during social outings, we are going give YOU the opportunity to decide what kind of events you want to have! Exciting, yes?!

So how does this work?

Firstly, send in your suggestions by clicking on the comment icon.
*Note: Only send in your suggestions, nothing else. No chitter-chatter.

Your suggestions will have to be:

a) realistic - don't la say you want to go skiing k
b) confined within the Klang Valley, for now.
c) budget friendly! - I cannot stress this anymoar. D:
d) gender friendly - shopping for fashion blings is *not* gender friendly
e) a day trip only

and most importantly.....

f) able to promote socializing and bonding of friendships amongst us. Of course la kan =)

That being said, I have taken the liberty of ruling out Dota-ing or any cybercafe related activities. Muahaha.

After collecting your awesome-est feedbacks, a poll will be placed here for everyone to cast their votes on which activity you would like to have. The three highest ranking votes will be our event for the month of May, June and July provided that the organizers are able to pull it through. (btw we do need organizers so do expect pitiful pleas from Suyin very soon!)

Everyone following so far? Awesome la.

For more info, lets not hesitate to contact me at bloodypaws88@gmail.com


p/s - someone say Japanese karaoke pls!

For Gackt Fans

Popular Japanese Idol Gackt apparently has finally decided to have an overseas fanbase group, called OVERSEARS DEARS. For fans of Gackt this piece of news is way HUGE because now the man himself is considering overseas tours to our shores. 

I am really estatic about this. Personally, I am a fan of Gackt's music too! :)

Of course, you may not like him, and may not want him to come at all. But think of it this way. Until now not a single Japanese Idol has ever made their way out to South East Asia. The most recent one was the revived X-Japan who scheduled a concert in Bangkok, Thailand initially, but even that got cancelled and has been postponed indefinitely. *sobs*

THINK. 

With Gackt coming, and with his coming being successful, it will open a streamway for other artists and music companies from Japan (All those that you people have been worshipping, lol) to hold events in Malaysia too. 

So click on the link now and enter your survey now and today, BRING GACKT TO MALAYSIA, people. :) 

https://www.gackt.com/cgi-bin/form/mail.cgi?id=dearsoverseas

I will love you to bits for it.

J.E.D.I Luncheon at Zanmai Sushi

March 21^st marked the Japan Exchange of Diverse Individuals (J.E.D.I.) first gathering at Zanmai Sushi restaurant here in Sunway Pyramid. The response was above expectation as more than 10 returnees showed up including a fresh returnee from Gifu prefecture, Japan. I think his name was Jeffrey. Do correct me if I’m wrong. 御免なさい。

It’s was a loud and merry luncheon and it was a great opportunity to finally introduce J.E.D.I. to the other fellow Japan returnees. Plus, members of the AGM were introduced and open discussion for future plans of J.E.D.I.

In the month of April or maybe late May, JEDI plans to have an event with joint arms of the Japanese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. AFS Malaysia will be handing out contacts and it was up to JEDI members to come up with preparations for the event to be held. In addition, JEDI looks forward to further build partnership with the Japanese Embassy and perhaps successfully organize a day trip to the Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur for a one day schooling experience for chosen Japan Year Programe participants.

Coherently, JEDI also plans to have short term Japanese classes for future YP participants as a preparation, though complications such as cost factors may hold the project back. A suggestion of fund raisers such as involvement in the yearly Bon Odori festival, or partnerships with Japan-related clubs and organization seemed plausible. In addition, discussion on a performance for the World Conference/ Gala Dinner 2009 is on its way and opinions and participants are highly welcomed.

The next activity for JEDI would be a trip to the Bon Odori festival and hopefully it’ll be successful and will have more participants and joining members to the event. JEDI deems not only to carry out orientations but also to be able to organize fun and exciting activities to build a powerful bond between the Japan Exchange students alike.

お楽しみに！！！

Post contributed by Izzat, returnee 07/08

( also our temporary Secretary, see that's why his post is so report-like! :D )

First Lunch Meet - Teaser Preview

Hey people, here is an absolutely no-brainer question. What's better than enjoying Japanese food on your own? 

Why, enjoying Japanese food with friends of course! 

Exactly that, we did. On Saturday some 13 of us returnees ranging from batch 00/01 till batch 08/09 gathered at Sushi Zanmai, Pyramid for lunch and to catch up, and to make new friends, and to yap yap yap yap yap yap our heads off ....well, you get the picture ya :D 

Despite the food being sadly, averagely poor (because we can be such Japanese food nazis sometimes, being the critics that we are XD) the afternoon was fun filled with stories of our AFS days and explosions of laughter the whole table round. We also shared a little about what J.E.D.I was about, the crazy plans etc, as well as asking for opinions on how we can propel outselves forward. 

Thanks you all for the numerous (and usually outrageous!) feedbacks! And thanks to everyone who made their way to join us on our first gathering!! I really do hope there will be more to come, oh yes. *wipes tears of joy* 

Honestly honestly, I enjoyed myself tremendously getting to know everyone, how about you? :) 

Below are some pictures of the day~

(pictures courtesy of Hsien Yew)

The Ms. Lily trying to pose beautifully with her chopstick at AFS Japanese returnees first lunch meeting at Zan Mai restaurant.

in the middle of everything, Eric san had spoken. presenting JEDI's logo which is still in progress.

Oh but wait. There will be MOAR pics coming real soon. So keep watching this page!