WE'RE BACK! Introduction Weekend Dec 09

Thanks to Hui Mei for poster design!

Name: Introduction Weekend December 2009

Date: 6.00pm Friday 18 Dec - 6.00pm Sun 20 Dec 2009

Venue: INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CENTRE,

Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak,

56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Click here for directions.

REGISTRATION CLOSED

Camp Fee: RM50 / participant

Download:

Download Introduction Weekend Application Form

Download Introduction Weekend Poster

Registration: Submit form to iwdec09[at]raleighinternational.org.my

Please note that incomplete applications (incomplete fields, lacking a referral or photo) will not be considered.

Closing Date: 30th November 2009 (extended to 6th of December 2009!)

Contact Persons:

Woon Chin +60 12 661 4978

Dino +60 12 686 3457

Email: iwdec09[at]raleighinternational.org.my

Updated 30 Nov 09

Raleigh KL IW Out in The Star! Check it out here: http://gallery.thestar.com.my/default.asp?id=1273 (click "next" a few times to find a community phase photo featuring our very own Lu Yi - Play spot the LuYi game!)

Text: Adventure with a difference: Campers from Raleigh International Kuala Lumpur building a house for the residents of Tampasak village in Sabah. The international non-profit runs programmes that allow 17 to 24 year-olds to explore the world while carrying out meaningful and sustainable projects. Raleigh will be holding an Introduction Weekend to introduce new paritcipants to life on expedition from Dec 18 to 20. To learn more, log on to www.raleighinternational.org.my. - 28 November, 2009

Updated 26 Nov 09

IW is only 3 weeks away, what are you waiting for? Register now!

IW annoucement featured on Homefrontier Website:http://homeschoolhomefrontier.com/notices/november

Updated 19 Nov 09

Due to overwhelming response and request, we have extended the IW application
closing date to 6th December 2009. Please do submit your application form,
as seats are limited!

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Brief:

When shopping, movies and clubbing sound too ordinary to you, why not try on something more challenging and enticing?

Youth development NGO, Raleigh International Kuala Lumpur will be organizing an Introduction Weekend (IW) from 18 to 20 December 2009. All Malaysian youths aged 17 to 24 are welcomed to join us at the 3 days 2 nights camping event.

Introduction Weekend serves as a prerequisite and training ground for potential Raleigh International Expedition Venturers. During the Introduction Weekend, participants will be exposed to different skills and activities that are similar to experiencing an expedition.

What is an expedition?

Being a UK-based charity, Raleigh International inspires youths from all backgrounds and nationalities to discover their potential by working together on adventure, community and environmental projects. The 10 week long expedition is an eye opener for youths to meet people with different backgrounds and work in challenging conditions.

Since 1984, over 300 Malaysian youths have been taking part in Raleigh International Expeditions, be it local or international. Even HRH Prince William went to a Chile Expedition in 2000 as part of his gap year.

Expedition countries this year include Costa Rica / Nicaragua, India, and Sabah. The next expedition will take place in February 2010.

Who is eligible to join IW?

If you are between the age of 17 to 24 and is able to converse in English, do not miss the opportunity to meet up with other youths who share the common interests as you. Participants are preferably able to swim 200 meters unaided. A minimal fee of RM 50 will be charged, which covers insurance, transportation, food and accommodation expenses over the weekend.


We look forward to meeting young and vibrant adventure enthusiasts at the event!


Get Out There!

Chong Poh-E
PR 09/10
Raleigh Kuala Lumpur

For FAQ on our IW, please click here.

Raleigh KL's LAST MONTHLY MEET of 2009

December Monthly Meet !! Rally the Raleigh way.

Date : 5th December 2009

Venue : Batu Caves’ Stairs

Time : 8.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.

5th December is the 339th day in 2009, indicating we are coming to an end of 2009 !! It’s time to look back on what we’ve done and look forth for what to be done !

A little history on 5th December:

-5th December is the 339th day on 2009

-(1945) In the 'Bermuda Triangle' five US Navy bombers, on a training flight, disappear without trace.

-(1756) Mozart’s birthday

-(1901) Walt Disney’s birthday ! I mean the human, not the famous theme park.


If you feel you had not done any extraordinary things or have a great fun, this could be your final chance for 2009!

Try some hardcore physical challenge before in the urban areas of KL !! Rally your way up and down the 272 concrete steps.

How to run?
You will be divided into teams. Each team will have 3-5 members; you shall discuss how to allocate your members along the staircase. Once you made up there, you will have to make your way down as quickly as possible before other teams catch up!

If there is too much teams, we may need to do preliminary rounds before the real final!

Surprise awaits the winner!!

Come and join this monthly meet and meet people who may share the same interest with you!!

Besides, Raleigh KL has some hot new updates about their recent Raleigh Asian Regional Conference, venturers’ expedition updates and also the upcoming introduction weekend!

100 % money back guarantee if you do not sweat!!

Meeting point?
Gombak LRT.
8.00am SHARP!!

Member fee RM 8.00

Non-member fee RM 10.00

Wear proper attire that will make you run the fastest!! Get some training before appearing. Or you simply just want to stroll along the stairs to marvel the beauty of batu caves.

If interested please register at https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/raleighinternational.org.my/viewform?formkey=dHNtYm9nNmNGeWN2SUd1R1VucEN6amc6MA

For more information, you can contact:

Dino +6 012 686 3457
huiyein@gmail.com

Invitation to Participate in Let's Take A Walk 2009 - by Raleigh Society Singapore

Raleigh Society Singapore is organizing Let’s Take a Walk (LTAW), from 19 to 20 December, this year. In its 6th year, it is an overnight round-island walk to raise funds for selected beneficiariesThe growth of the event, both in scale and proceeds, has not only raised the profile of Raleigh Society nationally, but also benefited various local beneficiaries. We are working to position LTAW as a key event in the national sporting calendar with these efforts.
As we continue to strengthen the network of Raleigh groups around the region, we would like to invite members of Raleigh International (KL) to join us in LTAW 2009. While there are 3 categories for this Walk, we would like to invite you to participate in the 100km relay walk, which we have specially planned for the Raleigh Support Groups (SG). Each leg of this Walk would be an average of 20km. Only registered Raleigh KL paid members are eligible to participate in the relay event. Please drop an email to secretary2@raleighinternational.org.my for registration.

The Walk starts early Saturday morning and we suggest that participating SG teams arrive by Friday afternoon as we have planned a briefing at 8pm that evening. There is no limit to the number of participants per SG.

Meanwhile, a brief itinerary is reflected below.

Date	Activity	Remarks
18 Dec, Friday	Arrival of Raleigh Support Groups Briefing (8pm)
19 Dec, Saturday	Start of Walk (100km)	Participants will be split into teams to participate in 100km relay-walk.
20 Dec, Sunday	End of Walk

Deadline for registration: 3 Dec 2009. We look forward to seeing you at the event.

Thank you.

Raleigh Society Singapore

For more information please refer to the official event website: http://www.letstakeawalk.sg/

and Facebook Event page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119645922128&ref=ts

looking back, looking forward!

Name: Teoh Shu Woan

Date: 13 November 2009

Expedition: Expedition Borneo 09B as a host country venturer

What are you doing now?

Postgraduate studies. Ecological studies of Irrawaddy dolphins. I estimate their population size through distance sampling method, and observe their behaviour. Enjoying being the only ‘ah moi’ on an island that is half Sabah, half Indonesia.

What has Raleigh meant to you?

If it wasn’t for Raleigh KL, I wouldn’t be writing this piece. I think I would’ve miss out a lot had I not submit the IW registration form. For me, it was a case of ‘now or never’ as I was reaching the age limit for expedition. Volunteering with the support group, I saw different ways of approaching matters and solving problems. My favourites - being a leader doesn’t mean you have to constantly show a constipated-like face; and a post mortem of any event can be a diplomatic affair, without shouting matches, chairs flying, and people crying.

The 10 week expedition meant a lot to me. A journey of discovery it was. I got to know a different side of my country, fellow Malaysians whom I only know vaguely about, annoying ang moh venturers that turned out to be my best friends, and also myself.

Living in an environment and with communities that were totally different from the one I grew up in, had a huge impact on me. My daily complains and worries became so insignificant when compared to what the villagers faced day in day out, and what some of my fellow venturers have been through. Life has been rather comfortable, without many hiccups. Imagine this; some villages are 4 hours a way from the main road, only assessable by a 4WD. Not having water supply for a prolong period that people have no choice but to move from their homes to another village.

Throughout the 10 weeks, I reflected on my past, gained some self belief, and figured out the kind of life I want to live. Being in the middle of two very different cultures, I learn that diversity adds strength to a group’s dynamics. A lot of little things inspired me. My guide spending tine with his son early in the morning; a South African who-thinks-he’s-a-Malaysian helping four villages in Batu Puteh to establish eco tourism and telling youths to be proud of their culture.

It is impossible for me to summarise the whole experience into one article. All I can say is volunteering for the environment and community will always be in my blood.

my Sabah 09E -xpedition

Name : KOONG HUI YEIN

Date: 2^nd July 2009

Expedition : Raleigh Borneo Summer 09E

What are you doing now?

Second Year in persuing my degree in Economics at HELP Academy

What has Raleigh meant for you?

How shall I say, is it expedition which gave a turning point to me? Not entirely.

It’s joining Raleigh which really changed me. And it is the people of Raleigh who really give me the inspiration and confidence.

Before joining expedition, I think my life will be so expected, finish a degree, get a job, get a career and secure the earnings, and die. Not anymore now, after my 09E expedition, I understand that life is always full with surprises and I should never fear of the unexpected.

The journey from introduction Weekend, to fundraising, to expedition and then finally get back to peninsular and being active in Raleigh, these amazing experience had taught me how to achieve things when you put your heart to it. It was really my first time during expedition that I felt I made a difference to the people in need and the environment. The gratitude received from the community I was working with just touched my heart so deeply and I still miss them until now. And for the very first time, I felt that we human actually will not have barriers to each other, if we try to put ourselves in each other’s shoes and give more time to understand each other and live as one.

During expedition, I had really met people from around the world, from UK, Scotland to Bermuda, there were so many people full with passion in them and their confidence in achieving things had awed me and gave me a learning opportunity. Since then, I always had this little motto to remind me, “why not? While you can.” It reminds me that rather feeling regret, give it a try and even if it fails, you learnt something at least. It’s really the people in Raleigh that had shaped most of my amazing experience during expedition. They are so deeply carved in my heart and I will remember them for the rest of my life. That’s the outcome of my expedition, confidence, passion and genuine friendship from abroad and in Malaysia!! Sometimes, you’ll find yourself just laughing to yourself recalling to the good-old-expedition-days. Now, my life goal is not just to get a career anymore, but to get out there, and seek my own adventure!!

“Imagine all the people, living life in peace, woohoo ooo

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one,

I hope someday you’ll join us,

In the world we live as one” -by John Lennon from “Imagine”

Adrian Yeo 02L Venturer recalls...

Name: Adrian Yeo
Date: 10th November 2009

Expedition(s): 02L Sabah

What are you doing now?

Climate Change Youth Activist - based in Copenhagen for COP15 UNFCCC Climate Change Conference

What has Raleigh meant for you?

It never has, had or have been. Raleigh 'is' still very much alive in me. Big part of my formative years as an adult is spent with Raleigh. Expedition is only 3 months, but I'm with the Kuala Lumpur support group for over 7 years. It is family. A family who knows no borders, from Hong Kong to Langkawi to London, you are sure to find a like-minded soul to host you for a cup of tea after an evening of adventure. It is brotherhood. A sibling whom you share underwear. And a pot of tom-yam-kung is for always UKK (untuk kawan-kawan / English=always for friends)

My raleigh life is filled with adventure. Both physically and mentally. My first fundraising project was with Chung Ming, my fellow expedition mate. He really showed me that with the Ra-Ra spirit, anything is do-able. A car wash project can turn into a house cleaning and garden pruning and even PR-ing Raleigh along the way. During my days with 02L gang, it was another roller coaster ride. Stuck with hundreds of young adults from Glasgow and Edinburgh, and learning words like 'minging' and 'bollocks' and actually missing electricity and running tap water. Jumping into the water from 3-stories high, trekking in the heat of the night and priming the battery charger while sharing dark secrets after dinner is quite soothing. Then it was the drama of all drama, when tough decisions have to be made. It really tests your foundation and bring out the best in you. Life in Raleigh is not always rosy, but thorny, muddy, rocky and sometimes a burn on the thigh with a heater lighter (thanks Lisa Kirkpatrick)

You'll get twice as much as you put in, that's Raleigh to me.

Drake's Borneo visit: By SuLan Yang

Name: Yang Su Lan



Date: 08 Nov 2009



Expedition: Borneo Summer09 Expedition (09E)



What are you doing now: Pharmacy 2nd year student at Nottingham University



What has Raleigh meant to you:

I guess none among the thousands ex-venturers regretted spending their 10 weeks' time out of normal life to embark on a Raleigh expedition, so am I.



So far, 10 weeks 'summer runaway vacation' to Sabah is still the most unforgettable 10 weeks in my life. It is so memorable and unique that I can still visualise vividly what I did on when and who I met at where. Being thrown into nowhere in the middle of Borneo jungle, I was given an opportunity to get ridiculously dirty and sweaty to construct a jungle camp in harsh environment; become so tanned that I was stunned by my skin color when I first looked into a mirror after working 3 weeks on a kindergarten site; challenged myself mentally and physically to the extreme in order to complete a 12 days trek at serene Long Pa'sia jungle with a little award journey to the hidden but undisputedly marvelous Maga Waterfalls.

[drake visited my environment phase--sepilok jungle camp]

Besides all the hardcore and fun stories shared by all, Raleigh expedition help improved my interpersonal and communication skills by forcing me ought to live together with strangers from either the UK or Bermuda. In this small community, I Iearnt how other youngsters work, communicate their different perspectives of life and not-to-forget but most importantly discovered the unknown side of myself. Despite Sabah is one of the states in Malaysia, I experienced culture shock in rural small village during my community phase. Life-long friends can be found in this lovely piece of land, where the simple yet sincere aboriginal community called it home.



Initiated by the love towards this kind of lifestyle and heartened by the kindness of the villagers, I revised my pharmacist dream. In the future, my dream is to gain as much pharmacy knowledge and bring benefits to this group of people by working in the place where I'm needed most. Upon returning home, I re-joined Raleigh committee as Expedition Officer to assist more youngsters like myself to their once-in-a-lifetime expedition. The environment and people could be the same but I feel myself it isn't the "usual" me anymore. People changed to improve, so get rid of the blues and keep up the positive spirit. Oh ya, friendship in Raleigh KL is not OK to NOT give it a mention. Without them, the crazy fellas, Raleigh KL is not Raleigh KL anymore as ALL of my crazy acts and thoughts are due to their enlightenment and influence.

[a visit to Mt.K peak]

Someone said this that I second: 'Life would never be the same without Raleigh.' I'm so into it that I couldn't imagine how my recent life will be if I hadn't decided to participate in 168Tahan Adventure. Raleigh saved me from my otherwise ordinary monotonous life.

[there I go! Get OUT there!]