Birthdays

It has been a week of birthdays. 

Last Sunday we celebrated Raymond's mom's birthday with the force of the whole family: grandparents plus five siblings with their spouses and children. Plus me. We ate 10 course meal in a Chinese Restaurant. Delicious! (Even though I didn't taste the special delicacy, shark fin soup, out of ethic reasons.)

Make a wish!

My own birthday celebration started day early when Nick brought me this beautifully (self) packed present.

It contained this huge San Francisco coffee bowl: Life is Good! Perfect office accessorio P.S. The person behind the cup is the person behind the cup.

On my birthday morning - on the 30th of July - the whole apartment was decorated with cute Happy Birthday -notes.

On the evening I got my own birthday cake at the Italian restaurant where we ate delicious dinner with friends. I cut the cake half way and made a private wish. What a beautiful birthday! My first in Asia ;)

P.S. Happy birthday to all other birthday girls and boys out there! Make it a good one!

Putrajaya

Just little bit to South from Kuala Lumpur lies a city called Putrajaya. It is the administrative center of Malaysia and it is completely "planned city". About 20 years ago a master idea was proposed and the city has been build according that plan. Each building is an unique artwork by different Malaysian architect while the over all style remains cohesive.

You know those moments when your seeing something so unbearable beautiful, or big or just otherwise unfamiliar for your eyes that it is hard to believe that sight. I had that kind of sensation when we - my KL family members as my tourist guides - were entering the Putrajaya. City surrounded by lakes (which were build after they build the bridges) and colored with majestic architecture. 

Beauties

Orchids from the Orchid garden.

This butterfly greeted us on our hallway. I got my picture just before it flew away.

To Be

I have so much to tell you! But as it goes the more I would have to tell the less time I have to actually do it. 

Now I thought about sharing with you that I've joined a local Shakespeare workshop. We are working on the play Merchant of Venice. I've participated in three sessions already and I am really enjoying it. Our guru is an English gentleman Chris who has made a strong impression on me with his knowledge of Shakespeare and his mechanic acting technique workouts. After every session I feel like I've grown as an actress. Or at least my awareness of my self as an actress and a breathing-moving-being has grown. 

But I must admit it is still a very big challenge for me. I have never done theatre in English not even mentioning of Shakespeare. But I really love it. And the small group of drama lovers with whom I can identify.

In pray you tarry; pause a day or two

Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong,

I lose your company; therefore forbear a while.

There's something tells me (but it is not love),

I would not lose you; and you know yourself

Hate counsels not in such a quality.

(Shakespeare - Merchant of Venice)

Volunteers Needed

Finnished poster work from last week.

Updated PR-Photos of the Kurma Boxes

Photos by my lovely pocket camera Vivitar.

My Sunday

Today I did a little adventure around the city traveling with the futuristic Monorail. The Lake Garden was a peaceful place with it's own lake, deer zoo and orchid garden. I walked, draw and took photographs for the whole day.

Helo & Other Random Shots

Helo, helo.

My first trip in a local bus. It was quite luxurious: space to sit, good air conditioning, music and it cost 0,70rm which is about 14 cents!

Flower Boy

Jeremy got a huge bucket of flowers. I've never seen everybody receive such a big and beautiful arrangement of flowers. He was such a sweetheart and gave one rose to me as well. 

FOOD !

WARNING! Do not look at these photos if you are hungry or thirsty!

Giant prawns!

Selections from a vegetarian buffet.

Dramatic fish.

Ok. This one might not look as yammy or exotic BUT it is really good! It's a peanut toast with butter and Kaya yam which is really sweet stuff and made mostly from coconut. 

Iced lemon tea. So good during the warm-hot-sweaty days!

The Pool

Work days can be quite long but luckily in the morning I have time to take a little swim on our court yard's pool. There is never a rush at that time of the day. Only one lady jogger in a yellow shirt who walks around the pool and says with a big smile "Good morning!".

Boxes

We are doing a Kurma fundraising project for charity. There is two different kind of  boxes and each include 6 dates.  

Kevin is concentrating on getting the dates inside the box.

I tied the ribbon.

...and took the pictures.

First Day at Work

This is one of things I did today. I mean I re-did the graphic design. But it is also for you to know what PT Foundation actually is about. I will tell you a lot more during this 5 months of course but this is a good information package to start from.

P.S. I just saw a cute little lizard in the kitchen of the office!

Living

I'm living in the 19th floor of a building that is situated in the northern side of KL. From the other side of the floor there is a this view directly to the famous Petronas Twin Towers. 

This charming couple is my host. Raymond is on the left and Hisham on the right.

View from my room. The pigeon shall become my pet.

The same view at night.

Fresh passport photos for the key-identification-card for the building. P.S. Kevin and Jeremy said I look like I came from the Mickey Mouse club.

Kuala Lumpur Calling

First night in Kuala Lumpur. Little jet lagged after 15h in a plane but overwhelmed by the view of the Asian city center. It is very hot and sweaty here. Three showers a day is not exaggeration!

Man repairing a Chinese temple.

Fruits in China Town.

Art Gallery exhibition and the artist him self standing in front of one of his self-portraits.

The visitors were able to draw their own artworks to photocopies of the artist's face. Kevin, who is originally from Ireland and has worked in PT Foundation in KL now for 9 months, is just hanging his drawing. 

Farewells

The farewell party during my last night in Helsinki was magical. An australian band called Chevrolet Rise played acoustic concert in a court yard of Cafe Engel. My lovely friends stayed up with me until the morning and wished me warmly Bon Voyage! 

3 Days to Go

People/friends are asking if I'm nervous. I don't "feel" nervous. More I'm anticipating to get everything ready and to be sitting in that plane. I think I will realize only then that I've gone. That I'm going. Flying over miles and miles and heading up to new adventures. My to-do lists are getting shorter point by point.

The Helsinki Youth Department has already said their farewells to me with warm hugs and cute souvenirs. The Activity Agreement has been signed by me and I must say that I'm quite excited about my upcoming work tasks:

• The volunteer will be assisting the Advocacy Manager in work related to marketing, advertising, promotion, publicity, media liaison, communications and social networking.
• She will help to develop content and design for both printed materials and internet media related to HIV prevention, support and care
• She can also assist in designing communication materials for PT Foundation's World AIDS Day campaign held in end November 2009
• She can also assist in PT Foundation's 21st Anniversary Charity Dinner and Show by getting involved in the costume and backdrop production and stage performances.
• Help to organize fund raising projects eg. T-shirt creation for charity sale.

It sounds like I'll get to do everything I like to do and do it for important cause. What more could a girl possibly ask for?

On the Verge of Leaving

One week from now I'll be flying over seas to Malaysia Kuala Lumpur. Before that I still have lot of things to do. For example: 

• arranging this blog
  
• moving out from my apartment
  
• moving out from my work studio
  
• print my plane tickets
• get a birth certificate
• buy new sneakers
• having a farewell party (never underestimate the  importance of social commitments!)

:)