News #3

*colored texts are clickable links, do hop around!*

As what have been updated here, it is obvious that we have got all details confirmed and we are ready to pack and depart! :) Before that, let us go through what has been done in class, and what has been shared and updated here so that we'll be fully prepared for the trip! ;)

Madey Shihab shared with us and summed up all of our pre-tour process. Therefore, do hop to this post of him; Pre Tour Summary to get ideas of what has happened and to get clues on our departure later on. Thank you Madey for the informative summary! :)

Sarah Wijesinghe has explained and given us a quick look on our itinerary in Sri Lanka, take your time and read it just to get insights what we will be facing later on ;) Aminath Ishrath has brilliantly discussed on the civil war of Sri Lanka to give us ideas on what happened in the past, and also she is thoughtful enough to share her research on all four hotels that we would be staying in when we are there. Many thanks to Ishrath!

It is amazing how Zaid shares their personal experience in handling our visa matters with Sri Lankan embassy. It is a good article as it provides insights how the embassy issues their visas. And it was nice for Mashi to share what his team has come up with for our Risk Management Plan! We are fortunate to be assisted with a concerned Crisis Team who will be ensuring the smoothness of our trip and of course, our safety in Sri Lanka :)

Do take a look and read what Diana has to share on Sigiriya. It was nice of her to provide us with upfront information on the site and on the same time making us all excited to visit the place ourselves! and let's not forget to read what Irvan has to share on Hikkaduwa, a famous beach in Sri Lanka. He suggests some activities that we can engage there ;)

Mentioning Hikkaduwa reminds me of posts written by Grace Tham :) Being a passionate diver, she shares some information and of course her excitement on diving in Sri Lanka! other than that, she has also contributed another post which focuses on the sport surfing. So anyone who's thinking of diving or surfing in Sri Lanka, do hop around and read Grace's posts!

Other than that, we received a post specially written by our lovely guests from Switzerland, Corrine Jucker and Nina Wüst. It is quite interesting to read on how they see us and their opinions of us and Taylor's University. These two Swiss exchange students seem to be enjoying themselves and are excited of our upcoming trip too. Let's give them a memorable experience and let's continue to provide them with Asian hospitality! :p

Oh, Sarah has also shared an important information to us on our page, did you see it? You can bring your ringgit or US dollars there and get them exchanged with Sri Lankan rupee. Don't worry on that ok ;) and bring as much as you think you need, it's really up to you to decide. And not to forget, thanks to Malika Temirova for being thoughtful to have shared this video; Packing like a Pro on our Facebook page.. I hope this video would be helpful! still, Ishrath has reminded us to pack light as we would be changing hotels :p

guessed you guys have watched it.. Did you get to lessen the headache? :p 

So we have managed to settle all what is needed for our study trip. Great thanks to our Tour Manager, Madey Shihab for working hard on this, Grace Tham for assisting him, applied all of our visas on her own and also monitored on other tasks. Not to forget both Aminath Ishrath and Sarah Wijesinghe for making many arrangements, negotiated with our suppliers and settling issues all by themselves. And to other classmates who have been a huge help in making this trip feasible. And lastly, of course to our one and only lecturer, Paolo Mura who has been with us since day 1 of this tour planning and will be accompanying us during the trip and yeah, till the semester ends :p Thank you.... 

Let's start packing and let's make it a memorable trip for everyone! 

Sri Lanka, you'll be invaded...... see you tomorrow!

:p

Regards,
Class Trip Secretary 

Pre Tour Summary

By: Madey Shihab

We have come a long way, from choosing a destination to finalizing every element to near perfection. There was much to do before this tour could be put in place. But now, as we approach the departure date there is a feeling of elation and high spirits. This semester has been very testing to all of us, in terms of the work load. And our trip to Sri Lanka will be both educational as well as an enjoyable experience.

Leaving on the 12^th of November which falls upon a Monday, we will be flying with Air Asia to reach our destination. The flight departs from LCCT at 1100hrs and reaches Sri Lanka at 1200hrs, local time. We will be gathering at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus at 0630hrs to take the Taylor’s bus directly to the airport. Meanwhile, a few of us have decided to use their own modes of transport as they live in the KL area.

Since our group is large, and to contest any issues that might arise at the airport groups of students have been put under the leadership of select students. The groups are based on the grouping presented in the flight booking. This is to ensure that if there is a problem these leaders may sort it out, or reduce any confusion or chaos.

Visa is a very important element of our trip. There is no option for a visa on arrival, and all visa applications needed to be carried out well in advance as to ensure everybody could travel. Hence, each person is advised to bring their own visa printed out. Besides this, Diana Knezevic, the in charge for visa will be printing out everyone’s visa as a safety measure. This is again to reduce any complications that might occur.

We have thought of in advance a few issues that we need to be aware of while in Sri Lanka. The culture would be without doubt different from that of Malaysia. Although Malaysia is a multicultural country, there are certain traditions and customs that we need to be prepared for. And we should be mindful to respect these differences. We have covered this in more detail during the Risk Management Plan which was presented earlier in class.

Besides the culture there is also the component of safety. Sri Lanka is not a dangerous country, but as such a great number of students are travelling we are to be mindful of each other. Thus, the brilliant minds of our Risk Management Team brought to us the concept of a buddy system. Where there is a leader for a selected number of students. And these leaders would ensure that they all stick together and look out for each other. As I mentioned before, Sri Lanka is not a dangerous country, but these are just precautions.

After everything that has passed, concluding the final class for today everyone was very energetic and hyped up for the trip. After a pre-tour briefing and assigning roles for students to perform while on the trip the class was concluded. And everybody went home, without doubt, looking forward to “Discover Sri Lanka”.

Let's Surf!

By: Grace Tham

An interesting fact, do you know that skate boarding and surfing are very similar in many aspects? The only difference between these two sports is that, skate boarding, you fall on solid ground where as surfing, you fall into the water. Do you also know that skate boarder would rather skate board than to surf as they think that surfing is far more dangerous than skate boarding?

Funny isn't it? If you are skate boarding, you will have risks in breaking your bones when you fall or even get yourself killed against the solid ground. While surfing you will only fall into the bed of water where you can actually swim yourself to the surface to save yourself. Sometimes I wonder what does a skate boarder thinks? Interesting?

For surfer or even people who want to try surfing, Sri Lanka is the right place for you to visit! According to magicseaweed.com, an international surf guide website; Hikkaduwa provides waves for all types of surfers from beginners to advance. Beginner surfer such as myself can capture waves at the North Jetty in Hikkaduwa whereas intermediate and pro surfer such as Nina Wüst can travel a bit further to places like Galle. 

In destination such as Hikkaduwa itself, it has swelled up to approximately 4 feet or maybe above. This is why Hikkaduwa suits surfers of all levels. In addition to that, Hikkaduwa being famous for surfing, there are also many surf shops available by the sea shore. With these surf shops, surfers can not only obtain surf boards but also other accessories such as wax, fins, leashes, bag and even luggage. From my research done through the internet, these surf shops also provide surfing lesson for beginners like you and I. 

Being a baby or beginner surfer (as I've tried only once in Sunway Lagoon & few times while I was staying in Bali for a week), Hikkaduwa is definitely an opportunity for me to play this sport again.

Malaysia has its own surf spots such as Tioman Island, Cherating and many more but it is not an every day sport that I get to play. Although the nearest is Sunway lagoon surf beach but they do not open for surfing session everyday. Surfing there operates only on weekends. Plus, it is only an artificial surf spot. 

Thanks to Taylor's University and School of Tourism, Hospitality & Culinary Arts, my opportunity to surf again is possible. 

The Many Hotels of Sri Lanka!

By: Aminath Ishrath

Since we’ll be staying in 4 hotels on our trip this coming week, I thought it would be nice to give everyone a short brief about the hotels, assuming you haven’t looked it up on Google already. We might be (not sure) the first batch to stay in this many hotels just for one trip and it’s always sensible to know what you’re in for before you actually get there, right?

Pegasus Reef Hotel

So the first hotel we’ll be staying in is Pegasus Reef Hotel. Located in Wattala, this hotel is in a very good location because it is considered as pretty near to the airport and the distance to Colombo city is said to be about 40 mins (not that near hmmm). Reviews mention that the staffs are very helpful and accommodating and the rooms are decently serviced. The hotel is located on large piece of land with direct access to the beach so the scenery must be very pleasant.

For those who need internet to BREATHE, Agoda and Tripadvisor states that Wifi is free in the public areas but if you were to use it in the rooms, they will charge you for it. GASP!! COME ON PEOPLE, you can survive! Oh and a couple of guests who stayed there this September just had one issue, saying that mosquitoes found a way to enter their room at night. Not a major issue, but just carry some repellent like a normal person would J

Moving on to Amaya Lake Resort where we will be staying next, I’m really excited about this place! One, its set on the banks of Kandalama Lake! Two, the pool looks great! Three, the rooms are spread out in chalets and seem very cosy! This resort is part of Amaya Resorts and Spas that have properties in almost all the parts we’ll be travelling to in Sri Lanka. Wifi is free in the rooms as well as the public areas and guest reviews are very favourable and incline that the staff are friendly and the service is admirable. But they do state that the Hotel is pretty remote and can get a bit boring, but we’ll probably just pop in there to sleep after our climb to the fortress and all so monotony should not be an issue within our group, right?

Amaya Lake Resort

The next stop in our trip will be to Alpine Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.  Basically, referring to review and comments, the hotel is not great, not bad and just fine. Wifi is free in the rooms as well as the common areas and most guests have stated that the rooms are quite worn and would have been charming, years ago in Britain. Hmmm, ready to travel back in time for a day? :p

Alpine Hotel

Our last stop will be in Hikkaduwa where we will stay in Chaaya Tranz. It is one of the many properties that operate under the Chaaya brand of John Keells Holdings and they have 3 properties in Maldives too. The rooms in Chaaya Tranz are reviewed as very clean and well serviced and guests keep stressing that the staff is very helpful, welcoming and friendly. That’s always nice when we stay in a hotel right? Again, Wi-Fi is free and the beach is one of the best and most lively beaches in the area, with a great surf beach just 5 minutes away if you walk. But there were a few reviews that started that the service was pretty bad which leaves me quite confused. Maybe it’s just the people? Let’s hope so! :p

Chaaya Tranz

All in all, the hotels we will be staying in seem pretty darn good to me. Maybe because I’m used to budget hotels and these 4 seem pretty fancy. Maybe when we get back, everyone can contribute their own reviews about the hotels.

Oh and pack light, because it’s going to be a pain to move from every hotel if you travel like a first class diva :p

Let’s have some fun! 

Dive Sites in Sri Lanka

By: Grace Tham

One of the locations that we will be visiting when we are in Sri Lanka is Hikkaduwa. Hikkaduwa is one of the most popular beach spots located on the west coast of Sri Lanka. Many tourists from all over the world, visit Hikaduwa as their first destination as Hikkaduwa is located very near to Colombo International Airport. During the month of March to October, Hikkaduwa suffers from the monsoon season and during these times, many shops are closed for the season. Being one of the most famous beach spots, Hikkaduwa is famous for two water sports. First is surfing as during the non monsoon season, surfers can surf waves up to 3 - 4 feet high, while the second water sport is of course non other than scuba diving!

Scuba diving in Sri Lanka has existed for more than 20 years. Although scuba diving in Sri Lanka is not as famous as Maldives but Sri Lanka definitely has some killer spots that wreck divers, coral reef divers, cave divers or even micro divers would love to visit. Diving in Sri Lanka is very well known for their wreck dive. Being located in the Indian Ocean, it is no surprised that this route was traveled by many ships for trading or even battleships. According to the Poseidon Dive Station, a PADI five star dive center; there are about 10 shipwreck dive stop. Below are the dive locations, depth and some information about those sites;

As for reef & rock formations dives, there are about 10 dive sites but here I would only like to highlight the interesting dive sites available in the west coast. Cave, approximate 8 - 16 meters, in this dive, divers can enjoy diving in a small but beautiful cave near to Wallduwa. It is a great place for turtle, nudibranches and also other soft corals discovery. As for deep dive lovers, divers can opt for sites such as Black Coral Point; 16 - 30 meters, Kirala Gala 21 - 38 meters and Pathapara 32 - 36 meters. In these sites, divers can enjoy viewing groups of trigger fish, barracudas, spotted eagle ray and soft corals.

The dive center in Sri Lanka usually charges divers in Euro. It is no surprise if European market is their main target clients as the diving expedition is not only interesting but it is also nearer to their home countries compared to countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. With the versatility available in the west coast of Sri Lanka, it has definitely helped to boost their eco-tourism economy in the country.

Being a Batch 3 Travel & Recreation student from Taylor's University and also a diver, I am lucky and fortunate to be given this opportunity to explore the beautiful marine life in the Indian Ocean. Can't wait to dive in Sri Lanka! :)  

Itinerary

By: Sarah Wijesinghe

Our trip to Sri Lanka is based around the theme of Culture, Heritage & Adventure. After researching on potential attractions that could be visited, we came came up with our own customized itinerary based on everyone's preferences. Our main target is to be able to grab the opportunity of education while we also get to have fun outside of class. On our trip we would be visiting there of the top known UNESCO heritage sites in Sri Lanka which is Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, while also capturing the sacred sites for the Buddhist-Temple of Tooth Relic situated in Kandy.

We are known the first batch studying at Taylor's University to be touring Sri Lanka, giving us the opportunity to be experiencing something different from all of the others thus making us uniquely different and special :D These last weeks of planning and putting the tour together and finally implementing all of our plans have been quite an accomplishment. Now we look forward to discovering Sri Lanka, let's take a quick look at our itinerary;

DAY 1

Reviewing our first day of the tour, after landing in the International Airport of Sri Lanka, we would be taking a journey to Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka to explore various activities it has to offer, we look forward to splurge at shopping, and also to visit few well known sites such as the National Museum of Colombo before we head back to the hotel to enjoy the sunset by the beach at Pegasus Beach Hotel, our accommodation for the first night. The first day is made flexible as we would be spending part of the day travelling from Kuala Lumpur to our destination.

DAY 2

Second day of the tour begins with an early head start having had to discover the most important heritage sites included in our overall itinerary. After having an early breakfast at the Pegasus Reef Hotel we would be saying our goodbyes to Colombo and head to the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka located at the Central Province area. Our journey from Colombo to our first site Polonnaruwa would roughly be about 3 hours. 

Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 1993. It comprises, besides the Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas, the monumenral ruins of the fabulous garden-city crated by Parakramabahu 1 in the 12th century, later heading to explore the wonders of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress where we would be climbing over 300 steps. Yeah, sounds difficult but we are all high spirited and looking forward for the challenge, as I'm hoping! J 

After having lunch we would be visiting and Eco-Hotel in Dambulla named Kandalama Hotel known for its beautiful architecture (built by Geoffrey Bawa - renowned architect in Sri Lanka and was among the most influential Asian architects of his generation) that provides the perfect and ideal place for us to learn the importance of eco-tourism aspects. After a long day of exploring we would be checking in to Amaya Lake Resort which has been awarded the top four star hotel in Sri Lanka. 

DAY 3

The excitement starts as we head off to explore another area of Sri Lanka which is the hill side, since we would be travelling in November, this would be the perfect season to enjoy the climate of the hill country side of Sri Lanka. At first we would visit the Matale Spice Garden, variety of spices hand-reared and harvested at Matale Spice Garden is known as Sri Lanka's immortal soul. Here you'll find in abundance the great scents, tastes and medicines that made Sri Lanka famous. We would also be receiving a complementary massage at this visit to the Spice Garden that would greatly help us to release the stress of climbing the rock fortress J 

After the relaxation time is done we would be visiting the Kandy Temple of Tooth Relic also known as the Dalada Maligawa where we will learn the legends of the sacred tooth relic most holy to the Buddhists'. According to the requirements of any holy places we have to be dresses accordingly in order to enter as a manner of respect. We also look forward to enjoy a cultural performance at Kandy after we visit the Dalada Maligawa to experience the culture of Sri Lanka.

On our way going further to the hill side of Sri Lanka, we would be visiting a tea plantation as to tea is known as one of the top industries in Sri Lanka and it's also known for one of the best teas in the world, in here we would get a chance to consume a variety of tea samples provided freshly by a mountain top overlooking and surrounded y carpet of greenery of tea plants.

Once our journey has made its' way the final end by going to Nuwara Eliya. We would finally be able to rest and relax and enjoy the beautiful weather while exploring the city of Nuwara Elia. We can participate in boat riding by the lakes, bathing in the cold water of waterfalls surrounding the landscape, and finally we would check in to our hotel and rest for the long journey ahead towards the beach to enjoy the sun. 

DAY 4

On our fourth day of the tour, the journey from Nuwara Eliya to Hikkaduwa would be a three and half hours journey, we look forward to reaching the beach as soon as we could to gain the full grace the beaches of Hikkaduwa have to offer, beaches of Hikkaduwa are well known for surfers, divers and also to the party people. 

As of this day, we also look forward to plan and organize a team building activity that would help us all to work together as a team as we always have doe. After checking in to Coral Rock Hotel in Hikkaduwa, we look forward to participate in the various activities it has to offer from noon till night..

DAY 5

The final day of the tour has arrived and sadly we now have to pack our bags and head back to the International Airport of Sri Lanka to fly back to Kuala Lumpur. We would be having an early breakfast at the hotel in Hikkaduwa in order to make it on time for our flight. 

By the end of the tour, we look forward in learning many aspects of a new culture away from class, and being from Sri Lanka, the thought of visiting home may not be a new experience for me as compared to the others, but I genuinely look forward to gain experience travelling with all my classmates and I am very sure that our lecturer, all my friends in class and I would have bundle of fun DISCOVERING SRI LANKA....

Eagerly waiting........! J

Visa Matters

By: Zaid Bin Ahmad Fauzi

Great news!

For tourists wanting to visit Sri Lanka, they no longer have to fill in those pesky long forms for visa. Long gone are days where we would have to bring our passport sized photos and irritatingly fill in those visa forms as the Sri Lankan government has abolished the Visa on Arrival scheme for Tourist Visas and have moved to an online application system. Now, tourists will only need to apply for a visa in advance through the new online Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system starting this year. And best of all, it only takes a few moments for the application to be approved. That’s definitely great news for us as we will be visiting Sri Lanka in the very near future!

More on how the ETA System works, surprisingly it actually doesn’t issue any visas at all, what it does is provide an authorization for applying tourists to travel there. Once our application is approved, we will receive a notice through our e-mail which we must print out and carry with us to Sri Lanka. Once we reach there, a visa will be stamped in our passports when we pass through the immigration in Sri Lanka. Then we are home free!

Regarding the ETA website itself, the design is easy on the eyes and it is also user-friendly for tourists. We can see beautiful pictures of Sri Lanka’s famous attractions that entice us to go there straight away. The website also conveniently provides a complete list of all the information we would need, from who are required to apply to the fees information. The website also provides a step by step guide for applying. Therefore unwanted headaches can be avoided!

This is also a good opportunity to note that when we visited the Sri Lankan Embassy in Ampang, the hospitality there was great and gives a good image for the country. The officer in charge was polite and was very attentive to us. The officer provided clear and precise answers to all our questions. Furthermore, before leaving, the officer also gave us a number of brochures, guide books and maps on Sri Lanka for free. That’s 1^st class hospitality right here!

Besides that, as stated above, after applying online, it only takes a moment for it to be approved. Approximately a few minutes really and no application will take longer than 24 hours to be approved. This is a far cry from some other visa applications that required weeks or months to be approved. The ETA website also provides sample notices/e-mails for tourists’ reference.

As with all good things, there has to be a price, $20 to be exact. That’s how much most tourists would need to pay to apply. But it is money well spent I have to say.

With our trip to Sri Lanka upon us, we are looking forward to experiencing some more Sri Lankan hospitality first-hand. Culminating with a lot fun and exciting experiences!

À bientôt !

Risk Management Plan

Joon Neng & Mashi

By: Firhin Asykil Mashi, Lee Joon Neng, Reese Ng and Cheryl Yuan

In planning on this trip, we have come up with a risk management plan. This plan helps the group to anticipate risks, identify actions to prevent the occurrence and to reduce their impacts if they eventuate. The Risk Management Plan is created as part of the Risk Planning. It lists all foreseeable risks, classification and priority, preventive and contingent actions, together with a process for tracking them. This Risk Plan template will help us to perform these steps quickly and easily.

Cheryl Yuan

This plan is a necessity proposal for every trip. With this template too, it will help us to identify potential and possible risks during the trip. Furthermore, it helps to categorize and prioritize each risk. Besides that, this plan may determine the likelihood of the risk occurring and will also identify the impact on the tour if the risk does occur.

For the Sri Lanka Tour, we are the committee members whom are in charge to develop the plan. The leader for this committee is Firhin Asykil Mashi. Along him are the supporting members, Lee Joon Neng, Cheryl Yuan and Reese Ng. Our team is fortunate to get some assistance from our other classmates. 

Reese Ng

We have poured our hard work in developing and coming up with this plan. We sat together and brainstormed in coming up with possible risks and we have also provided a variety of solution based on different problems that might arise. Some of our team members have also come up with brilliant ideas, like the "buddy system" for our trip.

Even though our first presentation was a failure (we did not reach the objective), our second presentation was quite impressive as our classmates have accepted the plan that we developed. Dr. Paolo too has consented and approved our plan.

In conclusion, we are looking forward for the trip and we can say that we are well prepared to assist the class during the trip. Thank you, Sri Lanka here we come!!

Hikkaduwa

By: Irvan Kosindra

Hikkaduwa is a small town on the south coast of Sri Lanka. It is a 5 hours journey from Colombo to Hikkaduwa by bus. This beautiful town is well known and loved for its Coral Sanctuary. The Coral Sanctuary is an enormous shallow body of water that is enclosed by a reef, which is decked by different types and colours of corals and is also the dwelling place for many vibrant coral fish.

There are many things to do in Hikkaduwa. For instance, the sea with it’s marine life is really beautiful, so snorkeling, boating, sailing, surfing, and diving are very recommended. There are many dive center in this place. They provide diving equipment as well as surfing gear. They also provide diving lesson and surfing lesson for beginner. So it is opened for everyone who would like to try diving as well as surfing.

Another interesting leisure activity here is getting on to a glass bottomed boat in order to explore the beauty of the deep sea which has proved to be an extremely popular item amongst tourists.

Tourists can also visit the turtle farm & hatchery to see baby turtles and rescued/recovering turtles. In this place, Tourists will get to learn about the turtle’s lifespan and environment as well as the issues facing these creature. This place is very recommended to visit as well.

Furthermore, tourists can also visit Seenigama village which is situated on the south-west coast on the main Colombo-Matara road way. It is located just before Hikkaduwa village. There is a famous temple in this village which is called Seenigama Devalaya Temple. This temple is devoted for Devol Deviyan ( God Devol) and around 300 years old. But some people believe that this temple has been there for more than 1000 years. The uniqueness from this temple that the temple is located on close by island. And it can be reached only by a boat. This village has an annual festival to honor God Devol. The festival is held on July for 6 days in a row. One may say you will persuade to see the festival once again once you watch it. So tourists who visit this village during festival season, watching the festival is a must!

What about the food? Do not worry, there are numerous beach side restaurants, guesthouses, bars and pubs to satisfy our taste buds.

And after finish with all the activities, you might want to go to street stalls that sell numerous products. You can purchase local handicrafts, batiks, masks, jewellery, gems and many other accessories in this place.

Life as Exchange Students in Taylor's University

By: Corrine Jucker and Nina Wüst

We are extremely happy to have the opportunity to be here in Taylor's University as exchange students for one semester. We like it so much here that we would like to extend our stay. 

This exchange program is a great experience for us and comparing Taylor's to our home university, the HTW Chur; everything here is big. The HTW Chur located in Chur, which is the oldest city of Switzerland is rather a small university with around 1,600 students.

Even though that almost everything works differently here than at home, we do not have any problems in adapting ourselves. The only thing that we will probably not be able to get used to is all the rules and regulations that we have to adhere in the U Residence, we find it really strict. 

On class that we're attending, it is interesting to see how the lectures here are all organized and well designed. Furthermore, we are excited that we got to learn on other subjects that we did not study back home. Especially this subject, Tour and Travel Operations Management. This is because of its' practical part. It is highly interesting to learn on organizing a tour for a big group of students. It makes us realize how much work it has to take and on which aspect has to be paid attention on. Every part of it is very important.

During the group assessments, we also realized that we could learn a lot. And by working together with our classmates, we have also realized that they have different approaches of accomplishing the task compared to Swiss students. We got to learn some helpful tricks from our classmates and we wish to teach them to our classmates back home and hopefully, we could also bring in some ideas on how to work efficiently together.

And on this upcoming Sri Lanka trip, of course we are looking forward for the tour! Not just for the reason that Sri Lanka is a beautiful country to discover, but to also get to know our class better and to spend a good time together. 

One of the reasons that we favored Kuala Lumpur to do our exchange semester is to learn about a completely different culture or even more than one: Kuala Lumpur and especially Taylor's as an international university is a real melting pot. And for that reason, we get to know people, both locals and international students, whom are of different nationalities and cultures, which is really wonderful!

But still, we would like to know more on locals, or Asians in general. As in, do they behave differently here? How does the lifestyle of the ones in our age look like? What is their stance over different things? And so, we sincerely are hoping to get a deeper insight of the Asian culture during our international study tour. Besides that, we are naturally excited to go visit Sri Lanka with all its historical sightseeing points, the impressive scenery and of course the well-known beautiful beaches...