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Just a quick note to say hi. We really enjoyed our trip to Malaysia and are not quite ready to take down the blog :) Thanks for reading.

Wish us luck we're on our way....

Well, it's official...we have left Malaysia and are now in South Korea...waiting to catch our planes home. It has been a wondeful summer, something we won't ever forget and we are so glad we were able to share it with each other and all of you!

Keep in touch and wish us luck on the last leg of our journeys and on our upcoming adventures...

see you soon :)

Carrie & Sam

Saying good-bye to SKTM...

Today is already my last day at SKTM! I can't believe how fast this trip has gone by. While I am excited to get home, I am also sad to see this part of my life come to an end. It has been a truly AMAZING experience, one that I am never going to forget.

I taught for the last time today, math with my third graders, and at the end of the class they all kissed my hand. It is a custom for young children to kiss the hands of their parents or elders, or people they really respect, such as teachers. It was the first time I have ever had my students kiss my hands and probably the last, since American students won't be doing anything like that!

The school headmaster also wrote all of us a glowing letter of recommendation to put in our portfolios...printed on school letter head and everything! The school also gave us each a traditional water container...they were hand made and had a message from the school written on the bottom...something to cherish, that's for sure!

I am enjoying my last few hours at SKTM and while I am sad to be leaving, I am thankful for my time here and the wonderful people I have met. This really was a once in a lifetime opportunity, something I will cherish and remember forever. It's experiences like this that change a person. I can honestly say I have learned so much, about the world and myself. This trip was monumental in so many respects for me. It marked the end of a long journey to becoming a teacher and now that I am at the end I can really say I am ready for my next adventure...Thomas Stone, here I come :)

4 days and counting....

Until we are on our way back...so get ready!

It is so hard to believe we only have a few days left in Malaysia! We have had so much fun and have met some amazing people! It is just exciting to think about getting back and starting on our next big adventures....JOBS, although we're not sure how "exciting" that is for anyone besides our parents, who are eager to get us off "payroll" :)

Yesterday we went to Khir Jahari (one of the secondary schools) to participate in traditional Batik painting....yes it was challenging and YES we were TERRIBLE at it! But, we gave it our best shot anyway because we are such good sports about it all :) Batik is where you draw something and then trace it with hot wax and a little pouring thing (yes that is the technical term for it). After letting the wax dry, you paint the picture using watercolors...the color blend together to make fun designs and the wax maintains some order on the page.

Tonight is our last Tuesday class and extracurricular at UPSI, and afterwards we are all going for a massage! Should be a lot of fun!

Hope everyone is having a great day and just know we are thinking of you all the time and counting the days till we're back...

Update from SKTM (Sam's School)

So, the past week was incredibly busy here at SKTM. I spent time teaching all sorts of subjects and was even able to create and teach a special lesson comparing South Africa, The US and Malaysian schools! I created a powerpoint and students were able to go through the pictures and make observations of the things they noticed. Afterwards we made a compare and contrast chart in which we listed the similarites and differences of the three school. We ended with a question and answer session in which students were able to write their own questions to ask.
It was incredible and a great experience to be able to share with all my students :) It was definitley something I will always remember...

I was also able to co-teach with my left hip...aka Carrie. We taught a math lesson together and taught our students how to estimate length and then measure it using a ruler. It was challenging because not many of the students had used rulers before! Of course we ended our crazy lesson with a few rounds of math movers....just a little activity to get all the students hyper for their next teacher :)

This week is our last week...which means I only have a few days left with my classes at SKTM. It is so hard to believe it is almost over. I really mean it when I say, this has been a once in a lifetime opportunity and something I will NEVER forget. As both a person and a teacher it has given me new insights and perspectives and for that I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.

Just one week until I am in my own room setting things up and getting ready for my first year...I fully expect everyone to come visit me during my first year...and of course I'll send out pictures and updates as things progress...

Miss everyone terribly,
But so glad I can see out of my left eye again... :)

So, this weekend we got Pink-Eye and CRABS!

AHHHH!!!

That's right, this weekend it was trip number two to the clinic for me...because I got a grand case of pink-eye :( It hurt so bad, but not to worry...only 4 perscriptions and a few days and I should be as good as new! So, when I get back on Sunday you won't have to worry dad...and David, if the apartment isn't unpacked when I get back I might just rub some of my eye juice on you...mwah ahahah....just kidding!

As for the crabs, well we WERE at a traditional fishing village, so we got to catch out own FRESH soft-shelled crabs for dinner! What kind of crabs did you think I meant?

Hopefully Carrie will post the crab pics soon...because they really are quite funny!

Miss you all incredibly and can't wait to see you!

Hey good looking...

So check Sam and I out in our awesome baju kurungs and scarves! We wore them in the fishing village for our dinner and dance ceremony that they did as a welcoming ceremony! It was CRAZY hot in the entire outfit and then they made us dance! It was nuts... lots of fun to see what it is really like for them!

We had a great time at the fishing village in Penang, and we stayed the night with a home host for one night. We each had our own home host however mine didn't have anyone living in it! So I ended up staying with Ashley at her home host's house. It was a little crazy but the fresh sea food was super good and it was lots of fun to see a traditional fishing village!