Globetrotting on a Shoestring Budget

When? 31 January 2009, Where? Pahang Room, Shangri-la Hotel KL

The traveller’s bug is certainly alive and kicking at our club judging by the amount of globe-trekking done by our members. We figure there’s no one better to give advice than our peers who have been to amazing places and done amazing things – especially when they’re doing it all on a super-tight budget.

Also in attendance was alumni Tang Weng Cheong who will be leaving for his fully-sponsored Rotary Group Study Exchange trip to the Lake District, United Kingdom. Cheong gave a short speech thanking us for all the assistance given in his GSE application. We can’t wait to hear all the stories once he gets back!

Speakers of the day include IPP Neeraj (Rotary sponsored programs like GSE, Interota Korea and International RYLA in US), Rtr David (Bali), President Kavita (Europe) and Mei Han (Australia & Asia). Indeed, many of the things shared could only be picked up through experience – for example, Mei Han taught us how to pack our bags and things to consider ahead while planning a backpacking trip; Kavita shared how she started planning her Winter Europe trip through Amsterdam, London, Paris and Germany months in advance to capitalize on cheaper budget fares & using different modes of transport. There were many gems of travel wisdom that we gleaned so those who missed it – well, sorry, but its just too much for us to write it here.

Movie Outing: Underworld 3

Report by Rtr David Lee

Both Underworld 3 and Red Cliff 2 have been one of those highly anticipated film of year. That’s why I planned to watch Underworld 3 on the premier night. Our group split into 2, Alan(my brother), Anu, Anusha(Anu’s guest) and I (David) watched Underworld 3. While, Cheong watching Red Cliff 2 alone. All of us gather at McDonalds and chat before the movie starts. The dress code of the day is, for vampire fans you need to wear black clothing and for lycan fans you need to wear brown clothing. Anu and I wear black; we are vampire fans. My brother is a lycan fan but he wears black cause he doesn’t have brown clothing. Anusha is neutral and she wears red.

Underworld 3 tells the story the about crucial incident on when the war started between lycans and vampires. The story goes that a lycan named Lucion falls in loved with a vampire,Sonja. Eventually, she becomes pregnant of Lucion’s baby. Victor and other vampires become furious, as they don’t want to have a hybrid baby born with blood of both clans to be in the living world. So, they ordered a death execution on Sonja. Lucion failed to save her. Out of anger Lucion form a lycan troop and wage a war against Victor and his clan.

There are a few good fight scenes in the film. I like the plot a lot but I think vampire doesn’t stand a chance with the lycans in this film. As a result, the movie is bias towards lycans which makes the film lack of ‘balance of the force”. Unlike the previous Underworld series, the vampire has the some advantage towards the Lycans by using the gun’s firepower. But still all of us enjoy the movie, will there be Underworld 4? Nobody knows. If it does have one, RACKL will surely organize a movie outing on it.

Interact Leadership Training Seminar

When? 17 January 2009, Where? Sri Garden School, Taman Maluri
Adapted from Report by Wesley Methodist School Interact Club

The Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur Diraja organised a leadership training seminar for their Interact Clubs and as per tradition, the Rotaractors were invited to be joint-moderators of the sessions as well as plan the ice-breaking games.

We began with some icebreaking: an infusion of Simon Says and adjectives on names (Ed Note: Some of the RACKLians even took the opportunity to “bully” some of the  Interactors into doing crazy actions!). Followed by scintillating opening speeches by New Generations Director Rotarian Hardeep Singh and RCKLD President Rotarian Francis Chan.

The talks were followed by a break for refreshments and then when we returned, the Interactors were split up into groups according to posts: Teacher Advisors, Presidents and Vice-Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers and Funding Directors, I.U. Directors, Service Directors and Club Service Directors. Each break up group was moderated by a Rotarian and a Rotaractor.

The session concluded with a presentation on what the Interactors learnt by two members of each group, followed by Prize Giving, where Sri Garden swept all. Then President Kavita gave a little speech on the next step for Interactors after they have left school – Rotaract. The day ended with a scrumptious lunch.

Happy 2009 & A Trip to Kuala Selangor

Happy New Year all!
The last month has been quite busy as we wrapped up 2008 with the holiday season and a number of community service events – notably the Red Ribbon Charity Walk and Project Gift A Kid.

January also marks RACKL’s Annual General Meeting on January 10th. As per the club’s tradition, all the members get together for an open session where we review the activities of the past 6 months and brainstorm on what we can do for the next half of the term. This time round, we decided to treat ourselves to a little weekend retreat at Kuala Selangor. Of course, once we got over the “serious” meeting part, it was time to party!

Highlights of the trip:
* A tesco shopping trip solely for the purpose of sustenance – junk food!
* Firefly boat ride at Bukit Belimbing
* A midnight game of Pictionary Mania! that led to some guy on guy action, acrobatic stunts, finger on back drawing and classic lines born out of frustration.
* Having silverleaf monkeys bravely tag along, scurry up shoulders and hang off the back of our shorts at Bukit Melawati (while freaking out a few other racklians who did not want to be near any of em)
* Lovely fresh seafood dinner and lunch – crabs, crabs and more shellfish!
* Filling up the cars on our way home at Pasir Penampang with all sorts of keropok.

Movie Outing: Bedtime Stories

When?  7 January 2009, Where? Midvalley Megamall
Report by Rtr David Lee

As usual, we have our regular movie outing with our members and guests. But this time we have a new guest joining us, Eleena. Bedtime Stories is about a guy named Skeeter(Adam Sandler) who magically make the bedtime stories become real as he reads it to his 2 nieces at night.

Before watching the film, I have received mixed review about the film. One of them is from our RACKL’s president, Kavita who that said this movie is quite kiddy and suit for a family to watch it. And another from Kuhan who thinks is a great film and he watched it twice.

I plan to watch the film with RACKL members and guest just because of the fact that it’s Adam Sandler’s first time working with Disney. Its quite an ought combination, I just want to know whether Adam Sandler can ace this or not.

The film turns out to be very funny and quite entertaining. All of us enjoy the comedy and the plot of the film. At the end of film it hinted there will be a sequel to this film, I will be looking forward to that.