A recent post on Ask MetaFilter asks:

How do you cope when you seem to be surrounded on all sides by ineffectiveness and apathy?

In his question, jmnugent talks about his frustration at seeing his work and ideas not coming to fruition due to the apathy around him. He feels that not many people “care about quality work” and only does the bare minimum, and is finding it hard to be passionate when it seems no one really cares.

There is quite an animated discussion over rewards for efforts, living on principle, and the value of ideas. In the middle of all this comes the true question: How does a passionate person get involved with other passionate groups and people?

The main answer is that you have to go and look for those groups and people – expecting them to look for you will not yield much. You may be lucky and get discovered, but – like being rich, being famous, or finding the love of your life – a lot of it requires effort. Along the way you’ll also need to earn trust, work on communications skills, and do the work without blame or worry on someone holding you back.

Fortunately it isn’t that difficult to get started. Here are some starting points (as posted by me to jmnugent’s question) on getting involved with other passionate people: (click on the More link)

Follow every lead

The thing about opportunities for passionate people is that once you find one, you end up finding a million more. All you really need to do is follow their lead.

Use Google (and other search engines) to the fullest – you can search blogs, books, and scholarly articles too. Find websites related to your passion, then find out who they link to and who links to them. A lot of those websites are communities, with members and resources, so you’re already in luck. Look for related discussion on blogs – often, the referenced websites and the websites of the commentors can also be useful sources. Look for Wikipedia articles on your passion, and follow links to referenced websites and related topics – more sources! Also, join email lists for your interests; often a lot of opportunities get passed around their members first before reaching the public.

A big thing that organizations and people with passion are doing is setting up a presence on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Get an account at either website, add your friends, and start investigating for related groups and profiles. Plenty of passionate people and organizations have created their own MySpace profiles to promote and network – add all that interest you, and keep up with their activities through their bulletins and blog posts. There are also groups you can join, and you can find related profiles by going through their Friends list. While personal profiles on Facebook are meant to link people that know each other (random adding is discouraged), various groups are available to connect people with similar interests together – from a group created by an NGO to promote its activities, to a special interest group on an issue like conservation or public health. LiveJournal is primarily a blog host; however, one of its strongest draws is its Communities, which are essentially a cross between a forum and a shared blog (depending on how the group owners and members use it) and can encompass many topics. Get an LJ and join some communities – if there isn’t one, start one!

The Internet, though handy, is obviously not the only source for information. Scour magazines and newspapers for related news reports or events. Most community publications would have some sort of a What’s Happening section for their area; read and check out some events, even if they don’t seem directly related. Academic journals are a very good way to stay informed on the latest research in your passion, as well as the people involved (more leads!).

Keep an eye out for flyers and posters in your community. Independently-owned shops are an especially good source for promotional material on communal activities. If you can’t afford to buy books, papers, or magazines, head to your local library – besides free reading material, they often have plenty of information about community activities and local issues. The librarians can also direct you to related resources if you ask.

Once you find one lead, follow all connecting leads – you’ll be surprised where you’ll end up. My United Nations trip came from a random serendipitous foray through blogs. What will you find?

Put yourself out there

If you want people to notice you, you need to make yourself available for noticing. There’s no shame in blowing your own horn occasionally.

Those leads you researched and followed, the events you’re going to? Use those times to mingle and get to know people. Bring some business cards, or more informal name cards (like Moo cards), and pass them out to the people you meet – and don’t forget to collect contact details too! Then follow up afterwards, even if it’s just a quick email to say “hi, it was nice to meet you”. A lot of people don’t bother following up, so you will definitely be remembered for doing so.

Writing is a very good way to get yourself noticed. You don’t necessarily need wordsmithing skills; just passion, dedication, and effort. The most common way is through blogging – either through starting your own blog about yourself or your passion, or by contributing and commenting to blogs on those topics. If you already have a good collection of resources and information about your passion, considering making a proper website. You can also combine blogs and general websites – having the foundational content (resources, 101s, links, etc) as pages on the website with a regularly updated blog for latest news and discussion. A good example of this is No Media Kings, a blog and a fully fledged resource website on independent media. Another possible option is to write a manifesto ChangeThis manifesto, a website that publishes specially formatted PDFs on various topics related to business, culture, technology, and other issues. Some popular manifestos include Hugh MacLeod’s How To Be Creative and Seth Godin’s The Bootstrapper’s Bible.

If ink and paper is more of your thing, consider making a zine. Zines are independent self-published magazines – not typically glossy or professionally made like their commercial counterparts (though some can be), but often very earnest in its passion. Zines can be about anything, and can look and feel like anything you wish. Zines don’t typically make money, and can be a losing venture (especially if you’re not based in North America and need to cope with exchange rates and postage); however, it is a good experience to make, publish, and distribute zines. The Book of Zines and ZineWiki have plenty of resources on zine-making, while ZineStreet has links to distros and stores to buy and sell zines. If you want to expand your publishing horizons, consider independent publishing – making your own book. Who knows – your book may be picked up by a mainstream publisher and reach a wider audience!

Use the media to your full benefit. One of the easiest ways to get published in the newspaper is to write a Letter to the Editor, usually about a current issue that concerns you, or a response to a news article. Letters to the Editor often generate good discussion and can include responses from people directly affecting the issue, such as government ministers or corporation executives. If you write often enough, you can develop a positive reputation as a prolific letter-writer. Many papers and magazines also accept contributions; contact the editors and ask. Some cities have community radio and television stations that accept programming from the public, or highlight local ventures and events. Often different media places will scout for people to interview for various topics – if the topic suits you, volunteer yourself! It’s a great way to get noticed, and it is fun to see yourself quoted in a news article. You may even get picked up for further articles, or be contacted by other interested people – even if just to say hi.

If there are reputable awards and competitions that you are eligible for, go and apply! Get your friends to nominate you if necessary – to be less sketchy, go for the friends that would have nominated you for the award anyway (the ones that often say “oh you should have won that!!”). It is common in Asian cultures to not want to promote yourself for fear of being seen as arrogant or a braggart; however, this also means that plenty of talented and capable people are not getting the recognition they deserve. Put aside the embarrassment and go for it; eventually the award organizers have the final say, but there’s no harm (and potential boon) in putting your name in.

If it’s real, go for it – or start it

If, through your leads and contacts and personal publicity, you come across any opportunity that sounds interesting to you, investigate it – and if you can, and it feels good, do it.

A lot of opportunities available are reputable, so there shouldn’t be much harm in signing up. However, scams do exist, so it is important to do your research beforehand. If your opportunity is linked to or referred to by other reputable organizations, such as the UN or universities, or it has neutral/generally positive reports in the news, you should be fine. That doesn’t mean that obscure opportunities are naturally suspect, though. I did have a bit of a hard time looking for places that backed up Up with People when I first signed up, because it was going under the relatively recent name WorldSmart at the time and had just restarted after a long hiatus. Sometimes it is easier to spot the scams, as there would be either quite a number of references to its scamminess, or a noticable lack of independent information (such as an international event without any press coverage – yes, Beauty and Brains, I am looking at you). There are negative reports (founded or unfounded) about legitimate organizations too, for various reasons, so don’t let the presence of one such report scare you – but do take their claims into consideration, as they may bring up relevant concerns.

Researching legitimacy becomes more important when money is involved. Some people think high price = scam; this isn’t necessarily true, as the operating costs may be high. Some things that advertise themselves as “free” or “cheap” may actually incur hidden costs. The key is to see if the price is justified – are you really getting your money’s worth? What do you need to pay for that isn’t already provided for or covered by the initial fee? Also check on whether you are able to pay in instalments (if necessary) and what the procedures are for getting your money back. Legitimate places would generally be friendly and open to answering your money questions without too much of a fuss.

If the opportunity checks out, and your instinct isn’t overly worried, then just sign up! Even if you’re just barely eligible, or you missed the application date by one day: if you’re still technically able to sign up or take part, do it. People are more flexible than you think. I’ve managed to get myself in various opportunities despite being one or two days late, and I’ve been part of a English Literature workshop where I was one year younger than everyone else. If you have any doubt at all, contact the organizers and ask. At the very worst, they’d say “sorry, no”. A lot of times they may even give you resources and ideas on other ways to get involved, or other opportunities that are just as relevant and interesting.

What if you have an idea for an opportunity that doesn’t yet exist? Start on it. You are very likely not the only person who wishes for such an opportunity. Use your leads and research on ways to get your opportunity going. Then go for it! A lot of great things in the world came about because the people involved took a risk with an idea and ran with it. It’s one thing to have many ideas and visions; it’s quite another to actually do something about then. If you’re good at ideas but not good at implementation, don’t worry – that’s what teams are for. Look for people to join you on your project, and brainstorm ways for people to contribute. You can come up with concept plans, someone else can do the technical grunt work, another person works on marketing…there’s many ways to delegate and give work that suits our personal styles best.

Sign up for anything legitimate that comes your way. Don’t worry about whether you’ll get accepted or not. If you don’t get accepted, or if an opportunity doesn’t exist yet, start your own. In my experience, it’s often the ones you least expect that turn out well. You’ll never know unless you try.

Take care of yourself

The most common danger I’ve seen with passionate people like ourselves is that we’re so caught up in the passion that we neglect ourselves in the process. You don’t have to be a martyr for your passion! You need to be your own top priority.

Take some time to relax and have a break. A few hours, days, weeks – time to yourself, not having to think about how to pursue your passion or how to get noticed. Meditate, play some mindless video games, go for a walk…do anything that cheers you up but doesn’t tax your energy. People tend to forget about taking a break until they crash from overworking and are forced to stop – this isn’t ideal, because then you have to recover from the crash AND get basic break time too. Prevention is better than cure in this situation. Regular breaks will help you recharge, giving you further energy to continue pursuing your passions when you’re ready.

If you do crash, or feel like you’re about to crash, don’t despair. Help is available. If you need emotional or mental help, consult a counselor or therapist as soon as you can. Organizations like The Befrienders provide free telephone, email, and face-to-face counselling for those facing depression (common amongst passionate people). Enlist your family, friends, and loved ones for assistance; they will be happy to help. There are plenty of resources on relaxation and stress relief – here are some good exercises and information from HelpGuide, The Mayo Clinic, and the BBC.

Remember to take care of your basic needs too! Everyone needs food, shelter, water, protection, sleep, and love. Get a nutritious diet, do healthy exercise, get enough sleep (something a lot of passionate people tend to lack!), maintain healthy relationships, and keep your surroundings peaceful and protective. It sounds like a lot of work, but basically it comes down to looking after yourself. If you need other people’s help, don’t be afraid to ask. You can’t give anything to anyone if you don’t have anything for yourself.

Appreciate other people and passions

As evidenced in jmnugent’s question, a common frustration from passionate people is that no one else is passionate enough. True, not everyone is highly driven or passionate about the same issues. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t passionate at all. People have passions in all sorts of things, even things that normally aren’t considered passions.

One of my closest friends, Mark, isn’t really as passionate as me about making a difference or changing the world. He has interest in current issues (particularly politics and education, which he can get very vocal on) but unlike me, he doesn’t go out of his way to work on those issues. Instead, he’s passionate about Magic: The Gathering. He’s amassed a collection of thousands of cards over the past decade, and he could pretty much tell you which cards were released when and what their significance is just by looking. He studies game guides and deck-making tutorials very closely, and has developed various decks with strategies of his own. He even knows the history of the artwork on the cards in great detail. You can tell he’s passionate about Magic because he spends a lot of time and energy on research, strategy, gaming, all things related to the game – this isn’t a half-hearted attempt here. I’m not a fan of trading card games, so often things Mark tells me about Magic fly off the top of my head (sorry, Mark) but I support his passion because it makes him very happy and fulfilled. He doesn’t get everything about my passion either, but he supports me because he knows it’s what makes me happy and fulfilled. That’s why we’re friends; we support each other.

Often people express their passion in subtle ways. Consider the typical traditional image of a father: working hard to provide for his family. His work may involve long tedious hours at a blue-collar job, writing reports or going to meetings. He sometimes works overtime, maybe a weekend or two. At first glance, he doesn’t look like he’s being involved in his passion. How passionate can a typical 9-5 office job be? However, consider that his true passion may be in providing for his family, doing all that he can so that his family is well-supported. He is passionate about making sure they never go to bed hungry, that they actually have a bed to sleep on in a well-protected house, with enough clothes and books and toys and other things to make their life happier and easier. He may have chosen to do tedious work because it brings in money that goes towards the family. Would he be happier working in a job that more closely reflected his passion? Perhaps. However, since his family is his passion, he may have decided to compromise and place his family in a higher priority than himself.

Whatever people’s passions and reasons for pursuing (or not pursuing) them, ultimately what is important is respecting their choices and interests. Of course, it is important to seek out people with similar passions, and people who are passionate in general. They can provide much-needed support, understanding, and resources. However, just because you two share the same passion doesn’t always mean you will get along, or work well together. Personalities and characters do clash, after all. Having friends with diverse passions and interests allow us to consider different perspectives and points of view on each other’s passions. Sometimes it is refreshing to have someone where you can talk about anything but your passion for a while. Friendships and other relationships are ultimately about connection, and connection can come from all sorts of ways. Besides, you never know which “non-passionate” friend of yours will be the greatest asset to your passion.

Ask!

You’re walking down the street one day and you pick up a copy of the latest issue of the free community paper from the coffeeshop around the corner. As you flip through the paper, you find that you quite like the journalistic style and the paper’s local focus. You are interested in journalism, and have been looking for a place to practice your skills. The paper doesn’t seem to be hiring; however, there are contact details available. What do you do – send them an email asking about getting involved, or wait till they announce new hires?

Answer: Send that email.

Too many people wait for permission to follow up with a lead, to find out something, to contact someone. There is no crime in making the first move. If there is nothing that explicitly says “don’t contact us directly”, and contact details are available, send them an email or ring them up. If there’s nothing stopping you from doing it, then do it!

Be polite and friendly; you do want to make a good first impression. Be careful not to be too overbearing though. While checking fanmail for Asha Gill, I often come across a lot of emails that go on and on about how much of a goddess Asha is and how they’re not worthy of contacting her because she’s better than everyone else, yadda yadda. She’s a human being; so is the person on the other side of that email. Even if they’re an expert in their field, they probably wouldn’t mind a nicely-worded email once in a while. Fawning over them just comes off as creepy.

Once you’ve contacted your lead, be patient. Not everyone spends 24/7 online. I spend most of my waking hours online and even I can get really late with replying to emails sometimes. Passionate people do tend to be busy living passionate lives and may not have time to immediately answer your queries. If it’s time-sensitive, or if they promised a reply and it’s been a while, give it about a week or two (depending on how urgent it is). Then try sending another polite email along the lines of “hi, I had written in about Such and Such a week ago and I haven’t heard back from you. Just checking in to see if all is fine.” (You can probably come up with something better.) If it’s really urgent, try calling them instead – often emails get forgotten but phone calls get responded to quickly. If it’s important, ESPECIALLY if it’s legally binding, get it in writing! Even if you contacted them by phone. Verbal agreements don’t usually hold up in court, while written agreements have more legal standing. If it’s not terribly urgent, just wait,, and concentrate on other leads. Some people take up to a month (or more!) to reply, but often the wait is worth it.

What if you’ve found a big organization where information about getting involved isn’t so clearcut? Contact them and ask for ideas. Quite likely you’ll get a reply with ideas, resources, and even opportunities for involvement. Be daring enough to pitch your suggestions even if it’s not explicitly stated. For instance, even though attendance to the GK3 Young Social Entrepreneur’s Forum is mainly open to shortlisted participants of their Social Enterprise competition, I have managed to gain entry as a Media member by offering to write an article about the event for The Star’s BRATs. You never know what you can get away with unless you ask.

Use your network of family, friends, acquaintances, loved ones, and everyone else you’ve connected with (online or offline) to find leads too. Ask anyone and everyone you know if they know anyone connected to your passion, or if they know someone who does. Let it reach up to “uncle’s girlfriend’s sister’s grandaunt’s hairdresser’s psychiatrist’s second cousin” level if need be. Chances are you’ll find at least ONE person connected to your passion that can help you out.

Is it about the passion, or is it about you?

Give some thought into why you want to get involved with your passions, especially if you feel that the people around you are not passionate enough. Is it because you feel your passion needs more public attention and care? Or is it because you would like more recognition for yourself and what you have to contribute?

There’s nothing wrong with either option. Everyone wants to be recognized and validated at some level. Despite what some people may think, you don’t suddenly become a “sell-out” if you receive mainstream media attention or become popular past a niche market. As long as you stand by your passions and principles, you should be OK.

Try not to let your passion wither, though. Some people get all caught up in the “cult of personality” that the original passion – the thing that brought them the fame – falls by the wayside. They end up doing hardly any work on the passion and concentrate more on their popularity. Once the fame goes away, they then find that they hardly did any work on the passion at all, and now they have to start at Square One. Try not to let that happen too much to you. Interviews and vox pops are fun, but remember why you got them in the first place!

It’s totally normal and fine to have your passions change. What may have interested you for years when you were younger may not be relevant to you anymore in your later years. I used to be very heavily into fandom; now I just have a passing interest. If you feel like dropping this passion and pursuing something else, or just relaxing, then by all means go for it. Eventually you are top priority anyway, and there will always be people to take on your passion after you’re done.

Expect the unexpected

So you’ve researched and contacted as many leads as you could find. You’ve bugged your friends and family for contacts and have been in touch with some promising people. You read the papers religiously for articles about your passion. You see your Letter to the Editor for the week in today’s issue. You’ve signed up to a few events and are waiting on news of acceptance. Which way will lead you towards the greatest involvement with your passion?

Honestly, there isn’t any real way of knowing. Life has a funny way of throwing things at us when we least expect them. I have received job offers just for speaking up at a conference, for instance. You may hear about the Perfect Opportunity from a chance encounter with a friend while running late to class; you may be dragged along to a meeting and end up finding it really fascinating; you may be mindlessly clicking on links on blogrolls and stumble upon the website of The Ultimate Person in your Passion. You just can’t tell sometimes.

Keep your options open. Sometimes things not working out one way just means you’re in for something great happening in another way. If you’re curious about something, explore it. Read a magazine you normally never touch, visit a place you’ve never been to before. Don’t hold too many expectations for things to happen. Hope for the best, of course, but keep an ppen mind. If you feel like giving up, take a breather – than continue. Often you’re just one swing away from striking gold.

What other ways do you have for getting involved with your passion? How have you gotten yourself involved? Share your stories and ideas, it will be much appreciated.

Links in Post:

• Ask MetaFilter: Land of Confusion
• Google
• Google Blog Search
• Google Book Search
• Google Scholar
• Wikipedia
• Facebook
• MySpace
• LiveJournal
• EducateDeviate: Support UNICEF – Get Tiara to the UN!
• Moo Cards
• No Media Kings
• ChangeThis
• ChangeThis: How To Be Creative
• ChangeThis: The Bootstrapper’s Bible.
• The Book of Zines
• ZineWiki
• ZineStreet
• No Media Kings: You should make one, too.
• Up with People
• EducateDeviate: Beauty and Brains Pageant – Real or Scam?
• Befrienders Worldwide
• HelpGuide: Stress Relief: Yoga, Meditation, and Other Relaxation Techniques
• The Mayo Clinic: Relaxation techniques: Learn ways to calm your stress
• BBC – Health – Conditions – Relaxation
• Magic: The Gathering
• AshaGill.Com
• GK3 Young Social Entrepreneur’s Forum 2007

It’s been a while since I have written in here: I have been quite busy. There is definitely plenty to write about, but here are some snippets:

1. Part 2 of the Guide to Semester at Sea has been posted. In here, the author Tom Muller writes about his experience on board – taking classes, boat life, and the various opportunities he gained. It’s a great way to see this sort of educational experience on a first hand basis.

2. I and EducateDeviate are featured in the September 2006 issue of Off The Edge, a lifestyle magazine offshoot of Malaysian business paper The Edge – it’s part of the Malaysian Futures series of interviews. I will post up a transcript shortly.

3. The World Bank will post up all the entries of the 2006 Essay Competition shortly. Currently they have a report on the current competition, as well as the winning essays.

So what have I been up to? Plenty: I have just completed volunteering for the Brisbane Writers Festival and Straight Out Of Brisbane, an arts & ideas festival. These gave me hands-on experience in management, logistics, and events, as well as smaller stuff such as working a cash register and checking for ID! It was fun and quite rewarding.

I am also quite busy in university and in college. I have just been elected as International Students Director for the QUT Student Guild, which puts me directly in charge of the international students’ affairs from a student perspective (QUT has their own International Student Services office which is maintained by their own staff). Part of my plan for the coming year is to make more study-abroad options open for QUT students (especially multi-country and alternative types of educational travel) so this should prove interesting!

I’m also getting more and more involved with the college I live in, International House. I’ve participated in their main events such as Soiree (an annual international food & entertainment fiesta, their biggest event) and Dancefest (an inter-college dance competition) and even played squash once, though I’m not really any good! Apparently I made enough of an impact, because I recently received an Acheivement Award for “embodying the spirit of International House” – quite an honour, considering I just arrived here!

It’s by getting involved in activities such as these (and many more) that I really get my education – hands-on experience, interacting with people, learning about the world one on one. There is still the uni coursework and exams to be done (indeed, I am actually procrastinating from a big essay!) but I’d rather my entire degree be made up of experiences like these. At least through there I am really learning.

If you have any updates for me in the world of alternative education, please feel free to share!

Links in Post:

• BootsnAll: Guide to Semester at Sea Part Two: The Experience of a Lifetime
• The Edge Daily (Malaysia)
• World Bank 2006 Essay Competition
• Brisbane Writers Festival
• Straight Out Of Brisbane
• QUT Student Guild
• UQ: International House

Sponsor Me – Raised: $76 – Sponsors: 6 – Sponsor Me

The Blogathon front page has this question now:

What do you most strive for in your life: accomplishment, security, love, power, excitement, knowledge, or something else?

Let me explain this by writing a little bit about how I got involved in alternative education.

School was a mixed bag of experiences for me. On the one hand, there were some good times. On the other hand, those “good times” were vastly overshadowed by the terrible experiences I had – being an ultimate minority, facing racism, being ostracised because this “lain-lain” (“other”; i.e. not Malay, Chinese, or Indian) somehow did better in exams than the rest of the school population. I started being apathetic towards academics – what’s the point in trying to score straight As if you get hated for it? I was scoring them anyway, without even trying.

I love to learn. Even now. I loved reading – I taught myself – I love computers, I love science museums, I love exploring and finding out things and learning things. However, I did not enjoy school’s idea of “learning” – rote, restricted, standardized. Barely room for creativity. Think out of the box and you get told off. No encouragement, only belittlement.

Secondary school was marginally better. There were a few teachers that recognized my potential and encouraged me to go further (I would like to acknowledge one here: Ms Navinder Kaur. Thank you so much for everything. You rock.) and I kept myself busy with various activities – debate, choral speaking, English club, etc etc. Things took a turn for the worse when, in my final year, I was diagnosed with panic disorder and depression. I had panic attacks at random and sometimes had to skip school. The headmistress was symphatetic, but not the other admins; they all thought I was making it up, that it as all “in my head”. No one really cared. All they wanted was grade cattle. I was top of the class, without taking extra tuition (useless, anyway) and I’m told that I’d be so much better if I showed up. Yeah right.

I was in the Humanities class in Form 4 and 5, and seeing how the Humanities students were treated made me even more cynical of the Malaysian school system. We were treated like nothing. Dunderheads. Too stupid for Science. (I was offered a place in the Science Stream but wanted Literature instead; I was told that I was “wasting my As”.) No one cared about us. One other girl was going through hysteria and had to move schools temporarily. ne teacher’s response? “I hope she doesn’t take her exam here, she’ll bring down our perfect score.”

All this over an exam that becomes immediately useless! I took a month off before the SPM exams – I would have taken the exams off too, but my parents insisted that I just get it done and over with. I got 5 As. Top of my class. Any honour? No. I’m not Miss Straight A, I’m not a Science student, who cares? Even my friends in the Science stream stopped talking to us as soon as they got their results. Strange and pathetic.

I knew I wasn’t in top condition to go straight to college – and I didn’t want to. The only reason I ever applied in college to begin with was to appease the parents. I initially got a half-year off; I wasn’t completely happy but what could I do? I took dance lessons and travelled to the US for an American Idol concert: it was there that my dad called, said that due to construction issues it may be better for me to defer to the next year. I wasn’t too happy at him (NOW you tell me) but eventually I was happy with the decision: I have my year! I travelled more, joined a young journalists’ group, did a radio DJ course, and basically relaxed for the first time in 11 years. I even came off medication too.

I entered college but spent a lot of my time and energy outside the classroom. I interviewed the Malaysian PM and the Leader of the Opposition Party, I volunteered with Amnesty International, I got highly involved with the Student Clubs. I was busy, busy, busy!

I also tried my luck at various auditions: Akademi Fantasia (Fame Academy). Malaysian Idol. Neither came to fruition. One audition I was hoping to pass was for Nescafe’s Kickstart, a TV show that provides seed money for your own projects. I wanted to be a travelling writer. I didn’t hear from anyone afterwards. I saw the finalists being filmed in my college. I knew then that I didn’t get in. I also was a semifinalist for a radio DJ competition, and was a strong contender…but was outvoted by the 3rd day.

I was feeling very frustrated. So many opportunities escaped from me (not just TV things). Will I ever pass an audition for once? I knew in my heart that I was looking for something extraordinary. Something out-of-the-box, creative, unusual, interesting, one-of-a-kind. I had long harbored a dream to be a exchange student (I applied to be one but got rejected at 16) and the dream was coming back. I needed to get out there. But I didn’t know where to start.

I asked around online for ideas of programs, activities, things I could look at and try. I was willing to consider anything and everything. One day I got this LJ comment in my mailbox…

I have friends who travelled with Up With People and they had the time of their life! It sounds just like your kind of thing!

So I clicked on the link…and everything changed.

Part 2 of this story is coming next post.

Sponsor Me – Raised: $76 – Sponsors: 6 – Sponsor Me

Sponsor Me – Raised: $61 – Sponsors: 5 – Sponsor Me

The first time I read Po Bronson’s What Should I Do With My Life?, I didn’t quite like it. I liked the Oprah special, such stories interest me, and thought the book would just be as interesting. However, I got fed up with Bronson continually inserting himself in the story and put the book away in the bookstore aisle where I found it.

About a year later I see the book again in Los Angeles airport, just before my flight back to Malaysia (from Denver). Somehow the book attracted me again. I picked it up, read a few pages…then bought it and read it all the way through the waiting time and through the flight. And read it again and again.

Why the sudden change in opinion? Did I change that much in that year? Was it because I was going through a strong case of figuring out what to do with my own life? Was it a sign? Was it just a different perspective?

I don’t know. What I do know is, this book takes a different perspective on how people tackle that question. Most other books dealing with the same topic (life changes) make it sound fairy tale like; they had a downtrodden life, suddenly their fairy godmother appears to make a change, and they live happily ever after.

The stories in this book, however, aren’t always ended with happiness. Many are struggling with the choices they have made. Some are still looking for their life calling. Some know their life calling but are afraid to pursue it. Some taint their life calling with the desire o prove yourself to somebody, to be better than someone else, to do it for someone else’s standards rather than yours. All the stories are lessons of learning; of learning from your circumstances, learning how to make the best of it, learning how to adapt, learning how to make your own opportunity.

Bronson’s self-insertions can be slightly annoying; sometimes you’re wondering whose story is he actually telling. It’s great when he’s relating a personal experience, not so much when it’s someone else’s story he’s telling. The ironic thing is, in the book he makes a point of not wanting to interfere with anyone’s decision. Besides that, though, the stories are thought-provoking; they make you reconsider your own life, and ultimately answer the question:

What should you do with your life?

What Should I Do With My Life? by Po Bronson (ISBN: 0375758984) is available in stores and on Amazon.

Sponsor Me – Raised: $61 – Sponsors: 5 – Sponsor Me

Sponsor Me – Raised: $36 – Sponsors: 3 – Sponsor Me

Right now I have a bit of the “now what” feeling.

Currently: I just posted a really poignant blog post, and now everything else doesn’t seem to come up right. I have a list of topics to go through, but after that post, it’s a little hard to tackle.

Long Run: Right now I’m in uni. I’m actually writing this from my dorm room (where I’m hoping my quota does not run out before 11pm tonight – it’s already past midnight here). Classes have started, and I’m not completely sure they were what I was expecting.

One class, a required introductory for one of my submajors, is a lot tougher than I bargained for – it has enough material to be a degree of their own. All the others (like this one) have major and continual writing assignments. It’s a lot of busy work, and I don’t know if I have the time. Add volunteering, and looking for a job, and other activities…how will I balance them all?

A lot of time and effort went into coming here, and now the “now what” feeling sinks in. OK, I’ve started classes. Now what? O-Week for IH is coming to a close. Now what? I have all these difficult classes to go through. Now what?

Even coming after a completely joyful experience can give that “Now what” feeling – especially so, really. I’ve just travelled around the world, and had the time of my life. Now what? I just performed to a large appreciative audience. Now what? I just had my dreams come true. Now what?

How do we battle the “now what”s? Do we start planning our nect actions step-by-step, so we never need to ask “now what”? Do we just go with the flow? Do we not care about the “now what” and just do it anyway?

What are the “now what”s indicators of? Fear? Uncertainty? Conflict? When do you get your “now what”s, and what do you do to find out what to do now? How do we find something that gives us the answers to “now what”s? Are “now what”s inevitable?

Sponsor Me – Raised: $36 – Sponsors: 3 – Sponsor Me

This blog has been silent for about two weeks – and with good reason. For the past couple of weeks, I have been in Denver, Colorado, USA, to volunteer for Up With People's Premiere of the new Global Education Program.

In that time span, I reconnected with my host family; caught up with some dear friends from my tour; made more new friends; intensely rehearsed nearly 15 songs, dances, and rhythm segments; volunteered at the Up With People office and at an elementary school; got elected to the Board of Governors for the Up With People Alumni Association as Era Rep (I am representing casts and crews from 2004 till 2010); and did many other things in between. It was a very packed fortnight, with barely a break, but it was also lots of fun and immensely relaxing.

The first thing that struck me about the whole experience was the atmosphere. In Denver, especially in the Up With People office, things are more laid-back and there is a greater sense of trust. People say "Please", "Excuse me", and "Thank you"; they hold doors for you; they chat with you in lines; they smile. I felt very safe and secure, and didn't need to worry about harassment or danger – whereas back home I have to arm myself with pepper spray and guard against the constant barrage of perverted truck drivers. Indeed, I could feel all my stress and anxiety melt away as soon as I landed in Los Angeles International, one flight away from Denver.

I spent a week volunteering at their office in the mornings, and it was a calm pleasant atmosphere; with fun rituals (ringing a bell whenever there's a new deposit payment), decorations (such as the very hilarious To-Do list on a whiteboard, which includes – amongst others "Party when we get the $$$" and "Make a witty remark"), freedom to talk and work, and general camaderie, there certainly was a warm family feel (especially since three non-profits are sharing the same space) and there is no notion of trying to out-do each other or putting each other down. Such a contrast from my current job, where there is a lot of back-biting but not much of looking out for each other.

The school we went to, Whiteman Elementary School, was also interesting to examine in terms of atmosphere; while it is in a pretty well-off residential community, most of the students were from refugee families. The class I helped co-manage (we were in teams) had people for whom English was not even a language, but they tried their best to get involved and get themselves heard. It was rather harrowing to hear some of the students talk about "beating each other up" or having family members in jail – it really reflects the tough family situations they live through every day. But yet somehow they manage to create this sense of camaderie and togetherness amongst themselves; that no matter what happens, we are in this together. And with our Stand For Peace lesson plans, about world peace and respect for each other, we hope we have made a difference. (The principal told us about the lessons the students have learnt thanks to us, and it really touched us all, especially DeeAnn who worked so hard almost singlehandedly on the project!)

A school with refugee children, who have seen the worst of humanity – and they manage to create the best situations for themselves. Yet there are schools with supposedly the "cream of the crop" as students, and the atmosphere is one of bullying, overcompetitiveness, stress, and narrow-mindedness. How strongly does atmosphere really reflect what they learn! It really does make a difference. You could have the best students in one room, but if it's not holistic or if no one considers welfare, not much can happen in terms of their education.

It was also very interesting to meet the rest of the cast (Cast P, as one member named us); most of them were alumni since before 2000, and had a different concept of the organization than the few of us who did the WorldSmart program in 2004 and 2005. A few people weren't directly related to Up With People; they were either from the Leader's Challenge program (a leadership program partnered with Up With People targeted to high school students) or were part of the theater scene in Denver. We had a very short time to get to know each other, learn all these numbers, and pull them off for a full-house audience, but somehow everything came together and we pulled it off (with flying colours and flying scarves and flying who knows what else.) The different perspectives, experiences, cultures, and skills of everyone – from absolute professionals, to absolute beginners like myself – as well as the collaboration with local cultural and arts groups like the Rocky Mountain Children's Choir and Words Can Heal, with the Denver Metro Boys & Girls Club, made for a very diverse, colourful, entertaining, and educational experience.

One thing I learnt from that experience was something repeated to us by one of our trainers, Michael Bowerman (active in music and theater): It's better to get a step wrong but with lots of energy, instead of getting the step right but being tentative about it. Especially in Up With People, but also for many other things in the world, passion is what counts; if you can convey the energy and passion you feel for something, your message will go through. There were people in the cast who were more nitpicky about getting the show "right", and that brought the energy down (at least for me); far more important than whether we were standing staggered or in a straight line was whether people would understand what we were trying to say – that we can bring the world together. It's all about being real, and about believing in yourself and your message. Everything else comes together from there.

Overall, it was an amazing experience, and I definitely felt that "thrill to your toes" feeling – not just in my toes but all over me. Unfortunately I was not selected to be part of the Road Staff this time round, but I did learn why (nothing personal, but a very enlightening conversation) and the whole experience has strengthened my resolve to be part of this organization in the near future, or at least look for more opportunities like these.

How else do you feel the thrill in your toes? And how does expressing your passion and being real get you to your goals and ambitions? Is it always better to be energetic even if you messed up rather than being right but unconvincing?

Links in Post:

• Up With People
• Up With People Alumni Association
• Leader's Challenge
• Rocky Mountain Children's Choir
• EducateDeviate: Thrill To Your Toes (Category)

So plenty has happened ever since I thought about that thrill in my toes. It seems that the thrill is just about to begin.

My round of interviews for the World Bank Essay Competiton has started, and I've received some pretty good responses. I even managed to talk to Bob and DeeAnn over Skype (add me, I'm "divabat") and ask them questions. I suppose I could have done it better (DeeAnn was a last-minute addition so I was completely underprepared) but I did get what I wanted – or at least know who to ask from now – and it was 7:30 in the morning outside a McDonalds.

Why am I doing a Skype interview at 7:30 in the morning outside a McDonalds?

The move to Petaling Jaya was a bit frustrating – the apartment wa a bit dilapitated, but worse of all, there was no Internet. There was a LAN line, but it was disconnected. This frustrated me greatly because the only reason I even took this apartment (besides my dad vetoing all my other choices out) was because the previous tenant had said there was a connection. And now I have to pay RM60 a month for at least six months, when I probably won't live here that long. There is a Maxis WiFi connection, which I still have to pay for (RM33 monthly) but it's not very strong on the 15th floor, especially not at odd hours of the day. Hence the early morning interview outdoors, where the signal is clearer. (Even as I'm writing this, the signal is coming and going, and I'm theoritically in the area with the best reception – nearest to the balcony.)

I have indeed started my job with Channel [V] International at their Petaling Jaya office. My job title is "Production Assistant", and despite all the warnings from SoYouWanna.Com and other production websites about how menial the job is, I have yet to make anyone coffee or peel self-bought oranges or book manicures. Instead, in the past three days of work, I've been compiling Oscar trivia to be used by one of our VJs on the Red Carpet, writing scripts for the same VJ on a different TV show, standing in for another VJ for a light/camera test, making one of my colleagues (and new found friend) who sits diagonally across from me in awe of me as I keep coming up with quick and easy Internet solutions for everything he needs, and structuring & designing the first ever Channel [V] Oscars PreShow on the Red Carpet, featuring the trivia list I was working on, to be aired on [V] before the official Red Carpet Preshow.

I'm pretty surprised that they assigned me the Preshow-Preshow on only my third day, especially since I don't have any actual television experience. As it is, they've never had the chance to do this sort of show before (this is the first time they've had access to something like this) so there isn't a set sample structure, and I'm prety much working on this alone. I would have expected at least a team effort. I wonder if they have loads of confidence in me to trust me to such a major job (too much confidence, maybe?) or if this is really something really easy and I'm just too inexperienced to know better. In any case, I'd better work on pulling this off, because then it'll give me leverage to apply for leave come April.

Yes, I've been confirmed to perform in the Premire of Up With People's new Show and Program. I've been accepted into the PreStaging. The thing that would have given me my biggest thrill. And I've got it.

It's working out really well actually. Right about now Malaysia Airlines is holding a promotional Travel Fair, and I'm entitled to save up to RM400 on tickets (this is including taxes and fees and all – it would be a LOT cheaper if it wasn't for the USD320 add-on taxes). I've been in touch with my ex-host family and they've agreed to host me again. I already have a US visa, so that isn't a problem for me. All that's standing in the way is the application for leave, which I can do at the latest by mid-March – besides, the boss already knows of my plan. Obviously, though, they would be more supportive of giving me time off if I've worked hard enough to deserve it, rather than if I've just been slacking off so far.

Which, to be honest, I have been. I should be working on the essay or the show structure but instead I've spent the whole day going online, catching up on my Bloglines subscriptions, and stalking my friends on Friendster to see if there's anyone I know that I haven't added in yet.

Technically, that's a lie. I have been doing other things besides being glued to the computer. This morning I went to take the IELTS exam for use for entry into Malaysia (because claiming English as your first language, even if it really is your first language, doesn't really cut it if your native language is Malay and your mother tongue is Bengali. Long story.) It's not nearly as mindless as my sister made it out to be – for goodness sake, how am I to come up with off-the-cuff remarks about whether or not it's a good idea to restrict air travel due to pollution if I don't have time to do proper research?! – but it wasn't too bad. It was interesting that my topic for the Speaking section was adult education…it was too bad that there was a time limit, I could have gone on further.

Tomorrow there should be a meeting with some of the other people in the Brick In The Wall project, a project to promote alternative education in Malaysia. If you're reading this in Malaysia and you're interested, join the YahooGroup or come by on Sunday 19th February 2006 at 2:30 PM at McDonalds Sec 14, next to Jaya Shopping Centre. We'll be talking about how to simplify our plans and actually realize them – as well as drafting mini-proposals for projects like a youth group in Thailand that's giving grant money for this sort of thing. Maybe we'll get something worked out.

Tomorrow there was meant to be an article from me in The Star's Education section – originally a letter written in response to all the letters sent in the past couple of weeks about getting As in exams. I was basically fed up with people who wrote in saying "if I miss a single A I am a failure" and "the only people who don't care about As are underachievers or rich" and so on, so I wrote back detailing all the various experiences I had that had nothing to do with my exam results. The editor called me up the next day and asked if they could publish it as a feature, with accompanying photos. I agreed, and sent in some photos (and a slightly polished up version of the letter; I wrote the original close to midnight and was quite sleepy) – though unfortunately I heard soon after that my article would be postponed to the following Sunday due to space issues. Oh well! Keep an eye out on the Sunday Star and try to look for one of my articles. I'll post it here with comments when it's published.

When I was at the IDP Centre to take the IELTS test, I noticed a sign for their upcoming roadshows – "Aussie Fairs". Their KL roadshow would be held on Saurday the 4th of March, at Pan Pacific Hotel. One day after my IELTS test results are released, on a weekend, and hopefully I'll have time to get my certificates released from college too. Then I can show up at the roadshow with all my materials, and start applying – good thing the application fees are waived too. I could also probably see what sort of courses are out there that fit my new-found perspective and interests.

That, though, is a post for another day. For now, let's just mull over the different opportunities that have arisen, marvel at the gifts of the Universe, and feel that thrill in our toes again.

Links in Post:

• EducateDeviate: Thrill To Your Toes
• World Bank 2006 Essay Competition
• Skype
• Channel [V] International
• SoYouWanna.Com
• Up With People
• Malaysia Airlines
• Bloglines
• Friendster
• IELTS
• Brick In The Wall
• The Star: Education
• IDP Australia: Malaysia

A while ago one of my horoscopes (I'm a Libra if you're interested in knowing) told me that I will – or should – be doing something that "thrills [me] to [my] toes". That got me thinking about what exactly does thrill me to that extent; that feeling of knowing you're doing what you're supposed to be doing in your life, that you're on the right path.

Right now, after much musing and thinking, I've decided on what I'm going to do, at least for the beginning of this year. I have taken up the job offer with Channel [V] International; I'll be working with them as a Production Assistant for at least three months, with a possible web facilitation job on the way. This involves relocating to Petaling Jaya, which also allows me to be more involved in arts and activism, since such activities are based around that area. I have been accepted into AWAM's (All Women's Action Society) Writers For Women's Rights workshop later this month; if I can finagle two days of leave, I'll most likely go. I haven't heard anything yet regarding the Up With People PreStaging, though it did look positive at the beginning; I've already made it clear with my contact – and future boss! – at [V] that if I get the opportunity, I'll take it, even if it means taking 2 weeks off and replacing that when I return. In what seems like an act of serendipity, on the first day of work, the Women's Aid Organization's Creative Changers group is holding a meeting later that evening; I've been a member from the beginning but this will be the first time I'll actually get to take part in person.

As for the rest of the year? Well, Up With People's Employment page hasn't been updated yet; it won't be until April. As a fall-back plan, I'm applying to a bunch of Australian universities (including one to satisfy my dad's request), with a choice in degrees ranging from Arts to Media to International Relations. So if I'm not travelling across the US, Japan, and Europe in the latter half of 2006, at least I'd be travelling to Australia.

The funny thing about all this, though, is that I haven't felt that "thrills to my toes" feeling yet with any of those choices. Sure, working with Channel [V] had been a dream for quite a while, and I am in a far better situation than most fresh grads would be (for starters, I have higher pay than usual). In the media and television field, this is a golden tickets; it's as entry-level as it gets, but it's a lot more necessary and useful than a degree would be in many cases, as it provides exposure – it exposes you to the people in the world of television, and the world of television is truly exposed to you. The Malaysian arts, entertainment, and activism scene is so small anyway; know one person, be connected to just about everyone else. Australia is a country that I love dearly, and their undergraduate degree choices are a lot more flexible and interesting than what I've experienced so far: interdisplinary, a wide variety of things to learn, opportunities to study abroad in yet another country or two. It's not like I'll be completely losing out.

And yet, the most I'm feeling is a little sense of pre-job jitters. Anticipation for the new opportunities, yes, but also a sense that things could have been a lot more interesting. What am I doing in a field that doesn't hold much priority for me now? What am I doing pandering to other people's requests anyway? What am I doing with a fall-back plan – am I only guaranteeing myself a "fall-back"? Where's the thrill?

I've had a few moments in my life that really thrilled me through my whole body and soul – a strong feeling that this was where I was meant to be and this was what I was meant to be doing.

• Winning tickets to see Savage Garden in showcase in KL in 2000, and then actually seeing them live in person
• Making a fansite for Channel [V]'s By Demand and letting them know about it
• Signing up for BRATs
• Being in the audience at an American Idol concert in Washington, DC in 2003 and feeling the crowd's energy
• Doing a radio show as part of Power 98 FM Singapore's Radio Workshop
• Being on stage during Orientation Week in college basically mocking and imitating our MC, which led to popularity, opportunities, and a close friendship with my mock target
• Being involved in activism through Amnesty International and a few other things
• Participating in Hitz.FM's Radio Icon on a whim, getting good reviews from the DJs themselves
• Everything from the moment I looked at the Up With People website (WorldSmart then), to the application form, to the interview, to the anticipation, to the YahooGroup, to the actual trip, to now

Many times these moments led to other thrill-like moments; opportunities that were fun and enjoyable and quite the learning process. Almost all of them were preceded (or accompanied) by a deep feeling within my heart, the feeling of excitement and anticipation and near-anxiety and pure thrill. And I yearn to feel that thrill again, as strongly as before, perhaps even more so.

I did feel a slight thrill when I sent off the email to my now-future-boss in [V] directly asking for a job – and the surprise when I found out that, not only did they want to give me a job, they also had a far better job in mind for me, and they were willing to pay what I asked for – which was higher than the market price. (Mainly I felt very surprised that I had the audacity to do it in the first place.) I felt quite a thrill when I sent off the application for the PreStaging, and got back a pretty encouraging email thanking me for my interest and passion. The thought of going to university isn't necessarily off-putting; at the very least, it's a change of scenery.

But I know there is a bigger thrill out there.

Given the choice or chance, I'd continue travelling around the world, helping people along the way. Ideally, I'd be Road Staff with Up With People, doing development and bridging work; I'd research the needs, wants, challenges, and opportunities of the crew members, the host communities, and the organization, and develop strategies to help them along – helping a student with their plan after the program, facilitating a Special Project, keeping tabs on the progress of a previous Community Impact project, introducing the crew to the families that will host them.

If not – or rather, then after – I'd just take part in lots more educational travel opportunities – classes with Semester at Sea, a voyage as student or staff on the Peace Boat, joining the Friends World Program and learning about cultures and religions. Heck, I could go in a spiritual retreat for a while. I'd meet up with all my friends and loved ones everywhere and anywhere, and together we'd travel and learn about the world around us. I'd look for opportunities to let other people explore and experience the vast opportunities out there – and do it. I'd start a revolution and get people moving. I'd get things written, things typed up, things uploaded, things downloaded, things thought, things done. And, best of all, I'd get a degree eventually…a honourary one, for I have learnt through experience and taught through experience and have gained and shared enough experience in the University of Life. (or, at the very least, I could get credit for everything I've done and get an interdisplinary degree from a place like Goddard or Empire State, which apparently lets you do such a thing.)

Then again, a lot of the thrills in my life have been complete surprises. Up With People was a complete surprise. Radio Icon and BRATs were done on a whim. No one could have forseen the reaction I got from making that fansite for Channel [V] – heck, it only came about because I got rejected from AFS Malaysia and wrote in to By Demand to console myself. Who knows what the next surprise will be – it wouldn't be a surprise if I really knew.

I'm lucky, in the sense that I am aware of myself enough to know what thrills me, and to actually go ahead with it. Most people in my situation – young, Malaysian, somewhere in the schooling age – have become rather desensitized to that feeling of passion, of the thrill. Schools do not spend a lot of time on following your dreams or your passion. There are a thousand seminars on "how to score all As in your exams" but none on "how to find your passion in life". Personality and interest didn't matter anymore; only the ability to be top grade cattle.

When I was in school, I suggested to my teachers a seminar on "what to do with your life after school". Things such as how to be independent, how to manage your own life, how to survive without the safety net of school. I got laughed at. Last year I went back to my old secondary school and talked to my juniors about the various possibilities they had after school, beyond "go to university before your SPM results are announced". Study abroad, gap years, volunteering, creative ventures, alternative education. I received massive response from the students; they had never heard anything like this before from anyone, and it sparked a lot of ideas and inspiration. The teachers, however, didn't seem to be as pleased – mainly because I kept going on about how it's not worth stressing over As when what really matters is what you do with whatever life throws at you. About how, in the long run, those As don't matter; your will and tenacity does.

Yet this seems to be a common theme. In the past few weeks there's been a run of letters in The Star's Education Section about not getting all As. One letter made me sad; the writer talked about how losing out on one A could mean complete loss of confidence, that they'd never be sucessful.

Oh, at least you can learn! At least you can write! At least you can read! Many people would crave to be in your situation, dear people who fret over one non-A! At least you know what an A is! And besides, exams (Malaysian ones anyway) aren't as much a measure of intellegence and creativity as they are a measure of regurgitation and rote learning. If losing out on one subject could lead to such a drop in confidence, how will you fare when bigger, more important, challenges in life come by – the death of a loved one, the loss of a golden opportunity, sheer survival? Why base your self-worth on an arbitary grading of arbitary knowledge?

A new ezine named Vision Monthly has recently launched, with various inspirational articles from the blogging world. One such article is from Kirsten Johnson of dream big, who asks:

what makes you come alive?

It's worth reading (it's a free PDF file) and it may help you find that thing that gives your passion, no matter how many A1s or B3s or whatever you get in your SPM or STPM. The thing that truly thrills you to your toes.

Actually, I may have already figured out what I need to do to get that thrill back in my toes. I have an idea for the World Bank 2006 Essay Competition (as posted previously) and it's sparked a lot of possibility. That idea, combined with the PreStaging and a possible job for the July 2006 semester of Up With People, highly motivated me, and I felt that buzz of passion deep in my heart again. That feeling of excitement and anticipation and near-anxiety and pure thrill. The thrill to my toes.

Links in Post:

• EducateDeviate: Thoughts On Education (well, mine at least)
• Channel [V] International
• All Women's Action Society (AWAM)
• AWAM: Special Projects
• Up With People
• Women's Aid Organization (WAO)
• Up With People: Employment
• Griffith University
• Queensland University of Technology
• University of Queensland
• University of New South Wales
• [my demand]
• The Star (Malaysia)
• Power 98 FM Singapore
• Limkokwing University Colleg of Creative Technology
• Amnesty International
• Hitz.FM
• Semester at Sea
• Peace Boat
• Friends World Program at Long Island University
• Goddard University
• Empire State College
• AFS International
• The Star (Malaysia): Education
• Vision Monthly
• dream big
• World Bank 2006 Essay Competition
• EducateDeviate: World Bank 2006 Essay Competition: Wanted – Your Personal Ideas!