Melaka: The Experience
 

Melaka: The Experience

The students with their assoc dean in the flor de lama museum

Melaka: The Experience

The journalism majors with their assoc dean

Melaka: The Experience

The film and television shooting on location in Melaka

Melaka: The Experience

The film and television majors with their assoc dean
 
“The students underwent an excellent learning experience which could not have  been borne in the confines of a classroom. For me, well, it did relieve me of some of the work stress being around this bunch of crazy, fun, creative kids. And like one journalism major quipped, quoting from St Augustine, “The World is a book. For those who do not travel, they read only a page.”
 
By Roslina Abdul Latiff

Different people have different ways of relaxing… reading, listening to music, watching movies or just anything that might suit their senses. Breaking away from a routine could also work. Call it crazy, but I thought taking a bunch of students on a field trip would be fun.

When you don’t have a semester break to relax or to take a break in the real sense of the word, then students might just find this fun as well: a trip fuelled with interesting people of different streams, different ethnicity and different interpretations of what constitutes a good trip.

The initial plan was to take my journalism and film and television (FTV) majors for a practical fun-filled trip to enhance their senses while putting theory into practice. But then word got out and I welcomed a few other students who wanted to tag along. Well, just more kids to take care off, no big deal!.

So there we were on a Saturday morning, armed with film and photography equipment for the day trip.

For the local students, Melaka is where history started. But, through the eyes of the international students from China and Nigeria, Melaka is not just another ordinary state in Malaysia; it’s a place of peace, relaxation, good traditional food and best of all, a place to learn local culture in the real sense of the word.

Melaka also boosts its unique Peranakan or Baba Nyonya culture. The visit to the Peranakan Museum managed by the Chan’s, and located at Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, served as an eye-opener for both the local and international students.

If it wasn’t for the too rushed “showdown” around the museum, the students would have stayed a little longer asking questions about the colourful and yet distinctive culture. To us, the guide seemed to be on a tight schedule, while we on the other hand, had a lot of time to spare!

What’s a great trip if food were not on the list? While in Melaka, ‘the gang’ was brought to sample the local Peranakan delicacies located just a stone’s throw away from the Peranakan Museum. Famous Nyonya cuisines like the Ayam Buah Keluak, Ayam Ponteh, Asam Prawns with pineapple, red fish asam pedas and the signature cendol were available for the tasting.

Food like gula Melaka and dodol, seemed to interest the students from China. One China student was so taken in by how cendol was prepared; she actually shot the whole process!

And yes the cendol was superb! Mine had extra gula Melaka which seemed like a good idea at the time. It later proved to be a bad move as I had sugar rushing to my head! A sugar rush while taking care of seventeen kids in a foreign state, was definitely not good!

The shady, small and yet cosy restaurant transported us back in time to when rich Babas and beautiful Nyonyas walked the streets in their beautifully hand-made Kebayas and paper-embroidered umbrellas.

After lunch, we headed to another highlight of the trip; a visit to the Taming Sari Gyro Tower. The seven-minute ride seemed a short one for us as the journalism students were busy clicking away, taking breathtaking shots from 110 meters above sea level. The FTV students also wasted no time in capturing the magnificent view on tape.

One of the prominent landmarks that we saw from above, was a ship, the Flor De La Mar. The ship now converted into a Maritime Museum, was originally a Portuguese trading ship on its way to Portugal. It stood majestically amidst century-old buildings that had been converted into business shops.

One of the Nigerian students asked if I could make an exception to detour and visit the ship. I asked him about his fascination with the ship.  His answer was: “I am thrilled to visit this ship, as it resembles quite a lot to the one I saw in Pirates of the Caribbean.” For his keen interest in learning about the ship, he was nicknamed Captain Barbosa!

When we got back down on to ground level from the Tower, I could have sworn that a few students wanted to kiss the ground, as some had been afraid of heights. I didn’t have the foggiest idea when I had planned it into my itinerary. So while these students steadied their trembling knees, the rest went ahead to shoot the activity on the ground.

They appeared so professional that the spectators started to take pictures of the students in action, although there was a TV crew nearby shooting a programme. How cool was that!

At the Museum, the students got a closer look at Melaka’s once famous and important trading port of the 14th Century Malay Sultanate to the Portuguese era, the Dutch era, and ending finally with the British era. The models of foreign ships from the earlier centuries never failed to amaze the students. Of course, this was cause for more pictures to be taken, and more memories to be treasured.

Apart from enjoying themselves, the field trip was a great way for students to apply what they had learned in class. If classes were deemed as boring, hands-on training while holidaying is the best way to learn and teach while improving one’s skills. Besides, this was also a great opportunity to interact and share ideas with my students in their own fun environment.

Overall it was a rewarding trip for all. The students had had an excellent learning experience which could have not been effected in the confines of a classroom.

For me, well, it did relieve me of some of the stress being around this bunch of crazy, fun, creative kids. Like one journalism major quipped from St Augustine, “The World is a book. For those who do not travel, they read only a page.”
     
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