first week

---

Okay, this is my first entry, but I have actually stayed here for 5 days already. I have other entries, however, I wrote them on my laptop, which is not connected to the internet. Anyways, okay, where should I start?

Arrival: May 6 at 2:15pm.

I arrive at the airport and drag my luggage into a taxi because no one picked me up. I go to the YMCA, where I find out that my host organization did not book me a room, so I call my contact, Ms. Juliana (her first name is Juliana, but they say Ms. in front). She told me that I was supposed to be at the YWCA. Great. . . okay, my taxi driver left and I had to get another taxi cab about 5 minutes away to another road. I shouldn't have packed so much, my luggage was so heavy!

This guy, Raymond realized that I was struggling with finding a place and offered to give me a ride, oh and find me a SIM card for my cell phone. I asked the front desk people if they knew him first and they said that he came for meetings. I thought, okay, he knows his way around and he looks clean shaven, hahaha, nooo...I didn't think even realize that he was. He was Tamil, hahaha, me and brown guys, what's up with that anyways?

So, he gives me a lift to find a SIM card, but my phone was blocked by Fido. (Note: I unblocked my phone yesterday through the internet via a code that I purchased for $5 on www.unblock123.com because Fido was going to charge me $250 to unblock my phone)Stupid phone company. Anyways, back to the story...Okay, so he takes me to the YWCA and he drops off all my luggage for me. I am paying 30 Malaysian Ringitts (slightly less than $10 Canadian) for my room, including a bread and butter breakfast, yummy...*cough *cough. So, I go into my room and see this huge ass beetle. I am so adamant about not staying there, but I have no where else to go. Okay, we go out for dinner at China Town on Petaling Street, only about 5 minutes from where I live at a Hakka stall and we eat some siu baos. After he drops me off at home and kisses me on the cheek and starts holding my hand, ahhhh....awkwardness...I wanted to say dude, I only have known you for 2 hours, but I mean, I was the one to jump in his car. I won't do that again. Although I have hitch hiked a couple of times in TO, once with 3 guys (okay, it was seriously cold and I was late for a Dignitas meeting). He leaves and he continues to call me and visit me, but I just make excuses not to go out with him. Everyone has freakin' scared me now about random strangers. I guess I shouldn't trust people so easily.

Sunday, May 7:

I went shopping by myself on Petaling Street and got lost many times.

Monday, May 8:

Ms. Juliana and Herifini (my coworkers) pick me up from the YWCA and take me to the office showing me the bus route along the way. I live about 35 minutes away from work, which isn't that bad considering most commuters at York spend about 2x that amount of time. At the office I meet Dr. Raj Karim. They weren't expecting me. I emailed my final itinerary the week before, but I informed them that I was coming the week before. They haven't prepared me anything to do and I feel so screwed. But, Dr. Karim hooks me up with Shamima, who explains to me everything about IPPF. It is truly one amazing organization. I did not realize the scale of this organization until Shamima explained to me the whole structure and how it functions.

So, IPPF, the International Planned Parenthood Federation is one of the second largest international organization next to the Red Cross. They oversee 180 Member Associations. My office in Kuala Lumpur is the main office of East Asia and Oceanic Region, which overseas 26 countries and their member associations. Member Associations are the main organization of the country that is responsible for carrying through information pamphlets, projects, etc. IPPF helps fund and oversee that the proper mandate is being followed for the implementation of projects. There are 6 Regional offices in total, one for each region (North America= NY; Brussels=Europe; Nairobi=Africa; New Delhi=South Asia; Tunisisa=Arab World; and Kuala Lumpur=East Asia and Oceanic Region, including Australia)

For my terms of reference, I am responsible for developing an HIV/AIDS Prevention Manual for Youth (ages 14-24, but age is tentative). My counterparts, Greg and Shaw are away for meetings. Most likely I will be travelling for my job.

I have just been looking around the office meeting everyone today and researching HIV/AIDS topics.

Oh, wait, I have some interesting information to share that I found in a WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Association) newsletter. The information was quite shocking to me and I don't know whether to believe it or not. Just take this information with a grain of salt.

---