Beginning Vocal Technique - Dr. Patricia Bowes

Here is a beginning class of vocal technique students. This is their second or third class of Spring 2011.

Early Childhood Taska Music Class- Dr. Patricia Bowes

Malaysia

08/03/2010

I got here in Tanjung Malim, Malaysia, (50KM North of Kuala Lumpur) last Wednesday, March 31, and was very warmly greeted by everybody here. I did all kinds of red-tape work to get me settled. Last Saturday, I went to the big student music final production for the semester. That was wonderful. They had me seated with the vice-chancellor and other dignitaries. We had a lot of fun.

I went to a Methodist secondary school (high school) to observe one of our music student teachers in the classroom. That was very interesting and the facilities were quite bursting at the seams. They had a 5 hour morning group of students and then a 5 hour afternoon group. The classes were very big and the students were well behaved and gentile.

I was quickly moved out of my guest house apartment on Wednesday and had to secure housing. I had seen a couple of 3 bedroom houses that were too far away for me to get to w/o transportation. My sponsors had shown me one of the 2 bedroom apartments on the top of a 4 story student housing in the same complex as my guest house. It was clean and furnished and had a beautiful view.

I just moved yesterday to a two bedroom apartment on the 4th and top floor of a big student housing unit. The view is magnificent of the mountains and river below. I have 2 bedrooms. Only the master bedroom is air-conditioned. The place is very clean and furnished. They gave me internet, a microwave, a water boiler (electric kettle, they call it), a few dishes, and iron and ironing board, YEAH!!! Saves me from buying all these things. In all, it costed me RM 670 per month, which is about $210 per month. Pretty cheap and also comes with free bus service to and from the university and the center of town. The bus stop for Kuala Lumpur is not even a block away and that costs around $3 per trip (an hour away).

Yesterday we went to buy a comforter (normal here, no top sheets anywhere), sheets, towels, a few dishes, a knife, spatula, cleaning stuff, and food (crackers, peanut butter, oil, butter, onions, garlic, nuts, ginger, etc.). I am pretty set until I get paid on the 25^th of each month. Next month, I will buy a used car so I can really go places.