AAM Publication February 2016

PP 4353/05/2013 (033269)

February2016

KL

american

A Publication of the American Association of Malaysia KL American February 2016

1

Good guides can help before you go Make sure you’ve got the local knowledge to settle in more quickly.

Go knowing

www.crownrelo.com/malaysia 2

KL American February 2016

Crown service offerings include: • • • • • •

International & Domestic Shipments Transit Insurance Immigration & Legalization School Search Settling-in Services Intercultural Support

Tel: +60 3 5636 9166 kualalumpur@crownrelo.com

Contents AAM February 2016 Advertisers Index Advertisers

(A-Z)

Page

Asian Tigers Transpo

Back Cover

Brolly

p.15

Crown Relocations

Inside Front Cover

Eastern Carpets

Inside Back Cover

Hop On / Hop Off

p.22

The Expat

p.24

RSDHC

p.26

Tropicana Medical Centre

p.14

4

9

7 8

President’s Message

6 7

Board Nominations

Weekly/Monthly Activities

9 & 10 16

Membership

February Activities

Stay Safe in the New Year

17

17

22-27 24 25

Feng Shui Similarity Memories

AAM Messages

AAM Community Bulletin Board

26

AAM Calendar / February

22 KL American February 2016

3

President’s Message We’re back! Christmas holidays seem like a distant memory now and the New Year is in full swing. Twenty sixteen!

We trust everybody had a safe and happy Holiday season spending time with family and friends.

This month will be filled with more holiday celebrations as we head in to Chinese New Year – the Year of The Fire Monkey. It’s also a leap year so we will have one extra day this month and then, of course we have Valentine’s Day…..February is turning out to be a stellar month for everyone!

February also sees us hosting our charities at our Annual Charity Check Giving Coffee Morning. We hope you can make plans to join us as this is a great time to meet reps from our supported charities and I know they love to chat with members and show their appreciation for supporting them. This year, our annual community / charitable donations have topped anything we have done in the past so don’t miss this Coffee Morning to find out just how much we donated to help the community.

I look forward to another successful year at the AAM, look forward to meeting new people that have just arrived in Kuala Lumpur and truly look forward to serving our members in every way possible.

Peggy Uptigrove

Board of Directors President Peggy Uptigrove President.aam@gmail.com First Vice President Ann Blacklock FirstVP.aam@gmail.com Second Vice President VACANT SecondVP.aam@gmail.com Secretary VACANT Secretary1.aam@gmail.com Treasurer VACANT Treasurer.aam@gmail.com Publications Director VACANT Editor.KLAmerican@gmail.com

President

Major Events Director Jamie Abbott Majoreventsdir.aam@gmail.com Membership Director Wendy Frazer Membershipdirector.aam@gmail.com Community Service Director VACANT Communityservice.aam@gmail.com

Corporate Partners For 2015

Corporate Relations Director VACANT Corprelations.aam@gmail.com Bazaar Directors Lovie Alptunaer and Mary Mantei Bazaardirector.aam@gmail.com

Event Sponsors 2016

Liaison Directors American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Stephanie Chua ISKL Hilda Alposilva US Embassy Alyssa Calabrese

4

KL American February 2016

Editorial

KL

American

Magazine Team

Help Wanted…

It’s time once again for our 2016 Board of Directors Election.

Each year at our Annual General Meeting, our new Executive Board is elected by you, our members.

Nominations are being accepted now for Executive positions only.

Please see page 7 for a description of these positions. If you want any other information, please contact Peggy at president.aam@ gmail.com. Thank you for your consideration.

Editor VACANT Photo Editors Judy Pescio Randee Duncan Contributors Debz Rafferty Jenna Uptigrove Editorial Support Peggy Uptigrove Proofreader Randee Duncan Designer Yap Wai Kuan Advertising Sales Tel: (03) 2161-9008 / 9009 Printer Seng Hoe Printing Process 33, Jalan Hang Tuah 2 Taman Salak Selatan 57100 Kuala Lumpur Tel/Fax: (03) 8941-7603 Publisher American Association of Malaysia The KLAmerican is published 10 times per year. The deadline for inclusion is at least six weeks prior to publication, which is the 1st of the month.

Advertising for non-profit organizations is free-of-charge on a space-available basis. The magazine staff reserves the right to edit copy for clarity, brevity, and accuracy. Information on AAM members is not to be used commercially.

Reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission, is strictly prohibited.

American Association of Malaysia Unit 19-1, 19th Floor, Tower B The Troika, 19 Persiaran KLCC 50450 Kuala Lumpur GPS Coordinates: N3° 9’ 28.899” E101° 42’ 58.217”

Tel: (03) 2161-9008 / 9009 Fax: (03) 2181-7005 E-mail: klamerican.info@gmail.com Website: www.klamerican.com

OFFICE HOURS Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m - 4 p.m.

Closed 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. workdays for lunch Closed Friday - Sunday and public holidays

KL American February 2016

5

Membership “Selamat Datang ke AAM!� to our new members for November:

WOW! Another year is in the wind and 2016 is upon us! Happy New Year to everyone! Many thanks to all who attended our many events and supported the AAM in 2015. This year is the year of the Fire Monkey. According to the Chinese Zodiac, Fire Monkeys are especially ambitious and adventurous. These two characteristics, I hope, will serve as a guide for the AAM in the coming year. We have many exciting activities planned for the coming year and, as always, we welcome any ideas from our members. Make a commitment to be a participant rather than a spectator in all that you do. My wish for all of you is to have the ambition to make this your most meaningful and adventurous year ever!

Wendy Frazer Membership Director

6

KL American February 2016

Aziz, Azizah Davenport, Raquel & Robert Devereux, Gillian & Anthony Hill, Diann Nasr, Shada & Ghosn Hashim/Raguet, Farrah & Farid

2016 Board of Directors

Call for Nominations It’s that time of year!

Join the 2016 Board of Directors of the American Association of Malaysia! We will be voting in the new Executive Board at the Annual General Meeting. All other positions are appointed by the Executive Board. Want to join this fabulous team or know someone perfect for the job?

Contact Wendy Frazer at membershipdirector.aam@gmail.com!

Executive Board (Elected Positions)

President This is the gal or guy in charge. She or he runs the monthly Board meetings and provides support to the whole gang. The President represents the AAM at official functions and helps to support all Directors in their endeavors to bring fun and value to our membership families. This position also oversees all our corporate relations with our valued sponsors.

Vice President In the event that the President cannot fulfill his or her duties, the Vice President takes charge. The Vice President is also responsible for administration of our dedicated office staff, overseeing the operation of our AAM Villa and all things administrative.

Secretary The Secretary attends monthly Board Meetings to take notes and compose official minutes, works closely with our Membership Director when it is time for our AGM to ensure that all documents have been sent to our membership and ballots are received and counted. The Secretary also takes the Minutes at the AGM for official filing with the Registrar of Societies. This position will also be working closely with our supported charities to be the liaison between our office and their needs.

Treasurer The Treasurer works closely with our office accountant to ensure we keep under budget and writes the checks, oversees the annual audit conducted by our chosen audit firm and ensure our books are always up-to-date and our bills are paid.

Other open positions: Publications Director Membership Director Major Events Director KL American February 2016

7

Weekly Activities All activities are at the AAM Villa @ The Troika unless noted.

MONDAY

Mahjong 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Members FREE / Non-Members RM10 donation (The first two visits are complimentary.)

Get rid of those Monday blues by playing a lively game of mahjong.

We’ll shuffle the tiles, make ‘pungs’ and ‘kongs’, and enjoy the afternoon.

Beginners are welcome. Please email mahjong Coordinator, Randee at brduncn@gmail.com to confirm.

WEDNESDAY

Stitching Friends 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Members FREE / Non-Members RM10 donation (The first two visits are complimentary.)

New and seasoned sewing enthusiasts work together to share their love of the stitching arts. We meet at the AAM Villa @ The Troika. Please contact Coordinator, Jeanie Kennedy at jhkennedyuk@yahoo.co.uk for details. Please be sure to put “Stitching Friends” in the subject line.

Monthly Activities Tuesday, 2 February 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

St. Francis Xavier Home for the Elderly Taman Sri Bahtera, Batu Lima Cheras Tel: (03) 9131-1464

Bingo with Little Sisters of the Poor

Join our monthly bingo game to help spread the joy at this home for the elderly! We will bring prizes for the winners. The bingo morning is one of the highlights of the month for the residents.

Please email klamerican.info@gmail.com if you can join us or would like more information.

When: Wednesday, 3 February 6:00 p.m. onwards

Gentlemen’s Night Out

Where: Taps Beer Bar, One Residency, 1 Jalan Nagasari

For many of us getting out and socializing with other men folk can be difficult, with working all week and weekends reserved for family. Well, no more! There will be a ‘Gentlemen’s Night Out’ every first Wednesday of the month in the popular Changkat Bukit Bintang area. The format is entirely informal with the chance to sample some craft beers and great grub - and plenty of scope to move onto play some pool, darts or even just talk on manly matters!

Registration: None required, just show up bringing cash and conviviality

Calling all Gentlemen!

See you there! Stan RSVP: Useful but not needed. Email: drstanbrook@hotmail.com Friday, 5 February 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Azzurro Italian Café Pavilion Shopping Mall – 2nd level (next to Victoria’s Secret) Cost: Individual

First Fridays – SOMETHING NEW

Arriving in Kuala Lumpur can be overwhelming in the beginning, but the AAM is here to help! First Friday is a social gathering designed especially for newly arrived expats. This month, we will meet at an Italian coffee shop that offers coffee 50 ways! Fifty ways, who knew?

It is a great opportunity to come and meet new friends, gather information, and take a second to relax. Please join us and pass along our invitation to new neighbors, co-workers and friends.

RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by Wednesday, 3 February

8

KL American February 2016

February Activities YOU FOR SCUBA? Tuesday, 2nd February 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

AAM Villa – 19th Floor, Tower B, The Troika Cost: Members RM32 / NonMembers RM64

Have you ever wondered what awaits you in the deep blue sea?

Have you always wanted to learn how to scuba dive but never had the chance? Then sign up and join us for an informative talk by one of our own AAM members, Dive Master Michael. Michael has had over 100 dives in many different places around the world and he is excited to bring you along for the ride. He has lots of pictures to show us and will give us a lot of information about scuba diving.

After his talk, he will be available to answer all your questions and if at the end of the talk you want to sign up for lessons with Michael, you can do that too. In about a week, you too can be a certified “Open Water” diver and once you have completed the course, it is something you can do for the rest of your life – all over the world, just as Michael has done. You don’t want to miss this talk if you are even the slightest bit curious about the world under the sea.

RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by Monday 1, February

LOVE YOURSELF Wednesday, 17 February 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Great Eastern Mall Spa @ Yadi / Lunch @ alexis Spa Cost: Members RM128 / NonMembers RM154 Lunch Cost: Individual We are keeping the love flowing during this week following Valentine’s and now it’s time for us ladies to show ourselves some Love! This is a two part event with the first part being a “spa” morning which includes a mani-pedi treatment. Join us at 10:00 a.m. as we gather at Yadi Spa located on the 2nd level of Great Eastern Mall for a private manicure / pedicure treatment for the first 10 ladies to sign up. Space is very limited at the Spa so you will have to act fast if you want to partake in the spa morning. Coffee and light bites will be served while we pamper ourselves just a little bit.

Once we have our fingers and toes done, we will head down to the ground level and join others for lunch at alexis. If you do not want to participate in the spa treatments, you are more than welcome to come along for lunch. alexis has an extensive menu and a full service bar along with a great selection of desserts and coffees to finish out our “Love Yourself” Spa & Lunch Day. RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by Thursday, 11 February.

Tuesday, 16 February 10:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.

The Troika, Level 3A, Pool side Cost: FREE

Sponsored by:

Annual Charity Check Presentation Valentine’s Day was just a couple of days ago but we are going tocarry on spreading love all week long. We will start with ourAnnual Charity Check Giving Coffee Morning. This is a very specialmorning for all of us at the American Association as we welcomerepresentatives from our selected charities and present themwith the proceeds from our Christmas Bazaar, which was held inNovember. These charities rely on our financial support every yearbut they also really look forward to seeing our members at this Coffee Morning and get a chance to talk to you and thank you forsupporting them.

RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by Thursday, 11 February Wednesday, 24 February 10:00 a.m.- 11:45 a.m.

Ambassador’s Residence (address disclosed upon RSVP) Cost: Members RM15 / NonMembers RM30 Max: 50 attendees

Tea at U.S. Ambassadors Residence /

Security talk by Embassy Employees and AAM Annual General Meeting The security climate around the world is ever changing with new problems and threats occurring every day. You don’t want to miss this updated Security Briefing brought to us by the U.S. Embassy Security unit. It is an honest and straightforward approach in learning the real threats to our personal security and how to remain safe and vigilant in our adopted city. The talk is not given to scare us but certainly delivered with the intention to enlighten us, teach us what to be on the look-out for as well as to equip with the tools we need to keep ourselves and our families safe.

Melanie Billings-Yun, wife of U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, Hon. Joseph Y. Yun, has graciously agreed to host members of the AAM at their home for light bites and tea/coffee prior to this important security talk.

Once the security talk has finished, the AAM will conduct its Annual General Meeting.

Please make plans to join us for this exclusive event. Space is limited so register with the office early to avoid disappointment.

RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by Thursday, 18 February (no last minute requests will be accepted) KL American February 2016

9

February Activities

BINGO NIGHT – Members Only Looking Ahead…

Saturday, 27 February 6:00 p.m.- 10:00 p.m.

AAM Villa at The Troika, Tower B, Level 19 Cost: RM25 per person In an effort to have more fun in 2016, the AAM will be hosting a “members only” BINGO game night. Come as a couple or a single and just have fun. Participants are asked to bring a “pot luck” dish to share as we gather for some lively conversation before we set out to play a few rounds of BINGO. Each player will be given 3 cards as part of their entry and will have the chance to win prizes. Each round we play will have a different theme culminating in a blackout for the BIG PRIZE. AAM will provide drinks. Please come ready to play and have some fun.

RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by 24 February

10

KL American February 2016

Be sure to mark these dates for activities in March: 01 March – Batik Painting 04 March – Spring Rug Auction 08 March – Carey Island Bus Tour 15 March – Coffee Morning 26 March – BINGO NIGHT

CAM / AAM and Eastern Carpets present

The Spring Rug Auction Friday, 4 March, 2016 Safir Room, Hotel Istana 73 Jalan Raja Chulan 6:30 p.m.

Viewing of rugs, light dinner and drinks 7:30 p.m. to Midnight Auction Members: RM30 Non-Members: RM45 Lucky draws throughout the night *Eastern Carpets is an AAM preferred carpet seller.

RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com muchbri16@mac.com

Photos from the 2015 Fall Rug Auction.

KL American February 2016

11

Special Event/ Community Service

AAM Annual Family Thanksgiving Feast Sunday, 22 November The AAM hosted our annual Family Thanksgiving Feast on Sunday, 22nd November at The Troika / Pool level. Members were treated to fantastic oven-roasted turkey and gravy provided by Jaya Grocers. The rest of our meal was provided by members that brought dishes to share, which included garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, vegetables, buns, salads and plenty of delicious desserts. We had about 55 members and their families in attendance and a fabulous meal and great time was had by everyone.

We also took this opportunity to turn our gathering into a blessing for others as we asked members to bring an unwrapped toy. The toys that were collected were gathered up the following week and delivered to one of our sponsors/advertisers Tropicana Medical Center for distribution to their Pediatric Ward for kids that would be hospitalized over the holidays. As you can see from the pictures below, we gathered some great toys that hopefully brought some joy to little people and helped them to forget their troubles, even if just for a little while. A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone for their generous giving.

12

KL American February 2016

Special Event/ Community Service

KL American February 2016

13

Healthy Eating Habits After The Festive Season

By Tan Yen Sing Bsc (Hons) Human Nutrition, Dietetics (USA) Clinical Dietitian Tropicana Medical Centre

It goes without saying that weight loss is the most common New Year resolution. It is the guilt feeling after overindulging too much delicious food. Now, the question is how can we get back in shape? Good nutrition is the key to optimal health. If you have put on some weight, it is important to incorporate the entire essential food groups according to proper portion. It does not mean skipping one or two groups or types of food to achieve your ideal body weight or depriving yourself from eating all your favorite food to achieve weight loss.

7 health tips you should know after festive season: 1. Set a clear, realistic and achievable goal Aim to lose 1-2 lb a week is a good mini goal to start with. In opposite, setting an ambitious weight loss goal to lose weight rapidly with quick fix will definitely not help you to maintain the weight you have shed off in a long run. This is because quick weight loss diet myths and gimmick always sound too good to be true.

2. Steady gradual steps Do not introduce massive changes into your eating habits. It is simple to make small lifestyle changes.

For instance: - Choose plain yogurt instead of ice-cream or fruit-flavored yogurt.

- Eat a fruit instead of potato chips for snack if this is your hard-to-break habit while watching TV. - Take at least 2 servings of colorful vegetables for both lunch and dinner.

TROPICANA MEDICAL CENTRE

11, Jalan Teknologi, PJU 5, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

T: +603-6287 1111 W: www.tropicanamedicalcentre.com FB: www.facebook.com/TropicanaMedicalCentre E: enquiries@tropicanamedicalcentre.com

3. Do not skip breakfast!

Eat on time and make sure you make it to a point to eat at least breakfast, lunch, a healthy snack and dinner daily. When you skip a meal your system shifts into starvation mode in an effort to conserve energy. It slows down your metabolism. Eventually the food you take in is not burned off effectively. The next thing you know you become irritable & moody!

4. Keeping a food journal A food journal will help you to see what you

14

KL American February 2016

eat and it can also help you to learn more about your own eating patterns. Record the food, beverages, the time and the place when you eat and drink. How you felt when you ate/drank? For example, when you eat is that because you are hungry or thirsty or you are feeling hot or bored or you are not sure how you feel?

5. Choose an enjoyable exercise Balancing your calorie intake from food with calorie burned through exercise is undeniably important to keep you back in shape. It is recommended to include a few different exercises for overall health and well-being.

- Flexibility training involves stretching exercises that keeps you feel more energetic - Cardiovascular exercise such as jogging, brisk walking, swimming, cycling and etc for at least 20 minutes continuously per each session 3 times a week. It is even more effective if you have a trainer to work with you to guide you with proper warm up and cool down to prevent sports injury - Strength training is exercise that targets your major muscle groups. For instance, lifting light weight helps strengthen bones, muscles and connective tissues. It helps to increase your muscle mass 6. Cut down your sugar intake Replace food and beverages with hidden sugar such as sugar/honey coated cereals or juice with plain hot or cold cereals and 100% no sugar added fruit juice. If you have sweet tooth, you can choose to bake your own cookies and cake by cutting the sugar in half when you follow a standard recipe. You can also cut a slice of cake into smaller bite size and share with your friends and family.

7. Hydrate yourself An average person needs at least 1.5-2 liters of water daily. Being hydrated speeds up your metabolic rate, hence it makes weight loss easier. If you are an active person, drink some water before, during and after exercise.

Obviously, if you notice your urine color turns dark yellow, you know you are dehydrated.

Remember to measure your water intake by investing in 1.5-2L types of bottle or tumbler.

"9 reasons to visit "9 reasons to visit BROLLY at Platinum Park or Brolly at Platinum with 8 other friends" Park alone" 1. There is a BIG RED BUS infront that is Instagram & FB worthy.

Housing the BangBangBallerBar, the bus is where their fruit puree infused Signature Beergaritas are made.

1. It is situated away from the hustle and bustle of downtown KL, tucked away within a green compound. Bring a book or the papers.

2. Only RM 12 each for a jumbo French Fine de Claire No2 oyster!

Oysters are so fresh and super value for money. (Moley must really love oysters to spoil us this way!)

2. Why share the oysters? One dozen per person is easy!

3. Have you ever played pool with a 900kg car hanging above you?

Yes, these crazy people hung a car above the pool table! Word!

3. Lazy evenings to spend with just the dogs, slowly enjoying a cup of coffee and day dream

4. Ember & Bara BBQ serves the most succulent spring chicken. Must try it with their aromatic Chamalla sauce.

4. All the salads from Ember & Bara BBQ are perfect for a light healthy meal for one

5. Forget about green eggs & ham. They have green spinach base pizzas! Try Lamborgarlic and you will be safe from the vampires or a bad date night.

5. The smoked salmon pizza is another healthy meal option

6. There are not many places in KL for Japanese curry rice. Are you a sumo wrestler? Raksaksa Mirai's Big Bowl Challenge. 20 minutes: 1.5kg rice, 700gm meat, 100gm cabbage & 500ml curry sauce. Faint.

7. Who would have thought of Cencaluk fried chicken wings?!

Heavenly. A perfect dish for the Happy Hour draft beers.

6. Served till 4pm daily, the Japanese curry rice is perfect if you like a hearty meal midday 7. Peckish? Having the munchies? MyWingMan serves oatmeal coated fried chicken wings tossed lightly in 9 choices of sauces

8. Not happy with just plain old English black tea, here, they brew young Chinese Pu-Er leaves as the base of their fruit puree infused iced teas instead.

8. Come for a dessert after dinner if you live within walking distance. Walking back will burn off the calories anyway.

9. Last but definitely most importantly, we now have seafood to feast on in KL ala Louisiana Boil! All thanks to Crab Factory. Plus points here are the traditional Po'Boy Sandwiches for lunch!

9. Serious crab lovers eat crabs alone. There is no time to waste over chit chat. Best to come with an ipad and earphones to watch a 90 minutes movie while savouring 2 meat crabs.

Ground Floor, Menara Felda, Persiaran KLCC (opposite Marble 8, & just the next junction from The Troika). Daily 11am-11pm. Tel: 603-2181 4122

RS TE em) S OY ede

1 o r lies OR ent t app F s C 1 e (pr *T &

KL American February 2016

AAM

15

Staying Safe in the New Year

By Debz

Gong xi fa cai! We are lucky in Asia to have two New Year celebrations, the February 8th celebration is often bigger than the 1st of January, with street parties and happy gatherings, it is also one of the few days that shops and restaurants close in KL. In Malaysia it is commonly called Chinese New Year but more correctly would be “Lunar New Year”.

These days we have to consider other threats to our personal space.

The Paris attacks on November 13 last year left 130 dead, many more injured and most of us filled with dread and grief. Unfortunately, we cannot always protect ourselves from attacks like Paris. We can however increase our vigilance.

When attending any public gathering we need to be extra vigilant. A street party to a pickpocket is like a candy store to a kid. Add a few glasses of fizz, be it beer or bubbles and we can become lax with our personal security.

1. Keep an eye out for things that seem a bit “out of the ordinary.”

1. Don’t take your designer bags out.

3. Contact your Embassy and ask if there are any current areas that you should avoid.

2. If you are carrying a wallet do not carry it in your back trouser pocket, put it in the front trouser pocket instead as this is harder to get to unnoticed.

3. Do not drink and drive.

4. Teksis will be booked solid and it is one of the few times that drivers take holidays. So make sure you have your transport home booked in advance. If you put “Private hire car companies in KL” in your search engine it comes up with a few options, also cars can also be booked in advance via MyTeksi.

5. Mistakes happen, so imagine you did lose your bag. Make sure it is one that you can live without and that it only has the minimum cash and valuables inside.

6. Make a note of your Consular emergency numbers. For example, from Malaysia the American Embassy number is: 03 2168 5000 (not for visa questions) and from the US: 011 60 3 2168 5000. (If you have recently moved to Malaysia this number is a useful one for family back in the USA to have access to.)

16

KL American February 2016

2. Watch for bags or packages that are abandoned in public areas. If you see one, report it to local police or security.

4. If you do not have direct access to your Embassy you can still get valuable information from their official websites. The American Embassy in particular publishes a lot of travel and expat security information.

Thankfully, it seems that The Royal Malaysian Police have up-to-date intelligence reports and are quick to react to the movements of Islamic State and their regional ally Abu Sayyaf. The Royal Malaysian Police have also stepped up their Community Policing and have many events in and around KL where you can sit and have a coffee with a police officer. They have also changed their reporting system so a crime can be reported in any police station in KL. It has been said it takes a village to raise a child. It should also be said it takes a city to keep us safe! So be vigilant, be careful and be vocal about your concerns. Wishing you a fabulous start to the year of The Monkey.

The Beginning ideas of Feng Shui.

By Jenna Uptigrove

February is a great time to

The idea behind Feng Shui is to organize your space (whether it be business or home) so that energy can flow easily throughout, bringing you peace which supports what you want out of life.

begin understanding the concepts behind Feng Shui because it is the beginning of the Chinese New Year

To begin, you must first understand the elements.

I. The element cycle: The Chinese New Year and Feng Shui are centered on the five elements: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Each element produces another, completing the cycle. With the Chinese calendar, each hour, day, month, and year is associated with an element and an animal. The 2016 calendar yields the following: three elements of fire, three elements of metal, one element of earth, one element of wood, and zero elements of water. This lack of water leads to a disturbance in the element cycle.

There is no water to cool down the abundance of fire, causing this year to be metaphorically hot and potentially troublesome.

II. Elements and business: Those who hold a career in water based industries such as: highly mobile businesses involving changes, overseas travelling, marine/ Naval seal/ boat related jobs, spas, sportsman, journalists, newscasts, traveling and the tourist industry, etc. all hold an advantage in 2016.

They will have abundance in job opportunities, pay raises, and these types of businesses will thrive because they are needed to balance the excessive amounts of fire within this year’s calendar.

However, for those who hold careers in fire based industries such as psychologists, computer related/ electronics, arts related, electric engineering, energy, Gas or Oil Company, petroleum, chemistry, anything that utilizes light or heat/create light or heat, etc. will find that there are many shortcomings in the work place. The job market for these types of careers will be very competitive based on the abun-

dance of fire this year.

In addition to an abundance in water related careers, those who work in wood related industries will also see a positive year. Although the 2016 calendar only yields 1 element of wood, normally causing it to be a weak element, it is contrary to that for the reason that wood is needed to produce fire.

III. Health and the elements in 2016 Each part of human anatomy is correlated with an element as well.

For this year, there will be an increase in lung problems because the lungs are related to the metal element. The metal energy peaks in the fall so watch for lung problems and bad coughs in that time. Additionally, there will be intestine, digestion and prostate problems as well as they are connected with the fire and metal elements.

IV. Dangers in 2016 Due to the high fire elements this year, we will see an abundance of fire and wind related disasters. These can include any of the following: • Hurricanes, typhoons, strong winds, tsunami, haze, fire, volcanic eruption, and explosions.

• The result in such a large fire-metal clash leads to more active terrorism and extremists. The last time there were three elements of metal and three elements of fire was in 2001, the year of 9/11.

• This large clash also leads to high “on ground” collisions in the form of car crashes so watch for an increase in annual vehicle crashes.

KL American February 2016

17

Now that you understand how the elements fit into your life, you can begin to asses how to organize your environment.

For the home in 2016: To connect each area of your space to Feng Shui, you must first sector off your environment. Start by creating a floor plan and finding the center of the space. Once the center is known, grab a compass and begin to asses which direction of your space is pointing North, South, East, and West and draw them onto your floor plan. After you have the cardinal directions mapped out, assess which direction Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest are and map them out as well. After you have your entire space mapped into these sectors you can begin to understand the meaning and environment in each direction. These sectors change from year to year, so do not worry if some changes cannot be made.

1. The Wealth Sectors of the home • Southwest: direct wealth sector. Activating this sector will bring wealth with hard work.

• East: indirect wealth sector: Activating this sector will bring wealth that you don’t have to manually work at (such as investments).

• Southeast: the “Noble Man” sector. (A noble man is someone who will help you.) The activation of this sector brings you long term relationships. These relationships will help you more than wealth in the long run. This year is especially strong (3 times stronger in fact) for this sector because of how the elements align.

• South: good area of getting things done, a great place to position a desk.

2. The Academic Sector of the home • West: best for studying and learning, however be cautious to not over use this sector. If over used, trust issues and betrayals will develop. Combine the use of the west sector with southeast to avoid problems and maximize academic success.

3. The Peach Blossom sector of the home • North: spending most of your time in the north sector makes you more likeable. This is a good place to sleep and have a bed if you want a relationship or to strengthen a current one.

4. The illness sector of the home • Center: keep this area as quiet as possible and keep no water in this space. Too much active living in the center of the home leads to illnesses. Weaken this sector by placing metal in the center (minimum of 5 kilos and solid metal).

5. The argument sector of the home • Northwest: keep this sector quiet to avoid misunderstandings and arguments. Use fire to weaken this sector (such as candles, oil burners, or bright red items as a type of proxy).

18

KL American February 2016

6. DANGER: The calamity sector of the home • Northeast: this sector leads to disasters, problems, obstacles, hospitalizations, car crashes, bankruptcy, money loss, etc. Avoid this sector as much as possible. Keep this area quiet and do not disrupt the energy. This is an earth sector so keep it clean and tidy, it will help the energy flow more clearly. Use metal to weaken the earth element. DO NOT SLEEP OR SPEND TIME IN THIS SECTOR. Remove all forms of movement such as washing machines, fans, etc.

Once you have decided where is best for your furniture (such as a desk in the south, a bed in the north, metal in the center, etc.) you can now activate each sector. To do so there are some simple activities to ignite the energy within these areas such as: • Renovation • Moving furniture around • Spend copious amounts of time there • Remove furniture, clean thoroughly, and replace furniture • Noise such as music • Movement such as a fan • Moving water (at least 5 liters in an open container exposed to air)

Lastly, there are certain dates and times that you can utilize to activate an area for specific goals.

Before you look into the specific dates, look up what your Chinese zodiac animal is. Go specifically based on what year you were born because some of these dates will not yield good outcomes for certain animals if they attempt to activate these sectors at that time.

A. For wealth and career goals (results in 2-4 weeks) • 24 February, 6:30 am, southeast sector (unless you are a horse).

• 26 April, 6:30 am, east sector (unless you are a monkey).

• 30 April, 7:30am, southeast sector (unless you are a rat).

B. Health and Treatment (elective surgeries or beginning a diet) • 1 March, 11:30am, south sector (unless you are a rat).

• 5 April, 11:30am, south sector (unless you are a pig).

F. Winning an argument • 27 March, 6:30-7:00am. This is a very early time to have an argument so place water in the southeast and have the argument that day (unless you are a tiger).

• 5 April, 7:30am, face east / back to west (unless you are a pig).

C. Making deals • 26 April, 9:30am – sit with your back against west, facing east and your “victim/opponent” with their back against east facing west. (unless you are a monkey ).

• Property deals 19 February, 7:30-9:30am – sit with back to the South (unless you are a rat).

G. For your wishes to come true H. 4 April, 9:30am, sit with your back against south, facing north. Meditate here and think about your wish. Your wish has to be within reason. Sit in a spot in your environment correlated with your wish (for instance if you wish for love with a specific person, sit in the north, if you want to increase your outcomes at work and your success, sit in the south, east, southwest, or southeast,etc.) (unless you are a horse).

D. Relationships and connections (starting a new relationship, proposing, getting married).

• 24 February, 5:30pm, south (your back against south) (unless you are a horse).

• 23 April, 9:30pm, west (your back against west) (unless you are a snake).

I. AVOID THESE DATES • 5 September, specifically at 3:30pm. Stay out of the southwest, this is an extreme clash day.

• 9 March, 9:30 am. Stay inside all day, there is a full solar eclipse. This day will yield bad luck to those who go outside and are too active on this day.

E. Academic success (best time to study for upcoming exams increase grades).

• 15 March, 5:30pm, west sector (unless you are a tiger).

All information provided by Susanne Schutz

KL American February 2016

19

e t a D e Save Th

20

KL American February 2016

Walk for Children A S m a l l S t e p To I m p r ov i n g L i v e s

Saturday, February 13, 2016 Perdana Botanical Garden, Kuala Lumpur ( fo r m e r l y kn ow n a s L a ke G a rd e n s )

Registration: 6:30 am | Warm-up: 7:30 am O f f i c i ate d by :

Y.B. Encik Khairy Jamaluddin Minister of Youth and Sports, Malaysia R E G I S T R AT I O N I S N OW O P E N !

• N or m al re g i s t rat i on fe e – R M 2 0

(now untill January 30, 2016, payable at ISKL Admin Office Ampang campus and online payment via JomPAY)

• On-site

re g i s t rat i on fe e – R M 5 0

(at the Perdana Botanical Garden on event day) Registration form is available online at www.walkforchildrenmy.net

Organized by:

In support of:

Endorsed by:

Biller Code: 5132 Ref-1: (Your Name) Ref-2: Your parent's name, if you are under 18.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

International Club ISKL

Payment via:

Tasputra PERKIM and SHELTER Home for Children

Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia

Private Education Department Ministry of Education Malaysia

JomPAY online at Internet and Mobile Banking with your Current, Savings or Credit Card account

For sponsorship opportunites or to get involved, please email us at walkforchildren@iskl.edu.my or log on to www.walkforchildrenmy.net for more information.

KL American February 2016

21

22

KL American February 2016

Memories Ready to Cook – Lesson 2 (27 October) photos by Peggy Uptigrove Mr. Liew and his lovely wife returned to the AAM Villa to show us how to whip up a couple more dishes using their clever Ready to Cook prepackaged spices. This time around we were treated to Seafood Curry and Chicken Rendang. Both were excellent and so easy to make. You can always stop by the AAM office and pick up a couple of packages for yourself and try them – you will see just how easy it is and soooo good.

KL American February 2016

23

Memories Mimosa Coffee Morning - 13, November 2015 photos by Peggy Uptigrove Ladies gathered at the newly relocated Ambiance Showroom, where Jim Moore, owner of Ambiance, hosted us for a fabulous morning of light bites and Mimosas. Ambiance was all decked out ready for the holidays so there was plenty of shopping and visiting to be done. What fun we had and we will certainly do another gathering at Ambiance in the future.

24

KL American February 2016

Memories Mimosa Coffee Morning - 13, November 2015 photos by Peggy Uptigrove

Lunch Bunch - 24 November, 2015 Al Halabi Gourmet Restaurant photos by Peggy Uptigrove

A small group of ladies were treated to a fantastic meal in an undiscovered treasure of a restaurant called Al Halabi.

Syrian food is their specialty and their portions were very generous in size. Check it out yourself sometime - located on Level 7 of the Pavilion KL.

KL American February 2016

25

Memories BINGO at Little Sisters of the Poor, 1 December, 2015 photos by Peggy Uptigrove The last BINGO calling of the year ended on a high note as volunteers sang Christmas Carols for the residents and handed out Christmas goody bags after a few lively rounds of BINGO. The folks really enjoyed their BINGO games as well as the gifts they were each given. What a blessing to be part of this event and see the joy on their faces.

26

KL American February 2016

Memories

KL American February 2016

27

AAM Messages AAM Online Communities The AAM is on Facebook! “Like” the AAM Facebook fan page by logging on, typing ‘American Association of Malaysia’ in the Search bar at the top of the page and clicking ‘Like.’ You’ll get the latest information on all of AAM’s exciting events and activities!

Introducing the AAM Google Group - a forum for members to consult with other members on queries and recommendations for anything from best family hotels to dentists to household help. Members can join in two ways. First, you can send an email to secondvp.aam@gmail.com with the email addresses you would like to add to the Google Group. Please put “Need AAM Google Group Invite” in the header of the email. The second way to join is you can go to Google Groups, search for American Association of Malaysia and then ask to be invited and the Administrator can add you. When you receive the invite via email, you must respond to complete the registration process. For more information, go to http:// www.klamerican.com/online-communities.

Membership Renewal

To avoid missing any issues of the magazine and to continue receiving discounted prices for AAM events, please make sure your membership is up to date. Renewal notices will be emailed to you one month before expiration. Dues can be paid by cash or check in person at the AAM Villa @ The Troika by or cash deposit to the AAM’s bank account directly.

Your $0.02 Do you have any ideas or suggestions for new activities, events or workshops that may be of interest to our members? Can you think of ways we can improve our current line-up? Any concerns about the AAM’s building facilities? Your feedback, whether positive or negative, is always welcome. Kindly drop us a note in the Suggestion Box located in the villa or email klamerican.info@gmail.com.

Solicitation Policy Solicitation of business by any member or guest is not allowed at any AAM function without prior board approval. Members are requested to respectfully observe the policy that membership information is to be used solely for AAM business and is not to be used for personal or business solicitation purposes. If you are interested in sharing your talents/services with the AAM, please contact the AAM office.

Holidays in February 1 February – Federal Territory Day 8 & 9 February – Chinese New Year

Reservation & Payment Policy

Event and Activity reservations can be made via email to klamerican. info@gmail.com, in person or via fax.

• If the reservation is made via email or fax, the AAM office will send you an acknowledgment receipt and advise whether or not the activity is still available.

• Fees MUST be paid within 48 hours of signing up for an event or activity. You will not be “confirmed” for the event/activity until payment in full has been received by the office.

• You may pay by cash or check in person at the AAM Villa @ The Troika or cash deposit to the AAM’s bank account directly. If you wish to deposit cash payments to the AAM’s bank account, please contact the AAM office for account information and instructions (your bank may charge you a minimal fee for this service).

• We cannot accept credit card payments at the office. We are currently working on details to secure an on-line payment system for your convenience. Further information to come.

Cancellation Policy

• Reservations MUST be cancelled FIVE BUSINESS DAYS prior to the activity in order to received a refund. If you do not cancel your reservation within this time period or you are a no-show the day of the Event/Activity, a refund will not be issued.

• For Events/Activities that have a required minimum attendance, AAM reserves the right to cancel or reschedule when circumstances warrant.

• Each Event/Activity will have a sign up deadline date and we must adhere to those dates. This allows instructors of classes to gather all required materials or tour companies to arrange the proper transportation for our group.

• If you still have not made payment by the reservation deadline for an Event/Activity, your name will be automatically removed from the sign-up sheet and there will be no further correspondence from the AAM office. To avoid disappointment, please make your payment within 48 hours of making your reservation.

28

KL American February 2016

Interesting Facts that will make you a more Interesting Conversationalist!

• Brass doorknobs automatically disinfect themselves in about 8 hours.

• Recent polls indicated that 35% of employees in the U.S. would forgo a substantial salary increase in favor of having their direct supervisor fired.

• All Pandas are owned by China. They rent them out to other countries at a cost of $10 million each per year for a ten year period.

• Sweden has become so efficient at recycling its garbage that is has had to start importing garbage from Norway in order to fuel its energy programs.

• There is a company in Switzerland that will turn the ashes of a family member in to a diamond.

• Almost all of the countries in the world have red or blue in their flags.

Try bringing up one of these fun facts at your next social gathering or around the watercooler and see where the conversation goes from there….have fun!

US EMBASSY We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Malaysia enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at http://www.travel.state.gov/. STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the embassy or nearest consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

The U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur is located at 376 Jalan Tun Razak 50400, Kuala Lumpur and is open 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. If you are a U.S. citizen and have any questions or concerns, please call the U.S. Embassy at (03) 2168-5000 or visit the U.S. Citizens Service website at http://malaysia.usembassy.gov/. We will post the most updated information on the website.

USEFUL LINKS: CountyOffice.org is the most accurate internet database of county government offices in the United States. Use our site to locate your county assessor, board of elections, chamber of commerce, child support offices, colleges, coroner, courts, and much more, with all relevant details.

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

EMERGENCY POLICE......................................................................999 FIRE & RESCUE.........................................................999 CIVIL DEFENSE.........................................................999 ANY EMERGENCIES FROM MOBILE PHONE............112 UTILITIES...

ELECTRICITY/POWER FAILURE............................ 15454 WATER DISRUPTION................................1800 88 5252 SEWAGE SYSTEM.....................................03 2780 1100 OPERATOR DIRECTORY ENQUIRIES............................................100 ANIMALS MISSING PETS..........................................03 4021 1682 SNAKES & PESTS......................................03 4042 6742 ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER. (24 HRS.).....03 4041 6742

KL American February 2016

29

american association of malaysia KL

February 2016

Sun

Mon 1

2 AAM Closed

Federal Territory Day

7

14

21

Tues

8

10:30 a.m. - noon You For Scuba?

AAM Closed

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

22

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Mahjong

10:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

Stitching Friends

10

AAM Closed

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Mahjong

3

Thu 4

16

10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m.

Coffee Morning / Charity Check Presentation

23

10:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

Stitching Friends

17

10:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

Stitching Friends

Fri 5

Sat 6

AAM Closed

10 - 11 a.m.

Bingo @ Little 6:00 p.m.

Sisters of the Poor Gentlemen’s Night Out TAPS Beer Bar

9

15

Wed

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

First Friday Azzurro Café Pavilion KL

11

12

13

AAM Closed

18

19

20

AAM Closed

10:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

Love Yourself Spa / Lunch Bunch at alexis

24

10:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

Stitching Friends

25

26

27

AAM Closed

7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

BINGO NIGHT Members ONLY

10:00 - 11:45a.m.

Tea at Ambassador’s Security Talk / AGM

28

30

29

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Mahjong

KL American February 2016

VENUE KEY

AAM Office Tel: (03) 2161-9008 / 9009

AAM Villa @ The Troika

email: klamerican.info@gmail.com

KL American February 2016

31

(60-3) 5565 2200 KL American February 2016

32