The Town that Tin Built Too and My Childhood Memories

I was born in Ipoh in September, 1960. 

As an Ipoh boy I have lots of childhood memories about this prosperous city that tin built. But in this short write-up, I would like to gather my thoughts on my childhood experiences in Taiping, a heritage town that tin built too.

Ipoh Old Town, 1960s

I belong to the generation X or Gen X. In the West, Gen X is used to define the generation born after the post World War II baby boom ended. But as far as Malaya is concerned I prefer to use it in relation to the baby boom just after Merdeka or Independence Day in 1957 up to 1980, which is not much different to the Western concept anyway. So, if you are born in this era, you are a Gen X, and most of the earlier group of Gen X, especially those educated from English or missionary schools articulate well in English, hence this write-up.

And I digress…

I have fond memories of Taiping town. I vividly remember my naive observation of the heritage buildings, the museum, the zoo, the prison walls, the rows of pre-war shop houses, the British named roads, the lake gardens, the occasional fun fairs and the theatres showing Hindi movies and Western spaghettis. To me, this is fun city life, not much different from Ipoh, the city where I was brought up most of my childhood years.

But after living in Taiping for about a year in 1966, where I got my early childhood education at All Saints Kindergarten, Kamunting, I felt a sense of yearning. For once, at age 6, I felt like being accepted to this place, as I have never really had a friend before, and here I made friends with a few lads who really touched my heart. But, sad to say I can't remember any of them except for this boy named Aziz, who is also a neighbor in the kampong where I live. I don’t really know why I liked him very much but he talks a lot and I just listened. I remember when it’s time of the year the school session ends, I cried because I know, Aziz and I were going to part, but that’s all I can recall.

Taiping 1960s http://www.pulau-pangkor.com/memories-of-malaya.html

As a child living in Taiping, I also frequent this old house or quarters, as they called it then, in the vicinity of the lake gardens, where my uncle and aunt lived once. This house is built on wooden stilts, with the rooms and living on the upper part and the kitchen on the ground, attached to a maid room and a store. It also has an office flanking it, and I could see once in a while my uncle would go to this place and would not return until late afternoon. He works there, I suppose, to which I later learned that he works at the Penghulu's Office, and I believe he is the Penghulu of Taiping.

In front of this house is a small field and at the end of the field is a stage where they perform musical shows or dance performances on weekends. Across the road is the children’s playground and the playground is part of the lake gardens. This is the spot where KEVII secondary boys would start their weekly morning cross-country runs around the lake gardens, every Mondays in the 70s.

If you have accessed this blog post from Facebook from Kelab Cinta Taiping, I suppose by now you know why I posted the earlier status in KCT group asking about the names or list of Taiping Penghulus around 1960-70. Actually, I have a bad time growing up as my physical build and social skills are a bit on the slow side as compared to normal kids. 

As a kid I am small and skinny and a very shy person. I am only able to make friends with small, skinny and timid looking boys like me. Bigger boys would shy away from me as I would not look good walking around or talking with them, especially in front of girls or other bigger boys they envy. Bigger and good looking boys would prefer to gang-up with boys their size and with better looks and that is a fact of life.

I don’t know about my mental ability back then but as far as I know I think it is normal as I can start reading in the early days of primary one. Anyway, remembering people’s names and their relation to me is one of my biggest problems. I know how to address them, calling them with their name protocol and how to behave if I am taught how, but I really do not know how to have a conversation with older people.

I wish not put blame on my parents, as my mum passed away when I was barely 6 months past my 2^nd birthday and my dad was too busy with work, he left me with my aunt most of the time. And most of the time when I was staying with my aunt, I was out playing with friends or cousins.

Once in a while, and probably as frequent as once in a month, dad would drive his car together with me to Taiping to be with his closest family, her eldest sister. Not many people own a car in the 60s, and if you happen to have one, you are regarded as rich.

Hillman Minx, the type my father drove in the 60s

I am the only child in the family then. When mum died, dad remained unmarried until I was 6 years old. Dad always looks sad and seldom talks to me, and I guess he was distraught about mum passing away so early in life. The only few times I remembered Dad talking to me was when he is angry about my being mischievous or not listening to his orders. And the only time he talks a lot was when he is with his eldest sister, Azizah, whom I call Mama.

In Ipoh, our home is a small 2-room wooden structure and asbestos roof built on low concrete stilts, with a concrete kitchen and the bathroom on the ground portion of the house. Every time dad says we are going to Taiping, I felt happy, as I like to be on the move in a car. I love to view the countryside, the hills and the padi fields alongside the small trunk road leading to Taiping. The drive would take some 4 or 5 hours and every time, we would stop by Kuala Kangsar either for a snack or visit a family member nearby the Malay College.

I would remember the names of the small towns and landmarks along the old highway from Ipoh to Taiping – after passing Ipoh town, dad would drive along Jalan Kuala Kangsar to Tasik, Chemor, Kg. Kanthan, Sg Siput, Kg Salak Baru, Kg Enggor, the Iskandar Bridge, Kota Lama Kiri, Kuala Kangsar, Kg. Talang, Padang Rengas, Bukit Berapit, Bukit Gantang, Changkat Jering, Air Kuning, Pokok Assam, Taiping and finally Kamunting.  

To be continued

Blind British man see again after successful implant of 'bionic' eye microchips

Chris James from Wiltshire, said: 'I've always had that thought that one day I would be able to see again.'

It was the ‘magic moment’ that released Chris James from ten years of blindness. Doctors switched on a microchip that had been inserted into the back of his eye three weeks earlier.

After a decade of darkness, there was a sudden explosion of bright light – like a flash bulb going off, he says.

Now he is able to make out shapes and light. He hopes his sight – and the way his brain interprets what the microchip is showing it – will carry on improving.

Mr James, 54, is one of two British men who have had their vision partly restored by a pioneering retina implant.

The other, Robin Millar, one of Britain’s most successful music producers, says he has dreamed in colour for the first time.

Both had lost their vision because of a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, where the photoreceptor cells at the back of the eye gradually cease to work.

Their stories bring hope to the 20,000 Britons with RP – and to those with other eye conditions such as advanced macular degeneration which affects up to half a million.

Mr James had a ten-hour operation to insert the wafer-thin microchip in the back of his left eye at the Oxford University Eye Hospital six weeks ago. Three weeks later, it was turned on.

Mr James, who lives in Wroughton, Wiltshire, with his wife Janet, said of his ‘magic moment’: ‘I did not know what to expect but I got a flash in the eye, it was like someone taking a photo with a flashbulb and I knew my optic nerve was still working.’

The chip is 3mm by 3mm, and is implanted into the eyeball of sufferers

The Six Million Dollar Man: A similar 'bionic' technology was used to restore sight to the blind, and the first group of British patients to receive the electronic microchips were regaining 'useful vision' just weeks after undergoing surgery

The Wiltshire man can now recognise shapes after becoming the first British patient to be fitted with the digital chip

Robin Millar from London, one of two men to undergo cutting edge bionic eye treatment

Enlarge  
The microchip has 1,500 light sensitive pixels which take over the function of the retina’s photoreceptor rods and cones.

One of the first tests was making out a white plate and cup on a black background.

Mr James, who works for Swindon Council, said: ‘It took a while for my brain to adjust to what was in front of me, but I was able to detect the curves and outline of these objects.’

Tim Jackson, a consultant retinal surgeon at King’s College Hospital and Robert MacLaren, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Oxford and a consultant retinal surgeon at the Oxford Eye Hospital, who are running the trial, say it has ‘exceeded expectations’ with patients already regaining ‘useful vision’.

The first group of British patients to receive the electronic microchips were regaining ¿useful vision¿ just weeks after undergoing surgery

The company hopes for a further trial with ten new patients later this year

Ten more Britons with RP will be fitted with the implants, which are also being tested in Germany and China. The device, made by Retina Implant AG of Germany, connects to a wireless power supply buried behind the ear. This is connected to an external battery unit via a magnetic disc on the scalp. The user can alter the sensitivity of the device using switches on the unit.

Mr Jackson said: ‘It’s difficult to say how much benefit each patient will get, this pioneering treatment is at an early stage.

‘But it’s an exciting and important step forward. Many of those who receive this treatment have lost their vision for many years. The impact of them seeing again, even if it is not normal vision, can be profound and at times quite moving.’ Mr Millar, 60, who was behind Sade’s Diamond Life album, has been blind for 25 years. He said: ‘Since switching on the device I am able to detect light and distinguish the outlines of objects.

‘I have even dreamt in very vivid colour for the first time in 25 years so a part of my brain which had gone to sleep has woken up! I feel this is incredibly promising and I’m happy to be contributing to this legacy.’ 

The patients were able to detect light immediately after the microchip was activated, while further testing revealed there were also able to locate white objects on a dark background, Retina Implant said

The chip pairs with an external device to process images

Pomegranates -- the food of love

Fruit: Pomegranates have previously been shown by researchers to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease

Men and women who drank a daily glass of the fruit’s juice for a fortnight experienced a surge in the hormone testosterone, which increases sexual desire in both genders. The latest achievement claimed for pomegranates, which are already acclaimed as a superfood, will be welcome among those who would prefer a natural aphrodisiac.

The study, by researchers from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, involved 58 volunteers aged between 21 and 64.

By the end of the fortnight both sexes had seen ‘significantly increased’ testosterone levels.

For men this affects traits such as facial hair, a deep voice and greater sexual urges. It is also produced in female adrenal glands and ovaries, raising a woman’s sex drive and strengthening bones and muscles.

As a side effect, increased testosterone can help raise mood and memory and even relieve stress such as ‘pre-match nerves’ or stage fright, said the study.

Previous research on pomegranate juice has found it full of antioxidants which can help ward off heart diseases and help blood circulation.

Boost: Pomegranate juice has surprising attributes

The superfood’s ingredients also help fight various forms of cancer, alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis and cure stomach upsets and even conjunctivitis.

The Edinburgh research measured testosterone levels, blood pressure and, using a scientific scale, levels of 11 emotions including fear, sadness, guilt, shyness and self-assurance.

Testosterone levels increased between 16 per cent and 30 per cent among the subjects, while blood pressure plummeted. Positive emotions rose and negative feelings fell.

Sepanjang Jalan Kenangan (Glenn Fredly)

Sepanjang Jalan Kenangan (Album Version)

How much does it cost to study in the UK?

Someone emailed me a question -- what is the estimation cost of studying in the United Kingdom?

Well, I wanted to give a straight and simple answer like = To study in the UK you must have £60,000 or RM300,000...that's all, but fortunately I do not like to give simple answers to a big question like that.

Of course I wanted the enquirer to be more specific.

What course do you plan to study, which level, which university, which part of UK, how many years of study, do you have the qualification, is your English language proficiency up to the required standard, do you have friends or family in the UK, are you staying in the UK alone or with your friends and family members, etc, etc..?

All these needed to be answered first before anyone can give you a rough estimate of the cost of fees, monthly expenses or per year of living in the UK.

Okay, first of all, you need to know if you qualify for the desired course you intend to apply for. Some courses, especially medical courses, engineering or the sciences, depending on the university or college in the UK, can be very strict with their basic requirements. And these requirements also include a pre-requirement English proficiency test at the level of your desired course.

For example, if you intend to apply to do a bachelors or postgraduate degree, you need to pass the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) at a minimum desired level requested by the UKBA (UK Border Agency). The UK Border Agency is like the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

A potential student must have evidence of English language skills at a minimum of level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in each language skill. UKBA rate B2 is equivalent to IELTS 5.5. Details of the UKBA Secure English Language Test Providers including TOEFL minimum scores can be found here.  

And all these qualifications and pre-requirements, including the English proficiency test minimum score are what the UKBA wants to see as part of the visa application requirement. Meaning you have to apply for a study visa first before you can go study in the UK.

But before you apply for the visa, the UKBA needs to see that the university has accepted you with the right qualification you have plus the English test that you must pass at a minimum score.

Whoaaa...you think it is easy to study in the UK just because you have the dough! Unlike in Malaysia, in the UK money and 'connections' cannot buy everything!

Then only comes the question of how much money you must have to fund yourself there in the UK. 

First of all you need to have a statement of evidence (as in the amount of money in your bank account) that proves you can really afford to finance yourself for the stated (how many) months/years in the UK. For sponsored students you need to provide a letter from your sponsors that claims you are being sponsored by them (Govts, GLCs, Companies, etc.).

For the visa application, usually the UKBA wants you to have a bank statement proof of at least three months of self sufficiency at the area of your stay. Meaning, if you stay in London the cost of living is higher. But lately, the requirement has been reduced to one month (28 days).

It has been established that to meet basic living expenses in the UK, not including fees, a student:
1. Studying in inner London for the majority of his/her study needs £800 per month;
2. Studying in outer London or anywhere else in the United Kingdom for the majority of his/her study needs £600 per month. 

You can check the document here.  

But those are for basic expenses like food, transport and utility bills (phone, internet, gas and electricity). For a comfortable accommodation plus some entertainment, it would be safe to add another £200 to it. 

So you need to have about £1000 a month to live in inner London and £800 to live anywhere outside London. But it all depends on the standard of living you expect to enjoy.

And now to answer 'how much does the fees for your study cost?'

If you are an 'overseas' student, assuming you are, and since this person who posed me this question is from Malaysia - ‘overseas’ fees can range from £3,500 to about £18,000 per year depending on the institution, the level of course and the type of course.

You can find some of the answers here.

The fee will probably (or may) increase each year by the level of inflation. Meaning, if this year you have paid £3,500 for a Higher National Diploma (HND) course, next year the fees might increase to £3,700 due to the rate of inflation, and so on.

To know the exact fees, you should contact the institutions you have applied to and whether they can tell you what the fees will be for future years. Your institution will probably ask you to give them some information about yourself and your family to help it assess your fee status. It will use the information you give to check if you fit into one of the 10 categories in Categories for 'home' fees.

Okay, say for example you are applying to do a 3 years full-time Bachelor of Arts Advertising & Media at Northumbria University in Newcastle-upon Tyne in North East England, (which is outside of inner London, and the cost of living is much cheaper than outer London).  

Northumbria University's tuition fee for International Students full-time undergraduate Arts courses commencing in the 2012/13 academic year is £9,900 per year. But as it says in its website, this figure may rise annually in line with inflation.

If you multiply this by 3 (meaning three years of study) then you will have to proof (bank statement) you have £29,700 (approximately RM148,500) altogether in your/parent's bank account (or your sponsor's statement) when you apply for this course. 

But say you are interested in and you qualify to do a science course and you want to do a 3 years full time Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology at Northumbria University. The University's tuition fee for International Students full-time undergraduate Science courses commencing in the 2012/13 academic year is £10,600 per year. So do your maths if you intend to do the three year course.

Some of these courses also carry additional costs to cover items which may incur during normal studies, for example field trips and equipment, books and writing materials.

So, to summarise what I have gathered above -- to study in the UK for an arts undergraduate course at anywhere in outer London, you need to have £800 a month x 12 x 3 years (£28,800) for the living expenses, plus £9,900 x 3 years (£29,700) for the fees. Altogether it will cost an arts undergraduate student £58,500 or RM292,500 for the three year course and stay.

To study in the UK for a science undergraduate course at anywhere in outer London, you need to have £800 a month x 12 x 3 years (£28,800) for the living expenses, plus £10,600 x 3 years (£31,800) for the fees. Altogether it will cost a science undergraduate student £60,600 or RM303,000 for the three year course and stay.

Actually, this example on the cost of living expenses in Newcastle (outer London) is based on my  current personal experience. It may a bit of on the loose side (not too tight, just to be safe) and it may differ if you are the thrifty type or otherwise.The choice of university and the fees as gathered from Northumbria University is also one of the lowest in the UK.

If I had chosen other prestigious universities like Newcastle University (which is ranked 146th in the world both by the Times Higher Education (THE) and QS rankings in 2011), then the fees would be higher. Take for example the annual fee for the Arts undergraduate and the Science degree programmes, which starts from £11,165 and £14,320 respectively, are much more expensive than those in the lower leagues like Northumbria University.

The Newcastle University website also provides a living cost guide in Newcastle City which it says is approximately £833-£888 per month.

So, there you are a quite detailed explanation of what and how much you need to have before you decide to do an undergraduate study in the UK. And don't forget to include the return flight fares from your country to the UK, unless you decide to just drive or swim across the English Channel from France, then it will definitely be cheaper.

Check-out my next posting on the cost of studying at postgraduate level in the UK. Of course, as a guide, the above explanation is suffice, but studying at postgraduate level, especially for a masters degree, you usually need a year. But you can also study and work at the same time, which may take you longer than a year.

So, if you are not very rich or you are on a tight budget, that's the good thing about studying at postgraduate level in the UK.