My first Workshop

I was lucky enough that MAHASA college was able to give me the chance to conduct a workshop with my friends. The workshop that we conduct is to raise HIV/AIDS awareness. This includes us getting up in front of a group of students and showing them a presentation on HIV/AIDS in Malaysia. We have some games and my favourite one was conducted by Lisa. She had to introduce and simulate what it meant to be alone and the amount of fun that was had was memorable. I have never seen a group of students so eager to talk and interact with the presenters.

Not all things go as planned. I am not talking about the workshop here. The workshop was THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY.

We left at 8am in the morning as we were told that the workshop would start at 10.15am and we were given 2 choices to make our transportation by. The U82 bus from KL sentral or the T634 from Bangsar station.

We got off at KL sentral and waited 30 minutes for a bus that never came and Lisa finally asked a taxi driver to drive us to MAHSA college. She asked how much and he said “25”. We got in as we thought that it was far.

The taxi driver drove us around in a circle and kept asking which University. I told him MAHSA college, Pusat Bandar Damansara. He kept shaking his head and at first I didn’t realise that he didn’t know the way. He got frustrated at me asking so many questions so he dropped us off at HELP college and then charged us 25RM. I turned to him and confronted him, “What do you mean 25RM? The meter says 11.70. I am not going to give you 25.” He started yelling at me saying that it was agreed but I said, “Why are we not running by the meter? Why do I have to pay you 25RM? I’m not going to give you 25. I’ll give you 15 and that it.” Then the taxi driver stopped us from getting out of the cab and started driving. I got scared and thinking of my collegues, I said, “Fine I’ll give you 25, let us out of the taxi.”

We got off at HELP college and I called Madam Kamariah and she said that she was waiting for us near a McDonalds but there was no Macdonalds in sight. Finally Alex, the only person brave enough to ask questions, said, “Maybe this isn’t MAHSA college.” The security person at HELP College asked where we were going and he put us in the right Taxi. The second taxi driver was nice and cheery so I tipped him and said that he could keep the change.

Then the workshop happened and at first the students were reluctant to listen to us and they were chatting amongst themselves but I could see that the minute that we gave them candy, played some workshop games and I shared a few stories about HIV positive people. Some were moved and I saw one girl looking very sad after I shared the story about a woman I met in Johor Bharu.

After 2 successful workshops, we were exhausted and we dreamt of going back to the house to rest up.

BAD MISTAKE.

We weren’t sure about which bus stop would take us home and as luck would have it, we got on the wrong direction. We end up on the highway lost AGAIN.

Then we gave up and got a taxi to go back to KL sentral to pick up another intern.

MORE TAXI DRAMA

8 people couldn’t fit into a car so we had to split up. The first taxi driver said that he didn’t know the way back to our apartment so Joon said that he quickest way was to follow her car. He said that it would cost us around 20RM. There was no way that getting back to the apartment was that expensive. It should cost us around 12RM.

We decided to not get into the taxi and try another one. Joon explained that if the taxi driver didn’t know the way back, he could follow her car. We agreed so we got in. Alex, the only one bright enough and observant, poked me and said,”look at the meter, I think its broken.” I confronted the taxi driver and said, “We are going by the meter.” The taxi driver looked at me and said, “No meter.” I yelled, “Well what do you mean that we aren’t going by the meter?” The taxi driver said, “Broken.”

I said, “Everyone get out of the taxi.”

Pissed off at the taxi drivers, I was told that it also happens to the locals ie, locals get ripped off by taxi drivers too.

One drama after another. It doesn’t stop but the 2 successful workshops made all the drama worth it.

:)

I don't mean to scare you about taxi drivers in Malaysia but its the reality and things like this really do happen.