June 28, 2011: Malaysia Day 2 - meeting old colleagues, playing mahjong

June 28, 2011: As I ate breakfast this morning (dark noodles with fish ball and tofu soup), I read in the newspaper several interesting articles:

1.     A new law has been passed requiring all companies (government and otherwise) to have at least 30% representation of women at their highest decision-making levels.

2.     A man possessing drugs was sentenced to ten years imprisonment and ordered to be whipped 10 times. I guess this is a bit less harsh than neighboring Singapore where they execute anyone possessing drugs (as was done many years ago to an Australian teen).

3.    A classified ad: “Matrimonial, Cheating – Spouse, surveillance, photographic, background – check, assured”. (Brings back memories of people I knew during Peace Corps days who had more than one wife – legal for Muslims and “accepted” for other races)

After breakfast, it was off to meet Nomita, her husband, Bala, and later Janaki and her husband, Parithi. I arrived at the Royal Selangor Club a bit early so I walked nearby to the moorish architected buildings that used to be the Post Office to take some pictures. They were just as they were in 1969 except that they are now among very tall buildings on all sides. The buildings are now being used as a tourist spot and not as they were originally intended to be used.

Nearby was another building built by the Japanese that I've heard has no windows.

Daya Bumi Building in background

I went to the Royal Selangor Club to meet Nomita and Bala. We had a very enjoyable time having a drink and eating snacks in the cool restaurant. After that we decided to forgo lunch there and go to their house instead so that I could eat vegetarian Indian food. While at the club, I told them that I was fortunate in having found many of my friends via Google but I was unlucky in finding a way to reach Catherine Chan, a colleague at the school. I just happened to mention that her husband had worked at Rubber Research Institute and Bala exclaimed that a gentleman who had just said hello to him a few minutes earlier worked at RRI, so he walked over to his friend's table and asked him if he knew the Chans and he said yes and gave him Catherine's phone number immediately. After we arrived at Nomita and Bala's house, I called Catherine after not having spoken to her for 30 some years and said "Hello, Catherine. How would you like to lose some money at the mahjong table some time?" and she responded "Dick Halverstadt, is that you? I could tell as soon as I heard your voice that it is you!" We had a great time catching up briefly on the phone.

Meanwhile, before we arrived at their house, we drove by the school where I used to teach from 1970 - 1972. The school has moved to a different location now and the old facility where I taught is now used as a sports training facility. The guards at the sports facility gave us passes so that I could get some pictures of what the school looks like now. It certainly is not in the condition it was when I taught there. However, I did see the tree that I was given to plant in the front of the school back in 1970 has grown very tall.

Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Jalan Cochrane

Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Jalan Cochrane

- note tree that I planted in 1970 (one of the palms)

Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Jalan Cochrane

Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Jalan Cochrane - note Petronas Towers in background

While I was teaching at Cochrane, the headmaster, a rather authoritative figure, informed me that he had written the words to a new school song. He followed this up by informing me that since I had a musical background, that I was to write music for the school song. He gave me a day to write the music. I tactfully told him that musical inspiration doesn't come over night and I'd need more time. He said, "Fine, I'll give you the weekend." Fortunately I was inspired over the weekend and wrote the music for the school song. Nomita told me that they are still singing my song after all these years. Imagine that!

After touring Cochrane, Nomita, Bala, and I returned to their house and we had a great Indian meal -- I had three servings it was so good.

Nomita and Bala

After lunch, Nomita and Bala drove me to see Janaki and Parithi Vengadesan at their house. We had a great reunion and reminded each other of the great times we once had back in the old days at Cochrane. It was wonderful to see them all again and since all of us have retired, we're all doing more travel so I'm hoping that some day they will grace Ruth and my house's doorstep.

Bala, Nomita, Janaki, and Parithi - note Ganaspathy, the elephant god on the wall behind

In the evening, Freddie and I went to meet Chan who taught physics at Cochrane. The three of us went to a great Chinese restaurant for curried crab, a pork dish, and some crispy beans.

Chan, Freddie, and me

After that, we returned to Freddie's house to play a bit of mahjong. While we were getting situated, Freddie, his son, and I played a round while waiting for Chan and I won handsomely. However, since it was a "practice" round, no money was exchanged. And, of course when Chan returned and we played "for real", I ended up on the losing side. All in all, I lost for the evening, but did I have a great time playing mahjong after not having the opportunity to play it for 27 years! Another great day!

an evening of mahjong