You-Want's Life

Iceland is a place where many would call an ‘Alien Planet’, given its majestic landscapes that look out of the world, and its co-existence of both glaciers and geothermal heat. This gorgeous island stands isolated in the far end of the world, but remains one of the most popularly visited countries (in normal pre-Covid climate). My trip there had included guided tours to hike not one but two glaciers, snorkel in a fissure and a boat tour in a glacier lagoon which beauty only took my breath away. These experiences were made incredibly informative by the guides, who had incredible work ethics especially when it comes to environmental protection. I remember learning about climate change and global warming in school, but getting to Iceland opened my eyes to witness these phenomena right before me. My horizon was widened when I had thought-provoking discussions with my guides on the unique Icelandic landscapes and the impact brought forward by geotourism. With no further ado, I would dissect...

Read previous episode:  WCP by CM Day 2 Part 1: Seeing Sea Turtles For The First Time   It was our second day on the East Coast of Malaysia! We spent our morning in Cherating, Pahang, learning much about sea turtles- a graceful yet highly endangered marine creature. The representatives of Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) , who had collaborated with Charisma Movement in facilitating our Wildlife Conservation Project, brought us to Rimbun Dahan Turtle Sanctuary after a scrumptious local lunch. Throughout our trip, our meals were arranged by TCS- we got to try some special delicacies from the East Coast including Terengganu's special  Nasi Dagang  (steamed glutinous rice served with fish curry),  keropok lekor  (fried fish cakes), fermented fish sauce and many more.     Rimbun Dahan Turtle Hatchery is popular locally for its long-term commitment in turtle conservation work. Siblings Along and Alang now manage the centre with the h...

Read previous episode:  WCP by CM Day 1: Learning About River Terrapins After a long yet interesting first day of terrapin-related activities, we looked forward to the next day. We couldn't wait to see how this page would unfold. Similar to our first day, the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) was in charge of our mission that day as a part their collaboration with Charisma Movement on our Wildlife Conservation Project.   Our day started with breakfast at Hai Peng Kopitiam, a Chinese coffeeshop that serves Halal food. It was a heart-warming sight to see all races in Malaysia enjoying food at the same location, where various types of food regardless of their racial origins were served. It reminded me that Malaysia truly is a mixing bowl of beautiful cultures and traditions.   We took off to Cherating, Pahang, one of the most well-known beaches known for its mesmerising coastline and white fine sand. We did a little running along the beach, took photos and dipped...

The story started with Mr. David Thaw's recital of a letter he received from one of his students studying in the US. It was about mental well-being. I remember nodding my head, agreeing to the content-- the emotional health of others around us, and ourselves of course,  is extremely important especially in this era where social media has a huge influences in our lives.  Mental health deterioration is an invisible killer and has caused the global suicide rate to accelerate over the past few years. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100000, equivalent to one death every 40 seconds. People facing mental or emotional struggles turn to ending their lives as they give up the fight against mental illnesses. I wrote Mr. Thaw an email to thank him for his sharing with the whole school that day. I also shared with him my views on the importance of mental health awareness and kindness towards others. Here's the email...

Advancement in social media has brought convenience into many's lives. Yet, one man's meat is another man's poison. Social medias have a dark side in secret many could not identify at first sight. The virtual platform is a breeding ground of cyberbullying. The Morbid Headcounts   A recent sharp rise in the number of depression cases and suicide reports has aroused the society's concern. Statistics have shown that 60% of depression cases in Malaysia are caused by cyber-bullying. Teenagers enjoy the fun social medias can bring, where they share their candid moments in life with friends and stay in contact.   Well, that's what most of us thought. In reality, the network is often misused as a battlefield to discriminate specific individuals. The reasons to sparkle online feud is often variable. Some 'gang up' to dominate over a particular person probably just based on his small-sized body frame, a scar on his body, parents' occupations or anything else ...

People are restless out there, anticipating the grand release of Taylor Swift's 6th studio album. There's no doubt that Scott Borchetta (CEO of Big Machine Records) and Joseph Kahn (Swift's No. 1 music video director) are also getting anxious with thousands, if not millions, of people scrolling both their Twitter pages for daily updates. One crucial clue we all know about Swift's upcoming work: it has got something to do with TIME. Coming back to her country roots or not-- we know that she's coming back BIG. Well, I'm waiting. I'm really patient and I don't mind having a few more weeks to spare till I got the physical album myself. News of Swift's 5th album, 1989, was announced in August 2014 and then marketed in October the same year. It then climbed up various sales charts and became one of the best-selling albums in the decade and her most successful release to date. Swifties around are certainly excited as August is approaching...