Just English

Is it possible to have enjoyable and relaxing activities which are also educational and useful? That's a tough call, for these elements tend to be incompatible. Often, activities that are "educational" are also "dull and boring".

However, when these are activities involving Just English Centre @ Highlands’ students, special efforts are made to ensure students obtain maximum positive effects. This level of effectiveness was demonstrated during a weekend day trip to Kuala Lumpur on July 5 that involved 15 multi-national students. These students from Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, China, Khazakstan, Kyrgyzstan and Saudi Arabia discovered that a day trip could yield so much in terms of being informative and instructive; thanks to thoughtful planning by the organisers.

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From morning until part of the night, they were exposed to a combination of different elements and environments that included nature, modern and urban life and western entertainment. Their exploration of the diversity available in KL started at 9.30AM when they viewed the world of winged creatures.

The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is located in the green area of the city - the scenic Lake Gardens. This bird park is among the biggest in the world and a favourite with tourists who visit Malaysia. One of the most famous visitors was former United State president Bill Clinton, who visited it in December last year.

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Upon arrival, the students, who were accompanied by three staff, were each given a map of the park. They felt like being in a gigantic cage due to the nettings that covered the area. The KL Bird Park is known as a "Free-flight Walk-in Aviary" where the birds fly freely and live together in a unique ecosystem. The students visited the various zones as guided by the map. The notice boards placed at strategic places had also helped them to learn more about the birds.

At the area called World of Parrot, the students saw different types of this, such as Macaws, Cockatoos, Lories and Parakeets. There was also a 30-feet tall man-made waterfall at the Waterfall Aviary. Here they saw the Milky Stork, which is a rare and protected species. There was a place where they could take their pictures with trained birds.

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The students gained a lot from this visit. With increased knowledge of birds and seeing these up close, they became more appreciative of nature. These students were also presented with the chance to use and improve their skills in English.

From the wooded and tranquil bird park, the students then moved to the concrete, steel and glass 'jungle' of the KLCC. The foreign students especially were surprised that it was only a short distance away from the Lake Gardens.

After viewing feathered creatures, the students would now see those which were almost always not visible to humans. The venue was Aquaria which, like KL Bird Park, is also a world-class facility. It is a place where various types of colourful marine life and animals are showcased. Most of the marine life shown won't ever be seen by most people in their lifetime. It is quite fortunate for Malaysians especially, that such a facility exists in KL.

The students also saw some of the technology used at Aquaria. There were screen projectors with interesting facts about the wonderful creatures exhibited. Interactive kioks were available for those who want to explore the world's oceans. the The aquarium occupies 60,000 square feet in the Concourse level of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. A visit to the Aquaria KLCC will take you through a journey of discovery in education as well as eco-tourism, supported by the latest technology with a mesmerizing ambience.

There are screen projectors along the Discovery Zones of the aquarium with fascinating information and facts on the wonderful animals exhibited within Aquaria KLCC. Interactive kiosks are also available for visitors to go on a virtual adventure in exploring other exciting creatures that inhabit the world’s ocean.

It was a captivating experience for them when they viewed life under the ocean through the glass windows. They also saw a diver feeding the fish, with sharks hovering nearby!

After these visits, all were hungry. They had lunch at the food court at KLCC. The food available here was not limited to Malaysian only - there were also Korean, Japanese, Thai and also Western.

KLCC is also known for consumer outlets, and the students then went shopping for two hours. Then, at 3PM, it was time for the next activity - watching a movie. The film selected was Transformers, which was reported to have attracted good crowds all over the world when it was released.

It was moving towards dusk when the movie ended. It was time to return to their college. They stopped to have dinner at Genting Sempah, which was popular with travellers using the Karak highway. All were tired but the students were extremely satisfied with how productive they had spent the day. This is a day trip that will remain in everyone's memory for a long time.