WALKING DOWN MEMORY LANES IN UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

   29th SEPTEMBER 2024    ~ Mr. Ridwan Wahid organized an edutourism trip around the campus of Universiti Putra Malaysia [UPM] - but it was known as Universiti Pertanian Malaysia during our time [TRANSLATE: Agriculture University of Malaysia]. This is our alma mater, as undergraduates taking Bachelor of Education TESL [Teaching of English as a Second Language] for 6 years. This was my second time visiting after graduating, and sure things had changed a lot here. Mr. Ridwan drove me to a few signifant places so we could stop and take photos.

 1. KOLEJ CANSELOR

This was the residential college where I stayed for almost 6 years, before going away for my practical teaching session in Ipoh.

The field in front the college was the place where the intercollege softball competitions took place. We would all go to watch in the evening and cheer for our college teams.

2. BUKIT EKSPO

Bukit Ekspo [TRANSLATE: Expo Hill] was the place for joggers to stop after running the long loop, and up and down the hilly route, to take a breather. At the same time, we could enjoy the serene view of the trees and the lake in the evening.

This was also the venue for the convocation fiesta where there were exhibitions, concerts, and stalls selling all kinds of things for a few days.

The whole place looked so different now from all the past images I had in my memory.

The high speed trains that connect Kuala Lumpur International Airport [KLIA] and KL Sentral pass through Bukit Ekspo actually, something that I did not realize. The next time when I take the train, I will try and see if I could recognize this place again.

3. FARM FRESH

This was the latest attraction in UPM which had become a tourist attraction in a way. People come here to learn the production of milk in a real farm. It was a collaboration initiative between UPM and the local milk company producer, Farm Fresh.

We were there in the afternoon on Sunday and the place was packed with visitors. We could not find a parking space unless we drove up the hill but would then have to walk quite a distance and the place was structurally hilly. We just stopped for a short while, to buy something, with Puan Suhaila and her daughter waiting in the car.

Just to get into the spot where the dairy products were sold, a visitor had to get a beeper from the counter at the entrance. Only one person was allowed inside and the time given was 15 minutes. With the crowd queueing up at the three different kiosks [there were more I think] it was like the Amazing Race reality TV show kind of thing. I managed to get the soft ice cream and two boxes of fresh milk nonetheless.

I will make it a point to get back to this place one fine day.

4. THE BIG HALL

I could only remember going to the hall for convocation ceremony and to sit for exams for a few papers.

The field in front of the hall used to be an open space without any function. But now, people could pose in front of the huge sign #WeLoveUPM.

I think we spent more time at the Experimental Theatre compared to the Hall.

5. THE LIBRARY

The library was the place visited for academic related activities. It also served as a transit spot for us in when there were gaps in between classes and walking back to the hostel and going to class again would be either impossible or a waste of time [and energy].

Last time, there was a cafe on the ground floor right under the stairs that sold really delicious fried bananas. It would be the spot frequented when the needs arose.

6. THE FACULTIES

The last spot visited was the Central Lecture Rooms, which was already a faculty building. We came here for tele-lectures for compulsory subjects like Kenegaraan [something like General Paper] and Tamadun Islam [Islamic Civilization] which were compulsory for everybody to take and pass, regardless of what courses you were taking. There were also smaller classrooms for tutorials in this building which was actually one of the newest facilities at that time.

From there, I could see my favourite lecture hall located in Food Tech Faculty. The reason: we could buy freshly baked pastries hot from the oven every day. The biggest challenge was to sit in the lecture hall which was directly beside the bakery and you became hungry just by smelling the pleasant aroma of the bread being baked in the oven,

Another nearby faculty was the Fisheries Faculty, the place where we had our very last class before going separate ways for our practical teaching sessions for 3 months.

We just stopped in front of Education Faculty, also one the newest buildings in the early 90's, just to take a photo. That should conclude the short tour of the campus.

I got to thank Mr. Ridwan Wahid for the effort and time taking me here after so many years. We were reminiscing the good old days when life was less complicated and had no worries.

I think we need to have a reunion gathering for our TESL group done in UPM campus, and I am sure it would be more significant for every member of the group.

UPDATE: There is even a short video generated for our short trip to UPM.