Story by Keisha Ta-asan
Photos by Keisha Ta-asan and Mekyla Rose Forbes
As I was onto my last year of being an undergraduate student in the University of the Philippines - Baguio, as we were adding the final touches to our thesis, it never occurred to me to submit an abstract for an international conference. But it did for Mekyla, my thesis-mate.
On a cold Wednesday night, we both screamed at the top of our lungs when we read an email saying, “Congratulations! Your paper has been accepted for an oral presentation...I would like to formally invite you to attend the 5th World Conference on Media and Mass Communication 2019 (MEDCOM 2019) to present your paper in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 05th - 07th April 2019.”
I never knew that a world conference such as Medcom existed until now. According to Dr. Andrea Volterrani, the Conference Chair of Medcom 2019 and a respectable researcher whom we have met at the conference, the 5th World Conference on Media and Mass Communication is a global platform, an opportunity both to learn about the state of the art research in the media around the world and to build spaces for exchange, knowledge and future research among the participants.
We were promised a conference that encourages meaningful interaction in an intellectual setting that can energise and drive new initiatives in the way media is used for communication.
Malaysia’s weather and time zone is just the same with the Philippines’. Mekyla and I stayed at Seri Pacific Hotel. Seri Pacific Hotel is a five star business hotel in Kuala Lumpur. The three-day conference was also held in the hotel, which was why we chose to stay there for three nights. The hotel lived up to its five star rating. Everyday, we were greeted with a delicious breakfast and lunch buffet. The staff were highly respectful and hospitable. Although booking a room in Seri Pacific can be quite expensive, there were discounts offered to those who book a few months earlier--which was what we did. With such a comfortable place to stay, we could focus on the conference.
The Medcom conference was a good avenue to showcase camaraderie. Even though all of the delegates had different beliefs, perspectives, cultures, and came from different parts of the world, we all connected. Communication played a vital role in our connection, and I’m grateful we all were communication scholars. This conference allowed me to widen my perspective, and I was able to meet people who shared societal issues their countries are facing. The three days I spent in bathing myself in academic researches and interacting with scholars who came from places across the globe were worth it.
Malaysia’s Tourist Spots
After the Medcom conference, we decided to have a tour of our own. Our first stop was of course, at a shopping district near Seri Pacific Hotel. We first bought all the souvenirs we were willing to take home. There, we also met Filipinos who were kind enough to offer us discounted goods and souvenirs.
We then went to the famous Batu Caves, a religious site located in Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia. According from the locals, the name came from a river flowing past the limestone hills--Sungai Batu, which also means Stone River. The enter the caves, you have to hike 272 steps past the statue of Murugan. I forgot to mention the monkeys and the pigeons that were flocking the area. Don't let the monkeys snatch your food! And have fun scaring the pigeons. You also have to respect the place by wearing something proper. Don't worry if you are a tourist and you wore shorts or knee-length pants, you can rent scarves that would help you cover up.
After visiting the Batu Caves, we went to buy treats. Our feet took us to Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom. If you are a fan of chocolates, Beryl's Chocolate Kingdom has a lot of varieties to offer. I have to admit, as a lover of sweets, I spent half of my money buying chocolates. It was quite expensive, but it was worth the money. I am not exaggerating when I say that they have the best chocolates in the world. They also let you try the chocolates before you buy them!
We then took our ride to the Petronas Towers. The Petronas Twin Towers, are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur. According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)’s official definition and ranking, they were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 until Taipei 101 was completed. Still, remain the tallest twin towers in the world. For us, describing Petronas as massive and large is an understatement. I felt sick just by looking at it from the ground, and I'm not even afraid of heights!
Before heading back to the Philippines, we visited Federal Territory of Putrajaya. Putrajaya lies 25 km from Kuala Lumpur. However, even though it is the federal administrative centre in Malaysia, it became a tourist spot because of the elegantly designed streets with a touch of a European feel. Also, the government buildings are a blend of modern architecture with Islamic arts. We were beyond amazed when we saw the place.
All in all, Medcom 2019 and Malaysia were two things I never expected to happen before my undergraduate life ends. Indeed, it was an experience that is worth the money. If you are a student, and is completing a very important research paper today, don't hesitate to submit an abstract to conferences such as this.
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