Larger-than-life Libyan Ahmed Amehdawi, of Level 103, proved to be the showstopper as he topped the following categories: The Broadest Thumb Nail, The Longest Ear Lobe, The Biggest Foot. He also shared first place for the Longest Little Toe with 102A’s Thai teenager Chayavit Suemanotham (a.k.a. Mr T!), Thai girl Nidjaree (Da) Avepronpanit (102B) and Saudi Arabia’s Almoghalliq Hussein Ali (104).

Inspired by this success, Mr T then continued his winning streak. What he lacked for in age, he made up for with the longest distance between his eyes!

Another affable Ahmed – Ahmed Alrifai of Level 104 – won The Widest Smile category. This shouldn’t have surprised anyone, as his sizzling Syrian smile was always beaming around ELS!

When The Longest Facial Hair category was announced, there was a roar of laughter from the audience, as Yemeni Salem Munassar (Level 101), with his fluffy, black beard, came out a clear winner!

By contrast, the follicly-challenged Ali Saleh Ba Odhah (Level 102B) prevailed in The Shortest Hair category.

Korea’s Kim Ju Hyuk (101) and Malaysia’s very own Wong Jey Yuan (affectionately known as JY – Level 102B), broke the Arab-Thai stranglehold, by jointly claiming The Thickest Neck Category.

Not to be outdone, Level 106’s Joe Yang Hyeon then shocked everyone. In a category associated with the fairer sex, the Korean teenager upstaged the girls by triumphing with The Tiniest Waist! He measured a svelte 23 inches, which any supermodel would be proud of!

Level 103 won the overall competition thanks to the feats of Ahmed Amehdawi but everyone was a winner on a day of great drama and excitement.

Let’s see if these records will be broken next year!

PRESS RELEASE

Kuala Lumpur, 10 June 2008 (Tues),

ELS Language Centres in Malaysia, with its students from all over the world, showed their concern for the victims of the Myanmar Typhoon and China Earthquake by offering prayers and donations. It is indeed heart warming to see students of all nationalities, cultures and religions helping the victims of these two disasters.

Ms. Chee Yin Fair, CEO of ELS Language Centres presented a cheque of RM20,000 to the 1st Secretary of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia today in aid of the Sichuan China Earthquake victims. Mr Zeng JiXin, the First Secretary of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia thanked the students of ELS Language Centres for their generous donation.

ELS Language Centres Malaysia always encourages its staff and students to be socially responsible. The culture of responding to crisis all over the world reflects on its international outlook that the woes of any community in any part of the world should affect it as much as its own crisis.

Not forgetting the Myanmar Typhoon disaster, ELS Language Centres is donating RM7,548 to help ease the hardship of the victims.

ELS Language Centres, Malaysia (www.els.edu.my) is one of the leading providers of quality English language courses in the world. With 79 centres located worldwide, ELS has a proven track record in preparing its students for school, further studies and career development. It is also an authorised centre for the TOEFL® iBT examination by ETS.

If you would like more information about ELS courses, please visit our website: www.els.edu.my or send us an email: info@els.edu.my

From beginning to end, 26 students and staff from ELS Kuala Lumpur enjoyed a three day / two night excursion to Tioman Island. On May 14th, at 11:30 pm, a bus picked all eager participants up in front of the school to begin their journey to an island paradise. The students tended to be boisterous, but as the bus ride was a long one (7 hours), they quieted down their singing and chatting to try to get a few hours of sleep before the next leg of their journey began.

By the time Mersing came into sight at 6:30 in the morning, almost everyone was awake and anticipating a sight of the South China Sea that we would soon have to cross. After a quick breakfast of ‘roti chanai’ and ‘telur’, everyone was ready to embark from the jetty by boat. The ferry ride across to the island of about two hours was refreshing and amazing. To see so many islands with palm trees and beaches in pristine condition was something that most of us had never seen before.

When the ferry docked at Tioman Island, everyone followed our guide to the Paya Resort where we were staying at. After receiving our room assignments and keys, quite a few decided to have a quick cat nap before lunch. As the first day on the Island was designated as a day to ourselves, many took to the beach or went exploring after lunch. Several games of volleyball, which also included a member of the staff from the resort, were also an enticing activity for many of us.

By the end of the first day, most students and staff were starved. We weren’t disappointed when our hosts brought out dishes of squid, chicken rice and vegetables. Most ate with relish and enjoyed after dinner coffee or tea. By this time, all were tired out from the fresh air and sunshine that they had enjoyed throughout the day. Sleep was welcomed by most.

The next day began with an early breakfast for most; some were just too tired to get up that early. The main activity for this day will not soon be forgotten, as for all of us it was a unique, unbelievable one. Snorkeling within a marine park of Tioman’s reputation was something that words can not describe. Suffice it to say, that if you have a chance to get to Tioman Island to enjoy the waters and tropical fish there, I would advise everyone who comes to Malaysia to go to this wonder of wonders. Clean water and amazing sites went hand in hand underwater as well as above water. From some of the students being able to drive the boats, to underwater antics, this was definitely the highlight of the trip.

Even though a packed lunch was included in the middle of the snorkeling, which was great, most of us had used enough energy that we couldn’t wait to dig in to dinner. Upon arriving back at our resort, a few drifted back to their cabins to sleep. When it was time for supper, most partook in it with relish, as we had all built up quite a hunger by then. After sating our appetites, spirited discussions and conversations popped up about what we had seen throughout our day. Sleep followed late for most as we all realized it was our last day to enjoy our tropical paradise.

The next morning most found it difficult to wake up early for breakfast as it tended to be too soon from the night before. However, as we had to catch the ferry back by 10:00 am, everyone was dragged out of their peaceful dreams of sun and surf. Again, the ferry ride was an experience not to be forgotten. The weather seemed to know it was an ending, as we were beset by high winds and overcast skies.

By the time we had taken the ferry back to Mersing and the bus back to KL, we knew it was truly over. Was it a dream or did it really happen? Whatever the answer, I’m sure every one of the people that went to Tioman will remember this trip as one of the highpoints of their lives. Thanks to all who went…

For the May 2008 graduation, the organizing committee decided to do things somewhat differently by asking the students of Level 109 to host the ceremony with the theme of Teachers’ Day as a backdrop and also run a few activities in accordance with the selected theme. True to 109 form, the entire class jumped at the opportunity to show their appreciation for all that their instructors had done for them during their stay with ELS.

The ceremony kicked off with a hilarious sketch based on the award-winning British comedy series, Mind your language, with the 109 students aping, among others, Mr. Brown, Ranjit and Ali. This was followed by a tongue-in-cheek tongue-twister contest with a twist: instructors only could participate – a truly unexpected twist – and the tongue-twisters were not in English, but in the native languages of the hosting students. For the students, both hosting and attending, it was sweet revenge – at its best!

Saving the best for last, the hosting students sang a song composed by one of their number in appreciation of their instructors from whom they had learned so much during the course of their studies in ELS. With the awarding of certificates completed, the graduation ceremony closed with yet another word of thanks to all instructors, lecturers and teachers everywhere for the invaluable contribution educators in all fields continue to make towards providing the nation they serve with tomorrow’s leaders.

As Malaysia pursues its policy of accelerating development of human capital through education and training, much emphasis has been placed on strengthening Malaysia’s image as an educational hub, not just for Southeast Asia but for the global marketplace.

Having won ELS USA’s prestigious award for being the region’s “Top Foreign Students Destination Award“, ELS Malaysia typifies the country’s success in building a rock-solid reputation for English language learning. With the opening of the new, state-of-the-art language centre at the corner of Bukit Bintang’s main intersection (its fourth in the Klang Valley), ELS is poised to welcome even more local and foreign students with the famous warm Malaysian hospitality.

As one of Malaysia’s top providers of English language courses, ELS is well-known for its quality of service and strong, effective solutions for those who want proficient English quickly. Their Intensive English Programme (IEP) has long been the benchmark for improvement in the language in the shortest possible time. Small classes, qualified instructors, proven proprietary materials, student-centred teaching and learning, and most of all ELS’s genuine interest in the welfare of its students make learning at the centres a truly wonderful experience.

The new Bukit Bintang ELS Language Centre also uses the latest educational technology as a key component in its day-to-day lessons, with ELS having just launched one of Malaysia’s most advanced computer-based language learning facilities, called the Learning Technology Centre (LTC) in each ELS centre. The LTC, a state-of-the-art language learning facility, provides the latest facilities and CALL (Computer-Aided Language Learning) methods to accelerate the language learning ability of its students and give them access to online English language lessons and resources to suit their own customised learning needs, making ELS the most modern language training provider in the country.

And the new centre’s location overlooking the Bukit Bintang traffic junction in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s leisure haven will prove hard to resist. Bintang Walk, YTL’s Starhill, Pavilion, Berjaya Times Square and numerous other malls and attractions are within a few minutes’ walk. Easy access by all manner of public transport will certainly add to the new paradigm of learning English in the best possible environment, and with glamour and excitement.

ELS Language Centres, Malaysia (www.els.edu.my) is one of the leading providers of quality English language courses in the world. With 79 centres located worldwide, ELS has a proven track record in preparing its students for school, further studies and career development. It is also an authorized centre for the iBT TOEFL examination by ETS.

If you would like more information about ELS courses and/or ELS Bukit Bintang centre, please send us an email: info@els.edu.my or find it in this website.

Click here to find out more about the ELS Adventure English Camp >>

The presentation kicked off with a moving rendition of the Iranian national anthem followed by a video clip that took the audience on a virtual tour of the country. Later, a brief run-down of the customs and traditions associated with the Iranian New Year festival was given and Iranian music and dance were performed. One highlight was a demonstration by some of the presenters of the Haftsin* table, a key element in the celebration of Nowruz.

Apart from the Iranian students’ presentation, the Level 109 students hosted a game which involved the instructors and students in a fun and friendly music recognition activity. Thereafter, the certificates were awarded and just about all of the recipients took the opportunity to reflect on their achievement with their instructors and take a moment to contemplate the future in their new world of English language learning!

*Haft Sīn (the seven ‘S’s) is a major tradition of Nowruz. The haft sin table includes seven specific items starting with the letter ‘S’ or Sīn in Persian alphabet. The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals protecting them. The Haft Sin has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism.

After departing Kuala Lumpur at 4 pm., 10 faculty members and 73 students proceeded to Melawati Hill for a brief visit to one of the historical landmarks in Selangor. Kota Melawati is a fort built during the reign of Sultan Ibriham (1770-1826) and is the site of a great event in Malaysian history, the brief Dutch colonization of Malaysia. A brief tram ride up the hill brought us to the fort’s ramparts which were infested with monkeys begging for food. Everyone enjoyed feeding the monkeys which either begged for or stole any food they could grab.

Another brief bus ride brought us to the Firefly Park Resort where we enjoyed a seafood dinner while waiting for darkness. The scheduled boat ride soon followed. Excitement mounted, the main event of the evening was approaching. The multinational group was looking forward to a spectacle of fireflies. The beautiful night scenery caught them off guard. About 2 meters from the boats was the illusion of wondrous Christmas trees. True to their name, hundreds, perhaps thousands of fireflies swarmed the trees emanating a surreal glow of flashing lights. Together, they brightened up the temperate night air. The symphonic harmony of the fireflies was truly one of a kind. We had never seen anything like it before.

The participants returned to Kuala Lumpur with plenty to talk about. There was even an unconfirmed rumor of a crocodile sighting.

This night outing was a great way to experience first-hand some of the indigenous animal species that Malaysia has to offer. Students enjoyed walking through the zoo taking in the tigers, rhinos, storks, turtles and leopards. The lions, giraffes and elephants were also, of course, big hits.

Due to the fact that it was a dark and damp evening, the brightly lit aquarium and reptile house afforded a nice break from the ‘trek’ through the wild. The large pythons that the zoo has are definitely eye-catching. As for the spiders that were kept in their enclosures, most agreed that as long as they stayed on their side of the glass, they were fine too.

The time went by quickly for the visitors. To finish off the visit, zoo staff had a snake that visitors could stroke and hold to find out what one felt like. Although many students and youngsters took advantage of the opportunity, there were definitely some that remained squeamish.

To end off the evening, at 9:00 we headed to McDonald’s. As most of the students had walked in the ‘jungle’ of Malaysia, large amounts of food was a great way to complete the trip. Students definitely enjoyed the visit to Zoo Negara at night!