This program, submitted by Rotary eClub One member Josie Henson of Angeles City, Philippines, is a companion piece to the article "Malaysia: From Tin Mine to Resort."

NOVEMBER 16 TO 18, 2012

Now that you have been introduced to the origins of the Selangor experience, I must say that it was quite unique in the sense that we were all expecting to see a hotel situated near a beach or a huge lagoon. We never expected to discover that Sunway Lagoon Resort was transformed from a former open cast mine, a deep and barren wasteland, into an oasis filled with trees, flowers, a huge lagoon and 10 swimming pools of various shapes and sizes; which we never got to experience as we were busy with the Institute for almost three days.

After we entered the huge Sunway Resort lobby, we were brought to our hotel room on the 11th floor and we were expecting the elevator to go up, but surprisingly, we went one floor down. The lobby was located in the 10th floor and some of the function halls were on the 15th floor. The main restaurant was down in the lowest level on the first floor. It took a while to get used to going down to our room on the 11th floor and even lower down to the 1st floor for breakfast. Every time we used the elevator we had to think twice or thrice whether we were going up or down. We got lost several times.

But all in all, at the Selangor Zone Institute, it was great to catch-up with old friends, rekindle friendships and make new ones. For some it may have been a first visit to establish relationships, to sojourn to tourist places or to experience the Malaysian shopping extravaganza.

Appropriately, the Selangor Institute was an event to trade stories, exchange notes, enjoy good fellowship and build new links in Rotary. The presence of several Rotary VIPs like RI President Sakuji Tanaka, Immediate PRIP Kalyan Banerjee, PRIP Raja Saboo, PRIP John Kenny, incoming President Nominee Gary Huang and other incumbent and past RI Directors made the Institute even more I would say, "star-studded".

Photos show RI President Sakuji Tanaka with Josie and Ben Henson.