From left: Pierre Beuvelot, Mickael Pourteau, Mathieu Renaudineau, and Guillaume Bernard
You might wonder, who are these four gentlemen? They strolled around the KDU Damansara Jaya campus together, most of the time. Well, they are here not only as International students, but also a foreign-exchange students. They are not under a specific exchange programme but a programme initiated between IDRAC and Mr.Bruno Decourcy (Lecturer, SHTCA- School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts) .
IDRAC is an International School of Management, situated in France. Click HERE to read more on IDRAC.
Words from them...
Pierre Beuvelor
"I am not looking forward to leaving, as I will be leaving soon because I am only spending one semester here whereas the others, spending 2 semesters. This was a great experience and maybe I will come back in the future. I do miss the food and family back in France."
Mickael Pourteau
"It was a great experience because we met some new friends here, coming from different background and cultures. I like travelling and definitely love "Perhentian". I also found a Rugby team in Kuala Lumpur, and from there, I met a lot of foreigners and it is a different experience. I also miss my family and friends back home."
Mathieu Renaudineau
"I plan to come back and work in Malaysia, maybe in the Business industry because there are a lot of opportunities to work here. I would need to build up contacts with some people here for my future business plans."
Guillaume Bernard
"It was definitely a great experience and I chose Malaysia is also because I want to travel around to other countries, near to Malaysia like Singapore and Cambodia. It is really hot in Malaysia but we're taking the heat. I miss my family in France."
It was a bright-sunny afternoon where we had a friendly conversation with four of them on 17th November 2011. When asked about the weather, they said it was very hot and humid. Let's hear from these French students on what they have to say about Malaysia:
"The things here are cheaper especially in "Petaling Street". We bought a lot of things like watches, shirts, socks and even spectacles. We also went clubbing at Kuala Lumpur's hotspot and happening clubs. We were basically club-hopping. We visited Langkawi, Penang, Perhentian and Cameron Highlands. We love Perhentian, it really is a paradise out there, accompanied by the beautiful beaches. The food here is also cheaper. We dine at the "Mamak" almost everyday, eating "Nasi Goreng", "Satay", "Nasi Ayam', "Roti Naan", and a whole lot more. However, we can't stand the taste and smell of the "Durian". We haven't really tasted the fruit itself but we did tried the "Durian-flavoured ice-cream" and the taste was just weird and unusual. We made a lot of International friends here as well." Commented the group.
How did this collaboration between KDU and IDRAC came about?
Mr.Bruno took the responsibility in contacting the French embassy, trying to connect to Universities in France to collaborate for an effort of the "Student Exchange Programme". They thought this would be a great opportunity to the French students as well as the Malaysian students to have this experience in discovering the study environment and culture of other countries. IDRAC sent four students to KDU, 3 students (1 year) and 1 student (6 Months). Meaning, 3 students will be here, taking 2 semesters while one of them, taking 1 semester. According to Mr.Bruno, this would be the first time that SHTCA is hosting this exchange programme. Each of them will receive a certificate by the end of the semesters.
Of course, they need a mentor or a facilitator to guide them through their stay and study at KDU. The person the students liaise with, is none other than Mr.Bruno himself. He was a great mentor to these four students and attended to their needs and queries efficiently. So, what about the Malaysian students? The Malaysian students will be heading to IDRAC on January, 2012. They will be attending 2 weeks of orientation and all classes will be conducted in English. KDU will be sending 3 girls, who also volunteered themselves, namely; Kimberly(Degree, H&T Mgmt), Shy Yunn(Degree, H&T Mgmt) and Dian (Degree, Event Mgmt) . Bruno also added in, "These 3 girls are very excited about heading to IDRAC and the girls are very good students, with good behaviour and attitude."
KDU University College:
Hospitality & Tourism is a fast growing industry, leading as the world’s largest single revenue earners. It has developed swiftly over the last decade and employs approximately 10% of the worldwide labour force. With a vast potential for job opportunities, career advancement and job satisfaction, this industry has more to offer than meets the eye.
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