The world we live in...

A long poem inviting a certain you to be my friend

2011-07-11T09:21:00.002+12:00

"Friends we shall be"

Your face caught my attention,
as it did many,
so I thought maybe
we could be friends.

Friends we became and you surprised me with yourself,
different from what I assumed,
something that made me think,
I wanna be his friend.

We love the same God,
I had no idea where you were on your walk with Him,
so it seemed a good idea,
to just be friends.

As time went by, my eyes would search for you voluntarily
in crowds, waiting, hoping, longing,
and the sound of your name,
could trigger my heart to miss a beat.

Your silent laugh, the words you speak,
sets butterflies in me,
and I find myself happier,
whenever you're around.

It was then that I realized,
I've fallen and am stuck in fear and uncertainty.
Maybe I shouldn't have wanted
this friendship to happen.

Seeing how it's often me
starting a conversation,
it should be a sign telling me
we should just be friends.

Scared that how I feel about you
is different to the way you think of me,
I convince myself everyday,
we should just be friends.

Fear of rejection, trust issues with guys,
and due to other factors,
I think either way,
we should just be friends.

Even though I wish for a hand to hold,
and envy when my friends are out on dates,
I'm not ready to step out of my single life, and so
we should just be friends.

My love for languages changed my choices in friends,
but Korean or non-Korean you are,
nothing should matter and still,
we should just be friends.

Knowing how this might just
be another empty crush like in the past,
I think to myself,
we should just be friends.

The girl you liked, where your eyes followed,
I tried being her, and made her my friend,
thinking you might notice me, and you did,
as her friend.

I don't regret cause I gained a new sister in Christ,
and grew to understand myself more,
and the hard lesson that,
we should just be friends.

A hug or a handshake from you I avoided,
for it would have been harder for me to
say it now, that
we should just be friends.

Making friends with your friends,
so that I could hang around you more,
I think your friends also would agree,
we should just be friends.

Thinking of what the future holds
maybe our paths will never link,
so obviously it should be that
we should just be friends.

You don't know who you are,
and I know you don't need to,
cause I will force myself to understand,
we should just be friends.

I don't want to go back being strangers,
and scared of being too close that
it's hard to leave one day, so
Let's just be friends.

Hello again!

2011-06-27T19:18:00.004+12:00

And I'm back! ...after who knows how long XD haha.

didn't think second year of uni would be that time consuming, maybe because I work part-time now as well. =D

I'm on day two of my semester break. Yay! Been waiting for this day since the start of the year. *chuckles* Exam weeks felt like forever, especially when I had language papers... which meant the last of the people to go on holiday. hah. but I'm finally free XD

So I went super duper happy straight after having two hours of writing two essays and three short answers... found out I actually can write quite a bit in a pressured time limit. =D

Made some korean side dishes for dinner that night. lol. Since I've been crazy reading korean recipes from www.maangchi.com and http://aeriskitchen.com and wanting to make them... but forced myself to wait till my exams finished.

Rest Stop Potato, HyuGyeSo GamJa. It tasted like roasted potatoes, but filled with the love of butter instead

Potato JoRim, Gamja JoRim. My favorite among Korean side dishes

Potato with mushroom, gamjachae bokkeum. Except mine doesn't have mushroom XD they all went to the next dish

Eggplant, GaJi BokkEum ... yes. I swapped the eggplant bit with mushroom. and it worked =P

The Korean soybean sprout side dish, KongNaMul MuChim

My flatmate didn't mind being a guinea pig XD and I found out that it's easier to just walk down the road to a korean restaurant than making five simple side dishes... I think I took more than two hours making the meal >.< I know. I'm still a learning cook. I had to read the steps of cooking repeatedly. I bet Aeri and Maangchi would take less than half that time to finish ten dishes, and laugh at my lack of skills *hangs head*
but I still had fun ^^

I don't take credit for making the mandu(Korean dumpling) on the right, other than being the one microwaving it from the frozen packet from the handy Korean grocery next to my work ^^

Then after hours of digesting, we went for a noraebang(which means karaoke in Korean ^^) experience. Yup! just two of us. I know it's a little lack in numbers, but that didn't bother us much. Went to one down Queen street after failing to get a room in Sky since it was full T.T (I heard they always have the lastest songs. oh well. next time).

I think we spent more time of the hour in the room looking for a song to sing and listening to songs we typed in that we thought we knew but just decided to let it play than actually singing into the microphone. I know. it was a bit of pity that we didnt sing till our voices went hoarse and scared the neighboring rooms(the sound proof wasnt that good. we could hear songs from either side of our room XD)

And I still get distracted with the weird backgrounds the songs would have. Need some examples? Please refer to the super duper couple in Korea who explain most questions you would have about Korean culture in their episodes of noraebang and again noraebang(newer version). Hooza(their copyright speech expression) for that! They are totally awesome ^^

It didn't help that they had pages of chinese songs... that were quite old and I only knew less than ten... and some of the ones you always hear people sing over and over so I didn't bother singing more than two or them. And only at the last minute that I found out the korean songs I was looking for was in the middle section. Like the songs were alphabetical ordered... but how would a dummy like me know that there were two groups of them. The front ordered old songs and the middle bit with alphabetical ordered newer songs. argh. I blame the book. not my dumbness. no wonder none of the songs I picked sounded like the ones I am familiar with. But now I've learnt my lesson, and I can't wait to head to a noraebang to scream some ears death, with the help of the loud sound systems of course. I'm innocent. XD

Today is Tessa's turn to cook and dinner is calling ^^

And the menu for the night? Non-asian again!

Doesn't it look interesting? I didn't know you could add veg and ham to pancakes. It sure tasted better than just having it with golden syrup for breakfast, when they taste super duper good already!

Lantern festival 2011

2011-02-24T16:36:00.006+13:00

So just like the previous years, I went along with the crowded as festival.

Hyde with her green HSBC balloon

But instead of going with family members or paper clippers like the previous years, it was with some student lifers. ^^

It was much crowded than I've ever experienced before, where we had to form a train at one point squeezing through the crowd for some fresh air.

the picture says it all... Albert park looked so small on the night

I blame the lion dance for forming a crowd in the middle of the street with their awesome performance and then disappear for us watchers to have to scurry through for freedom. But it was great fun. wouldn't really choose to do it again though.

They really showed Chang'e this year... that weird lady with the rabbit

And the fireworks were awesome! Can't remember if I watched any during Lantern Festival before or not, but totally loved the one I saw that day. Especially the ending. Just the best ending ever!

lanterns... the main feature of the event. but I went more for the food =P

The food wise was alright I guess. Maybe cause I just came back from the country that is filled with awesome street food till late night >.< Miss the place. The stalls were mostly Thai, Malaysian and Chinese food. There were a few Japanese stalls- takoyaki anyone? Five dollars for five? Or some pretty delicious price. And Vietnamese food, Taiwanese sausages (haha. they won't trick me into buying this year, not after being spoiled with all those sausages for free last month), and other random stalls selling stationary and drink and what nots. Lots of glowy sticks stuff.

at some booth that had info about the zodiacs. still dun get how the dragon didn't get number one in the race...

On the way back, we witnessed a stall being investigated... with heaps of security staff around it. Hyde told me that was the cool store that was selling cool asian stuff... where she got her load of Doraemon stuff XD . But the stall had quite a lot of little items (asian little items. can't have too many of them), so those were easy targets for those thieves. And there was only one store keeper. Poor lady. She must be pretty pissed. I know I would be. But good thing I never want to have a stall at Lantern Festival. save me the stress =D

I thought it was weird to have no rabbit lanterns when it's the year of the rabbit... but I didn't know Chang'e's rabbit had kids... and grandchildren...

If you've never been to a Lantern Festival before, be sure to check it out next year! i think it's worth.

But try and go with a bunch of friends you can fool around with.

Needing some coffee

2011-02-22T09:34:00.007+13:00

So I survived a day at the flat.. alone.

But so needing a good nap or a good night's rest... if I will get that that is.

Got my things unpacked. Felt great not having bags of stuff in my room =D

Some pictures of the views from my flat that I love:

the view of the living room and the entrance to my room. teehee

hehe. it feels as if I dun have a lot of shoes with this cool rack thing

I brought a piece of Taiwan with me =D Still miss that place heaps

this is the view from my flat. Yay!

view from the living room

At 11pm, I thought that it will just feel as if I am in Taiwan, with all the busy noises downstairs.

But I was wrong.

Well I remember Taiwan being shout-free at midnight.

...

and there weren't weird noises when everything on the street finally died down.

I wonder how the homeless people get rest. There is a guy that stays in front of the doorway next to our flat.

So whatever I experience... he experiences worse.

After falling asleep and waking up for the nth time... I got up to look at what sounded like construction being done... at 4 in the morning.

And what I see were these weird vehicle driving around...

the worse is that there's two of them (if you can't tell it's the things with yellow lights on it)

Argh! Just having one of them sounds like ten vacuum cleaners on at once... with people chucking metal around the place... so you can imagine how terrifying two of them together would be. No idea what they do... but they better not do it every night or I am so not gonna lose my panda make up >.<

Here's a video of them in action. It gets louder towards the end and you can experience a little of what I did at the last few seconds. The diff is I had tons of minutes of that loud annoying sound.

(If you can't view the video, it might mean that you're not reading this on my blog - http://kumaramash.blogspot.com/2011/02/needing-some-coffee.html )

Oh the joy of flatting on Queen st.

Moved again

2011-02-21T17:07:00.003+13:00

Got to take a look at the place I paid quite a bit for few hours ago.

It sure is nice... hence the prissiness I guess. priceyness? dun think tht is a word. but point made.

But Tessa and I took about two hours trying to tick off the list of stuff the apartment has... since it's a furnished apartment. they sure need to bring in new cutleries though, and chuck out old and dirty ones... like the rusty can openers and melted plastic flips.

and we found out that the tenants before us don't know how to clean dishes... and bowls...

let's count our dinner plates. One...

Te Ewww... is that food scraps?????

Even though we laughed about it for quite awhile... it sure was disgusting...

wasn't pretty impressed.

so I guess we will be washing everything before we use it. we MUST. for I have no guarantee that what I see is how clean it is.

Love the view from the place, especially my room. Not that I love the sky tower that much, but I guess it's nice to have a view of it whenever I feel like having a bit of fresh air.

All in all I'm pretty excited for the coming months. Still have to sort out internet, and we haven't done our first shopping.

And we're thinking of a flat warming soon.

I'll share more of my new 'home' next time. maybe it'll be filled with more good things than the bad, since I haven't actually experienced the place yet, having just filling out the sheet wanting us to jot down stuff about the apartment we don't want to be liable to pay for... like cracks in the wall.. so whenever I walk into people's apartment, I might be picking out the problems (not that I want to. just out of habit) like "Oh stain in the carpet." "hmmm dent in the wall". maybe that will stop in a few days... or few weeks time.

Just a few days before uni starts >.<

What to do with Loneliness

2011-02-19T15:28:00.001+13:00

what to do with loneliness. That was the name of the chapter in the book I'm taking quite awhile to go through - Elisabeth Eliot's "Passion and Purity".

I haven't touched this book from the time I left for Taiwan, which sure feels like months ago, and it amazes me how the chapter just knew what I needed right then and now.

The chapter spoke my heart out, and I was just sucked into after reading part of a letter in the book which goes like this "Sometimes this loneliness inside hurts so badly. It's not that no one loves me; I have wonderful parents and loving brothers and sisters. But I've experienced a loneliness this year like I've never had before, and I know a lot of it is due to the fact that I'm out of college and on my own for the first time."

It felt as if I was the one writing it, writing all my thoughts and emotions into this little space.

Maybe it's the end of holidays, the recent return from a country I haven't been back for years, the jet lag, the frustration of having to sort out university and finances. Or maybe this is just a stage of life. Loneliness. Something that nobody can ever be used to.

Just as the passage says, I know I'm not alone, but it just seems so that everyone around is so busy, they have their own families, their own worries. They care about you, but sometimes, life is as it is and things just don't turn out how you want it to be.

Thinking about the past, how things used to be, how it seemed so far away. that fairy-tale story that I used to live in. Maybe I was just young.

Staying up late at night, not knowing what time is a good time to sleep since I have control and there is nobody to give comments. Locking the doors once I step indoors. Trying to sleep but worrying about what next week would be like, and if there will be a break in. Do I have my phone nearby?

Do they think I'm a bother? Maybe I shouldn't text them, they must be busy. All these unhealthy thoughts and more, that I suddenly fine myself dwelling in.

Sometimes I wonder if maybe I've got depression.

Even if I'm standing in a crowd, the loneliness still stands.

I'm not complaining. Just sharing. I don't expect this feeling to disappear suddenly, for it is a stage that any person will have to face. Well most people. I dare not say all, for I do not know all things.

But I am looking forward to seeing the grown me in a few years time, having experienced this stage of life once, or twice, or many more times that I wished to have had.

I am grateful for this experience, the see life more clearly and to understand myself better. So don't feel sorry for me, but just be witnesses of me struggling, growing, and becoming a better me.

And to all you who might be facing the same trial as me, stay strong, and here's the rest of the chapter that I found very useful and would like to share with you.

"Be still and know that He is God. When you are lonely, too much stillness is exactly the thing that seems to be laying waste your soul. Use that stillness to quiet you heart before God. Get to know Him. If He is God, He is still in charge.

Remember that you are not alone. "The Lord, He it is that doth go with thee. He will not fail thee neither forsake thee. Be strong and of good courage."(Deut. 31:8) Jesus promised His disciples, "Lo, I am with you always." (Matt. 28:20) Never mind if you cannot feel His presence. He is there, never for one moment forgetting you.

Give thanks. In times of my greatest loneliness I have been lifted up by the promise of 2 Corinthian 4:17, 18, "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen." This is something to thank God for. This loneliness itself, which seems a weight, will be far outweighed by glory.

Refuse self-pity. Refuse it absolutely. It is a deadly thing with power to destroy you. Turn your thoughts to Christ who has already carried your griefs and sorrows.

Accept your loneliness. It is one stage, and only one stage, on a journey that brings you to God. It will not always last.

Offer up your loneliness to God, as the little boy offered to Jesus his five loaves and two fishes. God can transform it for the good of others.

Do something for somebody else. No matter who or where you are, there is something you can do, somebody who needs you. Pray that you may be an instrument of God's peace, that where there is loneliness you may bring joy.

...

These are the operative words. The empty char, the empty mailbox, ... have no particular magic in themselves that will make a mature character out of a lonely man or woman. They will never produce a steady hope. Not at all. The effect of my troubles depends not on the nature of the troubles themselves but on how I receive them. I can receive them with both hands in faith and acceptance, or I can rebel and reject. What they produce if I rebel and reject will be something very different from a mature character, something nobody is going to like.

Look at the choices:
rebellion--if this is the will of God for me now, He doesn't love me.
rejection--if this is what God is giving me, I won't have any part of it.
faith--God knows exactly what He's doing.
acceptance--He loves me; Heplans good things for me; I'll take it.

The words "full of joy her and now" depend on the words "taken in the right spirit." You can't have one without the other. Taken in a spirit of trust, even loneliness contributes to the maturing of character, even the endurance of separation and silence and that hardest things of all uncertainty, can build in us a steady hope."

So try and have faith and acceptance, just like me. It's hard, but it's better trying and doing nothing. ^^

Bad witness again

2011-02-17T11:21:00.000+13:00

I sure need to label my bus cards well first thing I get back home.

Just like last year, I used my one stage ride for a ride more than one stage. Last time was alright since it was two stages... but today's was for four stages.

No wonder that bus driver asked me to get out the front door... to ask me to pay him another three stages...

That's how I realized my spare bus card still only has one stage rides. So I paid again with my four stage bus card... but the bus driver still seemed pretty pissed.

Sobs. I'm such an awful bus rider >.<

But I swear I didn't use the one stage bus card for the four stage ride on purpose. I swear!

Hope the bus driver will forget me. Pretty please...

That new buble tea place

2011-01-13T09:06:00.001+13:00

Being a fan of bubble tea, I was really keen to try out this pretty hidden store.

I was thinking that it's so great to have such a place just close by, instead of the pretty amazing yet some distance away Momo and Ezy way.

So off I dragged Hyde to the place.

The prices were pretty average. Not expensive, which was a good thing for me.

In a way, I felt that they don't have a big variety of selections. Like foodwise, it's not as bubble tea like to not have those Taiwan snacks like the chicken nibbles. But I guess maybe they are trying to have their own uniqueness in not being the same as other places.

So the place is called Luna Tea, and they have some beverages with the name in it. I guess that makes them the special yummy ones? Don't know. haven't tried if they are really special.

I had a special creation however, of mocha with green tea. I love both of them... so thought to try it out. kind of regretted it. actually I did regret. Should have thought that two strong flavors together totally doesn't make it taste good. And it was a pretty thick tea, kind of in between normal liquid and a smoothie... so it was a pretty interesting experience for me. If you wanted to know what it's called, I think it was "Mocha meet's kawai" or something. totally dun get why they put the Japanese word for cute - kawai in it. just sounds a bit cheesy for me XD

Hyde got a taro with pearls. Now you can never get wrong with taro... or so we thought. I really love taro flavored asian stuff... but this wasnt the same. The tea didn't look the usual purple as a taro drink would have as well. It may sound weird, but you could actually taste two different flavors- the tea. the taro. I have no idea why the flavors didn't blend. So wasn't too happy with that too.

Other than drinks, Hyde ordered a waffle. Now I must say their food are actually quite good. Or for this case, that waffle. If I were to head to this place again, I think I would just go for the snacks, unless somebody whom I trust recommends a drink from the place.

For now, I guess that distance to ezy way is quite worth it.

Sorry that I didn't decide to translate all the stuff on the menu to English. They have a menu in English on site though, so pop by and experience the new bubble tea place.

P.s. if anyone wants my card that already has one stamp on it, it'll be waiting for you. =D

P.s.s. this post is just my general thoughts. you might be impressed with the place. I wouldn't be surprised, since it has been awhile since I was there, and I think maybe they improved

Poem about Mao...

2010-12-24T14:57:00.001+13:00

"Mao ao"

Oh Look! there's a cow
oops you guys are still playing Mao
Does anyone want to eat a bao?
haha. I heard a tummy growl

Point of order!
Can we kick out this toddler?
unless she is quieter
Oh sowwie... i just thought you might die of hunger

Alright, that's it!
give me that bao so I can eat.
And after that I hope I can still beat
all these Mao rules that I have to repeat.

My spoon's too big,
Fail to play black rule,
Fail to play numbers rule,
Fail to play magic fountain rule!

All hail the great queen of spades!
Fail to play all other rules,
Take another card.
Don't think too hard.

Argh! I don't get this game,
why is it the Schoolies Project fame?
I kind of think it's lame,
but maybe I just don't want to be filled with shame.

Point of order!
Let's call it quits,
I'm craving slushy to bits,
and I really need to buy eclipse.

We've been on this bus
since daylight breaks,
shouldn't we be there yet...
Oh! I see the apartment gate!

So I thought to write a poem related to the Schoolies project. Well I tried to make things work, so here's the finish product. Anyway, HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

Free weight loss program

2010-12-22T21:34:00.009+13:00

So last night I just facebook chatted with Enoch to ask about gym stuff and who knew I ended up going to one within the next 24 hours, for FREE!!!

Well it's not like I've never been to a gym before... like the super small ones in Kuching, but it's just really different. Why? Cause I get this free ride to the gym and get taught how to use the many very fun-looking equipments.

And I even got a plan set out for me! Don't you think this personal trainer is just awesome!? Well I guess he must doing it for God's glory. hehe.

Oh! And I saw Jayana at the gym too! so happy to see her ^^

Well today was just the start of my slow and painful torture. But isn't there a saying "No pain, no gain!" ? I think that saying fits my five free days of fitness. Can't wait to see how I change into before Christchurch. ^^

Other than the pretty hectic morning gym session, I totally lazed back with Esther at Sylviapark for the whole afternoon. Man, couldn't believed we "exercised" for that long. Sure was fun just going from one end of the place to the other XD

And I had falafel for lunch, which always reminds me of Ruth Dunn. Oh how I miss my barbie TT I even saw a necklace that had "Barbie" on it, and was sooooo tempted to buy it. Maybe next time XD

hehe. since we journeyed to like twenty stores... it's impossible to not buy anything right? well I mean if you have money. if you dun have money of course you can't. And so Esther and I just tried and tried and payed and payed. So there goes money buying a pair of heels, pants and a pair of sunnies. XD I totally love my purchases though! Like I seriously started using my heels after a few minutes of it being mine, since I was eying a dress... this super cute checkered one that I almost got but didn't since it was double the price I thought it was, and so on my heels I go, arms stretched high just like what I got thought in the gym this morning... and GOT IT!... and so I wouldnt have gotten it without buying the heels... well that's what I'd like to think XD

Spotted Ms Rowbotham(or she must be Mrs XX now... SHE HAS A BABY GIRL ♥), after we both had this staring contest, as what Esther saw... since I wasnt sure if she was who I thought she was and she too... since I didnt have my glasses on. hehe. And peeped by Sweats... and seriously just stood in front of Steve... and waited for him to realize I was staring at him making lollies... which was like 5 or 10 minutes XD

And we just surveyed some stores as well Like just trying on clothes in the super expensive stores that we know we can't afford, that have the super looking dresses.... and the many accessories stores. the one shop that we surveyed and love the most was this teddy bear store sneakily hidden on the second floor. When I went in my eyes were pretty much heart shapes, I kid you not! And ummm it's so cool there! Like you choose your own teddy bear outlook at the first station. Actually it's not just teddy bears, kangaroos... koalas... monkeys... lambs... too bad no pandas. These outlooks are usually just skin and air... so you bring your selected toy to the third station - the stuffing machine, where they stuff it for you to how soft or hard you want it to be, having the choice of giving it a sound, like choosing a given sound or record one. Then the forth station is where you can brush your stuffed furball. And then that leads you to the "pay for more to make me cute" place where there are heaps of outfits to create the toy look you want to pay for. And the last but not least station is the birth certification centre. It's these machines that you key in what you name your expensive creation, weighs it and just gives you this cool piece of paper or identification thing. Then you have to pay for the toy, and viola! they place your creation into a box that has the design of a house. Awwww! Wasn't that a fun tour!? Well the only thing I kept thinking of was.... EDISON!!!! omg I should get him one... and record my voice saying "Kimberley" so that my name will be the first thing he says. but nah, I already got him some cute cuddly stuff XD. Anyway, you guys should check out the store, since the bears are half price off ^^ Not sure till when though, so if you get there and they aren't on sale, I take no responsibility =D

As it is written

2010-12-20T23:54:00.001+13:00

What did you do today?
I always wanna ask in the least suspicious way.
In my mind, I wonder why,
When did I go crazy about this xy?

I hate to admit but I gotta say,
my heart's spinning like it's not okay,
and your name pops up countless times everyday,
that I have to stop to scream "¿¡KIMBERLEY!?"

But my yelling doesn't work,
cause my head still really hurts,
and I wish I could just forget your smirk,
and hide back under the deserts.

Sunk back down in this good old mess,
why did I even think to confess,
the things I do that make me more obsess,
Oh! how can I make myself love you less.

Ignore me please, I pray and want,
this love to have that I know I cant,
and my feelings I don't dare to flaunt,
as there will for me to pout and taunt.

I hope you understand me quite well,
to know that what I sent in the mail,
was what my heart really longs to tell,
of this craziness that makes me wail.

Hope I showed it in the poem ^^ Gosh how I love rhymes

My Poem for ah gong

2010-12-20T01:30:00.004+13:00

"Soon"

Basking in all the love and care,
He sits in silent and always stare.
Everyday the same clothes he wears
not knowing why he's always in despair.

Daily taxi rides around the block,
a massage every Saturday at five o'clock,
a personal maid following with his cloak,
You can't say he's a poor old bloke.

It's been years since I last heard you cry,
the scary sounds that I don't know why,
but your love for us I think "Oh my!",
please stay well for on the plane I soon shall fly.

Are you lonely over there without the TV?
That you always have super loud even early at three.
Are the meals over there to your taste,
that makes your heart race?

I don't think I've hugged you,
but I don't want to think it's too late,
because at this rate,
you make me want to precipitate.

Henry and I will come your way,
with gifts of love and as a friend to play.
But we might have to work on our chop suey,
and all other stuff the real asian say.

I hope you're fine without beer in Taipei,
since I think you'll enjoy us coming to party,
with chocolates and Japanese fishes that make you sway,
oh please oh please do let us come to stay!

So it's something for my lovely granddad from my mom's side, who I heard is in the hospital now. He has Alzheimer's as long as I remembered. Ahh I really hope to see him in January ~~♥

Friends and Family

2010-12-19T01:41:00.007+13:00

Holidays are the best time to catch up with your loved ones. And for me, that's my super duper brothers and friends.

So other than catching up with my awesome buddies from the Studentlife Schoolies project, which was pretty much everyday since we got back in Auckland, I got to get back into my normal life. Well I guess the people from the two weeks at Schoolies are part of my normal life now, but still needs some getting used to.

Got to hang out with YooMee before she left for Korea, where she would then head somewhere for a missions trip. Really loved spending time with her. She's my unofficial Korean tutor and really good friend ♥

Saw Landy at church on Sunday ^^

Then had a great morning coffee with Willie in the shore on Weds, a day before helping out at church with some of us young adults from home group. Totally loved the free food from the morning tea for the older folks hehe. And the studentlife Christmas party that night was so worth going. hehe. Got a pack of mini toberones after the round of present games. muahahahahaha

Also had a flat hunting afternoon with Tessa in the city after staying the night after the xmas party at Henry's. and Arrons's ^^ Then rushed to have lunch with Su straight after the chinese lessons(ppl randomly started talking to me in Chinese twice in the single hour XD) and flats. Had a fallafel at the Middle Eastern restaurant on Wellesley street. Yummy... but expensive... and it reminded me of Ruth. Met her and her fallafel the first time I met her ♥
Then I dragged Su to our last Schoolies kiwi team hang out at momo tea (dun think I will be planning anymore anytime soon) hours before Leo flies to China. That was last night. OMG! i forgot to wish Su "Happy Birthday" today. All that "I'll text her later since morning" sure wasn't ideal >.<

Which brings us to today, where I finally got to have a proper hang out time with Henry. Went to Westfield Pakuranga then Botany... where I totally got reminded of Schoolies again... our photo scavenger hunt... to get his Christmas shopping done. hehe. and got to go to Palmers before it closed. So loved picking out plants with him ^^

And how could I forget mentioning Midnight, the awesome cat that just L♥VES attention. She's really helped me overcome the transition from hectic Aussie like back into normal life.

Well I still have many people to catch up with in the remainder of the holidays... like YuKai and Esther... just to name out a few. And Kate who I met in the Asian Youth Exchange in Okinawa 2009. So need to see her since we've wanting to since end of last year... but somehow it still hasnt happened. hmmmm Richard must be busy preparing for the upcoming business. Can't wait for my nephew Edison to see the world, preferably not on Christmas day, but who knows what God has planned ^^

And well Christmas is just around the corner, so hope all of you spend a lovely time with whoever you love most on the day!

Combined service with EFC

2010-12-14T09:41:00.004+13:00

Everyone in early at eight to practice

Sound and video peeps. Kevin taught me some video techniques. hehe. feel like getting a video camera

awesome worship team

the awesome turnout

Pastor Peter and translator. sorry I forgot his name >.<

in unity in Christ

Landy my fren from EFC. hehe

yummy yummy food for lunch

IT WAS SUPERB!!!!!!

I'm so glad I didn't miss it again like how I did last year. Even though it's only been our second time joining together for a church service, it was amazing how it sent smoothly. It must be our love for God that allowed such a successful day to happen.

If you don't know, I attend Howick Baptist Church(HBC), which has it's service at 9.30am. The church building is then rented out to the afternoon Chinese church Evangelical Formosan Church(EFC) that has it's services at two in the afternoon. So these awesome brothers and sisters in Christ pretty much woke up extra early for this planned service. ^^

Good News - Isaiah 52:7-10 (Peter Somervell, Paul Young) from Howick Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Here's the video of the sermon. You can also get the MP3 and sermon slide here: http://www.howickbaptist.org.nz/sermonmodule/view_video/sermon_id/314/src/@random487849c9b21ee/

I just loved how even though there was some language barrier... well maybe quite a lot for the more older folks, we still joined together in prayer, in communion and also the shared lunch that was so crowded.

It just made me long to really rejoice and see how great and awesome it would be in Heaven one day to see all nations come together as it says in Revelation 7:9-10 "...I looked, and behold, a gread multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"" (omg. just remembered the song that goes "salvation belongs to our God... who sits upon the throne... while typing tht. hehe. Didn't know that it came from this verse) What a site that would be, to have EVERYONE there. Can't wait. And all the cries of joy in all the different languages! \o/

Take us all back soon God! ^^

Personality tests

2010-12-13T21:24:00.002+13:00

lol. Personality tests aren't too accurate. I guess that's a good thing in a way... since I won't just think I'm such and such and can't change.

Well I started to do these tests online, curious to see what I am... but they don't all have the same answer XD

So the first one was alright showing that I'm an Artisan. woo hoo. glad you got what I am studying in uni right.
Here's the result:

Artisans are the temperament with a natural ability to excel in any of the arts, not only the fine arts such as painting and sculpting, or the performing arts such as music, theater, and dance, but also the athletic, military, political, mechanical, and industrial arts, as well as the "art of the deal" in business.

Artisans tend to be fun-loving, optimistic, realistic, and focused on the here and now.
Artisans pride themselves on being unconventional, bold, and spontaneous.
Artisans make playful mates, creative parents, and troubleshooting leaders.
Artisans are excitable, trust their impulses, want to make a splash, seek stimulation, prize freedom, and dream of mastering action skills.

There are many Artisans, perhaps 25 to 30 percent of the population, which is good, because they create much of the beauty, grace, fun, and excitement to all our lives.

Glad to be in the category that is such 'highly thought of'. hehe.

Then the second test was more what I was looking for, showing what personality I am like those weird words like phlegmetic, But I still have no idea what ESFJ, which my result stands for. I also got a ISFJ which is just a letter different, so methinks that maybe the results weren't too big a difference. But still, it shows that these tests are just approximate... and good thing I'm not really taking them seriously or else I might be half bald by now... going crazy n pulling my hair out.

And I took "The big five personality test"... which was pretty interesting when they started asking me questions like where I spend my youth... and what I would categorize my family's financial standing to be... a bit suspicious there... but anyway my results:

	Your Results
Closed-Minded		Open to New Experiences
Disorganized		Conscientious
Introverted		Extraverted
Disagreeable		Agreeable
Calm / Relaxed		Nervous / High-Strung

What aspects of personality does this tell me about?

There has been much research on how people describe others, and five major dimensions of human personality have been found. They are often referred to as the OCEAN model of personality, because of the acronym from the names of the five dimensions.

Openness to Experience/Intellect
	High scorers tend to be original, creative, curious, complex; Low scorers tend to be conventional, down to earth, narrow interests, uncreative.
		You are somewhat conventional.	(Your percentile: 24)

Conscientiousness
	High scorers tend to be reliable, well-organized, self-disciplined, careful; Low scorers tend to be disorganized, undependable, negligent.
		You tend to do things somewhat haphazardly.	(Your percentile: 35)

Extraversion
	High scorers tend to be sociable, friendly, fun loving, talkative; Low scorers tend to be introverted, reserved, inhibited, quiet.
		You are neither particularly social or reserved.	(Your percentile: 42)

Agreeableness
	High scorers tend to be good natured, sympathetic, forgiving, courteous; Low scorers tend to be critical, rude, harsh, callous.
		You are neither extremely forgiving nor irritable.	(Your percentile: 57)

Neuroticism
	High scorers tend to be nervous, high-strung, insecure, worrying; Low scorers tend to be calm, relaxed, secure, hardy.
		You are generally relaxed.	(Your percentile: 32)

What do the scores tell me?

In order to provide you with a meaningful comparison, the scores you received have been converted to "percentile scores." This means that your personality score can be directly compared to another group of people who have also taken this personality test.The percentile scores show you where you score on the five personality dimensions relative to the comparison sample of other people who have taken this test on-line. In other words, your percentile scores indicate the percentage of people who score less than you on each dimension. For example, your Extraversion percentile score is 42, which means that about 42 percent of the people in our comparison sample are less extraverted than you -- in other words, you are neither introverted or extroverted. Keep in mind that these percentile scores are relative to our particular sample of people. Thus, your percentile scores may differ if you were compared to another sample (e.g., elderly British people).

What a joy to know! might forget all this after a good night's sleep.

Another personality test result... kind of wasted my time doing these dumb tests as you can tell...

Your personality type: "Reliable Realist"

Serious and quiet, interested in security and peaceful living. Extremely thorough, responsible and dependable. Well-developed powers of concentration. Usually interested in supporting and promoting traditions and establishments. Well-organized and hard working, they work steadily towards identified goals. They can usually accomplish any task once they have set their mind to it.

Careers that could fit you include:

Business executives, administrators and managers, accountants, police, detectives, judges, lawyers, medical doctors, dentists, computer programmers, systems analysts, computer specialists, auditors, electricians, math teachers, mechanical engineers, steelworkers, technicians.

The first bar shows how much I like to be around people... second bar showing how I process information... third telling me how I make decisions and fourth being how I structure my life. I really wonder how they made these tests work. well i actually dun want them to tell me. but just wondering if they took a lot of time making this thing 'work'.

I even decided to try out a test that tests if I have personality disorders, since I really wanna know what this test would say. I mean there is no such thing as disorders, it's just names that people term others when they don't understand them. And it's also an excuse for people to feel that they need more care and empathy... and well pretty much just denying that the main problem in their life is sin.

And it turns out I'm pretty normal other than being pretty moderate on one the while the others were low on the scale, as you can see in the pic.

So I'm normal in the eyes of the test... and I still have no idea if I'm the so called phlegmatic or melancholy or the whatevers that are left. oh well... not too important anyway XD

Korean Food Blogging Contest

2010-12-12T16:42:00.011+13:00

Well the contest has ended for quite awhile now. Been busy catching up with the peeps that went to Schoolies Project last week so didn't really have the time to share my excitement about the contest.

I must say I was expecting to just not get a prize in the end seeing how far behind I became after just two weeks in Australia. And even if I did not get anything, I actually gained a lot from the contest already, so it's been great just being part of it. But seeing it written on the website, I guess I got the 'last' prize, which is superb, since I get something ^^ so honorary for me getting some Korean Food Gift Sets. Still haven't gotten an email from the team, but I'll wait. ^^

Even though I only joined half way throughout the contest, it's really been super fun. Getting to write about yummy Korean food, trying to get my friends to vote and just trying my best. Sure was a great month. Then had to forget about it for about three weeks, trying my best to focus my mind on sharing the gospel and just making the most of my time during the Schoolies Project, which sure was awesome. Will write about it next time, but it sure will be a longgggg post.

I learned more about myself while writing about Korean food. I didn't know I really would go hard out buying Korean and eating Korean for three meals for a few days straight before heading to Gold Coast. I'm surprised I'm not sick of Korean food yet, even though I know nobody could ever be, but maybe the logic of being sick of something after being overdosed of it even though you loved it to bits at the start might have applied to this matter. But it proves not for me XD

And one time, in the middle of my writing when I was doing the demisoda(Tm), a comment asking what the nutritional value of the drinks were. I didn't drink all three demis the same day, so the apple and grape one was in the recycling bin being drunk the latest, and the first had apple one was somewhere in the garbage bag. And yes, you see it coming.... I went through the garbage bag. I remember saying to myself "I can't believe I'm doing this, while my hands searched through all the pretty gruesome contents. It took awhile to have my left hand go through all the objects in the bag... still didn't feel a can like stuff, so opened some tied bags that were in the garbage bag. These bag were meant to be food scarp bags... tied so that the cats might not know it's existence if the food were 'hidden' behind two layers of plastic. I think it's just that our cat just can't be bothered to fool around since we feed her every night so she's not in hunger to make a mess. Finally found the empty can in one of the two food scrap bags... and washed it along with my pretty red hand... since there were traces of kimchi spices in the garbage bag... proof of my hand really searching through the very Korean garbage bag. So yea, so didn't know I would go so crazy just to reply a comment. But I felt that it was worth it, since I really wanted to do what I can, even though it means going through some rubbish.

And I also learned to read some ingredients in Korean... like carbohydrate and sugar after replying about the nutritional value of demisodas(tm). Might have forgotten it though =S but I know I can always learn it again. Then through one of my posts, since I quoted quite a lot from this facebook page... that actually came from wiki, I learned more about sourcing my sites. It really felt like writing a university assignment again. I also learned to write tm and stuff beside product names... even though I am still confused my the different terms for stuff. Like what's the difference between copyright and trademark? So glad I don't do business and might not have to go through all that confusion.

I also videoed myself for the FIRST time!!! still feel weird when I watch that video again. Totally sound dumb in it. I mean who says "two point half cups of water"... well other than me of course XD I think I've explained why I said that line but there's no harm explaining it again aye? In my mind I was thinking 'was I meant to say two point five litres or two and a half cup'... and being nervous and not thinking I started with two point half and then I remembered that the bag wrote 'cup'... so that's how I joined these two sentences. oh wells. Still can never get used to being in a video. might be my first and last time... fingers crossed.

And other than just posting and posting, I got to read other peoples post since they were going hard for the contest as well. So I learned much more about the Korean food, and seriously had a bigger urge to want to visit Korea after reading posts from people who were in Korea the very moment. It's like a fantasy food world with people who look like me... well me looking like them... since I really reckon more people have thought of me being Korean much many times than me being my true identity of a Chinese. Still haven't decided if it's a good thing or a bad thing. There's pros and cons to such a comment.

It was also exciting to see how people started to follow me to do Korean products review as well after I came back from Aus. I swear(well i dun swear... but I mean... i really that I am super sure!) that I was the only one who blogged about Korean snacks and what not and started doing it... since I really dun eat at that many restaurants... and I was going on the road of a cheaper contest participation... so like spending less than $100 for the contest since restaurant review blog posts might be more than NZ 10 dollar for each one... and so not paying for that. I still have a student loan!!! and am still unemployed TT So yea, it was cool to see I made an impact... or could I say big disaster in the contest XD

Plus, I got to have more people visit my blog. teehee. And think I might make a few friendships our of it. So as you can see, even if I didn't get a prize, I would be content enough with this amazing journey that I went on.

The contest taught me a lot in showing who I am and what I belive like being honest, even though it was tempting to just vote for myself. I got to see how evil I am deep down, even though I know well enough that's I'm a sinner just like all men, I guess I just keep forgetting. My will to win the contest really took over at a time, but I had to keep reminding myself to just do what I should and leave the rest up to God. Which is what happened, since I believe that He willed me to get an honorary prize, maybe to allow me to not be proud, and show me that going to Korea isn't a thing I'm going to do quite yet. I had to search my heart at times and keep asking myself if it's okay if I don't get a prize, and what do I really want to get out of this contest in the end. Forgetting about this contest while in Australia was also quite something to learn. It took a few days to achieve it, but by God's grace it happened. It's also amazing how some people talked about spiritual stuff with me on my blog and in the contest. I just love how things happened, the journey that God planned ahead of time. He's just amazing!

Anyway, that's most of my story about the learning experience and thanks all who made me enjoy the contest so much more, like allowing me to eat Korean during the contest period, showing your determination to help vote for me and more. All the laughs and joy I had with some of you are really precious to me. ^^

Indian Corn Snack

2010-12-06T08:17:00.000+13:00

Wonder how the name came about

After buying it I really wondered how Indian it would taste like. I actually thought maybe there was curry in it, since that what I link Indians too, but I guess this packet meant little indians, which I have no clue to what they eat.

healthy enough for u?

Even though they look so exactly like cornflakes, no kidding, they totally don’t don’t taste like it at all. They may be as crunchy as cornflakes, but cornflakes sure don’t give you that full of corn-ness. If you’ve tasted the corn-shaped corn chips (that I remember putting on my fingers and eat them acting if I was eating of my nails), you’ll totally get the same experience with these. Well not the fun fingernail eating bit, but just the awesome strong corn taste. And I think these cornflake-like snacks would be much cheaper than the con-shaped ones.

you'd think I placed conrflakes in an empty snack bag XD

Maybe if you really wanna try the difference between these and true cornflakes, you can mix them with milk for breakfast and tell me how it is. But be sure to have a real breakfast prepared alongside just in case it tastes totally horrible =P

Rasberry Wine

2010-12-06T07:48:00.003+13:00

Sweetness to your cheeks

Having eyed this wine for awhile, I finally got to taste it on my 18th birthday. Yup! I had it with my Korean BBQ at Mapo. I have been a fruit wine lover, since they taste sweet, and I totally have a sweet tooth. Well not too much of a chocolate ice cream lover, but other than that, as long as it’s sweet, you can see me eating it ^^

I also tend to go for red wine out of the alcohols as well, so this drink sure sparked my curiosity not long after I got in love with Korean food. And I must say it sure is my favorite alcohol ^^ seeing it’s Korean(being a total Korean freak) and how it’s a red colored sweet wine. Well I must say it actually took me almost a year to finish this one bottle, since I’m not much of a drinker. It doesn’t mean I don’t like it, just that I cherish it so much more. haha.

more info

I think it was around thirty five bucks, so not sure if that counts as cheap or expensive for you, but hope this info helps. You can see it in almost any Korean restaurants, or maybe it’s just me again. It’s said to go well with meat, which is pretty same with red wine, so I guess if you’re game for it, you can totally replace this special one for your normal red wine.

Honey Dipped Snack

2010-12-06T07:48:00.002+13:00

Cinnamony

Thinking they would taste pretty similar to my beloved Honey Twist flavored snack, but I was a tad wee bit disappointed, since it was as sweet as I imagined it to be.

But still, it was quite enticing after I stopped wanting it to taste like something they weren’t meant to taste like.

It only has a slight sweetness to it, and I tend to think that it has this slight cinnamon flavor. I like cinnamon, especially on Chai Latte’s, so guess you can tell that I enjoyed this crunchy snack.

Yes, I agree that my posts seem to get shorter and shorter. Well can’t blabber too much about snacks. They are usually awesome anyway, that’s why moms snatch them away from kids sometime, to enjoy it themselves once the kids are fast asleep. XD

Off to Schoolies Project

2010-11-17T14:09:00.002+13:00

Letter to all,

haha. I guess I've been crazy enough to spam post so many blog posts today.

Hopefully that will be able to cover up for the time I will be away. Sorry if you got spammed by me. You can just take the time to slowly click the links day by day if you want, cause there won't be posts for quite a while.

If you don't know yet, I will be off to Australia in a few days with StudentLife- a Christian group on campus, and we will be evangelizing over on the beaches for a few weeks.

This is my first mission trip, so I'm really looking forward to it, even though I'm dead nervous about the trip. Like everything about the trip. Will I be a bother to others? Will my English be a problem to others? How would I speak to the students over there? and on and on...

But I guess it's a good thing that I'm nervous, since it shows that I care, instead of being lukewarm and bleh about everything.

So I hope to share about the will-be challenging time I have over there, but please keep praying for me to be diligent in just sharing the truth and just going out there to sow the seeds, not that I need to, but that I want to.

Well, I guess I should go off to pack now before I head off to Willow Park. See you guys next month!

Love,
Kim

Sweet Potato flavored Snack

2010-11-17T14:02:00.001+13:00

Sweet potato is the bomb!

A lover of sweet potatoes, these snacks sure took my fancy. They reminded me of the Honey Twist snack that I simply love.

The cool about this snack is that it has sesame on it, which doesn’t make it taste bad, but enhances the flavor and look of the snack.I guess it’s true what the packet says that the snack contains a “bit of real sweet potato lightly spiced with sesame seed to provide a tasty snack, which is high in carotene and an excellent, source of vitamins.”

vitamin snacks?

It’s not as crunchy and sweet as the Honey Twist, but I like it just as it is, even though Honey Twist is still my favorite. haha.

These weren’t as cheap as the other Nong Shim snacks, but still pretty cheap, at about $1.20, which is just twenty more cents than the Honey Twist.

And here’s the info about it if you were looking forward to seeing it XD

snack pack

But then again, nothing beats the real sweet potato, especially when it’s golden baked.

Honey Twist Flavored Snack

2010-11-17T14:02:00.000+13:00

sweet snack!

These are my most favorite Korean snack. It’s like THE snack for me, since I’m really into sweet things. Not sweet chocolate sweet, but just honey sweet.

And the crunchiness of the snacks also make me love them. So ideally I am able to hog a whole bag to myself and finish them, even though I know they are unhealthy, having not much daily nutrients that your body needs.

Like the shrimp crackers and Onion flavored snack, I also got this for a dollar at T-Mart. Best deal ever!

sugar n everything nice =P

As I said before, it’s not healthy so watch how much of them you eat.

If you’ve never had them before, try some at your closest Asian mart today! And remember, just like most food, if you have too much of it, you’ll just end up getting sick of it.

Seoul Garden

2010-11-17T14:01:00.001+13:00

Seoul Garden

Other than Sarangbang and Sura, Seoul Garden is also a Korean restaurant found in the Highland Park area in the East of Auckland.

This was the first Korean restaurant I remember going to in Auckland, so it was the start of my Korean cuisine experience.

I remember how it used to have heaps of pictures of Korean food stuck onto the walls to lure passersby to dine in there. I recon the pictures on the walls made it look better, and now it just looks too clean and a little bare. But I guess maybe foreigners might like it tidier like how it is now.

The chicken bulgogi here was pretty delicious, just like their other bulgogis. Their kimchi fried rice however, was quite oily, as I remember seeing from when my sister-in-law ordered some time during our last visit.

Their dishes are about the same price as Sura, being around $12 a plate, so Sarangbang is the cheapest restaurant to dine-in if you’re in the area. But then you gotta be in quick. Seoul garden can fit quite a number of people, so it’s usually not full, so you can be sure of getting a seat whenever you come.

They serve lunch and dinner everyday except for Monday. Yay! You can dine here on Sunday too ^^

Address:

Seoul Garden

Highland Park Home Centre
499 Pakuranga Road
Highland Park
Manukau 2012

Tel:09 – 533 9293 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 09 – 533 9293 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Open: Tues-Sun 11.30am- 2.30pm & 5.30pm-10.30pm

It’s a few doors away from the Village Cinemas, so you won’t miss it that easily.

Where to go

Nol Bu Ne

2010-11-17T13:58:00.000+13:00

Nol Bu Ne is a really nice Korean restaurant in the city, very very close to the Corner Pancake. This dining place is usually crowded by university students and workers during meal times, who just want to enjoy a nice filling meal.

This is the place where I had my first Kimchi fried rice. At that time, I had in mind that the dish would be a normal fried rice, like the ones in Chinese restaurants, and just have kimchi added to it. But when a hot stone bowl came with kimchi in it and a separate bowl of rice, I just stared at it. Not that I didn’t like it, but it was just totally not what I expected. I have also tried their Jap Chae and it is really nice, a good sized portion to make anyone full.

The side dishes they have are always nice, especially their sweet potato and the jelly thing. I remember my first time there was with a friend whom I have missed so much, since she’s in China and will only come back two years later T.T She is vegetarian and had not tried the jelly thing before, so I urged her to try. But before that, we asked one of the workers what it’s made. As he was not fluent in English, he described slowly, “animal… squirrel?”, and I was shocked, cause all along I thought that jelly was vegetarian. Then he went on to say “the food that the squirrel eats”, and that calmed me down. I forgot if Honour tried the jelly thing or not in the end, but I still always remember this incident with the worker. In a way, it showed me how I should be patient to wait for a person to express themselves, and also how when you don’t know the word like “nut”, you can go on to describe something that is linked to it to allow people to understand. I also think that it was a really funny story, so I always think of it when I dine there.

The restaurant is ranked 346 out of the 796 restaurants in Auckland Central, which sure is pretty good.

I have read of a bad review about the place though, but I’m not sure when the visit from the commenter was. During his visit, he happened to be in the toilets with one of the staffs, and apparently the staff just left the room without washing his hands, which sure is really unhygienic. Hopefully that staff has changed his bad ways or that he has moved on to another job, cause the food there sure is tasty and it’s a pity if the staffs there don’t try their best to keep up the store’s image.

Well enough said about the food, the place as I said is close to the Korean pancake place, or should I say Ho Duk, like just two doors away. But it’s tricky to get into this restaurant. You have to climb up the stairs into the building, and then take the lift to the first floor, where the restaurant is situated. If you’re lost and can’t find Nol Bu Ne, just remember to look for the Corner Pancake kiosk or Dory Japanese restaurant, which is just next to the flight of stairs.

They serve lunch and dinner and their meals are usually $11-$15, and do takeaways.

Address:

Nol Bu Ne Korean Restaurant

10 Wellesley Street East
(Level 1 & 2 Choice Plaza Bldg)
Auckland Central
Auckland City

Tel: 09-307 0188 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 09-307 0188 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Open:

Mon – Sat 11:00am – 11:00pm
Sun Noon – 11:00pm

Map of the place

Beef Flavor Ramen

2010-11-17T13:56:00.001+13:00

SamYang™ Ramen

Let’s have SamYang™ noodles again! Presenting you the Beef flavored ramen!

Katherine had this for breakfast. ^^ Yes I recon this noodle really looks a lot like the seafood noodle she had, since I added in the same frozen mixed veggies and fish balls. But I didn’t put egg in this time. hehe. And the soup is totally different.

seafood noodle's twin

I’m not too sure if it tasted like real beef flavored ramen, but it is, then it sure is salty. So if you do buy this noodle, DON’T add all of the soup base into your soup. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I actually didn’t even put all of it into the soup and it still was pretty salty. I guess it was just interesting to try what this beef noodle would taste like. And they were pretty cheap, just around a dollar a pack.

The noodles were pretty gummy though, so you can always just buy this noodle just for the noodles, and make your own soup base and leave the soup base packet out of your meal.

Rice Noodle with beef bone soup 쌀사리곰탕면[ssal sa ri gom ttang myon]

2010-11-17T13:29:00.000+13:00

Slow cooked beef bone soup with rice noodles!!!

Healthy and delicious rice noodles, that are good to strengthen your bones. So you don’t have to be an elderly person to enjoy these noodles, cause we all need strong and healthy bones however young or old we may be. That’s why we drink milk right? ^^

The packaging has 쌀이 들어가 더 구수하고 진한 맛 which means that “because rice was used, you can taste the rich flavor”. And the soup of the noodles is known to have gone through long hours of slow cooking. Yum!

I think the 10% diagram means that this noodles contains ten percent wheat. Not too sure about that. And there is no additives in the seasoning.

milky colored yummy soup

When I had the noodles, I could taste as if the soup was Herby, or as if there was pepper in there. I’m not sure if this is the taste it’s meant to have for soups that have been slow cooked with beef bones. The noodles were pretty smooth and they weren’t oily as well, which make it a pretty healthy noodle all in all. Sometimes I wonder if the Korean dishes cooked at home would taste the same if I were to eat it at a restaurant in Korea. But for now, I’m happy to be able to taste all the different types of Korean noodles with the help of the importers.

Onion flavored Rings

2010-11-17T11:45:00.000+13:00

Hollow rings

When you talk about Korean snacks, you cannot leave out these!

These are different to the fried oily yummy onion rings you can get in Burger King. They are just onion flavored snacks.

I always see this Onion flavored snack at my Koreans friends place or at Korean clubs(school clubs, not the go drink alcohol club).

chruncy rings

And I know I do prefer them better than the shrimpy prawn crackers. I guess it’s just cause it has a much simpler flavor to it.

But these snacks are still pretty salty so try and refrain yourself from eating too many, even though I really like it’s crunchiness and hollow ring.

I also bought this in the Taiwan and other Asian grocery store T-mart on Aviemore Drive for a dollar New Zealand.

For the health conscious people, here’s the nutrition info:

How healthy are they?

Nong Shim™ Prawn crackers

2010-11-17T11:42:00.000+13:00

crunchy

Asians and their prawn crackers. Just like in Korea, there are Prawn flavored crackers in Malaysia too, which is kind of making me think that my guess of children around eating the same kinds of snacks might be true. Well maybe mostly in the asian countries.

Chili pepper!

But Koreans being spicy lovers, there is always got to be a hot and spicy flavor for these prawn snacks.

not very spicy

After trying them both, I actually prefer the spicy one. Not that I love hot stuff, but that the spice just covers over the too shrimpy flavour.

original

The original one just tastes too fake after you’ve had enough of it, but if you didn’t compare it with the hot and spicy one, you might still like it. I think it’s the salt in it that makes me always want more of it, to a certain amount though. I don’t think I would be able to finish a whole packet myself since it would just be too overpowering.

I got these both a dollar a packet at the Taiwan and other asian mart called T-mart, on Aviemore Drive. They are good value snacks for say if you have a party or just wanted to have a snack with the movies.

The nutrition information is in english, so you can just check it out underneath. =D

original's info

spicy's info

Cereal Drink

2010-11-17T11:41:00.000+13:00

This aint cereal at all

I hope I got your attention to read this post when you’re wondering what a cereal drink is? And Korean made? What could this weird sounding drink be like.

You think there’s no totally healthy Korean drink? Now you get to see one, and it’s even made from Lotte™. Well in my mind Lotte just wants you to snack and enjoy yummy deserts. Guess I was wrong.

For Kiwis, cereal is the normal morning meal, if it isn’t toast or vegemite(never tried before. don’t intend to as well since I heard how bad it may be. but I know of ppl who love it though)

In actual, this drink is nothing like the cornflakes or muesli we have with milk, since that’s what cereal means for us.

After seeing how it has fifteen(so many aye!) ingredients in the drink, I was scared to try it. But I still did anyway, and didn’t find it to be weird tasting as I thought it would be. In actual, in had a bitter tea taste, which really reminded me of the tea we got served during meal times in Okinawa during the Asian Youth Exchange in Okinawa. I loved the taste, and how it brought back happy memories that I had in Japan.

I didn’t post up the Korean name of the drink on the title since I needed to explain the long and kind of dodgy name. 내몸에흐를류[nae mom e hoo rool ryoo], which was translated into “flowing over my body”, which really shocked me for some time. I guess maybe in Korean it doesn’t sound as bad. not sure. So let me explain. Since the drink is meant to be healthy, it wants you to know that the healthiness will flow over your body. Hope that makes the name not sound as dodgy now.

Apparently it’s mostly women who drink this awesome tea, yes I think they should call it Tea Drink instead of Cereal Drink, since it’s really good for your health. I wonder if they have any sugar in it at all.

I translated all the ingredients into the picture below. They even have persimmon in it. Yay ya!

fifteen awesome stuff

I simply love this drink, even though it might be a bit expensive for teas being a dollar for 340ml. But seeing how so many ingredients are in there, and it tastes so awesomely nice, I would surely buy it more than any other Korean drinks!

Round noodle snack

2010-11-17T11:39:00.000+13:00

Just like Mamee™

I still have no idea what 쫄병[jjol byol] is, since google translation showed up as ‘plegde’, but I’m not sure if that’s what they really placed to mean on the packet. Anyway, these yummy cute snacks comes in two flavors, 매콤하맛[me kum ha ma] which I think is the spicy one, and 바베큐[ba be kyoo] which is barbecue flavored. I wonder may be they have more than just two flavors and HanYang only sold these two. =S

i wonder how they are so evenly shaped...

The first thing I noted after eating them, is that they taste 90% life, if not exactly like Mamee™, which was a childhood snack for me in Malaysia. I guess I was shocked since I didn’t know it was to be a noodle snack until I ate them, thinking before that it might be some something similar to ricies after looking at the picture on the pack. Even Mamee™ can be found in Australia, with a nutrient contents page of them on this site, and as all Mamees™ are, they don’t really go anywhere close to being a hearty snack. It surprised me and I thought that maybe kids all around the world are eating the same snacks, just with different names and packaging.

small tiny treats

The fact that I don’t have to mix in the flavoring like Mamee™ makes me enjoy these circle snack. I also don’t have to bother pinching the noodles since they are all in cute small circles.

Out of the two that I’ve tried, the barbecue tastes the most like Mamee™ since Mamee™ also have a bbq flavored one. But these Korean ones doesn’t taste as salty. And the spicy one didn’t taste spicy at all, so I’m wondering if I got the Korean words translated incorrectly >.<>

dun understand much >.<

As for the healthiness of these round shapes, I guess you would have known that they are not what you should eat daily of. Even though it has no additives, as said on the packet, it has 19 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of sugar for both the spicy and barbecue flavored ones. And these are 70 grams packet, so they don’t really have that much sugar in them, but you still don’t get much out of these snacks.

So just try them and have them once in a blue moon alright?

Pocari Sweat 포카리스웨트[po ka ri su we ttu] – Ion supply drink

2010-11-17T11:37:00.000+13:00

instead of oralite...

Yes! This scary weirdly named drink is made in Japan, but you can buy it in Korea, with Korean all over the can too. Wikipedia explains how the weird name for the drink came about on this page.

The can explains that “POCARI SWEAT is a drink which supplies water and electrolytes lost through perspiration… is quickly absorbed into the body tissues due to its fine osmolality and contains electrolytes for replenishing body fluids… is this highly recemmended as a beverage for such activites as sports, physical labor, after a hot bath, and even as an eye-opener in the morning.”

I must agree that it’s a Good eye-opener. Since I only had four hours of sleep the past night, I decided to try this drink to open up my eyes. It sure worked! Well not sure if it was the drink itself, or just how the taste of the drink just made me be reminded of this medicine I used to drink that woke me up. Do you know oralite? It’s comes in a sachet and you get to drink it when you have been vomiting or even when you have diarrhea? I can’t remember if I did drink it when I had diarrhea cause the last of oralite was more than five years ago. It does taste nice… for a medicine that it. But for Pocari Sweat™ to taste exactly like oralite? no likey. I guess both oralite and Pocari Sweat™ have the same kind of ingredients to make it taste scarily similar. Even though it may be the healthier version of energy drinks, I’d rather save myself from thinking that I just vomited and had to drink Pocari Sweat™.

But if you happen to not be haunted by oralite or any other medicines that are meant to replace your electrodes and fluids, you might enjoy this ion supply drink.

So next time if I do need oralite when I am sick, maybe I can just have a can of Pocari Sweat™ and save some money. I think that’s the only good thing for me about the drink that I can think of.

Bibim Men 비빔면[bi bim myon]

2010-11-17T11:29:00.001+13:00

spicy and sweet!

What’s as cool as bibimbab, or maybe even more interesting, is Bibim Men! Well it was exciting for me to see a mixed noodle, but I don’t think it has any resemblance to bibimbab, since it taste totally different.

And it’s super cheap compared to bibimbab, being just ninety cents a packet! But the packet only has noodles in them, and so you have to remember to buy some other ingredients to add to it.

place the sauce onto the cooled noodles

This oriental style noodle is served cold, so after it’s cooked, you have to rinse it till it’s cold, just like the cold noodles. But it looks nothing like the straight cold noodles, more like thin sized mee goreng, well less oily as well.

My salmon bibim men ^^

I didn’t follow how the packet showed of putting sliced veg and egg on it, instead I just placed some salmon, which I think tastes just as good with anything. The noodles after being mixed with the paste is already tasty enough anyway. Even though the sauce is spicy, there is a sweetness in it. This is because there is apple sauce in the paste, but somehow they call it apple juice since the packet tells that there is in “addition more 8% apple juice in soup”.

Cheap and fast, it fills you up and leaves you licking the last of the sauce on the spoon!

Yangzi River Korean Restaurant

2010-11-17T11:24:00.001+13:00

Have free Korean lessons!

Another Korean restaurant out East! ^^

So yesterday for lunch, David decided to treat me to a Korean meal. Woo hoo! And I was in the city since morning, so he was very kind to drive all the way there with his cousin to pick me, then head off to the restaurant together, since busing might take forever and we might be having a really late lunch.

first half of the page

We still had lunch a little later than usual, at around half past one. Or was it actually two in the afternoon already?

But in a way that was a good thing, since we were the only customers and got the owners attention to ourselves.

their menu looked really nice

And I think the quietness was the main reason that filming them in the kitchen was possible, since they only had three dishes to cook. But still, without them being super friendly and agreeing to let me take videos, I don’t think you’ll be able to see the videos below. You can see that they even started to teach me Korean after they figured I’m studying Korean. Such outgoing Koreans. I like. haha. Now if I ever wanna practice Korean and my friends aren’t free, I should just visit this place, and also SaRangBang too.

Sizzling Squid!

So I had a Sizzling Squid BBQ, since David said I should order something I haven’t blogged about, and I wanted to try something I’ve never had before. And I really liked it, even though squid is pretty low on my ‘meat’s that I enjoy’ chart. Since they can be pretty rubbery and hard to chew on, but this one was soft as. Like chicken. So loved the texture. The flavor was to my taste as well. Told them to just make the dish mildly spicy(sorry that I’m not brave enough for the real stuff), and didn’t find the dish too salty. yum yum

Beef Stew

David had beef stew, which looked pretty spicy, but he seemed to be fine. The meat was REALLY tender, after trying a piece of it, and it sure wasn’t as spicy as I thought. Maybe just the soup kills. It also has some glass noodles or is it vermicelli in it. Delicious!

Kimchi Fried Rice

Then David’s cousin ordered a kimchi fried rice. It looked pretty good, but I didn’t try it, so can’t comment too much about it. The only Kimchi fried rice I had was at Nol Bu Ne, a restaurant in the city, and it looks totally different. They place kimchi in those but hot stone bowl and give you a bowl of rice.

Love the sweet potatoes!

Anyway, we were given four side dishes, in nice plates. They really use some pretty fancy looking kitchenware. Loved the bowl for the kimchi fried rice.

Fat free???

And then we spotted this picture on the wall, saying that the pancake is fat free. hehe. Don’t know what they mean by fat then.

Let’s now be enticed by some Korean cooking, and also learn some Korean alongside.

My Squid Bbq being cooked:

Kimchi Fried Rice in the making:

Sorry that I did a bad video of not allowing you to see the contents of the pan >.<

All in all, I enjoyed the place a lot, especially getting confused because I always never understand the owner’s Korean since I’m poor in the language, and it was great practice. =D

The restaurant serves lunch and dinner all the days of the week, so here’s another Korean dining place you can come to if you’re craving for some on Sunday.

Address:

Yangzi River Korean Restaurant

Shop 7, 16 Gooch Place, Howick.

Tel: 09-5373535 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 09-5373535 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Open: 7 days

So go by if you have the chance, be it for the yummy Korean dishes, or the free Korean classes.

크림케이크[ku rim ke i ku]Cream cake

2010-11-17T11:12:00.001+13:00

Lotte’s version of Choco Pie™!

Creamy delicious!

I’ve never tried Choco Pie™ before so I’m not sure if they taste the same. They do look very very similar though. I remember calling them Cream Pies at the beginning, since Choco Pie ™ was ejected into my brain first through the Korean variety shows I have watched. =P

Packed in the red packets are these Chocolate Cream Cakes, nice and soft, as if candy floss were melting in your mouth. well maybe not exactly like it, but it’s kind of between a candy floss and a marshmallow, since the cream is in the middle of the chocolate coated round circles, that make the snack not too soft, but have the right texture.

There’s six servings in a box, so you can always share the packets around with your friends. And the packaging even shows how much carbon dioxide is emitted, a packet giving out 50 grams of CO2. Not sure if that’s a lot or a little. But at least you know how much CO2 you help emit when you buy them, which might be helpful to know?

It is said on the back of the box that these pies are “more than just cream cake, it is a delicious indulgence touched by the taste of Cacao.” I must say the creamy chocolate sure makes the pie taste much better. It it didn’t have any chocolate on it, I think I would have disliked it, even though I am not much of a chocolate fan. The chocolate is also not too sweet. Just sweet enough.

As for the nutritional value, don’t expect it to be any healthy. It is a snack, in the end, not a hearty meal. So there’s 17 grams of carbohydrate in it and 10 grams of sugar. So that means the sugar counts as 31.25% of each pie. Is that good or bad? your choice.

Picnic with Kixmic

2010-11-17T09:31:00.002+13:00

안녕하새요! 저는킴벌리입니다. 지금오클랜드대학교에일학년예요.일분어하고한국어를공부합니다. 재한국어는안좋아요.비아내요~방갑습니다!

Translate: “Hello! My name is Kimberley and I’m a first year student in the University of Auckland. I am studying Japanese and Korean. I'm sorry that my Korean isn't good. Nice to meet you!” (sorry if there are any errors)

So I thought for my 20th post that I should do a little introduction about myself, and of course how my craze for Korean came about. And yes well, it will be just an imaginary picnic,… and just wanted to write something that rhymes =D

Growing up in Malaysia, I was accustomed to speak more than three languages, that is if you count the dialects. So like many Malaysians, knowing more than two languages is normal. It would be weird if you didn’t know more than just English. Actually some people out in the mountains might only know Malay, maybe. So in a sense, I’ve been trained to learn languages, which I am doing so now in Uni, having taken a Spanish paper and having in mind to major in Korean and Japanese in my degree.

My first encounter with Korean stuff, Korean drama to be exact, was back in the last year of primary. That was when Winter Sonata started to roam the Asian countries, and Malaysia wasn’t immune to it. I remember just watching Korean drama, not many, just a few, like less than ten in total over the five years. And I wasn’t really interested in the Korean culture then, or anything Korean, since watching them was just like watching any TV program to kill time and relax.

Then I moved over to Auckland to continue my high school and met quite a few Koreans, and soon became friends. I think my time in New Zealand was when my passion for Korea really started about, especially after meeting some Koreans. Speaking a few Korean words with them seemed to make us bond closer, and I remember just asking “How do I say it in Korean?” for most things. I even learned how to say “There is a fly on your head”- 머리에 파리 앉았어 [muri eh pari anjat ssuh], well “a fly is sitting on your head” if I were to translate the Korean literally to my Korean friends, looking over the top of their head with a serious look, just to fool around with them. They sure were good times.

From then on, watching dramas meant a whole new thing to me. I was able to learn more Korean words from watching them, even though sometimes my friends would have to help me fix my pronunciation errors, which was really sweet of them. And I sure have watched twice the amount of dramas than I would have in Malaysia. I even watch more than some of my Korean friends, which is really weird in a sense.

Dining at Korean restaurants started to be a norm, and was always a treat for me, to taste all the delicious meals.

I also loved to peep at what lunches my Korean friends had, which always looked so yummy with kimbab and omelete rice being the common ones. It was just great being able to spend three years with these precious friends, but I always had in mind that maybe if I spoke Korean, we would be able to understand each other better, since some of them were still trying their best to grasp the English language.

So after leaving high school, I decided to pursue studying Korean, and maybe minor in Japanese, but now it turns out both will be my majors. Part of the reason for was for the ease of my life in Korea if I ever teach English over there, which I am hoping to do so. I also hope to be able to use my Korean knowledge to help translate sermons on Gospel Translation when I am capable to do so, or any other things that I may be able to help proclaim God’s word.

The number of incidents of people mistaking me as a Korean(even Koreans think I’m Korean) made me want to learn the language as well, since I guess it felt pretty exciting to be able to answer back in Korean next time when I get mistaken again.

Even if in the future I won’t be able to teach English in Korea, since I know nothing of what the future has in store me, but God does, I will still want to visit the place where my friends call home. And knowing the language will be a plus when I travel over there. ^^

And actually in the past few months as I learn more and more about the language and culture, the urge to visiting Korea just seems to grow even more, so I have been thinking of going for an exchange or just a holiday before I graduate, since I just can’t seem to stop myself from wanting to go as soon as possible and experience the country. And maybe I might even get a free trip and awesome cooking lessons after this contest ends. haha. But I know even if I end up losing, I will be grateful for this chance to blog about something I really enjoy and love. And I sure have been learning a lot from being in this contest, so thank you all who made all this possible.

화이팅! [hwa i ting(Fighting)”]

So that’s all about me for now. Hope you enjoyed the read!

Melon Milkis Soda Beverage

2010-11-16T00:35:00.001+13:00

Presenting the can that seems to look as if it’s from Japan, since it has the Japanese characters ﾒﾛﾝｿｰﾀﾞ[me ro n so o da] on the can, which you can see just means melon soda.

My melon~

I guess the drink was manufactured there, but it’s totally a Korean invention. =D

And as you can see from the brand name Chilsung™, it’s surely gotta be from Korea!

told u it was a product from Korea!

Just eighty cents a can, this drink is a money saver. That is if you’ve into fruity soda like DemiSoda™, but that’s a few cents more, even though I like them too.

The minute I opened up the can, the whiff of melon burst out to greet me. I sure loved that surprise. For the top few of my favorite fruits are Durian, Persimmon and Melon. Now don’t you dare insult my beloved Durian. If you dislike it, just don’t eat it, there’s just gonna be more for me. hehe. I don’t get to eat Melon much, other than the rare occasions during the in-flight meals when I travel around or when I get treated at a fancy Chinese restaurant in Malaysia. They usually serve honey-melon as one of the fruits for desert. The reason why I don’t buy it is because I’ve been taught since a young age by my dad that these fruits have a lot of insecticides in them. well maybe just the ones in Kuching. All these years, I only have the memory of my dad buying it two or three times. And well, the price of these fruits can be another reason to not buying them. They sure cost a lot, since you can buy tons of bananas in exchange for a melon. I don’t know why they are so expensive. Maybe because they are super juicy and sweet?

Anyway, back to topic. When pouring it, this foam starts to form, then disappears really quickly. It’s a pretty sight. And the drink has a very smooth texture to it, making me fall in love with it even more. The thing that I find it a pity is there seems to have no real fruit juice in the drink, as shown on the can in Japanese 無果汁，which I have no idea what it sounds like, but know it means ‘no fruit juice’ since it’s exactly the same as in Chinese, with 無meaning lacking and 果汁as juice. It has 30 grams of 炭水化物, which means carbohydrate. The ingredients that I can understand from the list are 砂糖(sugar), 脫脂肪乳(non-fat milk), 酸味料(acidulant), 香料(flavoring), ﾙﾁﾝ[ru chi n](rutin), ﾋﾞﾀﾐﾝA[bi ta mi n](Vitamin A), ﾋﾞﾀﾐﾝD[bi ta mi n](Vitamin D 着色料(artificial coloring) Yellow 4 and Green 1.

Thanks to the coloring, I thought that the drink looked pretty pleasing to my eyes, till I realized why it looked so good.

Milky melon

So in a sense, the drink is mostly artificially made. It’s interesting however that there is Vitamins added. Is it to make the drink slightly more appealing? XD DemiSoda™ wins the match against Milkis™ in the ‘better for your health contest’, if there ever was one.

Still, if you’re looking for a fruity soda that has a pinch of milkiness in it,where there is no milk at all in DemiSoda™, try Melon Milkis!

코코넛쌀쿠키[kko kko not ssal ku ki] Coconut Rice Cookie

2010-11-16T00:32:00.001+13:00

These yummy cookies look healthy, and sure tastes healthy too! Even the name of the cookie sounds hearty ^^

코코넛쌀쿠키[kko kko not ssal ku ki] is translated straight into Coconut Rice Cookie, thanks to google translate ^^ The 코코넛[kko kko not] means coconut, 쌀[ssal] meaning rice, and 쿠키[ku ki] being cookie. You can see that the Korean alphabets simply spell out the English translation, other than for the rice bit.

The texture of it is neither soft nor hard, being unique in it’s own way. When you eat it, you can taste the bits of coconut throughout the whole cookie. It’s just a great feeling, eating

filled with goodness

I think it is made out of wheat, as a diagram of it is seen on the package, which makes the cookie healthier than most other ones. Oh wait, rice is from wheat right? haha. From the ingredients list I can see that there is 28 grams of carbohydrates and 12 grams of sugar. But I’m not too sure how much percentage of the coconut and rice are found in the cookie. Most likely a good proportion of it to give it such a yummy hearty taste.

Oh! and this cookie really reminded me of the Anzac cookies, which are a very important part of New Zealand culture.

Seafood Ramyun

2010-11-16T00:30:00.001+13:00

Just $1.40 ^^

I served Katherine this noodle for breakfast this morning, and had a taste of it myself.

Suggested way of cooking

Following the suggested items to add into the soup, I placed frozen vegetables, and an egg in it. I also added some fish balls to stick to the theme of the seafood soup.

"Mee Goreng" noodles

While we were having the meal, Katherine told me that the bowl of noodles I cooked for her was “Mee Goreng with lots of yummy vegetables and meat(egg and fish balls r meat)”. Well I don’t blame her since she didn’t see the packet of the noodles. hehe. It’s just interesting how the noodles does in a sense look like Mee Goreng, with the same color and slight curliness to it. XD

But unlike Mee Goreng, the soup of the noodle has this shrimp taste to it. I could even smell it while I was cooking. So I didn’t need to add in prawns. Just close my eyes and imagine that there are prawns added in the soup. So other than the noodles being similar, this whole dish is not much like Mee Goreng. Try it and you’ll see!

Macho Kancho in pink!

2010-11-16T00:16:00.000+13:00

Super snack

If you’re a fan of those yummy bite-sized chocolate treats with pictures of koalas on them, you might love Pancho!

crunch crunch...

Similarly having chocolate fillings in the coin-sized buiscuits, they have cute little diagrams on them, such as a cup of coffee with a heart drawn on it, the pancho characters, or even random things like rackets. I guess they’re not as cute as the Koala’s March, but they are just as enjoyable. Plus, you can buy two or more panchos instead of a box of Koala’s March. Isn’t that awesome!?

I still have no idea why they have the images of Koala’s on them even though Koala’s surely only exist in Australia. Let’s just presume that they think doing so might lead non-Asians into buying it, especially Australians, since the cute animal is shown on the packaging.

Why did I title Kancho as being macho? I just thought that maybe that might lead more guys to buy it, since people might be paranoid that food in pink colored packaging are mostly for girls. Wrong! Guys can enjoy them too! Well if they don’t, it’s their lost.

So why not try a Kancho today!?

짜짜로니[jja ja ro ni] Chinese Soybean Paste Noodle

2010-11-15T16:03:00.002+13:00

Filling noodles!

Even though I’ve been eating Chinese all my life, I’ve never tried these soybean paste noodle. It was kind of ironic that my first one was actually from a Korean brand even though it’s supposed to be Chinese. Maybe Koreans appreciate it more than Chinese do, maybe not.

After watching lots of dramas like Goong-S and Gloria that features the actors and actresses eating these noodles, I’ve always wanted to try some, and I’m glad I got to do so this morning. Thanks SamYang™!

Thinking it would be spicy and salty, I was surprised that the taste wasn’t a strong one. It was more that the noodles were easier to be able to eaten in blobs since the sauce enabled the noodles to be stuck together. But that was a great feeling, eating the well mixed noodles in big mouthfuls. haha. And it was only slightly salty for me, so I love it ^^

It’s very easy to cook this noodle. I think it may be one of the easiest noodles I’ve done before.

Decorate to serve!

You just have to boil the noodles, and while the noodles are boiling away in the pot, place the dry flakes in a bowl and pour over some hot water over it. Remember, just some! cause soybean paste noodles are dry noodles, so you don’t need a soup, you just want the dry flakes to be soaked and yummy to be eaten. Then when the noodles are well cooked, drain out the water and pop the noodles into the bowl along with your fattened dry flakes. And then you pour in the yummy paste, mix it well with the noodles, and voila you are ready to eat your meal!

So there’s a tasty and quick meal for you, that also fills you up!

Hearty Rice Noodle Soup

2010-11-15T15:40:00.001+13:00

Healthy hearty pack

These healthy rice noodles is ninety percent rice,as seen on the front of the packet, which is a pretty high percentage. The soup that goes with the noodles is spicy. not too spicy, but the kind of spiciness that builds up the more you drink. So if you want it less spicy, just reduce the amount of soup base into the water when you’re cooking.

Since the specialty of this meal is the noodles, it’s alright to not have the full real taste of the soup. ^^ Why are the rice noodles special??? They are hollow on the inside!!! This is to reduce the cooking time, and the noodles sure cooked faster than other noodles I’ve had.

straw noodles

When the noodles are cooked though, it seems that the holes miraculously close up, or become really small at the ends, since I couldn’t tell that they were tubes until biting through them, if I hadn’t been cooking it or saw the packaging.

contents revealed

The packet provides you with the yummy soup base that contains chili powder, the dried flakes that includes dried chilies >.< , the noodles, and a slice of seaweed to season your soup.

Other than the noodles being smooth and pretty bouncy seeing how it has air in it, the soup is also really delicious. Unlike most soups, it is not runny, having a firmer soup, yet not being too thick as that of a cream soup. And the piece of seaweed that is provided in each packet of noodle, adds more flavor into the soup, for you to enjoy this hearty happy meal.

proof of defeat

But after a while when the spice builds up till you can’t stop sniffing, you may follow my lead of picking out the chilies that came in the flake packet, and just ditch the soup while the noodles slowly get consumed.

For two dollars, you get to fill yourself with yummy rice noodles. I love NongShim™!

Korean Cold Noodles with Chili Sauce

2010-11-15T15:19:00.001+13:00

Now that it’s Summer in New Zealand, the best thing to have for a meal are cold noodles. Japanese soba or the Korean 냉면[naeng myon] cold noodle.

Hot and cold!

This was my first time trying the Spicy Korean 냉면[naeng myon] cold noodle. Scared of how badly I would react to the spice(sweat, go red, sniff, go teary or even start coughing), I was surprised that it wasn’t as frightening as I thought it would be. Instead, the spiciness was refreshing, and I enjoyed it to bits. I think maybe the fact that the noodles were cold made a big big difference. Kimchi actually tasted spicier than these noodles, even though these noddles had a more bright redness to it’s look.

Slurp-able yumminess!

I’ve also tried the other 둥지냉면[dong ji naeng myon] – Doong Ji Authentic Korean Cold Noodles, which isn’t spicy. The sauce it had had a vinegary taste to it, and it was really tasty!

clear description ^^

The back of the packet even explains how the sauce is made, sticking to the traditional method of treating the pear (I know! there’s pear in the sauce O.O), and also only air-drying the noodles instead of oily frying them. Hearty for your health!

After the noodles are boiled, it loses the dark brown color into a light greyish brown look, while the water turns milky. You are to constantly stir the noodles while it’s in the hot water, as to ensure that the noodles don’t all stick together and form a big clump.

Clear of spice

Only after running the noodles under cold water until you can see that the noodles are all separated, that you place them in a bowl.

The scary sauce

Then you add in the spicy broth onto the noodles and mix it in. I added all of the sauce this time, daring myself once in a while is alright, and I’ve seemed to have coped well with it \o/

Mix and start slurping!

Since it’s so special, unlike normal noodles, the price was a bit more expensive too, at around two dollars a packet. But I would surely pay that price for these cold noodles again! Well maybe just the non-spicy one. XD

Jammy demi-soda™

2010-11-15T15:11:00.002+13:00

Fine. It’s not jam, but both jams and demi-sodas contain fruit, so thought of adding it to make it rhyme too.

Featuring Apple and Grape!

I’ve been finding these 250ml cans very enjoyable. Other than being fruity and fizzy to the taste, they quench your thirst, unlike some other can drinks I know of. So the $0.99 was well spent on these drinks.

DemiSoda™ comes in four different fruit flavors- Apple, Grape, Orange and lemon. But sadly the place where I bought these didn’t have the Lemon ones, and I only realised there was a fourth flavor when I watched the commercial for DemiSoda™.

Apple DemiSoda™ tasted as if there was a tint of sprite added into my apple juice. Being both a sprite and apple juice lover, this surely satisfies my tastebuds.

And the Grape? I loved it a lot too. So I can’t say if I prefer apple or grape. Maybe one day I’ll try mixing them both in a cup and see if I still enjoy it XD

Dark purple DemiSoda

I was shocked when I poured it out since I wasn’t expecting a purple liquid, since the apple one was pretty clear, either that or I was just pretty blind to not see the gold-ish colour. But then again, purple is a much stronger color than light gold, so not expecting it, I was surprised. but it was a good surprise, since it made me feel like I was drinking something healthy, made of real purple grapes. The taste of it reminded me of the expensive sparkling grape juice – grapetiser™,where you can get it at Foodtown or Countdown. But if you’re running low on cash, but still wanting a sip of the sparkly grapetiser™, just have Grape DemiSoda™ as a substitute that you wouldn’t be disappointed in. And somehow it also tastes slightly like the tiny cup of grape juice I have during the communion at church. Well I guess they all have grape juice in it, so that must be why they taste so similiar. I’m not sure if adding sprite to grape juice will taste exactly like Grape DemiSoda™ since the closest I have tried is Ribenna™ Sprite™, and that’s absolutely not like it at all, being sweet to the feet. haha. well actually ribenna might not be anywhere close to the drink since it’s made of blackcurrants. my bad.

Have demisoda as part of your five plus a day!

Last but not least is the Orange DemiSoda. I had it this morning with my 짜짜로니[jja ja ro ni] Chinese Soybean Paste Noodle this morning. Just like most sodas, it made me feel fuller, with air of course.The lightly orange colored soda has resembles to taste to that of Fanta Orange™, but being much less sweeter, which is good. All in all, I enjoyed it ^^

I must say now that I’ve tried all the three different DemiSodas™, they just made me a fan of them. But then it’s good that I don’t prefer Orange DemiSoda™ as much as the other two, else I might be mixing all three drinks together and create a nightmare.

Sura Korean Restaurant

2010-11-15T15:02:00.002+13:00

Situated in East Auckland is another Korean Restaurant named Sura.

Korean BBQ Restaurant

This was the place where I had my 장터국수[chang tto guk su], as featured in an earlier post about Korean noodles in general. Just like all the Korean restaurants I’ve been to, other than Mapo, Sura isn’t open on Sundays.

They serve lunch and dinner which are usually around twelve bucks New Zealand. You can also find cheaper choices posted on the wall(like how I saw my 장터국수[chang tto guk su]), such as a simple bowl of ramen(noodles) for $8, or was it $10?, that comes in those cool metal pots you see in dramas.

Yummy!

Katherine had fish roe soup while we were dining there. Korean fish roe soups are really tasty, and spicy. There’s just tons of tiny balls of proteins in it. So if you’re not vegetarian and able to handle spice, you can try it!

They usually serve either three or four side dishes along with your main dish.

Map of the restaurant site:

Now you won't be lost!

Address:

Sura Korean BBQ Restaurant

Shop 28, 503 Pakuranga Road, Highland Park, Manukau City, Auckland

Tel: 09-5353351 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 09-5353351 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or 021-511482

Open: Mon-Sat 11AM till 9PM

Kimchi Ramen!

2010-11-14T23:31:00.001+13:00

So in the noodle selling industry in Korea, it’s not just Nong Shim. Here’s one from SamYang brand.

This is my first Kimchi noodle, so it was pretty exciting. I must admit though, that I didn’t add all of the soup base into my soup, seeing how red the powder was. Cause I sure ain’t no spicy eater. I would try spicy food, but whenever I can avoid it, I do, and so I did! In the end, I found the soup really delicious. It somehow had a bit of a sour taste in the midst of the spiciness, which reminded me of Malaysian Laksa that has the lime added into it which makes the Laksa taste even better. Well my demi-spicy kimchi soup was no where near as spicy as the Laksa’s I’ve had, so love! And the funny thing is that I had kimchi as a side dish along with my bowl of kimchi ramen. hehe

And the noodles? they were slurp-able. After having HooRooRook(i found out HRR is the sound the slurping makes), I realize I love to try out how slurp-able other noodles are compared to HRR. And the texture of the SamYang noodles were pretty nice. Pretty bouncy and smooth too =D But then, their dried flakes weren’t as interesting as the ones you find in the Nong Shim packets. Depending on your noodle, Nong Shim might have potato or garlic or even mushroom in their flakes, but this one just had plain old chives. Good thing there was no oil packets though. Maybe there are no such thing as oil packets in Korean noodles. I guess my quest for now is to find an oil packet in Korean noodles one day. the oil packets that you can see a big blob of condensed white fat, which doesn’t serve the taste of the soup but just the look of it? ah. I just don’t like them.

Even though this Kimchi Ramen is cheaper than most Nong Shim noodles, being $1.10, I think I would prefer Nong Shim noodles if I had to choose between the two. I’m not sure if that will be the case for the years ahead, but for now, that’s what I have in mind. Other than having a BIG variety of noodles, they sure make their noodles healthy. And the awesome dried flakes. I love it when producers take the extra step for consumers. It shows that other than caring for us to buy for them, they actually want us to enjoy the food and keep staying well. ^^

Hanyang Shopping for your Korean convenience

2010-11-14T18:36:00.004+13:00

Okay. Enough of food for now. Where do I get to get these Korean products???

So I thought you might want a little change of view from products into WHERE to get the Korean stuff. If you look around you neighborhood and sense there are Koreans, there must be a Korean Mart out there somewhere. Well at least that’s a sign for me. These Korean supermarkets just seem to be a mini Korea in a non-Korean place. It’s nice. I like it ^^

And the interesting thing about Korean supermarkets is, it’s actually a Korea town. well usually that’s what it feels like in Auckland. Other than selling packaged food (frozen,chilled,snacks…), you can see Korean DVD rentals, Korean silverware, housewares (I remember being suprised seeing those special expensive toilet bowls and vacuums and all the other stuff you find in the warehouse), and there’s always the fresh food section right at the end of the store, where you get your radishes for your kimchi, AND there might even be a small restaurant next to it. But then since you’re in Korea town now, you have to order in Korean, or else no way you gonna eat there. Well, the one and only time I was there was with my previous pastor’s wife, who is Korean, and thankfully she helped me ordered, cause all menu was on the blackboard… written in Korean >.<

So as you can see, a trip to a Korea grocery store can be pretty entertaining, or maybe it’s just me. I love going there!

Hanyang shopping for Asian Food and Groceries(me thinks it should be renamed into Korean food and Groceries or Korean and some Japanese Food and Groceries, but then maybe they are just trying to lure more customers from the real Asian Mart Saveway across the road) is one of the few Korean marts I’ve been to.

And for this blogging contest, I visited it for the fourth? or is it the fifth? time just to get fueled up with stuff to share about. I pretty much raided whatever cheap products the store has, and happy to say there were quite a few stuff on special. Yay!

Oh! and I saw the owner of SaRangBang shopping there too. haha. So I guess it much have really great fresh meat and veggies to produce such great meals. If you don’t know about SaRangBang, read about it in my post about it!

If you’re interested to check it out, HanYang is open at least from nine in the morning. Not sure if they are open on Sunday, but I visited on Saturday before, so I guess they are open from at least six days a week. The reason why I know they would be open from 9am on the weekdays, cause from that time till eleven in the morning, while most people are at school or at work, they have this everything 10% off special. Well that’s what I think was written in Korean on the board near the counter, as u can see below. Aren’t they smart to get customers in during the quieter hours!? ^^

They usually sell cooked food too… at the counter. So if you’re ever hungry you can just walk in and just buy a kimbab and walk out ^^

Anyway, here’s a map for your guidance to the place if you’re ever around

SaRangBang - where Korean food comes to life...

2010-11-14T13:20:00.003+13:00

Other than Mapo, you should try SaRangBang on Aviemore Drive when you are out East, that is if you’re looking for some awesome Korean cooking. SaRang means love and Bang meaning room. They only serve dinner from Mondays to Satudays, so book a dinner there! There are only five tables in the restaurant, so it’s always packed around meal times. And parking wise is an issue. I used to park at Denny’s, yes, illegally, but good thing recently we’ve always got good packing on the side of the roads, and if you’re fortunate enough, you get to park in the one or two carparks right in front of the restaurant.

You might not spot it straight away since it’s situated on the side of a pretty busy road, and only being a small but surely popular restaurant. But if you spot the big family restaurant Denny’s, you’re close enough. The Korea restaurant is just to the left of Denny’s, sharing the same building as the women gym Contours. And it usually has a bright red light around the oval sign at night, so keep a look out for it. ^^

It is noted to be the 586th out of 796 restaurants in Auckland Central. Not sure how outdated this info is, but it still sounds pretty good.

So me and my friend Umi visited the place last night, and had an awesome time, as usual.

I’ve been to this place quite a few times myself, having celebrated my birthdays twice and other happy family meals here. I usually sit on the normal wooden long table and stools, where you have lots of leg room, but this time I was able to experience the seating like in the olden days. It was interesting, but my legs weren’t too happy about it after just sitting down for a few minutes. You can see how low the tables are in the picture, and you’re feet are meant to just be crossed or just sit as if you were on a Japanese tatami. Or you can also be like me, who sat really unladylike, since I was getting used to sitting in the kind of uncomfortable position.

As you may see in the videos, I ordered a chicken bulgogi – 닭불고기[dak bul go gi] (닭[tak] being chicken and 불고기[bul go gi] meaning flamed and marinated meat ),while Umi had a bibimbap -돌솥비빔밥[tol sott bi bim bab] (돌솥[tol sott] meaning the hot stone bowl and 비빔밥[bi bim bab] as the ‘mixed rice’) . And these were our side dishes. I love how there are always side dishes in Korean restaurants. yum yum

Starting from the bean sprout side dish, it is called 숙주나믈[suk joo na mul], which I always think of as the Korean liquor soju, seeing how the first two words sound like soju XD. I learned from my friend that 숙주[suk joo] means bean sprout and 나믈[na mul] is the term for legumes. Correct me if I’m mistaken ^^ Then we travel clockwise onto the dish on the right of the picture, a type of kimchi called 깍뚜기[kkak ttoo gi]. Not my favorite, but worth a try. Then on the bottom of the picture, with the seaweed dish, which is also a type kimchi, is the 미 역무침[mi yok moo chim]. 미 역[mi yok] being seaweed and 무침[moo chim] being a term for dishes that require to mix it with your hand in the vinegar and fun ingredients, as heard from a Korean. Last but not least on the left of the picture is one of my favorite side dishes, the 마늘쫑[ma nul jong], yet another kimchi. It is the shoots of the garlic, and so it is crisp and flavorful.

Their single dishes are usually ten dollars New Zealand, which is pretty cheap compared to other Korean places, AND the thing that me and my oldest brother likes about SaRangBang is that they use red rice. So there’s them thinking for your health and your money well spent. I haven’t been to second restaurant that serves red rice, but the normal plain white rice, which does make a big difference.

And here’s the short clip of me and the foods:

Learn the steps of mixing the bibimbap before you eat from a Korean!

요구르트[yo gu ru ttu] for your goodness

2010-11-14T12:07:00.004+13:00

Cuddle-able yakult? Vitagen?

Yakult… vitagen… OR YoguPoder!?

Actually, YoguPoder might just happen to be the korean Yakult, seeing how Yakult is spread all around the globe. And the store where I bought it is a Taiwan Mart, and they had a sign on it saying “Korean yakult”, not knowing if it was for reference of being the same kind of drink with yummy bacteria, or that it really is the product of the Japan’s yakult in Korea. Hmm… Still couldn’t figure it out after searching the web. But either way, that wouldn’t stop me from drinking YoguPoder!

After a meal, it’s best to finish it off with these tiny bottles of frozen dessert to ensure that your digestive system is functioning well, and that you get a healthy desert. It only cost me a dollar twenty for these five small bottles. Did I have to mention that it was in NZ dollars again? ^^ I usually just defrost them and keep them chilled in the fridge, cause I’ve experienced how excruciating it can be to wait for it to melt bit by bit, when all I want to do is drink my bacteria in. And it’s cool that they told us to “Please drink immediately when it defrosts.” or maybe they could say ” keep it defrosted yet chilled after purchase.” haha. But if it’s summer, maybe it wont be so bad to have it frozen ^^

These awesome bacteria is known to be able to survive even under the super frostiness of negative thirty degrees O.O Well that just answered my question if the bacterias already died when it was frozen. It’s weird that this info was written in chinese characters, I thought it was targeting at Koreans =S

Anyway, it’s suggested that one should “take Assi(the brand name) Frozen dessert regularly to ensuer (they misspelled ‘ensure’. no biggie) your balance of good health(oh yes!).” The good bacteria found in the drink is known to be Lactobacillus casei, and it is noted that this ” Lactobacillus casei culture can maintain the balance of intestinal microflora.” hehe. some big words there. but those are positive words, so even if you didn’t understand the statement well, just drink some YoguPoder and you’ll understand through experience!

HooROoRook noodle 후루룩국수[hoo roo rook guk su]

2010-11-13T11:48:00.004+13:00

Here goes ‘Cook your own Korean noodle number two’. Other than potato noodles,HooRooRook is a healthy choice too! It's "So good, slurping is Allowed!" In Asian culture, especially in Japan, the louder you slurp your noodles n soup, the better you think the food tastes. So instead of just saying "Wow! It's delicious!", you just have to slurp your hardest XD So don't be angered by the noise if you're not used to it, since I heard slurping your food, making a loud noise is considered inappropriate in Western culture. One would call you ill-mannered. Now hope both asian and non-asian sides will understand each other better ^^

I love the slogan of "Who Looks? Who Looks? HooRooRooK". It's just so lovable. As in the line itself doesn't make sense at all, but they thought it good enough to put in something that ryhmes. I'm a rhyme lover, so I really find the line amusing.

Just like most noodles, it's made out of wheat flour, BUT it's not fried. Woo hoo! I had it for my brunch today so I saw that this statement was true. Well not that Nong Shim would lie. but yea, there was little or no oil at all when I boiled the noodles. I like to boil the soup and noodles separately since the liquid in the pot turns really oily after the noodles are boiled- the oil from frying the noodles when it was in the production process. So I couldn't tell that there was oil in the water after HooRooROok noodles were done, other than a slight milky colored transformation of the soup, me thinks because of the wheat flour.

The packet also says that the noodles are mild and smooth, which I can testify to that. yum yum. and also low in Fat. Yay! There is also no msg added, but there is salt in it of course, after referring to the ingredients list. Not much protein and vitamins in it though, so add in your desired contents in your soup, or follow their suggested additions of "chicken, beef or tofu for a hearty meal." hehe. hearty. I prefer healthy, so I guess you'll have a hearty and healthy meal.

Three small packets comes along with the noodle - the dried flakes, soup base and soup paste. The packets weren't transparent, so I thought in mind that the soup paste might be my dreaded oil packets >.<>and your pores start to open up to produce sweat. haha. too much info.

There is a really cool diagram on the front left of the packet next to the bowl of noodle, showing a feast at a wedding I suppose. Since Korean noodles aka guksu are known to symbolize a long lasting marriage with it's never seeming to end long noodles. The diagram of the old folks(they look like it's the 18th century) fits their info on the back of the packet that "HooRooRook brings to life the old tradition of Korean noodle soup."

And as we talked about slurping way back at the start, I tried doing so, following what the packet suggested. It worked, but I'm a beginner at slurping so I stopped doing it after a few strands. Katherine won the slurping contest between me and her. I also compared it with mee goreng. haha. we only cooked one packet of HooRooRook, which wasn't enough for a two person meal, so mee goreng was for when the HRR noodles ran out.

mee goreng

After eating HooRooRook, the oiliness of mee goreng shows so much more than usual, and being curly noodles, i couldn't slurp it as all. so... mee goreng are unslurpable. don’t think that is a word. haha. and if you were wondering, ‘mee goreng’ means fried noodles, ‘mee’ being noodles and ‘goreng’ meaning fried. So it telling you that they fried the noodles before hand =P

Anyway, do try these noodles. I got it for a dollar at a Korean Mart, after raiding it for cheap Korean food. It was the last one on the shelf. ^^ Hope you enjoy this “premium Korean Noodle Soup” as much as we did!

Chewy chewy... potato noodle!

2010-11-12T22:23:00.006+13:00

For those of you who don't have a Korean restaurant nearby, or you just don't seem to be able to go to one yet, why not try cooking some Korean noodles? I know there are all kinds of noodles out there, like those cheap as ~~(and yummy)~~ mee goreng, but these are not your typical three minute noodles. Just go down to your closest Korean mart! You'll be a step closer to being a Korean. maybe.

The one I'm introducing to you today is made out of potatoes. YES! POTATOES. I think only Korean noodles do that. Other than flavor, they think about the health issue too. Thanks Nong Shim! =D

So these packets usually cost around a dollar fifty to say two dollars New Zealand, but I actually bought it awhile ago since it was on special, to clear them off before they expire next month. Haha... my gain. I've tried them before, maybe not Nong Shim I can't be sure since I forgot the packaging, at my Korean friend's place a long while back when I was still in high school... now that was a long time ago =P And I remember being amazed at the time thinking that there actually can be three minute noodles made from something other than the normal wheat (or was it flour?) and the not to be forgotten preservatives. Smart Koreans!

So got these a bit over a dollar I think. Ate them for dinner today and was really filled with it. It's healthier than usual 3-min noodles, has a unique chewy texture, and it fills you up! I usually dun get filled up with just a packet of noodle. It's usually one and a half packs of mee goreng, and I might still be craving for food after two hours >.<

And they don't include oil packets, like in mee goreng. Okay maybe I should explain what mee goreng is, since most of you might not have experienced these cheap Malaysian noodles. They are these oily, yummy and quick meal. I eat them, I do. Why? They cost less than a dollar a packet if you buy the five packet combo. =D I'm sorry if I sound like I'm dissing them. Know that I'm not. I'm Malaysian by birth and these noodles define me too ^^ But you can always just get rid of those oil packets if you're going for the healthy mee goreng. So yea, other bowl noodles like the yummy ones from Taiwan also include these oil packets. Next time you see it, you'll know what I mean. Back to topic, I was gonna say that they just have some dried vege flakes and non-spicy seasoning sachet. So no crying when u eat these noodles! So when you cook this much healthier noodle, add in other ingredients that you love, like carrot or onion, or if you're really really Korean and can't survive without it, yes you can add your kimchi in to make it spicy.

Anyway, I filmed a video with the help of Katherine how quick and easy it is to cook this awesome pack of noodle.

Sorry for the fuzzy bits in the video. I don't know how to edit videos, seeing this is my second video uploaded onto youtube, and so I decided just to shoot it in one go in a short time ^^

Ummm... and I was meaning to say "two and a half [cups] of water" at the start, but I think I was confused and too nervous and my mind decided to mix "two and a half cups" and "two point five litres" together. Oh well. and my other grammar errors in the video you have to forgive.

So if you spot this packet or any of the like that has "potato noodle" written on it, buy and try it! But remember, buy Korean. Cause maybe soon other countries will try and produce these amazing noodles too =D

Pancake호떡 or packed lunch?

2010-11-11T21:08:00.004+13:00

If you happen to be in Auckland City, Korean pancakes right on the corner of Lorne and Wellesley Streets. 호떡집[ho dduk] or Korean pancake or it's also known store name of Corner Pancake, is really close to the Dory Japanese restaurant, the Nol Bu Ne restaurant and the mighty famous Taiwan bakery Rio Kitchen. So if you spot any of these three big stores, you'll know you're close by. That is, if you happen to miss seeing a large crowd of people gathering in front of this tiny little take-away shop kiosk. Seriously, it's always crowded with people day or shine. So if you're hoping to get a try of it around lunch time, you got to be prepared to wait for a long time!

This store is mighty popular in the area, especially among the university students because of it's variety of choices for the really really cheap price. And being poor university students, these pancakes just save our days, helping us reach our tight budget. But there are still some rich people who enjoy buying it anyway cause it really tastes so yummy, especially when it's piping hot. =P

For a price range of 2 to 3.50 New Zealand dollars, one can get a pancake of these listed flavors according to the price:Sweet, Red Bean, Chocolate, Cheese, Potato, Vege, Beef, Pork, Chicken, Beef+Cheese, Pork+Cheese and Chicken+Cheese.

So instead of leftovers from dinner, this can be an alternative lunch, and you don't even have to wash the container that your lunch was packed in. Well I'm talking from an Asian's perspective, so we usually have rice or noodles the next afternoon, but if you're a sandwich eater, these pancakes could be a special treat instead of being the cheaper choice.

I visited the place today late afternoon, so there wasn't a big crowd (phew!) on site. But it was amazing how people still purchase it when it's not during meal times. hehe. I was one of them XD

My Sweet pancake!

I tried the sweet pancake for the first time, and wasn't disappointed it at all. It tasted really exciting! Yoo Mee had the Potato and Cheese pancake, which I recommended, having tried it when it was special being a dollar cheaper than the usual price. It has the yummy mashed potato, PLUS other veges too. yum yum!

Yoo Mee's potato & cheese pancake! Well you can't see the potato yet in the picture, or that it's well camouflaged...

The size of the pancakes did decrease slightly, with our GST increasing, instead of raising the price. It was noted by a friend that maybe now they can make more pancakes after they decreased the size portions of them. But either way, they are still really tasty and filling.

So if you've got some spare coins with you and you're craving for some warm delicious food, you know where you should head off to!

Just to prove to you how this place is popular, here's two articles about it. Yes! They were even featured in the news! Well I think they deserve it =D

The second article even includes a recipefor the pancakes at the end of it! And apparently it was approved by the shop. Aren't they just really generous?! Found on a forum post, I thought it was interesting that "One thing not mentioned in the recipe is that they usually spread olive oil (or other healthy oils) over the pan before cooking, as well as pouring a small amount on the pancakes themself before flipping the first time. They also tend to flip them more than just once. (They also have a special tool for pressing them down, rather than a spatula, but that's probably not an option for most of you.)"

Here's the recipe if you haven't checked out the two New Zealand Herald articles:

"Ingredients: 3 tbsp warm water, 1/2 tsp white sugar, 1/2 tsp yeast, 1/2 cup of plain flour, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 tsp salt, plus your choice of fillings.

Method: Mix water, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl and leave for 10 minutes,

then add the milk, flour and salt. Mix well then cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let it rest for 3 hours. Prepare your choice of filling separately.

To grill, pull out of the dough and flatten it with your palm, add filling in the middle, then pull the dough together to seal it into a ball then cook it over a heated, flat frying pan, pressing them down with a greased spatula. Cook as you would a pancake - ready when both sides are golden brown."

And here's a post link of the Photospeaks Blog that has some impressive photos that I wanted to share with you all. Please do check the post out. The photos sure do speak! But this post was made a wee back while, so you can also use it to contrast with my video to see how it has changed. ^^

Now with the map, you’ll know where. It’s useful to know that it across the city library and right opposite the art musuem. And if you’re really really lost, try going into Auckland City campus and ask any fellow student to take you there. For all the students surely know about the oh-so-famous Korean pancake!

Korean noodles

2010-11-10T20:07:00.007+13:00

Today I’m going to talk to you about Korean Noodles. Wikipedia © has a very helpful summary on it so I’m going to put it here:

“Korean noodles are noodles or noodle dishes in Korean cuisine and are collectively referred to as “guksu” in native Korean or “myeon” in hanja. Preparations and cooking with noodles are relatively simple, so the history is longer than that of bread, dating back around BCE. 6000 to BCE 5000 in Asia. While noodles were eaten in Korea from ancient times, productions of wheat was less than other crops, so noodles did not become a daily food until 1945. Buckwheat (memil guksu) and wheat noodles (milguksu) were specialty foods for birthdays, weddings or auspicious occasions because the long and continued shape were thought to be associated with the bliss for longevity and long-lasting marriage. The symbolism for long and happy lives in a marriage is why, in Korea after a wedding, bowls of noodle soup (or guksu) are served to guests who’ve come to celebrate the newly married couple. Noodles are cheap to make, nutritious and filling, quickly prepared, can be eaten hot or cold, may be stored for years and are easily transported.”

In North Korea, the famous cold noodle dish, naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) is the proto-typical noodle dish, but in South Korea, warm noodle soup, called onmyeon or guksu jangguk (noodles with a hot clear broth), was more common until the onset of the Korean War. Noodles used for onmyeon are generally made of a wheat called somyeon, and are very easy to prepare and cook.

Other Korean traditional noodle dishes are, bibim guksu (cold noodle dish mixed with vegetables), kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), kongguksu (noodles with a cold soybean broth) and among others. In royal court, baekmyeon (literally “white noodles”) consisting of buckwheat noodles and pheasant broth, was regarded as the top quality noodle dish. Naengmyeon with a cold soup mixed with dongchimi (watery radish kimchi) and beef brisk broth was eaten in court during summer.

Noodles by ingredients

Dangmyeon (당면; cellophane noodles) – made from sweet potato starch
Memil guksu (메밀국수) – buckwheat noodles similar to Japanese soba noodles
Olchaengi guksu (올챙이국수) – noodles made from dried corn flour which are eaten in mountainous places suchas Gangwon Province
Gamja guksu (감자국수) – noodles made from a mixture of potato starch, rice flour, and glutinous rice flour
Gamjanongma guksu (감자농마국수) – noodles made from potato starch that have a very chewy texture. It is a local specialty of Hwanghae Province
Somyeon – very thin wheat flour noodles; similar to Japanese sōmen
Dotori guksu – noodles made from acorn flour
Chilk guksu (칡국수) – noodles made from kudzu and buckwheat
Ssuk kalguksu (쑥칼국수) – noodles made from Japanese mugwort and wheat flour
Hobak guksu (호박국수) – noodles made from pumpkin and wheat flour
Kkolttu guksu (꼴뚜국수) – noodles made from buckwheat flour and wheat flour
Cheonsachae – half-transparent noodlesphoto made from the jelly-like extract left after steaming kombu, without the addition of grain flour or starch. The taste is bland, so they are generally eaten as a light salad after seasoned or served as a garnish beneath saengseon hoe (sliced raw fish). Cheonsachae has a chewy texture and is low in calories.”

At a nearby Korean restaurant, I had my first guksu. I remember it being Winter and it was a new dish at the restaurant, having a slice of paper with 장터국수[chang tto guk su] written on it. It seemed enticing and sparked my interest so I ordered it.

Served in a big metal bowl, was these long thin vermicelli-like noodles. I thought it looked a bit plain at first, as it didn’t have the usual look other Korean dishes had. The soup a pale white colour and the ingredients nicely laid on top. But the taste was just as good as any Korean dish, so I finished it all, not leaving a single strand of noodle.

I haven’t been back to this restaurant for some time so I’m not sure as if this dish was only served in Winter. Well I hope not, cause I would surely love to have this yummy dish all season. ^^

Searching online, there didn’t seem to be a recipe for 장터국수[chang tto guk su], but many other guksus. The one that seemed to look pretty similar, if it doesn’t happen to be the same thing is the Janchi Guksu(Korean warm noodle soup).

The “Eating and Living Blog” has a really good recipe on how to make this yummy noodle:

2 servings
8 ounce somyeon (somen) noodles

Anchovy Broth:
10 - 12 medium to large dried anchovies (Myulchi)
1 3-inch square dried kelp (dasima/kombu)
4 oz Korean radish*, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 onion*
2 garlic cloves*
1/2 of scallion* (white part)
7 cups water

1 tablespoon soy sauce (preferably soup soy sauce - gukganjang)

(*Simple anchovy broth can be made with dried anchovies and kelp. However, the vegetables will add more depth to the flavor of the broth. You can freeze any leftover broth to use at another time for making jjigae or gaeranjjim.)

Toppings*:
1/2 zucchini (4 ounce), julienned
1 small carrot (3 ounce), julienned
1 egg, beaten and fried into a thin sheet (jidan)
3 ounce beef, cut into thin strips
1/2 scallion (green part), chopped

(*Other common toppings include eomuk (fish cake), mushrooms, onion, and kimchi.)

Sauce (Yangnyeomjang) - Optional:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Korean chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 scallion finely chopped

(Mix all sauce ingredients well and set aside.)

Add all broth ingredients to a medium pot. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and boil for 10 minutes, uncovered. Remove anchovies and kelp from the broth. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and boil for an additional 15 minutes over medium heat. Remove all the aromatic vegetables from the broth. Keep it warm over very low heat while preparing the toppings and noodles.

Season the beef strips with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, and pinch black pepper. Set aside while preparing the vegetables.

Lightly sprinkle salt over julienned zucchini and set aside for 5 - 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from salted zucchini by hand. Sauté in a lightly oiled skillet over high heat (1 - 2 minutes).

Sauté the julienned carrots in a lightly oiled skillet over high heat (1- 2 minutes), sprinkling salt and pepper to taste. (If using eomuk, mushrooms, or onion, cook the same way.)

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook somyeon noodles according to the package instructions (about 3 minutes). Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Continue to drain and rinse in cold water. (Somyeon noodles are not resilient. This rinsing process is important so the noodles don't get soggy.) Make two one-serving size mounds as you remove from the water. Place the mounds in a colander to drain.

Place the noodles in a serving bowl. Pour the hot broth over the noodles. Nicely arrange a small amount of each topping on top of the noodles. Finish the dish off with a sprinkle of the chopped scallions.

Serve warm with the optional sauce on the side.

Following closely behind Kimchi...

2010-11-09T21:03:00.004+13:00

Is the well-known 비빔밥 - Bibimbap (mixed rice with vegetables)!

Well usually when I talk to non-asians about Korean food, most of them, if not all would know Kimchi and then they might even talk about Bibimbap. The dish of white or red rice is commonly topped with vegetables, beef, a whole egg(either sunny side up or raw), and the usually optional gochuchang(chilly pepper paste).

All the bibimbaps I've had to date have raw egg in it when served, which is actually something I enjoyed. Whenever I think of Korean dishes, bibimbap would most likely to be the one to pop up in my mind. I never get bored of how fun and interesting it is to mix all the nicely laid ingredients on the hot stone pot. And I usually have to start stirring the contents once it is served, so as to not let the rice stick onto the bottom, even though the hard crispy bits may be a little treat at times.

I had this with my friends in a Korean & Japanese restaurant in Meadowlands. I think it was called Momo, but as usual, I might be wrong.

This was my 18th birthday lunch, so I sure had my filling of Korean food that day XD

: The skill to having a good bibimbap is to mix it well in a short time ^^

Since I really love this dish, I searched up some clips of how to make it, and found the one below the video I enjoyed most. ^^

Maangchi teaches you how to make Bibimbap!!!

And here's her recipe typed out:

Take note that it's a recipe for 4- 6 servings, so alter the recipe accordingly.

Ingredients:

Cooked rice
a package of bean sprouts
a bunch of spinach
2 small size of zucchinis

5-7 Shiitake mushrooms
fern brakes (kosari)
200 grams of ground beef (about half a pound)
1 small carrot, eggs
soy sauce, hot pepper paste, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and vegetable oil

Recipe:
Arrange everything on a platter.

Cook rice. You can use a rice cooker or a stainless pot.
Next, you need to prepare a large platter to put all your ingredients on. Rinse your bean sprouts 3 times and put them in a pot with a cup of water. Add 1 ts of salt and cook for 20 minutes. Drain water and mix it with 1 clove of minced garlic, sesame oil and a pinch of salt.
Put it on the platter.
Put your spinach in a pot of boiling water and stir it for a minute. Then rinse it in cold water a few times and squeeze it lightly. Mix it with a pinch of salt, 1 ts of soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic and sesame oil. Put it on the platter
Cut 2 small size zucchinis into thin strips, sprinkle them with a pinch of salt, and then mix them together. A few minutes later, sauté them in a pan over high heat. When it’s cooked, it will look a little translucent. Put it on the platter.
You can buy soaked and cooked “kosari” at a Korean grocery store. Prepare about 2 or 3 cups of kosari for this 4 servings of bibimbap. Cut it into pieces 5-7 cm long and sauté in a heated pan with 1 ts of vegetable oil. Stir and add 1 tbs of soy sauce, 1/2 tbs of sugar, and cook them for 1-2 minutes. Add sesame oil. Put it on the platter.
Slice shitake mushrooms thinly and sauté with 1 ts of vegetable oil. Add 2 ts of soy sauce and 1 or 2 ts of sugar and stir it for 2 minutes. Add some sesame oil, and put it on the platter.
On a heated pan, put some oil and 200 grams of ground beef and stir it. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs of soy sauce, 1/2 tbs of sugar, a little grounded black pepper, and sesame oil.
Put it on the platter.
Cut a carrot into strips, sauté it for 30 seconds and put it on the platter.
prepare eggs with sunny side up.
Put your rice In a big bowl, and attractively display all your vegetables and meat t. Place the sunny side up egg on the center.
Serve it with sesame oil and hot pepper paste.
Lastly, mix it up and eat!

She even listed an alternative sauce for those who can’t tolerate spicy sauce. : )

Yangnyeomjang sauce:

Chop 4 green onions and put them in a small bowl. Pour half cup of soy sauce in there, and add 1 tbs of sesame seeds, 2 ts of sugar, 1 tbs of sesame oil and mix it up.

And an interesting soup, which I have never been served in restaurants when I enjoy my bibimbap, so not sure what it's like.

Egg soup:

Put a can of chicken broth in a pot, as well as 2 cans of water using the can from the chicken broth. Boil it.
Beat 2 eggs with a fork and pour it into the boiling stock while stirring slowly. Put some salt in it if you want.
Chop 2 green onions
Serve your soup in a small bowl and sprinkle some chopped green onion over the top.

My 18th birthday feast

2010-11-08T21:14:00.009+13:00

Hailing from the little country called New Zealand, popular monthly magazine "Metro" helps diners find the restaurant they are looking for. With a strong focus on the city of Auckland, they try out many restaurants before they title the yearly award winners.

And you ask why I start off talking about "Metro" when my title surely has no connection to an expensive magazine? (Well $9.50 is not cheap for a poor university student like me) Click here to know more about "Metro".

Well the place where I dined to drink was the "Metro Best Korean restaurant 2008" award winner. After hearing from my brother Richard how they had a great experience at Mapo Korean Barbecue Restaurant during the last few month of 2008, I had the restaurant keyed into my brain.

I finally was able to visit the restaurant during that year for my seventeenth, and consecutively in 2009 for the same celebration. Except this time instead of the common Korean dishes like kimchi fried rice or bibimbab, I was to try what the store was well-known for - Korean Barbeque.

Being a plate of nice and juicy meat, the price of it was slightly more than the average Korean cooked meals.

But I sure had fun cooking the marinated meat myself, on the really cool looking built-in stove that I always wanted to experience.

Just like the menu said, the meat sure had a sweet taste with it's special sweet sauce. It reminded me of bulgogi, except instead of having small chunks of sweetened meat, I get this big fat slice! =P

Other than their famous barbecue meat, the side dishes that they served were delicious too. I think it was the first Korean restaurant I spotted that had yummy soya sauced vermicelli with veg as a side. I bet that side dish could actually be a normal dish if served in bigger portions.

My beloved family members seemed to enjoy their Korean dishes as well, so I really recommend this restaurant if you're seeking for a Korean dining place in East Auckland. ^^

Do check out the place if you're craving some Korean food for lunch or dinner any day except Monday, unless you're booking. Now it's really rare to find a Korean restaurant opened on Sundays in East Auckland, and I think for now, Mapo is the only one on my list.

Anyway, here's the details of the restaurant:

Address:

Mapo Bbq Korean Restaurant

22A Torrens Road, East Tamaki, New Zealand

Tel: 09 265 1700

Open: Tues - Sun: 12.00 to 22.00

Booking: Essential on Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun (i.e. everyday)

And here's a map to aid you a little ^^

I'm gonna blog more ^^

2010-11-08T20:39:00.003+13:00

I hope you can guess the reason behind my motivation after seeing the picture/poster. And in case you're wondering, yes! I am going to enter in this contest along with many great food writers, with the aim to the slight chance of a free trip to Korea. Whee~~~ I mean Korea, a free trip, why not try it! And I get to blog about Korean food, which is adding to the awesomeness of being in a contest =D

Well I invite all any of you Korea lovers to join in this great adventure! Oh I hear a question.

You ask "how can enter?"? Easy! Just "Go to Koreataste.org and become a member to apply to be a blogger. After being accepted bloggers can write, post pictures, post videos or post a combination of the above related to Korean food in Korea or abroad. Posts could be a review of a local Korean restaurant, a Korean recipe you tried, or about your favorite Korean dish. Anything related to Korean food in good taste (profanity or obscene material prohibited) is acceptable." BUT you have to be 18 years or older. haha. I'm glad to be old for once >.<

And how do us bloggers get judged to win the awesome prizes??? Well, the panel of judges are made up of a great mixture of Korean international tourism, writers, and food specialists. And the winner is based on the listed criteria:

30% Number of posts
20% Total Number of all “Thumbs Up” Votes on the posts per blogger
50% Quality of written posts, photos, and video

So I'll need all your love and support of thumbing up my posts under my account "kixmic". And well you're allowed to not like my post, so comment about it ... and still give me a thumbs up. XD
Your care and clicks won't be forgotten! =D I'll get u a gift if I get to go to Korea, but then the chances of that seems slim with one of the many posts on the site having 91 thumbs up already, and I bet it's increasing as I type! So just help me get a prize or have the chance of getting one. hehe

I have been reading the posts from other contestants while my account was pending, and there were many cool articles that I came upon. So I think the master minds behind this contest got what they wanted - heaps of blogs about Kimchi... and well other yummy Korean food.

"The contest will start on October 11, 2010 (Korean Time) and finish on December 5, 2010 at 11:59pm (Korean Time). The winners will be announced in the “News and Event” section of koreatast.org on December 10,2010. and they will receive e-mails. If KTO cannot contact the winner by December 17, 2010, the prize will be given to the next eligible contestant."

And yes, I still have exams... till Saturday. But seeing that I will be away in Aus on my project with StudentLife, which means I shouldn't focus my mind on something other than evangelizing in the country, it means that I would not be able to post for say 3 weeks? And the deadline of the contest just so happens to be on the same day when I come back to Auckland, but you'll see me busy trying to post as many as I can before I fly off to Aussie. And I will only allow myself to post max one a day till my exams finish, and then you'll see me go crazy talking about Korean nyom nyom nyom... Hmm maybe I could do some more posts once I come back, if I'm not too jet laged or sleep deprived that is.

How do you drive?

2010-10-28T15:29:00.006+13:00

For you drivers out there: Do you enjoy driving? Do you enjoy watching people drive? Or do you think the roads are just too crazy for normal people like you?

Being on road for almost two years, driving can be both tiring and amusing at the same time. But I like it most for the inconvenience it provides, well other than during those bad traffic hours.

On some days, it's all peace and quiet. While if you're lucky enough, you get to see some drivers who seemed to just have gotten their license. or maybe their driving illegally. :S and there is also the very eager ones who just don't seem to understand how to keep a distance.

I found a site listing the ten worst driving habits exposed, and I must agree that those ten are pretty annoying.

Not surprising enough, tailgating was top on the list followed with the busy on the phone people who never drive like they should. Well they drive like they are on phone, which is what they are doing, which is annoying, but thank goodness we don't have to retaliate with it anymore after that awesome NZ law of no phones while driving else you get a great fine =D ... though you still see some desperate talkers with their devices.

The third worst habit was "Drivers who sit in the middle or outside lane holding up every other road user came in third. These people either have no regard for other people or are completely unaware of the annoyance they cause.", but I really have no clue what it is. Hopefully I won't experience it, since it does sound annoying.

Haha. I like the fourth one, those who just drive whatever speed they feel like. I don't the ones that over speed, but those common under speeders. Usually, you just need to overtake (only if it's safe to), and then you'll forget it. hehe. Well, you can check the other six nasty habits, which are pretty annoying as well, but gladly not common in the roads here. \o/ I mean most people here indicate, well except at roundabouts, and I haven't seen anyone chucking trash out of the window. These ten, well maybe nine since I dun get the third habit, do often happen in Kuching. Maybe the whole of Malaysia. not too certain though since I grew up in Kch.

The only two places I've driven in is in Kuching and my beloved Auckland... and well that one time to Totara Springs for church camp. That's out of Auckland right? XD

And well, there's a big difference in the driving in these two cities. Like BIG difference. Even the road codes are different. well me thinks. you'll see why.

Here's a video that inspired me to create this post. This guy has seven parts to the great Korean driving. Do mind the swearing... I think he does it in every video, seeing that he did so in all the first three videos I watched.

I must say some of those were the worst drivers I've seen. I mean why would you be so desperate to cut in front of a car when you just come out of your apartment car park, WHEN you actually see a car coming on the opposite side already. Please don't follow these bad examples, Kuching drivers, and actually ALL drivers. Your life is more important than saving time, so think before you cut!

And if a car made up a merging lane, I usually try my best not to let that car in. I think it's just my personality though. I just hate it when people cut in line while other law keeping people waited patiently. Like it's just not fair. If you think your time is precious, do you think us who waited in line don't value our time as well? One word best describes those impatient cuters : Selfish! Well if you're really in a hurry, like say you were off to the hospital with a very very sick person, like critical stage person, then maybe that's alright. Other than that, I really just can't stand those who just think of themselves. Hmph!

Then thinking that maybe awful driving happens more in Asia, this video cured my unfair opinion. I guess it's just those few rotten apples that may make it seem like all apples are awful, but I'm glad that that is not the case =D

Let's have some peaceful yet thrilling squeezy driving for a change, from the good old Japan. With the people and roads being small, the strength they use to step on the pedal is individually suited too.

But then I wouldn't drive in this country. It just seems so stressful. I mean I surely need years of practice to not bump those expensive cars into the sides of the sesame sized alleys.

I really love this country. If you're thinking I'm saying so just because I'm been there before, I'm not. I mean I love Korea too. But there's good and bad in everything, and since this post is about driving, it just happened that Korea and Japan seems to be in opposite ends for it.

And here's a nice clip to teach you how to drive to fit into the roads in Malaysia. But I'm sure you have not interested in learning the bad, so just watch and understand that this is the normal driving in the country if you ever visit. You know you should go there, it's great! Seriously, you'll love the food there and you'll think that the air-cons are the best inventions ever! =D

Subtitles for his conversation on the phone if you don't understand Chinese and maybe just happen to not understand his first few English words : Hey! On the way... Driving now. What? Ya, I'm almost there. I'll fly there. What? Where am I now? At the roundabout la. Ya, ok ok. Ok ok.

And you can also be more caring to put your car on neutral when you double park, if in any case you may be too busy shopping to go and move your car. Cause if the person doesn't feel like calling or texting you to save money, then they can just adjust your car to get back on the road lo. Well that what I heard from others, not from experience ah XD

Other than the five tips provided, you can make any one way lane into two way, as long as the road is wide enough right? When the traffic starts getting jammed, why not be helpful and start creating an extra lane? Just like the old saying, "if there's a will, there's a way". Don't forget that the traffic lights are special: Green means go, Yellow means speed up and Red means you can still go if the coast is clear! Oh! and don't forget that the "no u-turn" signs means that you have to u-turn with care.

I wonder if this happens in Korea, since I saw heaps of the driving ways in Korea similar to the ones I saw during my 9 years in Malaysia.

And the result of bad driving??? Car crashes lo... and really bad ones too. Not that I saw it in real life, but I'm seen some crashes that are half as bad as these. Well there is usually a view of really smashed up cars in front of this police station that I always pass by when I'm in Kuching. Their really great reminders of how to drive better. But I wonder if some people looked at it and thought that they should try and make their car even more 'artistically unique'.

Well I wasn't too surprised... just slightly seeing this scene. It's actually amazing how that could happen. I mean how fast did they have to drive and how close were they to each other??? Hope they weren't too injured other than having a great big shock of their life, which should surely make them realize to drive wisely next time. Wonder if they learned their lesson...

Sorry that I didn't bother googling about NZ driving. I just think it's the best I've encountered, other than the too peaceful Japan driving. If you want to, you can go youtube NZ driving la. I see if everyday so dun want to la.

I seriously feel blessed that I never encountered any collisions with cars during my trips back home. It is more convenient driving, but it's also very very challenging. And don't think that I haven't done any illegal driving. I ran a yellow light, well cause usually the yellow lights stay on for three seconds in NZ, while the ones in Kuching can't be patient enough and change red in a second. So yea, still gotta get used to the different driving skills there. But still, I'm in the very small category of boring and law-keeping drivers.

I'm glad that Auckland roads are heaps better... since I am the worst driver I know here >.<
If you haven't been informed, my worst case was when I was trying to drive back East from Auckland City, I must praise myself in being so great at driving to go past the Harbor Bridge. \o/
I've yet to see if I learned the lesson to drive the right way home...

And well I do love my hometown, but I guess just like for everything, you have some bits of it that you like and not right? I'll surely post of the great things of Kuching in the future. =D

In the garden

2010-10-27T19:18:00.005+13:00

I stare to find these small creatures...

Do you see 'em? No? hehe

Originally from America, the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) has spread both naturally and by human intervention throughout the Pacific, Australia, parts of Southeast Asia and to the islands in the Atlantic. It is not known how monarchs arrived in New Zealand, but they have been here since at least the mid 1870s. Their Mäori name is kakahu.

They are still tiny as

Kat bought a swam plant some months ago, wanting some butterflies in the garden. I guess she will get to see that happen in a few weeks time... that is if there is enough for the spotted 11 bugs to eat.

The tiniest of them all... round about 3cm. Hope you spot it =D

I actually forgot the name of these striped caterpillars so I consulted my good old friend Google, who does his job right.

but i wonder if they will eat up the tree by this week

Other than getting the name of the creature, I got some info about them from Google's faithful neighbour Wiki:

The eggs are laid by the females during spring and summer breeding months.
The eggs hatch (after 4 days), revealing worm-like larvae, the caterpillars. The caterpillars consume their egg cases, then feed on milkweed and swam plants. The caterpillar stage lasts around 2 weeks.
In the pupa or chrysalis stage, the caterpillar spins a silk pad on a twig, leaf, etc., and hangs from this pad by its last pair of prolegs. It hangs upside down in the shape of a 'J', and then molts, leaving itself encased in an articulated green exoskeleton. At this point, hormonal changes occur, leading to the development of a butterfly (metamorphosis). The chrysalis darkens (the exoskeleton becomes transparent) a day before it emerges, and its orange and black wings can be seen.
The mature butterfly emerges after about two pupal weeks and hangs from the split chrysalis for several hours until its wings are dry (often in the morning). Meanwhile fluids are pumped into the crinkled wings until they become full and stiff. Some of this orangey fluid (called meconium) drips from the wings. Finally (usually in the afternoon) the monarch spreads its wings, quivers them to be sure they are stiff, and then flies away, to feed on a variety of flowers.

But then... I dun know if it would they would even get to stage two of their life circle, seeing how little there is for these eleven buffet eaters >.<

Should I decrease the population or increase the food source???

Other than Kat's balding plant, my plants are doing dandy well, with my fast growing pea plants,

The smallest of the 13 of them... but it grew heaps

the potplant I got from Kat

Kat reckons these are yellow stars =P

And the oh0so-yummy looking green growing gum drops from Henry

There were 13 last I counted... grow more!

^^

Ahh... I can't wait to eat these strawberries.

But that's when exams are over...

And maybe after the three weeks in Aussie

日本に行くI won't be gone long ^^

2010-08-02T21:23:00.003+12:00

Leaving for Japan in a few days! ^^

Hope I make the most of the week I have in Okinawa, very likely with lots of Korean and Japanese studies.

Finally chose to stick with Spanish other than Stats in the second week, since I knew I would hate to have to live with 5 papers for twelve weeks. I struggled enough with just four papers last semester, no way am I taking that big a risk. So in the end, I am stuck with three languages (my usually Korean and Japanese plus the Spanish) and a Music144 as my G paper.

So glad that it's only week 3 in uni, or else I have no idea how I would be able to survive after I return. Well I'm not really sure how far behind I will be next week >.< but I know there's always a way. Plus, I have God to help me in times of trouble.

Even with trouble like insect bites. Or more like stupid yellow jacket stings.

For the first four hours of my pain, I kept thinking it was a weird bee that stung me with the sting magically still intact on the insect. When I finally got home and googled it, I found out that the weird bug I found on my head was a wasp that might still be alive somewhere, waiting to sting another pretty unlucky person.

Ah, the joy of learning so much from the internet. I even found out that "The sting will usually last twenty-four to seventy two hours." Not too happy about it. That means that I am likely to be distracted by the sharp pain on my thumb for tomorrow's classes too, since my mind wasn't that focused in the afternoon classes, after Mr or Mrs Yellow paid a visit at twelve.

Hopefully my thumb will return back to normal again in Okinawa. Packed most of my stuff, just missing the so very important study materials. Can't wait to enjoy the warm air there, even though it comes with the muggy and sticky feeling, but I think I will enjoy it more than the wet Winter here.

Love indescribable

2010-07-30T17:40:00.002+12:00

Seeing the image of an older lady taking the bus with a little girl yesterday, presumably her granddaughter, made me really wonder how much grandmothers love their child's children.
I saw her again today, and guessed that it must be her usual responsibility of accompanying the little girl to and from school. Does she complain the need to carry the girl's bag even though the young girl should well be able to carry it her own? Does she mind that they don't talk much? Or is she happy enough to see the girl well and happy?

About to be an aunt in a few months time (I already have the title as an aunt in chinese to my cousin's kids, who are just a few years younger than me, so the name "small aunty" doesn't sting that bad since it feels as if they are just calling me big sis. But seeing how it's being an aunt to my brother's kid, that's a whole new story), I sure am excited! Is it a boy or a girl? Edison or Allison (however you spell it)? When will he or she be able to call me aunt? I know it will mean that I have more responsibilities, but I think the joy beats all the negatives. I didn't know kids made you THAT excited. I guess I knew I would be happy, but this feeling has been greater than my
imagination. I wonder how my brother feels. I really hope to experience what it's like to be an expecting parent one day. And I sure wonder how my dad feels. Will he be taking his grandchild to and from school in years to come?

I really do thank God for emotions, especially love. If love was measurable, as in an invention to show the level of love you had for people, like a thermometer for heat measurement, I would love to measure the feelings people had for each other in the family. Does the love double by generation? As in if a dad loves their kid X much, would the same person love their grandchild 2X much? I like to think that children are parent's treasure. So wouldn't it be normal to love your treasure's treasure even more than your treasure?

We were made in God's image, and are offsprings of his creation. If love did increase by generation, I wonder how many digits there are before that X for the love He has for the people of this age.

Even though we aren't blood related (does God have blood?), He loved us sooo much to send us His own treasure, "...that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." The perfect lamb of God named Jesus took our place on that cross where what pain He had to endure I dare not imagine.
His last words on the two pieces of wood were "It is finished." in John19:30.
I wonder how He felt. Joy? Hope? Relief?
Maybe there is no need for a lovemeter, since nobody can reach up to the great love Jesus and God both have for us sinners. We were all born with sin, but were given undeserving grace, even though we continue to rebel at times, being a being with a sinful nature.

There is so much pain and sorrow in this corrupted place that I long for the day He returns, or when He calls me home.
I am glad, and absolutely grateful, to be able to worship and serve such a wonderful creator, and have the peace in mind that I was no lucky result of collision of nothing that will one day return to nothingness. It sounds as if life is meaningless, just a waste of time. I mean how can something come out of nothing!?

So I leave you with this somewhat big question, "why do you exist?"
I know my role in life, what about you?

Happy 21st Jingy!

2010-07-01T05:28:00.000+12:00

Missing you la. Kat misses you as well. Hope you're having a good time.

Don't play too much ds ooo

Ready for Conference??? Waiting to hear about it when I get back to Auckland ^^

Happy 29th wedding anniversary to John & Mihyon!

2010-06-20T16:13:00.000+12:00

As the title yells for itself, today marks John and Mihyon's 29 years of marriage. Awww...

I met John and Mihyon during the first few months of my second life in Auckland (after the kindy life that was my first life). John is the pastor of Grace Baptist, the first church I got exposed to. I'm so glad that we bumped into each other. Even though now William, Cheryl, Kat and I have become members of HBC, our relationship with the members of Grace Baptist never change.

It has been ages since the wedding in Feb that Kat and I saw Mihyon, so a quick invitation to Mihyon on Friday allowed us to enjoy some catching up time yesterday afternoon. I am so glad that God allowed us to meet up.

I really missed Mihyon, and it was a good timing as well, as she just came back from America a few weeks ago, and Kat and I are off to Malaysia on Thursday, so yea, God made us hang out at the right time. ^^

We had lunch at Shabu Shabu situated on Ti Rakau Dr. to beat the cold weather. I've been to the place for a couple of times now, with the affordable price and the feeling of being back in Taiwan the place gives me. I still never know which soup base I enjoy the most, since they just warm me up and that was all I wanted.

After being filled up with the awesome food, Mihyon treated us to coffee not too far down the road. The coffee shop is really close to Animates, and the displays around the shop are just really nicely presented.

Flat white for Mihyon

Kat with her Chai Latte!

And muah Moccha ~

Ning Chong sisters. Mix Kitkat and Timtam u get a KimKat! XD

Ahhhh.... nice coffee, nice company and nice atmosphere.... what more could I ask for? My aunt from Taiwan used to always tell me the chinese saying 喝咖啡聊是非, which expresses how people just talk almost about anything when they drink coffee. And I think that would be the right expression for the afternoon coffee session we had. I really love how our conversation just flowed all over the place.

Being ladies, we just had to go out there and shop, so we ended up buying groceries =D And I also had a free lesson of Korean with Mihyon at a Korean family mart. Mihyon is really good in the language, even though she only stayed in Korea till her primary graduation and has spent most of her years in America and now New Zealand. Maybe one day I will be able to converse with her in Korean... fingers crossed XD

The last stop was Pak'n save before heading to the end of our afternoon together. Mihyon said she pretty much did her two weeks worth of grocery shopping, while Kat and I just hunted around for stuff to bring back to Malaysia.

And we just started packing our bags after we got home having sent sweet Mihyon back to John.

Spot the small luggage in the big luggage? u can tell we are prepared to bring loads back XD

hehe. all the goodies on my bed... drool...

So we would be pretty much ready to head off to Kuching, but then I still have my last exam on Tuesday... and I still haven't organized a decent travel schedule for the 17 days... well 15 days in Kuching (since we get stuck in the airport for a while and adding to the hours we remain up in the sky).

Kat was really loving to make dinner while I did some cramming for the Korean exam.

I really feel spoiled living with the Nings.

Doesn't it look delicious? Well it sure was!

And I said bye bye to my hot chilli oil that I got in Okinawa. thinking of getting it again if I get the chance during the trip in August =D

The food just brought my mind straight to the island fourteen hours away. I must say that the anxiety of going back has been increasing rapidly after my third exam since I just can't wait to eat all those not so healthy yet cheap as food. Along with the cloud nine feeling I will have after those stressful exams, the trip will just seem magical. Oh and the more than warm weather that will be better than wearing three layers of clothing in chilly Auckland. hehe. This trip will no doubt be one of those memorable experiences. I'll do my best to follow up with you guys about the trip during the time ^^

Well I guess William will be updating his blog as well, so keep checking for news.

A gift on a sunny day

2010-06-10T21:03:00.004+12:00

Not remembering the specific date or time, but just the image that lingers in my head...

Opening the door to the porch, off for some break off study to spend some quiet time with my plants, I see a gift lying on the floor.

I must say it's the most unique gift I have received so far.

Maybe it wasn't meant for me, I secretly hoped.

The gift giver was nowhere to be seen, even though I waited a while, thinking that he or she would appear soon after hearing my scream.

Midnight, the wonderful member of our Ning house happened to be the 'owner' of this awesome

yet somehow gruesome present.

In a way, I still don't know if I want a cat as my pet in future. Dogs are much cuter... and they present you with licks all over your face. you gotta love it... So wet face or dead mouse?

I guess by now you might want to lend Midnight for some nights to help you clear up your ceiling, or maybe I should bring Midnight to Mansfield... if the rumour of scary rats under the commons is true.

Well I still love Midnight... when she leaves dead animals away from my sight.... with her much more friendlier round black eyes.

I guess Midnight could win the prize for the best mouse-catcher.

One down, three to go!!!

2010-06-10T19:43:00.006+12:00

Finished my Asian Studies -Asian100 exam this morning. Glad it's over. wonder how well I did... but that can wait a month.

So how have I been without facebook awhile? Well, actually I went on for this teeny weeny minute... was it yesterday? just to check if my friend replied me about some questions about the exam today laaa... that's a good enough reason right >.< style="font-size:78%;">cant wait to be a mom... oh! all the gifts and cards I get to get =D) Ning and Chong family had a pretty casual dinner at Denny's, where it's the place you go when you find out last minute that you forgot to book a place ... and those chinese restaurants just happened to be fully booked.

And well, we also had our weekly family (Ning family plus the two Ning-Chongs - me n Willie) dinner joined with the event that night.

The newly-weds <3

Fettuccini or fettuccine, whichever you prefer, both are yum!

Kat with mua Broccoli salad =P kinda got it for the cheap price. gotta show the asian in me...

Ning dad and mommy =)

And then there was the funny bit where we realised late that Ning daddy came to our table... secretly took the bill and paid. Thanks for the yummy meal ah

Still, I think a round table dinner would be more cozy and asian like XD let's just wait till the next mother's day aye?!

The the clock ticks to the 11th where we celebrated Ray's birthday a day late at Homegroup, enjoying a wonderful black forest cake from Rio. You gotta agree Rio makes good cakes... with good price tags attached.

Spot that Ray of light ^^ (sorry for bad pic >.<), with the smile that is just as bright.
And with the end of semester, with lots of stay-in-uni till you get kicked out with Jingy and David, who really love to come and freak me out from time to time, the long weekend enters in. People think I am in my third or forth(I never knew I looked tht old... or that I failed a year of uni) year in uni because I pretty much glue to their shadow. or it much be the lack of sleep >.<
Sometimes though, I feel as if I make them look younger. Agree???

Over the Queen's birthday weekend, most of my beloved people went off to Hastings for the yearly Impact Conference that is always packed with surprises and awesomeness. I went last year, and was looking forward to returning... but being a first year uni student means that I should study for the 50% exams that really might affect my future. or maybe not. time will tell.

So Ray, Dion, Kat, William, Cheryl, Luke, Jasmine and all the wonderful people I don't seem to be able to name out had a wonderful 5 days, being water blasted with amazing session (as usual!!!).
William and Cheryl have been great in following up on how those hours I missed have been. Check out the detailed posts about the teachings of the 2010 Impact Conference! - http://www.chongsworship.com/

While they were having all the wonderful meals, great fellowship and soaking up all the truths, I was stuck with my textbooks. I guess I love them, since they do help me pass. But then no matter how much I love them... I just can't stand being with them 24/7

Being really relaxed even though my first university exam was tomorrow (OMG! my first 50% exam that costs like a hundred bucks???), I still managed to have fun....

cutting carrots.

Well it tool some time... but I guess I was pretty brain toasted to think that I should cut up fast. eat up fast. and study my head again.

It was a good meal... and seeing that it was my first time acting like my age... in cooking, I guess I am pretty happy.

I found out that Kat isn't that much of a pac-man fan since she ate my carrot pac-man and thought it was just a weird shape T.T

Ning mommy was really happy... that I cut up fast enough to fill up her hungry tummy =D

Well hope you had fun exploring the time of my past. Study hard for the exams ya!

Instead of Studentlife Conference...

2010-04-28T17:06:00.003+12:00

I will be going back to Kuching from late June to mid July.

I know I'll miss out quite a bit (well maybe a lot) but then I would rather not miss going back with the newly-weds. Well it's not their honeymoon, so I'm allowed to tag along, just like how Katherine and David will be doing, with just the sacrifice of $1260. And I'll get to experience Kuching in a different way, since it will be in a group rather than lonely me going back just to gain weight by myself. =S

The main event during the seventeen day trip is to have a (make-up)wedding banquet for friends and family in the neighbourhood. It is also a chance for the Nings (Kathering and Cheryl) to experience the place the Chongs call(or called) home.

And if you're wondering 'Where is this Kuching place?" and thinking of googling it, it's in Malaysia... the part that you are unlikely to go by unless you have relatives there or wanted to experience life in the countryside. Well Kuching has been developing, with shopping centres like theSpring and Boulevard popping up, but the word "forest" will often spring up to mind. For me, that's a good thing, since I love nature. ^^ It's on the Borneo island, hidden in Sarawak. So most of you who think you've been to Malaysia... might only have been to the West side, the shopping side of Malaysia. You've still yet to experience the good old rainforest land. Next time when you land in KL, try boarding a cheap Airasia flight to Kuching. It'll be worth it!

Since this will be a tour for the Nings and most likely William himself, seeing that the last time he was back was way back in 2006, William reckons I should make a schedule out. Tour guide Kim ^^ But the thing is... I don't think I will know many places where I can take them... other than Crocodile Farm, Damai, theSpring, Bouelevard... Help! anyone?

I'm better with the meal menus. Tabuan Jaya, C121, 101, Tabuan Laru, BDC, Sarawak Plaza, good seafood place near Damai, Japanese Buffet in Merdeka Palace on Friday nights(fingers crossed that it still is available since out last one in 2006) and all the random food places that just fill up the gaps in Kuching...

So if anyone from Kuching who have any ideas of places that would be entertaining, exciting and interesting, please help me out!

2010-04-12T20:18:00.002+12:00

"Monster Lover"

The mask I wear everyday
never wears;
Rain or shine,
it still stays there.

Hidden underneath,
the demon-like creature
enough to make you shriek.
I dare not speak.

Don't go near!
It'll be more than fear,
for what is outside is just
to lure you like a deer.

Trapped forever,
living together
from beginning till
the end.

Still while in this shape,
He came and loved me first.
The only saviour who
can quench my thirst.

I let the mask slip,
thinking it's alright,
Cause with Him
there is more than enough light.

Bright enough to fight
away, the wretched self
I am, whom I feared so much
enough to end myself.

Out of the depths He called,
the lover of my soul,
who poured out His never ending grace,
white I turned from coal.

Now the only fear left in me,
is of the One who made,
the Him I cannot see,
the creator of all big and small.

2010-03-11T19:45:00.002+13:00

It feels great to back again!!

Summary about my life from the last (however long ago I dare not say) post:

-Went back to Kuching

-Came back to Auckland

-Got a job

-Started University doing a very interesting yet very time consuming Bachelor of Arts in Japanese and Korean

And it's already week 2 of Uni!!!
Seriously, I realised last week, the lecturers were not kidding when they told us that it will be intense year, cause these ten days has been intense enough.

>.< And my first assignment due in two weeks =$

Anyway, other than that, I got myself a new sister =D

Cheryl Chong is added to the Chong family after she married my brother William, on the 6th of Febuary not very long ago.

So happy for them ^^

And Richard, the other brother out of my three brothers, is having his wedding banquet in two weeks time.

Exciting or what!?

SO I will be in this pink dress, trying to look different with all the makeup that someone else put on me, and gain another sister.

Soon the family will have many branches, and I will need to get used to being confused and make people confused with how I address people with new titles. Like whenever I have to say I am living with my sister-in-law (which I dun mean Cheryl), I have to explain it is Cheryl's sister, who is also my sister-in-law due to the branching.

God is good, so these confusing stuff, I think I will be able to forget in time, cause He can make that happen.

Today after work, I passed by the Paradice ice skating rink in Botany while bussing back home. Shivering cold from the rain and wind that I got at the bus stop, the screen that was advertising showed a big "16 degree". "Is it ONLY 16???", that was what I thought in my head. Then the screen changed to show "R U Hot? Come skate with us!". "haha. NO THANKS!" *shiver* *shiver*

I then felt cold from the inside for the whole journey. After getting off, I walked back to my old house {will explain}, as a detour beofre getting back home, got on some warm stuff and got back on the road. I actually felt really warm straight after entering the house, since the place is really a good temperature keeper. In Winter, it would be too cold. People usually enter and go "Whoa! Your house is really cold. It's never this cold at my place." Then Summer comes, and it's totally the opposite. All the windows MUST be open, unless you want to be sun baked from inside out. So yea, guess I got my point through, that indeed, there was this gush of warm air as I opened the door.

Really glad I got the chance to be warmer on the 10 minute walk back to where I stay now, all thanks to God. ^^

Now for some explanation. My old house, is where I used to stay, and would be at if I wished to live in solitary. As all my brothers have moved out, and my dad spending most of his time in my hometown, I would be filled with myself in that place. So instead, I decided, or more God led me to stay 10 minutes away at the Ning's. Cheryl's old room became my room, and so now I kind of have two houses. Understood? If not, it's ok. Blame it on me. I bet my explanation wasn't good enough.

And work life has been much better, even though I always have this temptation at times to just quit and have less stress. But I know God must have a reason for me to be working where I am, and it's good that I am able to start saving up now.

Anyway,
got to get back to my strenuous study.

"More than friends"

2009-12-24T02:51:00.002+13:00

The time you cried
I still remember,
the memory mild
as if it were a dream.

She went away,
you cried again.
We competed wailing
while accompanied by the rain.

Too young to keep in mind,
the few years we had
together. Pictures remind
of us the happy times.

You guys went,
I came back.
Eighteen months
were not enough.

Time to time,
we saw each other,
Being the sister,
with the big brother.

We grew old, far
apart. I used to
stare at the star,
that might be watching you.

Years went by,
and I used to ask why,
we could only meet,
only if we fly.

Soon I was able to
breathe the same air,
but a full family
together, that was rare.

It took some fights
and many meals,
till we finally
accepted each other.

All scattered about,
but our hearts still
link. Or so I hope,
that we could have a meal.

Wherever we may be,
or how hard a life we are
having, please be there
for one another.

2009-12-07T23:05:00.002+13:00

What to do?

Will I regret not speaking my mind,
but should I have said it?
Was it right of me to act blind,
and never have made mention?

I prayed,
but found myself in doubt.
What would Jesus do? I asked.
I wish I knew.

When That day comes,
will I regret keeping silent,
letting it pass and keeping
it to myself?

So many questions,
but where are the answers?
If the world did have potions,
would 'ignoring' be the right one to choose?

Am I just making a big deal
out of it, when my time could
have been made appeal
to some other matter.

Would it be the only chance
in my days, the test result
that God wants,
from a dreadful sinner like me?

Tears roll down
at it's own command,
receiving the pound
by Satan inside.

The door closes full.
Maybe it was all a dream
and I was the fool,
thinking in despair.

Seriously miss everyone

2009-11-21T23:03:00.006+13:00

So how much is one page of Microsoft word? I'm not sure as my laptop is slow enough without having Microsoft Office installed on it, so I clearly decided to live on the notepad and wordpad.

Anyway, William gave me a superb way of doing this task, by posting it here. I guess it's the only way to write an essay and plop in pictures using this oldie laptop of mine, so here goes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Siblings wherever we are

"From the day we meet, we become brothers and sisters." This was an Okinawan proverb that more than eighty of us learned during our stay, after we arrived on the same island for a short three weeks of our life. We didn't know each other from the start, but that didn't stop us from enjoying our time during the Asian Youth Exchange Program in 2009.

Through various group activities, everyone quickly became close to one another. Other than having lectures about the environmental issues indoors, us participants were able to experience outdoor activites. Just to same a few, we went around many tourist attractions such as the Shurijo Castle and the Churaumi aquarium in our matching t-shirts, learning more about the unique island that we were staying on.

A beach cleanup activity was done on one of the hot sunny days, collecting as much drifted garbage as we could. We then had a wonderful barbeque on the rooftop for one of our dinners, where there was also dancing and singing.

Most of us also experienced snorkelling for the first time at the beach where we also used the big canoe to travel further into the sea, after learning about the endangered corals and the habitat around them. It was a great day out in the sun.

As there were participants from fifteen different countries, we had many enjoyable cultural presentations where we interacted together. International participants like me were also able to learn about the different prefectures in Japan. There were wonderful performances from the Okinawan participants such as playing the sanshin and performing karate.

Some being their first time travelling overseas on their own, it was hard not to miss home even when we were allowed to call home once every week. The three days homestay on Ie-jima made most of us forget our families for a short period of time, receiving the wonderful care of the residents on the island.

Despite the seasonal flu that was spreading around the island during the summer break, everyone was present upon the closing ceremony, where tears and hugs were never forgotten. We took our last photo before the ceremony, and had our last meal together, watching the video clip of our stay that the staff prepared for us. It was a very emotional time and everyone found it hard to speak. One by one we said our goodbyes, until we touched foot on our home country.

Deep inside our hearts, we would never forget the wonderful memories of the place, food and people where all of us became brothers and sisters.