Wedding anniversary!!! :D

Just a quick post: Happy 29th wedding anniversary to my awesome parents!

They are the best parents I could ever wish for, their love for God, each other, our family & the people around them, has given me such a good example and standard for my future marriage. I pray that God will continue to bless them and use them to impact even more people around them :)

Miss them a lot! Mum & dad, wishing you many many many more years of love, happiness & good health!

xX

Yoga!

So I've been going to the gym back here (not as often as I should) and as usual I love going for the classes mainly! :) I have always loved pilates & pump (weights) classes, as well as any dance related ones such as body jam, latin, retro etc. Yoga on the other hand is growing on me & I'm starting to really enjoy it. I used to do yoga pilates mix type classes back in Ackl but pure yoga is definitely different!

This morning's class was good! Some poses I could not do at all as I'm still a beginner & have yet to build up my strength & flexibility :P

This morning in class, we were supposed to do this pose! This is the crow pose, I cannot do this at all! Haha. I hope to be able to one day, but at the moment my arms & core muscles fail me :p








There are so many cool poses which are too advanced for me! I hope to do them one day... definitely not anytime soon unless I keep on practicing! Below is the firefly pose and the side crow pose- more advanced yoga poses!



I am currently working on my plow pose (halasana) and shoulder stand (sarvangasana) as I can sort of do them but not all the way to the floor for the plow pose and so can't really do shoulder stand properly also!

• The Chief Benefit of Yoga Posture Plough (plow pose, Halasana) is the reinforcing of the regions of back, neck and spine.
• Main benefit is the stimulation of the spinal nerves. By practicing the yoga pose Halasana, you can increase the blood supply and provide the healthy nourishment to many of the essential internal organs. Halasana yoga posture also massages the internal organs
• The spine and back muscles are stretched and made stronger.
• Whole body gets benefited because the Yoga plow pose improves the overall blood circulation of the body.
• If you suffer from the tensed upper portion, this beneficial yoga plow pose helps in releasing the tension from the cervical (upper back) and shoulder regions.

Taken from: http://www.fitnesshigh.com/readarticles.php?id=188&title=Yoga%20Plow%20Pose%20Halasana,%20Stress%20release%20Benefits

• It stretches the spine like no other Yoga pose or exercise does, pulling and opening up every spinal disc and stretching all the vertebrae, every single one of them. It even stretches every spinal muscle and ligament. This makes the Plow Pose extremely beneficial for people suffering from arthritis, neck or back stiffness or aches and pains in these areas. The regular practice of Plow Pose even goes so far as to prevent these disorders.
• By rejuvenating the whole spine, since all spinal nerves go to every part of the body, the Plow Pose helps rejuvenate the whole body.
  
• It stimulates and stretches the abdominal organs shoulders and helps improves digestion
• It activates the liver, spleen and, thyroid gland
• Relieves symptoms of menopause
• Reduces stress and tension
• Highly therapeutic for headaches, insomnia, infertility, high blood pressure and sinusitis
• Helps relieve tightness in the shoulders and elbows
• Sends extra blood to the spine to help relieve back aches
• Helps cleanse the abdominal organs and relieve gastritis

Taken from: http://www.yogawiz.com/blog/yoga-benefits/halasana-yoga-plow-pose-benefits.html


I have very tight hamstrings & am usually quite tight in my shoulder/back area.. yay looking forward to the physical benefits that I will get from practicing all these poses :) You also have to focus on your breathing & body posture etc while doing most yoga poses and so I find it very therapeutic and calming!

Ok enough about all that for today hehe :D

xX

09.09.09

Since today is a unique day being the 9th of September 2009, I've decided to continue blogging again since I'll be going back to Auckland soon as well and I need to blog so that people can keep updated with what's happening. Some of you as usual were a bit shocked that you couldn't access my blog- don't worry it's not just you! :) Sorry hehe.. Just know now that whenever I take it down from public viewing, it just means I'm on holiday/lazy to blog mode & won't be blogging for awhile until I feel like it again!

Here's an update of what's been happening by the months that I've been back at home:

May: Arrived back home middle of May, was great to be back! Took me 2 weeks to get used to the heat & humidity meaning that I did not go out in the day time unless to an air-conditioned place, otherwise I got headaches & urgh it's just horrible! Usually after a week I'm good to go but because it was hazy & I guess because of global warming too, the weather has been crazier then usual! This month mostly catching up with family & friends!

June: Started attachment at the OT dept in the local hospital here for the whole month. Was very interesting... I had previously done a short attachment there before I even started my OT course so I remembered bits & bobs but now as an OT I knew it would be different... and boy was it different.

Brunei has a small population, health care is pretty much free to an extent, the culture is very different and OT here is still very much clinical/medical based. At the end of the placement I know I gained a lot of experience... especially with regards to cultural differences and how that affects your OT practice/role. I could see myself working here but not now... definitely not ready for that yet! Also helped out in my church's youth camp this month & it was awesome.

July: This month was my travelling month! Gosh busy busy busy! Went to Ipoh with my mum, my mum's an Ipoh girl and so my grandma & relatives on her side are all there. My 2nd time visiting this year, went earlier in Jan before CNY. Visit at least once a year- ever since we were little so it's definitely like a second home :) Good food, great time hanging out with cousins, celebrated my grandma's bday, visiting different relatives & friends there... was a good trip, too short as always!

Then after being back in Brunei for a day or two, we all left for sunny bris! My sis was graduating so that was the main reason we all went. Fun fun fun times with the family being reunited! My bro & sis in law are in bris as well so it's always great to see them all. My cousin & some family friends are there too so going to brisbane is always a fun trip! Was there til end of the month. Quality time with family is love love love :)

August: My whole family got sick in Bris, not H1N1 but definitely flu like symptoms! I had it the worst of all! I don't remember when I was as sick as that before, probably never been that sick! I had fever, runny nose, cough with horrendous phlegm, I lost my voice even! It was so funny coz I couldn't talk properly for a week almost & it's horrible going to church for example and not being able to talk! People really give you strange looks haha I had to resort to writing what I wanted to say! So I was on antibiotics & had to take cough syrup & medicine for my nose... OH and had to use a nasal spray! Omg I love it! I really recommend people with blocked noses to use it!

So while I was in Ipoh my aunty- mum's younger sis, had suggested that I join them if they were going away in Aug & if I was free then. So after my bris trip I planned to join them in Bangkok & Spore! I had a wedding to go to on the 7th and I arrived back on the 6th midnight! Haha that is why my eyes look horrible in my facebook pictures during the wedding :p Bangkok was so much fun, I love Thai food, we had awesome food there, only there for 2 days tho because I couldn't join them earlier since I was too sick. Thai grand sale was on so managed to get some good deals :) From bangkok flew to singapore! Singaporeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Hehe.

Besides Ipoh, Singapore would be the other place that I go to quite often! I love Singapore! Fantastic food and SHOPPING!!! :D Almost everyone I know who has been to spore agrees that it's a great place to visit so if you haven't been yet, try to next time! Singapore offers you such a variety of amazing top notch food- from delicious local hawker food to fine dining, you can shop til you drop and there are so many places of interest to visit if you want... I absolutely love singapore! :) Since I was there with my aunty & family + another uncle & aunty, we were really busy meeting different people- their friends or our family friends.. almost everyday for lunch/dinner, so I didn't have time to meet up with M or other friends there, which was sad- next time promise! :)

Wedding was very beautiful :) So sweet & touching! Bride- my godsis L was choking up during her vows and of course that made everyone else cry! My whole row (mostly us girls ;P) were all teary eyed! S the groom is a sensitive soul ;) so he was also teary & during the dinner reception he had to hold back tears when she sang to him and also when he was making a speech! Aaaaaw.... they are an amazing couple & I know that together they will change the world around them :) Lots of love to you both esp since I know L reads my blog sometimes!

After the wedding I was a bit more free and so could unpack & sort out my stuff after being away since July! One of my best friends R is back working here, so mostly been hanging out with her & other friends too since I've been back. Throughout the time I've been back I've been going to my church's cell group- 20 somethings, held every Thursday. So sometime in Aug we had our church's bowling event & that was a lot of fun! My CG dressed up as nerds & we won best dressed! :) I love being back home coz I get to be pampered at home and things are always so much cheaper in Asia! You can go to the salon & have a nice good wash & blow for only $10! Pedicure with nail art- very pretty ones cost you maybe $17? It's awesome! Going to the cinema costs the most $7 or $8 and if you go before 4pm on weekdays it's only $4!!! Yup there are a lot of things I love here & will miss when I go back to Ackl!

September: I am looking forward to going back because it's reality I guess.. and being back home on holiday is merely that- a holiday! Since I was back for awhile this time, it's going to be so sad when I leave I know :( I'll need to get used to doing everything myself again & will miss my family & friends here a lot! Sigh.. I know that that's where I'm meant to be now though... so I just have to trust God and see what the future holds for me :) I'm really looking forward to working as an OT but terrified as well that I'm not ready, that I can't possibly handle it all! Aaah.... Just keep me in your prayers :) Praying that I finish uni, get a good job in ackl and settle down for awhile until I know what's next for me.

Realise that I'm going back to ackl next wed! So soon! These remaining few days I'm busy catching up with friends, trying to do last minute errands, trying to pack, spending time with family and eating food that I won't really get in Ackl- such as bakuteh tomorrow lunch yay :)

To all my friends in Ackl, see you guys soon enough! :)

xX

Did I ever mention how much I love food?

At the moment (well for a few years already :P) my top two favourite food choices while eating out would be Korean & Vietnamese food! At home (in Ackl), I usually cook south east asian food or salads/western- love mostly spicy stuff though! I absolutely LOVE sambal! I have at least 3 different kinds in my kitchen and use it in my cooking.. sambal belacan (prawn/anchovies variation depending on my mood- usually buy the anchovies one coz my other sambal bottle has prawn already), sambal ulek (oelek), and this crispy dry sambal thing can't remember what type it is exactly- use it with dry noodles & mixing with other sambals..

I use my sambals as a condiment also of course... One awesome combination is sambal belacan with kicap manis (sweet soy sauce)- this is so yum.. when I have dumplings I love dipping them in this sauce! :) I also love eating dried cuttlefish with sambal! Haha sounds so kampung I know! I love that man! It's kinda funny like back when I was in Brunei, I hardly ever ate random asiany stuff like cuttlefish & sambal, beef tongue, tripe... even raw cabbage? Now I love stuff that I never really ate back home before going away... e.g. raw cabbage, coriander, beetroot, pea shoots, alfafa sprouts... oh gosh I know what I use alot in my cooking as well- GARLIC! I think I overuse it haha I love garlic.. I can survive with not using onions/shallots in my cooking unless needed in the dish but garlic- oh man I just use it for almost everything haha... I remember S commenting so many times when she watches me cook like "That's alot of garlic! or Are you using all that garlic for just one dish? or Whoa you really love garlic don't you?.."
You get the picture.. :P

I must say I do enjoy cooking eventhough I think I have alot to learn still.. I think K is a good chef/cook and my cooking & alot of recipes are his or S or my mum's. I LOVE reading cook books and food related blogs/websites! I was inspired to write this post today after searching online for recipes for Bánh cuốn and 순두부찌개/ Sundubu jjigae! I love Bánh Cuốn- I actually just found out what it was called in vietnamese coz in Ackl at the viet restaurant- Just try it out, you can order it when you say one kway tew kat please- I think maybe that's the cambodian name for it? No idea haha.. so there I was searching for it online just now then finally found out what it's called! I love love love it :) Actually I'm not 100% sure that it is called Bánh Cuốn and not Bánh Ướt.. they are very similar anyway I think?

All the pics below I borrowed from various online websites:

Yummy Bánh Cuốn :)

Next, korean rice dessert drink 식혜 / Sikhye, that I really like!

Besides my all time favourite korean dish- 육개장 / Yukgaejang,
I also love 순두부 찌개 / Sundubu jjigae

I miss Hansan (popular viet restaurant in Auckland and 1 of the places that I go to often) and all the many different korean restaurants in Ackl!!!

There are no vietnamese restaurants here in Brunei- not that I know of.. but there are 3 korean restaurants.. tried 1 of them ages ago, so this time I plan to try 3 of them :)

I know that not everyone likes Korean or Vietnamese food, if you haven't tried any though, please do! There are heaps of different types of korean & vietnamese food... I'll need a few posts or more for each cuisine!

xX