A Chevening Journey: The Purpose

13:26, 21 October 2016 - I was finishing my ham and cheese toastie and Innocent fruit juice in a Costa cafe in Edinburgh Airport. Yes, this' pretty much lunch for the past 1+ years. I wasn't too ready to leave the lovely people and the quality life as such. On the other hand, I also couldn't wait to see friends and family back home that I have not seen since last year. It was complicated. One thing for sure, I wasn't regret of my Chevening journey. 

This post is dedicated to those who has Googled, applied for, been shortlisted and even obtained the final award letter for the Chevening Scholarship but undecided whether to leave a stable and promising career to pursue a year of postgraduate study in the United Kingdom. I think the right question is: what is the purpose of this extra degree? For me, it was a passport to satisfy my intellectual curiosity (i.e. cultural heritage and the law) without being judged and to learn about positive western qualities that I can implement in my personal/ professional life. I can proudly say that both purposes have been duly achieved. For those who think that taking a year off would change things back home when you are back, this' never the case. You should really ask yourself whether the opportunity of living abroad overrides your other pursuits back home. 

You would also stumble upon this post if you are a 'reserved' candidate, just like me. I know you must be panicking and feeling a little down because you have come soooo close. All I want to tell you is to sit back and ask yourself what if you don't get it. It's not the end of the world and you should not lose hope entirely, again just like me. I was eventually upgraded to be a scholar and the rest are history. Do have faith in yourselves.

Sunset on the North Bridge, Edinburgh

As I am typing this, I have just done with my lunch, this time round was nasi kukus, ayam rempah  and air bandung. I have also just talked to my favourite Scottish in Bathgate and hermana (a fellow Chevening alumni in Chile) some hours ago.  Lastly, I am also about to embark on a career journey that is new and unfamiliar and it sounds like a deja vu? I have the Chevening 2015/2016 journey to remind me that life is a constant gamble and wherever it takes, it will benefit one in one way or another.

Life is...

... making the big leap and after that, enjoying the sunshine.

                                                       

Far from the White Beach (Boracay!)

To get to know a place, as the saying goes, one has to see the local way of life. Based by the quiet Balinghai Beach (again, in Boracay!), I was fortunate to be able to spend an afternoon learning  a little about the way of life in Malay, Aklan.

The road less travelled  had led us to our villa

Mom, we'll be back by the night falls

The barn on the right side of the road a.k.a.the open-air karaoke

The church on the left

Just like everywhere in the world, there are abandoned projects

There it is - a fancy private property amidst the simple village

A bread shop by the street - you can find many along the main roads

Recycle bin - another specialty of this isle

Tips: Solo non-Thai-speaking Female Traveler to (some parts of) Thailand

Returning safely from a solo backpacking trip to Trang (Thailand) recently, I have been wanting to write a post like this. As far as I am concerned, I had had difficulty seeking some useful tips for a first timer like me =) Whatsmore, travelling to a town where not many have heard of. I think the tips could be valuable for not just ladies, but everyone who intends to travel to some parts of the land. To disclaim, this post is strictly applicable to travelling to some rather not so commercialized and remote districts of amazing Thai soil. 

Sneak peek of quiet Trang

Tip 1. Equip yourself a Thai language dictionary, or keep quiet

I found that majority locals do not speak English. Local coffee shop workers, hotel masseurs and vendors in the morning markets do not speak English. Worse still, local tour guides do not speak good English. Sign language helps, but not much. Hence, you are most advisable to bring along a dictionary for a fulfilling trip. I am not saying that my trip wasn't  fun but you know, it could have been better if I was warned of this. Many local pharmacists, some shopkeepers and Sri-Trang Hotel receptionist speak English clearly, and succinctly.

Tip 2. The power of bargaining

Everything in Thailand is cheap when it is converted to most of the currencies. Yet, I despise those who bloodsuck us just because we are tourists/ travelers / backpackers. Anyways, save and except for 7-11 and supermarkets and shops/hotels/places where prices of goods are clearly spelled out, I may suggest you to try bargain your way out. Cab or tut-tut drivers would use their best endeavour to overcharge you. All you need to do is to ask how much are they charging before the journey, start bargaining by letting them know the lowest price you are willing to pay and bargain thereof. Eventually, you may not be paying the lowest price you desire, but let me assure you that a fairer price would be paid .

After all,  all of us hope to travel smartly  =)

Culture vulture

When life's trying your, patience, get a henna (or inai) and be artistically charmed =D

Wait a minute, you don't look like a dork!

I always avoid going for outings after a long day. One of the reasons is this.

This happened during a recent dinner with some colleagues I met during my nomadic journey.

R: Hey did any of you go to this Dogatnon in Univesiti Putra Malaysia?

Everybody : ......

R: There were many dogs and it was very fun.

Me: Dork?

R: Yes, dog!

Me: And you went?

R: Yes yes.

Me: OMG I can't believe that. Wait a minute, you don't look like a dork .. I mean you aren't dorky and stuff...

J: Hey you, he's talking about dogs la babe.

Everybody: .......

I shall always keep to my principles =D

Kuching/Sarawak Delights along Carpenter Street

"Carpenter Street" was first heard of last year when my Sarawakian colleague YS  happily suggested we going for lunch in a restaurant so named along Bayan Baru. I was made known that it is a street with shops selling lotsa local Chinese delights!

Inevitably, during a recent trip to Kuching, we chose to overnight in one of the fabulous hostels situated exactly 1-minute walk from the famous street.

 We hunted for our breaky on this street on daily basis throughout our stay. 

I have no idea how to relate "Ya Ta Jie" (Chinese) with "Carpenter Street" =(

 

True blue Sarawak kolomee we had in the so called "Temple".  After having kolomee for 3 consecutive days in Kuching, I still think the one sold in the Palazzo tasted best!

 

 Sarawak laksa. YS said this' the spiciest food in Sarawak - that's why I love Sarawak so much (The fact that I despise spicy food doesn't make me any less Malaysian!!!)

The "Temple" enriching our gastronomical adventure.  Highly recommended by some locals.

Boots Tea Tree Witch Hazel Anti-Blemish Cleansing Foam

  

The "Teatree + Witchhazel Anti-blemish Deep Cleansing Facial Foam" is now called "Tea Tree Witch Hazel Anti-Blemish Cleansing Foam". I am gonna miss the liquid foam so much as the new one comes in the form of cream foam and hence, I would have to lather it with water. The effect is nevertheless as good as the old one, if not better.

Boots Botanic Rosewater Toning Spritz 100% Organic

 

This' the new look of my all-time-favourite since 2011 (as described in this post). 

Not only it has a new look, it is now called "Rosewater Toning Spritz 100% Organic" instead of "Organic Face Rosewater Toner". The present best feature would be it allows you to spritz anywhere and everywhere conveniently <3 .="" and="" br="" in="" is="" it="" made="" the="" uk.="">

After 2 long years, the nearest place to attain this is still, sadly, from my neighbouring land i.e. Thailand. I look forward to the day I could walk into a nearby Boots Chemist and pay for it using local currency.

Hungry Goat Festival

Lunch mates

 This pie used to be sis' favorite

 Poo time

 Something fun followed? Wait for moi, I am taking the stairs!

 Well, technology era

 Goat farm in Miri

Beachy Miri

Of pine trees, crabs, breathtaking sunset, hands-on expats, the Shell

and 

weirdo caught taking pictures of my slippers while I strolled in bare foot on along the sandy beach

-

Piasau Boat Club

 

The Grand Old Miri

A fraction of the town. 

For the symbolic seahorse, many landed properties, six-lane-road & a petroleum museum that was closed for renovation (wonder why did this happen whenever I visited museums in M'sia).

A city of great potential I would call.

RM5

Lunch for today were half bowl of rice, kurma chicken breast with a spoonful of long beans.

Me: Berapa ya pak cik?

Uncle: RM ...

Me: Oh RM3?

Uncle: (Shocked) RM5 !

It just struck me that I was no longer in Sintok. Nor I was on the best isle on earth.

A Moment Like This

And then your mind goes blank and you're clueless of what's happening for the next 30 seconds or so, you react but you can't quite recall how's your facial expression and the surrounding turns quiet and invisible all of a sudden and once its over u know for sure that your life will no longer be the same =)

‘Thinking Is A Skill Which Came To Me Very Much After I Graduated’

I concur.

http://www.legalcheek.com/2013/03/thinking-is-a-skill-which-came-to-me-very-much-after-i-graduated/

The Best way to Kick Start A Sunday

Memoirs in Sabah:

http://blog.airasia.com/index.php/kota-kinabalu-eat-play-snorkel

Yummy Raw Meat Noodles

It is an old cliché that the most crucial task of all times for a Chinese is to eat.  As discriminatory as it sounds, I just can’t deny it. One of my missions in Kota Kinabalu is to tantalize my taste buds with its well-known “Sheng Rou Mian/Shang Yuk Min” propagated by the YouTube video “Orang Sabah Style”.

Despite being warned by a local Mantanani Island tour guide that KK doesn’t produce quality Raw Meat Noodles, I have decided to try my luck in one of the coffee shops along Jalan Gaya (the only shop I came across selling this).

Tada tada tada~ Priced at RM6.00, I placed my order for a bowl of dry noodles, instead of soup noodles or kuey teow.All I could taste was dried onion and kicap. Tasted rather familiar I would say. 

As opposed to wat it's called, the meat was not raw. Thin slices of pork meat, fresh home-made meat balls, pork liver were found dipping in the bowl of sweet soup. And guess what, the combination of the soup and the noodles is simply irresistible.

I would rate it a 4 over 5. Gotta try the real famous one in Lintas (or Likas) next round =) Mission accomplished.

You're famous

Today, colleague B and I took the elevator soon after the meeting ended. We bumped into colleague C.

Me : Hey C, this' B our new XXXX.


B and C happily greeted each other.


C : Do you know who am I?

Me : Of course.

C : How do you know who am I?

Me: Erm .... because you're famous.


=D  

Needless to say, it was a memorable elevator ride.

Escapade to Sekinchan Using Public Transports

The auspicious year of Dragon was kicked start by visiting the uber renowned Sekinchan. Remotely located at the very outskirts of Selangor Darul Ehsan, one would be shocked by the existence of these serene villages alongside with the well-developed city of Twin Towers. As usual, the RM8+ bus tickets were abruptly bought as it's a unplanned decision.

Paddy field explains how Sekinchan is named after.

Nah! Who says you can't travel to Sekinchan without traveling by cars?

As the most recent batches of paddy has just been turned into rice, twas the among the better shots we captured! =)

For most people know Sekinchan as a ricebowl, perhaps we could look at it from a different angle. It's a combination of a few villages which make their living (or fortune) outta the most primitive activities on earth i.e. farming + fishing.

And according to my friend, local chinese TV series adore shooting here.
P/S the sea is black in color because the village is basically built on a land rich in alluvium

My longest meal ever. The 4-dishes sumptuous seafood lunch took us long enough as we waited PATIENTLY for 2hours before the meals was eventually served. What to say, it was definitely worth the wait as it did not manage to poke holes in our pockets. XD And mind you, they were of 4 person's portion.

Make a wild guess, which one belongs to me?

Have no idea why most houses come with these 2 Chinese words.

All in all, this was indeed an awesome getaway for city-goers like us. To me, Sekinchan looks kinda like a expanded version of Balik Pulau in Penang (Okie, everything reminds me of Penang ;D)These villagers very much reminded us of the abundance of happiness simplicity could bring us. And most importantly, they clearly define what life is meant to be.

Office 101 (WTF!)

10.Never walk without a document -- People with documents look like hardworking employees headed to important meetings. People with nothing in their hands look like they're headed for the cafeteria. People with a newspaper in their hand look like they're headed for the toilet. BetWEEn , make sure you CARRY LOADS OF STUFF home with u at night, thus generating the false impression that you work longer hours than you really do.

9.Use computers to look busy-- Any time you use a computer, it looks like "work" to the casual observer. You can send and receive personal e-mail, chat and have a blast without doing anything remotely related to work. When you get caught by your boss , the best defense is to claim you're teaching yourself to use new software, thus saving valuable training dollars.

8.Messy desk -- only top management can get away with a clean desk. For the rest of us, it looks like we're not working hard enough. Build huge piles of documents around your workspace. PILE THEM HIGH AND WIDE.

7.Voice mail -- Never answer your phone if you have voice mail.Screen all your calls through voice mail. If somebody leaves a message for you and it sounds like impending work, RESPOND DURING LUNCH HOUR when you know they're not there -- it looks like you're hardworking and conscientious even though you're being a devious weasel.

6.Look impatient and annoyed -- SOmetimes ,the one who always try to look IMPATIENT AND ANNOYED to give off the impression that you're always busy.

5.Leave the office late-- Always leave the office late, especially when the boss is still around. You could read magazines and storybooks that you always wanted to read. Make sure you WALK PAST the boss' room on your way out. Send important e-mails at UNEARTHLY HOURS(i.e. 9:35pm, 7:05am, etc.) and during public holidays.

4.Creative sighing for effect -- SIGH LOUDLY when there are many people around, giving the impression that you are under extreme pressure.

3.tacking strategy -- It is not enough to pile lots of documents on the table. Put lots of books ON THE FLOOR TOOO

2.Build vocabulary -- Read up on some computer magazines and pick out all the JARGON AND QUOTES. Use the phrases freely when in conversation with bosses. Remember, they don't have to understand what you say, but you sure sound impressive.

1.MOSt imPOrtant -- DONT forWard this to your boss by mistake!



P/S: This' definitely not my work. Because I don't have to. XD Taken from one of the blogs I read whilst sipping honey milk on the last day of 2011