Iceberg salad and goat curry

Fresh steamed shrimps

How the dessert is served

Off line projects

I have finally decided to start writing a book for my children later ;-). There are many books about love already, fictions and non-fictions. Me, I want to present love to my children in a special way, and I also hope my experience now and then will help me to educate them better.

When I listen to the lycrics of songs nowadays, I couldn't help but wonder if we are losing our imagination or war, violence, problem have given so much hatre to us, and everybody has wrongly interpreted love. The other day, I heard a song on radio, and the lycrics were very dirty ("your ass is on my face", think of how serious it is, how many teenagers listen to the song? In my PERSONAL opinion, in the world we live today, it is better to broadcast songs that make you think of love, and how it can change you, and not sexually, mind you I am awared of us who are living in the FREE world, but think of the younger generation. Their minds are capturing many unpleasant images, I think we should keep their innocent).

Our kids will probably lose their innocent of being a kid, and because I have had a great childhood (even when my friends have been given everything they wanted, and even there were time I wished I could have had things like them, I know what I had was priceless), and as I see the brain of kids are drained, I do not want to have kids who have no ideas of family values, friendship's love, brotherhood (or sisterhood), love for parents, grandparents, love for husbands, wives, and for those who might not share the life with them, but have changed them, love for those who love them...

Having said that, I want to write a book that show how much I was loved by grandfather, grandmom, uncles, and aunts, mom, how I was educated by them, how the people I met have changed my life, how I feel every time when I am away from home, how people from different culture have taught me, how my friends are meant to me, and why I become who I am. I want to let my children know how I would like to transfer that love to them through my memories..etc. And probably despite my efforts of being a good mother, I might fail to meet their expectations, but at least they will know how much I love them.

When I sit down to write "the thing I want to do for next year" ;-), I realise that there are so many things I can do in a year or at least by the end of the year, it will go somewhere. Of course, that include stuffs that I always tell myself that I am going to finish. So yeah, I guess me in a next couple of months or at least by end of this year will not be the same...So more changes. I am very motivated right now.

Another big project is to decide on a subject of dissertation for my master studies, which I haven't got any idea of what yet.

I have to write a business plan again but this time is a more detailed and professional one, and it will be to open a hotel...Working progress on this one.

And lately after a fight with a bitch at the ambassy, I am kinda motivated to become politician (hehehe, okey, that was a joke) ;-P

Ok, gotta go, I thought the weather was good to do a BBQ, but well, I will make goat curry served with iceberg corn salad as main dish, and fresh steamed shrimps as entry dish then, have friends over for dinner tonight.

Sticky rice with black-eye beans dessert

To be served with coconut milk...

Che dau trang, in Vietnamese, this kind of sweet can be found at any time of the day in markets of VN together with other Vnese sweets, cold or warm. Most of sweets in Vnese are called "che", and usually are made with beans.

The green leaves on the top is to give the pleasant smell to it...Some like to eat this without coconut milk, but since it is from the South, where coconut is one of the main fruit, tree, most of the dishes in the South are usually cooked with coconut milk. I, personally prefer to have a lot of coconut milk served with it on the top ;-)

...And only the South produces good dessert because of their tendance in making foods with sweet flavour.

I often use brown sugar or cassonade in my cooking, especially for desserts, since my uncle loves sweets, and he is kinda old ;-), so everything has to be in controlled. At his age he could get diabetic, not so nice for a person who loves eating. But for this dessert, the colour should be brown anyway due to the beans, so perfect ;-)

Sushi

MMMM tasty

Answering machine

Yeah, I really do not like leaving a message on machine...I guess nobody likes to speak to a machine...

Isn't it frustrating where technology leads us? I think in the next few years, there will be robots talking to us, where is the human touch?

I just particular dislike answering machine for a more personal reason :-), I could choose to not leave any messages, no?

Anyway, I do not like to speak to machine of the same person every time I call, and I just want the whole world knows that hehehehe.

Ok, now I feel better :-P

Economy of VN

...Is there anything newer? ;-)

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My classmates

Well, no class this afternoon (Damn, can they just let me know earlier?)...Anyway, no big deal, it means I have time to clean my place, do my homework, read and play with my cats.

Weather is great today, and looking at Mika sitting on the terrace with his big belly touching the roof is definitely funny. Classes are getting more and more interesting now ;-), of course there are things I already learnt but that's ok, being in school talking with other students are also nice.

It is intersting to see many foreigners there are in Brussels, when I look at my classroom, there is everything, Chineses, Nepali, VN, Luxembourg, German, American, Belgians...The Chinese group is really big, and the girls keep on talking all the time ;-) in Chinese. The other day, they didn't know that one class would start later, they kept on asking when the teacher said that, I just told them maybe next time they should talk less in class then. Of course, it was a joke and I meant only haft of it, but David agreed with me, that they talked too much, even us sitting in the front row could hardly hear what the teacher said. I told David that I would call him with his Chinese name, he said it's nice because it likes his sister calls him.

He is such a funny and nice guy (well, after Fox of course), but I really like talking to him. He can make everything become funny.

There is Leila who told me that during Ramadan (now), the woman allows to eat when they have their period, so many of them can't wait to have it come ;-) or there is Delphine who is funny because she has this African mentality..I can't explain but it's just funny ;-). There is Romain, Belgian, very nice and if he is late for class, and you ask him to sing in front of the class, he will ;-), and most of the time complains about his dates ;-)...

I do not remember all of their names, but so far everybody seems to be nice...Of course, a bit crazy sometimes, but well, they are young ;-)))

October white night

I am still suffering from the white night :-)

It was Cris's bachelorette party, and well, basically we stayed the whole night out. Me and Irina came home around 6am on Sunday, and poor one took the shower than left an hour later to catch the train back to Bonn :-)

It was fun and it was nice to know that all of us were still in form for this sort of night out (although the day after I was wasted, and felt sort of older). For Cristine (who got a bit emotional during the dinner in La Bar a Tapas when she tried to guess who said what about her) was a night she wouldn't forget.

The candies selling part had proved Cristine's business talent hehehe, we earned about 130E after spending less than 3h on the streets of Brussels, from Galerie Louise to City 2, and Grand Place :-). It was interesting to see how people care about money...and a group of Chinese do not understand what we were doing, they said bluntly "NOO" :-). So, well, we spent that monet to pay haft of the dinner, and well, was not so nice with all the coins but well...:-)

We did smoke sisha, danced in Corbeau (some losers didn't leave us alone, gosh, during the day, there were so many cute, nice guys, where did they go in the nite?), went to look for a striptease bar from downtown almost all the way to Chee Waterloo, back to Louise, then ended up in Conways in Porte de Namur...

BTW, even you stopped in group talking on Louise, there were guys stopped for you. Intersting, no? :-)

Mapo tofu

My favourite singer

Yeah, Michael Buble is in Brussels next month....HURRAAAHHHH!!!!!

He can sing, he can swing, and he is.......CUTE!!!

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Go wild-a group dance with strangers

even the communists

and so as the party animals...

The party goes on...

Happy tears

Both of these items are off the market...

The committee

Two of our "chosen" sponsors...

...and the winner is...

...event organizer ;-)

I think it will fit Cris

...for world's peace and love? ;-)

Crab paste rice noodle soup-speciality Northern VN

Bun Rieu

Brussels sprout pickles

Grown up boy does not sleep with mommy ;-)

Hat mua roi bao lau - Bride of Silence

Went to see this VNese movie in the Ghent International movie festival, and suprisingly it really impressed me :-). To be honest, Vnese actors/actresses do not know how to act, so this movie is sort of perfect for them. They don't have to speak a lot hehehe. In fact, when they act, it likes they just reading the lines of the conversation, well it has been the case for a long time.

What I like about the movie is more personal rather than the art of making a movie. I guess for many foreigners, it is the culture, costumes, the music, religion, the people, the scenery...They like it because it is different, it's something that is new to them or they didn't experience it or they do not do it. And maybe the story is intersting, different...

I like the story because I could see what my grandparents lived through, why my uncle is the one who make most decisions (acc. my grandma), or why my grandfather had a lot of relationships but my grandma did not do anything about it...Everything in the movie reminded me of them, of the things they said, taught, educated us...

So, yeah maybe Vneses can make good movie :-)

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Old flame

This morning on the way to school, I ran into Lies. It has been 3 to 4 years that we met again since the last time we spoke.

It was an awkward situation, probably because neither of us has prepared for this. "Why are you taking the subway?" was the first question that I asked him :-), "ma voiture es en panne, alors je prends le metro, evite le bouchon"... (still prefer speaking French apparently). "Are you still going back to visit your mom in Paris from time to time?"- to be honest, I don't remember if it was Paris that his mom lives or it was a something else. "How are you, Thao?, you just disappeared!, I thought you left Belgium. You have changed..."

Well, Lies is someone I knew/saw/dated when I was doing my internship in the Bank of NY, Brussels, he was working there and gave me a training. I didn't really remember what went wrong, I think he was too fast, and probably too much that after a few months, I freaked out, so I told him it was not working for me and sort of disappeared...

Personally, it was quite funny to see someone you have not seen for years, especially when you had a crush on him before. Suddenly the same person appears in front of you, you realise that it was the right thing you did because you definitely did not love him.

Maybe he is right, I have changed, it's all different the way I look at things now, maybe also because I am more mature now? While when we were going out together, I was still student?

He doesn't change much though, maybe a little calmer than before, but still cute, a bit older...

Of course, he said he would give me a call (which I hope he do not have my current number, I do not want to go back to the past, it is better that when things go to let go).

Does this have to do with destiny? :-)

School

Well, only when I go back to school, I realise how much I fed up with it before :-). I mean you have to be in school on time, 5 mins late you can't enter the classroom. Then, those young male professors, I really dislike them, they behave as if there are the smartest person in the room.

I do not understand why some people are bad as teaching do not realise themselves that they can not teach.

I am under stress, different sort of stresses, I don't know if it is because of my back that gives me constant pain and put me in an agressive mood...this morning, I behaved really childish toward my uncle. I got mad because he made me late for school, and I was stressed because of being late. So when I arrived in school, I didn't go to the classroom, but stayed in the study room, and cried :-), how silly I was, I know. Sometimes, I behaved as if I am a teenager who is going through the stage of changing...

Anyway, I called my uncle and apologied a few minutes ago. I do not know why I am like that, and not only with my uncle...Yesterday, my sister called and I complained that she called me only when she needed me and that I don't exist for her anymore...yeah, I know very stupid...If I continues to be like that, I think everybody will be angry at me :-)))

Slow Sunday

Brussels is having an Indian summer, days are still bright, the sun is shining, sometimes a chilly breeze goes by but it brings the smell of freshness when you are walking under the trees, on the yellow leaves that fell down the night before. You know autumn is present to prepare the coming long, cold, dark winter and yet still warm somehow. The temperature is above seasonal temp apparently, and we of course do not complain but enjoy a little advantage that nature offers to us.

Sitting comfortably in my couch, have to be careful with my back that is giving me a lot of pain. I might consider to do the X-ray check. My head is spinning, and the terrible headache yesterday seems not yet disappears. So I decided I will write a post here instead of reading the boring textbook for my class tomorrow while the Ragout D'agneau simmers in the kitchen.

I didn't go to climb yesterday due to serious backpain that I woke up and realised it was bad. And I am glad that I didn't go because I have managed to do many things, like writing a couple more of pages for what I call "my future book" ;-). Writing and cooking seem like my ways of dealing with stress, maybe it helps my mind to relax even just for a few minutes or an hour.

I asked a silly question to one of my friends whether his girlfriend cooks for him, just after the question poped out, I realised how stupid it was. It does not exist a lot anymore that a woman has to do all the house work or men can not expect to have a woman that does all the cleaning, dinner ready on the table, shopping, and at the same time sharing the expenses with them in the house. That's probably some supernatural sort of woman ;-).

One of the VNese guy I know married and brought his wife to Belgium. When I look at the way she takes care of him, I wonder if I could be that good of being a wife. I meant I try to do many things in the house by my own, and even sometimes I am wasted, I do not want to let my uncle to go and buy something to eat quick. Of course, he is not old yet, and he needs someone to pay attention to his nutrition...It probably is easy to prepare a quick dinner for my uncle because I know what he likes, he is Vnese, he is easy when it comes to food...

I see where my mind is leading to again, it may be best for me to stop here ;-)

"What will happen with your life?"

My back is getting better today. This morning, I went jogging for 45 mins, it's good to run when your mind is occupied with many things.

Cristine dropped by yesterday, I could guess that something bothered her, otherwise she would not insist on meeting...Apparently Hans (ex-boyfriend) called her last week, and they met (of course, Jeremy knew), he told her that he made a wrong decision to break up with her..etc, and will probably come to her wedding. What an idiot!! Instead of moving on with his life, he just keeps on moarning the old one. That's why I don't understand about men. I mean if he loves her that much, why didn't he do something about it before? When he was dating Cris, he went out with his ex.

And now Cris feel guilty, plus one of Hans' girlfriends (who is obviously also Cris' friend) asked her what Cris will do with her life. I told Cris to tell that woman to get lost, who is she to ask that sort of question. It is none of her business, and besides Cris did not have to tell her what she would do with her life. I understand how Cris is feeling right now, but she should not feel guilty about anything, Hans will get over it. She should focus on her wedding right now.

It's depressing when it comes to this sort of situations. Talking is always easy unless you are in the same shoes. It never is great when you are stuck between two persons who obviously love you. The heart of the man is usually compartmentalize into different sections for different sort of love, and usually none will get 100% of a man's heart. Maybe going out with someone that just broke up with his/her boyfriend is not a good idea, but what if that person makes you smile, and you can be so natural around them, making silly jokes...there is nothing hidden because you both know what lie in between, maybe you think start with friendship does not hurt? It all gets complicated unless you have no feelings for one of them, but if you do, you start thinking about it, brings headache. It doesn't take a long time for a man to fall in love, and it probably will not take them a long time to get bored either. Isn't it scary? It certainly puts me in a bad mood.

Talking about Cris's wedding, her wedding dress seems to be ok now after several remade, of course the cost is now 3500 Eur, she doesn't know how much it would finally cost. Well, it's better be the perfect dress then for Cris ;-). "You should have been my bridemaid" ;-), she said when I showed her the Shanghai style dress that I had it made in VN.

BTW, do people burn their under-wear on hen's nite? Apparently this is sort of Belgian tradition, I personally think it really is gross!!! Gosh, sometimes I really am surprised with how "creative" people can be.

Canoeing in Bouillon

Anne and Christ

Can I go, too? ;-)

where I was born before

Poor Monkey ;-(

Mother Dog ;-0)

Kiting in VN

Mika n Yoda

KL Pictures

KL Tower

Petronas Towers from KL Tower

Steven and his "real" guide book ;-)

Man faced bug

butterflies

Thinking positively

We are complaining about how the world is getting to almost every day. Things like Bush and the Iraq war, poverty, natural disaster, violences, how our children are educated, politics in VN, communist or dictatorship?, environment, AIDs disease... the list goes on.

But how many of us have actually decided to get our hands on helping, of making the world to be a better place? I was reading one of TIME articles, and one of its was about 37 heroes of involving making our world better. Yeah, most of them have money, or knowledges in specific field. You see, like the Jamie Olivier have chosen about 30 teenagers from the street, and trained them to become chefs or go on TV to promote healthy eating habits for children (and parents).

Everybody wants to help, but you can do that on different forms. The best is of course to be on field but you need financial resources...Damn it!!I want to help, too but my finanical situation does not allow me, too. Yeah, excuses... We should not give up hope on this world because there are people like us who want to make things happen, whose willingness to help is unlimited...And if you want to help, think about your country first...

There are always troubles and people who need help, and EVERYWHERE

So, get your hands on, and make the most out of it!!! Live your passion and compassion!

Pictures

Missing pictures of a couple of people though...:-(

Got any problems, buddy? ;-)

Ao dai ;-)

girls&boys discussions

Ruben and Katherine

Barbie and Ken

Luc and Ruben

Before and After... ;-)

Who is the lucky guy? ;-)