My neighbourhood

Manu took this picture from the window, I thought it looked quite nice, very warm...

Something different from VN ;-)

Snow ;-)

Yuppi!!!, finally it snows ;-). It is so strange that every time it starts snowing, I feel so excited and happy. I guess because everything seems brighter around me, and the new year is soon coming.

Even my cats were so excited yesterday when it started snowing, they went out, running and jumping ;-).

Irina is still weak, but she is home already. It was funny when the hospital took her blood for HIV test, "we will take your blood for HIV test, we will let you know the result in three days" ;-). Imagin if a doctor tells you that, even you know there is really a small chance for you to get the virus, but still we will get really nervous...

Today is Cris's wed, I have to give her call later...

Black potatoes

Making Thai chicken curry

Floating cake -Che troi nuoc

The one I made and the one I ate in VN. Mine is a bit brown because I used brown sugar, healthier ;-P, and of course still tasty hehehe

Making "floating cake"

Marketing techniques ;-)

Having breakfast in Illy, and reading the FT special report about this important segment that most marketers in Japan are afraid of ;-).

These Japanese girl are mostly in high-school age, and are the trendsetter in movies, fashion, techonology, and so forth in Japan. Apparently, if you want to look young, you have to study what is popular with these girls ;-). They usually frequent in Shibuya district of Japan, a fashion, hightech venue. Although most of them are holding a part-time job, their disposable income is even higher than a salary men of Japan due to the fact that they receive money from gradnparents, from parents, and from aunts or uncles who do not have children. They are the biggest mobile users, but pleasing them seems to be the hardest job of a company.

Because the Shibuya girl is attracted to innovation, their taste keeps changing constantly and fast, in a few months of launching the new product, her mind is already wandered, and that usually causes most companies the biggest loss.

I still remember a couple of years ago when I was in VN, me and my sister were crazy about Pokeman and Sailormoon animation ;-). I guess it likes the HelloKitty thing now, ALL the chinese girls in my school have at least one bag that has this cat on ;-)). That's the cool thing of Japanese, they are very good in innovation, in fact they either die or live by their ability to innovate. Imagin being the neighbours of China where labour cost is higher, unless they produce difficult -to -copy techonology or else, they will lose. Does that explain why Japan is the world leader in patent?

When I worked on a report about Korea a few weeks ago, there were so many interesting information. David told me next year he is flying back to China and if I want to come along, we will stop over in Korea, and Japan, near to his home town, Dalian. I hope I can come along, it will be really nice...

Koreans are similiar to Japaneses in nationalism, they stood by themselves to build their country back unlike we Vietnamese, we just stayed and enjoy the victory for a long time, that's why we are behind. On the top of that, the war has divided the country, north and south people are not sharing the same view. We had a real compatriot president, Ngo Dinh Diem who was willing to make peace with Ho Chi Minh to make VN become one country, and just before their peace agreement, he was assasinated. They selected this stupid Nguyen Van Thieu and he was the one who brought in the Americans. And this presidents together with his brother and families were Christian, so they started killing Buddhist monks, that's why monk Thich Quang Duc burned himself (Vnese now believe that his heart was still beating even whole body was gone, I personally went to the Pagoda where he was resided, and where they said his heart was kept, but didn't see anything ;-P, but I believe though, isn't that strange? Maybe I always want to believe that most heroic act for a good cause usually results in something surnatural.

Anyway, enough with history of VN, another time maybe. Back to Korea, after the civil war, South Korea was left with haft of the land, and 50% higher of their population, they were under-develop, but with their hard-working nature, and the unity of the Korean people, after 20 years, they have become one of the Asia's economic power house. Korean's TV serie is very popular in VN, most of them are tackling real problems of society and preserving country traditional value, one of the most important subject is the role of women. Before when I was watching these TV serie, I used to think that they are dramatic love story, but after what I read about Korea, I think they are using TV soaps to keep young generation from being too influenced by West, especially keeping tradition. On a business point of view, these TV serie for me is more likely a sort of marketing in VN, that's why most successful foreign investors in VN are Koreans.

My mom loves everything that is made in Korea, for instance ;-), and she made really good kimchi. And to be honest, after reading a lot of document about Korea, I fall in love with this country, too.

Going Koreanized? ;-P

Chica ;-)

Dinner at Stanhope

Stanhope is a 5 star hotel located near the European Commission, Place Luxembourge, and I guess because of its location that its main customers are mostly business people...

Anyway, David invited me for dinner there last week. It has been such a long time since my first last dinner in a 5 star hotel ;-), not that I have dinner all the time in those luxurious place (I prefer cheap place that serve good food, and a lot even though I can't eat a lot at once, silly, isn't it? ;-)), where dinner is a three courses, followed by coffee or tea and delicious homemade small cookies to accompany with ;-). The first dinner I had was 4 or 5 years ago in 5 stars Hilton on Ave Louise top floor, where you had the whole view of Brussels, but it was different, was a school party.

The restaurant area of Stanhope is small, but the decoration is just warm, candle light, the silver table setting, classic music, it gives you a formal but yet romantic...I don't know how to explain it, but just different. Not that I am fan of this sort of dinner but once in while having someone inviting you, it's quite nice ;-P.

When I sat at the table looking at the staffs of Stanhope, and the customers, I realised that hospitality is really what I want to do, I am thinking next year when I will be in New York, I will check out the cooking class, and really learn how to become a chef. Also, my ambition is that when I acquire good experience in this industry, I will go back to VN and train some young people how to serve in hospitality, VN is now known as a cheap (maybe sex???) destination, I would like to market it as a destination where companies (at least for those in Asia) will choose to organise their conventions..etc. Of course, that means the government has to invest in infrastructure, but I strongly believe that will come (well, I really hope so). The reason is that employees who are hired to work in hospitality industry, airlines, and so forth in VN (or in most Asian country) are hired for their physical, age, language skills, and not for their actual working experiences. So, I would like very much to help my country later in this industry, which is the next best thing right now in Asia.

I really appreaciated what David did, I wasn't feeling so happy, but he really insisted to bring me there. Good time with good friends-there are people who meet the first time, and it's just click, you feel closed, and David always calls me sister, which is so cool ;-))))

Anyway, I have to call Irina, Christian calls me, she is in hospital now, lung infection (pneumonia)... I am worried, she is in there a week already.

Small snack before starter

Zucchini's flower

Talking about haut cuisine, huh? ;-)

Starter

Coquille de St Jacque with goose liver sauce served with really fine Bordeau red wine.

A note on the wine, I really loved the taste, it had a "Un gout derrierre" is what they called in French I think (have to check that), "an after taste" that really made the taste of the food greater after I took a sip...Not that I am an alcoholic far from that, but drinking wine and try to distinc it is part of the art of entertaining, my most favourite subject along with interior design. I wonder why the hell didn't I go for any of those studies before?

Main course

Fish with baked potatoes puree wrapped in thin flour paper and spinach puree

Dessert

Don't remember the name, but it's a sort of almond cream flambee with pieces of peach, and lemon sorbet.

Tea time

Knowing your goal

The other day, we had a presentation in class, and one of the student was talking about how he wanted to work in marketing, but not in hotel.

There are so many things funny about going back to school. It is fun when you sit next to a bunch of guys in the computer lab, and hearing them talk about "masturbation" (Ooh, that's a BIG word ;-), or they just ask each other which porno or games site-"can I see?". I laughed and turned to the guy next to me "hey, I am here, guys", they just bursted into laughters and appologied (probably realised that they were not alone).

I thought I was quite old compare to other students in my class, but there are some Chinese girls who are 30 something, but I guess their physical appearances and reactions are very much than what I expected for their age (not that I am much younger, but still the more years you go through life, it should at least show through your behaviours, no?). For instance, one of them was opening the professor's notes to copy the corrections of problems when he was not there (do you expect that from a 33 years old?, not talking about cheating but at least a degree of respect someone's private stuffs). So, I said "What are you doing? cheating?", haft meant it, haft joked. She said "No, I just wanted to copy the answer of the problems in advance", "That's called cheating, unless there is another definition of cheating that I didn't know" I said.

Anyway, all that was explained how difference it is when we went to school before, and now. One of the advantage is that at least you know what you want, expect, and how you plan to reach it. I don't think I will go to a hotel school, get my degree and decide that it is finance that I want? And the guy was there for 4 years already, didn't he see that before. Then, he said "that's whyI decided to do a master, so I can work in marketing elsewhere". When I heard that, my mind was like "Wrong, wrong, wrong". I think master is likely to be a higher and more specific studies, a study that is done when you have got a few years of working experiences, and acquired better maturity, when you have a general knowledge about something, and then you decide to go into details in a specific field.

Doesn't matter, just my personal view, and I think having a bachelor background is good because it gives you a general info about economic, finance, accounting, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, statistics..etc. Then, after a few years working, you will figure out what you wanna do.

Am I just bull-shitting here? ;-) Maybe, but think about it, knowing your goal in life is not enough, pursuing it is ultimate!

BTW, again we should not ask "what if", just make decisions because we can't never avoid risk, check this out ;-)

Click here

"Ok, no food, but can I get a hug, mommy? " ;-)

Simple but delicious

IKEA

"Hey, what are you doing?" Manu called yesterday afternoon.

"Nothing specific, just reading a book" I said.

"Ok, wanna come to IKEA with me, I need to buy a new closet, and a female opinion will be appreciated ;-)" Manu said.

So, I decided to join him since it has been a long time that I haven't been there. IKEA was full with new things for Xmas, candles, decorations, Swedish shop was full with food, warm wine...etc. We found a very nice closet that suits his place just fine.

"Those meatballs look good, mmm. BTW, let's go to HK delight later?" Manu said when he saw the package of meatballs in the Swedish shop.

"No, I am cutting back my spending, I know you will pay but I prefer not ;-). But we can have dinner at my place. I will make something, maybe meatballs ;-P" I said

"Ok, deal but I will go to Delhaize with you"

So, after we left the new closet at his place, we went to Delhaize to buy meats. I made meatballs while Manu entertained me with his jokes ;-).

Fox already left for Puerto Rico in the morning, otherwise I would call him to join us. It was quite cosy, we just watched a program called "Strictly come dancing" on BBC, where there were 8 couples compete in dancing Tango, Valse, Samba...Salsa... , and talked about Xmas, New Year, life, people, experiences, sport, movies, music.

"So, what are your plans for Xmas, having dinner with your boyfriend's family?. Where is he?, btw. Haven't met him yet" Manu asked.

";-), so many questions... No, usually I spend Xmas with uncle and his friends. He is in Spain for work, you will meet him, no worries". I looked away when I said that, I wasn't telling the truth, but I didn't want Manu to know the truth yet after what we had talked a few weeks ago. I know you guys will probably say how silly I was, but I prefer keeping it that way for the time being.

"So, things worked out, I am happy for you, really. But you just destroy my hope of going out with a super girl ;-)" Manu joked.

"Yeah, I am glad, too. I am going to New York next year in September for a year and a haft."

So, we just kept on talking about plans for next year, about how things will be. There will so many changes, big changes. It is quite nice that we can be friends...

Greek dinner for two

Greek salad and pasta with meatballs

Making Greek meatballs

Toilet manners

Gosh, I don't understand why some people do not know what respect is all about!

I am really not fond of going to public toilet (duh, who likes that anyway?). In fact, I don't understand how many girls just love to go to the bathroom, me to be honest, I usually try to get away with public toilet (no matter how clean it is, at the end the number of people go there...;-((().

But if we have to find ourselves in need of going, don't we know that there is someone else will come after, and therefore keeping the toilet clean is vital? Apparently NOOO, some women are very proud of letting others know that they are having their periods, so they just leave their private stuffs where everyone else who comes after can ENJOY, or after they have defecated (literally speaking), they just leave the whole scene there.

What's about men? It occured to me that most men might enjoy dancing with their penis in the toilet (that explains why most women complain that they find urine everywhere on the floor after their husbands or boyfriends urinated-everywhere else but the toilet, can you imagin? ;-))). It likes they have the gun but don't know how to use or aim it correctly.

Anyway, enough with this "toilet" subject because I guess I will be upset all the time if I talk about it ;-).

I am very excited to know that there will be a remake of "Outlaws of the Marsh", a chinese novel about 108 rebellious heroes, that I used to read when I was teenager (when I was also very rebellious, maybe I am still a bit now? ;-))). I still remember how excited I was every time my mom took me to see the old version of this movie, of course my favourite TV heroes now are all old, and barely move but I used to like one of them so much. I thought he was so handsome, and even dreamt that one day I would marry someone who is as handsome as him heheheh but recently when I was in VN, I saw him played in one of Chinese TV serie, and he was a grandpa with a big fat stomach ;-(, I guess beauty definitely doesn't last long ;-))).

Kungfu, baby? ;-) Aicha!!!!

Click here

Mommy, it's cold brbrbrbrb ;-)

Mamma Roma

It is a pizzeria place on Chee de Vleurgat (very near to Flagey lakes), where they serve crispy, gorgeous Italian cold and warm pizza by weight.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera with me yesterday, so I can't show you how delicious the pizza pieces look and taste MMMMM. I am not so fond of pizzas, but really these are delicious, and with 15 E including drinks, you can enjoy real Italian pizza for TWO, and you can try different sorts of pizza accordingly without worrying whether you can finish or not. The place is small, but trendy (yeah, we like trendy, new place, don't we? ;-), kitchen is clean, in short nice place to hang out.

That's the thing about Brussels, when there is a good place to eat, it seems word of mouth is the best marketing technique ever.

I guess Fox and me approved, we definitely like Mamma Roma!

Lunch at David's place

Yesterday we had a short class in the morning, so David invited me to his place for lunch as he lives in Ave George Henri, pretty near to our school. He said that he would make something quick and fast for us, but gosh, I was so full afterwards that I almost fell asleep in the afternoon class ;-).

There was a "proper" made sour and spicy soup with different sort of Chinese dry mushrooms, dry longans, a sort of dry grapes (but not really-I asked David but he said he didn't know what it is called in English), fake crap... and so forth.

He also made a fry noodle a la David amazingly good, I have rarely eaten that good fried noodles, and he made a special salad with tofu, peanuts (but he made tofu very nicely, he marinated the tofu first, fried it, and then put it in the oven to make it dry...)..In short, just a very tasty, big lunch.

David lives just above a Pizza Hut place, it is a small place that he shares a common bathroom, kitchen, living room with some other Belgians people (most of them are very cool musicians ;-)).

I am going to take him to movie next week since he told me it has been three years since he is here but he has not been in movie theater because he wants to focus on studying. So, I told him that there is time for everything, so next week he has to come with me for a movie ;-).

Another frustrated note, like many people who hate traffic jams, I hate taking the subway in the morning, especially now. Every morning, no matter how early I am at the station, the metro is just full, if you take the subway, you probably understand what I meant by "full". It means people are packed like they are in a sardine box, and literally speaking, you can't move AT ALL. Like always there are different types of people who take metro (as they drive), those who just can't wait for a few minutes for the next one, and just try to squeeze in no matter how full the vehicle's compartement already is. Of course, the door can't be closed, therefore the metro can not move...So f*cking frustrating. This morning, there was one woman with her son, about 6 years old, and the child (probably has to deal with this all the morning, difficult for him to breath) was so scared of getting on the metro, he was crying and disapproved "No, no, I don't want to get on". The mother just dragged him in (despite the fact that the door can not be closed), and then she yelled at other people in that train, "Move, move people, there is a child here". I couldn't believe it when I was staying outside waiting for the next one instead of becoming a sardine, there was that stupid woman who tried to suffocate her child and blamed other people for that. Ok, I am probably harsh here, but WTF. Instead of getting up earlier and taking your child early if she knows that the metro will always be full, and her child does not like that, she dragged him in and shouted at other people, what's that?

I understand that being a mom has a lot of responsibilities, that's why please think twice before you want to make baby. When a baby is born, there is a HUGH package that comes along with, i.e. how to teach your child and discipline them (hehehe, I know I am not good at this, but well, it's the task of parents, no? not only moms)...and so forth.

So, yeah, still wanna make babies, ladies and gentlemen? ;-)) Of course, babies are nice heheheh

Sasha

No worries- not my cat ;-), and I am not planning on taking in a new one.

Henri's cat, David's friend.

A Notebook

When I talked to my mom the other day, she told me that my little cousin asked her if she knew what I like ;-). My mom was surprised and curious why she suddenly asked that question, so she said "No", and my cousin (she is 7 years old) said proudly "I know what sister Thao likes, she like travelling, reading, her favourite actor is Bruce Lee, she likes to eat Bun Bo hue (a sort of noodle soup from central of VN that is very spicy and hot), and she liked someone in her class, too ;-)"

My mom asked how did she knew all that, and apparently she found one of my school notebook. In VN, at the end of elementary school and high school, I used to give my classmates a notebook, where on the first page I wrote and introduce myself, and asked everybody to write something about themselves, a passage of poems, or paragraph of their favourite books and so forth to remember them because later you would probably move to another school or took paths that different from the others...

So, yeah, it was nice to hear that, so I asked mom to send it over to me to help me with my book because there are many friends I have not heard or seen them for years.

This reminds me a movie that I have seen named "The notebook". It was about two person loves each others, and of course they went throuhg many problems, the guy's family was not as rich as noble as the girl's family, but despite challenges, they finally were together. Then they got older, the woman suffered Alzeimer, she forgot him, so she had to live in a pension house, he decided to go and stay there with her, every day he reads their love letters that they wrote to each other to remind her, and at one specific moment, she remembered him again, only for 10 mins or something, then her mind set back again to the forgotten state...It made them (and of course the man specially suffered alot) cry every time at that specific moment, but he kept on doing that. I couldn't help wondering if this sort of love only exists in movie? ;-) Well, you probably see where I am going to...

A part from that, I saw Negina and Jim on Sunday for brunch. Who decide on how much gestures do you need to make to show someone that you love them? Meet Negina and Jim, and you will see all ;-).

My most favourite picture of the evening

A loving gesture between his aunt and Tung, she held his hands the whole evening when he came down from the stage....

Mono-string

It's called Dan bau in Vietnamese, and is an instrument that was invented by a Vietnamese peasant. As its name says, it has only one string, and therefore, it is played differently from one person to another, what makes a good performance is the vibration of the left hand because it transfer the emotion, feeling of the musician into the song.

Vietnamese traditional music has only 5 musical notes: do, la, sol, re, mi. The mono-string has 5 notes on the string. So, for one person, it can be do somewhere, for the other, it's another place on the string...

Me and Thanh Tung

Mono-string concert and Nguyen Thanh Tung

"Ma soeur est ne aussi apres la guerre, quelques annees avant moi. Mais je n'ai pas la chance pour jouer avec, car ma soeur est toujours immobile sur son lit, juste derriere la cloison separant en deux la plus grand piece du logement. Ma soeur est si silencieux que parfois, assis de ce cote de la cloison, je sursaute en realisant qu'elle est allongee la, toute proche"- Nguyen Thanh Tung's autoboigraphy.

I will try to translate this small paragraph into English for those who do not understand French because it is a very sad story, but as I will tell you how he fought against his disable, which is caused by Agent Orange, a chemical weapon, bomb that US dropped in the Vietname war, you will realise how lucky we are, how strong a person can be, and how love can give much to a person.

My sister was also born after the war, a few years before me. But I do not have the luck to have a sister with whom I can play with for she always stays fixed in her bed, just behind the fake wall that separates the biggest room of the house into two. My sister is too quiet that sometimes, when I sit next to the other side of the fake wall, I jump by realizing that she is laying there, very close.

I hope the above translation is closed enough...His sister is also suffered from the Agent Orange (dioxin-toxic hydrocarbons) like a lot of Vietnamese children in many parts of VN. When Tung was born, his right eyes had been blind, the left one was blurred. So, it was already difficult for him to learn VNese, unfortunately when he was 12, the left eye also became blind. So, he had to start again the beginning to learn VNese for blind people. I couldn't help my tears when I am writing this, not because of Tung's unfortunate (for he doesn't tell his story to have my pity) but I wonder how many children in this world are suffering famine, desease, or in general how many of us do not realise how lucky we are? I came to talk to his father who accompanied to Frence, Germany, and then to Belgium for his concerts, and knew that Tung was born 1979, one year younger than me. So, you see his parents were affected by the Agent, but the effect was rather expensive, it came to their children. But I could see his father's love for him, a father who is very friendly, positive, artistic, and I am sure he is a very strong person. But for Tung, the main person who brought him up to the person he is today was his grandfather.

Of course, today the VN war has become the past, and many of us have moved on, and forgotten about the war (even our government has become a trade partner with the States), but there are still wars somewhere else. Nobody sees the war's effects?

Tung discovered the mono-string when he was 8, for him it was an instrument that sounded a bid sad but at the same time, so much love. He graduates from National Musical Academy, and can play all traditional musical instruments, and a bit of piano. On the top of that, he also have a diploma shows that he can composite.

He was encouraged by his grandfather to enter the Academy, and his grandfather was also the one who brought him to school every day, who brought him to hospital to check the eyes to see if there were glasses that helped his left eye...Tung blames himself that because of him that his grandfather was now weak, he had to take care too much for Tung...

That's love. And you see how it make a difference? We always complain for the things we can not do, but sometimes we should realise that if we want something, we just need to do it because we have eyes, arms, legs, brain, health...

Today, I feel a strong urge of loving, and giving...I guess the sound of the mono-string also affects me.

La bonne humour

Is a national dish together with fries, and you can cook them in many taste: Provencale (tomatoes, onion, garlic and celeries) or curry..etc. But mussels have to be fresh though, and there are not that many restaurants in Belgium made good mussels dish.

Bonne Humour is a recommended restaurant for this, you should definitely go and try there. It's a small restaurant on Leuvensteenweg (Chee de Louvain), you are served on a first come first served basis, and no reservation can be made. Very nice and friendly staffs, speak French, Dutch and English...Like my uncle usually says, when you go to any restaurant, if you see more local people than foreigners, it's a good one. You can only find Belgians in this restaurant ;-P, and as we say they know how to eat well, and the amount they spend on average in kitchen is 1h per day. That tell what?

Chinese

I was talking to my uncle yesterday about my class, and he was laughing a lot when I told him about the things me and David talked about.

So, he is giving a few Chinese sentences every day, and suggests if I want to learn Chinese, he can teach me. When I ask if Chinese says "hello" -"ni hao" when they see each other (because in VN, we never say hi just like that, you usually have to to "hi, uncle something"...David told me, they don't say hi, so I asked what they usually say to the other when they see someone, he said we usually ask if they have eaten something :-). So, basically when you see a chinese friend, you should say something like "zao" in the morning or "zhi fan ma?" :-)

David invited me to have dinner in a hotel the week after next week (5 stars btw, isn't that chic? :-)))), I am now his sister hehehe. We will have our progressive tests soon (gosh, time really flies)

Ok, gotta get back to class now.

Fox, "rang wo men jiu chi fan?" :-))

Jingle bell, Jingle bell...

Today, when I was on the way home, I walked by the shops, and saw that many of them have already had their shop windows with Christmas decoration ;-). It has occured to me that shops seems to influence people into the mood of celebrating Xmas sooner and sooner every year.

My very first real/happy Xmas was the first year when I came to Belgium. I arrived on the 15 of November, and it was much colder than today. I remembered my uncle's ex-wife invited a lot of important people (acquaintances that both she and my uncle have had since they worked for the UN, and World Bank in Rwanda). My uncle ex-wife had the most beautiful Xmas decoration (and she was also a true catholic believer, so I guess Xmas was very special for her), and I remember how many gifts we put around the old fireplace.

The Xmas the year after that, we quietly celebrated, or even not because she and my uncle seperated. The year after that, we celebrated at Lea house, one of their friends, which was ok, but I missed what we had...Yeah, since that first Xmas, every Xmas was a crappy holiday for me, it was all sad, lonely and homesick (eventhough we do not celebrate Xmas in VN). Of course, we celebrated but my mind was somewhere else (does it make sense?). I guess my destiny is "ever have a happy Xmas again" ;-P. At first I was excited to shop for gifts, but more and more I find it boring and doesn't give any purposes (talking about shopping, heh, how serious that is to say that shopping is boring ;-)). I was hoping to have a special Xmas this year though...Hmm, reading what I am writing reminds me of Bridget Jones's Xmas hehehe

The other day when I was watching the "Little House on the Prairie", a very old TV serie that I loved and still love a lot (my dream family, I know it is very silly). When everybody was trying to find a gift that their family member would like to have (and they do not have a lot of money)...Most of time, they ended up making their own gifts. I couldn't help but wonder since that day on how many of us will actually be happy to receive to self-made gift, has no material value but a lot of love that has been put into it? Yeah, living in the world we are living today makes money become the neccessary in all means, and considerations.

How much worse can it get? How much love does one have?

"Your costume is so cool" ;-)

I didn't win anything ;-((((( (still upset at this other Vnese girl who was supposed to be in my team, but she did not show up at all!!!). Probably just to give me a big of support, Mrs Demoitelle told me "I like you display very much, but I got only one prize". Well, to be honest I am impressed with everybody's country stands.

ALL my foods disappeared in less than 30 minutes, and they came back with "your food is so delicious". And everybody were just running after me "You look so pretty, and the costume is beautiful". Soo I explained what it is called, what it made from...Actually, I had to spend time on explaining about my costume more than the food hehehe

Anyway, it was a great activity, and everybody had fun, we were all full afterwards. BTW, Maroccan wine is not bad, and this Brazilian soft drink called "Guarana" or "Guaranine" made from the plant of the same name is MMMMM-contains Caffeine and acts as a stimulant. Gorgeous!!! Most of students were brought closer through this sort of activity.

It's definitely cool.

Tasting and prizes distribution

Croatia and Luxembourg

China

Well, to be honest, I am quite disappointed at the China team, they did not cook anything, they just bought stuffs from supermarket and warm them up ;-). And they are the biggest group. Well, David at least made a chicken dish with nuts, which is quite delicious actually.

Of course, keeping in mind that China's haut cuisine is quite distinctive and takes a lot of time of preparation (VN likewise ;-P), but hey guys, a bit of effort would be appreciated or to be fair ;-)

Turkey

Brazil

Crepe flame

And he is the cutest chef ever, I can assure you ;-))

Mathiew is Belgian (Flemish), did 3 years studies to become chef, so most of the stuffs he made were just stunning.

Belgian team

Africa-Congo and Maroc

School activities

After running through my checklist for tomorrow "International Food Festival" in school: china, cooking book (luckily I have a Vnese cooking book that is in English), flag (I borrowed from embassy people), tablecloth, have my traditional dress ironed and prepared some decoration for my "secret" dish tomorrow ;-P, I think I am ready to sell my country hehehe, as a travel destination of course ;-)

The thing is they organise it in odd hour, during lunch tomorrow, so it was tough to decide what to make (because VN cuisine is usually served warm otherwise the taste usually fades away, especially if you leave it to the next day), but I hope I will impress them tomorrow. Apparently, this is the first time they will "taste" Vnese. So, fingers crossed!!! I hope they will like what they eat and won't die of scaring. But I am more excited about the fact that other students will also cook, and well with the large culture diversity, I hope there will be some stunning dishes. It is better to lose in competition where there great competitors than to win in a bad competition. Anyway, this is for fun, right?...NOOOOO, I really want to get the prize ;-P

Rough day tomorrow, I have to bring all these stuffs, plus my laptop because I have a presentation to do... ;-((. God bless my back!!