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KISS & BLOG
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So in honor of life, I give to you,
the visual diary of blah |
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By the end of my trip I felt, more acutely than I have in other places. Myanmar made me feel the most out of my element, and pushed me to grow, even in just a few days. Everyone says Myanmar will be different in a few years' time, and being on the ground there, I get the sense that this is true. The places I visited pulsates with energy, commerce and change.
I am thankful for the experience, but am also saddened to think of how life will change for the people when the number of tourists increases. While tourism provides economic growth and employment for many, it will likely also lead to the destruction of existing market and cultures. Although I strongly encourage anyone to visit Myanmar, I hope those visiting can respect the existing cultures and travel responsibly.
Many seemed to focus on the poverty of the locals but I beg to differ. They may have lesser in terms of material wealth but the Burmese are genuine and traditional people who are not (yet) tainted by the lure of western capitalism and want for material wealth, who possess inner wealth in spirit and open hearts, and the gift of living in the present moment. If you think we are in any way richer just because we have more papers in the bank, then you are wrong. Countless are blinded by greed, choosing to lose their inner compass and virtuous conduct in exchange for more said money. We live in poverty too - extremely poor in character.
The past 5 days left me feeling bittersweet. It was a privilege to meet numerous kind hearted people during our short stay. Like so many places in the world, there are many reasons for outrage and despair. If I return to Myanmar, and I know I will one day, I don't want to go simply for my own benefit. I want to do something, not just witness the struggles and poverty - but the hope, kindness and strength that will carry the people of Myanmar forward.
 Labels: burma, emotions, feelings, getaway, myanmar, reflections, thoughts, travel |
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It was definitely love at first sight. I love Bagan so hard it's not even funny. It is hands down, the most spectacular place I've ever been to. I call this ancient city My Unicorn Land (yes, it's that magical to me). We only had 2 days in Bagan but I would quite happily spend 2 weeks here.
Bagan is the site of a ruined city in central Myanmar that was a powerful capital nearly a thousand years ago. At its peak there were over 10,000 temples, pagodas and stupas in the city. Today, there are only just over 2,000 remaining. What makes Bagan so remarkable is that there is always a temple in viewing distance. With so many temples scattered everywhere, it was impossible to visit all of them. These are the key temples we visited during our short stay.
Built in 1105 AD, the Ananda Temple is Mon architecture at its finest.
 
Built in late 12th century, the Dhammayangyi Pagoda is usually associated with King Narathu, who built the temple during his ruthless 3 years tenure. Legend has it that the the evil king (he killed his father, brother and wife with his own hands) demanded the temple brickwork to be fitted together tightly so that even a pin could not pass between 2 bricks. Failure to achieve this resulted in the slaves being killed as it was assumed that they lacked work efficiency. The Dhammayangyi Pagoda is the biggest temple on the plains of Bagan.
    
We enjoyed a beautiful meal with the extraordinary Irrawaddy River in sight in Sunset Garden Riverside Restaurant, which is known for having the best riverside setting.
Bagan surprised me in every way, the pureness of the nature, the picturesque scenery, the simple lifestyle. It is hard to imagine a place so ancient and unchanged in the modern world of Southeast Asia. It was a privilege to be able to walk through this former empire.
   
I have read on blogs that at some point, you get "templed-out" or simply tired of seeing the same Buddhas, temples and sunsets. After 2 days, I still wasn't "templed-out". I felt like I could have repeated the days I spent there over and over again and never get tire of it.
Everything in Bagan felt romantic, and this oldness was something I dreamt about. There is nowhere in the world like wonderful, magical Bagan.
Labels: bagan, burma, family, getaway, holiday, myanmar, reflections, thoughts, travel |
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Mandalay is known as the economical hub connecting China and Myanmar, and is home to many ancient monuments. The former city of the kings is also the hub of transportation, as this is where numerous motorways, railways and waterways from various parts of the country are linked.
We started our trip at Amarapura, a township of Mandalay which is mainly known for its silk and cotton weaving and the world's longest teak wood bridge - U Bein Bridge. Constructed in 1850 and standing at a length of 1.2 km, the bridge offers stunning views, with both locals and tourists crossing it the whole day - monks, kids going to school, couples in love, self taught artists.
We then drove to the Mahamuni Temple, the holiest pagoda of Mandalay and considered the second holiest place in Myanmar after the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. The pagoda is huge with several entrances and hallways leading to its center, where the gold-covered 4 meters tall Buddha statue sits. Only males are allowed to enter the center. Females can catch a glimpse of the statue from the outside or from the televisions mounted on the walls - a policy that has been subjected to
Our next stop was the Kuthodaw Pagoda, otherwise known as the world's largest book. There are 729 alabaster marble slabs, each housed in its own small stupas and relaying the entire 15 books of the sacred Tripitaka scripture. Each of these white stupa contains one page.
From here, we visited the Shwenandaw Kyaung. This structure was initially built within the palace walls in Amarapura as a residence for King Mindon. After the king died in it, it was converted to a monastery and moved to its current site. This saved it from being destroyed by allied bombings during World War II, making the monastery the single remaining major original structure of the original Royal Palace. It is notable for its teak carvings of Buddhist myths, gilded pillars and ceilings, and the atmospheric interior.
We concluded our tour by catching the sunset atop Mandalay Hill, where the Sutaungpyi Paya (Wish Granting Temple) perched high up at the summit.
What I learnt: The people of Mandalay obviously lives by the motto "Go Big Or Go Home".
Labels: burma, family, getaway, holiday, mandalay, myanmar, reflections, thoughts, travel |
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Yangon was swelteringly hot, full of crumbling colourful Colonial facades. Certainly there were slums in Yangon, but the city has many faces, as most do. The roads were chaotic but unlike in most other Southeast Asian cities, there was not a scooter in sight - they are
Contrary to what I expected based on TripAdvisor and travel blogs, (I read the internet was unusable, buses and trains were uncomfortable and unsafe, power cuts were frequent and long lasting, food and water were unclean and caused dysentery, the absence of toilet paper in toilets) Yangon is really not that bad. It is actually a pleasant city.
My favourite part aside from pagoda-hopping across town, is eating. I developed great joy and an
What I learnt: Never form an opinion of a place before you arrive.
Labels: burma, family, getaway, holiday, myanmar, reflections, thoughts, travel, yangon |
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This weekend, I was honoured to be a bridesmaid in my best friend's cross-cultural wedding. The celebration was a 2 day affair with the Malay ceremony on Friday and the Chinese ceremony on Sunday. Being quite a creative person, I was more than happy to help out in the DIY projects as some of the off-the-rack decorations do not come in the hues of the colour scheme.
I am very pleased with the backdrop we did for the Malay ceremony. It took us over 5 hours of fluffing, poking and sewing to put this piece of "wall" together but we did pretty amazing I must say.
 
Preparations for the Chinese ceremony started off at 4.30 am in the morning. Aung and I cabbed down to Ying's house at 3.30 am after having just 2 hours of sleep as we stayed up to rehearse our Master of Ceremonies speech. The bridesmaids went on to prepare the food for the gatecrash while Ying was having her make-up done.
Most bridesmaids need to crack their brains in coming up with food that are supposedly difficult to stomach i.e delicacies for the customary gatecrash. Since the groomsmen are our respective partners, we had our work cut out for us. The delicacies were basically food they dislike which in our defence, are healthy food - tomatoes, corn and porridge. We were indeed feeling very kind that day.
After gatecrash, we left for Zul's house at the chosen auspicious time.
   
It was a huge honour being asked to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the wedding banquet, but truth to be told, there is a lot of pressure that comes along with the job. It was the first time I've pulled MC duties - I am more experienced in the flower girl and bridesmaid department. Fortunately, Aung and I both had fun being awkward on stage. One of the perks of being an emcee is getting to sabotage anyone we want, and we would like to thank the newly weds for giving us the opportunity to do so.
Before the banquet began, we asked our friend KJ if he is willing to lead the "Yum Seng" toast - he happily agreed. When asked to come onstage, he skipped down with a big smile plastered on his face. Aung and I then announced to the guests that KJ is going to do a special native dance for everyone in honour of this very special day. Such a pity only some managed to witness how his expression changed - from a state of pure excitement to plain horror before it progressed to total bewilderment. It was good entertainment all right. Aung and I had a little too much fun.
    
I feel happy and proud for this union because it felt like victory - victory over the past 10 years of trials and tribulations they faced. Every relationship has its own difficulties but a cross-cultural one is another level altogether.
To so many who are against a cross-cultural union, I hope they learnt that different isn't always bad. In fact, it can be really good. When left to ourselves, humans tend to have a very narrow perspective on things. We get so opinionated and confident that we are blinded. "Different" can teach one to be more gracious, understanding and less arrogant. It also reveals blind prejudices.
In the end, a marriage within two different cultures has no secrets. You need equal or even greater effort to make things work just like in any relationship. These cultural differences can be what bring a couple or simply humans closer, and I believe the world needs more of this - less of intolerance and discriminatory thoughts and actions.
Labels: cross cultural, love, marriage, mixed marriage, reflections, relationships, thoughts, wedding, zulyingwed |
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I was wrong;
this doesn't get any easier.
If anything,
it is harder than I imagined.
Attachment never weakens,
it only grows stronger.
Until this person is a part of you,
like breathing.
You aren't always aware of your own breathing,
but it is a crucial part of you living.
Labels: attachment, emotions, feelings, love, thoughts |
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Comchest Care & Share Charity Show 2014
 You all definitely took a piece of my heart, I am proud of your performance and thankful for this opportunity to meet you lot of shining stars. Labels: act of kindness, charity, giving, helping, kindness, metta, reflections, thoughts, volunteer |
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I was a wreck,
but I saw this coming.
Two weeks after he left,
no one was there -
those who claimed they would.
It's your expectations they said,
people aren't
But I don't understand;
You were good news.
You made me believe again.
Then when it all comes crashing down -
You ran.
You fled.
As I lie on the floor,
trying to catch my breath.
Tired from the weeping.
All the sadness;
I can't contain. Labels: breakdown, emotions, feelings, grieve, life, loss, love, reflections, sadness, thoughts, wounded |
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Today I ran in search of solitude.
There was no one to give opinions about who I am or what I am doing. I don't have Facebook status updates or text messages fighting their way into my head. All I hear are the opinions of my inner head and heart. All I felt are the emotions I've been struggling with. For a moment, I am just living in my own head. I can't distract myself by reading or watching a movie. It's funny how we don't realize we're missing something until we find it. Labels: emotions, feelings, reflections, solitude, thoughts |
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We went to the exposition at sundown today. Before heading home, we decided to sort out our purchases on one of the empty tables outside the diner. Whilst doing so, a seemingly harmless lad walked towards the table beside ours and started helping himself to the leftovers. He did that from table to table, hastily gobbling down all the leftovers he could find.
It was a sorry sight. My brother-in-law, witnessing this, immediately hands him a bag of Nacho chips we just bought. Uttering a muffled "thank you", he walked away at once without allowing us to render him additional assistance. This entire episode reminded me to be kind for everyone is indeed fighting their own battles in life and instead of judging from the sidelines, it's better to lend a helping hand when we can. Because judging doesn't help in any way, whereas lending a hand might mean the world to this person. In like manner, everyone can judge, but not just anyone have a heart big enough to put others first - much less a total stranger. Labels: act of kindness, giving, helping, judging, kindness, life, reflections, suffering, thoughts |
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Dear Ah Gong, it's been exactly one week.
I still can't believe you're gone. 
Everyone is still grieving, especially Ah Ma. It is an excruciatingly difficult time for the family. During your wake, I hope you saw the number of people who turned up; you would be happy knowing you've touched so many lives. Everyone came with a story of your kindness to tell - stories you never told. May you be at peace and find those you lost. Thank you for being the most wonderful grandfather I could ever ask for. Until we meet again Ah Gong, you live on in our hearts. I love you.
Some days I wake up feeling I might be okay, some days it feels like being okay is a long way off.
Labels: death, emotions, feelings, grandpa, grieve, life, loss, love, reflections, sorrow, thoughts |
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"Giving is being a doormat, and I'm very happy to be a doormat.
The door of my heart is open and every door has to have a mat.
So to open up my heart to other people,
you have to have the mat and they walk all over it.
Now that's not the answer people want.
But sometimes to help others, be willing to give your life for kindness."
- Ajahn Brahm
(How To Keep Giving Without Reward)
Sometimes, to see someone do something totally selfless gives us hope for our world. We are reminded that not everyone is in it for themselves and sometimes we too can be, a doormat. We can put our ego aside and allow ourselves to be hurt in the process as being kind and loving other people means we will get hurt. It's part of the deal, it's part of life.
Give, give, give. Hurt, hurt, hurt. Love, love, love; and every time it fails, never put your heart into a concrete bunker. You may feel safe in there, you won't get hurt but you're dead. You won't live.
Labels: ajahn brahm, buddha, emotions, feelings, giving, kindness, life, quote, reflections, thoughts |
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I wore my favorite colors for extra luck and head out with a spring in my step, feeling smug about the plan to surprise my sick boyfriend. But of course, "Miss Direction" just had to miss her directions tonight. After walking around helplessly for 30 minutes, I had no choice but to phone and ask him to search for me in his neighborhood.
Epic fail but I still think I deserve an "A" for effort. |
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Growing up, I've learned that it is okay to be upset, but I shouldn't let my feelings affect my actions and speech and bring everyone down. I learned that my mood affects others, especially my loved ones. That my words and actions can be hurtful, when I'm holding on to pain and anger. Because love and kindness need to be received. You can't love and be kind to an angry snake who is up in your face. You need to run away.
If I keep rolling in a ball of negative emotions, how can I ever be okay again? Labels: actions, emotions, feelings, reflections, speech, thoughts |
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My emotions are all over the place. I’m angry, I’m sad, sometimes I can’t concentrate.
Sometimes I feel I’m too cold that I cannot warm up.
But in the midst of these emotions,
I learned I have to take comfort in every annoyance in life.
In how they symbolize that I am living, breathing and not buried six feet under;
and that life is actually pretty good.
Labels: emotions, reflections, thoughts |
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Every emotion is difficult to comprehend, but I think loss is one of the worst. You don't necessary have to love that person. I guess it's what that person brought - thoughtful gestures and much joy. Little things that touched your heart at some point, things that make you feel humans are not stone cold after all.
I think those memories are the hardest to let go. They are the ones that make you cry the most.
Because they remind you the absence of yet another good soul.
Labels: emotions, feelings, loss, love, reflections, thoughts |
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Because today, I decide to start living life on my terms. I refuse to subscribe to the idea, that I need a nine to five job I hate to prove my value and worth as a human being.
Labels: reflections, thoughts |
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This weekend is the one I felt the most alone in my entire life.
I can't seem to stop sobbing to myself.
Looking at the sorry state I'm in, I don't even recognise myself anymore.
Why must the person I love hurt me the most?
This goes the same for my friends, except that handful.
Am I that easy to be walked in and walked out on?
I feel all drained out.
Staring at all the happy photos on my desk, I feel worse.
I am not insane.
I have been too generous.
To the extent, I'm always the one left crying here -
On my very own.
Labels: breakdown, emotions, reflections, thoughts |
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Looking at the graying hair and tired eyes, maybe what they need was a change in scenery and circumstances. To reclaim their real self - just like me. My heart steams with guilt as I watch him frown upon the television. I wonder if I'm the one who'd aged him. I step away quietly into my room, unable to look at this picture any longer.
Labels: thoughts |