Day 2 in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Day 2 in Bangladesh. I had heard about the terrible traffic conditions before arriving but it is not what one can image unless you see it with your own eyes. Yesterday, our consultant told us over dinner that he will need 1.5 hours to get home. Mind you, the distance from the restaurant to his house was 5-6 km. It's crazy. The jams, constant honking and the bad air (which has been making me sneeze while out on the streets) are becoming synonymous with the city.

I sat through Day 1 of our strategy planning workshop for our Bangladeshi office like a sponge. At the end of the session, I thought I was having a splitting headache. I know now that I have a lot of homework to do. I hope by the beginning of next year, I will be more oriented. It is always through sessions like this that I hate how little I know, and I appreciate how passionate the locals are about issues at hand. I remember telling someone that the peace in Singapore is not healthy. I was kinda advocating for alternative voices. I think I wasn't able to, at that point in time, justify myself in a way that was easy to be understood. I guess I am able to do it better now: In Singapore, we lacked a progressive civil society where community-based organisations can potentially effect (or even revolutionalise) changes. And because of this absence, we are often so dependent on government agencies to act. Instead of asking what they can do for us, think about what we can do for ourselves. We are agents of change.

Anyways.

We managed to wrap things up at 4pm and do some shopping. While in Dhaka, I noticed how easy it was for me to attract stares. I stood out being the only one lady not wearing a sari or kurta. And it wasn't regular (I suppose) for them to see a Chinese walking around not accompanied by more Chinese. I think I should get one soon, given that I would be in and around Bangladesh for the next 10 days.

Sweet December

Day 2, night 2 in Bangkok, and I am missing my bed already.

1 more night and I will head back to Chiang Mai, then flying off to Bangladesh on Sunday, for a whole 10 days. The session today had been enriching, and I am glad that my organization is generous and had been doing their utmost preparing me on board. My trip to Bangladesh will be a fruitful one, both for work and at a personal level. Following my trip, will be a week of vacation back in Singapore starting on the 18th.

My December will end in the most busy and hectic fashion ever. I am looking forward to 2011, the year that things will start to look really different. I am looking forward to exposures at other country offices. I am looking forward to my training sessions at Brussels, Stockholm.

I am looking forward to knowing more, knowing enough and getting down to work.

Day 1 at work

First day at work was SPLENDID!

I hope everyday will be just like today.

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Muffins in the house

The plain jane chocolate chip muffin


VS

The hippie muffin


The green in the buttercream is from the pandan essence (and a few guilty drops of green colouring).

These muffins are party ready!

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给我家人的祝福

每个人想要的幸福都不一样。
幸福对未满十八岁的她，是找到甜蜜的初恋，享受纯纯的爱。
幸福对二十八岁的她，是找到一份自己热爱的工作，每曰开开心心地忙碌打拼。
幸福对三十八岁的她，是孩子们乖巧懂事，一家合气安康。
幸福对四十八岁的她，是年长的父毋含饴弄孙，婚姻仍火花四射。
幸福对五十八岁的她，是过着半退休的生活，不愁柴米油盐醋。
幸福对六十八岁的她，是身心健康、儿孙满堂。

无论在生命中的哪个阶段，总希望沉浸在无穷的幸福里。无论你在生命中的哪个转角，我都希望幸福离你不远处。

在找寻真爱的你，但愿你会遇到一个有缘人，欣赏你的好。在开创另一片天空的你，祈求你一切的努力会换来成果。在迷茫中的你，期盼你会感受到生命里的无限美好。

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I love it when people around me travel

One set of Skin Food caviar line from Korea!



It's like Christmas came early.

Mei, are you jealous?

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我的炖蛋

I think my hong kong style egg custard dessert is getting much more professional than before.



It's so yummy I gobbled down a bowl in less than 5 minutes.

It's the easiest to cook dessert ever. For one full bowl you just need:
- 1 cup full cream milk
- 5 teaspoon sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Too much sugar! Well, try not to have it everyday!

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