Beautiful Stranger

Ugh, I almost forgotten this beautiful encounter.

After our trip in 花莲 - HuaLian, me, Ls and X2 departed for 高雄- KaoHsiung using a train.
A mixed events made us moved from our compartment 10 to compartment 11.
Making me X2 sitting with a stranger grandpa, and me with Ls.
At first, everything was OK. X2 was busy watching her latest Taiwan drama series on her cell-phone. Occasionally, the grandpa made some conversation with X2. They were speaking Hokkian (a dialect that I am very poor at), while me and Ls were busy chit-chatting.
Until a snack cart passed by offering us some bento - boxed meal; I ignored the Bento-man, I didn’t realize that our train was changed to the non-express one. (I still thought I could catch a dinner at KaoHsiung)

The cart kept moving to another compartment. When he came back, the old grandpa said "Can I have one bento?" His voice was so faint that the Bento-man didn’t hear him, just kept on moving.
X2 was asking the grandpa, "You want bento?", and he said "Yes.  Hungry"
Poor guy, I thought, so I chased up the Bento-man. Damn, he walked fast. I caught him in the end compartment; he didn’t have any bento left, all gone. A cleaning-guy asked me if I was really hungry, I told him: "No, the old grandpa is" So, he told me to get some when we made a brief stop at next stop.

So, on the next stop, I ask X2 to get a bento for grandpa. X2 jumped off to get only one box of bento (I still think I do not need any dinner). So we just get one... for the grandpa. Of course, he insisted to pay, but it was only NTD70, it's nothing. And the sweet thing was, the cleaning-guy was actually buying another bento from grandpa too. So thoughtful of him.

Oh btw, the grandpa was talking along the way. He talks about his family, his beautiful wife, his successful sons, and his grandsons - which he thought will be good to be introduce to X2 but he is in New Zealand  for uni now.

Me, Stranger Grandpa and X2

The grandpa is super cute. He was abit loud cos he thought he couldn’t hear us, actually... it's not that he is losing his hearing; it's us trying to make conversation in poor mixed Hakka, Hokkian and Mandarin all together, and he only understands the pure Hokkian language.
I guess the grandpa never realized that we were foreigner.

We also helped the grandpa about his stop at 屏东-PinTong, he was so nervous that he'll miss the stop, so we helped him when we reached there. I even gave him some mochi as a gift.
He was picked up by his son; I guess the son must be surprised, "Why these girls carrying grandpa's bags, cheering and waving goodbye??? Who are they? Hahhahaa"
The whole trip was really cute.

The super-kind cleaning guy

I dunno if this writing can express how cute it was, but I find it  really cute.

Even the cleaning guy came to us after we sent grandpa off "You are foreigners, rite?  You don't speak the same language, yet you all can chit-chat for so long. Bravo!"
He said it with a big smile. Cute!

I was really touched by the cleaning-guy, I dunno how much he is making in a day. but he was so caring about the grandpa, isn't it amazing that a train-cleaning-guy actually buying dinner for the passenger?
So kind and thoughtful of him. My respect to you :)




Oh... Another fellow passenger even scolded us rudely!!! cos being too loud (the grandpa was loud, but not that loud... it was normal). and she even tried to video us too using her phone. Damn it, old auntie... your manners really stain Taiwan hospitality campaign, k?
And btw, I was expecting the video to be posted on tv. Hahhaha

Note:
Why I kept on emphasizing that we just got a box of bento - which is for grandpa? Cos we end up being hungry. We thought we'll arrive just in time for dinner, the fact was... we arrived on bed-time :( cry cry cry

Update about Robi: a Closure

After a long wait for Robi's new E-KTP, we finally got it.  ヽ(*⌒∇⌒*)ﾉ Hurrraaaayyyyy!!!
With the help of kind and understanding bank official, Robi could get his name stated on his very own saving account and a term-deposit account.
Well done, Robi!

Here is the picture of them receiving all the documents. I hope they'll use it wisely.

I would like to thank Ven. K, Mr. HK and Mr.HW for inspiring and giving me a chance to help others.
May all being be happy :)

Note:
Holding the fund for so long under my name was actually a burden. I feel bad keeping their money.
But today, after passing it over. I feel free and happy... "losing" money never felt so good, esp. after seeing their smile. Priceless ＼（Ｔ∇Ｔ）／

Shipping Waterlilies

Sending away some waterlilies' babies for Ling to place at her newly established guest-house.

This is how I pack the waterlilies for shipping. This method will allow at least 7 days of shipping without packing the water too, so it'll be quite economical.

The recipient should already prepare a container with muddy soil for immediate transplant. 

Here is how I do it, step by step:

Here are the waterlilies. When you remove them from the soil, grab the bulb at the root base, pull gently. 

You can remove some wilted leaves too. You won't need too much of them.

Place the waterlily on a newspaper

Roll the plant with a newspaper. Fold the paper, not the leaves. Ensure you do not hurt the leaves and the stems.

Here what it looks like after folding. 

Now, place it in a plastic bag

Fill the bag with clean water. Not too much, we just want the newspaper to be wet but not drippy.

Remove the excess water, and tie the plastic bag securely. Make sure there's no leaking.
And don't forget to label them too.

For shipping, lay the waterlilies packages flat in a box. The box should be rigid enough so it won't be bent or folded during shipping.

Upon arrival, recipient should remove the plant gently from the newspaper and stick it to the mud.

It'll need about 1-2 weeks recovery time, but I promise you, it'll live (◕‿◕✿)

Good luck!

Happy 50th Bday, WWF Indonesia

For their 50th Bday, WWF Indonesia sent me a picture of my long lost cousin  (´ε｀ )♡
Cute, isn't it?
Feel very honoured to be able to support this foundation. Keep up the good work!

Did you read it back to front?

After settling the bill for a lunch...

Host: OK, now that we finished our lunch, next destination is airport.
      Guest: Yes
Host :What time is your flight?
      Guest: at 2pm
Host : Have you bought your ticket?
      Guest: ...

overheard at a local nasi Padang restaurant. 
I seriously think the host is reading the Business-Conversation-Manual back to front...

Orchid Fever

(*^▽^*) I think Mom was bitten by a green-bug.
Look what she got for me last week!!!
While I was chasing for my plane, Mom bought these orchids for me.
She told me that she even emptied her whole wallet to get me these.
So thoughtful of her... *(^O^)*

Don't ask me their names, cos I know nothing about it (yet)
They are so pretty, aren't they?

All pics were taken using SGS3 and was edited using PS. This little thing works wonder, isn't it?

Run Ming Run

It seems like my travelling luck is increasing in this past week.
Again, my flight was delayed. But luckily this time, I didn't miss the connecting flight, I caught just right in time: at the time they about to pull the stair away from the aircraft.
Lucky, I was smart enough to ask a few ground-staff; some of them said I've missed the flight, but some said... "Lari, Mbak, Lari.....Cepatttttt" (= Run, sister, run, quickkkk).

So I ran like a drama scene through the plane parking lot. Passing like 2 planes and a parking spot before I could approach my plane. Breathless ...waving at the ground-staff  "Waittttttt!!!"
When I finally arrived at the stair end, the staff looked at me with a sharp eyes...
I got what he was trying to say, so I told him "On transit (... paused) my previous (... paused) plane (... paused) was delayed." My lung was about to burst..!!!
I don't care what he thinks, all I care is I caught this flight! Wohooooo!!!
Or else, there's a good chance of me staying overnight in that airport. They only fly once a day... >.<~
How cruel is that?

Thanks to my luck and my trusty legs, I was able to arrive at home safely. Even if that's without my luggage.
Hahaha, they didn't manage to transfer my luggage. Too bad, my bag couldn't run as fast as me.
But lucky me, there's nothing important there, just some dirty laundry.
At least they found my luggage and delivered it safely to me the next day.

it's back!!!  \(*o*)/

With my lucks this week, maybe I should get a lotto.
What do you think?

Respect: On a Tip of a Tongue and On a Glimpse of Mirror

I missed my connecting flight today because my earlier flight was delayed for 2 hours. Once I landed, I reported to transit desk, and they printed a new boarding pass for another connecting flight (at 2 pm). 30 mins before schedule, I got a call from L*on Air that the 2pm flight is full, and they couldn't take me, so they suggested me to wait until 4pm. Of course, I couldn't accept that, cos my original flight supposed to be at 11am. I've been delayed for hours!!!

So, I walked to their counter, and asked what the problem is. His answer was uncertain "Mungkin engga bisa, Bu, sepertinya penuh" (= maybe we couldn't take you, mam, seems the flight is full). I don't understand why he kept on using "uncertain" words. Seems like they sold some last minutes tickets and try to waive me.

So, he asked me to wait. I started making phone-calls just to let my bro know that I'll arrive very very late because of stupid delays. Btw, I was (unintentionally) speaking in English. Ehm... Soon after that, I heard the counter guy busy on his walkie talkie, asking a seat for me.

Apparently, he thought I am a foreigner or someone important cos I speak English. This is not the first time...

 A few years ago, my uncle passed away. And I need to take a flight from Jakarta to Medan to attend the funeral. After a series of delays, M*ndala Airlines announced that the flight was CANCELLED. God damn it! Cancelled! 

I went to their counter to talk to the girls there, and they gave me unsympathetic look and asked me to wait. I didn't mind waiting, but they didn't do anything. Just sit, chit chat and laugh. I was so pissed off. I started to yell at them in English until their manager showed up and talk to me. He spoke English to me, and I was pretending to speak broken-Indonesian (just like when foreigner speak Indonesian). And voilà  I was quickly transferred into next flight to Medan in no-time, using another airline. And he also helped me to carry my luggage. Thanks to speaking English!

Things like this don't just happened in Indonesia. 

A few years ago, I went to a China trip with my parents. We were staying in a hotel room, I got an extra bed. But they didn't give us any extra pillow + blanket. Since it's China, my dad who is fluent in Chinese, called up house-keeping to get extra pillow + blanket, he was replied with a monotone "mei you" (= don't have it). My dad explained that we have extra bed, they supposed to provide pillow + blanket with it too. And the answer was still a cold "mei you".

My dad was about to complain to the tour leader, but I tried to call the house keeping again, and this time, I spoke in English. I asked for 2 extra pillows and a blanket. I didn't even need to explain that we actually have extra bed. She answered me "Sure, Madam, right away. Anything else, Madam?" Heheheh...

The above mentioned incident can only happened because the conversation was made on phone. 

Not face to face. 

I believe the whole thing would just failed if they saw my super-Asian look. Hahaha...

When my Asian look is exposed, any language wouldn't be able to help me in racist situation.

Once I was in K*pu-Kupu Barong, Bali because a relative worked there as a chef, I went there with another chef to taste her cookings. We waited for more than 30 mins to get served. Not that the cafe was busy or anything, there were only 3 customers (incl. me). And those 2 came later than me, but they got serve earlier. 

Why?

Cos they were bule 

(bule = Indonesian slang for any "white" people, could be Americans, Germans, Australians, French, etc; the term doesn't carry any negative racist sense)

We tried to call the waiter (she's a Balinese), wave at her, calling her, etc. Not that she didn't notice us, she just said "tunggu ya" (= wait). My chef friend was about to give the waiter a punch on her face if I didn't stop her. Hahaha... The waiter finally "notice" us when a janitor saw me kept on waving (the waiter just stand lazily as if I was invisible). And later, the waiter walked toward us and rudely throw us a menu.  

I didn't wanna make a scene there. If my relatives didn't work there, I think I would called up the manager and complain. 

Seriously, not like me or other Asians couldn't afford the food there. We could. In fact, those bule just order little things. Bule can be kere (poor) too, you know.

If Asian themselves look down on other Asian, How would bule see us? 

Well, sadly, they look down on us too. (though not all)

In Europe, some aunties who dressed casually often ignored by boutique attendants. No matter what goods you wanna buy, they kept on saying "no stock", but in fact, another bule customer could get the goods in question and they even get to choose. How rude!!! 

Hello? Don't you know hardly any bule able to buy those luxuries? They are on crisis. The one that have abilities to buy are Asians! Just look at those faithful crazy queues at Champs-Élysées or Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. 

I hardly see any bule in those luxury boutiques, even if they were, they took forever just to buy a small wallet. Asians can easily pinpoint a few bags in 5 minutes and pay with HARD CASH! Yes! Those aunties' bags are full with bricks of 500 euros! 

I have to admit, I think these shopaholic aunties are crazy, not because they are Asian, but because they are just slaves for luxury brands. Just for ever-hungry pride!

I just don't understand why Asians look down on other Asians? 

Why bule look down on Asians or any other race? 

And why do Asians idolize bule so much?

Well, maybe I am exaggerating about this racist things, but it happens... a lot.

Babies' First Bloom

Playing match-maker for plants is so rewarding when you finally see the result.
On my last post Crossing Waterlilies, I have shown you those tiny sprouts... the result of waterlilies kama-sutra. Hehehehe...
Here is the picture of those babies growing up.

babies taking up their mommy's space in the pot

There were so many of them that I have them re-potted in smaller container and give bigger ones away.
I am willing to give them for free, all you need to do is to prepare a pot for them, k?

babies waterlilies for giveaway 

the first flower 

There's one baby that I separated for a couple of months and has a whole pot for itself. And this is its first flower.
I have to admit that when I mate those water lilies, I didn't label them. I never thought I would succeed on first attempt.

Looking at the fact that the baby bear a pink flower same as its mother. But it somehow have smaller bloom than its mommy's.
Maybe I mate pink flower with another pink flower.
Ooopss.... Waterlilies' infidelity, nobody knows who the daddy flower is. FYI, I mated pink one vs. pink, white and red.



Isn't it pretty? I cut it off and placed in the altar. The cut flower lasted for 4 days.