#Malaysian Food Taipei

[onejamtart]

OJT EATS | BSZ Malaysia Cuisine

As good as Taiwanese food is, to only eat Taiwanese food seems like a shame as there's so much other good Asian food (although I do personally think Taiwanese is easily one of the best). Near Guting station, where Taiwan University is, there's a Malaysian cafe called BSZ Malaysia Cuisine which has always looked busy everytime we have walked past. One day, we decided to bite the bullet, queue up and give it a go.

The queue actually moved surprisingly quickly and pretty soon, we were at our table. It was a pretty hot day so we had worked up quite a thirst waiting to get in so we started with a lychee cooler. What turned up was essentially an ice cold glass of lemonade with just a bunch of lychees chucked into it. We didn't complain though as it was incredibly refreshing!

Then onto some food. We love a good Hainanese chicken so we couldn't resist ordering it when we saw it on the menu. This was a really good version with really tender chicken, super aromatic rice and potentially the most important thing, a great chilli sauce!

We decided to go for all the classics that day so we also ordered a char kway teow. You might be able to see the big plump prawns on the top of the dish. The noodles were perfectly cooked and bouncy. All in all, a really great version of this.

Continuing our streak of classic dishes, this was a kaya toast with a little bit of pandan in it. The bread was typical for kaya toast in that it was thin and very white. The kaya was sweet and nicely balanced with the layer of butter in there. The pandan in particular was a lovely touch.

This was a really nice meal at a cheap and cheerful restaurant. The service was super quick and the food was well cooked and tasty (although I will say that I am not the best judge of authenticity in this case). I'd definitely go back the next time I crave a bit of Malaysian food in Taipei!

BSZ Malaysia Cuisine, 100, Taiwan, Taipei City, Zhongzheng District, Lane 284, Section 3, Roosevelt Rd, 13號1樓

Cheers, JL

[wildwcmenrxs]

in the source link there are 177 gifs of ross butler in love in taipei. they are chinese-malaysian & english-dutch & born in 1990, please cast accordingly. these were made for roleplaying purposes. feel free to edit for personal use, but credit is loved! please do not my gifs if you write ‘t*boo’ plots. like and reblog if you want to make me smile! ♡ content warnings: kissing, harsh lighting, flashing lights, drinking, eating, food, alcohol.

[thistransient]

Ah, a perfect illustration for me to muse about KL.

- For some reason I expected KL to follow a similar flow; after all, I was also going back after ten years (and thereby redoing a somewhat malcontent experience with the ex). However, I made many tactical errors here. I did not make solid plans, I waffled and faffed about, unable to decide if I was staying here or going there (inevitably, I stayed as it required the least effort), I had no real meaningful social interaction, I stayed in a hotel with no breakfast, I was bereft when faced with description-less menus in down-to-earth local establishments ("what do you recommend?" or "which is your favourite?" to the server is a very dangerous question indeed). I feel somewhat remorseful that I did not commit to a bit, either complete sloth and hipster cafes, or truly dedicated tourist-ing. I also stayed directly on Jalan Petaling, and found in a strange way (okay maybe I'm really stretching for a complaint here) it detracted from the fun of going in search of the place to be if you're staying smack in the middle of it.

- When I went to Seoul I did research. I had plans. Things to see! Places to go! I stayed at a guesthouse and had some friendly interaction with the host, and daily provided breakfast. Most places I ate at had picture menus for wayward foreigners, or at least I was familiar enough with Korean food and Hangul to figure things out. It was suitable weather for rambling around. I was having a bittersweet life transition ending Chinese class, and revisiting Korea after ten years!

It was also not the weather for extended trotting about outside (I did eventually partake in the time-honoured tropical tradition of walking around the giant multi-storey AC'd mall though).

- This is not to say I didn't enjoy the hipster cafes and art spaces (once I actually got out of bed). Or staying in a hotel room bigger than my own apartment, with nice bedding (even if I never figured out how to turn on the hot water in the shower). But in hindsight it feels kind of a coagulated blur. When I was there, it was an elastic eternity, and now that I'm back, almost as if I never left. Perhaps I simply wasn't in the right frame of mind, or perhaps I was just somewhat brainwashed by the blaring music from the bars across the street until 3 or 4 AM my first few nights there.

- I will say though, I had a very heartening experience being gendered unequivocally correctly around 99% of the time. One thing about Chinese is that with no spoken gendered pronouns and a formal "you", it is very hard to tell how people are perceiving me in Taiwan until they are trying to redirect me to a different bathroom, which is really not the optimal situation in which to find this out. Malaysia is very into the sir/ma'am honorifics. I suspect there is also some effect had by a more conservative, illegal-homosexuality sort of culture where clothes and styling are great determiners of which box one gets sorted into, vs Taipei where it's fair game to assume that maybe you look like that cause you're just really, really gay?

- The metro escalators in KL go much faster than I'm used to an escalator going (I'm not complaining). The metro in KL is also disjointed and confusing and the ticket machines are uncooperative for wrangling.

- I don't want to judge a group of people on a whole based on their hospitality personas, so I'll just say at the least, Malay Malaysians working in customer service are very charming and friendly.

- I really intended to eat a ton of fruit and then I just...didn't, maybe because I am used to buying fruit whole in multi-kilo volumes and eating it at home, but the hotel was not conducive to that at all (no mini fridge, no knives).

- Every time I go to Singapore/Indonesia/Malaysia I come away wanting to learn Malay/Indonesian because it is just so delightful to look at the stack of languages in one piece of signage and have no real idea which word matches up to which in English. (Well, that's not entirely correct, I can recognise some basic things à la "saya suka makan pisang" after those two weeks couchsurfing in Sumatera some years ago. But then, I'm always torn because if I want to learn an Austronesian language I should really just go for Filipino so I can actually understand half my tumblr dash- I cracked open a teach-yourself sort of book at a hostel in Cebu once and my brain simply refused to unlatch its death grip on Chinese at the time, but maybe there's room for another grammar system in there now?)

- On the plane back there were (or so it sounded) at least two children who threw a fit and screamed bloody murder at full lung capacity (I am really not exaggerating here, it was impressive) when we experienced turbulence during takeoff and landing, but I had already put in my hotel earplugs, and simply smiled to myself thinking of how I'd learned, through a visit to Teotihuacán one year, that when the Aztecs sacrificed children to the rain god, the more they cried the better the rains were expected to be.

- For the first time ever at Taoyuan Airport the immigration officer examined my passport in minute detail (even some kind of little magnifying glass thing?) and asked how long I was staying, which reminded me a) I forgot to make myself look presentable and b) I claim to live here but I actually have zero guaranteed right to it at the moment (sleep deprived and not having eaten since breakfast, this threatened to send me into an emotional spiral until I reminded myself of those compounding factors and decided to save that thought for after dinner). I said I was leaving on the 19th (because that is the date for which I still have an unused exit flight). The officer seemed pacified and stamped me in for another 90 days. But maybe it is time to finally put some effort into reestablishing my formal alien residency.

- Last but not least, maybe I should have stayed in KL cause apparently Taiwan is having a heatwave and it's gonna be 39C tomorrow, and KL will be a chilly 31 or so.

[kazifatagar]

New: Taiwan Durian Chocolate Drug Bust Uncovers Malaysian Heroin Smuggling

Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) dismantled a drug trafficking ring linked to heroin smuggling from Malaysia. The investigation began when Taipei Customs flagged a suspicious food package containing 668 grams of heroin hidden inside durian chocolate boxes. Six suspects, including the primary suspect, Lu, were arrested in April and July at various locations across Taiwan. Lu allegedly…

[40sandfabulousaf]

大家好! WL and I have known each other for 12 years now. He's Malaysian, but he's worked and lived in Singapore for a very long time. Like us, he's a huge foodie; naturally, I had to introduce him to Song Yue, the restaurant specialising in Taipei-style jia chang bian fan (homestyle cooking). Aside from their specialty dishes, we tried something new because he requested for 1 of Taipei's most famous dish: lu rou fan (braised pork rice). I decided to try it because, why not? Score! The combo of tender pork, crispy egg and rice was perfect. Whilst not the healthiest, it's something I'll want to eat once every few months.

WL is in his 60s and still participates in fitness competitions both locally and regionally. Whilst he has many interests and hobbies, I especially like hearing him talk about exercise because that's when he's most passionate and excited. His most recent craze is learning how to run whilst regulating his heart rate. According to him, the benefits are that he became leaner, has better stamina and the sweat is amazing. He encouraged me to try running. Heck, why not? Since I'm a newbie, I'll start small, maybe 5 - 10 minutes of running on top of calisthenics on weekends and work my way up from there.

ML wanted to try a different stall which sells local western style meals, so off we went, with SC and MI. I ordered their panfried salmon, which comes with salad and crinkle cut fries. Unlike other stalls, customers cannot choose their sides. The salad and fries were good - lime juice was used as a dressing and it was refreshing. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Unfortunately they overcooked the salmon. It was too dry and I didn't know they would pour sauce all over it. Overall the meal was okay, saved by the salad and fries, but I didn't like the salmon.

I no longer post about my simple breakfasts out of compassion for Palestinians as often but I continue to have them. By now I've run out of things to say. The official death toll arising from Israel's genocide in Gaza has crossed 40,000 in less than a year. This doesn't take into account those buried under rubble and excess deaths arising from malnutrition, lack of medical care and diseases. To me, the ceasefire talks are just wayang (an act). How can certain parties be sincere about wanting to put an end to the war when they keep supplying weapons to Israel?

How quickly the weekend has come and gone. Where did all the time go? We're also entering September next week. It doesn't seem that long ago when we ushered in 2024 and celebrated Chinese New Year. Time whizzes by when we're busy. In a way, I kinda look forward to the end of the year when it's more relaxing at work and everyone is in a celebratory mood. I need a break. 下次见！

[malaysiankpopfans]

Malaysian SWITH Charmed by STAYC's Youthful Energy at STAYC 1st Fan Meeting in Kuala Lumpur

"Malaysia MANTAP!"

South Korean girl group STAYC held their first ever overseas fan meeting for the year of 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, continuing their tour after Manila and Taipei in December last year. STAYC, which is an acronym for 'Star to a Young Culture', is a 6-member girl group comprising of Sumin, Sieun, Isa, Seeun, Yoon, and J, debuted in November 2020 and has been garnering a lot of attention and love for their addictive and hooking songs.

STAYC began the fan meeting by performing 'BEAUTIFUL MONSTER' and also their debut single, 'So Bad', making their fans which lovingly referred to as SWITH, excited with their energetic and bubbly stage presence As the one who created the 'Teen-fresh' genre, STAYC definitely lived up to the title as they brought out the confidence of teenagers with their own vibes on the stage.

All of the members individually introduced themselves in Malaysian language, impressing the fans with their admirable efforts. Yoon excitedly said "Ini kali pertama saya datang ke Malaysia, jadi jaga saya baik-baik tau! (This is my first time in Malaysia, so please take good care of me!)" Sieun expressed that "It's so good to be here with you guys! Thank you for coming and let's enjoy tonight!". STAYC sadly said that they have not got the chance to try any Malaysian food as they were busy rehearsing for the fan meeting but they have heard a lot about Malaysia's fried rice, and would like to try it the most.

SWITH had the opportunity to get to know all of the members, connecting with them better as they answered a few questions from the fans, as well as displaying their teamwork and also competitiveness while playing games on stage. Besides that, the fans also had the chance to get on the TikTok's trend and did the #PoppyChallenge with STAYC, which the video has been receiving immense response by the fans with more than 500,000 views in just two days! STAYC continued to amaze the fans when they sang a popular Malaysian folk song called 'Rasa Sayang' which united everyone as they sing-along to the song. STAYC then hyped up the night with an addicting bop song, 'RUN2U', before taking it slow and comforted the fans with their assuring song, 'SO WHAT'.

As the fan meeting was coming to an end, the members expressed their gratitude, especially to the staffs and crews who had worked hard in making the fan meeting successful, whilst member Sieun conveyed her "Thank you  for this unforgettable night as I was so blown away by how passionate SWITH are! Thank you for coming, singing along, and especially for your amazing fan-chants!". STAYC performed 'I'LL BE THERE', as well as 'ASAP' as their encore song, thus ending the night with a promise to come back again to Malaysia, hopefully for a concert next time!

[handweavers]

goals and habits i'm trying to manifest this year:

> get back into doing yoga regularly again, especially gentle restorative yoga focused on deep stretches and releasing tension in the body. i used to practice daily for about a year but had to stop when i got top surgery almost 3 years ago now and i haven't been able to pick up the habit again. this year i'm getting back to it.

> further my textiles practice by experimenting with new mediums and techniques and challenging myself whenever possible. learn and grow within my practice and understanding of the materials and history of the craft

> enroll in the 6-year master spinners certificate program that will teach me everything there is to know about spinning and culminate in a research thesis. the first semester starts this august and it's one week of intensive hands on learning and then distance learning for the rest of the year, and my local spinners guild leader is the program chair so i'll be able to work closely with her as she mentors me in the craft.

> GET INTO UNDERGRAD!! finally go to university!!! where i can study textile art and design and learn some ceramics and do a minor in art history!!! finally fucking get to where i've wanted to be since i was 18!!!! I just need to submit portfolios by the first week of february and I'll be golden!! fingers crossed!! and i need to finish my current semester studying western history at my community college so that i academically qualify for university.

> take my annual trip back to malaysia after the winter semester ends and spend 6-8 weeks with family, and perhaps spend some time in taipei/taiwan on the way because i always fly through there but i've never actually gone into the country and i'd love to walk around and see what it's like there and eat a lot of good food and see what history/museums and textiles stuff they have, also want to check out malaysian textile arts and museums and try to get my hands on some malaysian cotton and a takli for handspinning purposes

> want to do a craft fair or two this year so i can sell stuff i've made — woven tapestries, woven bookmarks, macrame plant hangers, knit scarves and hats, hand-dyed yarn, hand-spun art yarn, art rolags, etc etc etc !!! want to make these things to sell for an online shop again because I desperately need income lol i just haven't had the time to do this yet and my goal is to bring this back and be more productive and make more things that can be sold

[desiredtastes]

With the travel industry practically at a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a vital time to stay home, stay safe, and be positive. But we can still have hope and look forward to future trips. This is also a good time to cherish your favorite travel memories.

There’s a lot to post about my travels around Southeast Asia. After Taipei, I went to Malaysia to visit the capital, Kuala Lumpur, for a few days. I stayed at the fairly new Hexa Hotel in the lively neighborhood of Bukit Bintang next to many pubs and the night market.

I wanted to explore the city and discovered the best way to do that was by booking the Cooler Lumpur By Night Tour with Vespalicious. The 4-hour tour is a really fun way to see the sights and try local dishes while riding around on a vespa!

My guides and vespa driver were Vincent, Kimi, and Dass. They picked me up at my hotel and off we went. Our first stop was Chinatown to try a few Malaysian-Chinese dishes and check out some really cool street art.

Then we stopped by the colorful Sri Mahamariamman Temple and Little India.

  Then it was off to see a few sights like The River of Life, Sultan Abdul Samad Building, and the iconic Petronas Towers. It was so nice to see them lit up at night. Vincent and Dass always offered to take pictures which I really appreciated.

For our final stop, we browsed a food market where I tried items I’ve never had before and even some dessert for later.

It was time to sit down and try Malaysia’s national dish, Nasi Lemak, at an authentic locals spot. The dish is popular for breakfast, but can be eaten any time of the day. It consists of coconut-infused rice served with an assortment of sides like fried chicken,  egg, sambal chili paste, fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, and sliced cucumbers. It’s a delicious medley of flavors.

After some tasty nasi lemak, we enjoyed the Putu Bambu we got at the market earlier for dessert. It’s a cylindrical-shaped steamed cake made with rice flour, palm sugar, and grated coconut. I also had the chance to meet the owners of the restaurant before heading back to the hotel.

What a fantastic night! Riding around Kuala Lumpur on a vespa at night was a blast and I got to see quite a bit. Dass, Kimi, and Vincent were excellent guides and captured plenty of great shots throughout the night. They also provided great recommendations for the rest of my trip. I highly recommend a tour with Vespalicious!

Vespalicious Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia info@vespalicious.com -or- vespalicioustours@gmail.com Website

Kuala Lumpur at Night with Vespalicious With the travel industry practically at a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's a vital time to stay home, stay safe, and be positive.

[awesomeshefalimulye-blog]

5 best international destinations to visit post COVID – 19

The COVID – 19 pandemic has devastated humanity as never before. With multiple countries under strict lockdowns or restricted movements. It has caused a severe blow to the economics of many countries. Multiple businesses and industries worldwide have been badly affected (though some continue to prosper even through this pandemic). One of the worst hit is of course the tourism industry comprising of airlines, hotels and other hospitality related services such as transporters, embassies and visa related services, restaurants and many other ancillary service partners. Having said that tourism is resilient and will bounce back for sure just as it did post the SARS in 2013. The biggest question is what will one’s travel itinerary in the future look like and which regions in the world will be safe to travel in the future? Some of the factors which will perhaps determine this will be – proximity to home, airline capacity, especially to bring back home in case of any eventuality, destinations which were less impacted and/or have better health facilities and also insurance covers.

I am listing down some international destinations that maybe explored post COVID – 19 taking into account multiple factors that work in favour of these destinations. For those who are ‘travellers’ and are looking at continuing to travel once airline services resume and it is safer to travel, here goes –

Country                 Total cases        Active Cases         Deaths

New Zealand           1499                   45                         21

Taiwan                     440                     35                          7

Vietnam                   324                     61                          0

Thailand                  3031                  118                         56

Hong Kong             1056                    27                          4   

 New Zealand:

As on date New Zealand has reported 1499 active COVID – 19 cases with around 21 deaths and 93% of the infected cases have recovered successfully. New Zealand has a definite advantage over many other countries. Constituting 268,000 kms of total land area and a population of approximately 48 lakhs spread out between the North and South Island and any neighbouring inhabited island – It is not a large country and is fairly sparsely populated and yet has the comforts of being a developed country.

Ø  Known for its surreal natural beauty, few destinations can boast of so many natural wonders and experiences packed into such a small area. Snow capped peaks, rain forests, coastal glaciers, large geothermal areas in Rotorua with bubbling mud ponds and hissing streams – New Zealand has it all. Queenstown is a hotspot for adrenaline filled sports such as white-water rafting, luging, jet boat riding, skydiving, hiking, mountain biking, heli hiking, bungy jumping at the Bloukrons Bridge (one of the highest bungy jumps in the world)– the list of outdoor activities is endless.

Ø  With options of self - drive vacations as well as seat in coach holidays, one can find a wide variety of accommodations ranging from budget to luxury as well as quaint bed and breakfasts.

Ø  For the sports lovers, the cricket season in New Zealand will start from July with matches with West Indies followed by ICC T20 on Oct which could be something to plan for. Oct onwards is a good time to travel to New Zealand right through till the beginning of March, to experience summer in New Zealand.

Ø  With simplified e visa processes, correct documentation and timely application of visas, obtaining the New Zealand visa can be a breeze.  

Ø  Well connected with multiple airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Thai Airways, Air New Zealand and Emirates as well as low cost airlines such as Jet Star, it is a destination which can combined with a stopover in a South East Asian hub as well.

Ø  Considering the size of the country and its population, social distancing should not be a challenge when travelling through New Zealand.  

Ø  New Zealand has around 40 public hospitals spread across the country in cities and larger towns. Both public as well as private health care in the country is excellent.

Ø  All the major insurance companies offer multiple type of travel insurance products for New Zealand and are expected to offer products inclusive of COVID -19.

Ø  Best time to visit: September to November (Spring) with temperatures averaging between 13 – 20 degrees, December to February (Summer) with temperatures averaging between 19 – 25 degrees

 Taiwan:

Considering its geographical (not to mention lack of political) proximity to China, Taiwan has done an exemplary job of managing COVID 19 and its implications. While relatively unknown. Taiwan offers wondrous vistas, lively traditions and cultures. This year in 2020. Taiwan celebrates ‘the year of mountain tourism’.

Ø  Shaped like a leaf, the island covers 36,000 square kms with 23 million people living in it. Though not a very large country and while it is fairly densely populated, its immediate action and advanced deployment, sufficient availability of PPE for medical personnel and effective use of technology has helped the country tremendously in successfully handling this global pandemic far more effectively than most other countries.

Ø  Some of the popular ways of discovering Taiwan are trekking in the magnificence of the cliffs at Taroko Gorge; taking a ride on the Alishan Forest Railway and experiencing the breathtaking sunrise and sea of clouds; hiking up to the summit of Northeast Asia's highest peak, Yu Mountain (Yushan). You can also soak up the sun in Kending (Kenting), Asia's version of Hawaii; stand at the edge of Sun Moon Lake; wander through the East Rift Valley; or visit the offshore islands of Kinmen and Penghu – overall a lot of fun family activities after being confined to our homes for so long.

Ø  For true shoppers at heart, Taipei offers many night markets where you can combine a very satisfying shopping tour with a street food tour and try some amazing local fare and even a unique shrimp fishing experience.

Ø  You can enjoy a cycle tour near Sun Moon Lake as well a sample local wines and tea made from pure spring water.

Ø  Well connected with many airlines’ ex India such as Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Airlines and low-cost airlines like Air Asia, connectivity is easily possible from many Indian cities though fares are a little towards the expensive side.

Ø  Taiwan has emerged as a hotspot for medical tourism with sophisticated medical technology, well-trained medical professionals, strategic geographical location, stress-free VISA process and most importantly affordable cost-effective quality treatment. With a wide range of government and private hospitals spread across the country, makes it an ideal destination to travel to even as we wait for a vaccine for COVID – 19.

Ø  Popular among both business and leisure travellers, Indian nationals can now travel to Taiwan with a free visa, which can be applied online, thus simplifying visa processes.

Ø  Best time to visit Taiwan: November or the first half of April. The weather is cooler in November while in April you will get to see nature in its full bloom.

 Vietnam:

Vietnam has been another interesting statistic in so far as battling Coronavirus is concerned. With only 288 cases and no deaths till date, inspite of a relatively weak healthcare system and a low budget for combating the virus, Vietnam is a case study in how this virus can be beaten against all odds.  Effective 23rd April 2020, Vietnamese government has lifted social isolation rules and allowed opening of many non- essential services including restaurants. Domestic flights have resumed operations as well. Though Vietnam has limited and not necessarily international level medical facilities, I have still continued to include the same in my list on account of close proximity to India especially for those on a relative budget and looking for a short break. Vietnam boasts a variety of experiences for families as well as couples and can be an expensive luxury holiday or a relatively basic holiday if looking for a budget one, though airfares can be a little bit of a deterrent sometimes even if booked well in advance

Ø  Vietnam follows a very simple, inexpensive online e visa process for Indians, which is not complex and does not need to be planned weeks in advance.

Ø  One of the most underrated destinations in Asia, Vietnam is popular for its amazingly beautiful beaches some of them relatively unexplored, national parks, historical monuments and bustling nightlife. Cities as vibrant as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh , overnight on a junk boat at the dazzling UNESCO World Heritage site of Halong Bay, hiking through Cat Ba Island, visiting and staying with locals in some of the most spectacular rural villages in North of Vietnam, visit the world’s largest cave in Pho Nha National Park, enjoy relaxing cycling expeditions in Hue or Ninh Binh as you walk around or drive past karst peaks and sail pas Tam Coc’s rice fields, meet up with local tribes in Sapa or find romance in its love market, see the recently opened Golden Hands Bridge in Da Nang and enjoy its French flavours or head on a food trail in one of the cities in Vietnam – the list of experiences is endless.

Ø  Combining a trip to neighbouring Cambodia is also a wonderful option as you will get to see the massive and most important archaeological site in South East Asia – Angkor Wat temples.

Ø  The best medical care in Vietnam is in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, though most medical concerns can be treated competently in many smaller towns and cities. ... SOS International has clinics in Vung Tau, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City, providing good but expensive outpatient medical care

Ø  All major insurance companies offer multiple products that cover Vietnam.

Ø  The best time to visit Vietnam is during December through February when temperatures are milder and rain is minimal. Vietnam's long, narrow shape means that the three primary regions (north, central, and south) experience different types of seasons and weather events throughout the year.

 Thailand:

Thailand is perhaps the most ‘been there, done that’ destination in this list. Nonetheless I am including the same as I feel that the destination has great potential on account of a lot of unexplored experiences it has to offer.

Ø  Fantastic connectivity PAN India with option of more expensive full service carriers as well as budget LCC carries combined with amazingly tourist friendly and well organised seat in coach as well as private service and a wide range of accommodation options, gives one a wider price range to choose from depending on budget.

Ø  Apart from the pristine, dreamy beaches, ancient monasteries and coral reefs, food trails that are a treat for your taste buds, adventurous water sports, historical sites  and of course a flourishing night life– there is still a lot undiscovered by many Indian travellers.

Ø  Bangkok, the capital, in central Thailand, is regarded as a modern hub of various cultures, faiths and experiences. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai to the north cater to those looking the quiet countryside and to spend time in the wild. Down south, beach destinations such as Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui and island resorts in Khao Sok or Koh Yao Yai and many others, offer some of the best tropical experiences by the sea. On the western end, the Hua Hin region is popular for resorts where one can relax luxuriously. Finally, towards the east, Ubon Ratchathani is a spiritual and historical escape where one can immersively learn about Buddhist and Thai culture.

Ø  Generally speaking, the standard of medical care in Thailand is good. Thailand has world class international standard hospitals in the larger urban centres, with reasonably good medical facility in rural Thailand.  

Ø  Normally I do recommend Thailand as a year- round destination as the countryside is stunningly beautiful in the monsoons and though it rains, it will not disrupt your plans largely. Having said that if you are looking for a perfect weather to travel in, then November through till April is a dry season with temperatures ranging from 29 degrees to 34 degrees.

Ø  Before the COVID- 19 pandemic, Thailand was offering free e visa on arrival. Butan update is awaited on the same from the Thailand embassy. The process of obtaining visa before departure is fairly hassle free and does not take more than 3- 4 working days under ordinary circumstances.

 Hong Kong:

Considering its proximity and accessibility to China, this is another country that has done a remarkable job of managing the pandemic. One of the 1st countries to be hit by the same, Hong Kong is today one of the most ‘almost COVID – 19 free’ countries on the list. What makes this remarkable further is that the city-state has achieved this without the kind of de facto police-state curfew that India has resorted to. While people did work from home and some of the theme parks as well as attractions are closed to avoid community transmission, eventually restaurants opened, people continued to go to parks and favourite hiking routes but nearly everyone wears a mask and maintain social distancing.

Ø  Bustling streets, mouth-watering authentic cuisines, nature reserves and teetering tower blocks, old world markets amidst neon jungles, diversity in its various contradictions - Hong Kong is by far one of the most dynamic, overwhelming city I have ever has the opportunity to visit, A great pick for a family destination, Hong Kong offers a wide range of attractions for all age groups combined with all the privileges and comforts one can enjoy in any well-developed country. Apart from child friendly attractions such as Ocean Park and Disneyland, this multi culture destination also hosts many world class sports events especially rugby and horse racing.  

Ø  It is only an hour’s ferry ride from Macau, a mecca for those interested in casinos and night life and Las Vegas style hotels on ‘The Strip’ with internationally acclaimed shows. Just perfect for those who cannot make it to Las Vegas as yet!

Ø  Hong Kong is extremely well connected to many major airports in India. The airfares as well as hotels are a little on the higher side and I would recommend booking the same early.  

Ø  Critically, Hong Kong has one of the world’s best public healthcare systems, experienced at dealing with challenges such as the avian flu in 1997 to the H1N1 in 2009. 

Ø  Once again, an all year-round destination, the best time to visit Hong Kong is from October till April. For those who enjoy cultural experiences and local festivals and food, I would recommend considering a trip to Hong Kong in January & February though.

 COVID – 19 is not yet a thing of the past globally nor is it an issue we can ignore, So it is time we start working around it and figuring out solutions to stay safe when travelling. Airlines, hoteliers, transporters – everyone involved in the business of hospitality are figuring out solutions in terms of contactless travel, regular sanitisation, norms of social distancing and many other issues which are likely to come up once all of them are allowed to operate as usual. There is definitely a new ‘normal’ that we all need to adjust to while travelling in the future. In a business where human touch and conversation is all about hospitality, be it on land or in air, we may be looking at reduced human touch just to be able to stay safe and travel. So be it then!

[logancai]

I’m alive

Humm, I have written in a while. So hello. How have you been? My tonsils are a little enlarged, but I don’t feel sick. Isn’t this better than me saying I’m good?

Anyways, if you follow me on Instagram, @lzcai, you will have known that I went on yet another Asia trip. I took EVA Air from San Francisco to Taipei. The round-trip ticket cost $1,646.62. It’s a rather expensive flight, but I flew out during the American holiday season. I was thinking, for that price, I’m actually not too far away from premium economy. The flight was nice with decent food in economy. I watched Crazy Rich Asian on the flight. It was my first time watching Crazy Rich Asian and I thought it was pretty good. I was crying in the flight while watching that movie. I probably spent more time watching movies than I should have when flying. Usually I like to shift my internal clock immediately to my destination’s time, so I won't be a mess when I land. 

I landed at Taipei at night. My friend who I was traveling with was flying standby. He didn’t make it to any of the flights to Taipei that night, so I had to travers through Taiwan with just my English knowledge to go to the hotel. First issue was, which type of reloadable subway card to buy? I was confused that there are 4 different types of cards in the vending machine. I had no fucking clue what to buy for which company. So I just bought a single fare ticket for NT$150. Then transferred in the Taipei main station to reach my final destination. Again I had difficulty understanding the subway signs even though it is not in Chinese. It was raining that day. So I had to roll my luggage in the rain. Did I mention that I was staying at a gay hotel? I was staying at Gs Hotel. The front desk was already aware of my late arrival because my friend told him I was coming. 

Anyways, I’m sure you don’t care about every small detail. So about the gay hotel. The rooms are small. Each floor has a bathroom, but the 2nd floor has a bigger common bathroom. The place is clean and decently modern. It’s pretty cheap at ~$60/night for 2 beds. The goal of the place is to play with other guest within the hotel. If you want to invite outside people, it cost NT$200. It’s not a bad place to stay. I would recommend this place if you don’t have much luggage and you’re okay with small rooms. I probably would not have chosen to stay 3 nights like I did. 3 nights felt a little too long. Maybe 1-2 nights is good enough. 

Generally, I like Taiwan. Taiwan has some good food, has plenty to explore and I felt safe. My initial impression of Taipei was, it looks like a typical Chinese city sort of like Hong Kong but with no English and less high-rises. 

When I left Taiwan, I felt like I left a boyfriend there - that I have no idea how to communicate with since I don’t speak Chinese. So I was a little sad leaving, but oh well. And here’s one of my more liked photos on Instagram.

The next place I went to was Kuala Lumpur. I know I have some Malaysian followers, so it was interesting seeing Malaysia and the mix of Muslim and Asian culture. Kuala Lumpur has it’s urban high-rise part near KLCC and Petronas Tower, but I was staying with my friend in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur. I’ve never seen suburban South East Asia, so that was cool. I’ll describe it similar to Japanese anime of suburban homes, but with a more run-down Chinese look. 

Here’s where I was when I was in Kuala Lumpur for a day - kind of everywhere. Even though Malaysia sort of officially uses English, not everyone knows English but kind of does at the same time. 

Mosquitos loves me when I was in Kuala Lumpur. I got so many bites. Here’s a selfie of me at a hawker food court area with an iced Milo drink. 

Next stop was Singapore. We actually went to Singapore by bus - I never thought that would happen, but hey, I was in for an adventure. After leaving Malaysia and past Singapore’s customs, I was quite surprised that it looks almost like California in their “industrial area”. 

Long story short about Singapore, Singapore is pretty, clean, has a bunch of weird rules, most English friendly, people doesn’t like Little India - that’s where our hotel was, and food was okay. We spent New Years at Singapore and an additional night. I’m sure there’s more to see, but that’s all I had time for. 

Here’s a picture of me in the rain at Sentosa Island. Oh and I turned blond, but I’m sure you knew that if you’re following me here already. 

[infinite-drabblets]

[180803] INFINITE Members’ Activities

Following on from my last post, I meant to do an update after Aug 6 (when the additional dates for Barnum are released), but there have been so many updates in the last day or so that I’m posting now!

DONGWOO

He’s been cast another musical! [YAY!] He will be playing Louis XIV in Iron Mask (sharing this role with BTOB’s Changsub and B1A4′s Sandeul) - this will run from 13 Sept - 18 Nov.

He posted on IG today in what (to me) looks like a recording studio. Not 100% sure, but if it is, then I’m guessing that he’s working on his (as he has mentioned before)

He’ll be participating in a LINE LIVE broadcast for Altar Boyz on 6 Aug (7pm KST).

If you follow Super Junior’s Yesung’s IG, you’ll get to see lots of Dongwoo at Altar Boyz practice, being his usual hyper self :D

SUNGJONG

He was in Wednesday Food Talk this week! (There are official clips online)

He is now in Malaysia for Sales King TV (or what’s been known as “Sold Out to Go Home”). He will be on CJ Wow Shop (a Malaysian home shopping network) with the rest of his team this weekend (4 - 5 Aug) as part of filming for the show.

There was a Malaysian press conference for Sales King TV today, and he mistakenly referred to himself as Princess Sungjong 😂

SUNGYEOL

Filming for 0.0mhz started on 24 July. Photos of Sungyeol rehearsing with the cast have been released.

Arirang World featured Sungyeol and talked about 0.0mhz being his first movie role on their facebook page.

(As an aside, there was also an IG post of him playing virtual golf, hehe)

WOOHYUN

Woohyun’s first performance for Barnum is next week, on 7 Aug! Rehearsal photos for Barnum (incl Woohyun) have been posted. 

2nd batch of dates for Barnum will be released on 6 Aug, so I will update this post later.

Photo People 2 continues, and photos are posted on the Photo People IG page (the ones of Woohyun and Seonho are too cute!)

MYUNGSOO

Will be going on a world tour of fanmeets! So in addition to Bangkok on 11 Aug, he will also now be in Taipei on 23 Sept and New York on 30 Sept !!

[whattheabcxyz]

2022-08-05

Science

Why animals are less susceptible to Omicron and its variants

Society

Mont Blanc climbers must now pay US$15+K deposit upfront to cover the cost of their rescue... or funeral - What a friggin’ great idea! I wonder if Nepal also has a similar scheme for Mount Everest? Idiots who want to knowingly put their lives at risk then need rescuing or their corpses retrieved later on need to pay for it!!!

1-legged wheelchair-bound dementia-hit care home resident, 93, died after being Tasered, hit with baton, & pepper-sprayed by police after he “threatened staff with a knife” - officers facing manslaughter probe ...their IQ levels also need to be checked as they probably suffer from extreme idiocy

Alex Jones to pay $5.6m for Sandy Hook hoax claims

Internet

North Korean hackers are using never-before-seen methods to bypass Google's email security measures to read & download messages/attachments, all without Google detecting it

Education

^ Create free flowcharts from text

People

“Prince” Harry files 2nd lawsuit against UK government & Scotland Yard over decision to ban him from paying for police protection in Britain - some people have no shame... then again Harry & his wife can hardly be considered “people”

Entertainment

Batgirl movie canned - not that I care tho’; wouldn’t have watched it anyway

Nature

Singapore: Punggol Settlement shop owners complain about wild macaques wreaking havoc in the area - if the government hadn’t cut down so many of our forests, would this have happened?!

Food

Woman finds staple in bubble tea bought from Playmade @ Tampines

Singapore

Long queues to buy ringgit, as some moneychangers stop selling it as they claim it’s no longer profitable to do so

Internal security critical in guarding Singapore against foreign attempts to divide society - no mention of how China has repeatedly been trying to sway certain easily-influenced yellow-skinned Singaporeans into siding with them & making use of them to disseminate their propaganda???

Travel

Singapore travellers can use DBS & OCBC apps to pay in Thailand

Scoot joins SIA in cancelling Taipei flights amid China military drills around Taiwan

Politics

Missiles in Chinese drills hit seas near Taiwan & Japan... while US condemns missile launches as overreaction

Mahathir leads new “Malay movement” to fight in next Malaysian national polls - he just won’t die it seems

Limited progress in Myanmar peace plan leaves ASEAN ministers “deeply disappointed”

Health

Vaccinated people who were infected this year less likely to develop long COVID

[startupjobsasia]

Sales Development Representative (MY) job at The Oddle Company Malaysia

Looking to immerse yourself right at the heart of the start-up ecosystem? You are looking at the “next big thing”. Since our inception in 2014 as a B2B company, Oddle has been a leading force in offering the best-in-class enterprise software that transforms how restaurants participate in the online revolution and how people order food online.

With Oddle, you can be part of creating the most exciting user experiences for people all over the world. With more than 60 people across our offices in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Taipei, we strive to be world-changing and continue blazing the trail - creating the most exhilarating food ordering consumer experiences and improving business decisions through data.

An intuitive and seamless food ordering system for our users is what we constantly seek to provide. We take convenience and engagement to a whole new level. As one of the world’s most transformative start-ups, we ensure that food ordering will never be the same again.

About this role

As a Sales Development Representative, you will constantly be collaborating with our Sales team to develop a sales methodology that allows you to create awareness with your prospects, and demonstrate that you are a thought leader in the restaurant territory space, so you can help restaurateurs improve their business by using Oddle’s platform. You will be using creative ways to understand the business needs of potential F&B clients, focusing on nurturing and arousing their interest in exploring a partnership with Oddle to grow their business. Your role will focus on sowing the seeds of success for the business.

What you will do:

Research, prospect, educate, qualify, nurture and build relationships, create sales-ready opportunities from lead generation activities, inbound prospect leads and outbound calling into targeted F&B businesses;

​Collaborate with the inside sales and direct sales teams to develop and improve leads qualification process;

Interact with prospects using emailing and cold calling methodologies and/or other creative approaches to uncover their pain points, explain Oddle’s value proposition, identify potential opportunities and generate interest

Coordinate sales efforts with both inside sales and local field sales teams;

Using creative ways to understand the business needs of potential business partners

Gain in-depth knowledge of Oddle products & services, as well as knowledge and technologies in the F&B industry to be the subject matter expert in the restaurant technology space.

What we're looking for:

Possess at least 2 years of experience in prospecting for new leads with a proven track record of success. Experience in SaaS or F&B industry will be advantageous.

Excellent interpersonal, phone and e-mail communication skills, both written and verbally, with the ability to negotiate and convince. Multilingual a plus (Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin, Tamil etc.) 

Highly self-driven and disciplined with the ability to learn fast and adapt to changes in a fast paced and growth-focused startup

Work well under pressure and ambiguity. Possess good attitude towards learning and improving

Good time management, able to work with minimal supervision

Good team player and willingness to share knowledge and experiences with team members

Only Malaysian applicants should apply as this role requires an intermediate knowledge & experience of the local market

If you are driven and looking for tremendous growth opportunities and want to grow with us, we would love to speak with you soon! Apply now at  http://oddle.applytojob.com/apply/PHrt2DNgTV/Sales-Development-Representative-Malaysia

StartUp Jobs Asia - Startup Jobs in Singapore , Malaysia , HongKong ,Thailand from http://www.startupjobs.asia/job/37030-sales-development-representative-my-business-development-job-at-the-oddle-company-malaysia

[unicornkissesxoxo-blog]

How I Made 120% Inside The Stock Trading Game In Five To Six Weeks - Building Day Job!

If there is a craving to use the amazing, the delicious, the downright bizarre, then Beijing's Donghuamen Night Market is how it's at. Perhaps you're comparing places to go. Women over 40 do n't need to see lines along with other indications of aging especially on their face. Perhaps you're comparing places to go. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Elvis https://youtu.be/0-3dAbLKohw Costello 's lyrics is broader than that of most favored songs. The once-in-a-week fair is the destination to see authentic Malaysian market - where stalls selling meat floss and shawl stands side by side, and where satay is cooked on the street just around an Indian jeweler store. Those less adventurous will revel in fresh spring rolls, fried noodles, candied fruit and other staples. However, there is certainly some specialized night fishing equipment you will have to have to become successful. On 23 February 2003, Elvis Costello, along with Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, and Dave Grohl performed a version of The Clash's "London Calling" at the 45th Grammy Awards ceremony, in honour of Clash frontman Joe Strummer, who had died the previous December. I used them to snag a lovely 120% gain on TZOO (NASDAQ) in about six weeks in 2004 - using weekly data only and working my day job. Both night markets are well-known for their variety of street foods and shopping! Visit them since the sky turns dark when you can fill your stomach (as dinner) as you shop for the favourite pair of shoes. They come in two sizes. She has used her blog to criticize Taiwan's president, sharply corrected a mainland Chinese TV interviewer who implied Taiwan is part of China, and said she sees nothing wrong with gay marriage (which isn't yet legal on the island). Some of the greater common forms of night fishing lights that are available about the market today really are a variety of numerous 12 volt fishing lights such as underwater fishing lights, and floating fishing lights, which both have essential purposes.

The Queen of the Night blossom has a fresh floral aroma having a touch of sweetness. com is specialized in selling Elvis Costello Concerts Tickets. com is specialized in selling Elvis Costello Concerts Tickets. Nice! I'll be dining out on that story for a while.

In the intervening period, Elvis Costello also served as artistic chair for that 1995 Meltdown Festival, which gave him the chance to explore his increasingly eclectic musical interests. . . Taiwan's media, which prefers easy sensationalism to serious investigation, is usually around the look for your next "chicken cutlet girl" - and could recently have found a candidate inside the shape of the lady making and selling crepes in the Taipei night market. No list of your country's most alluring ladies is prone to satisfy everyone, and Taiwan-based readers are prone to argue for your inclusion of internationally successful model-actress Bianca Bai, singer turned soap-opera star Cyndi Wang, or former https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/09/traders-hold-out-hope-for-a-late-day-market-rescue-one-trump-tweet-can-change-everything.html MTV presenter Mandy Wei. This process will eliminate the appearance of wrinkles and will smoothen out the skin. This process will eliminate the look Quick Review Show off wrinkles and will smoothen out the skin. You may be pleasantly astonished at the number of fish you can catch. Also in the wedding you want almost no fishing pressure you may love night fish.

[victakestaipei]

WEEK 2 RECAP: “Gua Bao?” More like “Gua BOMB.”

So I have come to realize that during the weeks, my blog posts about my classes are going to be pretty repetitive. So to save you the few minutes of your life you’ll spend reading, I’ll just shorten it a bit...and skip to the food. We always do the same things in class. We take quizzes, read the text book, practice writing characters, and talk alot about a wide array of topics... (we actually get off topic alot... In one of the classes this week I ended up playing the song “Mr. Roboto” on my iphone because I made a reference about it... we have a new classmate and he’s from Japan and everyone wanted to hear the “Domo Arigato” part... ugh.. it’s a long story.)

Anyway, let’s start from Tuesday I suppose:

So in class we had another one of those written dialogue quizzes, I got an A ((of course HEH)) and on the test from last week, I got a 94%! Feelin’ good. In the gym it was leg day, and I’m starting to incorporate more cardio daily, so I’ve been running on the treadmill at the end of my workouts. I want to drop weight and tone up while I’m out here so I figured this will help give me the extra kick that I need. I ran a mile in 7 minutes and 30 seconds... Or so I thought. I was super happy about the amount of time it took and how it didn’t even feel hard and how my knee actually wasn’t hurting for once in my life. BUT, I soon realized that I am a headass. I didn’t realize until later in the week that everything here is in kilometers, not miles. Meaning, that I didn’t actually run a mile in 7 minutes and 30 seconds, I ran 1 kilometer. Which is less than a mile... it’s actually 0.62 miles to be exact. What A BUZZ KILL!!!! I was on this “high” the whole rest of the day because I thought I was really wrecking shit, but really I’m just an idiot. A slow running idiot. lol. 

For dinner Bunny and I went to this popular joint that she had heard about from a friend. I actually have heard of this place too, but didn’t realize it until after we had arrived and ordered our food. We went to this small hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the Gongguan night market where they serve the “Traditional Taiwanese Snack.” It’s called “Gua Bao.” It’s basically a pulled pork hamburger with veggies, pickles, grated peanuts in a peanut sauce, and cilantro... all in a steamed bun... you hold it and eat it like a hamburger, and it’s delicious!! It was only 55 NT (about $1.80 US). You could choose between lean meat, fatty meat, or a mix of the two. I went with the lean meat, and I’m glad that I did. The restaurant also offered an array of soups, but a lot of them featured pork intestines, and that's not really my type of party. 

Wednesday:

I did back day at the gym today and ran another “mile”... SMH. That still gets me man. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

For lunch, Jeannie, Bunny and I went to this potsticker place right across the street from campus. We’ve been there before and it was really good the first time, with each potsticker being 5 NT! (or about 17 cents). We each ordered 10 potstickers and a bowl of warm noodles, totalling to only 90 NT ($3 US). I chose 5 curry potstickers and 5 garden vegetable. The Curry flavored potstickers were by far the best potstickers I’ve had since I’ve been here (and that’s saying something). And for dinner, Bunny and I went BACK to the Gua Bao place (it was that good) but this time brought Nick along! We had a good time.

Thursday:

I had another dictation quiz and got another low A. Today was leg day yet again. Starting to see a pattern here? I’m proud to say that I’ve kept the routine/schedule that I talked about in my recap blog post from last week..

For our post-gym lunch, Bunny, Jeannie and I went to this Soy Sauce-Braised place. I can’t remember the name. *eyeroll*. But basically it’s a food stand on the street market by our university, and they lay out all the meats, and veggies and noodles on display, and you choose which ones you want, and they mix them all together and cook them in this super hot soy sauce soup... It’s pretty good. I was super excited about this food stand because they actually had VEGETABLES!!! You know how often I see vegetables here in Taiwan??? Never. I don’t think I’ve had a vegetarian semi-healthy meal since I’ve been here. And I’ve looked!!!!! Anyway, for my dish, I chose tofu, broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, and udon noodles. I paid about $7.50 US which is a bit steeper than my usual meal, but I think that’s because I doubled up on the tofu. (hehe). Either way though that’s still what I spend on average at Cane’s back in the US, and it’s wayyyyy more food. I do have to say that I went a bit over the top. My food was a MOUNTAIN!!!! We also bought this watermelon slush drink to share that came in an actual watermelon! Presentation get’s an A+, and it was pretty refreshing. 

After we ate we went to this store called “Jin Xin Fa” and bought tons of stationary (everything here is so cute and I desperately wanted to buy some cute planners for the upcoming school year). I also bought an extra long ethernet cord so that I could use my laptop in bed and have better internet, as well as a new phone charger... 

For dinner I ended up cooking (reheating) left over lunch... but I made rice and added scrambled egg to it... As it turns out, my $7.50 lunch fed me and Bunny for dinner. As I mentioned in my blog post about my dorm a few weeks ago, we have a small kitchen area at the end of the hall. Bunny and I wanted to use the rice cooker, and we struggled at first. We had to put water between the bowl where the rice goes and the outer bowl?? Strange. Either way thought the rice came out perfectly. Bomb.com.

Friday: 

For lunch, the three of us tried this Malaysian Curry place on the street market. It was on the second floor, and the interior looked like someone's home at first... My dish was 100 NT ( around 3-4$), and I ordered the Malaysian chicken curry and rice. It’s basically a filleted chicken cutlet fried in batter and served with a mound of rice, both covered in curry. And topped with potato wedges... THIS PLACE WAS SUPER GOOD I WILL BE BACK EVERY WEEK OH MY GOD. There is only one lady who works here, and she cooks all the dishes. I also think she lives here...? Not so sure. We spoke to her a bit after finishing our food, and she told us how 22 years ago she came to Taiwan, and she asked us where we're from and told us she's been to both Florida and New York before. She also showed us pictures of her 8 month old grandson who lives in Florida. Her daughter was born in Malaysia and currently lives in America as she's married to an American guy. She was the sweetest lady ever, gushing about her grandson and showing us all these videos. Such a lovely lady.

After lunch we did some shopping in the street market (clothing), I bought a shirt... and not much else because everything looked so small. When shopping one lady didn't let Jeannie use the dressing room to try on this outfit.... it seemed odd, and the lady didn’t seem to have a reason to not let her use the dressing room which was clearly there with the open curtain and no one inside. I think the lady who worked there was just a bitch. She was rude, and possibly racist?? I can’t tell you how many times I would walk into a shop (during the hour or so that we were walking around) and the ladies who work there would hover over me constantly. *eyeroll*. Figures.

We went home and I took a shower and relaxed before heading to Shilin Night market. I’ve been here before and posted a video, but in case you all forgot, it’s the biggest night market in Taipei and is pretty poppin on the weekends. Jeannie and I love to shop, so we had a ball!! Four of us went, it was Ada, Jeannie, Bunny and I. We spent a few hours shopping and walking around and eating the street food. I ate this pork bun sandwich, some French fries with a bunch of sauces on them (like mustard sauce, salt, pepper, etc), and tried the popular chicken fried steak. 

squid on a stick^

We stayed at Shilin a few hours before parting ways... Jeannie and I went to meet up with some others at a bar and Bunny and Ada went home. This is around maybe 11:15pm... Jeannie and I met up with Nick at this open patio bar/hookah lounge. It was $20 (US) all you can drink. The bar was called K House and was located smack dab in the middle of the gay district off of Ximen station. Ximen station is also a very popular shopping area for the younger crowd, with a 5 story H&M and other popular stores. It took a while for Jeannie and I to find the bar, we put it in google maps and it took us to a completely different location. By the time we found it a lot of the people we were meeting up with were loose off the goose. Which makes sense since it was all you can drink and they'd been there a few hours already. We left the bar around 1, and headed to 7/11 and walked around town a bit after that. I was pretty lit. I slammed about 5 drinks in 30 minutes and was just chillen after that. I had two jack/cokes, 1 vodka/sprite, and 3 peach flavored drinks but I don't know what alcohol was in those..?? They were super good though!! My favorite, definitely. We were walking to another bar when I got super tired and decided to take an Uber home with Jeannie and another guy we met that night, his name is Collin. Collin goes to school at Carnegie Melon *ooooooooo snap*. I got into my dorm around 2:30-3am, and went to bed around 3:30. When Jeannie and I were walking with the group, Collin was telling us about how he had plans to go snorkeling the next day and he invited us to join the group on Facebook. I knocked out after showering when I got home, since I had to be up by 7:15 to make it to the meeting spot at 8am to go snorkel. I was exhAUSTED. Snorkeling should be worth the lack of sleep though.

[shandragdotson]

When Is The Right Time To Travel Or Live Abroad With Kids

Despite all the hassle, you’re thinking about traveling or living abroad with kids. Exciting! This post will give you some food for thought as I’ve been thinking about doing just that for the past year.

I loved growing up overseas. It was always a treat to meet new people, eat new food, and learn about new cultures. My parents worked for the US Foreign Service and were stationed in Manila, Lusaka, Kobe, Taipei, and Kuala Lumpur before finally arriving in McLean, Virginia for my high school years. McLean is 20 minutes away from the US State Department in Washington D.C.

Because I attended international schools for 13 years, I felt like I had a much richer childhood compared to many of my high school peers who mostly spent elementary school, middle school, and high school in the Northern Virginia region. Every summer I’d go back to see my friends in Taipei and KL, which was an absolute blast.

Living abroad helped me understand and embrace different cultures. For example, because roughly 61% of the Malaysian population was Muslim, I had several close Muslim friends who shared with me their traditions. I’m certain there would be much more love and harmony around the globe if more folks traveled.

Going On An Adventure

As a father now, I often think about ways in which I can provide the best childhood possible for my son, while also creating a life of adventure for all of us.

“Best childhood” can subjectively be described as one that is: filled with happiness, friends, unforgettable memories, abundant life lessons, adventure, the learning of at least one other language, and continuity in the family.

Because we run an internet-based business, we have the ability to provide for a unique childhood experience by living anywhere. If we don’t travel or live abroad, it would feel like such a waste, especially now that the San Francisco Bay Area has become so crowded and homogenous.

Before our son was born, we always noticed a nice uptick in our happiness when we traveled abroad. We traveled aggressively for five years before our son was born. For example, spending three weeks on the Hapsburg Trail helped us love our online business even more. Prague, Vienna, and Budapest are truly wonderful places to visit. It was a dream to spend the final week in Paris to watch the French Open.

Overlooking the Danube River in Budapest.

The following year, we spent three weeks in Asia, finally visiting the great temples of Angor Wat after spending a week diving off the island of Pula Redang, Malaysia. It is unbelievable to dive in 80+ degree crystal turquoise water.

Taaras Resort at Pulau Redang, Malaysia was amazing

Only One Problem: Childhood Amnesia

Traveling is enriching. Unfortunately, few adults can remember life before age three. Even though I had specific country anchors in place during my childhood, I only have two memories between the ages of one and two.

The first memory was sitting in an outdoor restaurant in Lusaka, Zambia while I tried Pepsi for the first time. It was delicious.

The second memory was when I had to go to the bathroom, but couldn’t because it was occupied by my dad. I banged the door hard, but he wouldn’t open it, so my mom had to clean me up in the tub.

The other memory before three was in Arlington, Virginia. I remember playing with my sister and babysitter in this makeshift room that was made out of sheets.

If I couldn’t remember much before three years old, I must imagine others who’ve lived their lives all in one place might have a difficult time recalling their past as well. Everything tends to blend together if you don’t go anywhere.

Sigmund Freud coined the term “childhood amnesia” to describe this loss of memory from the infant years. According to a study done by Emory University, they found that a child’s earliest memories begin to fade around the age of 7.

Therefore, we can conclude that any family traveling with a child under the age of three is doing so not for the child, but for themselves.

If a family wants to provide the richest cultural experience for their child, the family should travel after their toddler or toddlers are at least three years old.

Three Childhood Experience Models

Based on the logical conclusion to travel after the age of three, we’ve come up with three different childhood experience models to consider.

1) Anchor in San Francisco, and travel all summer and winter. The easiest solution is for us to live in a diverse city like San Francisco for the next 18 years until our son goes to college. Every summer break we’ll spend three months living in one or two countries as a family. Every winter, we’ll spend the 2-4 week break in another country. By the time our son goes to college, he’ll have lived abroad for a total of 52 months, or a little more than four years. He’ll also have visited at least 20 countries, thereby expanding his cultural experience.

2) Anchor in Honolulu, and travel all summer and winter. San Francisco, unfortunately, has the lowest kid density for cities in America. As a result, SF is the least kid-friendly city. Instead of staying here, we would move to Honolulu, one of the highest kid density cities in America that is very focused on family (ohana) living.

The advantage of living in Honolulu is that I also get to be close to my parents, and we can send our son to a school that goes from K-12. In San Francisco, you have to go to a different school for elementary school, middle school, and high school, and it’s inevitable your friends will end up going to different schools. The disadvantage of living in Honolulu is losing our social and professional networks we’ve spent 17 years building in SF.

3) Completely live abroad and come back to America during summers and winters. I like the idea of living abroad in three international cities for four to six years each once our son is old enough to attend kindergarten (age 5). The idea is to be in one city for all of elementary school, another city for all of middle school, and a final city for all of high school. We’ll use the summers and winters to come back to America and visit other cities close by to where we are currently stationed. Some places we’d love to live in are Amsterdam, Barcelona, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Kobe, Tokyo, and Rome.

Which Childhood Adventure Would You Choose?

Angkor Wat At Night

A big part of me wants to go all out and live abroad once our son turns 5. I did it for 13 years of my life and traveled internationally for 25 years since. It would be a blast! Every single day would be a new adventure because there would be new restaurants, new activities, and new people to meet. We could rent a fully furnished house and rent out our home in SF.

My wife, however, isn’t so keen on the idea because she has never lived abroad for an extended period of time. Only summers in Japan. She’s more keen on option #1 or #2.

She reminded me about the pain of having to change our business address, file different types of taxes, and all that type of stuff she deals with as the CFO of our company. We’d also have to go through the arduous process of applying to expensive private schools with limited spots.

Life is so comfortable now, but I long for excitement. I’m the guy who has to get out of the house and do new things every day. Whereas my wife can comfortably stay home for weeks.

Biggest Concern Living Abroad

My biggest fear about living abroad for my son’s entire grade school life is him not developing lifelong friends from childhood. I don’t have any elementary school friends I keep in touch with because I don’t know them well enough.

I do sort of keep in touch with my middle school friends from Malaysia, but the relationships aren’t tight since they are so far away. Because I started high school as a new kid, I wasn’t able to develop deep relationships either. There’s really only two people from HS I keep in touch with, but they are both on the east coast, so I hardly ever see them.

That said, we now live in the time of the internet, social media, and video chat with our phones. It’s much easier to keep in touch today than when I was growing up.

I’d love to get everybody’s opinion on what you think we should do, and what you would do if you had these options. If there’s a different childhood model that I’m missing that could also be amazing, I’d love to hear it.

The Benefits Of Traveling Abroad For You And Your Kids

* Potentially easier to learn a new language

* Forces your child to open up given he’ll have to make new friends at a new school

* Gives her firsthand experience of things other children might only see online or in textbooks

* Might make him more unique when applying for colleges

* Creates more empathy and understanding for other people and cultures

* May let her appreciate living and working in America if that’s where she ends up

* Make international friends in addition to American friends

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Any readers who currently live abroad with children, who have lived abroad with children, or plan to live abroad? What are some considerations I have not mentioned in this post?

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