Our Malaysia

Lets have a nonjudgmental country, a loving country blessed with tolerant people filled with happy and smiling faces. Black, brown, yellow - They are all beautiful.

Best Wishes and Happy Independence Day Malaysia. I *heart* Malaysia

Summer 2011 : Back to Korea

I wish my summer vacation was a little longer. Bounded by scholarship regulations, 1 month was only how long the duration that I can be back home. My journey back to Korea was interesting and I did bring more stuffs back than I had ever expected. I bought a travelling backpack in Malaysia, the big one you see when people go backpacking or hiking so I stuffed it with things that are fragile (such as cookies and lots of it) and heavy (so as to reduce the main luggage limit). ^^

Luckily after all these years working out, carrying more than 8 kilos on my back was still bearable. My main luggage (24.5 kilos) was actually nothing in particular - gifts for friends and some "bribe" to the pretty teachers (if there are any.. *stares*) in my department (Just joking lah!). Gifts for friends and some for myself. Of course, my laptop bag too. Since I often travel to Korea in and out, it's best to take advantage of the few loopholes if travelling by premium airlines (like the Malaysia Airlines).

Malaysia Airlines allows each passenger to take up to 20 kilos but somehow, it's stated 20 ~ 25 kilos. So it's okay to bring up to 25 kilos per trip. Budget airlines like AirAsia are all together a different story - bring only how heavy you are suppose to carry.

**

Sights around Penang Island



Penang Custom Office Building, built circa 1907



Ferry, preferred mode of transport before the Penang Bridge was built




Penang Bridge and the Betel Nut Tree ("Penang" was derived from the tree's name)



Penang High Court at night



Funfair is coming to town! - at Queensbay, Penang

My holiday in Malaysia was great. If I had more time, I would be able to do more things that I wouldn't even dream of in Korea. I always want to know how some swimmers would be able to dive underwater and jumping from the board (No time to learn this, unfortunately). I am curious to learn how they did it so I enrolled myself in a proper swimming class.

"Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks?..."

At first I thought I was already too old to learn but thankfully, with a helpful and very patient instructor, fueled with determination to learn and the couldn't care less attitude about drowning and so on- I finally did it! Yes! At first I was drinking chlorinated water all the time (maybe phobia.. phobia of depth.. :P) and really, it didn't feel nice when the water enters the nose like being stuffed with a flowing pipe. Ah... the bloop bloop bloop..

Anyway, finally able to go deep underwater and float up without using legs, unaided. Weird huh? The thing about most swimming classes are that they tend to focus only on swimming styles (such as breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke and butterfly) and not on how to swim/float when we have cramps in the leg or stomach. Highly recommended to find Mr. Neoh at Permata Swimming Court in Penang (if you are interested to learn from him)

Since I swim almost everyday (minus weekends) and was already exhausted by end of day, the vacation passed faster than I thought. Other than going out with friends and family, I cannot even recall how this vacation was over so quickly. Sigh.

**

We have many things we want to achieve in life. Henceforth, I try to make my university life something different from high school so as there can be more varieties in my somehow monotonous life. Contrary to popular belief that university and high school's life are totally different, it's almost the same (or maybe while I am in Korea). Here everything is about studies and only during free time, outdoor activities or hobbies can be done.

Though I'm not saying to neglect your studies but to be good at things we young adults are now ought to be now besides only studying. Maybe improving communication skills? or our social skills? or even be involved in sports? I have a short list of things I want to achieve, goals that I couldn't achieve during high school. One of it is participating in athletic track event. During high school, maybe because I was a bit unhealthy and it was impossible to even run and outbid any cikopek classmates. :P So secretly, I made it a goal to participate in track event one day and not getting last place anymore.

Guess what? I won 3rd placing in Inter University 400 m race!!!

**



Postcard from Penang

Where to eat in Penang, Malaysia? Penang State consists of an island (half the size of Singapore) and a large swath of land on the mainland. Since I am from the island, firstly any tourist should do when coming to Penang Island is to try the food and it's the Indian Muslim food - Nasi Briyani that I would recommend first besides the famous Penang Assam Laksa. The most mouth watering Nasi Briyani is at Kapitan restaurant next to Queensbay Mall. With a quarter tandoori chicken served with the uh la la briyani rice. It was heavenly..

Of Curry Mee for my belly at the Alley



KOMTAR tower



Along the lane for..



Curry Mee!

Chinese food? Nah. Okay, in my opinion, the best Penang Chinese food is still Curry Mee (PS. It's non halal). Instead of going to hotel or the Old Town restaurant serving expensive curry mee - Why not head to the stall by the street next to Kinowak School Uniform Supplier (I think the shop's name is somehow wrong) with KOMTAR building full in sight.

Meal by the sea

It was delicious but with no chunks of meat (only 2 meat balls), yet it's okay since it's fairly cheap (less than RM 3 or 1 USD per bowl). Over here I ordered the famous peanut soup. Tasted so-so but it was tasty the previous week. Also, do drop by at the restaurant next to Tarbush in Tanjung Bungah. They served excellent dishes with nice beach scenery.

**

My university semester will start again next Thursday. The feel of going back to classes is quite exciting. This time, I took all major subjects with no non-major classes in between to back me up with better results. :( Trying not to be pessimistic since this feel could spoil my day. Aiyah... Sup Sup Soi lah (Translation - Easy as peanuts *Was trying to be sarcastic*). Yet.. Nothing is impossible! 아싸!

Have a fabulous new semester!

비가 오는 날

"비가 오는 날에 우산 하나만.. 커피 마실 때 둘이 한장만..." :)



담주에 내 마지막 말레이시아에 있는 주 될건다
친구들 만나고 가족도 봐서 딱 돌아갈시간 오면 한국에 다시 갈까말까한다
아.. 왜 왜
많이 먹어도 조금 뚱뚱해져도 피부 어두워도 나 괜찮다

많이 먹는 이유는 내년에 아마 말레이시아에 다시 안 가서 다 먹으면 좋겠다
그리고 난 헬스장 자주 안 가서 조금 뚱뚱해졌다... 아 진짜 ㅋㅋ
한국에 돌아가면 꼭 열심히 운동하겠다!

사실 나 매일 운동했는데 걍 수영만 했다
아마 intensity 부족해서 칼로리도 많이 burn away 할수없다
이제 나의 피부생깔도 많이 변했다

수영 때문에 피부 많이 많이 어두워졌다! 참~
지금부터 "Black is the new black" 나의 새로운 motto!

내일 수강신청 있어서 만약에 인터넷 느리면..

인터넷... 너... 느리지마~

12 August 2011

호떡 (Hotteok) or Korean pancake is one of the many famous street food in Korea. However, it's actually quite difficult to make it at home even with the readily packed ingredients! (Oh well, this was my first time trying it)

Hotteok should really look like this (above) but when I tried making them, they turned out like that (below)

Yummy? Hehe. I followed the instructions but how come the dough can be so sticky? Hmmn...

The dark "over fried" thingy was actually the ingredients/sugary stuffing inside the dough (the size of my fist) but because it was too sticky, it came out when I tried to place the dough on the frying pan (the dough stuck on my hand -_-") .

Maybe I can't start a Korean restaurant in Malaysia unless someone likes eating "a little" over burned food. :P

You can try nice Hotteok in Seoul at Namdaemun (남대문), check out this link for personal guide there.

3 August 2011

Renewing a passport in Malaysia is said to be very easy. But after going to the immigration office today from my home (my home is not in the town area so it's far!), enduring traffic jams and skipping my lunch, all I get from them is "Tukar IC baru... (Change your identification card..)". What?

Okay.. Okay I gotta admit that my current Identification Card is an old one, I did not change it since I was a 11 years old kid. Sentimental reasons I guess. Lawl. I am now 21 years old but come on, can a person changes so much in 10 years?

Maybe my current 11 years old ID Card might be a little cuter than now. ^^ That's all! Well, I have 3 more weeks left in Malaysia (Time does really flies...) but passport renewal is still undone, and now, I'll be needing to replace my ID Card. Hmmn..

Curry mee? Ate. Nasi Lemak? Ate. Satay? Ate. Curry? Ate but left few more to be tasted at some mamaks. Laksa? The curry yellowish one, I think it's "lemak" and will try Penang famous Asam Laksa soon. Teowchew style Steam fish? Gotta have it asap! Can't find this kind of dish in Korea.

Ramli burger? Ate already but couldn't eat this anymore in future, too greasy. Tried McSundae Lime yesterday. In Korea, I can only find either chocolate or strawberry flavored (I think) McSundae but in Malaysia... Whoa...

Internet is as usual slow and it's a bit frustrating to be on the net so I did other things than going online. Nevertheless, I am not complaining. Maybe after staying in Korea and getting super fast internet access, people like me tend to wish for the best or at very least, the same service afforded to us back in Korea.