decisions

I do not think I am any good example in making thought through and responsible decisions.

However, who decided what decisions are good or bad?

And what it really means "responsible decisions"?

Well whenever I want to find out about something, I jump straight into it. It is not like I am not afraid. I am, I am panicking like anyone else or maybe even more than others because I know myself and I know I am going to try it, I am going to do it. My curiosity won't let me just leave it.

As anyone I get enthusiastic about million things, why I choose one of them above the other is hard to say, but I do not fear difficulties that come with any change.

Being ready for difficulties it is not enough, the most frightening is that I have to decide on one particular path. Choosing one means missing out on others, or does it?

Obviously I am afraid of choices I make now, I do not want to regret anything when I am older. One thing I am really afraid of is that I will be grumpy and frustrated... That is a huge pressure.

But following all the possible paths means you follow none.

So what I try to do is to take risks, follow some paths and abandon others. Sometimes I am following certain path just to prove that it wasn't the right one. Sometimes I even know it won't be my path, but still I try it just to be sure, just to not regret I haven't check it out. It might seem chaotic to some people but I try to think 'who cares'.

No one can make choice without feeling afraid. Even not making any decision because of lack of courage is a decision.

I believe that our brain is very powerful machine and it can analyze way more than we aware of, so I just listen to my subconscious part of brain, an "intuition". For some of you it might be following your heart, or listening to your soul, or to God, no mater how you call that wisdom voice I would recommend listening to it. I just think it is easy to over think stuff, so sometimes is better to just be spontaneous, or just sleep on it and see what seem right in the morning.

About big decisions well as long as you know what you want, and you aim to achieve it then eventually you will see that whole world bends, flexes, and curves to make a crazy path to get to your dream.

Decisions are even harder if you have to take another person into equation, well it is harder if you respect that person's freedom. But this one is a whole different topic called love.

As I said I am not the best in decision making, but I think I do what I can to cross out from equation things that I do not want to do. And I think the times when it went wrong taught me something, because nothing is ever completely wrong.

I was inspired to write this post by the book I am still reading "Brida", I am terribly slow reader, and of course by a big danish chocolate pound cake (very fatty, a bit salty and very very chocolate'ish). 

A good cake is a necessity whenever you have to be a bit philosophical.

bus stories 1

8:00 am

I am in a bus towards university 

Bus is approaching a bus stop, and there is a girl a bit late for it... she saw a bus and started to run. Not very fast run but in my eyes impressive enough for such a early morning. She made it, we all felt like clapping our hands... well maybe just me... but she made something that killed my enthusiasm, she took the last smoke and through the cigarette she apparently was running with on the ground !? I wish she didn't, I wish I felt like clapping my hands and saying 'good job girl' and think that red cheeks add beauty to anyone... She stole it from me, not very nice of her, I think...

Anyway, it is quite cold here 10°C, but sunny and pretty! 

It is going to be a good good day :)

Pakistani culture in Malaysia

Working with Pakistani boys in Malaysia gave me an opportunity to learn a bit about their culture. I am very grateful for that.

Very  quickly Biryani became my favorite dinner dish.
Biryani is a rise with ginger sauce and red chicken baked on fire!
Mniam!
(there are many versions of Biryani but generally its rise is fried or cooked separately from a thick sauce)

In one of cafeterias around the Universiti Teknologi Petronas one can get very nice Pakistani breakfast. It is very filling, and oily, but I like it a lot.

Cafeteria.

As a change to Malaysian Nasi Lamak I got to like also Pakistani food for breakfast.

Breakfast.

I got a present from a friend from Karachi, Pakistan. A modern version of traditional Pakistani outfit Kurti made by Sheep.

I have worn my Kurti to university, because after hours we planned to eat Raya dinner together with other students and professors from my department (Raya at university).

I have used my friend's scarf as dupatta, I wear it across shoulders which is a typical way of wearing it. One can easily wear Kurti as a shirt over jeans - and that is what I did.

A useful tip (that is probably only new to me) how to wash clothes like cotton Kurti. First of all hand wash, second of all if after washing you realize some unevenness in coloring then add a bit of vinegar to the next washing.

last day in Malaysia

My last day in Malaysia I went shopping for souvenirs in Kuala Lumpur. I was very lucky that it was the Independence Day of Malaysia (31st of August).

My backpack was bigger than me... Generally my luggage was much heavier than allowed, had to ask for mercy to take my books back to Europe without paying 1000MYR fee. Thank you Malaysia for great 2 months!! :D

juices to try in Malaysia

I have tried a lot of different drinks in Malaysia that I have never tried before.

Bandung - milk flavored with rose syrup - very sweet but nice with a lot of ice, pink in color.

Jagung - milk flavored with corn syrup - as for me way too sweet, orange in color.

Sirap - just a rose syrup.

WARNING! Never take them without a lot of ice! They just way to sweet for that.

Teh - tea is mostly served with sweet condensed milk, can be hot or cold. Also very sweet.

In Malaysia they like to add different fruits or seeds or jellies to their water or teh or juice or soda.

Some of my favorites are:

(1)
Rose Lemon Iced Tea from La Kaffa! I even liked the jellies they add to it: black balls and long white stripes.

(2)

Barli (eng. barley) - hot water with barley, lime and sugar - perfect for cooling down not only on hot days but also when you catch a fever.

(3)

A great drink is also a watermelon juice with lychee or longan fruits.

~~~~~~~

WARNING: Fresh orange juice might also come as a surprise. It is mostly not pressed but blended orange, only one per glass, with a lot of water, ice and sugar. But if you ask nicely you might get two oranges and no sugar, but it might not happen... no need to get angry just try again next time.

Generally it seems like there is no amount of sugar in Malaysia that could make a drink to sweet for them, but I couldn't enjoy some of drinks because of it.

My tip is that wherever you go ask for NO Additional SUGAR. Your drink will be crazy sweet no matter what but you might avoid a heart attack.

 Also pick you jellies wisely because some of them are very sweet, as for me way to sweet.

~~~~~~~~

And here are some commercial products worth trying:

Generally any drink you get in Malaysia if it should be cold drink it very cold, because went it will get warm... and it can get warm very fast in Malaysia it will be same awful experience as drinking warm coca cola.

~~~~~~~

When I came back to Denmark from Malaysia I found a small surprise in 7Eleven. 

Bubble drinks came to Europe. 

Nice, but still nothing comparing to the choice of fun stuff one can add to drink in Malaysia!

Durian

Durian is commonly know as King of the Fruits in Malaysia. And it is in season now, so one can get it everywhere.

They not easy to open, because it has very sharp thorns.

Durian is very milky, sweet and sometimes has a bitter after taste. Its most unique feature is a horrible smell. When it is fresh it is not so bad, but if it lays for an hour the smell is very strong. And if you burp it seems like you dead or rotten inside.

I have tried two types one mild and second one more aromatic.

If you eat to much of durian you can get a fever so it is adviced to drink a lot of water.

It is claimed to be an aphrodisiac.

To wash the smell off your hands it is best to put the skin of durian under the stream of water.

mango steen

Mango steen is in season now. Sweet and sour in taste. Be careful while peeling because peel can color your skin.

Except of name it is nothing like a mango.

It look like garlic but the taste is completely different.