From Sydney to Tokyo - Shopping, Grocery-ing, Convenience Shop(-ping)

Coming from SEA country, then lived in Oceania for almost 4 years, and now relocating to Asia for a year. It is quite an experience I shall say and I just got lost as in culture shock or reverse culture shock then reverse culture shock again. Well, like you can see, I am FonCused. ^^

Just want to share and jot down my discovery :)

Shopping, Grocery-ing, Convenience Shop(-ping)

Shopping day is everyday including weekends! Unlike Sydney, despite weekends, departmental store just close as usual, like 5-6pm. Even though there is late night shopping on Thursday night, I doubted that I will walk around since I still need to work on the next day. So yeah, in Tokyo, weekends are just pack with people, from stores to public transport, which this is the bit I missed about home, yet can’t really adapt to it (because I used to the slow paced moment while in Sydney).

#100 Appreciation: You (And Me)

Well, if I address 'You', I sound so confident, since I expected 'You' as readers came to my blog and follow my post, which almost certain, this is not the case.

So, I end up thanking myself, for really committing is this despite that this is unrelated to academics or jobs and I still commit in completing this, without any return. So, I end up thanking myself for constantly doing this. I do run out of ideas at times, and I had delayed numerous time on the post, yet contemplate to complete what I have started.

I take pride in my principle despite that I am 'suffering' by it by starting too many things at once. Being capable in doing this, eg, joining 100 Days Project and keep up within the 100 days for 100 Appreciations, 100 blogposts, is a great achievements. Although I hope that I can drive some traffic to my site as well :)

One thing out of the bucket list then!

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#99 Appreciation: Malaysia

*Ignore politics*

A place rich with culture, resources and food.
We have great delicacies, dances, celebrations, languages and also a fusion of everything. Is just the unique scenario and experience to have. No one can understand "Eh Kawan, jom Dinner kat restaurant ABC, dai kor kata tu ho jiak", if you are not one of them or staying long enough to understand the 'languages'

Is a great place to stay with, with different ethnicity friends, hanging out together, learning each other languages, eating each other traditional home-cook meals, celebrating each other festivals... Is just a colourful journey!

The sad fact she is being gradually 'destroyed' by those who are ruling her...

p/s: The death of 8 years old Yemen girl on her wedding night with her 40 years old husband news is a heated topic lately. To add on, I just feel glad that I am not born in that sort of society and I am healthily raised by my beloved family today.

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#98 Appreciation: Family

I am thankful to have all my family members with living healthily and share my life journey with me, especially I am not prepare enough to face any 'separation', although often or not, is not one's call.

Besides my parents and siblings, I have plenty of aunts and uncles, and I specially felt for my single aunt, who has treated me and my brother as if we are her kids. She hardly resist our request, and she always is the one who fulfil our wishes. Sounds like Santa isn't? There is another well-to-do uncle, who treat us like buddy every time we meet. We always tease him, and ask him to buy us dinner (somehow he know all the great food places). Also, all charming cousins I have.

To extend the family range, I also grateful to have such nice grandparents, who gave birth to our parents and brought them up after all the struggles, before the country gain independence. Also, treat us much better than how they raise our parents (much stricter of course) :)

Love all of you~~

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#97 Appreciation: Children

Got this 'Appreciation' from my mum.

She told me she is thankful to have children (me I assumed XD) although she has went through all those hard times and even has the post effect of going through operations. It has been a wonderful journey, raising kids and witnessing them growing and become a person with reliable and independent character, a citizen of the world. Not to forget the laughter and 'speechless' moment throughout the experiences, the ups and downs, yet it is a life journey worth having.

I love you as always too mum! Thanks for bringing me to this world :)

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#96 Appreciation: Job

I used to dream of being a billionaire, a philosopher,  a Nobel prize winner, an author etc...

Coming back to reality, it is never easy to get that dream job. Too many people shared the same dream, and depending on your location, your presentation, your luck etc.

Living abroad and to secure a job (especially to secure a relevant job) is not as simply as ABC. It requires extensive hard work and to be mentally prepared for not being treated the same as the rest. I used rule out the job that is non-relevant to my background since I have faith in my capabilities and achievements. Like mentioned, we are at many disadvantages by simply based on the fact that we are not residents (although we would like to be one) and begin to accept whatever offer as time passed.

I found one job after 1.5 years and I appreciate the job opportunity although it might not being highly valued by the people, yet it enables me to earn a living and surviving within my needs, also, learning something totally new that I have never thought before :)

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#95 Appreciation: Security Task Force

As in police, detective, solider, security personnel etc...

I salute their bravery, their sense of justice (might not applicable to all stated) and their hard work. Their job is never simple, is physically and mentally consuming job and what I appreciate them the most is the fact that they have chosen to place their life at the front line when dealing with the "villains".

Thanks guys! It might not be voluntary for all, but the fact that you have being trained and armed with "weapons" and own a duty of care to the public, is something worth grateful for.

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#94 Appreciation: Motivations

A motivations is just like wishes, a sincere encouragements can empower you to go the extra miles in the path you pursuing to attain that goal that you desired.

Motivations can be from a praise, a comfort, a simple text message, a short call, a FB message... Simple thing that one could have done without knowing the impact, the strength and the vibe that one has transferred.

It reflects that how influential one can be and it also reveals who are your friends that stand by your side. Never belittle the power of a compliments, consolation or a few taps on shoulder, it could simply direct the negative flow away :)

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#93 Appreciation: Tears

I never thought of tears as something to appreciate. Never thought of it.

But recently, I have bear too much of stress and pressure, my sense of responsibility took over my priorities in life, causing me to focus so much on the things that I held responsible to rather than what's important in my current stage of life.

I need a channel to release it, but not sure how. I have been grumbling/talking to friends, experiencing the crave for food etc... Nothing really help much. Until the time where I relaxed myself, watching a random dramas and variety shows, and I started tearing out of the blue. Is not that the shows are too funny or overly touching, I bet is just at that point of time, I am not that tense and all the tears and sweats that I held back was finally release...

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#92 Appreciation: The Present

Past - A paint in your life journey that last forever.

Present - A scenery that you are looking at.

Future - A daunting/exciting/adventurous/uncertain/forward-looking thoughts

I like the example that someone told me before. "Who you are today is not determine by your past, but is your future that determines who you are today. For example, after days of working, you booked a tour and you are so hype up when the tour date gets nearer because you are looking forward to the trip! However, during the tour, you dont fully enjoy yourself because you keep counting the remaining tour days and dont feel enthusiastic anymore because you are going back to your routine."

I was pretty astonish when I heard that 'theory', and couldnt against that because it is somewhat a fact. Then, one simple thing that pop up into my mind... During the present, the simplest (yet the most difficult thing to do) is to be satisfy with what I have today and what makes me today. At this time, this moment, I decide what I feel, what I think and what I do.

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#91 Appreciation: Confidence

Confidence and trust are inseparable. When people have faith and trust me, it will boost up my confidence in being who I am today. Confidence is a part of me that still need to be improved. I cant help but keep thinking the hurtful past that made me collapse and confidence is the thing that I am slowly recovering.

I admire people who can ignore the society perception, because they trust their capability. Not that I dont believe in myself, is just that at times, I will have self-doubt and start thinking all those energy-consuming thoughts. Is good to reflect during the doubting process, it needs to be limited so that one wont over-thinking it.

When one has the confidence, he or she will portray a better image leading to more trust being laid on them. Is a whole cycle thing, and I shall think less and BELIEVE in myself just like my friends have in me. ^^

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#90 Appreciation: Fears

I hate fear, and I really do. I dislike the fact that because of fear I dont get to achieve what I want in mind.

A quote from TinyBuddha.com, one of things to be grateful in life is fear, because:

So you know your opportunities for growth

I agree to it, and why is it so is because we should view it from a more positive sense that fears can be an indication on what one is lacking in. We might not be a perfect being in life, but one thing for sure, when we can overcome the fears we had, we will experience additional joyful moment and improve who we are today.

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#89 Appreciation: Happiness

To me, most of my happiness derive from food! Oh well, although this is not the case.

But it made me realized that small little thing in life can simple cheer one up, is up to how a person perceive things as well as the desire of getting/achieving it.

Why food? Simple thing being able to order the food that I want when dining with parents' friend, being able to get the drink that I long as part of the staff meal, being able to grab additional piece of my favourite cookies when sharing with friends...

Happiness is priceless, and most of the time it wont cost much if we can think from a different perspective. Success built on efforts, happiness built on mind/way of thinking.

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#88 Appreciation: Teachers

Teachers, especially those who deals with juniors and adolescence, are those equipped with strong mind and enormous amount of patience. They are the one who add on value to the patch we chosen and to guide us through with their knowledge and expertise. I never thought that teachers can have such impact on one's life, until I reflect and discover that who I am today is a result of my teachers faith in me.

When I was the class monitor, I was strict about the rules and always written down the name of the students who chat. I was so strict and “heartless” that portion of my classmates dislike me and complain to the homeroom teacher about it. Yet, my homeroom teacher back me up saying that "She is the class monitor, and she has the duty to make sure the class in quiet when teachers are not around. If everyone is whispering, the accumulated whisper will then become noise.". This incident made me has the strong feeling to carry out my duty in order, despite that people may dislike what I am doing. (Well, we cant please everyone in life dont we?)

Another incident is when my language teacher acknowledged my creativity via my indifferent style of writing during an essay writing competition. Because of her, I have more confidence in my creative writings and believe that I could express my view although it will be indifferent from the rest (and being against by the judging panel.)

There is always negative incidents after the positive ones - including politics and favouritism. Yet I believe due to these "lessons" and faith instil in me, I have became who I am today, a better person today.

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#87 Appreciation: Mind (Brain)

Being able to judge right or wrong (although it is ambiguous when it comes to ethics), to evaluate options, to remember, to control, to think, to express, to imagine, to calculate.....

It is one of the greatest "power" that we could get, and our brain being developed in a way that is so much stronger than most of the living creature in this world. Never belittle someone because one might not be as good as another in a certain aspect, and I believe that no one is nobody. We are definitely able to ace in one field. It could be the creativity side, or the maths, or the logical, or the analytical thinking etc.

It is the 'soul' of one living in this world ^^

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#86 Appreciation: The World (of Earth)

The world, is a mysterious 'thing' in 'life'.

Mother Nature, flora and fauna. 3 unique elements existed in the world (in this context - Earth).

How do they come about? I am always curious about this. Yet, no one can answer? Besides saying that is God's creation... Is like the universe, Big Bang theory? Who can verify? We only deduce..

P/s: My mum mentioned that I keep over-thinking, that's the reason why I always stress out. Thinking "nonsense" she said. Am I? Just appreciating the mysterious and the secrecy about our existence. LOL

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#85 Appreciation: Pair of Legs

Like my hand post, same appreciation goes to having a pair of legs.

I am much fortunate as compare to Nick Vujicic physically, but mentally he is much better than I am. I am grateful that with my legs, I am able to walk freely, run happily (well, not really, dislike running >.<), and jump madly. I have no issue with stairs, narrow lanes, bumpy road etc. It is just a pleasure to being able to lead a life with convenience.

And my absolute respect to those who overcome such difficulties in life!

Like man says, an ordinary life is a happy life.

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#84 Appreciation: Pair of Hands

I have my 2 normal hands "attached" on me since I am born :)
Thanks to my mum and my dad too for the normal genes.

Without this pair of hands, life will be tough. Is a fact, and it will then challenge my mind and soul to keep my life moving forward. Is not impossible, but though. Real tough. At times, I pity my hands and fingers... "Abuse" by myself, chipping nails, paper cuts, callus (from the extreme amount of writing) and all the cutting injuries, due to my un-feminism in dealing with kitchen stuff.

Like robot, hands just ease my life -- handling, writing, eating, cooking, bloging, washing whatever! Nothing I can do without them!

Sorry for the constant torture guys!

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#83 Appreciation: Shoes & Socks

I thought I love the cold air when comparing with the heat.. But as mentioned in my electric blanket post, not long ago I just realized that I prefer heat > cold.

I guess, is human guts feeling/intuition when come to self protection. Never can recall who invented shoes or socks, but I am relieved that such "thing" exist when I was born (what happen if I born in stone age etc? Hmmm). The capability of keeping me feet warm is depending on the materials, yet one thing for sure, these are the gadgets that have been protecting our feet from "harm", be it the rocky road or the slimy organism.. (euwww).

They let us walk freely (in a way...) ^^

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#82 Appreciation: Babies

Babies are like a piece of white cloth. White cloth that is ready to grow and discover the colourful world.
Pure and innocent. Greed for air once they born and no one can stop them from crying out loud. Is just a fascinating moment. Not to forget, mum's struggle and hardship while delivering the baby.

They symbolize hope, energy, new, youth, future... And they always react directly, being honest and true to themselves. Silently observing the surrounding and absorbing like a huge piece of sponge. That's the reason why adults need to be wary about the happenings around the baby. Babies never fail to remind me about the positive hope about being living as well as the greatness of parents to bring them to life and educate them as they grow.

Btw, arent all babies are such adorable that none of us can resist? Their sweet, cute, chubby, lil 'thing' does not fail to cheer me up (well, not when they are crying >.<)

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