- Posted by Dave using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Singapore
Friday, 28 January 2011
Going native....
Had a very 'Asian' day today; mandarin revision and exam in the morning followed by an excellent Chinese New Year lunch with ERM Singapore; 3.5 hour Kengso puja at KMC; a big Chinese New Year dinner with Michelle's family and now finishing the day with a strong cup of pu-er. All told, an excellent day but itching to hit the road - still waiting for our Russian visa and kicking our heels...
- Posted by Dave using BlogPress from my iPad
- Posted by Dave using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Respectful
I was taken back recently by how people can be unkind to one another due to their belief. In my quest of knowledge in Buddhism, I was constantly being reminded compassion is the key. If you have no compassion, you will have no respect for others.
Here, I like to share a quote that I have heard from a China journalist who quoted a monk about having respect for other:
" it is not a matter of who you believe but what you believe. Spiritual Guides, regardless of from which religion or which sect of the religion, are like our parents, who have only love and kindness for us. So other people's spiritual guide are like their parents. We do not go around crititizing other people parents. We will respect them as whom they are, despite the fact that we may not believe everything that they teach. So why do we go around and dislike other people spiritual guide. We should act according to what we have learnt - be kind and compassionate to all irregardless of whom they believe."
I looked around and see the dispute around the world and find that the most meaningless is the war arise due to different religion. So sad. So many innocent life killed. So many people suffering.
If only, we could really take the above quote to heart, then maybe one day there will be peace on earth.
Mich
Here, I like to share a quote that I have heard from a China journalist who quoted a monk about having respect for other:
" it is not a matter of who you believe but what you believe. Spiritual Guides, regardless of from which religion or which sect of the religion, are like our parents, who have only love and kindness for us. So other people's spiritual guide are like their parents. We do not go around crititizing other people parents. We will respect them as whom they are, despite the fact that we may not believe everything that they teach. So why do we go around and dislike other people spiritual guide. We should act according to what we have learnt - be kind and compassionate to all irregardless of whom they believe."
I looked around and see the dispute around the world and find that the most meaningless is the war arise due to different religion. So sad. So many innocent life killed. So many people suffering.
If only, we could really take the above quote to heart, then maybe one day there will be peace on earth.
Mich
Being Vegetarian
It has been almost 2 years since we decided to embark on the journey of becoming a vegetarian. Inspired by our faith, encouraged by our children, we became a flexitarian in the summer of 2009.
Flexitarian is where one who choose vegetarian dish over meat when there is a choice, but when there is no choice then one shall not fuss and eat whatever is available. This was a wise choice for someone with a love for meat.
We started with just being vegetarian at home. It was easy to do so as Seoul offers many kinds of fresh vegetable, tofu, beans etc. However, eating out became a challenge. There are not many vegetarian restaurents in Seoul, and vegetable dishes are mainly offered as a condiment dish to a meat main course.
In Seoul, vegetarian are being questioned as it is not a norm thing to do. Korean become a vegetarian due to religion or to detox. Older generation believed that meat provide certain nutrient that vegetable does not. Most korean food, even kimchi, uses meat during their preparation.
It was frustrating at that time, but looking back, it was fun and at least now we could say," I am vegetarian. Please take out the meat." in Korean very fluently. There were a lot to learn in the process, how to be patient in trying to explain that we don't eat meat and that include all animals not just beef. How to not take pride that we are vegetarian, ie. thinking we got more compassion than others. How to patiently understand that others do not understand why we chose the path we are on. Most importantly, how to not get frustated when we get meat in our order.
When we finally got back to Singapore, we were delighted to find so many vegetarian options. Mock meat, local dishes made with just vegetable... It made me feel like we are not missing out at all. Food is a big incentive for a Sinagproean.
However, there were still obstacles whereby my mum could not understand why we have become vegetarian, as if we were trying to be diffcult. We have to resist all the delicious temptation of the food that we used to eat, especially when they are available everywhere. Like any journey, it is easy to stray from the original intention.
I must thank all of those who have helped us on the way....and those who have challenged us. Today, I am glad to say it is not hard to be a vegetarian.
I see a lot of benefits of not paying so much attention on what I put in my mouth but at the same time be mindful of what I put in my mouth. And NO, I don't miss eating meat.
There were times when we 'fall off the wagon' and had meat. But fortunately,these days are getting less and few. In a week, it will be the first proper Chinese New Year that we are going to celebrate since becoming a vegetarian, I am curious to see how it turns out... ...finger crossed.
Flexitarian is where one who choose vegetarian dish over meat when there is a choice, but when there is no choice then one shall not fuss and eat whatever is available. This was a wise choice for someone with a love for meat.
We started with just being vegetarian at home. It was easy to do so as Seoul offers many kinds of fresh vegetable, tofu, beans etc. However, eating out became a challenge. There are not many vegetarian restaurents in Seoul, and vegetable dishes are mainly offered as a condiment dish to a meat main course.
In Seoul, vegetarian are being questioned as it is not a norm thing to do. Korean become a vegetarian due to religion or to detox. Older generation believed that meat provide certain nutrient that vegetable does not. Most korean food, even kimchi, uses meat during their preparation.
It was frustrating at that time, but looking back, it was fun and at least now we could say," I am vegetarian. Please take out the meat." in Korean very fluently. There were a lot to learn in the process, how to be patient in trying to explain that we don't eat meat and that include all animals not just beef. How to not take pride that we are vegetarian, ie. thinking we got more compassion than others. How to patiently understand that others do not understand why we chose the path we are on. Most importantly, how to not get frustated when we get meat in our order.
When we finally got back to Singapore, we were delighted to find so many vegetarian options. Mock meat, local dishes made with just vegetable... It made me feel like we are not missing out at all. Food is a big incentive for a Sinagproean.
However, there were still obstacles whereby my mum could not understand why we have become vegetarian, as if we were trying to be diffcult. We have to resist all the delicious temptation of the food that we used to eat, especially when they are available everywhere. Like any journey, it is easy to stray from the original intention.
I must thank all of those who have helped us on the way....and those who have challenged us. Today, I am glad to say it is not hard to be a vegetarian.
I see a lot of benefits of not paying so much attention on what I put in my mouth but at the same time be mindful of what I put in my mouth. And NO, I don't miss eating meat.
There were times when we 'fall off the wagon' and had meat. But fortunately,these days are getting less and few. In a week, it will be the first proper Chinese New Year that we are going to celebrate since becoming a vegetarian, I am curious to see how it turns out... ...finger crossed.
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Planning
Decided on the full route - Singapore trans Siberian to the UK. Russian visa takes about 10 working days and requires exact entry and departure dates and details of accommodation, Lao visa we can pick up on entry (at certain border crossings from Thailand), Mongolian visa only takes a day or two but it takes six working days to apply for a transit visa for Belarus. Looks like our departure from Singapore will be mid February. Planning continues...
Friday, 21 January 2011
Round Two...
Having secured a new passport for San San more quickly than anticipated we are now preparing for our second trip and trying to decide whether to travel overland all the way from Singapore to London on the trans Siberian train (spending most of our time in China) or just to travel overland to China then fly to the UK. It’s Dave’s mums birthday in May so we need to be there for that. A lot will be depend on the ease of getting visa for Mongolia and Russia and the cost comparison between the train and the plane… watch this space for. Either way, we plan to be out of Singapore early Feb and not back here until the summer…
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Back in Singapore
From Lijiang to Singapore, we stayed in Dali for Christmas and Kunming for flight departure. All along, we stayed in hostels. That made me feel like I was a student again. Ha...
Before we knew it, time has passed and we are in Singapore doing Tara puja for the New Year.
Singapore is cool in this period, with predictable monsoon rain every afternoon. I think we have all missed its weather and rejoice in only wearing T-shirt. Here, we shall stay for another month because we have to wait for San-San new passport.
At the moment we are still not sure where we are going but I think we are certain we shall be on the road again. At least to make our way to UK for spring festival.
Dave has developed a keen interest in learning mandarin. I am happy coz I think it is a process of learning to be humble, to accept other culture and language.
Singaporean take pride in knowing many tongues, but we are losing touch with the cultures and respect for it. I hear people complaining about there being too many mainland Chinese, My new found love.
I grow up in an environment where I was told Mainland chinese are greedy and dirty. I cannot dispute that there was a dislike in me for them, to that extent that I think being oversea Chinese i am far more superior than them. Of course, I change every moment. As I get close to Buddhism I find my view to broaden, these negtive veiws fall away and my dearest spiritual teacher teaches us to see from a different angle. For that, I am grateful.
Today, Dave reminded me about my quest to learn about the Chinese in the beginning of my trip. I smile coz the Chinese holds a dear place in my heart. For who they are, they reminded me of my father who passed away when I was fourteen. How can I have disrespect for my fathers.
Then I remember what Geshe-la keeps telling us- all sentient being were our mothers! I believe I can feel a little of that now.
- Posted by using BlogPress from my iPhone
Before we knew it, time has passed and we are in Singapore doing Tara puja for the New Year.
Singapore is cool in this period, with predictable monsoon rain every afternoon. I think we have all missed its weather and rejoice in only wearing T-shirt. Here, we shall stay for another month because we have to wait for San-San new passport.
At the moment we are still not sure where we are going but I think we are certain we shall be on the road again. At least to make our way to UK for spring festival.
Dave has developed a keen interest in learning mandarin. I am happy coz I think it is a process of learning to be humble, to accept other culture and language.
Singaporean take pride in knowing many tongues, but we are losing touch with the cultures and respect for it. I hear people complaining about there being too many mainland Chinese, My new found love.
I grow up in an environment where I was told Mainland chinese are greedy and dirty. I cannot dispute that there was a dislike in me for them, to that extent that I think being oversea Chinese i am far more superior than them. Of course, I change every moment. As I get close to Buddhism I find my view to broaden, these negtive veiws fall away and my dearest spiritual teacher teaches us to see from a different angle. For that, I am grateful.
Today, Dave reminded me about my quest to learn about the Chinese in the beginning of my trip. I smile coz the Chinese holds a dear place in my heart. For who they are, they reminded me of my father who passed away when I was fourteen. How can I have disrespect for my fathers.
Then I remember what Geshe-la keeps telling us- all sentient being were our mothers! I believe I can feel a little of that now.
- Posted by using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Singapore
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