Hi Everybody, It has been a long time since I visit here, how is everybody? I just started a new food blog, please do drop by say hello here is my new blog add, hope to see you there! http://shiokoholic.com

About me

1. Who are you?
I am from Singapore, I moved to Sweden since 1998.
I have a small family of 4, me,my husband Mattias, my daughter Nelina and our cat Filippa (Who thinks that she´s a human being). We live a simple life at North Sweden in a small town call Skellefteå. I threw away my pair of city girl high heel to exchange for a pair of Swedish country boots. Right now,I am beginning to feel more comfortable with my boots and I hope that this boots will take me to next level of my life, a more meaningful one.


2. When & how did you end up in Sweden and how do you feel about living here?
My husband is a Swedish, I wanted to experience a different kind of life so we moved here. Moving to another country with very different culture is not easy. First I have to cope with my identity Cris's, sometimes ,I felt like I have to start my life from rock bottom. I need to learn to speak the language, it was my biggest handicap. I felt isolated,lonely,unstable and depressed from the beginning. I did not have any friends, job and driving license. I find it hard to fit in when meeting up with Swedish. Walking was my therapy, I do it when I was frustrate or feeling sad. The fresh clean air filled my lungs & clear my negative thoughts. I was so tired of being trapped with those negative energy and decided to do something about it.
I knew that the only way is by changing my way of thinking, that will eventually change my perspectives and actions. This will result in positive thinking & that´s what I want, a happier life!

3. Why are you doing this blog?
I do this as a therapy to release, I find it healthy for someone who live abroad and have different opinions. To write about my life in Sweden & establish my connections with Asia,my root. I like the ideas of taking life not too seriously, as life is short and too sweet to be bitter. I hope to set a footprint of my life in this blog so my daughter have memories of me and my thoughts. How know my life may expire tomorrow? I have strong interest for Asian food, jokes, news & TV programs, to me it is the gateway to my daily life. It´s also a perfect ways to keep in touch with other who have the same situations and interest.

4. What is the lifestyle different between Singapore and Sweden?
There are millions of differences. I will just name a few here,
1. It´s much easier for me to get a job I like in Singapore than here.
2. The lifestyle tempo, it´s more calm here.
3. I was used to a varieties of entertainments in Singapore. But I also enjoy what the nature offers me in Sweden.
4. They said the grass are always greener on the neighbours garden, I have learn that all grass are the same.
5. In term of food, its not easy to get genuine Asian ingredients here and it cost twice as much as too.
5. What do you miss about Singapore?
It´s unique culture, races free, warm people, good sense of humor,excellent food, Asian TV programs,singlish, shopping and entertainments.


6. What would you be doing now if you did not meet your husband & moved to Singapore?
Probably still single.

7. Favorite TV Program
Seinfeild - I like Jason Alexander , he played a perfected the role of George Kostanza in the hit show Seinfeld. Jason Alexander's irreverent humor helped keep the show going. Basically, this show about nothing. It was four friends who lived in New York City who just went about their everyday life, but in an odd and peculiar manner. They were always up to something.

8. Favorite Food
Fried kway teow, roti prata,korean grill,sushi,mee siam,satay,curry chicken dip with french roll, kambing soup,yong toa fu,fish porridge with yu tioa,hainanese chicken rice more...

Hi folks, It´s being ages since I last signed into my blogg. I am surprise by the numbers of fellowers here. Thanks for stopping by. It has been lots of up and down in my life over the past 1 years. I bet my midlife crisis did had a great impact on me, but I am still ALIVE! So what actually happened? I got divorced, my marriage was´nt working the way it should, so I ended it. Its a decision I had over the past 7 years and I did´nt had the courage to do it because I was afraid of my daughter not having a family, how is she going to cope with the seperation? How am I going to live in this country alone? How am I going to survive if I don´t have a job? Who can help me reading complicated swedish government letter? What kind of support can I get? What are my rights? What are people going to think? Am I out of my mind to leave a financially secured home and live on my own with job, family members and friends to support? My answer in No..because I believe that all thing happened for a reason. At that time, I think that I rather be alone then unhappy. I believe that God send us to learn the meaning of life and gave us the natural ability to survive . So what is the meaning of life for me? We do what makes us happy in life, we should give as often as we receive, we should treat others as how we would want to be treated and we live each day to the fullest and be grateful for the experiences given and created. We live only once..life is too precious to be unhappy. Right now I am working as a part time nursing assistant at the elderly service center. This job not only offers me the opportunities to help elderly people , other than the shitty work, the work so far still met my need to feel needed. I am living in a 2 bedroom apartment and my daughter live with me 2 weeks a month.

What can I say about minus 30 degree? Haaa...you can have tighter pores, red cheek, and burn more calories!!! And also you can use outdoor as your free freezer!!
How long can I stand being outside when it´s minus 30? I think the most 1 hour, with proper cloth and protections! I think the cold up in north Sweden is slightly different from South of Sweden. I heard it´s much colder when it´s minus 10 compare to here..because of the wind.
At this time of the year, it´s what the Swedish called "Grey period" as it usually are quite cold and not so bright. So it´s important to keep ourself busy with activities so we don´t think about the negative effect of the climate.
So far ,we seem to be lucky because it has been quite sunny for a few days now, hopefully the sun will bring out some light into people´s heart.

I am quite lucky because I have the opportunity to organize some fun events for the Language café. Like today, I set out a simple challenge for my café visitor with chopstick game. Some of them never even seen chopstick before and are so curious to learn. We really hit it off and had a wonderful time . Nothing motivate me more then to see the smile on people´s face..and they are merely just trying to do something at their best with full of enthusiasm!

I organized a valentine´s day craft event at the Language café today! Never had so much fun for a long time! I brought along with me some of the left over products I had in my ex-business. I can´t believed I had so much stuffs left! It´s good with this event so I can get rid of stuffs in which I dont need and at the same time made others happy! I really like my job, I get free hand to do & organized anything I desire..
I was so glad that the idea of this event are so well appreciated, this make me really glad! Here´s some memory of today at the Pyssel "Craft" session...

http://www.languagecafe.n.nu/valentinedaypyssel

I received some private emails from people asking me how I survived the winter here.
Well,honestly speaking, winter has´nt been one of my favourite season but I am begining to like it.
I noticed every year, I learned sometime about the season. I have spend 13 winter here in North Sweden..my family in Singapore consider I live in Artic circle ..it´s hard for them to imagine themself living here and I think it´s only normal reaction.
Living in this winter wonderland had been a life time experience for me. So far I experience minus 37 degree, I am proud I survived that and it´s a really specialy experience. Imagine if you have a wet eye lash,you can not close your eyes when you are outdoor, because if you closed it your lashes will get frozen and you might not be able to open it!

Also when you breathing in & out, the warm air from your mouth combine the extreme cold air and form ice around your hair and if you have a mustach or beard..you probaly look like Santa after half hour walking.
My mum often said "If you live in a enviroment you did´nt like, learn to like it!" I think I could like Sweden after a while because there are many wonderful activities I could get experience from, like cross-country ski, dog sledging ice fishing, frozen lake bath, drag racing, riding scooter, hiking or simply lying on snow on a madarrass enjoying the sun!

The only way to experience this is to come and feel it yourself. To some people who not used to the cold, I sugguest you visit north Sweden in March because that is the most sunniest month of the winter season.
Unlike other tropical country, I think winter in Sweden for Asian can be very challenging, everything seem to take it own sweet time and will eventually land on it´s position ..it´s just a matter of time!

Just wanna send my new year greeting to all my Asian reader "Gong Xi Fa Chye" May this new year bring you good health, prosperity, laughters and all your dream come true!!!
It´s been 4 years since I last celebrate Chinese New year with my family. I really miss my family and friend in Singapore a lot and I hope to be able to be home the next Chinese New Year!
I am still very happy that