tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15150965398018954662024-02-19T06:57:59.484+01:00Mei Mei's Language JourneyTaking you along my journey to being a polyglot. Raised in the Netherlands by a Chinese father, living together with a Vietnamese boyfriend while studying Japanese.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-36079023019468848942015-11-20T12:30:00.000+01:002015-11-20T12:31:02.829+01:00❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ Weird fashion trends in China ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ Beansprouts, square dogs and more<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know what you're thinking; Japan is supposed to number one on unusual fashion trends and yes, I agree. That doesn't mean we can easily ignore all the other not-so-common-looking fashion trends happening around the world. It would be a shame to not enjoy them since some of them are so much fun. What actually triggered me to write this post is my auntie. It was when we skyped recently that I discovered one of these unusual fashion trends since she told me about it. It all started with my auntie saying; Mei Mei there are people around walking with leaves on their heads!!<br />
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<b><i>Sprout hairpin </i></b><br />
Uh, excuse me? You're probably wondering about my auntie's well being now and if she needs any help with her mental issues. However, a new trend has risen in China; the sprouting flower hairpins. Or floral hairpins, grass pins or whatever you like to call them. This fashion trend focuses on little hairpins which you can hide in your hair creating the 'i'm growing a plant out of my head' look. I'm not kidding. According to my auntie it's starting with the up rise of a cartoon character which has a little pea shoot growing out of is head. Now since they gained popularity they are seen everywhere! Women, men and kids are wearing them on a daily basis to add some cuteness into their lives. At first I thought it was funny as well, but the more I see them the cuter they look! If you do a quick search on Taobao (the Chinese equivalent of Ebay) or Aliexpress you can find them for really cheap prices as low as $0.09 (depending if you want just the sprout or the whole flower included). Even famous Kpop star Gdragon was captured by this cute antenna sprout while doing a tour in China with his group Big Bang. He recently posted a picture of him wearing the hair clips with a caption saying; <i>you like?</i> After this I think it won't take long for the trend to spread to Korea. At least you have to admit they are much more original than those overrated bohemian flower crowns.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAczvarkjeONsf29bgWt1hGHsvi0GMPV-eyGZhyj9yMW5Gg9nrJSUvCdfABOTmuaKYO71ZUty62NOcwboQ3KjS7H584WcywDDO7dGq0mwVbN4Urwyr-fEe5UhkHfsqU1nn7tsrF-uDgXQ/s1600/dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAczvarkjeONsf29bgWt1hGHsvi0GMPV-eyGZhyj9yMW5Gg9nrJSUvCdfABOTmuaKYO71ZUty62NOcwboQ3KjS7H584WcywDDO7dGq0mwVbN4Urwyr-fEe5UhkHfsqU1nn7tsrF-uDgXQ/s400/dog.jpg" width="253" /></a><br />
<b><i>Pet grooming</i></b><br />
Not only humans can enjoy China's weirdest trends, pets too! If you think washing your dog and taking him for a simple grooming session is good enough think again! Girls (and guys too!) are taking pet grooming to the next level by making them look like wild animals such as tigers, panda's and lions. If you want to go a little less extreme I would suggest the 'round cut' this particular cut is very popular with toy poodles and other fluffy dogs making sure every body part (especially the head) of the animal is cut in a round shape making the dogs look insanely cute. After the round look, the square look popped up. Giving dogs (you guessed it) a square looking haircut. If you want to try this look on your dog it will probably gain you a lot of likes on Instagram according to the pet owners. However it does take a lot of maintenance. If you're wondering what's next? Triangular cut? I'm not sure, maybe the Chinese will take the wild animal cut to next level.<br />
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These are just two crazy examples. How about doing a quick Google search on the Face-kini, bagel heads or anti-rape hair stockings. I wish I was kidding but I'm not. If you are in for a laugh try searching them! Tell me if you found anything funny~!<br />
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~ mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-65448709030629768992015-10-26T12:04:00.000+01:002015-10-26T12:04:34.817+01:00Happy Halloween! - Creepy Japanese folktales and legends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since it's almost Halloween I couldn't post this next month. In this post I will share three creepy Japanese urban legends with you so you can entertain your guests on your Halloween party. Please decide for yourself if they are suitable for your audience. If you guys are interested I'll make another post with my top 3 (or top 5, or 10) Asian movies to watch this Halloween. If you would like me to post this just send me a message. Now let's turn the lights off!<br />
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<b><i>Teke Teke</i></b><br />
Japan is famous for many good things but unfortunately also for it's high suicide rates. Although you have many possibilities to commit suicide, it is said that Teke Teke san jumped in front of a oncoming subway leaving her body cut in half. I'm not entirely sure if she was upset because her suicide attempt didn't really work out or because she looked kind of unappealing the way she ended up. Anyways she became very angry. Now she is roaming the nights of Japan by dragging her upper body around with her claws which simulates a teke-teke sound. She will hunt you down if you are wandering the streets at nighttime and if she catches you, you will be cut in half as well.<br />
This legend is told mostly by mothers to their children to prevent them from going out in the evening or staying up to late.<br />
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<b><i>Kuchisake onna</i></b> 口裂け女<br />
Also this one is a popular among mothers to tell their children and has the same idea; don't go anywhere by yourself when it's dark outside! Kuchisake onna means 'split mouth woman' and though there are different opinions on how she looks most of the stories have all these things in common; she has long black hair, wears some kind of long dark cloak or coat and wears a surgical mask (yes, the one that all the Japanese wear when they have the flu). She will approach you when you are walking alone and will ask you a question; am I pretty? You might think; oh, this is easy, my girlfriend / wife asks me all the time, just say yes and she will stop blabbering. Think again! Because if you say yes, she will pull down her mask and show you her monster like smile which covers her face from ear to ear. She will ask you again if you think she's pretty, if you say yes, you get the same creepy smile and if you say no she will cut you in half. After reading this you might think; well I just say no the first time she asks me. Unfortunately she will cut you in half immediately. Oh, and before I forget to tell you, this all happens with a monster size pair of scissors.<br />
So how can I get away from her? Well it's said that if you answer her question with something else than 'yes' or 'no' like 'average', you will confuse her giving you the opportunity to run away. Or, if you listened to your mother in the first place and didn't go out late it wouldn't happen at all.<br />
For those of you who are interested, there is a movie about kuchisake onna called 'Carved'. I didn't see it for myself yet but you can check the IMDB review <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0891520/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><i>Hitobashira</i></b> 人柱<br />
Hitobashira are 'human pillars'. It is said that in feudal Japan they would seal bodies into pillars while building dams, castles, bridges and temples to make them stronger and last longer. Back in the day, Samurai or other important people would sacrifice them self as hitobashira and commit suicide. Their bodies would be encased in the building to 'fend off evil spirits' and as an offering to the gods to prevent them from natural disasters. Some other stories say that they actually encased the humans alive and that they preferred to use kids. When an important building was about to be build, parents would pay extra attention on keeping an eye on their kids to prevent them from being kidnapped and never seeing them again. Other theories suggests that workers who had fallen working under harsh conditions were the ones who were buried inside the pillars. Whatever the truth is we will never now today. But how creepy it is thinking the souls of many humans can lie under such beautiful buildings..<br />
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I told my dad about the Hitobashira and he said these kind of stories were also quite commonly told in China. If you wonder how to celebrate Halloween a.k.a 'Hungry Ghost Festival' the Chinese way don't forget to read my post <a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2014/10/chinese-halloween-aka-hungry-ghost.html" target="_blank">Chinese Halloween 鬼节</a> I'm sure you will enjoy it!<br />
There were so many Japanese urban legends to choose from so I hope you didn't mind if your favorite is not included. I chose the one which I am the most familiar with.<br />
I hope you enjoyed reading this and that you are not to creeped out. Let me know if you watched the movie 'Carved' or if you have any other spooky movie suggestions for Halloween.<br />
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~ mei meiAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-50266152306891033562015-10-19T17:06:00.000+02:002015-10-19T17:06:21.552+02:00Making sense of Japanese verbs - the three verb groups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello all! So today I want to talk about verbs in the Japanese language. Not only in Japanese, but in any language verbs have a very important role in a sentence. So understanding them, learning how they work and conjugating them is key to making your own sentences. When you know how to make your own sentences you can focus on learning vocabulary instead. Even though they might seem difficult, they are actually quite easy when you learn how they work. So let's get into it!<br />
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First of all, Japanese verbs are divided into three groups. I will start with the last group first and you'll understand why as you continue reading. Group three are all the exceptions and it has only two verbs you need to know which are; する(<i>suru</i> to do) and くる (<i>kuru</i> to come). Group two is includes every verb that ends with いる(<i>iru</i>) or える (<i>eru</i>) this group is also called 'dictionary form'. Simply because this is the form you will find for all the verbs in the dictionaries. Now the final group which is group one and includes; everything else! It's as simple as that! Knowing which verb belongs to which group is the beginning of starting to conjugate them. If you don't know which group the verb belongs to it's impossible to make sense of conjugation so make sure to study these thoroughly.<br />
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You can figure out which group a verb belongs to in three easy steps;<br />
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First check if the verbs ends with る(ru) - if not, it automatically belongs to group 1.<br />
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If it ends with る, make sure it's not する(suru) or くる(kuru) and check the syllable before the る.<br />
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If there's a い(i) or え(e) before the る(ru) it's group 2, if not it's group 1.<br />
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How about these verbs? Can you tell which group they belong to?<br />
1. たべる (<i>taberu</i> to eat)<br />
2. いく (<i>iku</i> to go)<br />
3. りょうりする (<i>ryori suru</i> to cook)<br />
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Let's start with number 1. It does end with る but it's not する or くる, so we must check the syllable before る. The syllable before the る is an えso that means it's group 2.<br />
Are you getting the hang of it already? Next one is; いく. Does it end with る? No! So that means it's group 1. That was easy right?<br />
Final practice verb is; りょうりする. It does end with る but wait a minute, this is one ends with する which means it's group 3!<br />
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As all languages, even here there are exceptions. There are verbs that end with -iru or -eru but still belong to group 1. The only thing you can do about these, except for getting upset, is simply memorizing them. There are quite a few out there but let me just tell you three for today. They are; はしる, かえる and きる. Even though they end with -eru or -iru they are some examples of verbs who actually belong to group 1.<br />
Now don't be intimidated these. Make sure you practice categorizing these verbs because in my next post we'll put them to action! What is your favorite thing to do? One of my favorites is; よむ.<br />
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Have a good day!<br />
~ mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-26742606235211237302015-10-05T17:20:00.001+02:002015-10-05T17:20:22.458+02:00The best free apps for learning Korean on Android<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Monday to you! let's spend our time wisely by learning some Korean! And is there possibly an easier way to study a language by using your smartphone? I don't think so, it's that thing that's always in your hand nowadays so why not use it efficiently in your language studies!<br />
If you are interested in learning Korean but have an Iphone. Don't worry, <a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2015/08/the-best-free-apps-for-learning-korean.html" target="_blank">I made this post especially for you</a>. And for those of you who are interested in learning Japanese as well you can read my <a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2014/03/the-best-apps-for-learning-japanese-on.html" target="_blank">Learning Japanese on Iphone and Android</a> post.<br />
Now let's get started!<br />
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<b><i>PopPopping Korean;</i></b><br />
The first app I tested is called; PopPopping Korean, sounds promising right? When installing the app it does requires you to have Adobe Air. If you don't have Adobe Air you can download it for free in the Playstore as well. If you don't have Adobe installed on your phone the app can't run. The app runs in landscape mode and focuses on learning Hangeul. The app is divided into two sections; Hangeul pronunciation and Rhythm Hangeul. In the Hangeul pronunciation section you find all the Hangeul characters pronounced for you. The cool thing is; there is even a picture in the background on how you should place your tongue and teeth while pronouncing the character. Especially with Korean I found it extremely helpful when my teacher told me how to place my tongue etc. for the perfect pronunciation, so it's really a good feature of the app!<br />
Then comes 'Rhythm Hangeul' which is a game where you can spell out words and sentences with the Hangeul you just learned to pronounce. From standard words such as 사랑 해요 ( I love you) to 빅뱅 (Big bang, especially for the Kpop fans among us). The app has cute illustrations of funny monsters which guide you trough the app.<br />
Overall I think it's not an app you can enjoy for more than a couple weeks or months. It's convenient and easy for learning Hangeul but since the app doesn't have more features that's about as far as it goes.<br />
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<i>Overall rating PopPopping Korean;</i><br />
visual / layout; 5/5<br />
Information; 3/5<br />
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<i>Pro's</i><br />
- Perfect for Hangeul pronunciation<br />
- Fun layout<br />
- Also good for kids<br />
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<i>Con's</i><br />
- Not suitable for long term use<br />
- Need to install Adobe Air additonally<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4msS6Pk6DMnaLsI8E7oig9Na1dfuDt9DtolT3JsYqaUbtlpHgVI5fl07BFUY_wrJzmojqPzBkZG9bgsdCd6bzFPmViCCZvgGVU4B3C0fBWx7xbrpAv3nQAxQU6jHu6iBGK_mcVtlbl2U/s1600/screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4msS6Pk6DMnaLsI8E7oig9Na1dfuDt9DtolT3JsYqaUbtlpHgVI5fl07BFUY_wrJzmojqPzBkZG9bgsdCd6bzFPmViCCZvgGVU4B3C0fBWx7xbrpAv3nQAxQU6jHu6iBGK_mcVtlbl2U/s400/screenshot.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<b><i>Learn Korean with Eggbun;</i></b><br />
You might think; ugh another app with a cute name, but the Eggbun app is way more than that! It's quite different than any other language app I've seen! It does use mostly Hangeul so make sure you've got that down before starting with Eggbun. Eggbun focuses on learning Korean trough interactive conversations. Your screen looks like a chat screen and you can read the conversation while a native speaker pronounces everything for you. This sound easy, but it's not a sit back, relax and listen kind of app. You need to respond and actively participate in the conversation by choosing responses and typing things yourself. The conversations are quick and convenient and don't last longer than 5 minutes or so. Which gives you no excuse to slack on your Korean learning :) After conversation mode you can choose either review or quiz to check if you really understood everything. Just like PopPopping Korean Eggbun uses really cute illustrations of (you can't guess) a little egg bun-like character and other cute drawings. Overall the app is really easy to use and even though you do need to know Hangeul the app does start off with really basic conversations so it's perfect for beginners as well.<br />
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<i>Overall rating Eggbun Convo;</i><br />
visual / layout; 5/5<br />
Information; 4/5<br />
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<i>Pro's</i><br />
- Unique layout and setup<br />
- Detailed interactive conversations<br />
- Fun quiz mode<br />
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<i>Con's</i><br />
- I know it's a first but I don't have any cons!<br />
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I hope this post was helpful! As usual I was not sponsored or asked by these companies to review their apps. If you want me to test and review any particular app please send me a message!<br />
<br />
~mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-15029562084353091502015-08-31T12:27:00.000+02:002015-08-31T14:47:38.630+02:00The best free apps for learning Korean on your Iphone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGHAQz0eiDZ28gc3tRu2yhRXddaZ6kwtyOrEfCNljqyiNDWtdJ7x2daEoPN5ri-gq6xJA3VAEa-BhQBDwPTD7DwticaG7Q7QhWNjWXFBPYbBqszi7vPGMr3AOEzIhHtFSndAbixsUwtY/s1600/case2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGHAQz0eiDZ28gc3tRu2yhRXddaZ6kwtyOrEfCNljqyiNDWtdJ7x2daEoPN5ri-gq6xJA3VAEa-BhQBDwPTD7DwticaG7Q7QhWNjWXFBPYbBqszi7vPGMr3AOEzIhHtFSndAbixsUwtY/s1600/case2.png" /></a></div>
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Hello there! One of my most popular posts was <a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2014/02/the-two-best-apps-for-learning-japanese.html" target="_blank">The two best apps for learning Japanese</a>. Since many people thought it was helpful I even made a <a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2014/03/the-best-apps-for-learning-japanese-on.html" target="_blank">part two</a>! After covering apps for Japanese, I had to find the best out there for Korean as well. So I did a little research and found these two apps. Since I will be making a part two for sure I thought I will split it into Iphone and Android rather then mixing them up. If you have a device running on Android please be patient, I will make an Adroid version soon. Now let's get reading and I'll show you the apps I found!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9VoYob7O7VWbC1uvYEKF-P3mmoeRQ0TDZJYjUsPr3fyv4fWegF7WpN2afWXM-9O_ZKgR9zKCZPGvs2YcVv6tCM2R50OGMe1r96OnLWu5WtaPpyzwUH0WoMCohuQBSwspvlPmYeBdiPo/s1600/page1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9VoYob7O7VWbC1uvYEKF-P3mmoeRQ0TDZJYjUsPr3fyv4fWegF7WpN2afWXM-9O_ZKgR9zKCZPGvs2YcVv6tCM2R50OGMe1r96OnLWu5WtaPpyzwUH0WoMCohuQBSwspvlPmYeBdiPo/s320/page1.jpg" width="238" /></a><b>Accelastudy Learn Korean FREE Essentials;</b><br />
This is a simple flashcards app. In the menu you are able to select from three main options; prepare, learn and test. Each option has it's own sub-options, I will explain them briefly for you. First there is 'PREPARE' in prepare you have three sub-options; my focus, my study sets and my progress. In 'my focus' you can select words from seven categories or select all the words you want to study. In 'my study sets' you can create your own set of flashcards and in 'my progress' you can see the percentage of the words you have mastered for each category.<br />
For the 'LEARN' section you have four sub-options which are; study, spaced repetition, flashcards and hands free. The LEARN section is where you will actually be practicing your flashcards. Every option gives you a different style of learning, for example hands free where they will say the words out loud in both English and Korean.<br />
In the last menu option you find TEST which has two sub-options; quiz and audio quiz. The English word will be in the screen and you need to select the correct answer from the four options in Hangul. The only difference between the audio option and the normal option is that the audio options pronounces the word for you.. in English... not sure if that's very helpful though.<br />
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<i>Overall rating Essentials;</i><br />
Visual / layout; 4/5<br />
Information; 2/5<br />
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<i>Pro's</i><br />
- Clean layout<br />
- Adjustable study options<br />
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<i>Con's</i><br />
- Not many words / categories to study<br />
- Audio quiz is not helpful<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1FqOIXcLwttcRyVdaMNyePltTgkxmgN0sF9tgVR2M5oTCXpszElYMe0fnlI4iPCrIy7P-TqkpctWiwd0lXaTTK5ohOT88HcBbhAqh4B-1FwzrElxWQozLZsRSgXTsPrm7XvypczhNoU/s1600/mirai.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1FqOIXcLwttcRyVdaMNyePltTgkxmgN0sF9tgVR2M5oTCXpszElYMe0fnlI4iPCrIy7P-TqkpctWiwd0lXaTTK5ohOT88HcBbhAqh4B-1FwzrElxWQozLZsRSgXTsPrm7XvypczhNoU/s400/mirai.jpeg" width="248" /></a><b>iStart Korean;</b><br />
As you might know from my Japanese app post I kind of raved about iStart Japanese so I had to try the Korean version as well. Although only the first four lessons are free I really recommend this app because it is extremely helpful! It teaches you trough lessons which give you that classroom feeling in your own comfort at home. Mirai apps work with three basic principles. First- language should be fun stimulating and enjoyable. Second- language instruction should be logical, well-paced and consistent. Third- language instruction and learning should be goal-oriented, with the objective of making you, the learner functionally proficient in actually speaking and understanding the Korean language. And don't tell me that's not exactly what you want! The Lite or 'free' version comes with four lessons; introduction, politeness, simple vowels and saying goodbye. At the beginning of each lessons they explain you what you will learn in this lesson. Then you will go through the session with your 'tutor'. This is a fun interactive lesson which in the end takes you to the summary where you recap what you have just learned. There is also a vocab section where you can review all your new words and a quiz section to make sure you really understand the information from the lesson.<br />
I really liked the Japanese version and the Korean version is just as amazing. So far this is really my number one app for Korean!<br />
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<i>Overall rating Essentials;</i><br />
Visual / layout; 5/5<br />
Information; 5/5<br />
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<i>Pro's</i><br />
- Clean layout<br />
- Amazingly detailed lessons<br />
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<i>Con's</i><br />
- Free version has only four lessons<br />
- Full version available at <span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">€</span>4,99<br />
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I'm not in any way sponsored by these companies to review their apps.<br />
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Thank you for reading. If there is an app you would like me to try on either Iphone or Android devices let me know!<br />
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~ mei mei<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-44523430311067845582015-07-27T13:37:00.003+02:002015-07-28T17:09:16.446+02:00Green tea culture in Japan + benefits of drinking green tea + easy Matcha recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSV_ypb6hPy-F8RUjzAA7WRtjDv_ZbGxQ6E6IG-xXdrNLdqagNhT_FSoXH_KJcKJ1II75stmyFVZB5HfdegPOMArej81f3VUcFKoQIazfG1tMtSGjsjHcsLXKbYhorthkoREPGcJKsSXQ/s1600/matcha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSV_ypb6hPy-F8RUjzAA7WRtjDv_ZbGxQ6E6IG-xXdrNLdqagNhT_FSoXH_KJcKJ1II75stmyFVZB5HfdegPOMArej81f3VUcFKoQIazfG1tMtSGjsjHcsLXKbYhorthkoREPGcJKsSXQ/s320/matcha.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Anyone who knows me knows that I love my daily doses of green tea. Coming home from work and sipping on a huge cup of green tea is what gives me that ultimate moment of relaxation. Not only do I enjoy drinking green tea, I love snacking on matcha KitKat, biscuits, matcha caramels... wait.. don't tell me your only drinking green tea? If so, your missing out! Let's talk about Japanese green tea culture and keep reading till the end for a little bonus.<br />
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<i>Japanese green tea culture</i><br />
Japanese green tea, or matcha 抹茶 is specifically grown and picked tea leaves ground to a fine powder. These are then processed to flavor wagashi, ice cream, noodles, mochi and a other varieties of food. (<a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2015/04/ultimate-guide-to-japanese-desserts.html" target="_blank">look at my wagashi post to get an idea of Japanese sweets flavored with matcha</a>) Just name a dish and there's a huge possibility there's a matcha version of it. That is how popular matcha is in Japan.<br />
What made matcha so popular is the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. This is a widely practiced ceremony which focuses on the preparation and presentation of matcha. These ceremonies can vary from a highly formal tea event to less formal tea gathering. Not only for me, but for many people around the world matcha helps them to relax and calm their mind. It is said that many monks drank matcha to remain calm during their meditation sessions.<br />
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<i>Benefits of green tea</i><br />
according to <a href="http://matchasource.com/health-benefits-of-matcha-tea/" target="_blank">matchasource.com</a> powdered matcha has 137 times more antioxidants than regular brewed green tea this is because when you consume matcha, you ingest the whole leaf and receive 100% of nutrients from the leaf. One cup of matcha equals to 10 cups of regular green tea!<br />
Not only does it contain antioxidants called polyphenols which aid in protection against cancer and heart disease, it also has many more health benefits such as;<br />
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<span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px;">✿ </span><i>It boosts your metabolism and burns calories</i><br />
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<span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px;">✿ </span><i>It detoxifies your body in a natural way</i><br />
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<span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px;">✿ </span><i>It's rich in vitamins, fiber and chlorophyll (a green pigment which you find in all kinds of veggies)</i><br />
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<span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px;">✿ </span><i>It lowers cholesterol and blood sugar</i><br />
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<span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px;">✿ </span><i>It has anti-aging properties </i><br />
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this is only a small collection of all the benefits matcha has. If you want to know more about the benefits, I suggest looking at the matcha source website which gives you a lot of information and also comparisons between matcha and regular green tea.<br />
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<i>Easy matcha recipe</i><br />
If all the benefits made you excited to start consuming matcha please try out this easy recipe. Matcha is very easy to include in your daily recipes as it can be combined with both sweet and savory dishes. If you are just tried matcha and aren't really accustomed to the flavour, try adding it gradually in some of your dishes. You can add it to your yoghurt, breakfast bowl, mix it in with your smoothies, add it to some milk and more endless options. You may want to invest in a traditional matcha whisk which is called a chasen (shown on the picture below). This enhances the flavor of the matcha and makes sure it's perfectly mixed. Also don't add your matcha to any boiling liquid, wait a couple of minutes after the liquid has boiled and then add your matcha to prevent it from getting a little bitter.<br />
This recipe is perfect for those of you who love the matcha taste or want to try something different. Matcha goes perfectly with the sweet coconut flavor!<br />
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<i>Matcha coconut latte</i><br />
This recipe requires only two ingredients; powdered matcha and coconut milk.<br />
1. Heat up the coconut milk until it comes just two a boil.<br />
2.Transfer it to a bowl and let it sit for a couple of minutes.<br />
3. Add a little bit of hot water and 2 tablespoons of matcha.<br />
4. Whisk it with your chasen (or a small kitchen whisk) until it becomes frothy.<br />
5. Serve in a tall glass and add toppings if you like. I like to add just a little bit of honey and desiccated coconut on top.<br />
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Please try out this recipe and include some matcha in your healthy lifestyle!<br />
I hope you enjoyed reading.<br />
~ mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-13753843764357827822015-06-23T15:05:00.001+02:002015-06-25T13:56:03.048+02:0010 reasons to start learning Vietnamese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MylkH11gG4HgqRnMRlFnEcd4OEMEeAzNu39bZwnH-e-t8m5-Na1dOnIcyokKVFydn1Mvdj_jNR_IBCfhr-Te9m035E56_ibtmSiEqvAhj8yWYZ8cffLAZOO_aBNWBtwJCE7Es_daHdo/s1600/540b737d52cba9022ec6626ea6cc26cc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MylkH11gG4HgqRnMRlFnEcd4OEMEeAzNu39bZwnH-e-t8m5-Na1dOnIcyokKVFydn1Mvdj_jNR_IBCfhr-Te9m035E56_ibtmSiEqvAhj8yWYZ8cffLAZOO_aBNWBtwJCE7Es_daHdo/s400/540b737d52cba9022ec6626ea6cc26cc.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
Ever thought of learning one of those amazing sounding Asian languages? What pops into the mind of most people at the beginning (including myself) is of course Chinese, Japanese and Korean. But how about one of those beautiful languages which are not thought of frequently? Such as Tagalog, Thai or Vietnamese? Imagine studying one of these languages and blowing people away by doing something totally different. Surprising them with your newly achieved skills and introducing them to a language which is so unique.<br />
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Vietnam is an amazing country and Vietnamese is an amazing language. For both beginning and advanced language learners, Vietnamese is a perfect language to study. According to the graphic below its difficulty is rated as 'medium' meaning it's significantly different from English but can be learned with some devoted studying. Since Vietnamese is not a common language being studied it's also perfect for the aspiring polyglots among us.<br />
Now let's get to my 10 reasons to convince you even more!<br />
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<b>1</b> - Vietnamese is spoken by 75 million people. which means they have more speakers worldwide than Korean!<br />
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<b>2</b> - There are large communities of Vietnamese speakers in Australia, the United States and other countries. In the US it's even the sixth most spoken language and in France it's the most spoken Asian language.<br />
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<b>3</b> - Vietnamese is heavily influenced by other languages. Major influences in the early days from Chinese, later by French (through colonialism) and English (trough globalization).<br />
Which makes it easier for you learning Vietnamese if you already speak one of these languages.<br />
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<b>4</b> - Vietnamese uses a Latin alphabet with accent markings<br />
So that means no difficult memorizing like Chinese or Japanese.<br />
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<b>5</b> - Vietnamese is a challenging language for (aspiring) polyglots, since it's probably something completely different than you're used to. However perfectly doable for beginners since it's a language of medium difficulty.<br />
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<b>6</b> - There are only three accents in Vietnamese language (Northern, Southern & Central)<br />
unlike for example Chinese which has a different accent for almost every part of the country (Yue, Wu, Min, Hakka etc.)<br />
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<b>7</b> - There are only six tones in Northern Vietnamese and even fewer in the other dialects.<br />
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<b>8</b> - Vietnamese, like many other Asian languages is an isolating language, which means it does not use different marking for tense, gender, number and so on.<br />
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<b>9</b> - Also like many other languages (such as Japanese) it uses the SVO (subject-verb-object) word order for their sentences.<br />
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<b>10</b> - And last but not least; Vietnam is a beautiful country, with great history, delicious food, and kind people who will be impressed by you speaking or even trying to speak Vietnamese.<br />
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I hoped this sparked your interest for this beautiful language.<br />
If you want to start with Vietnamese I suggest reading my post <a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2015/01/learning-vietnamese-northern-or.html" target="_blank">learning Vietnamese Northern or Southern accent</a>.<br />
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Thank you for reading!<br />
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~ mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-13091293460710680702015-06-15T12:05:00.000+02:002015-06-15T12:05:33.194+02:00Tried & Tested - Tandem language app review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I will talk to you about a new language app I found. Unfortunately this app is only available in the Apple store, if you're an Adroid user I would suggest you to have a look at one of my older posts which will give you some good recommendations for <a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2014/02/the-two-best-apps-for-learning-japanese.html" target="_blank">Japanese learning Apps for Android</a>. With that being said, let's get straight into business!<br />
Alright, so Tandem describes itself as a ''community of language learners'' with over 3 million users. It allows you one on one conversations with people who share your interests. I tested Tandem for one week to see if it is any different than the other language exchange apps out there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ffl0NdmfH7dE5nTre4eJ6dGxVVKHbgNobQfS4phXR54p6qyOelOmb0j61ndJDprJyCUfpkbIwQi9mCAVeGKTZIZXUdBAdGimHaN2_5uOWfSYHYFmy8UKQGYA0oBrWSm7t65WIFZ2R1M/s1600/ok4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ffl0NdmfH7dE5nTre4eJ6dGxVVKHbgNobQfS4phXR54p6qyOelOmb0j61ndJDprJyCUfpkbIwQi9mCAVeGKTZIZXUdBAdGimHaN2_5uOWfSYHYFmy8UKQGYA0oBrWSm7t65WIFZ2R1M/s400/ok4.jpg" width="225" /></a><i>Signing up</i><br />
So this was a bit fussy.. First of all, you can only sign up if you have a Facebook account. No, I'm not kidding. You can't sign up with just your email address or without making an account at all. So if you don't have Facebook, no Tandem for you my friend. The explanation for this according to them is ''to make sure everyone on Tandem is a real and friendly person''. If you are like me and you're a real and friendly person and have a Facebook account you can continue to sign up. The process for this is rather simple and they will ask you a couple quick questions about your interests, which languages you speak, which language you want to learn and they will ask you to write about a topic you're interested in. After you signed up, you will get a screen like pictured right and then you just have to wait...<br />
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<i>Using Tandem</i><br />
After 30 minutes or so I got an email that I got accepted and I was ready to use my account. The profile will look something like my profile here, but with your own interests an your own topic of course. When people are looking for someone new to chat with, they will see your topic at first so make sure it something interesting or catchy. You can search for new people by the language your interested in, by topic or by place. Only after a few minutes I signed up, I received a request from a nice lady from Vietnam to help me with my Vietnamese. If you studied a foreign language before you know how important it is to connect with natives and how easy it is to ask all your questions. If the little awkwardness is out of the way, you can chat like friends and study at the same time. Tandem also has a call / video call function which allows you to call your new friends for free.<br />
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<i>Verdict</i><br />
I will score the Tandem app in the same way as a did with my previous app reviews. Overall I would give Tandem a 3/5. The layout is very simple, although this can come over as boring, it does makes it easy to use. I would suggest this app to people who want to meet natives to chat with. If you are going to use Tandem, write down what you want to learn and also write down what you've learned from your buddy. This will keep you from only having fun while chatting and helps you remember that you have a goal.<br />
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<i>Overall rating; Tandem Language Exchange</i><br />
Visual / layout; 3/5<br />
Information; 3/5<br />
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<i>Pro's</i><br />
- Easy to use<br />
- Free calling option<br />
- Great way for connecting with new people<br />
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<i>Con's</i><br />
- Only accessible with Facebook account<br />
- No group chats<br />
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Did you already use Tandem before? Or are you going to use it now? Let me know what you think!<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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~ mei mei<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-35456862329114816022015-04-22T17:43:00.001+02:002015-04-22T17:43:30.519+02:00Ultimate guide to Japanese desserts 和菓子 <br />
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So after introducing all of you to the Vietnamese dessert cuisine it is time for the Japanese version! Get ready for a tongue tickling, surprising, will-leave-you-salivating post with the most surprising flavor combinations to sooth your sweet tooth. In Japan as we all know, everything is about tradition. The average meal does not include a fancy dessert in many Japanese households and in restaurants it is more common to end your meal with some fruit for dessert. However, traditional sweets called wagashi 和菓子 are consumed during the whole day, most of the time accompanied by a cup of good quality tea.<br />
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<b><i>Core ingredients</i></b><br />
Wagashi / Japanese sweets usually consists of one of these popular elements; anko / bean paste, mochi / Japanese rice flour cake, matcha / green tea, sakura / cherry blossom, sweet potato and some staples such as gelatin, honey and fruits.<br />
As you can see from the ingredients it's not your usual butter, flour, whipped cream type dessert. That's also where many westerners go wrong. They have this misconception of Japanese desserts being overwhelmingly sweet, while in reality the desserts have a very subtle sweet flavor or are not sweet at all! So, having said that let's have look at some delicious Japanese sweet treats.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJlmfEMQkvIb0bG9HQoJpry9vqNmlx2CGXymeZKAxWFKO0iwWVZ8qq37nizY3oihhiUUHKpT9Vj7P3EHqumE6JumfvlMv8jCWSRVBx1Zl6GBe3GyUA_qne8sLJ66dixgMEbGaW4G8c65A/s1600/d44ba2146e7b723d37fc17c509a07bb4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJlmfEMQkvIb0bG9HQoJpry9vqNmlx2CGXymeZKAxWFKO0iwWVZ8qq37nizY3oihhiUUHKpT9Vj7P3EHqumE6JumfvlMv8jCWSRVBx1Zl6GBe3GyUA_qne8sLJ66dixgMEbGaW4G8c65A/s1600/d44ba2146e7b723d37fc17c509a07bb4.jpg" height="320" width="248" /></a><b><i>Mochi 餅 / Dango 団子</i></b><br />
Mochi is a sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice flour and stuffed with delicious filling such as sweet red bean paste, green tea flavor, fruits or actually anything you can think of. As seen on the top picture is the popular Sakura mochi (cherry blossom flavored) which the Japanese eat for Hinamatsuri / Girls Day. Mochi can even be filled with ice cream and then deep fried.. sounds good huh?<br />
Dango, also made of glutinous rice flour is a little stickier and usually not filled but just colored with several types of flavorings. It is topped with a sweet soy sauce glaze.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGhkIc6kADiFRDOiuGKxvf-bdCkLujqqrtOrAaeBbTOIBTDly6AbDnYSDQhBNA6a8D4IPtXBAyDBH2FBF2Ds3Uqp4K9Ot4YP3TZiXryDhhONSaeKfbDfsQmleEiJG-EELaermfjfoPfA/s1600/taiyaki2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGhkIc6kADiFRDOiuGKxvf-bdCkLujqqrtOrAaeBbTOIBTDly6AbDnYSDQhBNA6a8D4IPtXBAyDBH2FBF2Ds3Uqp4K9Ot4YP3TZiXryDhhONSaeKfbDfsQmleEiJG-EELaermfjfoPfA/s1600/taiyaki2.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a><b><i>Azuki <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">小豆</span></i></b><br />
One of my personal favorites; red bean (can often be translated as adzuki or aduki). I love everything with red bean filling. Azuki is sweetened red beans and is a very popular filling for many types of sweets. Pastry's, mochi and even jelly's and puddings are flavored with the sublte sweetness of Azuki. On the right side you see a famous street food dish which is called; taiyaki. Taiyaki 鯛焼き which literally means baked sea bream, is a fish shaped cake made of a sweet batter filled with Azuki or one of the other popular fillings.<br />
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<b><i>Crepes / Pancakes パンケーキ</i></b><br />
Pancakes as you know them but then thinner and with more crazy fillings. Often filled with whipped cream, ice cream and fruits and folded in a triangle or cone shape. Another popular type of pancake is; dorayaki どら焼き. Dorayaki is simply sweet red bean filling sandwiched by two pancakes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdioOiWHU5cUN4Wo3ATyCq32XUH2toZ3mjLpvXDViFkNKoKPJkRZK0_P80PEsRckCobW2aVm7libptk_glJRBw14GOMYUIAnOgzuxokBv_1wweW3jU7Oy5qyyCtLbNkvZHc72tBWRWvUg/s1600/tumblr_m2msgrbdcU1qgxki3o1_250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdioOiWHU5cUN4Wo3ATyCq32XUH2toZ3mjLpvXDViFkNKoKPJkRZK0_P80PEsRckCobW2aVm7libptk_glJRBw14GOMYUIAnOgzuxokBv_1wweW3jU7Oy5qyyCtLbNkvZHc72tBWRWvUg/s1600/tumblr_m2msgrbdcU1qgxki3o1_250.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
<b><i>Ice cream アイスクリーム</i></b><br />
More western influences in Japanese dessert cuisine but the Japanese love ice cream. Again, Azuki and Matcha are popular flavors, however Japanese ice cream flavors go far beyond those two. Ever thought of taro or sakura flavored ice cream?. Or how about your favorite soft serve but then triple the size? Or shaved ice cream? The Japanese have it all. Served as a street food snack in busy spots such as harajuku, the beautiful cones are seen everywhere not only because of the cool looks but also of the many delicious flavors. Worldwide know brands such as Haagen Dazs even have special flavors in Japan such as sakura & cream, honey milk, green tea truffle.<br />
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This small post could never possibly cover all of Japan's sweet treats but I hope it spiked your interest. Maybe one day go to Japan and try it yourself. Or make those thin crepes at your own stove top!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed reading!<br />
~ mei mei<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-32539104247579671752015-03-02T17:40:00.003+01:002015-03-02T17:40:40.105+01:00The story of Zhuge Liang / Kong Ming the famous battle strategist<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighBq33zKZ4NpDadcO6ajsjObldPXlqPBSlxru0DPsT4N_xGizx8FSb-AUHVyz_EX39DQdsMTo85LDpBLX9eifVr5PeY7gZ_9VrlrH3FvgB4CVd3gYmDLaEFAgNg6uWRKm5kOg-OElKEI/s1600/cmqqGp5xx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="meimeislanguage.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighBq33zKZ4NpDadcO6ajsjObldPXlqPBSlxru0DPsT4N_xGizx8FSb-AUHVyz_EX39DQdsMTo85LDpBLX9eifVr5PeY7gZ_9VrlrH3FvgB4CVd3gYmDLaEFAgNg6uWRKm5kOg-OElKEI/s1600/cmqqGp5xx.jpg" height="320" title="" width="286" /></a></div>
Zhuge Liang 诸葛亮<br />
(courtesy name Kong Ming)<br />
was considered the most accomplished and feared battle strategist of the Three Kingdoms era. Zhuge Liang went by the nick name of Hidden Dragon 臥龍 (also translated as; Crouching Dragon or Sleeping Dragon) due to the fact that many people underestimated his skills and abilities to achieve great accomplishments.<br />
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<i>Early life</i><br />
Zhuge Liang was born in 181 AD in Yangtu, Shantung province. His parents passed away when he was still at a young age and he was raised by his uncle. His family was forced to flee their home when the powerful Cao Cao of the Wei state invaded their village. He then lived in a cottage in the Longzhong district. Legend states that Liu Bei 劉備 heard of Zhuge Liang's wisdom and went to his cottage three times to request his help. After a long conversation Zhuge Liang agreed to become Liu Bei's military advisor as he was interested in his plan for setting up a new kingdom in the west. The first time Zhuge Liang's skills came to the surface was when he convinced Sun Quan of the Wu East to become allies with Liu Bei and fight Cao Cao together. Zhuge Liang warned Sun Quan that if Cao Cao was not opposed now, it would be impossible to deal with him later.<br />
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<i>Battle of the Red Cliffs</i><br />
The famous battle between the allied forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan against Cao Cao was called the Battle of the Red Cliffs / the Battle of Chibi. Descriptions of the battle differ widely in details. Even the place of the battle is still debated. Most important is that Liu Bei and Sun Quan succesfully defeated Cao Cao, reunited their territory and gained control of the Yangtze.<br />
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<i>Aftermath</i><br />
After their victory Liu Bei took command over several cities in Jing. Another victory followed soon after when Liu Bei's troops invaded the province of Yi and captured general Yan Yan. They fought Liu Zhang and conquered his capital city Chengdu. Cao cao's Hanzhong was also succesfully conquered however, Sun Quan betrayed Liu Bei and took his territories in Jing while they were invading the Yi province. Liu Bei declared war upon Sun Quan but lost at the Battle of Yiling. Liu Bei grew ill and eventually died. Before his death he asked Zhuge Liang to take control of the state and take care of his son. Numerous battles were fought to restore Shu Han and take control of Wei. Zhuge Liang was known for his amazing battle strategies, setting traps and even predicting the weather. Some have said Zhuge Liang's success is based on having supernatural powers.<br />
In AD 234 Zhuge Liang set off on his final campain. The two armies of Shu and Wei faced eachother in another battle but Zhuge Liang became sick and eventually died.<br />
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<i>Inventions</i><br />
During his life it is said that he invented numerous items such as a multi bolt firing crossbow, his own chess game, the hot air balloon / lantern, items to improve transportation and it is even said he invented the steamed bun! How can you ever dislike him now?<br />
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<i>More Kong Ming</i><br />
Zhuge Liang is still a popular topic in modern China. Many movies, novels, and even video games feature Zhuge Liang as a great hero. See below for some popular examples.<br />
Movies and series;<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" /></a>Red Cliff 2009 - with Takeshi Kaneshiro as Zhuge Liang (see top picture)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" /></a></div>
The Legendary prime minister 1985<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" /></a><br />
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Three Kingdoms 2010<br />
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Games;<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" /></a>Destiny of an Emperor<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" /></a><br />
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Romance of the Three Kingdoms<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" /></a>Dynasty Warriors<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFenAqQgWB_smzLMk1_m-7ipU5vG79EXf3DAqjr_WwKtD5i68WWxs3lXM9ighpoRp9BocMfb9g7zUsqcI-Nc-jGA8IsxN9zRF9v0i1vL2TeCpjwU7OM-VPThE996sBvGgqMiwFA3Nt-80/s1600/favi.gif" /></a>Kessen II<br />
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<i>Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義</i><br />
And not to forget the story that popularised the excistence of Zhuge Liang is the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. A historical novel set about the years of the Shu Han dynasty. Zhuge Liang is displayed as one of the main characters and a hero. Whether everything written is true is still a debatable topic since some of the mythical and magical plot twists seem questionable. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature and is one of the most beloved works not only in China but trough out East Asia. With 120 chapters and 800000 words, it's still on the top of my to-read list.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed reading!<br />
~ mei mei<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-41887245810182768412015-01-21T12:21:00.000+01:002015-01-21T12:21:06.647+01:00Learning Vietnamese; Northern or Southern accent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUracb9EwP-qXN2Tuj8dAby8zT4t1Z4Cj1jisHftRecOEH1AiLjdt0qzk-U5kqGmzBrqsSiPk_vEvRyWOMqJtsqYdrR9uJSfp448ZZ8O2rZvMOgmU96LlcSuVSkMVqJMMUZ9PfWO0vjI/s1600/vv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUracb9EwP-qXN2Tuj8dAby8zT4t1Z4Cj1jisHftRecOEH1AiLjdt0qzk-U5kqGmzBrqsSiPk_vEvRyWOMqJtsqYdrR9uJSfp448ZZ8O2rZvMOgmU96LlcSuVSkMVqJMMUZ9PfWO0vjI/s1600/vv.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
After awakening my interest for Vietnamese I found out that it is quite difficult to get some information online. There is not so much decent information for studying Vietnamese, even on this world wide web. This is can be kind of discouraging for those who want to learn Vietnamese because everyone needs resources and everyone needs study materials. Luckily I have my partner who speaks the language and several colleagues as well. Therefore every single thing that I learn from them I will share with you, as I do with Korean and Japanese. So today is my first Vietnamese language related post.<br />
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We will start by asking ourselves; do I want to learn the Northern or Southern accent?<br />
Do I really have to choose? That's what I thought myself too, but the answer is yes. It is definitely better to make a decision right at the start to prevent confusion for yourself. I will help you to choose today.<br />
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So let's start with the Northern accent. Northern accent or also known as Hanoi accent, is from my point of view the best to start with because it's 'standard' Vietnamese. When I say standard, I mean it is clean Vietnamese compared to the Southern accent. The Hanoi dialect represents the phonetic system more fully then others which makes it more understandable. However Southern accent sounds amazingly different as of the people are singing to each other when talking. When you have set your mind on learning Southern accent you must be prepared to have some difficulties finding materials since most of the books are written in Northern accent. Many people have to learn the Northern accent first to cover the basics and then adjust their pronunciation to Southern accent.<br />
For those who it is considerable learning the Southern accent is those who come to Vietnam for business purposes. You most likely have to do all your business in Saigon. Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is the biggest and the most important political, economic center in the whole county of Vietnam. therefore learning the Southern accent would be a good choice.<br />
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In the end you can just choose whichever accent you like more or would be more convenient for you. In this case there is no right or wrong. People all over the country still understand each other despite the differences in their accent.<br />
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Please look forward to more Vietnamese language related posts!<br />
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~ mei meiAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-25412925858654967902014-12-02T16:30:00.000+01:002014-12-02T16:30:15.210+01:00If you're not ready for Murakami yet ~ Reading Guide <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBsDSI8Wqre46zFbXs0MXFQBrBw_q-aQxWUik35I550S7RX89N7cnJpbBZ2zXgXs_YnxiBqa8a6A00LCl4nBqQ5MdvTXIegsKMLL13uBEQtNrgfwlJAlHpLXAy3NXzLQgnPL1YH2bo2c/s1600/614IIWZg30L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBsDSI8Wqre46zFbXs0MXFQBrBw_q-aQxWUik35I550S7RX89N7cnJpbBZ2zXgXs_YnxiBqa8a6A00LCl4nBqQ5MdvTXIegsKMLL13uBEQtNrgfwlJAlHpLXAy3NXzLQgnPL1YH2bo2c/s1600/614IIWZg30L.jpg" height="320" width="190" /></a>You have probably heard about Haruki Murakami if you ever tried to start reading Japanese literature. But what I hear often is that people are intimidated by the amount of books Murakami wrote and don't know where to start. I just finished an amazing novel called 'Strangers'which is kind of written in the same vibe Murakami writes his books in. This book is perfect to read before starting on Murakami books or to prepare yourself for Japanese literature. Also for you bookworms who are accustomed to American fantasy novels this eerie ghost story is very refreshing to read. I will introduce you to Taichi Yamada's 'Strangers' today.<br />
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<i>Introduction</i><br />
This book does the magic blending surreal elements into reality in an unique way. It is a nice compact easy to read book and sucks you in from the first chapter.<br />
'Strangers' is narrated by a middle-aged man called Hideo Harada, a television scriptwriter who is recently divorced and is living in an apartment building where most of the apartments are used as offices, leaving the building abandoned in the evening. One night he looks up at the building and notices a lit window and discovers there lives a young attractive woman called 'Kei', which he starts an affair with. A short time after, he goes back to Asakusa where he grew up as a kid before his parents were killed in a car accident. He finds a man who looks exactly like his father at the age he died. The man invites him for a beer at his house and Hideo accepts the invitation, trying to find out more about the man who resembles his father. Arrived at his house, Hideo becomes even more confused to find out the man's wife looks exactly like his mother. As confused as he is, he feels comfortable at the 10 year younger couple's house who treat him like their son. He visits the couple again and again while also building on his relationship with Kei. However Kei puts him in a difficult position, he has to choose between his nostalgic past or embrace the present.<br />
The supernatural feel of the book makes you curious about what is coming after the current chapter and makes you keep reading. With surprising plot twists and an amazing ending Taichi Yamada (who is a famous script writer himself) draws you in to the story.<br />
I do have to say, as subtle as Yamada's way of storytelling is, the translation is less subtle. A sushi chef saying 'Yo' to his customers? I don't think so. Also the translations of the father speaking casually to his son, might be a translated a little too casual. But you amazing translators can see for yourself if you agree to this one.<br />
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<i>More 'Strangers'</i><br />
Apparently 'Strangers' has also been made into a movie which is called 異人たちとの夏 (ijintachi to no natsu) and is directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, who also made 'The Girl Who Leapt Trough Time'.<br />
It was released in the US under the name of 'The Discarnates'. I have to find the movie somewhere and then see if it is as good as the book. Since it is listed everywhere as a horror movie I do need to come up with some courage though.<br />
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Try this short novel to awaken your interest in Japanese literature. It is not really a horror, so if you keep that out of your mind it is an amazing novel.<br />
Please tell me what you <br />
thought of the book when you read it!<br />
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~mei mei<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-87266550011483192932014-10-31T15:39:00.000+01:002014-10-31T15:50:47.904+01:00Chinese Halloween a.k.a. ''Hungry Ghost Festival'' 鬼节 - No selfies allowed!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>Happy Halloween to my dear readers!</i></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI6VUx93WZj99SEYnj0o5jowImkcF9AzVgHQki49cR3fKqdhc7xrnG5bdWRuZlOHhWjD-Axqf4KZysBMq4oMc2O_8Tl8ydGmyc0u3wLN72l5ApdD7luCfYvVf1L-ieOyW-08Ga_A5s-o/s1600/tumblr_inline_mu7v2nHfCz1r37k2u.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI6VUx93WZj99SEYnj0o5jowImkcF9AzVgHQki49cR3fKqdhc7xrnG5bdWRuZlOHhWjD-Axqf4KZysBMq4oMc2O_8Tl8ydGmyc0u3wLN72l5ApdD7luCfYvVf1L-ieOyW-08Ga_A5s-o/s1600/tumblr_inline_mu7v2nHfCz1r37k2u.gif" /></a><br />
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Hope your enjoying your day with pumpkin carving, dressing up and watching creepy movies. Ever wondered if they celebrate Halloween in China? Well they do! But of course not in the way you would expect it.<br />
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Ghost Festival is written as 鬼节 (guǐ jié) and consists of the character 鬼 meaning 'ghost' and 节 meaning festival. Nowadays it's also called 'Hungry Ghost Festival'.<br />
If you want to 'celebrate' Halloween the Chinese way you are actually too late already. Ghost Festival is held on the 14th or 15th night of the seventh month every year and it's not really a celebration at all. Chinese people cannot wait for it to be over. They believe that during this time of the year the gates of both heaven and hell are open, which allows ghosts and spirits to entertain themselves at earth. These ghosts are said to be old ancestors who didn't get a proper send off or whose family didn't gave any offerings after they died. Families provide different offerings for these ghosts such as food, wine, incense and paper money which is said to have value in the afterlife. They are hoping that these offerings will keep the ghosts from intruding their homes and bringing misfortune. In some cities performances are held where the front rows are reserved for the ghosts. Fourteen days after the festival, people set up floating lanterns in the water to make sure all the fed ghosts find their way back to the underworld.<br />
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<b><i>How to survive 'Ghost Festival'</i></b><br />
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If you want to prepare for next year already..<br />
The whole 7th month is considered as 'Ghost Month' where the ghosts will be lurking around every corner. Here are some tips on how you can survive 'Ghost Month'.<br />
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- It is inauspicious to get married or sign important contracts.<br />
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- Wearing black will invite ghosts to come near you.<br />
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- Beware of the 水鬼 ( shuǐ guǐ ) a.k.a water ghost when you go swimming. They lurk in the water waiting to drown their victims so they can possess their bodies.<br />
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- Don't go out during the evenings.<br />
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- And last but not least.. for the modern kids; NO SELFIES allowed! You might capture a ghost instead of capturing that crush of yours with your beautiful selfie.<br />
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Thank you for reading & enjoy your Halloween!<br />
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~ mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-83088624730348518512014-09-21T19:37:00.003+02:002014-09-21T19:37:32.352+02:00Ultimate guide to Vietnamese sweets & desserts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So many people asked me to write more Vietnamese related posts so here you go. In this post I will be introducing you to the world of Vietnamese desserts and sweets and show you some of my favorite Vietnamese dishes.<br />
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<b><i>Core ingredients </i></b></div>
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Vietnamese sweets and desserts are not always sweet and can also contain savory ingredients. Some of the core ingredients for desserts are; glutinous rice flour, mung beans,coconut (milk),jelly,palm sugar, cassava, tapioca, pandan,tofu and a variety of fruits such as mango, durian, longan, lychee or jackfruit.</div>
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<b><i>Popular dishes</i></b><br />
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- <i>Chè ba màu</i></div>
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Three colored dessert. (see top picture) This refreshing cold dessert is one of my favorite things to eat during a hot summer day. It can consist of different type of beans (red beans, kidney beans, butter beans), water chestnuts, jelly and fruits topped of with coconut milk and shaved ice to keep it cool. Depending on your taste the options are endless and there are many variations for this dish. You can enjoy this dish in many Vietnamese restaurants.</div>
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- <i>Bánh Cam</i></div>
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These are fried glutinous rice balls<br />
coated with sesame seeds. The fillings<br />
do vary but consist mostly of mung beans and / or coconut.</div>
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- <i>Bánh Khoai Mì Nướng</i></div>
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Sweet cake made out of cassava, coconut and condensed milk. This super delicious cake is also a good alternative when you are on a diet since you can cut out most sugar because the cassava and coconut are already very sweet.<br />
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-<i>Bánh Dày Đậu</i><br />
Glutinous rice balls with mung bean filling. Similar to Japanese mochi this dish is made with glutinous rice and stuffed with a crushed mung bean and coconut filling. Sometimes cassava is also added or the mung beans are replaced with a other type of bean. On the right picture is my own version topped with coconut but mostly you see them topped with crushed mung beans.<br />
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-<i>Cà phê sữa đá</i><br />
Vietnamese style iced coffee. Introduced by the French and then developed by the Vietnamese. This is a really popular treat among tourists. Made with a special stainless steel filter and coarsely ground dark roast coffee, then mixed with condensed milk and served with ice.<br />
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Banana pops. Super easy to make and amazingly delicious. Small bananas are pressed a little flat and coated with sweetened coconut milk then topped with desiccated coconut and peanuts. A Popsicle stick is pushed into the bottom and they are frozen into delicious banana Popsicles. </div>
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I hope you gained a little more interest into Vietnamese cuisine after this post. These Vietnamese dishes are fairly simple to make but extremely delicious. Surprise yourself and your family by making one of these dishes or simply enjoy it in the convenience of your local Vietnamese restaurant. These are all worth the try!<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
~ Mei Mei<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-12649497881725202312014-09-01T23:36:00.000+02:002014-09-01T23:39:27.517+02:00The differences between a Japanese and an American business environment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After working for a Japanese company for a year I went back to school for a while. After I finished school I started working for a huge American hotel chain. Some of you asked for my thoughts on both Japanese and American companies so I am sharing my experiences with you in this post today. I hope you will understand that I am not trying to compare whether it is better to work for a Japanese or a American company. I am just reviewing the pro's and con's of both of them so you can somehow get the feel what it is like to work for one of them. For those of you in America who are thinking about working for a Japanese company, or those who are residing in Europe I hope this will be helpful for you.<br />
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<i>Unique Japanese business culture</i><br />
The one thing I want to mention first is that even though I myself am residing in Europe, working for a American company in my opinion is not that different than working for an European company. But working for a Japanese company was a total change and it really took me some time to adapt to the Japanese work environment. The Japanese business environment is a whole sub-culture by itself with it's own customs. I will write a separate post with typical Japanese work related customs because it's to much to cover into this post. In the part below I will state some pro's and con's from my own experiences working for a Japanese company.<br />
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Pro's;<br />
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1. The Japanese are highly valued in the business market. They never fail to deliver and even go beyond the expectations. This is really true. Even though many others claim to get jobs done when it obviously exceeds their capabilities, if the Japanese say they get it done they will get the job done.<br />
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2. They Japanese value and respect the elders for their wisdom. Many westerners get informal towards their colleagues and guests / customers easily. In my opinion (but I know not everyone shares this one with me) I love how the Japanese talk to their elders. In the way they speak they acknowledge the position, wisdom and status of the person, which shows great respect. I wish more companies were like this.<br />
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3. Japanese colleagues are very pleasant to work with. All the time I worked for this company, there was never anyone who has ever been rude to me or who I couldn't get along with. At the time, I was the youngest of our team and my Japanese colleagues always took the time to help me or explain things. They are also never the person who leaves first and even outside of work, they are always ready to help you.<br />
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Con's<br />
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1. You will never-ever disagree with your manager or those above you in the corporate ladder. This was actually quite new for me. Normally if I have different ideas on how something I do should be done I will just discuss it with my supervisor, manager or whoever is above me. But in Japanese business culture this is a complete no-go. In time even if you did not experience this before you will get used to it. You will acknowledge that those people are promoted to a higher level because of their skills and experience. Don't be one arrogant thinking your own decisions are always better and neglect those people and their decisions, just go with the flow and you will experience yourself that this is the right thing to do.<br />
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2. You will never be finished on time. I work in the hospitality industry so I know I never finish exactly on time. But the Japanese will never close the shop at exactly six for example. As I mentioned before they are never the first to leave, and when they leave it is only after permission of the person in charge. Although it is not really a big con, when I know my finishing time is six I'd like to know at what time I can catch the train, or tell my partner I'm home. But seriously you will never know.<br />
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<i>The oh so typical Americans</i><br />
The funny thing is, when I applied for this job I was actually quite nervous when I got it. I felt so comfortable in the Japanese business environment and now I was about to start something totally different. I had a one year contract so what if I didn't like it? I moved especially for this job to this city. So I already started off insecure which is nothing like me at all. In my very short two-day training I really felt the American atmosphere. The over-acting tacky training videos, the emphasis on how amazing the company is and so on. It was all really new for me first. But now I am already used to it. So after working there for two months I will share with you my pro's and con's.<br />
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Pro's<br />
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1. You always know what to expect. The rules are set a long long time ago and everyone is used to them. All colleagues know them by hart and in only a short while you will be able to drill them out with that oh so American pride as well.<br />
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2. They don't take them selves so serious. In my opinion, Americans are very easy to work with. They are very casual in contact with guests / customers and also with colleagues, which makes me feel very comfortable.<br />
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3. Because they are so easy-going, in my first week I was already invited by my colleagues to go for drinks outside of work. This really makes it easy to get to know your colleagues and bond with them also outside of work. For me, a good bonding with my colleague outside work brings out great communication between one another at work itself.<br />
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Con's<br />
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1. There is always a bad apple in the team. That one negative person that is not so easy to work with but you have to work with because it is your colleague can be quite annoying. I never see this happen in a Japanese work environment, I am used having the person in charge of the team take care of that.<br />
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2. Sometimes they are really difficult to understand. It's is only a small issue I have sometimes with guests and with colleagues as well. I had a couple of moments where they act really polite when they are mad, which makes it difficult for me to guess what they actually need. Like this gentleman who asked for my manager, because he said he had the worst experience in a hotel ever. And all of this with a smile, a thank you and a please. He said it in the way you just had to turn around right away and run for your manager. I don't know if I explained this well but it was kind of creepy.<br />
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<b>In the end every company is different,</b> as well as the people we work with. For the people who do not like their jobs, or the environment they are working in, please do something about it. Talk with your manager, a colleague you trust or someone in human resources. Whatever it is, it is easier to try and solve it with someone else than coping with it on your own. If there is nothing to do about it, maybe it's a sign it is time for a change. You are the only one who chooses your job.<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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~ mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-2419738063466122582014-08-20T17:25:00.000+02:002014-08-28T19:50:44.300+02:00The history of tofu - Mapo Tofu recipe 麻婆豆腐 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4vaMw8frpaogGlgEJL6oIh6c_okBgaj6up34p4bE6E0o5ug5NJu4J5rpZandg0XXj-B65KFnmORC1uRh0AQmR7GA151ShWgkoinPAcjkOhUHipsPs_2kAVS36KOVNVS79uaKtypkI9Q/s1600/mapo-doufu-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4vaMw8frpaogGlgEJL6oIh6c_okBgaj6up34p4bE6E0o5ug5NJu4J5rpZandg0XXj-B65KFnmORC1uRh0AQmR7GA151ShWgkoinPAcjkOhUHipsPs_2kAVS36KOVNVS79uaKtypkI9Q/s1600/mapo-doufu-2.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
In 1986 USA Today reported that tofu was America's most hated food. Years later tofu is gradually making it's comeback. And it should be! I love tofu, and if you grew up in an Asian family you grew up with tofu. My boyfriend born and raised in Vietnam cannot look any more happy than when I serve tofu on the dinner table. He very well remembers the times where he was younger and they had to share a block of tofu with the whole family. Eating a whole tofu dish now equals wealth for him.<br />
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In western countries tofu is getting more popular because it's natural, inexpensive and nourishing. In those countries people manly use tofu in stir-fry dishes or as a substitute for meat, but there is so much more you can do with it! In this post I will explain you where tofu originated from, how tofu is made, the health benefits of soy products and a delicious typical Chinese tofu dish.</div>
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<i>How tofu is made</i></div>
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First let me explain how tofu is made. The process begins with soaking and then mashing soy beans. They will separate the mashed soy beans into two containers. One container for the milk and one for the pulp. The factories sell the pulp and keep the milk for making tofu. Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing it into those familiar blocks you see in your local supermarket.<br />
Tofu originated from China. Legend says it was discovered in the Han Dynasty more than 2000 years ago when a Chinese cook accidentally curdled soy milk when he added seaweed. Some people also state that Lord Liu An discovered the technique for making tofu, but there is not much effort supporting that statement. Back in that day inventions were mostly attributed to important leaders.</div>
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<i>Health benefits</i></div>
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Tofu contains more than double the protein in meat or fish, contains all eight essential amino acids, has high value of magnesium, copper, zinc and vitamin B1! Also daily intake of soy foods are associated with reducing risk of at least one cancer type. Quite amazing for such a simple looking product right?<br />
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<i>Mapo tofu </i><br />
One of the most famous and my all time favourite tofu dish; mapo tofu. Mapo tofu is a spicy tofu dish that originated from the Szechuan province. It has that numbing spiciness which I adore and is flavoured with Szechuan pepper and fermented black beans. Most of the time the tofu is combined with pork or minced meat but if you are a vegetarian you can just leave the meat out and it will still taste amazing.<br />
I will share the recipe with you today and I hope you have a chance to try it out. If you are not used to spicy food, remember if you are the cook the spiciness is all up to you. This is such an easy and nutritional recipe for those days where you don't have much time to prepare dinner.<br />
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Ingredients;<br />
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- one block of soft tofu cut into cubes<br />
- 250 gram of minced pork or beef (optional)<br />
- one cup of chicken stock<br />
- 2 cloves of chopped garlic<br />
- one cup of chopped spring onions<br />
- cornstarch<br />
- one tbsp fermented black beans<br />
- chili bean paste (to taste)<br />
- 2 tbsps soy sauce<br />
- 1 tbsp of Chinese rice wine<br />
- sesame oil<br />
- ground Szechuan pepper (to taste)<br />
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Instructions;<br />
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1. Heat up a skillet or a wok and add the sesame oil. Add the fermented black beans and break them a little with the back of a spoon. Add the garlic, chili bean paste and toss until fragrant.<br />
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2. Add the meat and cook for another minute.<br />
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3. Pour in the chicken stock, rice wine and soy sauce. Carefully add the tofu blocks to the mixture and stir gently until all the blocks are coated with the sauce. Be careful not to break the blocks. Add half of the spring onions and cook for 2-3 minutes.<br />
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4. Add a tsp of cornstarch in the middle of the pan and allow the sauce to thicken for another minute or two. The sauce is thick enough if it sticks a little to the spoon.<br />
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5. Pour everything in a bowl or serve on a bed of rice. Put the other half of the green onions on top and finish with some ground Szechuan pepper to taste.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed reading my post and try out my recipe.<br />
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~Mei mei<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-89184288031209018102014-07-18T12:28:00.001+02:002014-07-18T12:28:46.147+02:00Daily life of an interracial couple - The good and the bad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Less than 50 years ago interracial marriage was illegal in the United States and many other countries. But even though that barrier is gone, still many interracial couples get discriminated nowadays. As my other half and I are an interracial couple as well I got asked many times how this affects our daily lives.<br />
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<b><i>Roots</i></b><br />
My boyfriend is 100% Vietnamese and I am Eurasian (for full explanation about my ethnicity <a href="http://meimeislanguage.blogspot.nl/2013/10/introduction-to-my-blog.html" target="_blank">click here</a>). Although I am proud of my Asian roots, my brothers and sister do not acknowledge their roots and most of the time if someone asks, they do not admit they are mixed. As I am the youngest I was very confused by this. I grew up with the privileges of getting to know the ins and outs of more cultures than one, eating different foods and celebrating several Asian and Western holidays. I enjoyed everything and see no harm in growing up like this. <br />
As we got older my brothers and sister didn't like to visit my Asian family and only hung out with non-Asian kids. When I started learning Japanese my siblings simply called me a 'weirdo' (and they still do). I felt left out sometimes but didn't really paid attention to it until I started dating. Of course my siblings only dated non-Asian people, so when my boyfriend and I started going out the real issues started coming.<br />
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<b><i>The aggressive Vietnamese</i></b><br />
When I was around sixteen my father told me that I should definitely marry a Chinese man. He said I was the only one who could 'maintain our roots' and that it was simply the best choice for me. Short after that I started dating my boyfriend in secrecy. This was the only time ever I felt uncomfortable being judged by my family so I kept it on a low profile. After one year I told my parents and my siblings the truth and everyone freaked out. My father was extremely mad and said <i>a person of Chinese heritage is never suitable for a Vietnamese man</i>. When I wanted to move in with him, my sister took me apart and said; ''Vietnamese men are not good to their wife's, they are really aggressive and rude and should only date Vietnamese women because they are used to it''. As I was shocked because of her rudeness I asked her where these 'facts' came from. She said her boyfriend who travels a lot, told her the Vietnamese are not so nice and that one of her friends also dates a Vietnamese man.<br />
Even though I am the youngest of our family, so far my boyfriend and I lasted longer than any of my siblings relationships. It was only after years they accepted him.<br />
My boyfriend doesn't really feel like he is part of the family, but after a while my father and he started to get along pretty well. And my father learned they actually had a lot in common.<br />
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<b><i>Feeling uncomfortable in public</i></b><br />
At the beginning I actually never noticed anyone other than my family having problems with our relationship, until my boyfriend mentioned it. One day after we went shopping we went for a drink on a sunny terrace. As we sat down he said to me 'Don't you think it's annoying?' With no idea what he was talking about I was looking flustered. '<i>They are always giving us a weird look</i>.' I was looking kind of worried after he said that and asked him 'Do you think it's because of our ethnicity?' As my boyfriend doesn't really likes heavy conversations he just joked it away with; 'No, they are just thinking how such an ugly man can date a beautiful woman like you.' Even though I went with the joke I could see it really made him uncomfortable. It got even worse when we went to a party; a Chinese guy who knew my roots went up to him and said 'a man of Vietnamese blood is never good enough for a Chinese beauty' (he mentioned the beauty because the first character of my Chinese name means beauty). After those unpleasant experiences he started to distance himself from me in public and wouldn't even hold hands. He became very self conscious and was very insecure. I felt terrible for him because he was affected by other people's nonsense. Why is a Vietnamese person of lower rank than a Chinese person? Why do people neglect the fact that I am not 100% Chinese? Why do they discriminate interracial couples at all? Why do we have to date our own race only? Since I am a mixed race <i>who am I allowed to date following the norms? </i><br />
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<b><i>What about the children?</i></b><br />
This is a question we get a lot (mostly from people older than us). What about the children? This is the thing I am actually most excited about being an interracial couple. I cannot imagine anything more beautiful than different cultures melting together into one amazing child. They can speak several languages fluently from a young age and get to know many beautiful aspects of different cultures. I don't see anything wrong with that. But at the beginning I felt terrible every time I heard that question, as if they are implying there is no bright future for our kids, while the US even has a mixed president for example!<br />
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<b><i>Getting used to it</i></b><br />
After being together for many years now we have found peace in the midway. He regained his confidence and feels comfortable again, while I am proud and happy to be with him everyday. Of course we get weird looks, silly questions and experience a little racism from time to time but in the end it's all worth it.<br />
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I hope I have answered all your questions in this post and that it was interesting to read.<br />
Thank you all for the requests.<br />
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~Mei mei<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-20391970163161893852014-06-02T12:43:00.002+02:002014-06-02T12:45:34.368+02:00#Asianguestguide 2 - How to deal with Chinese guests - China's booming tourism industry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Zo5uY91ONH6MWJtvKQ5gzdmRiDsy26XphcNk8PuGjkwcfu86NnVnAH8e7nUQ1MdNcHJemtAVOpZ5EyZerMru3d154y-230oaduDYy_snGmvDnxvSyUoF11I4XGuYwTNnlZlHDsy5fvk/s1600/china-tourist_2452071b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Zo5uY91ONH6MWJtvKQ5gzdmRiDsy26XphcNk8PuGjkwcfu86NnVnAH8e7nUQ1MdNcHJemtAVOpZ5EyZerMru3d154y-230oaduDYy_snGmvDnxvSyUoF11I4XGuYwTNnlZlHDsy5fvk/s1600/china-tourist_2452071b.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Chinese tourism industry</b></i><br />
We all can't deny the fast growing industries in China and some even call it the country of prosperity and welfare. Welfare equals money, and if there is money, the hard-working Chinese can go on a holiday. The domestic tourism of China has continuously increased with 10% each year over the last decade and increases every year.<br />
If those facts of China's domestic tourism already leaves your mouth open, you will be surprised by hearing nearly one in ten international tourists worldwide is Chinese, which around half are leisure guests. And on top of that they spend the most in total (129 $ billion, followed by the Americans 86$ billion in 2013)!!<br />
As I live in Europe myself, I can say that the Chinese love Europe! And here in the Netherlands they are trying to profit from the boom of Chinese tourists with new measures. From Amsterdam Schiphol Airport there are direct flights to seven Chinese cities, they hand out presents during Chinese New Year and even all luxury shops accept Chinese currency. By 2020 it is estimated that <i>200 million (!) Chinese will go overseas</i>, double the number that did so last year. So the <i>Chinese tourists DO matter</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAliNSxW523t8FhodzPayjFU_ohwV9cp7EtqqD4fwmmZKwIpkeEWUowyP9oo1FrH6-5vwTOIkR-xxgZBBYFxSF5FQOJtLsogHBOJf5dn-uzbZd0ZpXcU9A7uECkOeYpvNoiHzOwzkKDlQ/s1600/cotri1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAliNSxW523t8FhodzPayjFU_ohwV9cp7EtqqD4fwmmZKwIpkeEWUowyP9oo1FrH6-5vwTOIkR-xxgZBBYFxSF5FQOJtLsogHBOJf5dn-uzbZd0ZpXcU9A7uECkOeYpvNoiHzOwzkKDlQ/s1600/cotri1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><b>The golden rule</b></i><br />
So after reading this you will understand that if you work in the hospitality industry, you are very likely to get in contact with Chinese travelers. Whether they are on a business or leisure trip, you are the one that can make their stay in your country memorable.<br />
But how can you satisfy a Chinese guest? The golden rule is actually very simple; if you can, <i>give them what they want</i>. it sounds really cheesy but it's true. Even the major companies do it! If you think I'm kidding I will share a true situation which recognized the guest's need and then used this golden rule;<br />
Emirates Airlines, the fourth-largest airline in the world, has won over the retail-crazy Chinese by simply boosting their baggage allowance.They recognized when Chinese travelers go abroad, they come home with more then when they left. So just by making a small change they won tremendous market share of the Chinese consumer.<br />
So how can we apply this in our situation? Imagine this; you work at the front-desk and just checked in a Chinese guest (without talking too much, because he does not speak your language), the guest comes back and is obviously upset. So what now? The first rule of trying to solve an issue, is acknowledging the issue itself. When you help a guest and cannot speak their language, it's obvious that the guest has many questions because of the lack of information. To prevent this you can have a translator make simple information sheets in the language of the guest. So if you work in a hotel and have many Chinese guests while nobody speaks Chinese, a simple sheet with breakfast times, opening hours, rules and other crucial information can make the guest feel at ease. And not to mention yourself too, I know it can be quite frustrating to send a guest off without really helping them out. At least now you have some information ready and you can point things out more easily.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglL4pWAconFCWbc4Jbko3i3S10h6QdJlaOxgTTf0eAhMlktTWAACxMtJq0iLvS3tmpDQCLZtoKJ_be90ounxDEJqY85yzr2pLxkcnXbgsVWwmy6c07WdOMeqrJo_gKdE3O4vhKI9bjKQ/s1600/xlx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglL4pWAconFCWbc4Jbko3i3S10h6QdJlaOxgTTf0eAhMlktTWAACxMtJq0iLvS3tmpDQCLZtoKJ_be90ounxDEJqY85yzr2pLxkcnXbgsVWwmy6c07WdOMeqrJo_gKdE3O4vhKI9bjKQ/s1600/xlx.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i><b>After the golden rule</b></i><br />
So after you tried to help them by using the golden rule, also make note of these pointers given by the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" /></a> <span style="text-align: center;">Family name comes first, normally only one syllable (</span><i style="text-align: center;"><u>Xi</u></i><span style="text-align: center;"><i><u> </u></i>Jinping)</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" /></a> Status comes before gender. No 'ladies first' in China.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" /></a> 66% of Chinese search the web before making a travel decision.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" /></a> It is appreciated a lot when a non-Chinese person tries to speak Chinese.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVcjoi15eUU4PMmuvLOOv_e8peJwDj0p9l0JjOLddOe70NFzjRmx_o6W_dUtCispIfqfk_oLHw0BSYAOepUewaTsz2MbWVu68kGTeixkVhiu2k0jEPfbLuJyrzQzwSmEuWbCencHcADU/s1600/favicon-6-2.png" /></a> Numbers 4 and 44 are pronounced the same way as the word for 'death' and are therefore unlucky. They should be avoided. The number 8 has a positive connotation.<br />
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In the end it is all about trying to help your customers and respecting their culture and heritage. If you encounter many Chinese in your job, try to learn more about their culture and learn some easy phrases to connect better with them and make them feel at ease. It will cost you some time after work, but can make a huge difference in the next encounter!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this post full of facts and pointers, next part is coming up soon. Please let me know if you would like me to cover a certain subject!<br />
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~Mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-23688507110489480422014-05-19T14:49:00.001+02:002014-05-19T14:52:05.742+02:00#Asianguestsguide 1 - Introduction; dealing with Asian guests in the hospitality industryI am pleased to tell you I am starting with a new blog series called 'Asian Guest Guide'. In every post I will review a particular type of guest, or guests from a specific part of Asia. For everyone working in the hospitality industry I want this to be a little guide on how you can manage with foreign guests in certain situations in this industry.<br />
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Why did I come up with this guide?<br />
I am working as a front desk agent myself and have to deal with guests from every part of Asia on a daily basis. I worked for quite a while in a major Japanese hotel as well, which equals even more Asian guests. My family has been in the hospitality industry for many years and had their own restaurants and hotels. Even though I love the diversity of guests I see every day, I see my colleagues struggling trying to deal with the 'oh-so-difficult' Asian guests on a daily basis.<br />
In this series I am going to simplify these situations, analyse guest profiles and share my own experiences in general.<br />
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If you have any specific situations you would like me to cover in this series, or if you have difficulties with understanding some type of guest, please let me know and I will try to analyze the situation and cover the outcome in this series.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCYgfbtjBpcG3jriwlWfvTs7d9XMf1ja7KaTnLH8dwka3zLhowrZbu6jcA9qVkA7vFAf-IRcGxArWnlqIymILA2VQBRycm36-MFlDPJNy_yKJ6D26CNIMFpHnW3tODPmPDEdSvli1Sp4/s1600/hotel.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCYgfbtjBpcG3jriwlWfvTs7d9XMf1ja7KaTnLH8dwka3zLhowrZbu6jcA9qVkA7vFAf-IRcGxArWnlqIymILA2VQBRycm36-MFlDPJNy_yKJ6D26CNIMFpHnW3tODPmPDEdSvli1Sp4/s1600/hotel.png" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Part one will be up soon!<br />
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~ Mei mei<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-8783391315800853072014-04-20T14:45:00.001+02:002014-04-20T14:48:06.699+02:00Book Review: Chineasy the new way to read Chinese<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jOGpx10QDqEKnHKfBfDR2NY3OnfF7o7qRRPyupzIi9CHdo7VL4Iqkfk5x-lby-kfPU2z11VKNOThHp4m7AL6SQwD0ucC2me7pESjSLcqwd8HQ4h34czmueaIHHvC8OwzspX-kPqC0-0/s1600/chineasy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jOGpx10QDqEKnHKfBfDR2NY3OnfF7o7qRRPyupzIi9CHdo7VL4Iqkfk5x-lby-kfPU2z11VKNOThHp4m7AL6SQwD0ucC2me7pESjSLcqwd8HQ4h34czmueaIHHvC8OwzspX-kPqC0-0/s1600/chineasy.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a>My apologies for not writing in a long long time, but I was really busy with many things. One of them was getting a copy of Shaolan Hsueh's Chineasy. Because I was convinced that after the release they wouldn't sell out that fast I didn't pre-order a copy. Big mistake because the book was sold out online! I tried to find a copy everywhere but I could only order one from Amazon. I was really lucky I stumbled on a copy yesterday when I was in our capital city. Long story made short, I am going to introduce Chineasy today.</div>
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Chineasy is a book which states to read Chinese in a whole other way. An very easy and fun way. I was very interested because it covers basic Chinese characters which can also be quite convenient for Japanese learners to know, since <i>most</i> of the basic characters are the same.</div>
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The author, a Taiwanese woman residing in the UK, had difficulties with teaching her own children Chinese with current existing books and methods so she created her own. As a result came Chineasy. The books is based on building blocks to quickly learn several hundreds of characters. If you have studied Chinese characters or Japanese Kanji it is likely that you are already familiar with this technique. But born as the daughter of a calligrapher and a ceramic artist, Shaolan Hsueh grew up immersed with art which has a great influence in the making of Chineasy. She worked together with an graphic artist Noma Bar who made the characters come to live visually. Honestly, I have to say that the bright illustrations and the interesting descriptions really caught my attention and made me smile while reading.</div>
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Although the technique is good, the illustrations are great, and the descriptions are interesting some of the links between the illustrations and words were pretty far-fetched.</div>
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As I continued reading, the end of the book contains some sentences which are build upon the words we have learned so far. Although some of the sentences are useful for daily life, others are really odd for such a book; 'The rich girls stinks', 'The mermaid Princess burst into tears'. I think I wouldn't use both ever.</div>
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At the very end there even is a short story which is kind of hard to grasp, even with the great visuals.</div>
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Overall I think it's a great book. If I got children I would enjoy to teach them Chinese words from this book. And even if your a businessman or student, this book will give you an insight into Chinese language. As I explained, there are some negative points about the book, but overall it is fascinating to read. I would recommend beginners who have not studied Asian characters before to give it a try.</div>
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I hope you enjoyed reading, have you bought Chineasy already?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-30233938260559424012014-03-27T13:31:00.000+01:002014-03-27T13:31:17.270+01:00The best apps for learning Japanese on Iphone and Android (Part 2)In my first post I introduced two apps for studying Japanese. I have found two new interesting apps and tested them for a while. I will introducte you to 'I-Sokki' and 'Japanese!!' this time. These are both only compatible with Apple devices. I'm sorry for that! Switched back to iPhone recently so that's why I found these. Next time I promise to introduce some apps which are compatible with multiple devices. <br />
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<i><b>I-Sokki;</b></i><br />
Supported on iPhone, iPad </div>
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I-Sokki is a fairly simple app with a subtle sakura style layout. It is a quiz / flashcard kind of app which offers you short quizzes studying Japanese vocab. In the main menu for the quiz there are three options; Japanese Mode, Kanji Mode and Reverse Mode. </div>
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Japanese Mode; has questions in Kanji / Hiragana with English multiple choice.</div>
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Kanji Mode; has questions in Kanji / Hiragana with Japanese (kana) multplice choice. This one does not show the meaning of the word though, which is quite weird I think.</div>
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Reverse Mode; has English questions with Japanese multiple choice.</div>
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The app lets you train the JLPT level 5 for free. You can purchase the other levels for 1,79 per level, or purchase all levels for 4,49. You can also find a vocabulary section where you can check your familiarity with the words of your study level. Of course the app also has an achievement section where you can check your progress. If you want to drill in some vocab without spending too much time, this is an great app for that. If I'm waiting for the bus, for an appointment or something else I just spend my time quizzing away. </div>
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The downside on this app is that there is no focus on grammar. You will not find any explanations or grammar guides.<br />
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<i>Overall rating I-Sokki;</i><br />
Visual / layout; 3/5<br />
Information; 3/5<br />
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<i>Pro's;</i><br />
- Clean layout<br />
- Easy to use<br />
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<i>Con's;</i><br />
- No grammar<br />
- Only the N5 level is for free<br />
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<b><i>Japanese!!;</i></b><br />
Supported on iPhone, iPad<br />
This app is great for the people who are just starting with Japanese or planned a trip to Japan. It is a fairly simple app with a clean blue layout. This app divides information into the Japanese cities. You can click a city and read a lot of information about the sights, typical foods and tons of other information. They even have several simple maps! This app also teaches you Hiragana and Katakana together with some basic grammar and phrases. There are eight cities with information in the app and three games. The games focus on Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji and these are just simple matching games.<br />
Overall this is not an app which you can enjoy all year through but is a good source of basic information and will be very helpful during and preparing for your trip to Japan.<br />
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<i>Overall rating Japanese!!;</i><br />
Visual / layout; 2/5<br />
Information; 4/5<br />
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<i>Pro's;</i><br />
- Full version for free<br />
- Easy explained information<br />
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<i>Con's;</i><br />
- No study material<br />
- No long term app<br />
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Thank you for reading!<br />
If there is an app which you would like me to review please send me a message~<br />
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~Mei mei<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-82902721734975902502014-03-09T08:40:00.000+01:002014-03-09T08:40:30.509+01:006 reasons why you should learn Korean / why Korean might be easier than you think!When you think about the Korean it might seem just another difficult Asian language. But don't get scared about what they tell you, Korean is actually one of the easiest East Asian languages to learn! I will give you six reasons why Korean might be easier then you might think and why you should start learning Korean right now.<br />
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1. Korean has one of the most intelligent writing systems on earth. Compare it to Chinese and Japanese and it is looks suprisingly easy as well! The Korean alphabet is called Hangul and consists of 14 consonants and 10 vowels. That makes only 24 characters to learn!<br />
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2. Hangul is written the same way you probably have learnt. From left to right, top to bottom. And unlike Japanese, it has spaces inbetween.<br />
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3. Korean is not a tonal language. The language does have some accents but these don't change anything grammar wise.<br />
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4. The grammar in Korean language is very simple and straightforward. For example; you do not have to worry about gender and many verbs are just made out of nouns + the verb 'to do'.<br />
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5. There is a huge amount of information (most of the time for free) on the internet. You have lots of dramas with Korean and English subtitles and the amazing podcasts of Talk To Me In Korean are also free!<br />
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6. Korean has a lot of English loanwords (Konglish )and many Koreans are eager to learn English.<br />
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I hope this post has triggered your interest in Korean language. Read some more information about Korea and you will probably fall in love with it's beautifull language, interesting culture and kind people. If you are a fan of everything Japanese, have a look at my other post which compares the Japanese language to Korean.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAiPOnwj_zTS-LnROaY28gRhsbyuOUKFxoM0U5s7nQ2TId3dYv6e8FbfEqv5qXWM3NxcYgmDL3hIF0u2faehPWh7eS1t5oQCelqT095L-OFutOSslF08qPJuyhTZZWQh9q30r6E-CHQY/s1600/korean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAiPOnwj_zTS-LnROaY28gRhsbyuOUKFxoM0U5s7nQ2TId3dYv6e8FbfEqv5qXWM3NxcYgmDL3hIF0u2faehPWh7eS1t5oQCelqT095L-OFutOSslF08qPJuyhTZZWQh9q30r6E-CHQY/s1600/korean.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thank you for reading!<br />
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~Mei mei<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-45650739927829627402014-03-05T18:05:00.000+01:002014-03-05T18:15:42.926+01:00Keeping up learning languages while doing nothing specialEveryone who is studying a foreign language will reach that point where you think you have lost your motivation. Although everyone will say you have to continue studying even though you don't feel like it, there is actually nothing wrong with taking a little break. Allowing yourself to have a break will make your mind free of stress so you can regain new inspiration.<br />
Even if you do not want to open your books there are still many ways to learn new words, grammar, etcetera effortless. I have explained some of these simple methods below.<br />
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<i>Podcasts;</i><br />
I have an iPod only for my podcasts. Listening to podcasts can be done while you're on your way to work, have to wait for the train or while you're preparing the dinner. This is a great method for those who are have surpassed the beginners level and feel at ease listening to conversations. They will easily pick up new sentences because they already understand the grammar behind it. If you think conversations are a little hard, just stick to listening music. This is also a great way to relax while you're still studying.<br />
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<i>Dramas, TV-shows and movies;</i><br />
For those who are learning Japanese or Korean you have the access to many great dramas, TV-shows, and movies for free online. If you are an beginner this is an easy way to get comfortable with the foreign language.If you are more advanced this is a fun way to check how much you already understand. There will always be a good show or movie in the genre you like.<br />
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Eventually you will pick up the dictionary again to find out what the word is they use so frequently in your drama. You will regain your interest and continue your studies with the new information you have learned from simply watching a movie or listening to the news in the language of your studies!<br />
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Keep the good work up!<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
~Mei meiAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-10130937428271332132014-02-21T15:15:00.000+01:002014-02-21T15:16:09.282+01:00Japan, Nihon or Nippon 日本, ?<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzojglslgRnghKmp6Np533wrYa6MoXLPaqiXNKJaA0XbH1sWebPsr_LPg8OC9FCnDSCcu3lif3pzaP_2sN1D9znwScObu_GscJ8wViD-FdcCpRIOyycRNLOdo8-_hyq6N1BQQjByOnXfg/s1600/nihon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzojglslgRnghKmp6Np533wrYa6MoXLPaqiXNKJaA0XbH1sWebPsr_LPg8OC9FCnDSCcu3lif3pzaP_2sN1D9znwScObu_GscJ8wViD-FdcCpRIOyycRNLOdo8-_hyq6N1BQQjByOnXfg/s1600/nihon2.jpg" height="291" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></div>
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Japan;</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Linguists
believe the name Japan derives from the attempts of Marco Polo pronouncing the
early Mandarin Chinese word for Japan which is </span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS Mincho';">日本国</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
pronounced in pinyin as 'Rìběnguó', and literally means 'Country of the Sun
origin'. Marco Polo's attempts resulted in 'Jipangu'. Also many people
believe that the word originated from Malaysia. The Malay word for Japan,
'Jepang' also came from the Chinese language. This word was encountered by
Portuguese traders in Malacca and it is believed that the traders were the
first to bring the word to Europe. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">にほん or にっぽん ?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The
Japanese name for Japan can be read as 'nihon' or 'nippon' (onyomi) and are
both written with the same kanji;</span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS Mincho';">日本</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'MS Mincho';">,</span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS Mincho';">日</span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">‘nichi’ means sun or day and</span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS Mincho';">本</span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">‘hon’ means base or origin. Put them together and you get ‘ base of the
sun’ . You might also have read ‘base of the sunrise’ somewhere which comes from the Chinese point
of view. From China, the sun rises from the side of Japan. This is also the
source of the popular Western term ‘ land of the rising sun’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">When combined, ‘nichi’
often loses the final -chi sound and creates a small pause between the first and
second syllable of the compound. When we want to romanize this, the pause is often represented by doubling the first consonant of the second
syllable. Compounds with ‘hon’ often change into -bon or -pon. Therefore there
are two possible ways to pronounce </span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS Mincho';">日本</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">. While both are correct (and
also frequently used) ‘nippon’ is often preferred for official purposes like
money, stamps and international matters. 'nippon' is also used for a longer period of time then 'nihon' which is said to have derived from the Kanto accent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Although 'nippon' is the more obvious way name to pronounce 日本, a recent survey showed that 61 percent of Japanese people read it as 'nihon', also it is a lot more popular with the younger generation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> In Japan there is no official document defining the pronunciation of 日本 . An attempt was made by the Ministry of Education in 1934, when they started a major investigation in the national language including their recommendation of naming the country 'nippon' for once and all. However the government simply ignored their request.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Another move was made more recently in 2009, when a member of the Lower house made a more liberal move and submitted a request asking the government to decide on an unified pronunciation, whether it be 'nippon' or 'nihon'. The government replied that they saw no reason to take official steps, since both terms are in wide usage nowadays. You can either applaud their indecision as a way of saying they had some bigger issues to deal with, or you criticize them for their laid back attitude.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">What do you think of the governments decision? Do you use 'nihon' or 'nippon'?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> ~Mei mei</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1515096539801895466.post-36981806787053954842014-02-14T18:56:00.001+01:002014-02-20T16:07:14.009+01:00Black Day, Asian day for singles? 블랙데이 - Jjajangmyun 자장면 Recipe<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSI9KJXsJWsD-lFIEyivomf4QPCYB9HbCZgGETjHJhhtqUdz8akRweXx01bxQd8nGHgDikR9o6vEH7NdlQxBpcMQixnnYqBbjQMnx5M39feplZKJtnK1LUgxmbRcUTn8Gtc-I0NjG_K-A/s1600/jjajangmyun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSI9KJXsJWsD-lFIEyivomf4QPCYB9HbCZgGETjHJhhtqUdz8akRweXx01bxQd8nGHgDikR9o6vEH7NdlQxBpcMQixnnYqBbjQMnx5M39feplZKJtnK1LUgxmbRcUTn8Gtc-I0NjG_K-A/s1600/jjajangmyun.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, serif;">In case you don't have that special person to celebrate
Valentine's Day or White Day with, don't worry, the Asians have a special day
for you too. It is called 'Black Day' </span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: Batang, serif;">블랙데이</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, serif;">. Black Day is celebrated on April 14th and is mostly celebrated
in South Korea. At this day the Koreans mourn a little over the fact they
didn't get any gifts earlier (on Valentine's or White day) and then celebrate their singleness by getting
together with other single friends. If you want to follow their tradition you
just have to wear something black and eat some dark coloured food like the famous jjajangmyun </span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: Batang, serif;">자장면</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, serif;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Jjajangmyun is Black Day's
signature dish and consists of white noodles covered in black bean sauce.
Although jjajangmyung is written like </span><span lang="JA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Gulim, sans-serif;">자장면</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> , it is pronounced
as </span><span lang="JA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Gulim, sans-serif;">짜장면</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">with a 'J' as in 'jam'.
Jajang (</span><span lang="JA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Gulim, sans-serif;">자장</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> means 'fried sauce' and
myeon (</span><span lang="JA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Gulim, sans-serif;">면</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">means 'noodle'.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It is actually a
Chinese-Korean dish which some Chinese immigrants brought to Incheon. Unlike
other Korean noodles, jjajangmyun is made of white flour instead of potato
starch. The noodles are made by hand, and after that shortly boiled. When the
noodles are cooked, pork,vegetables and sea cucumber are added which make
the base for the sauce. Last but not least they add black bean paste and a good
stock. Some corn starch can be added also if the sauce isn't thick enough.
jjajangmyun is considered as a national dish of Korea and the perfect comfort
food for Black Day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">If you want to take it to a
whole other level there are even many jjajangmyun eating contests this day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Although jjajanmyun may sound
like a dish for the loners which can make your teeth stain, it is really
delicious. I highly recommend you to try it so I have the recipe for you below!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 16.5pt;"> </span></div>
<i>Recipe;</i><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> This recipe makes four servings;</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Pork belly, diced in easy to eat cubes or strips<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- 1 cup diced carrots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- 1 cup diced potatoes <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- 1 cup diced onions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- 1 clove garlic, minced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- +/- 3
large table spoons black bean paste<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- corn starch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Sesame oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Your favorite vegetable julienned ( I recommend
cucumber or Korean radish)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.5pt;">- Korean noodles of your choice </span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Heat a wok or a large skillet over medium high
heat. Add the meat and cook until the edges are slightly browned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Add the
carrots and potatoes and sauté for 1/2 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and sauté
until the onions turn translucent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Add the
black bean paste to the pan and combine. Make sure everything gets evenly coated. Gradually add some water and
bring to a high simmer. ( be careful not to add to much).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let the
sauce simmer until it thickens, this will take about 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce has
to stick to the noodles, but not too much either. If your sauce is not thick
enough, you can add some cornstarch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Turn off
the heat and add some sesame oil, stir until combined. Pour the sauce on top of
the noodles. Garnish with your fresh vegetables.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 18.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I hope you enjoyed reading my post!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">~ Mei mei</span></div>
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15212176296423604015noreply@blogger.com0