Good Karma - Instructions for life

These are hooking long on the Internet. They are said to be Dalai Lama's mottoes. When I read them today again, I did strike a responsive chord...

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Happy New Year

This Xmas was probably the most exciting and tiring for me. Christophe's return (I mean not going back to Congo again) definitely added on more to celebrate. Our schedule was full with activities that I hardly found a moment of break in between. Sitting on bed reviewing my last two weeks, it was more a march than a holiday. Am I complaining? Oh, no, I enjoyed it too - except the moments we rushed here and there :)

My flight to Brussels was on Saturday morning at 6:40. Strangely my alarm clock didn't ring that morning. Without the ring of a friend at 5:15, I would have missed the flight. It was the start of my rush hours.

The first weekend we went to De Haan with Chris' father and his wife Bernadette celebrating his 60th. I had my first walk along the seaside in winter. Beautiful but cold - what a surprise. In the evening we had a superb delicious dinner, though it was also impressive in terms of price. As Christophe had been in Africa for three years, it was the first chance after these years that all could be together for a weekend. His father was very happy that all his kids were there accompanying him. The evening was cozy and snug. Nevertheless at the end the birthday-child felt pity for turning to be 60. What shall I say? Perhaps he felt the same as when some women turn over 30 :)

On Monday Chris and I visited a friend in Namur. A cool guy I haven't seen for two years. At the beginning I was even wondering if I could still recognize him. Tuesday to Thursday we were in Den Hague looking for apartment. (Uhm ~~ somehow I have to move too sooner or later!) These three days were the toughest for me. The weather was freezing cold. We went with several real estate agencies, seeing apartments one after another. Somehow didn't find one fully satisfied us. The one we liked most has a kitchen and a bathroom that are badly built. As we don't want to invest too much in a rent apartment, we do expect the landlord will contribute to rebuild them. Till the moment, the real estate agency hasn't yet responded us.

Our trip to Christophe's mother started on Saturday early morning. We arrived her place in Monsistrier, middle of France, at 8 p.m. She has a little house in the Alps. We went every day walking in the mountains or visiting small villages. I had a bit alcohol overdose at Christmas eve, red face plus unclear mind. Beautiful nature, nice food, kind people, everyone rejoiced at being there for Christmas. We returned Brussels one week later, and met Christophe's friends. As some of them got babies, Christophe urged me to have our own.

We spent the New Year's day with Christophe's father and Bernadette. Christophe sorted out the stuff he wanted to take with him to Den Hague. Actually almost everything he stocked at their attic. In the evening Bernadette invited her family for a dinner party. It was comfy. Her family has amicable relations. We had to go to sleep in time because of our early flights the next morning. Now Chris is with a friend in Switzerland and me in Vienna. As always we have lots of photos from the last two weeks. I posted some on Flickr in De Haan and in France.

Just went shopping and bought food to fill my fridge, which was completely empty after I came back. Having been in bed for two days, I feel recovered from tiredness and sickness. I made myself a real Chinese dinner tonight, the first meal of the year at home. I want to take the chance to wish you (although a little delayed) - my friends, my family, or whoever you are - to have a Happy New Year , stay healthy and delightful, enjoy everyday and every moment you spend, let's Cheers for our lives and the coming New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM YILIN AND CHRISTOPHE

A tree

Woke up this morning by a call from Christophe. Heard the same sound of rain drops as when I went to bed - it has been raining since days. Chatted a bit with him, knowing that he would go to a friend for lunch, I told him it was raining cats and dogs here before hanging up. A bright light flashed in my eyes while I stepped out my bed room. It was snowing. The first snow of the year. In our yard, there's a little tree has accompanied me these years. Sitting in front of my study desk, I face directly to the yard garden, unavoidable that unknown- name tree. In spring its leafs are harlequin; summer it blooms milky flowers; in autumn it turns gradually golden brown; and in winter it's often covered with snow. Every now and then when I feel tired or frustrated during learning, and need a short break, I raise my sight and observe the tree at its slender but firm and tenacious trunk. No matter the change of its environment, it remains staunch, quiet and elegant. It became my study inspiration.

Chicken wing dinner

Headache whole day. Probably because just ate a bit tomato egg soup until 6 p.m.? So I made some chicken wings I bought today, accompanied with mushrooms and bamboos. The headache disappeared while I was cooking, but tragically it recurred after eating. What's wrong with my head? Food addicted?

Simple chicken wing recipe

1. Condiment: 1/3~1/2 spoon paprika, 1/2 spoon salt, 1/3 spoon basil and 2 spoon oil for 4 chicken wings.
2. Mix the condiments first, then with chicken wings. Marinate for at least 20 minutes.
3. Broil or fry (without extra oil) until golden brown.

The end of holiday

In pace with Christophe's departure, my holiday comes to an end. A friend's call this afternoon while Chris was packing reminded me my long weighty learning schedule hasn't yet been started. Whoever told me I was assiduous complimented. However I'm far behind. Three months' time passed, I'm still standing at the balk line. Tonight I took advantage of the last week end of September sorting out my holiday photos. They did reduce my guilty feelings of not having been stood by my books. Despite being sick for several weeks, I had a beautiful summer. Probably more adventures than any other summer I had. Central Africa is my ''Eyes Wide Shut". Two days Salzburg in rain recalled my fantasies of Europe. Our home-made hot-pot brought me years back to the city I grow up with. Where I feel sincere, where will be my home.

I'm back!

Oh, I'm back! Feel totally released. I started to appreciate clear water, fresh shower, straight roads... all the little things I took as granted before I had experienced the harsh life in D. R. Congo. Probably I would never have learned how lucky we are without living in black Africa for two months.

Just sorted out some photos we made in Jinja and posted them on Flickr, not yet have time for the ones made in Bunia. I was sick these days. As I turned better since yesterday we visited the Technical Museum today. But now I have to go to sleep as I am very tired and want to take advantage of the presence of Chris for another week or so. Bye thus.

First week in Bunia

In Christophe's office now. Outside, heavy rain. The weather is far different than I imagined. What I brought are just summer clothes that don't fit the enviroment and temperature here. I have to put on Christophe's pullover to keep myself away from cold and mosquitos.

Bunia is located close to the Congo and Uganda border, an hour flight from Entebbe. Living condition here is harsh. Tab water and public power supply is not constant. Water has been backed up in jerricans in case the water tank is empty and the pressure is too low to refill it. The electricity, if there is any, is much lower than sufficient to supply the normal lightening, so that all (foreigners') houses are equiped with generators which generates lots of noise besides power.

Christophe works from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and comes home for 1 and half an hour lunch break. Cooking and other house works are done by two Congonese workers. I would do some reading or learning during the day if there's enough sun light. Evening time we often go to the "MONUC House" or the military camp for dinner. The house we are living is guarded, as security is still an issue in Congo. Walking alone outside may cause danger so I'm recommended not to go out alone. Anyway there's nothing to see in the city except muddy roads.

Last Sunday afternoon, a friend of Christophe's was robbed at home. Four robbers, two guns. The friend and his guards were threatened and later were locked in a room. His house was searched up side down, all valuables are gone. Luckily nobody was hurt or wounded. This case gave me an alarm, a vivid picture of the security problems in Congo. Even the field UN staffs are in unsafety, how about the local people?

The week before I came to Bunia, we went to Jinja in Uganda. That part of the Victoria lake breeds the source of the Nile. We lived in a small resort with a beautiful garden directly facing the lake. During the week, despite having had a short walk to the source of the Nile, we stayed in the hotel, reading, eating, and relaxing.

Here in Bunia is completely different. People living here, except locals, are mostly working for the UN or other NGOs, others are militaries. Life is at the lowest standard, worse than many other African countries. When security or stability is an issue of a country, what more can we expect?

I am adapted, don't feel so astonished anymore as when I saw the "Bunia Airport" at the first sight. It is even not properly built as a bus station. Feeling happy to see Christophe everyday, I will stay in Bunia until September his next holiday and be back to Vienna together. Hopefully the weather will get better tomorrow.