CrystalPhuong- Singapore Travel & Lifestyle Blog

OUR VIETNAMESE TRADITIONAL WEDDING CEREMONY AND PARTY

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 20:30:00 +0000

It was a chilly December 22nd, and I was wrapped up in a cozy blanket at my mother-in-law’s home in Bruges, Belgium, savoring the warmth of my husband’s coffee. Finally, I had the chance to reflect on the whirlwind of life-changing events that had unfolded throughout the year.

After the wedding solemnization and party in Singapore, Gregory and I dove headfirst into preparing for our traditional ceremony and celebration in Vietnam. It was three times larger this time, with an anticipated guest list of nearly 300. We had only 3 months to plan the family trip, the wedding tea ceremony, the reception dinner, and the wedding-after party. It was 3 stressful months of planning while having overwhelming months at work. Keeping negativity aside, right now, I just want to take a moment to reflect on the most beautiful days of my life - the days I walked down the aisle in front of our friends, families, and relatives with the love of my life in Vietnam. A day my father had been wishing to happen over the last 20 years.

On the significant date of September 22nd, the festivities began with a traditional tea ceremony that seamlessly blended our two families. It marked the first time Gregory and his family experienced the richness of Vietnamese customs and culture. Dressed in elegant Vietnamese "ao dai" costumes, Gregory's parents and groomsmen arrived at my house with betrothal presents at the auspicious hour of 2 pm. Outside, my family and bridesmaids eagerly awaited their arrival. I was sitting in my room, waiting for my husband to come and fetch me.

After both family introductions, Gregory's parents sought my parents' blessing for their son to join our family officially. With my parents' heartfelt approval, Gregory approached the room where I was sitting, adorned in Vietnam's traditional wedding dress. Taking my hands, we shared a kiss, and he led me down to present ourselves as man and wife.

The ceremony included serving tea to our parents and exchanging greetings with friends and relatives before paying respects to our ancestors. In that sacred moment, my father couldn’t hold back tears as he prayed to his late father. It was a spiritual and emotional experience for both of us. The betrothal ceremony concluded with a collective family photo session and a joyous family dinner afterward to celebrate.

The festivities continued the next day with a wedding dinner party that united nearly 300 people from across the globe. Colleagues and friends flew in from Singapore, Australia, Barcelona, and the US to share our joy. Against all odds, we managed to secure a wedding decoration vendor just a week before the event and a live band a mere five days prior. The final touches to the decoration fell into place a mere two hours before the celebration. How did we manage to pull this off? I had no idea. It felt like a magical force, a guardian angel, had orchestrated everything. Everything miraculously aligned, from finding the perfect wedding dress to booking a makeup artist just a day before the big day—from location scouting to catering.

I was stressed out and nervous until the moment I put on my wedding dress. But as soon as I was about to walk down the aisle with my husband, he calmed me down instantly. He had that magical power in him.

With friends and family, we raised our glasses, cut into a massive wedding cake, and indulged in a delightful dinner spread. The live band played lively and fun tunes, making everyone leave their seats and dance the night away. It was an evening of pure joy, the best and most fun I had experienced in a long time.

For my father, it was more than a wedding; it was the realization of a dream he had cherished for over two decades. The celebration went beyond the nuptials; it was a gathering of people whom we love, all who came together to share in our happiness. As I fondly reminisce about those laughter-filled days, a great sense of gratitude washes over me. Grateful for the unwavering support of family and friends and for the memories that will forever hold a special place in our hearts. After 17 years of wondering "Who will be my future husband?", "When will I get married?", finally I found what I was searching for.

Here's to a lifetime filled with beautiful memories, love, and laughter.

Watch our wedding party here and don't forget to subscribe to our channel!

OUR DREAM WEDDING IN SINGAPORE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Four months have passed since the day we exchanged our vows atop the Grand Park City Hall Hotel in Singapore. Strangely, the memories still feel fresh, as if it all happened just last month. They say time flies when you're having fun, but when you're caught up in the whirlwind of your wedding day, it seems to go at double speed. Unlike many couples who take a year or more to carefully plan their weddings, we managed to pull off our intimate ceremony in Singapore within four months. Another two months afterwards planning for a traditional tea ceremony and reception in Vietnam. How did we manage? Well, that's a story for another time. For now, I'm still lost in the moments from those months ago. I find myself flipping through the photo album—300 pictures capturing smiles, tears, and moments, watching our wedding video, and live streaming to catch the nuances I might have missed during the event.

When I was still navigating my 20s, I had already a vivid picture of my dream wedding. A grand ballroom, an extravagant wedding dress, a sea of guests, dance performances, and an unforgettable party – the classic fairy tale. I even went as far as buying the sparkly Jimmy Choo wedding shoes before finding my Prince Charming. My logic at the time was simple: "It's easier to find the right shoes; finding the right man is a far more complicated task. So, get the shoes first, find Mr. Right later."

Our dream, Gregory's and mine became about celebrating the most important day of our lives with family and close friends. We desired to share our joy with those who had witnessed our journey, supported us through challenges, and contributed to our growth. With our families scattered across Vietnam and Belgium, Gregory in London, and me in Singapore, finding the perfect place to hold our ceremony and register our marriage seemed like a daunting task. Factor in friends from various corners of the globe, and the early stage of planning felt almost like an impossible task. Yet, as the saying goes, if it's meant to be, it will find a way and it will happen.

Our wedding ceremony in Singapore was nothing like what I envisioned in my 20s, but it turned out to be a perfect day for both of us. The breathtaking backdrop of the Singapore skyline, complemented by the warm hues of the sunset, added an extra layer of magic to our special day, making it an unforgettable experience for us and our guests. Our families, flying in from Belgium and Vietnam, stood witness as we said our "I dos," and friends from every corner of the world joined us to celebrate. We've never had so many hugs in one day. It was overwhelming, a day filled with an abundance of love and happiness. A day that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

We were so lucky that our wedding and our love story were also featured in the most prestigious magazine in Vietnam Harper's Bazaar. Thank you so much to Mrs Venus Tran, Editor in Chief of Harper's Bazaar Vietnam for the support and love!

Special thanks to Memoro Bridal- our wedding gown and Regal Brides, our wedding shoes sponsor. We are forever grateful.

Watch our wedding film here!

HOW DID WE MEET?- OUR REAL- LIFE FAIRY TALE STORY

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:39:00 +0000

For many years, Gregory and I have wondered when and how we’d meet our life partner, where they would be, and if we ended up meeting someone, we started questioning, “Is this the right one?”

Before and after meeting Gregory, I have had a few relationships. Funny enough, they all ended once the relationships hit the 1-year mark. In all those relationships, even at their peak, I kept hearing a little voice in my head saying, "This is not the right one.” It happened repeatedly that it felt like a curse and that this mountain was too high for me to climb.

When I told my mom, she was worried. Being the superstitious mom she is, she went to look for a Master and asked for some insightful, spiritual guidance. Coincidentally, at least 3 of them said "Your daughter had a past-life lover. That's why all of her relationships would end within 1 year". I didn't believe obviously, but when 3 random people said the same thing, you ought to listen. So, I went to the temple to pray and had some sort of ceremony to break up with the past-life lover whom I didn't even know existed. Anyway, whatever made my Mom happy, I'd do it. If any of these rituals worked, I would have been married a long time ago.

Being a young Vietnamese woman living overseas alone, I had gone through many emotional, mental, and spiritual experiences, both negative and positive. Not to mention having to deal with the society's pressure of being an "old maid,” "leftover woman,” and "expired woman.”

After so many failures in relationships, I lost hope and didn't believe in True Love. I even accepted the fact that maybe I was dreaming of a fairy tale. True Love didn't exist. It was only in movies and fairytale stories. Even if I could blow all the seeds off a dandelion with a single breath, my Prince Charming wouldn’t suddenly appear the next day.

But LIFE ALWAYS HAS A PLAN. Sometimes, we must go one big round to find what we are looking for.

AND THIS IS HOW WE MET!

One beautiful day in 2009, an ex-colleague whom I was quite close to at that time brought her long-distance boyfriend to the vibrant cityscape of Singapore and introduced him to me. His name was Gregory. My friend seemed to be in love, and I was happy she found someone. On the other hand, I was already in a committed relationship with someone else. I was a third wheel that night, but it didn’t bother me. We had dinner at Clarke Quay, a drink at the rooftop bar at Esplanade, took some fun photos together, and laughed it off. It was a fun evening.

Shortly after their first meeting, Gregory and his then-girlfriend had gone their separate ways. The distance proved challenging, and Gregory wasn’t ready to leave his career in Europe and move to Asia. I didn’t ask my ex-colleague much. We all three moved on with our lives. Gregory connected with me on Facebook after the first meeting and occasionally sent me messages and well wishes on special occasions such as birthdays or New Year. We were just each other's friends on social media.

8 years later, in 2018, Gregory found himself needing healing after a heart-wrenching breakup from a four-year relationship. He chose Singapore as his first stop on his journey of finding and healing himself. Several months before his arrival, Gregory contacted me to check if I would be around during his stay. I said I would. However, I completely forgot about his arrival until a month later when Gregory's message came, "I'm in Singapore.” Fortunately, I had no travel plans and could still manage to spend a day or two with Gregory. Ironically, during this time, I took on the role of a matchmaker and introduced him to two of my close friends, though it didn't lead to anything significant.

Later that year, when my friend Marisa and I planned a winter holiday in Europe, we decided to include a visit to London to see Gregory. By then, Gregory had moved from Barcelona to London to work in a luxury hotel. After bidding farewell to Marissa, I stayed in London to spend a few extra days with him. To my surprise, he arranged a countryside road trip in England, taking me to Windsor Castle. We were on a mission to find my Prince Charming, who might wander around the castle.

Unfortunately, the castle was closed. He then drove me to visit another castle- Cinderella Palace, joining me on the merry-go-round and playing like little kids.

The final night of our road trip brought us to a charming gin bar in the historic town of Bath. We enjoyed our evening, and after he walked me back to our hotel room, we exchanged sweet "Goodnight" wishes before he headed to his own room. It was a quiet moment until, within just a few minutes, a soft knock on my door interrupted my thoughts. As I opened the door, Gregory took me by surprise with a spontaneous kiss on my lips. Surprisingly, I didn't pull away. I didn't feel any spark either. "It must be the gin that played tricks on me"- I thought.

The next morning, we continued our journey, exploring Stonehenge and cherishing our time together at one of the world's most famous historical sites. It was cold and windy that morning. Greg tried to keep me warm with his tight hugs and held me close the entire time we visited Stonehenge. I didn’t push him away because I was really cold. We had a delicious lunch at the French restaurant before he sent me back to the airport. Right there, he asked, “If you wanted me to be in Singapore, I’d leave London for you.” I quickly shot that crazy idea down before he even finished his sentences “No, if you wanted to relocate to Singapore, move only if you have a job offer. Don’t leave your life here for me. I can’t take that responsibility. What if it doesn’t work out?” - I saw the disappointment in his eyes, but I had to draw the line. I didn’t want to lose our friendship. What if it didn’t work out?

We bid each other goodbye, uncertain when I'd return to Europe. But, we managed to stay connected through WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, always checking in on each other's lives.

We were both deeply engrossed in our busy lives, chasing our dreams, focusing on work, and making plans. I couldn't be sure when or where I'd meet the right guy, but I had this persistent feeling that he wouldn't be in Singapore. Where exactly he'd be, I had no clue. All I knew was that the right time and place would eventually bring us together. Interestingly, Gregory shared a similar sentiment. He believed his ideal partner was out there, hailing from a different culture, country, and religion. It was quite strange that we had never discussed our love lives when we were just friends.

The global pandemic in 2020 brought us closer, and our talks became more frequent. But, the real game-changer came early in 20023 when I got a promotion at work. It was around March that year when I got a sudden work opportunity to travel to Barcelona. Unsure if I could secure a visa in time, I decided to inform Gregory of my plans anyway. Without hesitation, he applied for leave to be in Barcelona and meet me. When the visa arrived on Monday, April 18th, I quickly booked a departure flight on April 23rd. Gregory wasted no time and booked his own flight to join me in Barcelona for three days from May 3rd to 7th. After my work week in Barcelona, I took a few days off to explore Madrid while waiting for Gregory to arrive.

Here I was still wondering when would I meet my real-life Prince Charming while visiting the Royal Palace in Madrid. I didn't know my life was about to change.

I vividly recall the moment when I went for a morning stroll through the streets of Madrid, my mind was swamped with countless questions racing through my head "We shared a kiss in London 5 years ago. What if he kisses me again? How should I react? Should I pretend the kiss never happened? What if he booked only one hotel room instead of two?" Eventually, I made a decision to go with the flow and see what would happen.

As I stepped out of the train station in Barcelona, my eyes met a tall, handsome man with a radiant smile, and suddenly, it felt like I was HOME. Reuniting with him was akin to meeting a long-lost family member. It was at that moment I wondered: "Could he be the one I've been searching for?"

We hugged. There was no kiss this time. Greg graciously took charge of my luggage, ensuring my comfort as he opened the car door for me and took his seat on the other side. I discreetly observed him behind my oversized sunglasses, curious to see if anything had changed over the years. Upon reaching the hotel, Gregory went to the reception desk to check us in. Returning to where I sat in the lounge, he handed me a room key and said, "I've booked two rooms—one facing the street and the other overlooking the pool. Let me know which one you prefer." At that moment, I realized it was time to open up and address the reasons behind my past reservations. We had a long, heartfelt conversation, reminiscing about old memories while discussing our hopes for the future. The more we spoke, the more we discovered our striking similarities in friendship, family, love, career, and life principles.

I knew right then and there "I've been looking for the right man in all the wrong places." I confessed to Gregory "I wasn't ready for a long-distance relationship and didn't believe it could work. I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship if a romantic relationship failed. But now, I understand that if I don't give us a chance, I might regret it. So, if you're not seeing anyone and you're interested in a relationship with me, perhaps we could take it slow and see where this journey leads"

Being the gentleman that he is, Gregory gave me a warm hug. We shared another kiss. This time, I was fully present. We spent the next 3 days in Barcelona together as a couple. Everything was so easy with him. A few years ago, we embarked on a road trip as friends. We didn't expect to see a change in our friendship. But, destiny seemed to have a hand in our reunion in Barcelona.

After the trip, we were in a long-distance relationship for another year. Gregory called me every day. We talked about our day at work, our plans, and even our challenges. We made it a point to see each other every 3-4 months, wherever possible. In July 2022, we went for a first holiday in Dubai as a couple's holiday.

On my birthday, November 5th, Gregory flew to Singapore and surprised me with the birthday decoration in the hotel room of The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. He planned all of these surprises while still working in London.

Subsequently, I invited Gregory to join her family on vacation in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, marking his first meeting with my loved ones. Gregory wanted to officially ask my parent's permission to date me. My family knew of our story only in May after I came back from Barcelona and they were so happy and supportive. In December 2022, Gregory turned 40. He celebrated his 40th birthday in Bruges, Belgium, and officially introduced me to his family and close friends. Everyone made me feel at home and treated me like a family member from the first day. Everything felt right. By the time 2023 arrived, we knew for sure that we wanted to spend our lives together and we couldn't wait to begin. In March, we spent another week at his home in Bruges. He proposed to me on one of the most scenic spots in Bruges, Bonifacius Bridge (Lover Bridge), built in 1910 that has a reputation for its romantic atmosphere.

After 14 years of maintaining a long-distance friendship, we finally tied the knot in both Singapore, where we first met, and Vietnam, my birthplace. Our wedding ceremony and celebrations took place on 27.07.23 in Singapore and 23.09.23 in Vietnam, following the Vietnamese wedding tradition with our friends and families from all over the world joining us.

Reflecting on it all, we feel incredibly fortunate to have found each other in this big world despite thousands of miles and years of time. Just like many other people, we were all out there searching for love, hoping one day we'd find what we were searching for. But sometimes, love surprises us when we least expect it. That's how our love story began. Sometimes, what we are searching for is right in front of us. We just don't see them.

I hope you enjoyed reading about our real-life fairy tale story. I've tried to summarize our long story in a 5-minute short film, if you'd like to watch, share, and subscribe, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I'M ENGAGED!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 13:38:00 +0000

Let me start this post with a punch line: I'm engaged!

Over the last 17 years since I left Vietnam, I have listened to the question "When will you get married?" countless times. My simple answer was, "One day, I'll talk about marriage when I'm ready." Today is the day.

Every Lunar New Year, the same question came up again from multiple people. Whenever my parents introduced me to their friends, after the question, "How old is she?", "What's she doing?" was "Is she married?". First, I was ok as I was used to it. It's my culture. Then, I got irritated when people started telling me how to live my life and advising me, "You quickly find a husband, have kids, and take care of the family. Don't work too much and travel too much." It got worse when people made jokes about women who are 30 years old and above unmarried being left on the shelf pass the "expiry date." How did I deal with these jokes? I ignored.

In Vietnam and other Asian countries, many women want to get married because they are under family and societal pressure; they want to have kids by a certain age, change their passports by getting married to a foreign man, and want to change their life. Growing up in a country where marriage is a must-be done by a certain age, I fell into the same belief that marriage is the ultimate life goal of a woman. I set an ideal timeline for myself when I'd like to get married. 23, 25, 27. 29 years old. Those are considered auspicious ages for a girl to get married. I tried to follow this advice, but I failed. Every time I failed, I questioned myself, "Why?". Dad told me that I was too stubborn, too strong. He was very worried about me. Mom said I should be more realistic, less picky, and stop daydreaming. Then, some of my married friends told me, "If you want to find a husband, he might be boring. As long as he takes care of you, it's good enough. If you want to have a fun, passionate, and adventurous type of man, they'll always have commitment issues. You need to lower your expectation."

For years, I've been wondering, "Am I too demanding?", "Should I be more accommodating in the relationship?" "Should I reduce the number of boxes on my "Ideal Husband" list?", "Do I have a commitment issue?" After running away from a few marriage proposals, at 30, I started questioning myself, "Why do I want to get married?". Then, I came up with several reasons. I wanted to get married because I was getting older, I wanted to get married because my parents wanted to get married. I wanted to get married so that I could have a better life. I wanted to get married because I wanted to have kids. I wanted to get married so I could get a new passport. Lastly, I wanted to get married because I wanted to wear a wedding dress (this is the silliest one).

Nothing's wrong with the reasons above. Everyone's needs are different, and everyone has the right to decide what works best for them. But when I took a step back and looked at what marriage really meant to me, I realized these were the wrong reasons for me to get married. By the time I turned 35, my view on marriage had changed, and so did my ideal type of life partner. Family, relatives, and friends stopped asking me when I'd get married (they got tired eventually). My parents slowly understood my perspectives. I'm not the typical, traditional Asian woman whose life and happiness depend on her husband. I have my own life and decide who deserves the VIP ticket to join me on this ride. I stopped comparing my life with people my age who married early and now have 2-3 grown-up kids with a big house and car.

Everyone has their timing. I'm not ahead or behind. I'm where exactly I need to be. Instead of waiting for my future husband to show up, I chose to focus on my career, finance, mental and physical health, and happiness. Work became my best friend to distract me from the negative thoughts about the unforeseeable future. I was at the mental stage that I would be fine being single if I couldn't find anyone worth getting married to. I no longer want to get married so I can have financial stability. I make and manage my own money. If I want to have kids, many options are available nowadays for single moms-wanna-be. I don't need a man to make me happy because I'm already happy being alone. If someone comes along who adds more value, more fun, and more experiences to my life, that's great! If not, I'd rather fly solo. I'm not asking for millions of dollars in their bank account, a big house, a car, a business class ticket, or luxury vacations. Integrity, kindness, intelligence, love, open communication, and patience are some qualities I was hoping to see in a man. Why would I need to lower my expectations to meet somebody's low standards? I found it hard to understand that advice.

I stopped talking about my love life publicly 7 years ago. Not because I didn't want to or believe in love. I feared it would end quickly as soon as I made the relationship public. It happened a few times in the past, making me think that some evil spirits from another universe cursed me. Despite going through many heart-breaking experiences and ups and downs in the relationship, I still believe in true love. I believe there is someone out there who is my equal and made just for me, someone who loves wholeheartedly and cares deeply, who is compassionate, respectful, loyal, and truthful. I just hadn't met him yet, I thought. But I was wrong.

I already met him 13 years ago. I'll share the story about how we met in another blog post. Despite the short first meeting, the unique situation of how we met, the timezone difference, and the thousands of miles apart, we remained friends. He was the one who always reached out to wish me Happy Birthday and Happy New Year and checked in to see if I was ok. I kept him in the friend zone for a long time until one fine day in 2022; we met again after five years at a train station. It felt like coming home. I felt safe, comfortable, and free. I didn't have to hold the weight of the world inside me. I didn't have to tiptoe around him and filter my words before communicating. He watched me grow from the young girl who struggled to find out what I wanted in life to the woman I am now, who knows what I want and goes for it. I was so busy looking for a Prince Charming, not realize he was walking side by side with me all these years.

To my fiance, thank you for showering me with a ridiculous amount of love every day. You accept me for who I am and are forever my number 1 fan (this is your words). You laugh at my silly jokes, cheer me on my tough days, and show me how easy yet profound love can be. I can't help but think we were made for each other. God is good. He let us go through many "tests" and made us become a better version of ourselves before we met each other again. I'm excited about our next chapter together, and I can't wait to marry my best friend!

This is the easiest Yes I've ever said in my life.

To all the girls and women out there who are still hoping to find your Prince Charming, don't give up Hope. Everything will happen when the time is right. Greg & I first met in 2009, but we didn't end up being together until 2022. Don't change so people will like you. Change only to improve yourself. Be yourself, and the right people will find you. Good luck!

A LOOK BACK AT 2022!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 22:28:00 +0000

I started writing this blog post while sitting alone at my boyfriend's apartment in London on New Year's Eve. My boyfriend had to work that night, so I took the quiet time to pen down my thoughts, reflecting on many memorable events that I got to experience in 2022 and feeling extremely grateful for them.

Nearly 1 month later, I was sitting in my home in Vietnam, still trying to compose this long post. It's the first day of the Lunar New Year, 2023- the most auspicious day to write your resolutions and wishes. But more importantly, it's the perfect day to look back at all the ups and downs I went through in 2022.

At the beginning of 2022, as soon as Vietnam & Singapore resumed their international flights, I booked a flight ticket to be home with the family for Lunar New Year. There were still many strict Covid travel restrictions then. Despite being prepared and having a Covid test done, and vaccine certificates, I wasn't allowed to board due to the timing of my Covid test. I took the test 75hrs before departure time, and the airline required 72 hours only. So, unfortunately, I had to cancel my flight and book a new one to be home after Lunar New Year. I couldn't be home for the family reunion dinner; the earliest flight home was on the 2nd of the New Year. But on a positive thought, I got to experience both Lunar New Year in Singapore and Vietnam.

This was also the first time in the last 12 years I celebrated Lunar New Year in Singapore. I had my close friend- Dhilip coming over on New Year. We prayed, mediated, and had a few drinks together. It was just lovely.

On 2nd day of the Lunar New Year, I flew home. Seeing my parents again after 2 years since the lockdown made me feel emotional. Even though I'd love to give mom and dad tight hugs and kisses, I had to keep a distance from them and walked straight to my room to serve 3-day quarantine right after I arrived home. At the end of my quarantine, mom drove me to the hospital nearby for the Covid test. I was only able to join everyone at lunch when the test result came back negative, which was mid-day on the 5th. It was tough not being able to be close to my loved ones, but my home quarantine experience was the easiest one compared to many other cases. Thus, I wasn't complaining. On the contrary, I felt thankful that nobody in my family got sick.

Except for my grandfather.

He fell sick for over a year and a half and was hospitalized for a few months during the pandemic. I was so worried that I couldn't come home to see him at all, and I was praying that he'd still be there when I went home. As soon as I got out of the home quarantine, the next day, we drove back home to see my grandfather. He wasn't able to walk or eat by himself. He could only lie in bed. Some days, he forgot his children's names. On other days, he remembered all the stories of his life during the French, Japanese, and American wars. My grandfather held many high leadership positions during the Vietnam war, and he was well respected by thousands of people. When I arrived at his bed, he remembered me. The first thing he asked was, "You've finally come to see me. When will you be getting married?". He asked me this question in the last 16 Lunar New Year. Every time, he received the same answer from me "I don't know, grandpa. I haven't found the right one yet." "When do you think you'll find the right one? When you are 50 years old? Quickly find someone to get married and have kids"- he continued despite having difficulty in breathing and speaking. I left his room to let him have his afternoon rest. I was happy to see my grandpa and talk to him, but I felt so sad and disappointed in myself. All his wish was to attend his granddaughter's wedding, but I couldn't fulfill that. I tried, but I failed.

Grandfather passed away peacefully in his sleep at 9.05am on 12th Feb 2022, aged 97 years old. Although our family expected that this date would come, nothing could prepare you for the death of your loved one. Everyone said that he was waiting for me to come home.

During my time in Vietnam, I joined my God sister in purchasing a small piece of land for good luck. It's my first investment in property as a landowner. How cool does that sound? Though the upfront money was paid and the land ownership contract was issued, I never got to see my land in person. Someone was so interested in our property they paid us such a good price that we couldn't say No to the offer. We sold that land to them. Just like that. Buy and sell land within 15 days. I didn't know if I made a breaking record, but It was surely one of my proud achievements of 2022.

Coming back to Singapore after 3 weeks in Vietnam, I was out of balance emotionally. I had to keep myself focused on the busy work schedule while dealing with many overwhelming emotions: losing my beloved grandfather, being separated from my family again, and getting back into the "lone ranger" lifestyle I have in Singapore. I cried in front of my closest friends and my boss. It was too much!

I decided to create an account on a Dating app again. I had not been on a dating site for a long time, but the conversation with my grandfather made me feel like I should put myself out again to find true love. The negative Crystal in me thought, "You'd end up in disappointment and heartbreak again," but the positive one kept pushing, "Don't give up on Love." The positive Crystal won. I swiped right and was matched with a few people. I decided to meet one. I never believed in a long-distance relationship, but thanks to this person, I started accepting the idea of dating from thousands of miles away. The world is small, and I never stay in one place for so long anyway. Unfortunately, the relationship didn't last, so I moved on with my life. I'm at the stage where I no longer have the time and energy to fight for someone to be in my life. I have other important things to prioritize, like my health, finances, and career.

Last year, thanks to my boss, I was promoted to a Senior role in my career. As a result, I took more responsibilities at work, got to work with new colleagues from different regions, and picked up new skills and knowledge every day. More importantly, I had a wonderful opportunity to work from our Europe office. Before the Europe trip, I received all my certificates from Harvard Business School online for all the courses I took in 2021. It was quite a proud moment holding these certificates in my hands.

Back to the Europe trip, it was the most last-minute business travel I've ever had, but thankfully, everything just worked out. I received my visa on April 18th, booked the flight on April 19th, confirmed the hotel on April 20th, packed my suitcases on April 21st, and by April 24th, I arrived in Barcelona. If this isn't called "unexpected last-minute travel", I don't know what is. The first week working in Barcelona was busy and productive. It was also my first time meeting my new team members, and I enjoyed chatting with everyone.

After the work week in Barcelona, I spent another week seeing more of Spain as a tourist. My long-time friend, Gregory, who is based in London, helped me book a train ticket to Madrid and a hotel room when I returned to Barcelona. I hadn't seen Greg since my trip to London in 2018, so it'd be lovely to meet him in Barcelona if he could make it. And to my surprise, he booked his flight ticket to Barcelona on the day I told him I received a visa without a doubt.

Gregory and I have been friends for 13 years. Although we were in different parts of the world, we still tried to stay in contact and chatted about work and our life from time to them. There was no spark between us as we were dating someone else. The trip to Barcelona brought us back together and allowed us to look at each other from a different lens. Most importantly, I felt that it was the right time that we had a talk. After checking into the hotel that Greg booked, we had a long and honest conversation. That heart-to-heart conversation ended with a kiss, and the rest was history. I'll keep this long story for another blog post, I promise.

We spent 4 beautiful days in Barcelone and explored the city like any other tourist couple. It felt so easy to be with him. I wondered whether it was because of our 13 years of friendship or if we truly got along. It was similar to the London road trip we took 4 years ago as friends. The only difference this time, we held hands and kissed. The time went by so quickly when we had fun. After four days, I had to fly back to Singapore, and Greg had to head home to Belgium. We gave each other goodbye kisses at the boarding gate. Even though we didn't know when we'd meet again and how this relationship would go, we weren't being hopeless or feeling negative about our relationship.

After Spain, I went to the UAE for one week for a work trip. It's the first time I co-organized a trade show in the Middle East. The last time I visited Dubai was in 2009. I never thought I'd come back to the Middle East so soon. So it felt surreal to be back here for a business trip.

Leaving Dubai at the end of May, I went back to Singapore and flew to Ho Chi Minh over the weekend for the annual Vietnam International Fashion Week. I had a great time catching up with many old friends whom I hadn't seen for two years due to Covid. I also took some me-time to recharge and rejuvenate in Ho Chi Minh, then flew to Hai Phong to spend time with my family.

July came in a blink of an eye. Greg and I decided to meet halfway, and Dubai was the destination. I took a few days off work. We had a spontaneous and fun couple's trip in the Middle East in the summer when everyone else left the region to avoid the heat. Thankfully, the temperature in the desert dropped at night; we could enjoy the buffet dinner and watch the belly dance performances in the camp after the whole day under the sun for Quad bike riding, sandboarding, and camel riding.

We traveled together as friends before, but this was the first official trip as a couple. What would a normal couple do? They go on a date, of course. So, on the second last day in Dubai, we dressed up and went to the famous Burj Al-arab luxury hotel for our date night. It was such a romantic and lovely evening to wrap up our trip.

We said "Goodbye" to each other again. Then, Greg flew back to London, and I returned to Singapore to prepare for my big work event in October. At the beginning of September, I returned to the Middle East again for work. This time, I went to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia was never on my travel bucket list. Like most people, my impression of Saudi Arabia was "It's not a safe place. Especially for a woman who travels alone". It's a male-dominant country. There are so many restrictions for women. I can't eat in the same restaurant as other men. I need to have a male guardian to travel around Saudi. I need to wear a headscarf all the time. The list goes on. I was nervous the entire flight and even put the headscarf on and changed into a black abaya (a black outer cloak that Saudi women wear to cover their cloth).

As soon as I hit the ground running, things were completely different. I booked an Uber from the airport and chatted with the male driver during the entire journey to the hotel. I went to a trade show and talked to hundreds of people over 3 days. Many of them were Saudi men. I was told that Saudi men wouldn't talk to women because they could not approach the woman first. Well, that was an easy problem to fix. I'd approach them. That's what a Marketing person does at a business tradeshow, anyway.

After 3 days at the tradeshow, our partner invited my team and me to have the most sumptuous lunch I could ever imagine. All the best cuisine from different countries in the UAE was served. So here I was, a small girl at a big dining table with Saudi men talking business over a delicious meal. It felt like a big deal.

After work, I needed some time to recharge and took the opportunity to see more of this beautiful country. I booked a private tour to visit one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city - The Edge of the World. The Edge of the World is about an hour's drive from Riyadh city, and the journey itself was a sight to behold. The vast expanse of the desert landscape was both breathtaking and humbling, and I couldn't help but marvel at the raw beauty of the surroundings. As we reached the Edge of the World, I was blown away by the stunning vista that greeted me. The rocky outcrop dropped sharply, revealing an incredible view of the desert below. Over 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic period, this was an ocean bed with 300-meter-high cliffs. I never thought one day I would place my footsteps in this corner of the earth. I was feeling so insignificant and overwhelmed by the magnificent beauty of Mother Nature. One thing I reminded myself of when I first saw the Edge of the world. If we can find fossils of coral reefs, shells, and snails in the middle of the desert, then nothing in life is impossible.

I left Saudi Arabia with a mind opened like a parachute and a heart filled with excitement and hope to explore other cities of this mysterious land in the future. I know I'd be back. I landed in Singapore and stayed home for a night to unpack and pack my luggage again. The following morning, I was up in the air again, heading to Bangkok for another work trip. The adrenaline rush was real, and so was the exhaustion.

Bangkok was short and sweet. I went to Bangkok many times for work but never once had a chance to see the city as a tourist. This time, I had a day off after the conference. I wanted to see some famous tourist attractions in the city. A colleague of mine was kind to accompany me for a day and volunteered to be my tour guide and photographer.

After Bangkok, I had one last tradeshow to organize in Singapore in October before my long-awaited and well-deserved vacation with the family in November. Greg came to Singapore from London to celebrate my birthday and meet my friends and family. American Express gave us a luxurious complimentary stay at the Ritz Carlon Millennia Singapore on my birthday. Greg even surprised me with the balloon decoration and rose petals on the bed arranged as a heart shape. How romantic!

We had a lovely brunch with my friend, a candle night birthday dinner just the two of us, and a BBQ party at my house with some close friends whom I have known for many years.

As if the multiple birthday celebrations weren't enough, we flew to Ho Chi Minh for more birthday lunches and dinners before heading to Phu Quoc Island for a family celebration. It was the first time Greg met my family. There was no pressure for him as everyone had already talked to him over the video calls before the trip. It had been a long time since I last brought a boyfriend home, so everyone knew this must be serious. We had the best time together. We visited places, ate yummy food, watched fantastic water and light show- the best I've ever seen, and had quality family time. It was the best birthday celebration I had.

But then, time flies when you have fun. We had to say goodbye to the family and each other again. He flew home to London and patiently waited for me to arrive in 2 weeks. It was my turn to cross the continent to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday and finally meet his family.

Five years ago, I first visited London and saw him as a friend. Now, I have him as my boyfriend. It felt the same, yet so different. We both had to work during the week and only spent time together whenever possible. The one-month living together felt like a mini-test of our relationship. We had some serious conversations about love, life, and relationships. The more we talked, the more we felt in sync with each other.

This trip to London was more memorable as I got to experience snow for the first time. I remember I literally jumped when I first touched the snow in my hands, and Greg was holding me tightly so I wouldn't slip and fall. They said the first snow was like the first love, and luckily, I got to experience it with my love. It felt magical.

After London, we took a train to Bruges- a picturesque city in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, where Greg was born. He wanted to officially introduce me to his family and his best friends on his 40th birthday. I had never met anyone from his family despite knowing him for 13 years. I only knew 2 of his best friends, whom I first met in Barcelona in April. Though I didn't know what to expect, I had no pressure at all. As usual, "I'll just be my fabulous self,"- I thought. Very coincidentally, my best friend Marissa needed to go out of the US during that time, and Amsterdam was where she decided to land. Since she had a free and easy itinerary, I invited her to join us in Bruges. She met us at the Brussels train station and joined us on the next train to Bruges. Perfect timing!

We all had wonderful 4 days at Knokke Heist. Greg's mom cooked delicious meals every day. She prepared everything so perfectly, from breakfast and lunch to dinner. One day, we went shopping at the Market Square, walked along the Bruges canal, took the horse-drawn carriage tour, and ate delicious lunch at a local restaurant.

After Greg's 40th birthday celebration, we went back to London for work and returned to Bruges again the week after to celebrate Christmas with Greg's family. It was my first Christmas celebration in Europe, and it was the best. Greg took me to the Christmas market, introduced me to local wine, and took me to Bruges's most famous chocolate shop.

When we came home, his mom was already done preparing food and drink for dinner. We exchanged gifts, hugged, and laughed. I felt completely at home and enjoyed every minute of it. Everyone was so warm, caring, and loving, just like my family.

Time went by so quickly! I wish I could stay longer, but we had to leave for London for work. I started writing this post on New Year's Eve, sitting alone in Greg's apartment while he went to work. Outside, the firework brightened up the dark sky. I remembered clearly how happy I felt watching the firework, holding a glass of wine while giving my boyfriend a midnight kiss through video call. It's an overwhelming feeling of happiness, contentment, and gratefulness. How did I get here?

2022 felt like a high-speed train ride that took me from one place to another in a split second. Saturday morning, I had breakfast in Qatar. On Sunday night, I had dinner in Singapore, and Monday evening, I had a networking drink with customers in Thailand. I was exhausted, but the adrenaline kept me going. I went to Barcelona for work and returned to Singapore with a long-distance relationship. Then, the meeting with the families, the plans, and talks about the future. Everything happened so fast, and yet it felt right.

At the time of writing this post, I thought 2022 was the best year that I had.

Now, it's 2023. Here I am, back in London again after my trips to Tokyo, Bali, Bruges, and Paris in the last 3 months, wrapping this blog post on the last day of the first quarter of 2023 while Greg is making me some hot tea. So many things happened in the last 3 months, and I cannot wait to reveal what I'm working on.

Stay tuned! The best is yet to come...

WHAT A YEAR, 2021!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 08:33:00 +0000

I remember at the beginning of the year, we all said 2020 was tough and 2021 would be better. Little did we know, 2021 was even more challenging than 2020. To many of us, 2021 presented so many challenges and obstacles that tested our strength and resiliency. I experienced an enormous challenge in the business, so much that it felt like there was an invisible person who kept throwing stones at my head as I was trying to climb up to the top of the mountain. I refused to quit even some days it felt like that was the easiest thing to do.

Now, looking back, I'm still thankful for all that "stones" throwing at me this year. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and to grow. I wasn't the first one who reaches the mountain top in my career, I was, however, able to achieve many big milestones in my personal life. Some of my long-time dreams come true. For that, I still came out as a winner, even though 2021 was a bitch (sorry for the harsh language, but it really was).

As usual, I'd like to look at the bright side of things, hence this post is going to be a flashback of all the wonderful things that happened in 2021. Here we go!

One of the biggest changes I've had in 2021 was the upgrade of my living space. Some of you have seen enough of my new home on Instagram. But in case you haven't seen it, you can have a virtual tour of my new home on this post "Home Sweet Home"

I spend so much time at home even after the lockdown was lifted. When I'm not working from home or sleeping, I'll find time to read, do something fun, and learn new things.

A new home is also a place where I'd like to catch up with many old friends over tea time or dinners. Why need to go to the restaurant when you can have a candlelight dinner at home every night. Right?

Living near the sports hub inspires me to have more outdoor activities this year. Once in a while, I'd like to go cycling around the East Coast beach.

Otherwise, on a regular day, this would be my beautiful walk around the neighborhood. This view was an instant cure for any frustration I had last year.

2021 was also a year of learning for me. I never thought of one day I would buy a piano and start learning those C, E, D major notes, but I did. It's such a great stress-released activity.

This year, I spent so much time and effort on personal development. I can't count how many nights I've stayed up until 3am to finish the course assignments, simulations, essays, and capstones. It's exhausting to study at night and work during the day. But everything has its price and it's so worth it. I've always dreamed of going to Harvard University to study, but I couldn't. The 18-years-old Crystal would have never imagined one day she'd own the Harvard Business School certificates. Not 1, but 4 of them. This makes me feel emotional and proud. Honestly, without all the lockdowns that happened in 2021, I would never have had time for this. Like I said, every challenge is an opportunity. Sometimes, opportunities come to look for us. Other times, we have to go out and create them.

Since the Covid dining restriction eased up, I managed to spend time catching up with many good friends. Some I'd call my "guardian angels", the people who support me unconditionally and guide me through many storms in life.

Health & wellness always stay on top of my list. I completed all of the Covid vaccine shots in less than 6 months thanks to the Singapore government. I exercised more. I went from doing yoga at home one day to going to the gym the next. A healthy lifestyle doesn't start from eating one salad bowl a week, it's the repeated activity that you maintain for a long period of time until it becomes your routine.

Another proud achievement I've had this year was my contribution to this meaningful charity. I was invited by Multimedia, organizer of Vietnam International Fashion Week to take part in the charity auction event "From the heart to the heart". 2021 was a tough year for my country- Vietnam in fighting the battle against Covid. There were over 10,000 cases reported daily and many cities were struggling to cope with limited medical supplies and resources. With this auction, we hoped to raise money to buy equipment and medical supplies for doctors and hospitals in Vietnam. When I received this invitation, I couldn't say No.

I was grateful for the opportunity to take part, for the mention of the local media in Vietnam, and most importantly for the generous contributions and donations from my family and friends. Together, we were able to raise USD120,000 in one evening. We bought some breathing machines and donated them to the hospital in Ho Chi Minh city. It was definitely the highlight of my 2021!

This year, I also made some important steps to build a strong foundation for my retirement future. I was never interested in any investment book before, yet here I was reading it like my life depended on it. The book really motivates me to take financial planning more seriously. Not only was I able to invest, but I also diversified my portfolio into multiple assets. I was lucky to have help, guidance, and encouragement from my friends on this journey. Saying the word "portfolio" out loud feels so good and I can't wait to watch this "baby" grow.

Before writing this blog post, I thought I didn't have much to share. I didn't travel anywhere exciting. I wasn't on the top of any list. I wasn't at the most fun and fanciful parties, I didn't receive an award. But then I realized that these are also the things that kept me grounded. It's ok not to travel, not to be recognized, not to be at the center of the party, and not to receive an award. What's more important is how you grow from the inside: mentally, physically, and emotionally.

I took a photo of this tree on one of my walks and it resonated with me so much. I hope it resonates with you too.

Let's hope that 2022 will really be a better year, not like how 2021 had betrayed us. The lessons I learned in 2021 will help to shape me in 2022 (hopefully not in a round shape). I'll keep stretching, learning, and trying. In that process, I'll always be reminded of how lucky I am to still have support from many friends, mentors, and guardians angels.

If you have been reading this blog for years and we have never met in real life, I sincerely thank you for your support and time. Wishing you all a magical and successful year ahead!

Till 2022!

MEMORIES OF OSAKA, KYOTO, NARA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 17:43:00 +0000

Before the global pandemic, I traveled so much for business and for pleasure that even my daily Instagram update couldn't keep up with the number of photos I had on each trip. Finding time to blog in between working, sleeping, and flying was almost impossible. Then, Covid put a stop to travel. It forced everyone to slow down and learn to appreciate. Work didn't get less busy, but I finally had time to work on many long-overdue travel posts. I'm still trying to catch up, so you can expect to have a few more posts like this in the coming months.

Japan! It's a lovely country, yet it wasn't on the top 3 on my bucket list. Europe and US remain the number 1 and 2 on my list if I have more days off in the year to clear. Thankfully, business opportunities brought me to Japan twice in 2018. In between the meetings, conferences, and business dinners, I managed to spend one weekend each trip exploring different parts of Japan. My perspective changed.

I had a short rest after 8hr red-eye flight to Japan. Here I was enjoying the room service with the first view of Osaka, a large port city and Japan's second-largest metropolitan area after Tokyo. I had plenty of Japanese food in Singapore before, but nothing was quite like the food in Japan. While enjoying the first meal in my room after a 10-hour journey, I felt immensely grateful for the job opportunity that brought me here.

Osaka's showing off during sunset. This was a view I took from the hotel where I had a meeting the next day. How gorgeous!

Every time I travel alone to a new country, I always want to experience the place from the local perspective. Instead of booking a group tour package, I'd hire a private tour guide for the entire day and ask them to have a free and easy day with me. My only request is to let me experience the food, the place like the locals as much as possible. I was lucky to find Kaori after viewing dozens of profiles on a tour guide booking website. She responded to my email so quickly and had all the itinerary plans prepared before I even asked. I knew I'd be in good hands and I was right.

Kaori came to the hotel to pick me up and we bonded immediately. It felt as if we were friends for a long time. She could speak several languages and knew how to have fun. The first activity of the day, Kaori brought me to visit Osaka castle. It was raining heavily when we visited, but the rain couldn't stop me. I must have a photo of this iconic place.

Just in case you don't know, Osaka castle was built in 1583. It is widely known as an emblem of the power and fortune of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a Japanese samurai regarded as the "Great Unifier" of Japan. The castle went through many historical dramas and was repeatedly seen as the battleground of the major wars in Japanese history. A few years after Hideyoshi's death, Ieyasu Tokugawa- Hideyoshi's chief retainer, ruined the Toyotomi family and destroyed Osaka Castle (in the Summer War of Osaka) in 1615. The castle was rebuilt by the Tokugawa government in 1620, but its main castle tower was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire.

Today, Osaka Castle is the 3rd generation, but its magnificent architecture, impressive stone walls, and picturesque surrounding still impress anyone who steps into this place. Myself included.

After Osaka castle, we visited Horikoshi Shrine, one of the oldest shrines in Osaka (a Centuries-old Shinto shrine), where wishes & prayers are said to be granted.

I made my first prayer in Japan, enjoyed some quiet moments at this peaceful place before making my way to one of the most crowded places in Osaka- Dotonbori. Welcome back to civilization!

Drizzling rain made the Dontonbori canal look more romantic and charming. It's hard to believe that such a modern-looking and happening area was built in 1612.

Dotonburi is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Osaka. The bright neon lights, larger-than-life signages, enormous variety of restaurants, bars, and shops will make you feel like you are living your best life. You can't feel lonely at a place like this, but if you need a quiet corner in the mid of chaos, walk a little further, you might find yourself at a random place like where I was standing (and jumping).

Eat like the locals, they said! We had lunch at a restaurant in Dontonbori and it was so delicious. When it comes to food, I'm not fussy and I'd like to try many things. That makes it easier for people to travel with me I guess. At least, for Kaori since she did most of the food ordering.

The next morning, I woke up early to prepare for my full day of adventures with Kaori again. She picked me up at the hotel, we had breakfast before catching a train ride to Kyoto. I have to say the Osaka subway system was efficient, fast, and oh-my-god overwhelming. I don't know how long would it take other foreigners to get around in Japan by train. Even buying a train ticket took me a couple of minutes to complete despite having Kaori's help. I completely gave up the idea to "do it myself" and relied on Kaori for all the transport arrangements after that. I just ran behind her like a little puppy (people walk fast in Japan, I don't know why).

A short 20-minute train ride later, we arrived in the beautiful Kyoto. Of course, we had to visit Fushimi Inari Taisha, the most popular shrine to Japanese people and is the head shrine that all the others are affiliated with. For 1300 years, people have gathered here to pray for business prosperity, safety, success, and happiness. In return, companies and individuals donated a tori gate with the name and date written on each gate. The entrance where I was standing is Senbon Torii, meaning thousands of torii gates. It leads to a hiking trail and has become one of the most Instagrammable places in Kyoto.

Following the tori gate led me to the Yotsutsuji intersection. This beautiful view of Kyoto was a reward after a hot long walk.

The whole of Inariyama, the mountain where Fushimi Inari Taisha rests is a precinct of the shrine. There was beauty everywhere I walked. Even the trees in front of these houses looked beautiful.

After Fushimi Inari Taisha, I wanted to play dress-up, so Kaori took me to a costume rental shop in Kyoto. Apparently, this is quite a popular activity for foreigners to do while in Japan. I wanted to experience how fun it would be to put on a kimono, so I walked into the shop as a Vietnamese lady, walked out as a Japanese-wannabe woman.

I can finally say "I've tried wearing a kimono and walking around Kyoto street like nobody's business". Although, not much of walking I could do in that tight outfit, to be honest, I still had fun pretending to be a Japanese girl for a day.

After having a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, we made our way to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, one of the most photographed places in Kyoto. Because it's quite a popular tourist attraction, you can imagine the number of people visiting this place every day. I was lucky to visit Arashiyama bamboo forest during the off-peak season, so the place was rather quiet. It's possible to walk the forest path within 30minutes, but if you want to take it slow, have a moment to stand still in the midst of this lush green bamboo grove and look up, you'll find it quite an enchanting and breathtaking experience.

I had a quick outfit change before leaving Arashimaya Bamboo Forest. Kaori and I decided to have dinner in Kyoto city before heading back to Osaka. We explored many cute and small streets in Kyoto, caught a beautiful sunset, had another delicious dinner, and called it a day.

My heart, my mind, and of course my stomach were full. It was a wonderful way to end the week.

As soon as Monday hit, the "tourist" hat I had been wearing all weekend immediately changed to a business one. No more sandals, flip-flops, or kimono outfits, it's time for the blazers, high heels, laptop, and business talks. I couldn't let all Osaka's charms make me forget about the reason why I was here.

Meeting went so well because I had spent so much time preparing for this.

After work, Kaori took me out for a dinner. But first, she wanted to bring me to this place- HARUKAS 300 Observatory. If you want to have a good view of Osaka from 300 meters above the ground, this. is the place you should go to.

I remember how overwhelmed it made me feel. I stood there, stared at this view for a long time. We managed to catch the sun before it went down completely. It was an emotional moment and I couldn't believe that I was actually in Japan. I felt so insignificant and inspired at the same time.

As if Kaori didn't impress me enough, she brought me to this underground restaurant for dinner. "We eat like the locals," she said and boy, we really did. I lost count of how many plates of food and how many glasses of beer we finished. We were so full of happiness and food. What a first trip to Japan, I said to myself.

One month after my first trip, I had another opportunity to be back in Osaka again for a business conference. This time flying back to Osaka felt like visiting an old friend.

When work requires you to dress up, meet new people, enjoy delicious food and visit new places, doesn't it sound too good to be true? I know I'm lucky and I've never taken any moment like this for granted.

I met Kaori again once my work finished. As usual, she planned out my weekend perfectly, picked me up at the hotel, and suggested that we should visit Nara for the day. We took the train on Sunday morning after breakfast and an hour later, we were in Nara.

Known as the first permanent capital of Japan, Nara Prefecture is an ancient city filled with natural beauty, historic buildings, charming townscapes, and national treasures. Not to mention the cute friendly deers roaming around the street. Nara is also a home of three World Heritage sites: Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, Buddhist Monuments in the Horyuji Area, and Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii mountain range.

There are many beautiful houses and shops like this in Nara. We had to cut our visit to each shop short as we didn't have much time here.

When in Nara, you have to visit Nara Park. Here, you'll encounter many deers roaming around. They are so cute and friendly as long as you don't tease them with food. It is said that one of the deities had ridden to Nara upon a sacred deer from Kashima Shrine in Ibaraki Prefecture. Because of this legend, deers have become sacred animals and protected as natural monuments in Nara for many years. I tried to feed the deers and they bowed down to me.

Some followed me around as they knew I was carrying crackers to feed them. How smart!

Leaving Nara Park after feeding these deers my last cracker, we made our way to Todaiji, one of the most famous and significant temples in Japan.

Inside this beautiful temple, there is a Big Buddha Hall that houses one of Japan's largest bronze Buddha (Daibutsu) statues which is 15 meters tall. The picture below doesn't do enough justice to how magnificent it is.

As if this temple isn't impressive enough, you'll also find a giant pillar with a hole in its base that is the same size as the Daibutsu's nostril. I was told that those who can squeeze through this opening will be granted enlightenment in their next life. I had to try, and guess what? I made it. You can watch the travel vlog below and see me in action. I guess, being petite has some benefits at least.

Soaking up this sunset view of Nara before I headed back to the hotel. It was the last day in Japan and It was so perfect. I couldn't expect more. I first came to Japan with a little fear of not being able to enjoy the place so much. I left Japan with a heart full of gratitude and beautiful memories. More importantly, I made a new friend, tried many new things, and experienced a new culture with open eyes.

Writing this blog post now makes me miss Japan so much. I really wish I could visit this country soon again.

Till next time, Arigatō, Japan!

37 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 17:08:00 +0000

And just like that, my favorite month of the year- November, came to an end. It's the period when I find myself going through the introspection process a lot. My birthday is at the beginning of the month, and Thanksgiving is towards the end. Plus, the rainy weather in Singapore happening in between makes a perfect time to stay in, have a coffee, and reflect.

Last year, I was lucky that the government lifted the social distancing rule just before my birthday; hence, I could still celebrate with some friends. But, unfortunately, the restriction was extended this year, and only two pax dining and visitors were allowed. So, instead of having five people gathered for dinner or lunch, I had five meals with different friends the entire week. Most of the celebrations were in my new home. It was the first time in 12 years living in Singapore; I hosted birthday parties at home. It was a unique, special, and memorable birthday indeed.

When I was ten years younger, my birthday didn't mean so much to me. I didn't find joy in celebrating getting older, becoming chubbier, having more wrinkles. I wish I were forever 25. Turning 30 was fun, remarkable, but scary. I have some female friends who are older than me; they responded, "I'm 40 years old already", "OMG, I'm 45 this year," when I wish them "Happy birthday." Some are at 39 years old but already feeling down thinking about turning 40 in 10 more months. I have not heard any male friends complaining about turning 40, 45, or even 50 yet. But women, we do this to ourselves, all the time. Why?

I was the victim of my negative thought and insecurity before, so I understand these feelings very well. But, what could we have done to stop our number from going up? Nothing, unless our time is up and our clock stops permanently. Saying it out loud helps change my perspective completely. I'd rather like my age to go up every year as long as possible. I'm sure you would too, wouldn't you?

And that's why the older we get, the more we should celebrate our birthday well. Instead of feeling worried about getting old and ugly, we should focus on creating memories, living well, and making the most of every day with people and things that matter to us most.

Despite the Covid restriction, I still had a wonderful time celebrating with some old and new friends, which I appreciated so much. There are still many super close friends that live far away from me. I wish we could celebrate with them in person soon. For now, here are some throwback photos from the celebrations of my 37 trips around the sun. Many more ahead!

Pre-birthday dinner at home with my ex-colleagues.

Steamboat dinner at home prepared by yours truly. Thanks Roger & Benjamin for always supporting me at work. I'm gonna miss working with these 2.

First birthday cake of the year, thanks to Benjamin!

Surprised breakfast delivered to the home by a mysterious man. :D

Surprised birthday flower delivery! Love it so much! Thank you Faith! How could I not see this coming when you asked for my home address. So cheeky!

Birthday staycation at Fairmont Singapore, special thanks to Accor!

another surprised birthday cake.

and birthday dinner at Skai Restaurant. Thanks to Emmanuel, the General Manager for the champagne treat.

Ready for another birthday brunch!

With Anna, whom I'd like to call my guardian angel. Thank you for always listening and helping me grow over the last 4 years. I can't believe we finished all the food and still stay so skinny :D

Another day, another meal. Brunch with the man in the afternoon

Happy hour and chill with the girls in the early evening. It's so lovely to finally be able to invite my new friends, Sylvie and Chloe to my new place. Three of us went to view the same house at the same time without knowing each other. Then, five months later, we were here. How amazing life brings people to you sometimes.

Another birthday cake, courtesy of American Express. They really know how to treat their customers.

I went out to have a lovely dinner with one of my male best friends for the post-birthday celebration.

If only every Monday looked like this.

The last birthday cake this year.

Dhilip- one of the most kind-hearted, sweet, funny, and silly men whom I've been lucky to know for 4.5 years now. Our relationship has many titles over the year: from colleague to a friend; from friend to a work competitor; from a competitor to brother and sister. Thank you for your unconditional support in work and life. Your loyalty and friendship mean so much to me, especially at a time like this.

How many more trips around the sun can I take? I don't know. One thing I know for sure is as long as I can still breathe fresh air and see this gorgeous view from up here, it's a good enough reason to celebrate. I promise that I'll never whine about getting old ever again. I hope you'll also have a fresh perspective about your birthday celebration after this post.

Thank you so much for reading!

HOME SWEET HOME

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:11:00 +0000

I couldn't find a more appropriate time than my birthday to share one of the big news about my life with you. If you still follow my Instagram, you've probably already known that I decided to move to a new house mid of this year. When I spoke to some of my friends about this decision, everyone seemed surprised as they knew how much I loved my old place. I even invested time and money to redecorate it and blogged about it here. Then, less than a year later, one day, while I was reading a book about getting out of the comfort zone, all of a sudden, my mind spoke to me, "Crystal, it's time to move." Then the fear held me back and said, "But you've invested so much in this place? How to find such a spacious bedroom elsewhere? Why need to leave when no one asked you to". That conversation repeated in my head for months, plus other factors to consider. I couldn't decide, so I relied on faith. Typical Asian me, I know. But experiences have proven to me many times that if something is meant to be, it will happen. So I keep holding to that thought whenever I have to take the leap of faith. Some people relocate so easily like they change clothes. I admire them. When I left Vietnam for Malaysia and left Malaysia for Singapore, I had only 2 pieces of luggage. 12 years later, I had 30 large carton boxes, 5 pieces of luggage, and dozen pieces of furniture to take with me. Hence, moving house is my worst nightmare. Besides, it reminds me of the teenage memories where we had to move house every year for nearly 10 years. It was sad.

I tried to stay as long as I could. Then, a couple of things happened that made me feel like it was the right time to change. After a few months of thinking and seeking advice from my most trusted group of people, I finally decided to move out and move forward. That was in April 2021.

I viewed nearly 20 houses within one month. Tiring, frustrating, disappointing, exciting, drooling, disheartening were the emotions I processed every week whenever I went for house viewing. And yet, in my mind, I was so sure that I'd find the house, or the house would find me. I viewed the last house on May 2nd, and it was not even on my top 3 list. But people often "Save the best for last.", who knew the Universe was doing the same to me. I was curious about the last house.

As soon as the car arrived at the condo entrance, I heard the soothing sound of the water fountain. Almost immediately, I felt like this could be the place that I call home. By the time I took my first few steps in the house, I knew I no longer had to schedule another viewing after that. It felt right. Right time, right place, right people.

June 8th, I moved to a new house. It was an auspicious day, as advised by my Dad. The house was empty without any furniture. It's like a blank canvas for me to paint a new artwork. Although I'm terrible at painting, I'm not too bad at home decoration, I think.

It took me 2 months to turn this empty space

into something I'm proud to call HOME.

It's much smaller than my last house, but it's cozy, bright, and windy. Exactly how I like it.

I buy fresh flowers every week as they make me happy looking at them. I enjoyed staying home during the lockdown before, but I love spending every minute in my new home much more now. A perfect morning routine to me (if I'm not working) is switching on the water fountain, opening the window, playing soft piano music, having my coffee and breakfast, reading a book, or playing with my piano. It's simple yet so satisfying.

Moving from a big house to a smaller one has turned me into an organized freak, in a good way, of course. You can tell from my work desk with no messy cables around, considering the number of devices I have. Wait until you see how I organized my closet. I'll save that for the Instagram stories maybe, so do follow me if you want to see.

This year, I've taken a big step back from social media. I went completely offline for a few months and didn't miss it at all. As if packing, moving house, and working weren't busy enough, I decided to go back to school. I took a couple of leadership & management courses from Harvard Business School Online to improve my skills and knowledge. More importantly, it was my dream to study at Harvard when I was in college. I couldn't do it then, so I do it now. As a result, I barely had 8hrs a day to sleep, but when these two certificates came into the mail, they made all the sleepless nights worth it. I'm still not done with my study, and I still have two more certificates to earn. But I can finally cross the "Study at Harvard" off the younger Crystal's bucket list. What's on the older Crystal's bucket list? Well, it's for another blog entry.

For now, here are some more photos from my lovely place. Oh, I also started learning piano. Why? I don't know. Covid made me do it.

May the new home be filled with sunshine, love, and abundance.

A typical breakfast at C's!

Coffee with Crystal corner!

Having a clean, organized kitchen motivates me to cook more at home now. The spice and condiment containers are bonuses.

I have a much smaller bedroom in the new house, and I don't have a walk-in closet anymore, so I had to be super creative about keeping all the shoes and bags. Although it's smaller, it's super cozy, clean, and comfortable.

These babies have a new home and I think they are happy

The beauty corner

Once a while when I feel like I need a at-home spa day.

An afternoon walk after work in the neighborhood has become routine every week. I can never feel upset looking at this view, especially with a sunset view like this.

This view never gets old.

Every time I look at this, I feel immensely grateful for many things, especially this year. The global pandemic lasted much longer than we all expected. So many people lost their family members, their jobs, their hopes, and their dreams. Yet, I moved to a bigger house. Saying this out loud made me feel that I'm so spoiled. But the truth is, after 16 years of living abroad, moving from a shared bedroom to a storage room, from a storage room to a partitioned room (picture below), from a partitioned room to a master bedroom.

Finally, I moved from a master bedroom to a whole house.

It was a significant change that I didn't see it coming myself. But here I am celebrating my 37th birthday in my lovely home with a grateful heart.

Thank you to my family, my guardian angels, for guiding me on my journey! Thank you to my friends for staying with me through ups and downs and supporting me! For now, I need to go to sleep (it's 4.09am) so I can have energy to celebrate tomorrow.

Thank you so much for reading!

xoxo

THE START OF A NEW DECADE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 May 2021 16:38:00 +0000

When 2020 started, we were all so excited about welcoming a new decade. Like many people, I had a long bucket list of what I'd like to do, where I'd like to go in 2020. Little did I know that flying back to Singapore from Vietnam in February was my last flight in 2020. That also means it's been 16 months since I last placed my footsteps on an airplane. It feels like forever ago. It's all because of the deadly virus called Covid-19!

Missing my family so much!

As I'm sitting in my comfortable home writing this blog entry, over 3millions people died of Covid in less than two years. I can't complain that I couldn't be home with my family to celebrate the last Lunar New Year or I couldn't go on a holiday. I'm blessed and still incredibly grateful that I still have a great job and perfect health. This pandemic made me realize how unpredictable and uncertain life is. You can still plan your life, but you need to be flexible and adaptable to changes when necessary. My 2021 resolution list got longer, with many items brought forward from 2020, which I don't know when I can cross them off. Now that the pandemic has the world on pause, it's a perfect time to take things slow, reflect, and focus on what's most important. I miss traveling. I'm sure you do too. When I looked back at all my beautiful travel photos, they instantly put a smile on my face. This post will be a long one, as I wanted to take you back to my 2020 memories. I wanted to reflect on how I lived my life through the global pandemic and how blessed I was to thrive through the world's most challenging time.

So here we go!

January 2020, Stef & I were lucky enough to be able to welcome the New Year in one of the most romantic cities in the world, Rome. We had breakfast in Vatican City one day, threw a coin in the Trevi fountain the next. I'll save Rome stories for another entry. For now, here are some throwback photos from our fabulous trip.

After Rome, I flew back to Vietnam to celebrate Lunar New Year with the family. I remember watching the news with dad about the virus happening in China. We thought this was just China's story until it spread out to other countries and things got serious pretty quickly. I came back to Singapore in Feb and didn't plan any more trips after that. I wanted to focus on my health, so I went for the whole body checkup, read a lot about Lasik surgery. One of my 2020 resolutions is to focus on improving my health and wellness overall, and that's what I did. Four days before the Singapore government announced the lockdown on April 1st, I went to have my Lasik surgery done. You can read more about my Lasik surgery experience here and why I decided to do this before the lockdown started. The question is, why not? Looking back, I still think it was the bravest and best decision that I made in 2020.

Before the pandemic, I was hardly home. Either I was traveling for holidays or work, or I was out with my friends during the weekends. I thought it would be difficult to be locked in the house for a few months. Somehow, I adjusted my lifestyle very quickly and got so used to staying at home. Even after the lockdown was over, I hardly went out. I enjoyed working from home more, taking my conference calls at home while having a cup of coffee when the morning sun lighted through the window. Working from home gave me the work-life balance that I didn't have before. I spent less time traveling on the road, more time getting things done, and most importantly, more time on my fitness routine, which I love. I set my workout routine at 6 pm every day after I finished working.

Being in the lockdown for a month urged people to do things that they had never done before. Myself included. I had my hairstyle cut extremely short and I liked it.

I never cared about plants before, but I started growing some herbs and plants at home. I was so motivated to redecorate my bedroom after 4 years of living in it. I know right? What's the odd! But Covid, everything could happen.

This is how the room looked before.

I changed the shoes closet once, but didn't quite like the room still. The high beam ceiling really bothered me and I used to have so many nightmares. Some dreams were so strange and scary that I woke up crying and my heart beat so fast.

Then, I started reading about fengshui in the the house, measuring every corner in my bedroom, searching for furnitures, and redesigning the whole room. This is how the room looked like during the day and the night after a month of measuring, rearranging, and furniture shopping. Surprisingly, I have no crazy nightmare ever since. How amazing!

I was so pleased with how the room turned out that I seriously consider learning more about home decoration & interior design.

During the lockdown, we also started to appreciate our relationship, health, freedom, and many other things that we took for granted. I called my family almost every day to make sure they know that I'm well and safe. After the lockdown, I had many long-overdue catch-up lunches and dinners with friends.

I even had the most memorable birthday party on a yacht, organized by my best friend, a birthday staycation at the most luxurious hotel in Singapore, many cakes to eat, and candles to blow that birthday week.

Yet, on the same day, thousands of people around the world were dying of Covid. Thinking of it made me sad but also made me realize how fortunate I am. That is why I'm constantly reminding myself not to take anything of that for granted and always offer a helping hand whenever I can.

When Stef told me that she needed help with her endometriosis surgery, my first instinct is "Yes". Yes, I'd help her in whatever way I could physically, emotionally, even financially. Yes, I would be her appointed guardian to give consent to the proposed treatment if she was unable to handle her affairs in critical condition. Yes, I wanted to be the first person she'd see when she woke up after her surgery. Yes, I wanted to stay in the hospital the entire time until the doctor let her go home. Everything sounded so easy until I was at the hospital ward. The reality kicked in. As soon as we said Goodbye and the nurse took her away from me, I felt so heavy and terrified. I was praying that no one called my phone that day and asked, "Are you the guardian?" or "I had to give consent that impacts someone's life." The nurse said, "the surgery usually takes 3 hours approximately," but 5 hours later, she was still in the Operating theatre. My brain started going down to the "negative" lane with all the scary thoughts. No matter how strong I am, I can never handle the emotion when someone I care about gets hurt. And I cried in the waiting lounge for no particular reason. It was an overwhelming and exhausting day and week.

Looking back now, I'm so proud of Stef for doing this surgery and willing to share her experience with the world so she can create more awareness about endometriosis. You can read more about her story via this link here

Although we didn't manage to travel to other countries as planned, our year-end holiday last year became the most memorable one as Stef's surgery was just one week before Christmas (December 17th). For the rest of the weeks, we spent time at home for her recovery. I had a couple of dinners towards the end of the year with some other friends. It was a quiet and unusual New Year's Eve with no midnight countdown. But we still had some fun with new friends in a bar, then rang in the New Year with champagne, laughter, and wish at my house until late.

2020 didn't turn out to be a great start of the a new decade like what we all hoped for, but at least, it reminded us of many things we took for granted, many valuable lessons that we needed to learn and relearn.There will still be many uncertainties in the year ahead. But as long as you are content, healthy, and surrounded by good friends, you are good.

MY SAFE SIGHT TRANSPRK LASIK EYE SURGERY

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 16:28:00 +0000

One week before Singapore went into lockdown due to Covid-19, I went to have my Lasik surgery done. It was on April 1st 2020. When I told my family that I would have my surgery done on April's Fool, everyone thought I made a joke. No pun intended. What a special day for surgery! Who would want to be the clinic or hospital right in the middle of the pandemic? I know, right? But here is the full story.

I forgot when exactly I started wearing glasses. It was probably when the doctor told me I had astigmatism with myopia during my secondary school. I didn't have any problem wearing glasses during my teenage years. Until I turned 20 years old, I started dancing and competing, and it became a problem. No dancer wore glasses on the dance floor for safety reasons, and neither did I. As a result, the only person I could see was my dance partner (I didn't know about contact lens just yet). I only learned how to wear contact lenses when I was 26 years old, and I relied on contact lenses ever since. I was able to see the audience when I performed dancing or competing. But I had to apply eye drop every 30 minutes to avoid dryness. A few times, when I went out at night and forgot to bring the eye drop, my eyes were so dry by the end of the night that I had to take the contact lenses out so that I could blink. I'm not exaggerating. Because of this, I've wanted to do Lasik surgery for nearly ten years. If you follow my blog since 2012, you'll see "Getting Lasik eye-surgery done" on my New Year resolution list since 2013.

Why didn't I do it when I was 26 years old? Well, I couldn't afford it then. It was more affordable to buy six boxes of contact lenses for $200++, which lasted for six months than to pay almost $5000-$7,000 for a 30-minute procedure. Another reason was I was skeptical. I was so afraid of the risk, side effects, and possible accident could happen. I could lose my eyesight forever. There are so many articles, comments, recommendations, blog posts on the internet. The more I read, the more I got confused. There are also so many types of Lasik surgery nowadays: LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis, PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis), RLE (refractive lens exchange), EpiLasik, PRELEX. How would I know which one suits me? After months of researching, I decided to make an appointment with Dr. Tony Ho at Clearvision Eye Clinic & LASIK Centre. Lucky for you now, all you need to do is to read the detailed comparison that Dr. Ho wrote on his website to find out what option is most suitable for you.

I knew Dr. Tony Ho and his clinic back in 2013 when I worked in an advertising company for the medical industry. But he had already operated his clinic since 2001 and performed thousands of surgery every year. Many local media channels featured his clinic and interviewed him for the work that he had done. If you want to know more about Dr. Tony Ho and the clinic, you can read more on his clinic website here. My point is, if I was to leave my eyesight into someone's hand, I wanted to have a reputable and experienced doctor. I made the first appointment with the clinic to have my eyes tested and confirm my eyes were suitable for Lasik surgery. Multiple tests and a few types of eye-drops later, clinic staff said I could consider Safe Sight TransPRK surgery and Corneal Cross-Linking as an additional treatment to strengthen my thin corner. She also shared with me the pricing for both procedures. I already saw the pricing published on the clinic website, so there wasn't any surprise at that point. The pricing transparency of the clinic made it so easy for me to make a decision. That's why I scheduled the surgery date on the spot. Besides, since the whole country went into lock down, I couldn't go out anyway. It felt like the right time to have the surgery and rest at home.

On April 1st, I woke up early, had my breakfast, and went to the clinic to have my Safe Sight TransPRK surgery. I sounded like I was going for a brunch, didn't I? But the reality was, I was so nervous yet excited at the same time. I was going to make my ten-year dream come true. How could I not be excited!

When I arrived, the nurse did a few more tests on my eyes, applied a few anesthetic eye drops, and got me ready for the surgery. I decided to do Safe Sight TransPRK surgery and Corneal Cross-Linking (because I have thin corneal) on both eyes at once. Some patients did only one eye at a time so they could see after. I decided to do both because I didn't want to go through the same procedure twice. I'd rather endure the pain all at once.

Back to the surgery, Safe Sight TransPRK surgery is an all-laser, one-step, no-touch, non-invasive vision correction procedure that does not require the eye surgeon to cut a corneal flap. The standard LASIK (cut, flap, and zap) process might have flap-related medical complications, which are my ultimate fear. Thankfully, with the new technology, no surgical devices are touching the eye at all. Clearvision Clinic uses the Schwind Amaris 1050RS excimer laser machine with a zero-latency eye tracker and the ability to track all 7-dimensions of eye movements. The procedure on both eyes was much faster than I expected. I thought I would be lying in the surgery bed for at least 30 minutes. It turned out I was there for 15 minutes or less. First, I was asked to keep looking at the blinking green eyes. Then, the Schwind Amaris 1050RS machine removes the epithelium cells of my eyes. After that, the laser machine shapes the cornea to correct the eye's refractive power. Doctor Ho placed a transparent, high-oxygen permeability content soft contact lens over the cornea to protect the treated surface while the epithelium cells regenerate. The Corneal Cross-Linking treatment took additional two minutes to complete. Before I got comfortable in the warm bed, the nurse helped sit me up, and Doctor Ho asked me to smile for a photo. The surgery was over, just like that.

Everything was smooth, fast, and simple. The only discomfort I had was having to keep my eyes wide open for a long time, but that was it. I was still able to see when I squinted my eyes. I even booked a taxi, came home by myself, and went straight to bed, hoping to get some rest.

The pain started kicking in once I laid in bed. The numbing eye drop wore off. My eyes were so sore and watery that I had to take a pain killer. Unfortunately, I couldn't sleep at all. I lived in complete darkness for the first two days. Now I knew why some people decided to have surgery on one eye at a time, especially when they were alone. I didn't think I needed someone to bring me food and drink post-surgery. I thought I could manage, but I clearly couldn't. Thankfully, some "angels" came to rescue the poor girl. I'm lucky that I have so many kind friends around. One friend helped me order food; others came to the house to check up on me and set my daily eye drop reminders. Speaking of eye drops, I've never had so many eye drops in my entire life. There were four eye drop types that I needed to apply hourly on the first two days, and every two hourly the following three days. It was overwhelming. But everything comes with a price. That's the effort you put to have perfect eyesight.

Day 5, after surgery, I was able to walk around the house (with sunglasses on) and managed my routine. The eyes were less sore, but the vision was still blurry, and I couldn't see much. I went back to the clinic on day 5 to have the soft contact lens removed.

I barely looked at my phone, TV, or laptop and still wore sunglasses during the day to avoid direct sunlight. I was super diligent with my post-op care and followed the doctor's advice strictly.

I did not rub or squeeze my eyes, especially for the 1st week. I used eye wipes to gently clean my eyes every morning and night.
I didn't apply any makeup and eye gel or lotion for nearly three weeks.
I didn't go swimming or do any vigorous sports activities until after four weeks post-surgery.
I wore UV protected glasses when I went out. I still wear sunglasses now whenever I'm out of the house on a sunny day.

My eyes took longer than others to recover fully, so I had more reviews with Dr. Ho. I was a little nervous, and of course, impatient, but there was nothing I could do. Dr. Ho assured me that my eyes were healing beautifully, and that's all that matters.

Eight months after my eye Lasik surgery, I can finally share my personal story with you. I took the below 2 photos after my eyes were completely healed. Same Crystal, different eyes sight. Writing this blog post without the help of contactless and glasses makes me feel incredibly grateful. I'm so thankful for the smooth & successful surgery at Clearvision Eye Clinic & LASIK Centre. Special thanks to Dr. Ho & his team for their excellent work. I'm thankful for the friends who were there when I needed help the most. It was a dream come true to say goodbye to contactless and prescription glasses finally.

Officially crossed this off my bucket list.

Thank you so much for reading!

Disclaimer: Although this blog post is partially sponsored by Clearvision Eye Clinic & LASIK Centre, all opinions are my own.

BLESSED 36TH BIRTHDAY

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:26:00 +0000

I felt like I just celebrated my 35th birthday not so long ago, but now, I'm already 36 years old. Where has the time gone? I thought I would have a quiet, low-key birthday celebration this year with just one or two closest friends. But I ended up having many birthday celebrations instead. I'm not complaining.

We started with a yacht birthday party in the morning. (Thanks to my BFF Stefanie for arranging everything, and to everyone for spending their time to celebrate with me! I'm so touched). I just needed to bring my bikini and show up. We had a delicious birthday cake from American Express, too much wine, a good dose of vitamin sea, and endless laughter.

The weather had been gloomy with heavy rain all week, and the sun came on out my birthday to play. I also wanted to thank Mr. Ang, owner of No Name Yachts Pte Ltd, and his team for taking a good care of us that day. We had a great time. It was so perfect.

My initial plan of having a quiet birthday was spending the weekend at Marina Bay Sands hotel, swimming at the sky infinity pool, reading books, or going for a walk at the Gardens by the bay. But, nothing can be quite quiet when my girl, Stefanie, shows up. In a good way, of course. She always brings sunshine wherever she goes. We checked in the hotel room just enough time for me to have an important meeting that I couldn't afford to skip. The hotel also offered the birthday girl a free upgrade to Deluxe room with a sky-view (exactly how I wanted) and sweetened my stay with a surprise birthday cake. Then, we had another birthday cake when we had lunch the next day at one of the restaurants.

In the evening, I went out to have dinner at an Italian restaurant with my friends and colleagues. Thanks to Stefanie for arranging this again! Mazzo restaurant team surprised me with a flamingo Lamborghini shot and a delicious birthday cake. Thank you, Patrick & Mazzo team! I had way too much fun that night. My jaw hurt from laughing too much.

The next day, Stef and I had a morning swim at the famous infinity pool, took a couple of photos, and enjoyed the city view while sipping our cup of coffee. We didn't get to stay long as our appointment slot was only for one hour per day. Who would have thought that we had to make an advanced booking to swim at the hotel pool before? But this is the reality we live in now during the pandemic. A lot of adjustments, changes, new rules applied. I did what I wanted to, and I was happy, regardless.

After the swim, we had lunch at the hotel restaurant and went to the casino right after because Stef was feeling lucky. Thirty minutes later, we walked out of the casino with an extra $200 in Stef's wallet. It's my birthday. Of course, everyone is feeling lucky! At least, I like to think so.

At night, we went to have drinks and dinner with my good friend, Javi, at the Fairmont hotel. Not only did I have a great laugh, but I also had another birthday cake, and a happy birthday song sang in Spanish, by the most fun & good looking Spanish man, I know. A big hug and thanks to Emmanuel, General Manager of Fairmont hotel, for the champagne.

On day 3 of my 36 years old, I celebrated with two women whom I dearly love and admire. There are not enough words to express how grateful I am for their support, patience, and guidance in the last three years. They watched me grow and celebrated with me every important milestone in my career and now personal.

Have I done all the celebrations yet? Probably not. I'm the kind of person who, if I can wake up and be happy every day, I will celebrate no matter how big or small. But every birthday, it's a chance for me to reflect, to look deep into my soul (and sometimes my insecurities), to question myself, "How much have I grown?", "What have I accomplished?" "Am I happy?". Then, I started looking back at old photos.

The photo on the left was Crystal 2.0 ten years ago. She was young, innocent, ambitious, energetic, and impatient. The image on the right is the Crystal 3.0 now. She is still young at heart, more experienced, always ambitious, more patient, understanding, and compassionate. What have I lost over the last ten years? Perhaps, the insecurity about my flaws, the doubts about my ability, the negativity when I hit the roadblocks, and the need to find someone make me happy. What have I gained on the contrary? Some wrinkles on my face, a few pounds on my body, a lot more patience and emotional maturity, and a longer list of work-life experiences, and the contentment in life that is so hard to find.

There will still be days when PMS syndrome hits me; I'll feel like I've not accomplished enough, I won't have time to achieve all the goals I set for myself, I haven't spent much time with the family, where will I be in the next 5 and 10 years, and the list goes on. But as soon as those doubtful feelings got me, I quickly realised that the hormones rollercoaster is trying to give me an emotional ride. I can let it swing my mood up and down, or I can choose to say, "Stop it. It's enough". Whether I'm at v2.0 or v3.0, I'm still fighting my own battles every day like everybody else. But at 36 years old, I learn to choose what's worth fighting for and what to let go. I'm lucky to be surrounded by many great people. Some help me before even meeting me in person. Some spoil me with their love and support. Some help me to grow from my mistakes. Some motivate me to go after my dreams. Some push me out of my comfort zone. My memory sucks, but I'll never forget these names.

I'm always a work in progress because I'm nowhere near perfect, and I will never be. But I know what I'll bring to the table, and I'm not afraid to express myself. I love the woman I've become, and I am enough.

As always, thank you for reading! To all my beautiful friends, thank you for being a part of my journey!

9 DAYS IN MINNESOTA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 09:01:00 +0000

Around March 2017, I lost my job, and I published this photo on my Instagram with a caption "New day, a new beginning. But first, let's take a break." Indeed, I took this "retrenchment" opportunity to have the longest break I've ever had by far. It was almost four months of traveling nonstop. First, I went to Yogyakarta, Indonesia then flew to Ho Chi Minh for the Vietnam International Fashion Week. After the fashion week, I went back to Hanoi to spend one week with the family before I headed to the US. I was so lucky that I got to travel that much, even when I was unemployed for four months. During this time, I came across some job opportunities, but nothing materialized after a few rounds of interviews. Not sure why, but I wasn't even worried about looking for a job. I just kept believing that the right job would choose me at the right time. Leaving the stress behind, I took 30- hour flight to Maple Grove, Minneapolis, to visit the boyfriend's house for the first time.

I didn't know what to expect. Many friends asked me, "What's there in Minneapolis?"- "I don't know. I'm going to find out", I told them. Perhaps, because I did not expect anything before the trip, everything turned out to perfect for me.

The weather was beautiful in August in Minneapolis. I started my morning with a cup of coffee, egg, and toast looking at this beautiful backyard.

Then, we went for a walk around to explore the Maple Grove neighborhood. The air was crisp; the road was empty, and the scenery was breathtaking. I still remember very well how beautiful the houses there.

During the days that Ken didn't have to go to work, he would show me around his hometown where he grew up either spending time at this giant lake near his house or driving around to see his friends for lunch.

I remembered my feeling while sitting on that high chair looking at this lake. I kept telling myself, "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end". My mind was instantly at ease. I was able to enjoy my nine days in Minneapolis without any stress or worry at all.

One day I went to the largest mall in the US, Mall of America, for shopping and witnessing the largest indoor amusement park, Nickelodeon Universe.

The next day I went river fishing with Ken's nephew. It was my first time fishing in the river, and it felt like I went on an Amazon jungle adventure. It was scary at first and fun later. We also drove up to Duluth, a port city on Lake Superior in Minnesota, and spent a night there. I thought the lake near Ken's house was massive, but it was only a tiny lake compared to the Lake Superior.

Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes of North America, is also the world's largest freshwater lake by surface area, and the third-largest freshwater lake by volume. Its area is 82,103 km², and I could feel the waves coming towards me. It looked more like an ocean to me than a lake. It didn't feel real. It was also the first time that I saw a span-drive configuration movable lift, aka Aerial Lift Bridge, constructed in 1901-1905. Watching the giants ships passing through the lift each time made me think of the "timing." When the time is right, it will happen.

Leaving Aerial Lift Bridge, we stopped by at the Split Rock Lighthouse to explore the beauty of the Lake Superior from a different angle.

Then, we moved to Gooseberry Falls State Park, one of Minnesota's most popular state parks that has many spectacular falls. It didn't disappoint me with this view.

Few days before I flew home to Singapore, I spent time at the lakehouse with Ken and his family. It was the first time I experienced an evening with a campfire by the lake. A drink on my hand while listening to everyone talk. It was freezing that night for me, but I felt warm from the inside.

I also tried to learn fishing, but I realized I shouldn't continue; otherwise, people would get hurt. I tried the casting technique, but instead of throwing the bait into the water, my fishing hook landed on Ken's nephew's shirt, who was standing right behind me. He didn't get hurt, and I couldn't stop laughing.

Time flies when you are having fun. I didn't know when I would revisit Minneapolis then, and I still don't know now. But I know now why they say Minneapolis people are genuine and friendly. If you look at scenery like that every day, how can you stay mad?

Till next time, Minnesota!

VIFW 2017: STREET STYLE IN HO CHI MINH CITY

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Phuong) — Sun, 15 Mar 2020 15:33:00 +0000

If you can remember when I had these photos taken, you are truly one of my most loyal follower. I wore these outfits to attend Vietnam International Fashion Week in Ho Chi Minh in 2017. It's been a long time, I know. But these outfits are so stunning, they deserve to be seen on my blog. Besides, the first two outfits were styled by my dear friend, who is also a fashion designer, Betty Tran, I had no reason not to give her a shoutout.

I had the best time shooting these photos with talented Vietnamese photographers. I admit it was a little dangerous walking on the main road full of traffic, but I had a few people watching the oncoming vehicles from behind to make sure I didn't get hit by motorbikes. But that's what fashion week is all about. It's crazy, adventurous, rushing, and sometimes dangerous, but always exciting.

Walking along the busiest street in Ho Chi Minh City in this gorgeous Betty Tran outfit made me feel like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the city in my country. Carrie said "As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost. And when that happens, I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going."

That sounds pretty much like me! I just keep going.

(Watch my video at the end of this post)

Outfit 1 & 2: Dresses by Betty Tran

Shoes: Christian Louboutin

Sunglasses: Linda Farrow

Outfit 3: Zara boyfriend white shirt (More styles here)

Iris & Ink beaded dress

Christian Dior handbag

Nasty gal pvc boots

Linda Farrow sunglasses

Outfit 4: MSGM top and skirt

Playnomore handbag (Thanks to Playnomore)

Sophia Webster candy heels

Alexander McQueen sunglasses

Carolina Herrera bracelet & Michael Kors watch (more choices here)

Outfit 5: Bardot blouse (Similar here)

Vintage denim midi skirt (similar here)

Christian Louboutin gladiators

Christian Dior handbag

Valentino sunglasses

Outfit 6: Nicholas top and pants

Christian Louboutin gladiators

Christian Dior handbag

Valentino sunglasses

SUM UP A DECADE WITH THE BEST MEMORIES OF 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 13:34:00 +0000

I apologize in advance for a lengthy post, but 2019 was a very long, exciting, and eventful ride. So, get yourself comfortable and slowly take a walk down the memory lane with me.

At the beginning of 2019, my brother told me that I would have a very eventful and successful year that is beyond my expectation (he is our fortune teller Master in the house). I took his prediction with a pinch of salt. Now that I'm writing this blog post on my hotel bed in Rome, Italy, I have to say, "Boy, I did have a fantastic year indeed!"

The first thing I did in January of 2019 was to sign up for a Kickboxing class. I'm always interested in learning Muay Thai, kickboxing, or any self-defense, but I never had the motivation to do it. Finally, I had one when I felt like kicking and punching something nonstop to help me release frustration and strengthen my emotions. I wasn't angry anymore, but occasionally still go back to the class for fitness purposes.

One week after signing up for Muay Thai class, I had to fly to Jakarta just one day for a business trip, and Da Nanang right after that for one week. It was my second time in Da Nang and the first time for work. After a 6 hour-meeting with the customer on the second day in Da Nang, I caught a cold and felt really sick.

There were eight more meetings I needed to attend the following four days. I was coughing my lungs out at night, feeling hot and cold during the day, and not being able to sleep at night. The worst sickness that I've ever experienced in years, especially when you were alone in a hotel room, eating the same room-service food every night, and trying to respond to everybody's urgent email requests. Luckily, my mom flew to Da Nang on the last two days I was there to take care of me and to take me home. I wasn't feeling my best but had enough of the hotel's food, so we decided to have dinner by the beach and watch the sunset before flying home the next day.

Always love spending a Mother-Daughter time with her whenever I can.

Two weeks spent at home in Hai Phong during Lunar New Year in February helped me heal. I had a wonderful time with the family and was ready to head back to Singapore to kick start the lunar New Year with a bright and positive mode. I flew to Bangkok in March to train my new colleague for three days, came back to Singapore, and back to Bangkok again in early April for another work trip.

After Bangkok, I flew to Ho Chi Minh to attend a business conference. Vietnam Fashion Week happened in the same week, so I was able to spend all evenings and weekends to attend the shows and to catch up with old friends.

Then, India was calling. I might have to travel to 11 cities in India in 7 days. As much as I love traveling and visiting new places, the idea of taking my luggage from one meeting, getting in a car, taking another flight to another appointment for five days straight scared me. I delayed all my bookings until the last minute when I knew a colleague in India would fly to all those places on my behalf. It was such a relief. April was the most stressful time that I've ever experienced in my career life. I used to think, "What's stress? I don't have any." While I was very grateful for many big opportunities landing on my lap, I had to do an enormous amount of work. So much that I always stayed up until 3 am or even 5am some days to finish it. As a result, my body just gave up on me. Then I knew how stressed I was. I couldn't sleep at night; I felt light-headed during the day, I almost fainted in the office while standing up from my seat and my heart was beating so fast. That was the first time I experienced an anxiety attack. It was scary. When the doctor and your boss give you an order to stay at home and rest for two days without touching the laptop at all, you know it's serious. It hit me, and I quickly spent all the effort I could to take better care of my health. I spent more time outdoor, doing yoga or gyms at home when I can, turned off email notifications on my mobile phone, and tried to sleep early at night. It helped.

I also signed up for a Scuba Diving course in May and went to Malaysia for my scuba diving test. Thanks to Serene from Cuddle Fish Diver, who kept pushing me to join her diving trip. Otherwise, I don't know when I could cross this off my bucket list. Serene is also a certified and very experienced scuba diving instructor. If you want to learn, sign up for her course here.

After Malaysia, I went back to Ho Chi Minh at the end of May to join my friend at a charity event organized by his media company. We gave out toys, food, and clothes to the unfortunate children who are fighting their battle with all kinds of cancer at the hospital on the occasion of Children's' Day. My heart ached to look at these innocent faces who suffer from pain and don't know when will be their last day to live. I wish I could give more to them than just toys and food.

June came around so quickly, I brought my family to Nha Trang for an annual family trip to celebrate my biggest deal won. I took my brother, mom, and nephew go snorkeling for the first time. It was their first time doing this water sport, and I'm glad they loved it as much as I did.

After Nha Trang, I flew back to Da Na Nang in June for another business trip and transited in Ho Chi Minh for 18 hours to attend this I'm Diva fashion event organized by Harper's Bazaar. It was by far the most stylish transit I've done.

In July, I took another trip back to Da Nang sooner than I expected, followed by a business trip to Ho Chi Minh city. The half-year flew by, and I finally had my first holiday. August, I brought my parents to Hua Hin for our annual holiday trip, just three of us. It's always been my dream to bring my parents to see the world with me. I'm so grateful that I'm able to make that dream come true now.

After Hua Hin, I flew to Bangkok in September for a work trip. Three days after I returned to Singapore, my grandmother passed away. I booked the earliest flight the next morning after I received the news to fly home. I'm happy that she could finally reunite with grandpa, but I was heartbroken that I couldn't see her one last time and held her hands. She taught me to be strong, independent, and fearless (that's how she survived through war, she said). I will continue to be brave and be kind, just like her.

I was supposed to go to Manila on the day that my grandmother passed away, for a strange reason, the trip was postponed until a few days later. So after Hanoi, I went to Manila for the first time for work. Nine days later, I found myself on an airplane heading, heading off to Jeju Island, South Korea, for another business trip. Two new destinations in October added on my travel bucket list. But the best trip was yet to come.

I came back to Ho Chi Minh for a star-studded event, Star Award, organized by Harper's Bazaar. It was the first time I dressed up like Venus, the Goddess of Love. Ho Chi Minh always makes me feel like I've never had enough time to enjoy all the great things this city offers, no matter how many times I visit.

November, my most favorite month of the year came. I spent a couple of days in Hanoi for work, for a family matter, and a special event- Vietnam International Fashion Week. My schedule was so full from 8 am to 12 am. I was running around town for customer meetings, lunch appointments, fitting with the designer, street style photoshoot, visiting Uncle in the hospital, and getting ready for an event. By the time I got back to my room each night, I couldn't feel my body. I was so tired, but I was still excited to do what I was doing. The adrenaline rush was real. On November 1st, while I was attending Vietnam Fashion Week, the hosts called my name to come up on stage to receive the "Best Fashionista Award.", my Uncle passed away. I didn't know how to process two extreme sides of emotions at one time. I walked up the stage, said "thank you" to the organizer, and tried not to cry. I was grateful for the award and glad that I came back to see him in the hospital the night before he was gone, but sad that I couldn't stay longer to attend his wake. Bali was calling, so I packed my luggage and left home at 5 am the next morning.

You already knew what happened in Bali through my 35th birthday blog post. In short, when I was having the best night celebrating my 35th birthday with the girlfriends, someone broke into our villa and stole our valuable things. Another day, another extreme roller coaster ride of emotion.

After all, I still came out strong and did what I needed to do. Life goes on. I didn't even have time to sit down and feel sorry for myself for so long. By the time I came back to Singapore, I was so busy working with my boss to hold the first Asia Pacific sales conference for our team. It was the first time I co-organized such a big event. From designing event invitation, planning the agenda, selecting the music to hosting the event, managing the 3-day conference, and having a 20-minute presentation to share my 2019 career success story with the team, I felt like I've outdone myself. I could do it.

December, the most magical time of the year is here. I'm writing this blog post on my comfortable hotel bed in Rome, Italy (I never imagined myself saying this). My girlfriend, Stefanie and I had the most beautiful 3 days in Florence. We went to Leaning tower of Pisa (photo below), Siena and discovered the beauty of Tuscany region. I woke up to the second biggest business deal of 2019 closed on the second last day of the year. My heart was bursting with happiness. I was so happy that I could cry.

Remember this girl in 2009? She first arrived in Singapore, trying to make her living with multiple jobs at one time and only dreamed one day she could afford to buy a $60 dress. Traveling to Europe or the US was just her dream. She struggled to find her voice and purpose.

A decade later, the same girl is now enjoying her best time in Rome, celebrating life with big gratitude. Ten years went by, just like that. I'm so glad I didn't give up when I was at the lowest point in my life. I'm so grateful for many amazing friends, bosses, mentors, who have been guiding and supporting me throughout this journey.

2020, I have many big realistic plans and goals to achieve. But I'll slowly share with you when the time comes. I don't know what the next decade will bring, but I know for sure, as long as I stay grounded, humble, grateful, positive, and kind to myself and people around me, I can overcome anything life throws at me. The last decade was a steady preparation. Now, it's time to accelerate.

If you are reading this, I wish you and your family nothing but good health and abundance happiness. Spread the kindness and love around.

Happy 2020!

35 YEARS YOUNG

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Dec 2019 04:25:00 +0000

It's scary to think how fast time flies. The first time I wore this green dress was on my 30th birthday, and the second time was on November 5th, 2019. Five years have gone by so quickly that I felt like I didn't achieve much.

How did I feel when I turned 35? I honestly loved it, and one month after my birthday, I still love the Crystal at 35. Besides, I had a fabulous celebration.

It was the first time I celebrated my birthday overseas with my girlfriends. We flew to Bali, Indonesia, on November 1st, to attend our close friend, Jessica's wedding.

It was my first time attending a wedding in Bali, and boy, it was truly magical. The location was fantastic, the decoration was beautiful, the couple looked lovely, and the food was delicious. We danced until midnight when the couple tossed their bouquet. Guess who caught it?

This girl.

Does that mean I'll be getting married next year? I don't know. That story will leave for another time. For now, I just wanted to share with you my roller-coaster ride to the 35th birthday. So buckle up!

We booked a two-bedroom villa in the heart of Seminyak. It was my first time celebrating a birthday overseas with my girlfriends. We spoke about this trip a few months in advance, so I was excited. We had our breakfast at a cute Australian cafe in Bali, then went shopping along Legian street. We spent our late afternoon drinking at a beach bar in the Marriott hotel, laughing at each other's jokes, taking way too many #wefie photos, and enjoying the sunset view of Bali.

In the evening, we found our way to Alila hotels for a lovely dinner by the beach. The day couldn't be better.

On the second day, I booked a private tour for three of us to check out some famous places in Nusa Penida. We first went for snorkeling at Crystal Bay with the hope to swim with the majestic manta rays of Nusa Penida, but we weren't lucky enough to see any. I was just happy to be underwater, regardless.

Then we drove up to the mountain to catch a magnificent view of Kelingking beach that popped up on my Instagram feed almost every day. The photo doesn't do this place justice. You have to make a trip here to witness its beauty yourself.

After Kelingking, off we went to Broken Beach. This beach is not like any other beach that I saw before. Probably from thousands of years ago, when the waves hit the rock consistently, it created a giant hole in the middle of the cliff. Now, the imperfect cliff makes Broken Beach become one of the most popular destinations in Nusa Penida.

By the time we came back to our hotel, this was what I saw. A bedroom was full of roses on the bed, in the bathtub, and on the floor. That was the loveliest birthday surprise I've ever received from my girlfriends.

The next morning, we had breakfast and went for a photoshoot around the villa, specially arranged and paid for by my girl, Jessica.

At night, we went to Motel Mexicola, one of the sexiest, most colorful and quirky Mexican bar and restaurant in Seminyak. I had a surprise birthday cake, we drank a few rounds of alcohol and danced until our feet hurt. My heart was bursting with joy and love.

Love these girls to bit Rebecca on my left and Stefanie on my right.

It would have been my perfect birthday celebration if only a burglary didn't happen at our villa that night. We were so careful to keep all our valuable items away in a locked suitcase and a safety box. Somehow, someone managed to open our villa gate, room doors, and knew where to find all our money and high sentimental value items. It was unfortunate that this happened on my birthday. From feeling extremely happy and grateful, to extremely angry, upset, anxious, and scared, we experienced all levels of human emotion on one night. Like the craziest roller coaster, we rode on. I was glad that we were safe, but still I was enraged. Some closest friends also reached out to offer to send me money in case we needed cash to go home. For that, I'm thankful!

I've known Rebecca for almost four years now, but this was the first time I saw how calm and yet strong she was to deal with the situation. She never shed a tear when speaking with the hotel staff and the police, but broke down the next morning when telling Stefani and I how much the rings meant to her. I love and admire this girl so much.

This is life! Nothing is perfect. There will be many unexpected circumstances happen that are out of our control and imagination. It will make you wiser, stronger, and braver. On a brighter note, I had the most unique and memorable 35th birthday celebration. I can't wait to see what this new chapter in life has for me.

Thank you so much for all these lovely wishes, presents, and cakes!

WHAT TO DO IN YOGYAKARTA?

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Phuong) — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 17:21:00 +0000

I visited Yogyakarta in April 2017. Because I posted so many photos about this trip on my Instagram (if you haven't followed me, you don't know what you miss), I thought I could skip writing blogs. But when I realized Instagram posts aren't going to give you much information about my experiences as a dedicated blog post, so here we go. After 2 years of collecting memories around the world (Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, Taiwan, Japan, USA, Indonesia, Dubai, London, Philippines), I'm back to the blogging business, trying to finish the blog entry about Indonesia while I'm sitting in my bed in South Korea. I certainly have a lot to catch up just from the country list above. For now, let's start with this trip so I can share with you what to do in Yogyakarta aka Jogja.

We stayed at Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta. Hyatt hotels always know how to treat their guests. The front desk invited us to the VIP lounge, served us fruit juice and while helping us to check in. The entire process was very quick and enjoyable. That's the way to welcome your guests!

It was still early when we arrived, so we decided to start the first activity of the trip. It wasn't the typical "hanging out by the pool and drinking pina colada" activity that I usually did. Instead, we went on a jeep tour (my first time) to explore Mt. Merapi, the most active volcano in Indonesia located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta. I know what you are thinking. I'm asking myself the same question too, "What was I thinking?" 😅 "What if the volcano suddenly erupts?" "What if its pyroclastic flows killed us on the way down?" I still love my life- the list of fear went on. But then, the adventurous and curious Crystal in me said: "Shut up and go." So after almost 2 hours driving up under the hot sun (if I can still remember well), here I was posing in my jeep car, looking like a badass on Mt. Merapi. Poor the jeep driver, though, he had to take many photos to get one good one. I hope his photography skill has improved since, so he can have many happy customers.

The most active volcano was sleeping while I was there. If you consider doing this tour, ask your guide to drive along the slope of Mt. Merapi that is totally destroyed after the last great eruption of Merapi in November 2010. It was fun. While doing so, let's pray that the volcano didn't erupt as I did.

Along the way to the mountain, you'll see many Instagram-worthy spots like this heart-shaped deck where I was standing. Instagram truly changes our lives, including the people at Mt. Merapi. I bet 10 years ago, no one in Mt. Merapi thought this woody spot could generate income for them. Do you want to have an Instagram photo? $2 and the heart-shaped deck is yours for 3 minutes. Easy money!

After Mount. Merapi, we drove down to visit Prambanan temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site also known as the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia and the second-largest in Southeast Asia (according to Wikipedia). Prambanan temple is built in 10th century and is a complex of 240 temples. You heard it right. 240 temples. It's impossible to visit all of them, so I could only walk to the main temple and decided to admire this magnificent beauty through my photos and memories I had of this place. I didn't know what to do and where to go in Yogyakarta because I had someone else planned the entire trip, so when I got here, I was overwhelmed. I couldn't stop looking up.

From Prambanan temple, we moved to Candi Ijo (Ijo temple) as our tour guide said this is the best place to catch the sunset in Jogja. He clearly knew what he was doing. Look at this sunset view.

I'd do anything for the sunset photo including climbing up to this unstable deck so I could look like a Wonder Woman looking over Yogyakarta

or standing at the edge of the rooftop while looking like my knees wasn't feeling weak at all. Crazy things we do when we are young, you know.

We went back to the hotel after watching the sunset and the first thing came to my mind: pool time.

That's not the hotel pool in case you are wondering.

The next morning, we woke up at 4 am so that we could catch sunrise Borobudur temple. It's a must-do activity in Yogyakarta. I'm not a morning person, but I won't mind giving up my sleep for a beautiful view like this.

I had no idea what to expect and I was trying to wake myself up while walking in the dark, all the way to the top of this temple. By the time we arrived at the top, I was wide awake and blown away by the stunning view. This temple is beyond your imagination.

This sunrise made the steep climb at 4 am so worth it.

After leaving Borobudur, we went to Mendut temple another ancient monument in Jogja. What caught my attention was this giant tree just right outside the temple. I just had to take a moment to appreciate this beauty.

Then, we ended up at King Palace before heading back to the hotel.

Day 3, we woke up early for the breakfast and left hotel quite early for another day full of exciting adventures.

An hour drive from the hotel later, we arrived at Jomblang Cave, a collapsed sinkhole that's part of a cave system that runs through Gunung Kidul, outside Yogyakarta.

Behind us, that's the cave entrance. There is any road for you to climb up or walk down, hence, this place is definitely not for the faint heart. You need to wear proper footwear (rubber boots given by the local tour), helmet, and master the single robe technique. Then, they'll lower you down 30 meters to the ground.

It was scary at first, but as soon as I placed my feet on the ground, the excitement kicked in. In front of me was the gigantic, dark, mysterious cave that is full of hidden surprise. The tunnel is 250 meters long approximately. The further you go, the darker it gets, and you'll need a torchlight to be able to see things inside. It's dark, muddy and slippery. I wasn't too sure about what I was doing and why I let myself get into this situation. But as the saying goes "The cave you fear holds the treasure you seek," I indeed found my treasure upon reaching to this spot called "Light of Heaven."

As if Jomblang Cave wasn't impressive enough, the tour guide recommended us to try river tubing at Goa Pindul. Goa Pindul is a cave formed by karst with an underground river located about 7 kilometres south of the city centre Wonosari, Gunung Kidul. All we had to do was to sit back, relax, and let the crystal clear river take us to discover the hidden beauty of Pindul Cave.

To me, river tubbing at Pindul Cave was a wind down moment after the adventure at Jomblang. Then, I came back to this rose petal spa after a long day out in nature. It was a perfect trip.

That pretty much sums up my Yogyakarta trip. Now, if you have never heard of Yogyakarta or still consider visiting this city, I highly recommend you make a trip. This city won't disappoint you, I guarantee!

Thank you so much for reading!

WHERE I AM AT 34

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 15:57:00 +0000

I should have written this blog post on November 5th when I turned 34, but I was too busy celebrating, and I didn't know what to write. So I left it until now. As 2018 is going to an end in just a few minutes, I’ll make this as a 34-years in a nutshell post. One stone kills two birds.

I love looking back at old photos. They remind me of my younger-self: how insecure, inexperienced, and innocent I was and how much I’ve grown up. I hope by the time I’m 40 years old, I’ll have solved some puzzles in my life which I’m still trying to figure out. Right now, I know I’m on the right path, and if I continue improving myself, everything will fall into place. Writing a post like this every year is like patting myself on the back and saying "You've done well. Don't give up!"

BEAUTY & HEALTH

When I was 25, beauty was never on my priority list. Unless I went for a dance performance, competition, or a photo shoot, I never liked to put on makeup, let alone spending a few hours in a hair or a beauty salon. Besides, I was still young. My hair and skin looked good, why would I waste money on beauty treatments? I also never went to a gym. My mom forced me to take her healthy supplements, but I always forgot until they were expired.

Now that I'm 34, health becomes the most important item on my list. When I was sick, my mom and dad couldn't sleep at all because they were worried about me. If I can’t take care of myself, how can I take care of my family? That thought motivates me to take my health seriously. I started practicing yoga since last year, eating healthy, taking health supplements, going to the gym or exercising at home whenever I could. My body transformed. I feel healthier, stronger, and happier. It's incredible. I still don't like to apply heavy makeup, but I put more effort into skincare. Honestly, I love the Crystal at 34 a lot more than the Crystal at 25. Growing old suddenly becomes less stressful and more fun.

FAMILY

If you follow my Instagram stories, you’ll know how close I am to my family. The family has always been a strong pillar of support for me over the years. Living far away from everyone means I'm often missed out on family events, unfortunately. Many times I wished I was home so I could give my mom and dad a big hug on their birthday, take them out on Mother's & Father's Day, or even have a drink with my brother. That is why I will do everything I can to spend more time with them and make them feel happy. Whether it's a Taiwan trip with my mom and dad or a short trip home to throw the 1st birthday party for my nephew, it makes my day whenever I see a big smile on their face. As long as they are healthy, I'm happy.

CAREER

For the longest time, I've always been questioning myself "What do I want to do in my career?". I was lucky that I had many opportunities to do different things at a young age (5 years old). From a singer, a dancer, and a dance teacher to an actress, a host, and a model, I enjoyed being on stage or in front of the camera so much that I thought I was born to be a performer. At the same time, the other part of me wanted to be a businesswoman, so I chose to study "Business Management" instead of accepting the Performing Arts scholarship.

Then, when I started writing a blog and stepped into the fashion industry in 2012, I gave up the "art performer" dream and had a desire to run my own fashion business and being a professional blogger instead. But when I had to choose between getting paid to blog full time and working in a technology company in the hospitality industry. I wanted to be in the hospitality industry instead. I wanted to travel. I'm glad I made that decision, and I found the career that I've been looking. Not only do I have a good job, but I also have a wonderful boss who trusts, supports, and helps me spread my wings to fly. She makes my days at work so fun and fulfilling. We are only at the beginning of our journey. I can't wait for the new year to start.

FRIENDS

They say good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know they are there. I'm lucky that I have many shining stars around me. They are there during my good and bad time. They don't just lend me their listening ears. They offer their helping hands when I need. I wonder “what have I done in my previous life that I have many guardian angels with me in this life.” They are like my brothers and sisters. Some I know for more than ten years, others I meet less than a year but feel like we already knew each other for a long time. I’ll probably have more bridesmaids than I need by the time I decide to be a bride. I'm not complaining. It's a happy problem to have.

LOVE

Every girl loves being a princess on her wedding day. Some take a longer time to find their true love story than others. I’m very good at managing other parts of my life (Work, Health, Family), Love is the only thing that makes me feel out of control. I lost count how many times in the past 16 years (since I started dating), I looked up at the sky and wondered: "Where and who is my Prince Charming? Why it’s so hard to meet him?". Every time I fell in love, I had my heart broken over and over again. After so many heartbreaks and lessons, I learned that Love is not just a feeling. It's not just a word. It's not about the number of expensive presents a guy gives you. It's a choice, a commitment, and an action. We chose to love someone and accept them for who they are, including their flaws. Loving someone means we'll do everything we can to make the other person happy. We are inspired to be a better version of ourselves. We are willing to stay with them during the tough times and be their best supporter. In one of my love stories, I came to realize that loving someone also means letting them go and wishing them all the happiness whether you are a part of it. They say “God knows when you are ready for a marriage, he'll send the right man to you at the right time.” Apparently, I wasn't ready.

I wanted to get married at the age of 25. It didn't happen. I set my marriage goal at 27 years old. Again, I broke up. The same thing happened when I was 29 and 30 years old. All these years, I asked myself "Why do I want to get married?". The answers were: I want to get married because I'm getting old; My parents want me to get married; I need to find stability and security, and the list goes on". None of the answers was "I want to spend the rest of my life with him." Not that I didn't have a feeling for any of my ex-boyfriends at that time, I just had too many doubts and fear in my head. I didn't feel "right" like what everyone kept telling me "You'll know it if he is the right one." So I walked away before things got worse and wanted to focus on loving myself first before I can love someone else.

Now, I still don’t know if and when I will get married, but I no longer have the pressure of "I'm getting old" or "My parents want me to get married." I'm self-sufficient and enjoying my single life to its fullest. I love myself and I'm content with what I have. I don't need a man to give me financial stability. I'm not looking for a man to bring me happiness because I'm already happy. When I think of getting married to someone, I think of how much I want to share my positivity, joy, and my life with that person. Life is not always sunshine and butterflies. I won't mind going through storms with that person as long as he respects, trusts, and loves me as his life partner. A great relationship requires hard work, open communications, honesty, and a whole lot of bedtime activities. I get that.

Have I given up on love? Not yet. I still believe somewhere out there in this world, my Mr. Right is still finding his way to me. It might take him some time to get here. Until that mysterious guy appears, I’m taking one day at a time and keeping my mind open to see what happens.

For now, I’m happy, and I'm thankful for all the experiences life has given me. I'm ready to move on to the next chapter. And I’m so ready for 2019!

Happy New Year to me, you, and your family!
Thank you for reading!

33 YEARS IN THE MAKING (PART 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Jun 2018 15:54:00 +0000

If you haven't read part 1 and part 2, I highly suggest that you read them first before continuing.
This blog post is going to be a long one. Don't say I didn't warn you.

To summarize my 9 years living in Singapore in one blog entry isn't as easy as I thought. There were so many things happened. After a long time thinking about what to write and what not, finally it's here: the last part of my 33 years in the making!

What brought me to this Little Red Dot? You'll find the answer when you read the part 2 of my journey. Long story short, it was a job opportunity that brought me here (Thanks to William, one of my ex-bosses)!

May 2009 was when I started my job in a consulting and recruitment agency in Singapore. I had a fun group of colleagues and nice bosses, so it was easy for me to adapt to the new environment. The job wasn't too stressful. I was happy to finally make my living-in-Singapore dream come true. But there are always two sides of a coin. Having to live with three other girls in a tiny common room and bed bugs bit you every night was tough. I felt itchy every night I came to my double-deck bed for 10 months, but I couldn't afford to get another place because half of my salary would be gone for the rent. In Singapore, to rent a common room in an HDB Apartment (public housing), it'll cost you S$600/month approximately. If you can do the math, you'll know how much I made that time. There were some months I would double my salary with commissions so that was really nice.

I will never forget one Friday night after I left the office on Orchard Road, I stopped by Forever21, tried out some beautiful dresses from the store and when I looked at the price tag S$69/dress, I put them back to the rack because it was expensive. I left the store with empty hands and a heavy heart. I talked to myself "One day, I would be able to afford to buy any dresses that I like from this store".

Other than being an expensive country, Singapore is a safe place to live. There are tons of opportunities for those who work hard and never give up. Thankfully, I didn't give up after the first 10 months here. I had random people approached me on Orchard (the busiest street in Singapore) and asked me if I wanted to join their modeling agency as a part-time job. Which girl didn't like to be glammed up, have their photos taken, and get paid? Although I didn't sign up with any agency, I received many photoshoot assignments from the modeling community website that I had an account with. I learned so much about photography, videography, and styling from working part-time with many different people. The left photo below was me in Malaysia. The right photo was me in Singapore after I started modeling five months later.

What can you say? Obviously, Singapore treated me well and that's why I couldn't move back to Malaysia although I had another opportunity waiting for me there. If I decided to live in Malaysia, I would have been married with a few kids already by now.

I was this close to being married to someone at the age of 26. I was excited about having a fairy tale wedding with the beautiful dresses, but in reality, I wasn't ready at all. I wasn't ready to move back to Malaysia, to stay at home and be a full-time mom. I decided to walk away from that one-year long distant relationship and kept it as a beautiful memory for the rest of my life. Two months later, my ex-boyfriend got married. We had no fate, unfortunately.

2010, I left the recruitment company as the company changed its direction. I wanted to look for a job with higher pay. While looking for a new opportunity, I had more time to do many other modeling and dancing gigs.

My favorite photoshoot in front of ION Orchard at 10pm with Willy Foo- Singapore photographer. People stopped by to watch me jumping back and forth and some came to take photos with me. It was so fun.

Another favorite dance photo shoot in Dstudiolab studio. When you know how to dance and how to pose for the camera, you'll get the jobs. Those gigs gave me some pocket money to spend until I met this gentleman, who took the risk and hired me for his advertising company.

Hong (his name) is one of the best managers I've ever had. He saw me when I was just a little hard rock and he polished me to be a shiny crystal stone. Not only did he teach me many things, but also he gave me the freedom and opportunities to do what I did best. He witnessed how heart-broken I was when I went through my nasty breakups. He lifted me up, helped me to move house 3 times over the 5 years I worked with him. Where can you find a boss like that? The photo above was taken after I received the Top Performer Award from the company in 2011.

This photo was taken in 2015. He never ages. That's the only thing I "hate" about him.

Without an employment, life in Singapore is really stressful for everyone and I'm not excluded even until today. When I lost my first job in Singapore in 2010, I couldn't rent a house because I had no working visa. Keef, introduced to me through a photographer whom I worked with, was kind and brave enough to offer me a room at his condo without asking for any rent. I was skeptical at first as I didn't know much about him. He could be a serial killer behind those sweet smiles and his fantastic sense of humor. I had no other choice at that time, so I took his offer. Until today, I still think of him as one of my guardian angels who appeared at my most difficult time. Not only he didn't take my money or advantage of me during the time I was living with him, he even paid for my daily expenses. As soon as I received my salary, I bought him a nice dinner to celebrate and to appreciate my gratitude. Thank you, Keef! I'll never forget you.

I got back to dancing again once I got settled down with my accommodation and job, I was lucky to find a professional dance partner who was 10 times better at competitive dancing than I was. Competing with him got me into the Professional category in a short period of time. I was from Amateur level and it usually took people years to go up to Professional level. We practiced every night after I finished my work and every weekend. My body would cry in pain at the end of the day, but it was so worth it. Besides, I had the best colleagues at work who gave up their weekends and nights to support my dance competitions sometimes.

We won 1st runner-up in the Singapore International Dance Championship in 2011 (click to watch the video) and many other dance competitions.

If you wanted to watch all our dance videos, check out my Youtube.

Although I was getting busier at work and my dance practices, I still tried to maintain my blog as I wanted to capture the beautiful memories of my life in Singapore. Instead of writing about my lonely nights at home or sad love stories, I started writing about fashion and sharing my personal style tips. To my utmost surprise, the blog was nominated in Singapore Blog Award and was in Top 10 Best Fashion Blog category in 2012. That changed everything!

Attending the Blog Award and getting dressed by a local fashion brand felt just like a dream.

After the Blog Award, I started receiving invitations to events, parties, collaborations, advertisements with local and international brands. It's something that I'd never expected when I started this blog.

At FANCL's Ballet of the Beauty launch dinner.

At Audi Fashion Festival- Francis Cheong fashion show.

At BONIA launch party in 2013

Not only the blog got me the opportunities to work with notable brands like Levi's, Daniel Wellington, Havaianas, it also gave me a small role in 2 local drama series Point of Entry and Crime Watch on Singapore TV Channel.

Beginning of 2014 was really tough as I had to pick myself up from a broken relationship that I invested so much in for almost 2 years. But as they always say, one door closes, another one opens. I met an angel in the most unexpected situation.

When I met Ken, I was in a dark place. I had no interest in any serious relationship, I was hurt, and I was negative. Ken was there to listen to all nonsense stories and gave me his advice when I needed. His contentment and positive mindset made me feel so inspired. I became less aggressive, less angry, more thoughtful, more positive the more I talked to him. He made me read "The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness" book. By the time I finished reading, I felt like I was a brand new person. I was much better controlling my behaviors toward negative things and I was much happier. He kept pushing me to achieve my goals. He was the one that encouraged me to go to New York alone and follow my fashion week dream. We first met when we rented the same house and 6 months later, we decided that we no longer wanted to be just housemates. The rest was a history. Until today, we both still deeply care about the other person and always be there for each other. Where will we be in the future? I don't know. Time will tell. But one thing I know for sure, he always has a special place in my heart.

I made it to New York alone to attend New York Fashion Week for the first time. Thanks to Ken's tremendous encouragement!

He also fed my hungry travel-monster and brought me to see the world with him. He asked me to eat cheese even though he knew I hated it. "You have to try new things"- he said and I didn't take that advice lightly. In 2015, I decided to leave the advertising company that I worked for more than 5 years. Hong- my manager was still there, but he knew there wasn't any growth for me in my career. He wished me best of luck and a month after I left, he resigned as well. Today, Hong is his own boss, running a digital lock business called SG Digital Lock. If you need a digital lock for your home, he is the best person to go to. We no longer worked together, but we still frequently met so that I could bore him with my silly stories and listen to his.

I joined 2 other companies after that but still felt like I haven't found my right path. I was still searching for what I wanted to do in my career. Meanwhile, my blog continued to grow and gave me a lot of opportunities to travel in 2016.

I was invited to New York Fashion Week again, collaborated with a few fashion brands, interviewed by media partners, and partied with the famous fashion designers after the show.

One day I was interviewed by the local media partner.

Next day, I interviewed the world's famous fashion designer Zac Posen. Never in a million years, I could imagine myself doing that.

I attended Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week for the first time. Thanks to Heidi of Theambitionista, the most hardworking blogger & entrepreneur I know!

I also flew back to Hanoi for Vietnam Fashion Week.

From a girl who wished she could afford to buy a dress at Forever21 in 2010 to a girl who won the Herworld Social Media Award- sponsored by Forever21 and had opportunities to collaborate with luxury fashion brands, I certainly came a long way.

A special collaboration with one of my favorite US celebrity-turned fashion designers, Kimora Lee Simmons

I was also sponsored by Porsche Design and did a campaign with them on my blog. Totally a dream come true moment.

One of my favorite shoots I did for SocietyA (a muti-fashion labels store).

Photo by Navian Photography

2017 was a year of self-realization and a big learning curve for me. As much as I loved the company and the team I was working with, it was necessary for me to leave at that time of crisis. I should have left earlier, but I insisted on staying and hoping that as long as I did a good work, everything would be fine. I was wrong. I was a part of the global workforce reduction and as a result, I was asked to leave in March 2017. For someone who takes pride in her work and always so proud of what she's accomplished, it came as the big shock. I was angry, I was disappointed, and I was ashamed of myself at some points. I spent weeks questioning myself what have I done wrong and why this happened to me. Then, I realized that what happened wasn't bad at all. I got what I always wanted- TIME. Time was what I wished I had to travel the world, to run my own business. I spent 4 months traveling while looking for the right opportunity and figuring out what I want to do with my life (multitasking as always). First thing I did was to sign up for a yoga class so I could reduce my lower back pain. I didn't expect that yoga changed my lifestyle so much. I ate healthier and slept better. I felt more energized. Traveling to new places helped to keep my mind stay positive while facing the unemployment status, financial burden and many other issues that come with it. I was optimistic about my next journey. Although I didn't know where I would be, I had faith that it would be much better than whatever I had in the past.

This time I was right. I'll write more details about what happened in 2017 on a separate blog entry since this post is already quite long.

10 hours after coming back from the US trip, I quickly went to meet Nikkie to have a final discussion about the job opportunity that she had for me. I had many considerations whether or not I'd take her offer, but Ken was so sure that this was the right place for me. He introduced me to Nikkie by the way. Today, Nikkie is my boss (and my first lady-boss), the best boss I've ever had in my entire career. Not only she is kind and caring but also so smart and extremely competent at what she does. 24th July 2018 will be my first year anniversary with the company. It's true that time flies when you have fun. I can already see that we'll have so many more anniversaries and fun memories ahead. I can't wait to share them with you.

Photo thanks to DGT Portraits

Many people asked me the same questions "How is Crystal today compared to 2010". The answer is "Huge different". You can tell from the photo above taken in June 2018 vs the first photo posted in this post. I'm still the same girl from that port city in Northeastern Vietnam who loves my family more than anything in life. But my lifestyle and mindset have changed. I have many goals to reach and deadlines to meet. But I learned that many things in life can't be tied to a deadline. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. I'll hold my goals tightly with me and let nature take its course. As long as I'm healthy and I'm happy, life is fantastic! I couldn't be more thankful for what I have and where I am today. I believe that if you fill your mind with positive thoughts and your heart with kindness, your life will change and everything will fall into place. All we need to do is to keep walking!

I'm grateful for people who walked through my life and left some memories (good and bad) in my journey. I appreciate tremendously the amount of love and support that I receive. Thank you so much for being there for me! To my readers whom we have never met, thank you so much for reading and following my life story!

33 YEARS IN THE MAKING (PART 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 15:52:00 +0000

When I started writing PART 1 sharing a glimpse of my life story, I didn't think many people would care to read. To my surprise, the responses I received from you guys were so overwhelming. Many of you asked when part 2 would be released. It is now. Are you ready?

April 2005, I boarded a 9am flight with Thai Airways to Malaysia. I still remember it was early in the morning as I had to get up at 6am to make my way to the airport. My parents were with me. While my mom kept reminding me to take supplements in the morning and to take care of myself, my dad didn't say much. He was probably still thinking if he made the right decision to let me go. Why did I fly with Thai Airways to Malaysia instead of Malaysia Airlines? Well, it wasn't my choice to make. The ticket was booked by the education agency who helped me complete all the administrative requirements for the scholarship. I didn't have a credit card and online booking wasn't available in Vietnam back then. Besides, the agency was responsible for my flight so I just relied on them. Perhaps, it was a cheaper ticket or there weren't many flight options available at last minute. They chose a Thai Airways flight for me. Arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport two hours later, I had to run back and forth in between counters to exchange my new boarding pass, tried to entertain myself for 8 hours at the airport, and found my way to the gate to catch the next flight. I could barely understand what Thai people were saying due to their unique accent. One lady pointed me to the gate A and the other told me to gate B instead. For a girl who had never flown anywhere before, it was terrifying and frustrating.

8pm Bangkok Time, I boarded the next flight to Kuala Lumpur. It was pouring rain outside. My childhood dream of seeing a fluffy cloud in the sky was completely scattered. All I was wishing for was a good night sleep in a comfortable bed. I told myself "Only 2 more hours to go" and tried to close my eyes imagining a bright and beautiful tomorrow. But tomorrow seemed still far from it.

I was so excited when I arrived at Kuala Lumpur immigration checkpoint. Little did I know that my university acceptance letter wasn't good enough to enter the country as a student. I needed a student visa which could only be issued when I was already in the country. The agency didn't tell me that I should enter as a tourist FIRST. Well, I couldn't blame them. I was ignorant to learn about this stuff. So instead of ticking the "Tourist" box on the entry card, I chose "Study" and because I didn't have a student visa, the immigration kept me in the interview room with a bunch of other Vietnamese ladies for 2 HOURS. At this point, I was about to cry. Thankfully, there were 2 people from my University were waiting to pick me up. They spoke Bahasa Melayu (Malaysian language) to the officer and he released me in the end. I felt like a criminal. When I first saw the lady from my University, I didn't know her, I just needed a shoulder to cry on so badly. By the time they drove me back to the house, it was already 2am.

My first flying experience was so long and crazy just like that. Thankfully, I had a comfortable bed to crash at the end of the journey.

I had a huge cultural shock when I first came to Malaysia. I couldn't get used to the local food, had never been exposed to multi-ethnicity before. I didn't speak English so well and it was the only language I could use to communicate. The first two years were so tough that I often felt regret and felt like giving up. I was so lonely at times that I had no one to talk to but myself. That's when I started this blog in 2006. The photo above was taken by my laptop camera on a midnight in 2006. I wish I could have a camera back then to capture all those moments.

One and a half year after I settled down in Malaysia, I was looking to teach in a dance studio to earn some income so I didn't have to ask money from my parents. The only way I could do so was to look for a dance partner and join some local dance competitions to get people notice. I was lucky to find this angel, Anderson Gary who was funny, kind, and friendly to be my partner. We competed in Latin Beginner C (the easiest category) so we won the Championship. Anderson then introduced me to Ivy, one of the judges who owns a dance studio somewhere near my house.

Ivy and I quickly became friends and a few months later, I taught my first private dance class at her studio. From a private class of 2 students, Ivy let me take on teaching group classes. My number of students started growing. They became my friends and my family. Finally, I had a surprise birthday party in overseas. It was so memorable.

My five years living in Malaysia would have been so long and sad without the four years I spent teaching at Ivy's studio. We were able to move to a bigger and nicer dance studio with the numbers of classes that we had. I taught 3 to 4 classes per weeknight, and 2 to 3 classes every Saturday or Sunday. We organized workshops, dance parties, and dance performances every quarter. I had the best students I could ask for. They were not only my students but also my brothers and sisters. They helped me to go through a terrible situation like this one.

With Kim (Ivy's big sister) and Ivy Por (right). Can't say enough how thankful I am for these two. They treated me like a little sister in the family (I would have been their little sister for real if I didn't break up with their younger brother though :D). I felt horrible to break a news to Ivy that I was going to move to Singapore and left her stranded with so many dance classes to take over on a short notice. One week before my visa expired, the company that I worked for almost a year told me that they couldn't get me a new visa. Ivy couldn't help me to get a visa as a dance instructor either. I didn't know why getting a work visa in Malaysia was so difficult and expensive, but I knew my time for Malaysia was over.

On April 14th, 2009 I packed my bags again and left Malaysia for Singapore. I wasn't sure if I would live in Singapore or go back to Vietnam and start all over again after this. But at that point in time, there was a job interview waiting for me in Singapore and that's the ONE chance I was going to take.

You already knew what happened after that, but wait until I share with you part 3.

33 YEARS IN THE MAKING (PART 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 02:28:00 +0000

Since I started this blog in 2006, I didn't share much about my personal life. But now, I'm at the point where I have nothing to hide, and I believe, the more we give, the more we receive. If you've been following my blog from the beginning, you'll get to know a lot more about me. But if you are new to this blog, this article would be a wonderful self-introduction indeed.

So here we go!

I was born on November 5th, 1984 in Hai Phong, a small city in the North of Vietnam, near Hanoi. I was quite a chubby baby despite the fact that we were very poor. "We didn't have much food to eat"- said my mom. You can tell how skinny my mom, dad, and my brother looked.

My older brother tried to hold me as I didn't know how to walk just yet.

Since young, I already loved to perform either singing or dancing. Attention-craving since childhood, if you'd like to call it that way. Except for the weird hairstyle, I looked quite cute, didn't I? I was always invited to perform singing or dancing in my school, from kindergarten to primary, This is a photo of me singing a Love song at someone's wedding at the age of 7 probably. How appropriate!

and this is a photo of me, singing on High school graduation day in 2002.

Here is another photo of me winning Miss Ngo Quyen high school 2002. It was the first time I've ever won in a beauty contest. To tell you the truth, years before this, I was so embarrassed about my body. I was the shortest one in the class, but my body developed faster than other girls. My fitness instructor and girlfriends often asked me "Why your breasts are so big?", "Why you are so tanned?", or "Why your lips are so thick?" etc. I didn't know how to answer and the only thing I did to avoid those questions was wearing boy's clothes most of the time. I was acting like a tomboy during my high school. If I didn't have to wear Ao Dai (Vietnam traditional dress) for the contest, I'd rather be in shirt and denim jeans.

I wish I could have more photos taken during my secondary school years, but having my own camera was a dream back then. Most of the old photos here were taken by someone else and I just asked if I could keep some of them. When I was 9 years old, my parents went through a major downfall in their finance and career. They had to sell our house to pay for their debts and we started renting out a smaller house to live. I forgot how many times we moved. I was too small to understand what happened, but I knew we weren't in a good shape so I never asked anything from my parents. I tried to win a scholarship so they didn't have to pay for my tuition. I still remember there was a day my mother had no money to buy food for me and my brother. Luckily, I just won a writing contest with a $50 cash prize. I gave it all to her and we had a lovely dinner that night.

After 10 years of living in rented houses, my dad managed to build his dream home on his own. This photo was taken on our housewarming day in 2003 and I could never forget how happy I was to finally have a small room on my own.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to live with the family and enjoy my beautiful room as much as I wished. I passed an exam to enter a college of Ministry of Foreign Affair so I moved to Hanoi in 2002. That year, I started learning Ballroom dancing. My life changed. I was no longer a girl who felt embarrassed of her body and only wore boy's clothes. Dancing made me become more comfortable with how I looked. Who knew big boobs, tanned-skin, and thick lips could be advantages in Latin dance. I joined the first dance competition in Hanoi with my dance partner and we won the Championship. It opened up a new world for both of us. Suddenly, everyone in Hanoi knew us. We were invited to teach, to perform in every Christmas and New Year's Eve party from one city to another. I opened my own dance studio with my dance partner- turned boyfriend, taught 5 to 6 classes a day, and made a decent income at the age of 19. Life was good!

Well, people thought my life was good. I smiled on the stage or in front of the audiences, but deep down, I was so depressed. I was struggling to deal with the relationship drama (like any other couples), trying to finish my last year at school, running the dance studio, and acting like a talent management agent for both of us. It was too much to handle. I wanted to escape from everyone. Perhaps, my prayer was loud and desperate enough, it was heard.

I applied for hundreds of scholarships online, submitted tons of documents, went for a few rounds interview with the Embassy and the school. A few months later, an acceptance letter arrived in my mailbox. I had a long conversation with my family. They didn't want to let me go at first, but they knew that they couldn't stop me.

April 2005, I headed to the airport and off I flew to Malaysia with Bangkok Airways, feeling so excited about sitting on an airplane for the first time and being surrounded by fluffy clouds and beautiful sunshine (my childhood's dream). Why Malaysia and why Bangkok Airways, you ask?

Well, that's another long story for another time! For now, thank you so much for staying with me this far!

Read the part 2 HERE!

BEST MEMORIES OF DA NANG

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 02:33:00 +0000

I know it has been a long time since my last blog post and it's even a longer time since our last trip to Da Nang (one year, in case you are wondering). If you follow me on Instagram, you might notice that I've been traveling nonstop at the beginning of this year. Something happened turned my life into a new chapter unexpectedly 4 months ago. I took the time off, traveled around, focused on improving myself, and tried to be positive as much as I could. I'd love to share with you what happened to me. But I have to save that long story for another day.

For now, here is a major throwback some great memories of Da Nang. Hopefully, this will give you an idea of what to do when you plan your trip to this beautiful city.

Where to stay?

We booked a 3 bedroom-villa at Premier Danang Resort, a property by Accor hotel group. It was a stunning resort right by the ocean and of course, a beautiful place always comes with a beautiful price. We had a private swimming pool, a garden, a balcony, and a private chef who came to cook dinner for us on our last day.

Our tastefully decorated master bedroom with a private balcony

A private swimming pool. When asked "What was your favorite thing from this trip?", my nephew didn't need to think twice to answer "The swimming pool". He clearly knows how to enjoy life at 5 years old, doesn't he?

Depending on your budget, finding a good hotel in Da Nang is not a challenging task. Working in hospitality industry gives me advantages and experiences when it comes to hotel booking. I'll always go to TripAdvisor and sort the hotels by the Traveller Ranking, and then filter them out based on my budget, preferences, and class. By far, I haven't had any bad experience at any hotel I stayed.

What to do in Da Nang?

Honestly, we didn't do many things this trip. Traveling with my family means doing some light activities like walking a long the beach, going for lunch or dinner, or chilling by the ocean. That sounds like what we normally do at home (we live near by the ocean anyway). Nonetheless, I managed to make everyone walk on our second day in Da Nang.

We took a taxi to Ba Na Hills, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Da Nang. Ba Na Hill is a hill station and resort located in the Truong Son mountain, west of Da Nang city in the central Vietnam. You'll get to enjoy the ride in the world's longest single-wire cable car while admiring the stunning scenery all the way to the top. Once you get there, it's like a different world that you'll see.

Blending in with the background in flower garden Le Jardin D'amour

Looking for my Prince Charming on the Love Bridge.

This view from Linh Ung Pagoda is truly one of a kind.

Every corner in Ba Na Hills is so Instagram worthy.

It was a bright and beautiful day in Da Nang when we visited.

Our very first family photo of 2016. Missing my brother though.

A potential hopeless romantic in the making. Hope my nephew won't break many girls' heart in the future!

We spent our morning and afternoon in Ba Na Hills and visited Hoi An in the evening, a city known for its well-preserved Ancient Town in the evening. It is only 46 minutes car ride from Da Nang. If you love seeing centuries-old Buddhist temples, trying out many types of food, enjoying vintage shopping, you definitely love Hoi An. Even I'm not crazy about the mentioned three activities above, I found myself immensely enjoyed my time in this beautiful place.

Hoi An is the land of lanterns and I can understand why. You'll see lanterns everywhere. If you are visiting Hoi An in during Chinese New Year, you'll get to experience the Full Moon festival, when the street lights are dimmed allowing only colorful lanterns illuminate the whole town. Its beauty will stay in your mind and heart forever.

On the last day in Da Nang, we spent our morning walking along the My Khe beach. It's always my favorite thing to do. This time, it was even better as I had my dad, mom, sister in law, nephew, and boyfriend with me. My brother would have been with us if not for his work commitment at last minute.

Watching the sunrise on the beach with my loved ones.

Sipping on the juicy drinks.

Miu was so happy whenever he gets to play in the ocean.

Watching this two building up a sand castle made my heart sink.

The loves of my life. Nothing beats watching them enjoying beautiful moments together.

Da Nang is more than just a tourist destination for me. It's the place where I had the first holiday with the family after 20 years. It has a special meaning in my heart. If you haven't visited this city, I suggest you make a trip. You won't regret after that even if you are traveling alone.

Thank you so much for reading!

WITH LOVE FROM MY KHE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:22:00 +0000

As I am writing this blog post, I'm actually craving for some vitamin-sea at the moment. I miss the crystal-clear beach with mild waves and a stunning mountain view of My Khe Beach Da Nang. No wonder it was named as "one of the most attractive beaches on the planet" by Forbes magazine.

I knew about Da Nang before, but I never made an effort to visit. Perhaps, it's the thought "It's in Vietnam. It's at home. I can go there anytime" that stopped me from going. But when I was standing on that fine sand beach, I started questioning myself: "What have I been doing? I traveled to many countries to see their beautiful beaches, not knowing that I have a breathtaking one in my motherland."

We get so busy with our everyday life that we often neglect things around us. Once in a while, a trip to the beach helps to clear my mind and reminds me of what I have been missing.

Thank you so much for reading!

::Outfit::

Privacy Please maxi dress- (Thanks to REVOLVE)

Tom Ford sunglasses- Other choices here

Michael Kors watch

DAY DREAMING IN DA NANG

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 09:48:00 +0000

After many years, I finally visited Da Nang, a coastal city in central Vietnam well-known for its sandy beaches and rich history. As a first-timer, I didn't know what to expect, but as far as I was told by the non-Vietnamese travelers, this place would take your heart away. So I packed my back, booked a flight, reserved a hotel and started counting down to the trip.

After a two-hour flight from Singapore, I was here. What greeted me was this stunning mountain range and an endless ocean view. The seagulls came in the picture as a bonus. Just walking around the Pham Van Dong Park, watching the seagulls while listening to the sound of waves was so relaxing. I thought I was daydreaming.

If you plan to visit Da Nang, I highly recommend you to put this place on your to-visit list.

Thank you so much for reading!

::Shop my outfit here::

Privacy Please maxi dress- Thanks to Revolve

Miu Miu slingback pumps- Similar here

Valentino handbag- More affordable choices here

Tom Ford sunglasses- Similar here

4 DAYS IN TAIWAN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 May 2017 15:01:00 +0000

In August last year, I visited Taiwan, a small island nation east of China with modern cities, traditional Chinese temples, beautiful hot spring resorts, and dramatic mountains. My first trip to Taiwan was in 2013 and it was great. But this time, it was even better as I had 2 awesome planners (Sarah & Ken) with me on this trip. Everything was well arranged from the airport pickup to hotel arrangements, what to do, where to go, during our 4 days there. I thought I should share with you in case you are planning a trip to Taiwan for the first time. Thank me later at the end of this post! You're welcome.

We arrived in Taipei city on Friday evening, checked into the Landis Taipei Hotel, and quickly went for dinner. We spent only 1 night in Taipei. The next morning, we woke up at 5am, had breakfast, and by the time we walked back to our hotel, our private driver was already there waiting for us.

A few hours drive later, we arrived in Hualien, a home to several world-class scenic attractions located on the eastern coast of Taiwan. We quickly checked into Farglory Hualien, a 381-room hotel with a stunning view of the mountain on one side and a breathtaking sea view on the other.

We spent 2 nights here and on the second day, we experienced a 5.5 magnitude earthquake in the early morning. While Ken felt the room was shaking, I was still sleeping like a baby. All I heard was his voice "I think there was an earthquake". I replied "OK" and carried on dreaming about something beautiful (not about an earthquake of course). In case you don't know, the average number of earthquakes in Taiwan is approximately 2,200 per year, of which 214 can be felt. That's crazy!

Anyway, here is our itinerary of the day.

1. Ch'ing Shui Cliff

If you are visiting Hualien, you definitely should visit Ch'ing Shui Cliff. It's one of the Eight Wonders of Taiwan. This is a 21-kilometer coastal cliff with the tallest peak, Qingshui Mountain, rises 2408 meters directly from Pacific Ocean. The view here will blow your mind.

2. Swallow Grotto Trail

From Ch'ing Shui Cliff, our private driver took us to Swallow Grotto Trail along the Central Cross-Island Highway. It's considered the finest section of the entire Taroko Gorge with natural sinkholes, stunning rock formations, and spectacular scenery. It's truly heaven on earth.

It looks unreal, doesn't it? That's how beautiful Taroko National Park is.

3. Shakadang Trail

Shakadang Trail was our next destination on the list to visit. This place is well known as "Mysterious Valley Trail" for its crystal-clear turquoise water and stunning scenery. No swimming allowed though, but it's safe and easy to walk. If you love walking, jogging, and exercising, you'll enjoy it very much.

4. Eternal Springs Shrine

We stopped at Eternal Springs Shrine on our way back as James, our private driver, mentioned that this shrine is one of the most famous scenic spots in Taroko National Park. Besides, the story we heard from James about 212 workers who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway makes this place worth visiting.

A long journey became less tiring with an ocean view on the right

and a mountain view on the left.

Once in awhile, we just had to stop for a quick photo and soak in the fresh air.

5. Jiufen

On day 3, we decided to visit Jiufen, a popular tourist area with great views, historical market streets, and good food. The name Jiufen came from the Qing Dynasty, where there were only nine families in this village. They requested "nine portions" of supplies every time shipments arrived from town. Jiufen in Chinese means "nine portions" in English by the way.

If you are a food lover, you'll definitely love this place. Tiny streets filled with restaurants, souvenir shops, and food stores that sell varieties of Taiwanese products. Even if you are not into snacking or food tasting, it's still worth visiting.

A beautiful temple in a corner of Jiufen.

6. Ximending

Ximending is a famous shopping district that you shouldn't skip if you are a shopaholic like me. My first time visiting Ximending, I went crazy with shopping. This time, I didn't shop much. I was more interested in walking along the busy streets, hopping into a cafe, and watching local people walking by. It's so therapeutic.

We were just wandering the streets, having no specific place to stop in mind. The only time we stopped was when we saw a cute dessert and coffee shop. As usual, there is always time for dessert and coffee.

7. Taipei 101

No trip to Taipei would be complete without a visit to Taipei 101, a 508 meter (1666 ft) tall skyscraper in Xinyi District of Taipei city. It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 until the Burj Khalifa, Dubai took its crown. (Read my blog posts about Dubai trip here and here).

Once you are at this place, purchase a ticket on the 5th floor of the Taipei 101 Shopping Mall. It'll take you to the observation decks on the 88th and 89th floors. The queue at the ticket counter might be long, but I can guarantee you, the view up there is a real treat to the eyes. Don't miss it!

There you have it, a full list of what to do in Taipei for 4 days. I wish I could take more photos, but this blog entry is already long enough with almost 30 pictures and a video included. Hope it comes in handy when you are planning for your first trip to this beautiful country.

Thank you so much for reading!