~ Of Love and Tzu Chi Spiritual Home ~

Far or near, I love you with all my heart! :)

@ Tzu Chi Jin Se, Hualien, Taiwan.

It was this time, around the year when I first visited Taiwan on 2011 to attend a Overseas Hakka Youth Camp and met this really awesome guy who then became my long distance boyfriend. It was so amazing that how we both survived 4015 miles, going stronger than ever and will soon be celebrating our first year anniversary. Last year, on the 25th of December 2012, I'm back to to Taiwan again to attend the 2012 International Tzu Ching Leadership Development Conference for one week and later on proceed to help out as a hospital volunteer at the Tzu Chi Hualien Hospital.

Mixed feelings. Boarding the plane on my own.

When the berry yoghurt put those nerve wrecking emotions away.

The sight of him made everything so worth it. :)

You

Light

Up

 My

Life

Like nobody else. :)

The best Christmas present ever. :) ♥♥♥

I felt so fortunate to be among the hundreds of Tzu Ching from all over the globe to participate in this round of camp and also to get the opportunity to know Tzu Chi a step further. While I was so fascinated with everything about the Jing Si Tang, I also had Enlo with me throughout the 16 days in Taiwan which really really made me felt like I was naturally born a lucky girl. :) ♥ I don't know how to put this into words but at that moment when my feet stepped into the Abode, it was as if like my heart almost stop beating because the whole building felt so alive!  And I was like "So this is how it feels like being at the core of Tzu Chi; this is where everything first started." It's simply amazing to see how Tzu Chi grew from a very small group to such a large NGO and touching almost every corner of the world with the Great Love, conducting it's 4 main missions: Medicine, Culture, Education and Charity.

Week 1:

2012 International Tzu Ching Leadership Development Conference

Introducing Jing Se, Hualien. 

 Where the shifu's grow their own crops. 

Beautiful and calming architecture. 

The story of the hut that "lighted" up.

How majestic! 

Carvings on rock door: Master Cheng Yen's Journey of Tzu Chi

You can never get enough of the beautiful and detail carvings on woods and rocks in the Abode.

Receiving the "fo chu" bracelet.

With I-Chen. :)

My second group members (for the last two days of camp)

"He zhang!" :)

Week 2:

Hospital Volunteering Work

Jing Si Abode

 At the House of Ex-military Armies.

 Try guessing what I'm working on?

Voila if you guessed they're soap bars.

Made from natural herbs and ingredients. 

This is where we attend our morning classes.  

The sleepy pig and his lame excuses of reserving one seat for me. :)  ♥

We found this piece of sticker on the floor! The sticker is definitely cuter.

 His signature pose: The Zyzz's

I was assigned to this job for the hospital volunteering work. 

I will never forget how you walked over to my department with chocolate snacks and candies in your arms. :)

Back to Taipei Jing Si Tang.

A mini replica of the Hualien Jing Si Tang 

From left: Mei mei, me, Zhe Yee and Yee Munn. :)

Year End Blessing Ceremony

Lights on!

Lights off. 

Zhe Yee's "candle". :P

Dat face! *pinches*

 I just love how our bracelets are placed side by side. ♥

 Although we only got to spend a few hours together but I'm still glad that we did all we could to create as much memories as we could. Those moments with you will stay in my mind forever.

The worse part of this camp is leaving you.

Despite having to wake up as early as 3.50am every day to attend the morning classes and getting so exhausted over the fully packed schedule of intense lectures and group activities but that was nothing compared to the amount of effort that the shifu's, shigu's, shibo's and volunteers had contributed to make this camp a success. Though there were times that I had accidentally dozed off during lectures but  at other times, I would definitely fight hard to absorb as much "fa sui" as possible so it could be shared with my fellow mates back in Malaysia. I've definitely learnt and grow a lot from this camp, both spiritually and mentally and I hope I could put all these treasures to good use and also inspire more people to get involved in volunteering work as a tribute to 上人 for helping me to live my life all over again. :)

Last but not least, the photo of the day!

To the two crazy darlings who really made the camp worth so much more.

Thank you! :) ♥

My greatest courtesy to CLEO, for selecting me as the winner for this awesome berries-smelling-like perfume. :) Luck too good!

Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift.

During the Tzu Chi camp, we received a lot of Jing Si Aphorism cards and paper notes for many purpose. Say, writing messages on these cards to be distributed to the folks in the homes or to be kept to ourselves as a personal reminder of goals we wish to achieve in life. If you're wondering what the Jing Si Aphorism cards are, these are printed cards that has the simplified version of Master Cheng Yen's (the founder of Tzu Chi) teachings that relates to our daily life. Despite the fact that every cards has different aphorism quotes, and that they were being distributed randomly, the card of the same quote would always come back to my hand.. like 4 times? Even that after I've came back to Malaysia, I'd still receive the same card of the same quote in the recent Tzu Ching activities I've participate in.

This, and also another one that says "The greater the generosity, the greater the blessing."

It's has always been a switch between these two quotes.

It really took me quite some time to figure out what these cards are hinting on, or perhaps, it's also a means of how Master Cheng Yen reach out to her dearest Tzu Chi followers through these Jing Si Aphorisms irregardless of how far we are from her. Nobody knows but one thing for sure, every quotes that we receive will mean something to us because we could so really relate them to our current situation or it could also be a reminder for us to open our eyes and pay attention on the mistakes we do sub-consciously. As for me, I'm still trying to find out what these cards could possibly means to me so for now, Imma just gonna be kind in everything I do and to anyone I meet. :)

~ Thoughts of the Day 17 ~

Wui Teng's friends dropped by at our house today and while we're chatting, they commented that somehow, in a way, I looked "under-nourished". Hahahaha.. Not funny. :( But yeah, I had to admit that I do get tired super easily.. *gulp* SO YEAHHHHHH, I was reading through the Women's Weekly December 2012 edition this arvo and I came across this article of "Your A-Z Guide to Instant Energy". Fuyoo.. I feel the power that instant mannn. Heeeee ♥ Anyway, it's a pretty good read so Imma sharing them with you! :)

We only have one body, one life and we should really pay attention to the needs of our body especially when it's already giving obvious signs that you're not living your life the way that you should. Although we may not be blessed with the ideal body or health condition but one thing for sure, as long as you're aware to the changes in your body, adopt change and do something about it, you will also be able to live your life just like anyone else. So as the quote which says "There're no beautiful people in the world, just hardworking ones."

Cheer! :) ♥

~ Hugs ~