I am BORED ...

guess what I am doing???????

facebooking ...

blogging ...

surfing ... on the internet

at least the TV is not on ...

BAD, BAD, BAD ... I am super, super BORED !!!!

I have applied for 3 new jobs today. I better get out of the house and do something more productive. Maybe the library .... hmmmmmh or go for a drive.

I went for a drive.

:D

I have been tagged ...

8 TV SHOWS I LOVE TO WATCH
Lost
Law and Order (SVU)
Heroes
sometimes the Office
Dancing with the Stars
the NEWS
that show when they build houses for unfortunate people. I want to be an unfortunate sometimes :) I am! I don't even have a house.
and if I am at home around 4 pm, I'd watch OPRAH

8 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS
Olive Garden
TRIO
Chinese ones (this counts as 2)
Thai ones (this counts as 2)
Costa Vida
Bombay House

8 THINGS THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY
I drove home for Park City as I stayed up there the night before
I applied for a cool job on the United Nations Foundations website
I was downloading pictures I received from home and edited them on PICASA
I went to an evening class I wasn't supposed to go to but I was so bored so I begged the teacher to let me attend
I cooked the rest of the rice from Madagascar my Mom sent me and ate it for dinner

8 THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
my work permit to arrive in the mail
the Madagascar Mission Reunion
General Conference
speak to the fam ... on the phone
next paycheck :( won't happen for a while

8 THINGS ON MY WISH LIST
get a new bed, a comfy one :)
get rid of all my junk (clothes I don't wear anymore, school books and papers ...)
work for a good organization that does something good for this world
spend Christmas with at least ONE family member this year
learn how to ski or snowboard if I end up staying in Utah this winter
go to Thailand next year for a vacation
get married someday :-)

8 PEOPLE I AM TAGGING
Lyndsi
Kristy
Heidi
Annie
Tanya

posing for pictures!

You know here in the US, when it comes to fun poses for pictures, it would be: all smile, pose like you are on a roller coaster, make silly faces, make serious faces, or cheeeeeeeeeese :) Well, I received some pictures of my family vacation from home. They seem like they had a blast. There is a pattern of pictures I want to post in here. They made the children take turn to pose for pictures while wearing the same sunglasses. I think it's funny and cute!

How I became a mormon

When I came home on Sunday night close to midnight, I turned my computer on to check something before I went to bed. When I went to my facebook account, I noticed that I had a friend request. I clicked to find out who it was. It was a familiar name, a name that I will never forget. It belongs to someone whom I owe so much. He is one of the missionaries who taught my family about the Church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). I haven't seen him since he left Madagascar almost 10 years ago.
The next day, I got another friend request. It was from the other companion. I have only met him once since I came to Utah. It was when I first got here over 5 years ago. He moved around out of the country and I lost touch but we are back in touch now. Thanks to facebook :)
I have always wanted to write down how I became a member of the Mormon church.
My family and I started investigating the Mormon Church over 10 years ago. It was around September 1997. 2 foreign missionaries came to our house because my brothers had given them our address on the road few weeks before. My brothers never thought that these guys would really come to visit us. We didn't expect their visit and to be honest, we weren't interested in what they had to say. However, we let them in as part of our culture. We gave them something to drink and listened to their message. We told them afterwards that there is no need for them to come back as we already have a religion and we didn't want to waste their time. They left a blue book called the Book of Mormon.
I took the book with me and read the introduction just out of curiosity. I was in my second year of College at the University and I studied history. I started to read the book and for some reasons I couldn't explain, I was drawn into it. One thing that will always stay as an anchor for my personal tesimony is that "I have never been so close to the Savior until I read this book", I felt that there is something special with this book. I started to have questions and want to know more about the book and the religion it claims. My brother and I found the way to get in touch with the 2 foreign missionaries again. We didn't have to do anything, our 'vazaha' friends came back a month later after their first visit.
My brother and I then committed to learn and explore. I did a lot of studies about the Mormon religion. I read books, looked up stuff on the internet. I found some stuff but they weren't from reliable sources. I didn't find anything disturbing. The most amazing part was that I realized that I had a better source. The missionaries asked us since the beginning to pray and ask God if what they were telling us is true. I prayed so hard to find a confirmation that this religion I was about to follow is from God. I was raised in a religious family and were taught to trust God. I had a good start as far as spiritual life. This helped me to follow through.
I learned a lot about the purpose of life and the meaning of our existence through what the missionaries taught us. I found a good path for my personal life and I found something that I didn't know I was missing before. I have grown since. I did serve a mission to share what I know to be true to find happiness in this life and in the life to come. I went to Durban, South Africa for 18 months. It was the most honorable thing I've ever accomplished. I am glad that I was part of it. I helped a lot of people to embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So if it weren't for those two missionaries, I wouldn't be here today writing this great story. Thanks Judd and Chad.

You Raise me Up

Since I don't really have any productive activities to do, I have been spending my time on the computer for the last few days. Either I am on facebook or I watch videos on youtube. I need to do something about this.
Anyway I found a video of one of my friends while he and his wife were on a road trip home. People find creative ways to make the trip more fun in a car and to make the trip a little faster. I have been on many road trips and we usually tell stories, like what's your worst dating experience our your most embarassing moments. But this is hilarious, the crazy part is to film it and then post it on youtube.



I couldn't stop laughing while watching this, how could they hold it so serious to finish the song without laughing.

Qui suis-je?

that means 'who am I' in English?
When I was younger, probably since junior high or even before then, I used to have a type of journal. It's not really a journal since I only write in it once and then my friends take turn to fill it on. So, it's a notebook where I write things about myself. I put in a nice picture of myself, of stars and celebrities I like (I cut their pics from magazines we have back home; kind of the ones they have it here: People, US, and so on ...), I also include some information on my hobbies, things I like and dislike. I guess it's like a scrapbook nowadays except it's not as fancy. We usually call it "cahier de souvenir" or book of remembrance if you will. I pass my notebook around and have my cool friends write in it also. They are supposed to add their picture and write something nice about me and something memorable about them.
I have had quite of few of these but I am not in possession of any of them anymore. They maybe at home or my mom has burned them to start a fire when she cooks meal using chaircoals (it's like dutch oven but the charcoals are only cooking the meal from underneath.)

But who am I? I don't really know either. I haven't really paid attention to the many details that could describe myself but here are a few that most of my friends, people I have lived with, and family members may already know:

1. I am allergic to 3 things in life: pennicillin, shellfish, and peanut oil or anything with peanuts. I have tried to taste a little of these and sometimes I get in trouble, other times I am fine. I don't understand how it really works.
2. I like to smell things. Have you ever noticed that you tend to smell it more often when it's smelly. It bugs me to do it so I 'd do anything to avoid or get rid of the smell. I smell my clothes after I wash them and put them back in the washer if they have unwanted smell.
3. I can be so naive sometimes. I ask the most obvious questions ever; like 'why are you sweating' or 'is that a sweat or did you just wash your face' to guys when it's 100 degree outside? These are just a few ...
4. I have always complained about how my legs look like. It's not that they are not good looking, I just don't like them; I wish I had different ones :)
5. I am a sleepless person; I just can't sleep. I learned the other day that I am a light sleeper. Even a dropped needle can wake me up. I don't mind though! I can get up at anytime if it's necessary. I can't wait for it to be morning. I guess I am both a morning and a night person. I'd like to sleep better though, I'd take any advice.
6. I am usually nice to people. I have this philosophy that somehow it will come back to me if I am nice to others. It's not always the case though, there are some mean people in this world. Unfortunately, I have met them :(

All I know is that I am a human being, created by God for a purpose. It's so empowering to know that I am one of God's children. With that purpose, I think everyone is unique in one way or another and has potentials to do good in this world.

7 years ago

I am sure all of us remember where we were or what we were doing 7 years ago on this very day. I was at home playing video game with my brothers when my Mom run downstairs to tell us to switch the TV back to a channel. It was around 4 PM in my home country and the national TV abruptely showed a breaking news coming from the United States of America. All I can remember was that it was a horrible scene and whatever was happening is going to affect a lot of people. I think that event had awakened the whole world -- many of us! My heart and appreciation go to those who lost a loved one that day. I hope that it has changed us for the better.

I am just a foreigner who has lived in the U.S. for the past 5 and half years. I believe I possess the same rights every American has; I feel I am recognized and respected in this country. Maybe a little deprived of employment and traveling privileges, but I am content. I am grateful for that!

The spirit of ALOHA

I spent a one week vacation in Hawaii with my roommate. It was so much fun! It's been a while since I touched the ocean, felt the humidity, actually noticed a rainbow, and saw the most beautiful sunset ever. I love HAWAII!




Besides, the people were so unbelievably nice. This trip made me have an Island fever. It felt like it was a call to come home. We will see! People ask me all the time if I plan to stay here in the U.S. or go back home. Wherever I am going to end up which I actually don't know yet, my heart will always stay with my origins.