At the Jyiont(?) Bar

See, how big the smiles were. Sipping the beer treated by Jasimine and Chris, chatting with Tina and Jasimine, Marian and I smiled with all our teeth!

At the Jyiont(?) Bar

It's a bar where a single woman of any age can go without worrying about the possibility of having any trouble. I tried to image that I was there alone on an ordinary afternoon to kill my time as I wanted. The experience was special.

The Concert at the Phoenix Park

The concert at the Phoenix Park is one of my best memories. It was a perfect fusion of nature, people, and entertainment. People brought their kids and pets with them, sitting in their portable chairs, or lying on their blankets. What I I like was, people didn't drink and eat a lot on this occasion as they often do when relaxing. Then there was music played by a small band, guiter and singing; and dance participated mostly by kids. Except for people, music and dance, there was beautiful scenery. The river was clean and blue. Two or three persons were fishing nearby. The bridges of different styles looked comfortable and solid. The grass on this side of the bank and the trees on the other side of the river help to extend my view of the small stage. The distance was just right. Finally, the weather was perfect. The sun was setting slowly, shedding light on the clouds, and bringing richness of colors. Wasn't it heaven on earth?

Class-article presentation

This afternoon, David, Marian and I made a presentataion about the article concerning our research area. It is interesting to know what my collegues are doing. That helps with my teaching and research. David's introduction of equivalence of translation has something to do with my interest field. The criticism today tends to be much more open. There is enriched vision, yet continuation of tradition.
Doing research is tedious to me, but it is rewarding.
Due to limit of time, Tina wasn't able to do her presentation. Our management of timing was not good. I look forward to her presentation.

the Hmong' search for freedom and identity

The poem "Journey to America" condenses the Hmong's history and the younger generation's sense of identity in four stanzas. The poet raises a question "Where was I from?" to his father in the first stanza. The second stanza, narrated from his father's point of view, reveals how his people fled out of Laos for freedom, enduriong hunger, pain and restlessness, and also risking their lives at any moment. The third stanza continues the journey for freedom more from the poet's point of view. The father's account is a memory of adversity, while the boy's is of pride and confidence. The last stanza ends up strong with a declaration. The Hmong lost their homeland, but they are free in a new land, America.
In conclusion, the poem reveals how the Hmong remember their painful history and how they take pride in being Hmong and being free in America. The poet's optimistic attitude towards his identity is impressive.

My favorite food

My favorite food

Ma Po ToFu
Nicole Chen
China
Ma Po ToFu is my favorite food. It is easy to make and can go without meat, and it tastes just great, spicy and hot! As I used to be a picky eater, my mother had a hard time pressing me to eat more. However, once there was Ma Po ToFu, my mother would simply leave me alone, because I ate more than I should. How to make it?
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ pound pork, minced (You can omit it for a vegetarian version.)
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Chinese chile sauce (crushed chiles in oil) or crushed dried red chile pepper
1 tablespoon ground Sichuan red peppercorn
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pound firm ToFu, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoons cornstarch
Step 1: Heat a wok, then heat the oil in it. Brown the pork, then remove and reserve it.
Sep 2: Stir-fry the scallions, garlic, ginger, chile sauce, ToFu, and the reserved pork.
Step 3: Stir gently to coat the ToFu with the liquid, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Step 4: If desired, thicken the liquid by adding cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tablespoons water to make a paste). Garnish with more ground Sichuan pepper to taste. Serve with rice.
Yield: 2 servings.
Heat scale: Hot
Tip: Sichuan red peppercorns or “huajiao” (flower pepper) give Sichuan food its distinctive state. Cayenne or red chili peppers are not interchangeable with them.