After being in London for a couple of weeks, I met a group of cool Asian working professions during a meetup group. We decided to meet up again for dinner on a Friday night, and one of the guys chose Assa - Korean Hot Pot in Soho, because he had tried it before.

We decided to meet at 6:30 in front of the restaurant. I arrived to the restaurant on time and one of the guys were there already but we had to wait for another 2 to arrive. There was a huge queue in front of the restaurant but it was Friday night so what was I thinking. After queuing for awhile, the restaurant staff didn't allow us to enter the restaurant yet even though we were in front of the queue, that was because we didn't have our full party yet. It was the first time I've ever heard this rule before but the staff was extremely polite about it so I guess it wasn't a big problem to me.

We manage to get into the restaurant at 7 p.m. and we ordered a chicken and mushroom hot pot due to one of our friend doesn't eat much spicy food. We ordered some tofu, pork belly slices, beef, vegetables for extra toppings for our hot pot. The food came pretty quickly which is always a relief. With our hot pot not being very spicy, we asked the waiter for some sauces, although she gave us a funny look, but she managed to give us some hot sauce and soy sauce in the end. I have to say the hot pot tasted much better with a dip of hot sauce.


There were a lot of customers there, so it had a busy vibrant atmosphere there, and the restaurant was playing some cool current Korean pop music which I liked. You can tell the restaurant has been in business for quite sometime as everything weren't too modernized, but nevertheless it was a comfy environment. The downside was that the restaurant was quite packed as they want more customers to be seated and it became a bit too noisy and it was hard to hear what my friends were saying when all we wanted to do was to have some nice food and talk about life on a Friday night.

At the end of the meal, all we ordered was the hot pot, we weren't fully full but it was a good amount of food just enough for a dessert somewhere else. I was quite surprise in terms of the bill, it averaged out to be £13.20 per person which is quite cheap for a place to eat in London. Now I realize why there's been a queue in the first place as it is a very popular destination for students. I would love to come here again and maybe try out the food instead of the hot pot.

Ratings: 6.5/10

I always get this question. "Do you prefer to live in Macau or England?" I always have to pause and think how I should respond to this question.

It's been 10 years. On the 31st August 2007, it was a very difficult day for me, it was a day that was going to change my life. How? In honesty it's been so long that I don't really remember all the details of that day, all I know was that there was a lot of crying involved. I was just a 12 year old Macanese boy about to leave the life I've known behind. My parents loaded my suitcase in the taxi, and I remember watching my carer who've taken care of me since I was a baby sobbing outside as I sat in the cab. The taxi drove us to the port to take us to the Hong Kong International Airport, and I was about to take a long journey to start a new chapter of my life. My dad and my brother gave up their life in Macau and moved to England a year ago, now it was my turn. The worst part was my mum wasn't coming, she has to stay in Macau to work and it was really hard not having a full family beside you. Last year it was without my dad and my brother, this year it was me without my mum in a different country. Is this what children with divorced parents have to go through? I was 12 then so I probably cried a lot to my mum and she probably did too. I remember waving goodbye to her before entering passport control and that began my journey in England.
Did I want to leave? No... I was happy and had lots of friends that I connect to in Macau, and staying in touch with each other on social media wasn't as advance as today. I wished I had a choice to stay behind at that time.

Why did we have to leave you may ask. My brother's grade back in Macau wasn't great so it was my parents' last shot to lead him to a successful life. They really sacrificed everything, money, time and my dad's career. Eventually their sacrificed paid off as my brother managed to do really well and he went to a great university and currently has a successful career.


That day I don't even remember which airline company we took. Was it Qatar, Air France or Lufthansa? Honestly, I don't really care. My dad, my brother and I lived in a small house in the suburb outside Leeds, England. Shortly landing in the UK and getting into Leeds, I had a look at the neighbour area that I was going to be living in, it was different from living in the city with all the bright light, skyscraper and busy streets. It was just trees, small houses and empty street, it will be hard to adapt to this lifestyle, but I was so tired from flying I didn't really care much. First thing we did was to meet the headmaster of my new school, he greeted us warmly and explain the school system to me and my family. Maybe I was just too tired from a long haul flight but I had a stone cold look throughout the day. The rest of the day pretty much end up as us going to the local supermarket to get some groceries and come home unpacked, have dinner and maybe watched a movie. That was Day 1 of life in England and it was cold in September, what?

I started my first day in school and my brother walked with me towards the way to school and I remember meeting some of his friends and my brother seems to be doing well after 1 year in England. In my new school, everyone was really curious about me; I was this creature that no one knew about, but it wasn't the positive kind of response. I was from another planet. I was relatively short, a foreigner, and a little bit chubby so it was an easy target to pick on me. It was difficult for me, everything was new to me, sometime I miss home, the home that was thousands of miles away. A lot of the times when I was alone at school I sometimes wonder how my family and friends back home are doing and what would have had happened if I never left in the first place. I had to be tough but I didn't know how to, my dad taught me how to fight but that wasn't particularly helpful. As time pass by I gradually believe that maybe I don't mean anything to anyone. I don't really believe in myself anymore and the path to the future was very difficult to determined. The friends that I made back home, they've moved on. The got closer with other friends and the relationship between us was pulling further and further apart and it's like I don't know them anymore. I was alone sometimes, I just wanted someone to understand me from my perspective and someone similar to my age group who would kind of care about me.
6 years of high school in Leeds was okay. I gradually settled in the life in UK. My mum eventually came to join us in UK after 2 years and it was amazing because they are the ones who actually cares about me. I had a complete family again yeah and we would go explore different parts of the UK and I was a happier person. I spent some great times with friends and some moments were quite dark that I just wanted to pack my bags and leave. My best moments was probably being in "Grease", going outdoors to wild natures with my friends, and having great conversations with my friends during after school computer classes and further maths classes. Going to Germany and France for school trips was something really memorable to me. So not everything was bad. I had some good friends, made some bad friends (the ones who treated me as clowns). I still think culturally different it was hard to get to know them really well and I didn't fit in quite as well as I hope to and I didn't someone that I can relate my feelings to.
I was 18 and the next chapter of my life was going to be the most exciting and a very nerve-wracking experience. My parents was so happy when they knew I was going to University of Nottingham to study Nutrition. They just wouldn't stop smiling because they were scared that I wasn't able to get the grades and I was quite indecisive about my career path before not knowing what I wanted to do in life. We went out to celebrate that morning to a nice restaurant in a nearby town but it was a weird feeling as I didn't know what to expect for this new chapter and whether I was able to cope or not.

Nervous was an understatement when I went to university with my luggage and my parents just left me there alone, but I was excited to start this freedom. Academic initially was a bit hard for me as I had to cover a variety of topics that was not really specifically related to Nutrition and I struggled to understand a lot but I managed to do enough to progress. However, I was determined to enjoy this amazing experience and go out there and hopefully meet people that can understands me better and form a long lasting friendship. The first few years I hang around with people that lived with me; it was still quite fun but I still felt there was a barrier between me and them. I eventually met a group of students from around the world and for the first time in a long time I actually felt comfortable there. We would do group projects together, play badminton and go out to parties. They are actually interested where I am from and my background without making fun of me at all. They manage to taught me how to stand up for myself, believe in the things that I believed in, and learnt how to say no from time to time. With this ray of positive light I manage to gain a lot of confidence back that I've lost from years ago and this was going to be the new me.


For my 2nd year of university, I decide to live on university campus again and this time I lived with a different bunch of people. They were different to the 1st bunch. Although they were new to the university but they were elder and wiser and they taught me that I should treat myself like a prince and actually believe that I'm actually as unique and special as anyone else.


During my last year of university, I managed to study hard with some late night sessions with a couple of friends; the topics was much more interesting as it is relating to my degree subject. From time to time, I would hang out with friends who actually cares abut me to form some memorable moments whilst we are all still together in university. From the time we bake cookies at midnight, to go to an Indian festival or hosting parties, I have cherished that in my heart. This University experience has had some tough moments but it has been a magical journey.

10 years have gone! :O Nowadays, I look back to the day I left Macau and sometimes I still wonder what might have happened. What would the other me be doing right now but that doesn't matter to me anymore. I've been through bright times and dark times but every time I managed to get over it. There are things that can never change but I am proud of where I am right now. I've managed to get a degree in Nutrition from the University of Nottingham and manage to realize that there are people not just my family that cares about me and I'm optimistic in-terms of my career path and goals.

The last couple of years I've learnt a lot about myself. I am not that shy boy that was once been easily knock down when I first came to this country. Although I still have some confidence issue but now I am now a man who has plenty of nutrition knowledge and wants to help people around the world who are suffering. For any friends whom are in-need, I am always a good companion to talk to and I would try my best to help. My goal in life is to spread joy and happiness wherever I can. :P

Hi Everybody,

My name is Chonny or Alfred (for those who don't know), and on the 12th July 2017 I've graduated from the University of Nottingham with a Nutrition degree. As a day to celebrate and remember, I woke up early in the morning, showered, styled my hair and put on a nice suit that I recently bought from "Next". I walked out of the dressing room and see my family all dressed up neatly for this occasion. It was once in a lifetime, a day to celebrate your achievement and give thanks to everyone who helped you to fulfill this achievement.


As my dad was driving to the University, I felt nervous as I don't know how the day would be and how I would feel graduating. It just feels surreal. Whilst my family was waiting to park the car, I arrived at the graduation dressing room, an assistant put on my graduation gown and an academic cap. I felt emotional that I would be leaving Nottingham with a 2.1 in Nutrition with a Certificate of European Studies. This doesn't seem believable at first which was 4 years ago. I took some time out before the ceremony begin to take some fresh air and some pictures with my friends; capturing the last pieces of memory in the University of Nottingham.

                                   

The time has come, the celebration was about to begin. As I was walking across the sports hall with my friends and entering the graduation ceremony hall, my mind reflected back to 4 years ago when I was a shy teenager leaving home for the first time wondering if I will adapt to this new college environment. Due to my shy nature, my brother predicted that my university life would be a blunder and I would crumble apart and be a loner where I fail to make friends, struggle in academically, and I would end up locking myself in my dorm and eventually become a university dropout. I was determined to not let it happen, although I did not get the best of grades but I improved year by year academically and at the end I manage to get the grades that I'm satisfied with by putting in the late night efforts. I wasn't extremely popular either and I sometimes doubt whether I have any friends, but I managed to form true friendship that I hope will last for many years even though we are separated apart between cities, countries and even continents. These 4 years has been a rewarding experience and I've learnt a lot, the way I love, believe and trust myself and it is from people who actually care about who I am as a person.


The next thing I noticed, I was sat down in the graduation hall. There is a big speech on how we should celebrate our achievement and how we should start our careers and move into the adult world and still connect to the people you share this journey with. "Connect to the people you share this journey with", the phrase sent a signal to my brain. It reminded me that this is probably the last time I will see a lot of my friends that I've made during the last few years and that kind of upsets me. The future will never be the same again like the ones you have during the university days. I guess that's why people say enjoy your time during university because that is going to be the best time of your life.


The moment has arrived. I among the others walked across the graduation hall, preparing to walk across the stage to claim our prize, the prize that we've all work hard to achieved for the last 3 or 4 years. Hundred pair of eyes were staring at us, "us" the fresh graduates about to enter the society as working professionals. Loud applause pierce through my ears and all I could think of was not to embarrass myself and trip on stage. I was beside the stage and waited for my name to be announced and I proudly walked across the stage, soaking into the applause and received my certificate with both my hands. I've done it! I am a university bachelor graduate and my heart felt warm with pride.


Who do I thank? Most importantly I thank my parent who are always by my side and wants me to Skype them every week, although they sometimes don't understand me but they always try to guide me to the right path. My elder brother? I guess so, he is annoying most of the time but he sometimes throws some wise words. My friends, the wise ones, the lazy ones, the quiet ones, the party animals, the silly ones, and much more... I can't thank them enough for making the person I am today and creating wonderful memories for the last few years. If I were to make a list of their names it would probably be endless, but you've all touched my heart.


As the ceremony comes to an end, I took and returned my cap and gown off, gave one final thanks, congratulate and goodbye to my friends. One final last walk around the campus as I stepped into my family's car and this concluded my 4 years at the University of Nottingham. It was definitely a bittersweet moment to end this wonderful journey. To all the friends I met, I wish you the best of luck in the future and one day may our path come across each other again, what would our lives be then. But for now, it is goodbye but never say forever, who knows what would happen in the future?


If you like my stories please continue to follow my blog where I will post about my travel experience, food recipes, my life adventures and nutrition and health related post. Follow me on instagram: @chonalfie. Thank you very much for reading :D Goodbye!

After a long period of stressful timings including exams and dissertation, it was all over for me and my friends. It was the best time to give us all a break. We've planned this relaxing stay in movie night event and to make it extra special I've bought wine and ordered desserts through deliveroo and I specify that the treats should arrive at around 11:15pm because that's when my friends are arriving. I was getting quite anxious that it was approaching midnight and the desserts weren't arriving, even though my friends were not here yet. I called the restaurant and to my surprise that deliveroo decided to shut early and no drivers from deliveroo are willing to pick up the desserts that has ALREADY BEEN MADE! So my order has been cancelled and I complained to my housemates and I saw a jar of his nutella lying around the floor in his room and a bright light pop up to my head. Let's not let deliveroo spoil our evening so why not make a fancy dessert instead!!



Midnight Nutella Brownies:

• 90g of soft unsalted butter
• 100g of granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• few drops of vanilla extract
• 350g of Nutella
• a sprinkle of salt
• 95g of flour

As the year draws to a close, it is time to review my year of the things I had done and the progress I've made. there's been ups and down in 2016 for the world and myself as well. (This posts took longer than it took due to some problems of my laptop, great start to 2017!! :') )