Jasmine, me, and my sister (mba Holy) in Malaysia, still in front of Petronas tower.

Jasmine (my cutest, sweetest niece) and us

Posing in front of the beautiful (tropical) garden inside the UN building. This is our place to hang out, next to the cafe where we usually enjoy a sip of coffee or tea.
Left to right: Louisa, Apple (Thai), Josefin, Mook, and me.

At UN Bangkok during lunch. Having a decent cup of cappuccino from our office's outdoor cafe.
From left: Josefin (Swedish), Aretha, Louisa (Australian), and Mook (Thai).

In front of the UN Regional Office of Asia and Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand. I worked here for 3 months.

A little piece of my mind...

Glancing at the world surrounds me/
The world is so painfully bright
Everyone strive for the perfect life,
perfect career, perfect belongings/
Sometimes I wonder, are these what truly matters?//

Then I realize that the sky goes gloomy without you/
The sun only shines because...
I always have you in my mind to think about/
I have you in my heart to worry about, to dream about/
I can't imagine my life without you/
who always cheer me up/
who always make me feel like the luckiest woman in the whole world//

You are such a wonderful soul/
When I'm with you/
Everything else seems unsignificant/
All my praise to God that it's been a terrific 1,5 years of our marriage.../
and I hope it will go stronger/ as we grow old together//

Bangkok,warm midnight on Oct 5, 2004.
====================
I walked on each phases of my life/
Walking slowly though I want to run/
Making mistakes and stumble on the wall/
My feet bleed as I stepped on the sharp gravels/
I stopped... caught my breath/
Staring at the next level of my life... what has it got to offer?/
We learn, rise, and fall, again and again... what for?/
I see my next final destination... I foresee the after life/
That's what I aim for; to serve God/
I continue my journey with the remaining energy/
Panting, moaning, but I get stronger/
Nothing else in the world seem to matter..../
As long as we have God in mind and beloved ones to lift us when we fall/
treat our wounds, put us back on our feet again/
Thanks to God, my husband, family, and best friends/
I can get up and ready to proceed my journey.

Wageningen, 31 May 2004
Aretha.