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Why Do We Go To The Beach When It’s Hot?
When the sun shines brightly on hot summer days in Melbourne, many of us make a beeline for the beach. A lot of us say we go to the beach to cool off on these days. This has always baffled me. Numerous times I’ve went down to St Kilda beach on 30-degree days decked out…
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Why Asians Use Lots Of Plastic Bags
“Here’s your change and receipt,” said the Woolies cashier. I pocketed the slips of paper and stood still. She pushed the two boxes of Shapes biscuits and one packet of Freddo Frogs on the counter towards me. I waited. Where’s a plastic bag to carry my things in? That was what happened on one of…
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Food, Family And The Lunar New Year
Just like how roast is often a staple eaten at Christmas, it is customary for the Chinese to feast on Yusheng, a raw fish salad, during the Lunar New Year. Yee sang, yuu sahng, lo hei or ‘Prosperity Toss’ are alternate names for this salad that is typically served at the beginning of multi-course meals…
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The Lunar “Chinese” New Year: A New Beginning
When I was a kid, I celebrated the “Chinese New Year” in Malaysia with my family. When we moved back to Australia seven years after living in Asia, to my confusion I learnt that the “Lunar New Year” is often used to refer to the “Chinese New Year” in Melbourne. Both phrases are used interchangeably…
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Favourite Asian Childhood Drinks
Non-alcoholic drinks are under-rated drinks. In Australia, when someone suggests we all go out for drinks, it’s always in reference to beers or fine wines. I don’t drink and when I politely decline alcoholic beverages and order a soft drink, sometimes I get funny looks from those who do. And a lot of us like…
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The Asian Obsession With Taking Photos
Photos of food. Monuments. Flowers. Sunsets. You name it. When a good number of us see that something we don’t see too often, we pause. Whip out our camera phones. Snap a photo of it. Or two. Sometimes three or more just in case the first two turned out blurry. Then we upload the photos…
Mabel Kwong 