| Vivian
yearns for some lovin'
August 2, 2001
That is why the former Star Search champion
went back to Taiwan during her 2 week break for her mother's tender
loving care.
By Peng Wan Joo
(Click on pictures for larger image)
  Vivian
Lai has been busy, busy, busy…
Like most of her colleagues, she has been busy
with the filming of the new serial, Hotel and that took place right
after she had finished the filming for another serial, 3 ˝ Nuren
(which translates loosely to mean 3 and a half women).
Now that she finally gets a 2-week break, she
has decided to take a holiday to go back to Taiwan, her hometown.
"I miss my mother," declares this "little girl" loudly, who is affectionately
known to her mother as "Xiao Lin".
"I miss her concern and I miss her dishes…
she is always worrying that I overwork and that I will forget to
eat when I work too hard," recalls Vivian with a sweet smile.
Mum's cooking is the best
Talking about Vivian's mother culinary skills should only take place
when you have a full stomach. Growling stomachs, venture at your
own risk!
"My mother is a very very good cook. My favourites are Braised Pig's
Trotters and Oyster Vermicelli," says Vivian before going on to
describe, in mouthwatering detail, how delicious they are.
But can't the Taiwanese food available all over
Singapore stand in for mum's cooking?
"Never! The Taiwanese food here does not have
the taste of home. In fact, they taste quite different from that
in Taiwan. Perhaps they may not have certain vital ingredients or
that these ingredients may be expensive to import and so they come
up with their own creations and end up making the food taste different,"
explains Vivian.
Missing home  
Though her parents regularly bring her magazines and snacks from
Taiwan to help this Singapore PR who was born in Taiwan alleviate
her "homesickness", she still misses the place where she calls home.
"I miss my grandparents and miss hearing them
speak Japanese (the older generation Taiwanese usually knows a smattering
of Jap after gone through the Japanese Occupation)," she says.
And of course, she misses her younger brother
too. Sadly, he is not going to be around when she returns to Taiwan
for he is currently studying in the States. "We talk on the phone
a lot because it is cheap to make overseas calls from the US," she
says.
And of course, Vivian misses dad too. "I miss
his nagging," she giggles.
"He is always telling me to 'Keep your room
clean!' Without him around, life is very quiet," she muses.
Missing home
But wouldn't she be missing her boyfriend a lot if she goes away
for 2 whole weeks?
"Oh, no worries, I will be bringing him along
so that I can show him around Taiwan," says the cheery girl who
already has the itinerary planned in her head.
"I would probably bring him to the night markets,
to Xi Men Ding and also the theme parks," says the young lass whose
hometown is in Taipei.
And of course, she will definitely make him
try her favourite snack, duck's tongues.
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