It was great to be back in teaching mode this week. There were a few times when I sat back and just smiled- I love what I do. I have a sweet bunch of kids. This year I have students from HK, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Malaysia, and Canada. I have only 17 in my class so far, and I'm enjoying that. I sense an easier move towards a tighter community. It's fun to observe new students and the dynamics that emerge. Already it is easy to see significant differences from last year's group. For one, the girls outnumber the boys 2 to 1. It will be interesting to see how things unfold.
I'm certain that they will often make me laugh, anyway. Today they started guessing my age. "Well, my parents aren't that old, and they're about 43. You must be 38!" Yikes! I got a good chuckle from that one...the same girl who asked me why my armpits were so sweaty yesterday. Haaaa. People who know me well will appreciate that. She's not the first person who's wondered...
The hardest part of the first two days was seeing my old kids in new classrooms. It kind of caught me off guard- I guess I didn't realize just how attached I was, and apparently still am. At the same time, it's fun to see them in a new role at school, and working with a new teacher. They're in good hands, I'll just miss them.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Family Picture 2007
My family. How I miss you already. It was so much fun to enjoy time together this summer.
This Week
I'm looking forward to this week. For starters, Jason and Shannon are coming on Tuesday! It will be so much fun to have them here, even though I have to work and will only have evenings to tear up the town with them. I'm excited.
Our first day with kids is on Thursday. I'm really looking forward to many things about teaching this year. I'm already appreciating having a year of experience under my belt. At this time last year, I was swamped with a million things to prepare. This year that load seems a lot lighter. The letters are cut, the schedule is made, I know what I'm teaching, and I'm familiar with the school and my classroom. One new thing in my classroom is an LCD projector. Yes! This will open things up for me to use my computer in different ways.
I'm so excited about the students that I will spend the year with. It's fun to start out fresh and start to develop new relationships with kids. It's inspiring to think of the potential- when I'm trying to see things from God's eyes, I ask myself- if this year was ALL that it could be for this group of students, what would that look like...and how can I be an instrument to make that happen?
So, that's where I'm at tonight. Looking at a new year, with hopes and a prayer that Jesus will shine through a broken vessel like me.
Our first day with kids is on Thursday. I'm really looking forward to many things about teaching this year. I'm already appreciating having a year of experience under my belt. At this time last year, I was swamped with a million things to prepare. This year that load seems a lot lighter. The letters are cut, the schedule is made, I know what I'm teaching, and I'm familiar with the school and my classroom. One new thing in my classroom is an LCD projector. Yes! This will open things up for me to use my computer in different ways.
I'm so excited about the students that I will spend the year with. It's fun to start out fresh and start to develop new relationships with kids. It's inspiring to think of the potential- when I'm trying to see things from God's eyes, I ask myself- if this year was ALL that it could be for this group of students, what would that look like...and how can I be an instrument to make that happen?
So, that's where I'm at tonight. Looking at a new year, with hopes and a prayer that Jesus will shine through a broken vessel like me.
It Was A Good Day
It really was.
It started out with a two year old boy named Bobo in the elevator. Though it sparked some heartache as I thought about my favorite two year olds in Canada, he sure made me smile. I hope I run into Bobo again.
Next I made it to the gym before 9am. That's a feat!
I love going to church, but today was especially good. The Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda were visiting. What a treat!!! They had some great songs, awesome dancing (I wish I could move like that!), but it was the joy that really made it all come to life. Awesome. The Watoto team sure seems to be making a difference.
After that we had lunch at one of my Sunday favorites- a cafe with a definite warmth and personal touch often lacked in a place like Hong Kong. They even know our names! I like that.
Then it was time for tennis. I joined my tennis pals in a local tournament, and today they held the first two rounds. The other gal didn't show for the first match, so I took a bye to the second, which started very terribly. Fortunately, something came to life when the score was 1-5. I'm still alive in the tournament- the final score was 7-5. Exciting!
I met a new friend in the tennis shop. He sold me the best grip in the world. That's what he says. His name is Uncle Chen and he showed me all of his trophies, and how to hit a forehand like Federer.
And lastly, supper at the Vietnamese restaurant- an old standby. Delicious.
Some of my favorite days in Hong Kong happen when I have the chance, and make the effort, to connect with the people here. So here's to little Bobo, the Watoto kids, the lady at Cafe Zambra who remembers my name, my tennis friends, and my new friend, Uncle Chen, who sold me the best grip in the world. It was a good day.
It started out with a two year old boy named Bobo in the elevator. Though it sparked some heartache as I thought about my favorite two year olds in Canada, he sure made me smile. I hope I run into Bobo again.
Next I made it to the gym before 9am. That's a feat!
I love going to church, but today was especially good. The Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda were visiting. What a treat!!! They had some great songs, awesome dancing (I wish I could move like that!), but it was the joy that really made it all come to life. Awesome. The Watoto team sure seems to be making a difference.
After that we had lunch at one of my Sunday favorites- a cafe with a definite warmth and personal touch often lacked in a place like Hong Kong. They even know our names! I like that.
Then it was time for tennis. I joined my tennis pals in a local tournament, and today they held the first two rounds. The other gal didn't show for the first match, so I took a bye to the second, which started very terribly. Fortunately, something came to life when the score was 1-5. I'm still alive in the tournament- the final score was 7-5. Exciting!
I met a new friend in the tennis shop. He sold me the best grip in the world. That's what he says. His name is Uncle Chen and he showed me all of his trophies, and how to hit a forehand like Federer.
And lastly, supper at the Vietnamese restaurant- an old standby. Delicious.
Some of my favorite days in Hong Kong happen when I have the chance, and make the effort, to connect with the people here. So here's to little Bobo, the Watoto kids, the lady at Cafe Zambra who remembers my name, my tennis friends, and my new friend, Uncle Chen, who sold me the best grip in the world. It was a good day.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Jetlaaaaaggggged
Hong Kong Harm is officially back in business, back to work, and feeling the effects of having fastforwarded 14 hours on my clock. Oh the wonders of jetlag! Sometimes a person can jump right back into life and you'd wonder they had crossed even one timezone. I enjoyed that on return to Canada. No such love this time round. It's 4:30am and I'm wide awake. That is NOT a good thing! What's a poor traveler to do? Might as well get back to blogging!
So I'm back. Back to...
-smog
-sticky, humid air
-hot air (really hot air)
-skyscrapers
-people
-people
-people
-converting prices
-the 32nd floor
-public transportation
-Cantonese
-people
-and egg tarts
Summer was sweet, and saying goodbye was hard, as it always always is. With a ton of great memories and wonderful visits with friends and family, it's hard to keep the highlights to a minimum, but I'll aim to write a bit of a review post/novel in the next couple of days.
Perhaps I shall try sleeping again. It's a bit of a far fetch, but it sure would be nice to catch a couple more hours before.....work!!!! As we say in Hong Kong... AI YA!
So I'm back. Back to...
-smog
-sticky, humid air
-hot air (really hot air)
-skyscrapers
-people
-people
-people
-converting prices
-the 32nd floor
-public transportation
-Cantonese
-people
-and egg tarts
Summer was sweet, and saying goodbye was hard, as it always always is. With a ton of great memories and wonderful visits with friends and family, it's hard to keep the highlights to a minimum, but I'll aim to write a bit of a review post/novel in the next couple of days.
Perhaps I shall try sleeping again. It's a bit of a far fetch, but it sure would be nice to catch a couple more hours before.....work!!!! As we say in Hong Kong... AI YA!
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