The Shanghai Adventure

I'm back from a lovely loooong weekend in Shanghai! I will upload pictures to Flickr as soon as I get the chance- they tell the story best. Until then, the lowdown word-style, with a few pics now and again.

The highlight that stands out most was the reason we went- the Women's World Cup. Let me go off on that experience for a bit...bear with me, non-football fans...

The best part was simply soaking up the incredible performances of female athletes....playing for it all. They were just so, so good. Marta and Cristiane, from Brazil, were plain silly- their speed and ball-handling skills were ridiculous. I loved watching Abby Wambach and Kristine Lilly in the 3rd place game- they are fantastic footballers. The final (German won 2-0 over Brazil) was a really great game- intense from the start. There was a noted difference (as one would anticipate) from the 3rd place game, where the US walked all over Norway. I still cheered for Norway, as it was a lot more fun to cheer against the Americans I found myself sandwiched inbetween! Ha ha! I started out cheering for Brazil in the final, as I felt no strong pull towards either team and the Chinese were definitely on the South American side....but within the first couple minutes, I knew I had painted my face the wrong colors- I loved watching the German team play. Tough, smart, an all around great team. There's a reason they were the defending champs. Plus, the Brazilians, though passionate and flashy, were a bit whiny. And the defense of the Germans was something to behold! Brazil dominated possession, but the Germans had a solid stronghold in the backfield- and their goalie saved the day, stopping Marta from connecting on a free kick. The (small) stadium was at capacity for the final, with 35,000 in attendance. Overall, it was an awesome experience. The only thing that would have been better would have been Canada or China playing. My, that would have been something.

Okay, there was much more than the soccer, though. Here are a few other highlights:

-Mary (my traveling partner, and a fine one at that...a day later we were joined by another great gal, Maria) and I met three random, hilarious, friendly, warm Chinese people on the street...we ended up going with them to a "rare Chinese tea ceremony" for a couple of hours on the first day. We laughed a lot, and learned about how to drink tea the Chinese way, and how I missed my chance at marriage because I didn't wear red underwear last year during the year of the dog. But I didn't know! Ha ha. Anyway, that was quite the experience...oh the brief and unexpected encounters we have along the way- this is what makes traveling all the more grand.

-We went to a Chinese Acrobatics show. Amazing, amazing, amazing. I don't understand how they do what they do...how they bend...how they balance...how they spin...I just don't get it. But is it ever fun to watch!

-Xiao Long Bao Zi. In English: "Little Dragon Buns". Shanghai is famous for these soup dumplings, and FOR GOOD REASON. We enjoyed a couple solid helpings!

-Foot Massage x 2. Need I say more?

-I spent Saturday with one of my best friends from the Shiyan days- Black. It was very special- though too short. We chatted as we wandered around Shanghai, and we also met up with another friend, Laura, whom I worked with in China. We went to the Jinmao Tower, which is fourth tallest in the world and gives a great view of the sprawling metropolis. It was awesome to reconnect.

-We ventured back to the airport on the "Meglev Train". It took 8 minutes to travel 30 km/hr. That works out to 430 km/hr. Freaky. It kind of fit in with the overall feeling I had of Shanghai- like you are part of the Jetsons or something. Some of the buildings have really neat European architecture, and then they toss in a bunch of Batman/Jetson like buildings with a futuristic feel. Interesting.

-Speaking Mandarin again. So much fun!!!

Well, I guess that's plenty for now. I'll get those pics up in the next couple of days. It was a great trip- definitely a fine way to spend a long weekend.

It's Animal Day!

Here's the gang. I'm the Chicken, if you didn't notice.

Triangular Days

Greetings. We're on the far end of the weekend in the far East. How about a newsy update on a rainy Sunday evening?

I'm having a great time in Hong Kong these days. Essentially I live in a triangle for most of the week- the points being home, school, and the tennis court. The tennis court would be my favorite location in the triangle, without a doubt. For the past month I've been there a lot- usually 3 or 4 times a week I end up on the court. I love it- I can't get enough of the tennis, and I love my friends there. They are wonderful.

On the weekends I get to break the routine and find new spots to enjoy in HK. Lately, I've been hitting up various coffee locations around the city. It's been awhile since I've been deep into a book, and recently I've found one that is both hard to pick up, and hard to put down. It's hard to pick up because it is very convicting, and I'm afraid of it. It exposes my selfishness. The stories in the book often stir me to tears. I don't even want to tell you I'm reading this book, because then I'm partially accountable to you for my response to it. But it's powerful, and I want to get to the point where I'm not afraid to accept the dare of living for Jesus with the heart that I see in Shane Claiborne, in his book- The Incredible Revolution. If you haven't read it...I've warned you, now go read it. And if you've read it, tell me- and I'd love to share in some dialogue. When I get through it, I'll try and share some of my thoughts.

Back to the newsy tone...I'm really excited about my trip to Shanghai this week. We have just two days of school, one day of PD, and then on Thursday evening my friend Mary and I will fly north to Shanghai. Another friend will join us on Friday. I can't wait to see my friend, Black- one of my very favorite friends from my days in Shiyan. We'll do some touring around, and then Sunday is the big day- the 3rd place game followed by the final of the Women's World Cup! Yeeesss!!! I'm disappointed that both China and Canada (heartbreaker) lost in the quarterfinals, but it will still be awesome. I'm trying to decide who to cheer for now...

On Tuesday it is Midautumn Festival, which is the big mooncake party here. Good ol' mooncakes. My tennis club is hosting a "Middle Moon" doubles tournament- just for fun. Mooncakes and tennis- what could be better?! :)

Alright, guess that's enough from Hong Kong Harm tonight. I am missing my nieces and nephews, and awaiting a call (call me at ANYTIME) from Steve and Bec about the new squishable one on the way! Good night!

Czech Her Out!

One of my best friends is on a hockey adventure in the Czech Republic this year. The one and only Chelsa Heywood. Have a look at her new blog- Two Minutes for Czeching. Clever, very clever.

Please Hold Your Breath For the Next 4 Days

Morning announcement from the principal:

"Children, the pollution is very bad today. Please avoid playing any games that make you feel tired and you need to breath more heavily."

Maybe that explains my wheezing at tennis lessons last night! It likely doesn't have anything to do with my fitness.

They say the terrible pollution is resulting from a high pressure weather system and little wind moving through. It likely doesn't have anything to do with human irresponsibility.

Anyway (sigh)...here's a visual (and be extra grateful for that crisp, clean fall air you're breathing in at home):

View from my balcony on a (relatively) clear day.

View from my balcony today. It's NOT foggy. :(

The World Cup

I've got the World Cup fever! I'm following CBC's and ESPN's coverage of the Women's World Cup in China, which is two of three games through the group stage. Of course I'm rooting for the Canadian girls, and secondly, for home team China. Canada needs to beat Australia on Wednesday to advance. China needs to beat New Zealand. It's exciting to watch incredible female athletes play for it all.

It's only 11 days until I travel to Shanghai for the Final and the 3rd Place match. I can't wait!!! GO CANADA!

When Miss McMillan Isn't Good Enough

I think my plan backfired. Last week I kicked off my Gr. 5 chemistry unit with an appearance from Dr. Evil, the mad but mostly just goofy scientist with a bad French accent. The kids went, well, a bit crazy. Crazy in a good way. You know, banging their desks, cheering for Dr. Evil, mostly going berserk over science. Very ideal. He even had to return for a second lesson because to his distress, the first experiment failed. The second try proved successful, and then the excitement over Dr. Evil hit an all-time high.

The problem is, Miss McMillan is no longer anywhere near being an exciting and captivating science teacher. Today I was pretty excited to teach them about atoms, and the periodic table. It's neat stuff. But I'll even admit, after Dr. Evil, it felt...lacklustre. So now I'm five science lessons into the year, and either the kids are going to drive me crazy asking about Dr. Evil's life story and whereabouts, or Dr. Evil is going to have to become a regular part of science class. Maybe there could be another science personality. Ideas? Want to come make an appearance and save us from boring old Miss McMillan?!!!

Songs for September

The latest favorites...

-Without Love from the Hairspray Soundtrack (oh man, WHAT A MOVIE!!! :)
-You Can't Stop the Beat from the Hairspray Soundtrack (guaranteed to make you smile)
-Psalm 62 from Pages (Shane and Shane)
-Behold the Throne from Pages (Shane and Shane)
-Love Grows Love from Overdressed (Caedmon's Call)
-Always Been There from Overdressed (Caedmon's Call)
-Stay Beautiful from Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift)
-Teardrops on My Guitar from Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift)
-Letter to Me from 5th Gear (Brad Paisley)
-Oh Love from 5th Gear (Brad Paisley)
-You Are My Home from Holy God (Brian Doerksen)
-Say It from Say It (Britt Nicole)
-You from Say It (Britt Nicole)
-Unashamed from Beauty in the Broken (Starfield)
-Saviour King from All of the Above (Hillsong United)
-Lead Me to the Cross from All of the Above (Hillsong United)
-Hosanna from All of the Above (Hillsong United)

Old HK Airport

Just to the right of my balcony view is the old HK airport. I've mentioned the crazy landings to a few of you at home and found this clip on Youtube.

Slick Looking Upgrade

My home church in HK has finished up a major facelift on its website. I'd say it's looking pretty slick. To get a peek into my church family here, surf on over to Island ECC.

The possibilities for tomorrow are usually beyond our expectations.
On second thought
The possibilities for today are usually beyond our expectations.

The Djoker

In honor of the US Open, here are some pretty funny impersonations from the Serbian sensation- Novak Djokovic. I must say that the Nadal impression is exceptional! I'm sure my sister will especially appreciate it.

First Two Days

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.

Family Picture 2007

My family. How I miss you already. It was so much fun to enjoy time together this summer.

My Sister! Isn't she grrrrreat??

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.

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.

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!

Along the journey, just a few...

Two Pairs of Sisters, Three Aunties, One Mom, One Sweet Nephew.
Lovely supper together tonight.

Some of the finest friends a girl could find.
A couple days away in Canmore. Memories!

Nice scrunchy face effect.

Sisterly Squish.

Mikey and Me.

Today I flew from Yellowknife to Calgary with a 2 year old on my lap. I'm glad Tara packed a bag full of distractions (hey, I should have used the camera- that would have given me at least 5 minutes and we'd have pictures to show for it!), and one magnificent soother. We made it, Elijah is one mighty cool dude (we're working on that word), and the people beside me were patient with our sloppy Goldfish and apple juice plus floaties spilling and such. My appreciation for parents was, as expected, again stepped up a notch. It's great to be an Aunty!
Tomorrow I will drive down the number one to Regina. The last three weeks sped away, and now we're over halfway through the summer recline...and still loving it.
See you in Regina?

Back in YK

From Cowtown to the Knife...big sun, big sky, trees, rocks, and squishable babies. Yes, I'm back in Yellowknife, enjoying the small-town feel and the great people of the North. It's always an enjoyable place to be in the summer. I am staying at a friend's place, my parents are staying on the next block over, and Tim and Tara are across the street from them. I love that!

In keeping with the summer theme of nieces and nephews, Yellowknife has been no exception. Andrew, Autumn and I have been out riding bikes, playing tennis and going to the beach. Michael is 6 months old and just so sweet (yes, he's very squishy too). I love babies. Although, I can tell I've been spending more time than usual with little ones because last night I had a dream (or was it a nightmare?) that I had quadruplets rolling everywhere and I couldn't stop them from rolling, and I had no husband, and there were no Aunties or Grandmas to be found. It was terrible!

Anyway, being an Aunty is much better. Elijah makes me laugh time and time again. He's so much fun and all-boy. What a cool kid. He really likes cars and wanders up to every car he sees and tries to get in. Again, we're off the charts when it comes to cuteness, folks.

Other than hanging out with family and friends, I was happy to join in the big NWT Open. I think I have a match with Sharapova tomorrow. I've heard she's in town. I guess Nic hasn't, because he's still griping about Northern tennis. Serious though, it's fun that I'm here on the same weekend as the local tournament. It's great experience and tennis is such a good time.

A couple other random things I'm excited about- my friend Mary and I got our tickets for the Women's World Cup in Shanghai in September. I can't wait! I'll definitely be waving my Canadian flag!! And, I just read on Jason's blog that my favorite group, Caedmon's Call, has a new album coming out on August 28. This is fantastic news!

Signing off from the land of the midnight sun...

We Love Photobooth

It's a great babysitter, I tell you! Ha ha. I think Aiden took over 150 shots of himself and the babysitter this afternoon! I'm sure we'll have another hour long photo shoot tomorrow. He enjoyed the headless version the best. Good times on photobooth...we love our Mac!

Birds and Big Skies

Let me say it is great to be home. When you live overseas and travel home, you receive the gift of realizing all over again, that we live in a wonderful country. I wish that it weren't so easy for me, for most of us, to have this kind of fresh love and appreciation fade into something that is very normal, expected, and taken for granted. So what does a traveler notice as she steps back onto Canadian soil?

As a lifelong prairie girl coming from a year in a squishy skyscraper stacked city, I cannot understate the pure goodness of space and sky. One of my favorite things is looking out the window onto the perfect patchwork fields as I fly into the Regina airport. The pent up air starts seeping out, just looking at the open space! And then breathing in the fresh air, what a treat for the lungs! I can breathe again for the first time in 11 months. When I woke up the first day, I heard a strange sound coming from outside. It wasn't seven billion cars zipping down the road 32 floors below me. It was birds. I'm not really a huge bird lover, but did they ever sound lovely. Birds, and quiet. My, is it ever quiet here. The auto-pilot driving experience from Regina to Calgary is one of my favorites. When else do you get to drive through "The Friendly City", the city "Where Life Makes Sense" and "The Gas City"?!

As refreshing as it is to return to Canadian scenery (did I mention sunsets?! They don't really look the same when covered by a layer of smog), of course it is the return to the people you love most that is the best part of home. I've had a great kickstart to my summer of seeing friends and family. My sister came to Regina to hang out for the week and we found ourselves frequenting friend's homes, and, the tennis courts. Yes! It was awesome to be with Autumn, Andrew, Mom and Dad for a couple days. I have missed them so much. We spent time in Kennedy visiting my nearly 70 years married grandparents, driving Grandpa's scooter to town (and pushing it back), playing crokinole (and losing), and also seeing three cousins. It was great. Back in Regina I was glad to stop in on a ball game and connect with my old teammates. It's always so good to be at the diamonds again, though it makes me itch to get out there.

Now I sit in Heather's living room, up too early on a Sunday morning, hoping that Federer will bring home the Wimbledon title. It's wonderful to be in Calgary with the single goal of being with family. I must say that my littlest niece, Mareesa, has an overwhelming load of cuteness. I don't even know what to do with myself, she's off the charts! A week will not be enough, but I'll enjoy every minute! You can be assured that pictures will follow. Of course it is so, so good to see each one of my nieces and nephews. It's amazing how they grow and change in a year.

I will stay here for the week and wrap things up with a camp-out next weekend with some of my best friends from Regina. Then it's on to the next stop- Yellowknife. A fine place to be in the middle of summer. There's a little nephew I have yet to squish, and another I've been waiting to play with! Plus, my parents and A & A are there, too. So I'm looking forward to that. Anyway, that's all for this morning. I thought I'd better check in on the other side of the journey. Go Roger...

Time to Fly

Hong Kong Harm is ready to exit the big city for awhile. Bring on the big sky! Give me a breath of that fresh air! Ahhhhhh! I fly out of Hong Kong at 12:35pm. I arrive in Regina, Saskatchewan, CANADA at 4:35pm. It always throws my mind for a loop, the whole time zone thing. It will actually be 6:35am in Hong Kong by the time I arrive in Regina, and for those of you who know me well, you are well acquainted with my disposition at this time of the day! Ha ha! Nah, it will be sweeeet to be in the homeland. Can't wait. Hope to see you soon!!! (I'll be in Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Kennedy, Yellowknife and Victoria over the next 7 weeks, so I hope to have great visits with many of you!)
Signing off from the 32nd floor...
Harm

5 of My Favorite Hong Kongers!

The tennis ladies came over tonight for fondue and cake! I love these gals! It was so much fun to have them over!

Hark! Tis My First Medieval Feast!

We are down to 2 teaching days left! It's hard to believe! A great part of me is extremely excited, and another part is creeping towards sentamentality (is that a word?). The final days with the first group of kids that have been "mine" for a year are here. It has been good.

Today we capped off our medieval study with a Feast. Thankfully, yesterday was a holiday in Hong Kong (dragon boats), and so I had the day to prepare. It ended up being quite the adventure, and finally ended late in the night/early in the morning with the final touches on a castle cake and the fastest possible home-made tinfoil costume for a knight. The day included a desperate search for icing sugar (eventually found), a more desperate search for a "herald's" costume (which was not found and resulted in a run to Toys'r'us for a knight's sword and shield), the making of my first stew (medieval style), and two trips to the Island.

It was worth every bit of a time that went into it, though! I was lucky to have 5 wonderful moms come and help out, which made the morning so much easier. The students came up with some impressive costumes! We had lots of peasants, a most entertaining jester, a number of damsels, princesses, Robin Hood, and a very elegantly dressed King and Queen! For entertainment, our little jester had us all laughing (and a couple of surprise jesters stopped by with a juggling and yo-yo act), the minstrel was great, and then capped off by a performance of St. George and the Dragon. We learned some old English, so I was pleased to hear students asking me "whither is the privy?" and "good morrow!" throughout the day. Our classroom was ready for the occasion as we've been doing this unit for some time now. We have monstrous castles, a door that is a castle drawbridge with a moat, a castle wall, coats of arms, and stained glass windows. We had cheese, crackers, "ales" and fruit to start the Feast, followed by the main course of medieval stew (it turned out pretty good, Mom!) on trenchers (bread), and big drumsticks to gloriously rip apart like those big fellas on all the medieval movies. We had apple crumble for dessert, as well as my not-so-authentic but high in fun castle cake. We also played chess and Capture the Flag later on.

I'm tired tonight, but it really was a fun day and I'm surprised by how well it all went over! A nice way to finish the year! I see no reason to stop the flow of parties at this point- tomorrow we'll do the bowling/pizza party, and then on Friday we'll cap it off with a "monster smartie party".

Well, I'm more than ready to hit the hay tonight. Farethee well!

While You Were Out

The cupboard fell.

Cracked Pot

This is a post I never ended up posting a couple months back...

One way that God strengthens my spirit and lifts me up in times of weakness is through pictures. I've had two pictures in the corners of my mind for the last three months.
The first was inspired by a Brian Jones e-votional. It was timely encouragement for a shaky heart.

"Jars of clay" is a powerful analogy. At the time Paul wrote this passage, clay pottery, dishes, and cookware were common. Clayware was common because it was so inexpensive to make-clay from the ground and fire to harden it were all that was needed. "Jars of clay" were also very brittle. Our minds and bodies are a lot like those jars of clay. We're frail. We break. We crack and fall to pieces. Clay pots don't hold up real well under extramarital affairs, depression, and bankruptcy. When we manage to keep our lives intact when they should be scattered across the floor in a million pieces, we-and others-realize that something supernatural is holding us together.

His comments gave me a clear picture of my heart at that time- cracked but held together. I found resilience in that, and felt Christ's "holding me together". Paul says it best:

We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

The second I'll save for another day!

MTR Song

This is the fastest way to travel in Hong Kong, and it's even more fun now that I've heard this catchy jingle...

Life is a Verb

Enjoying...the facebook frenzy
Listening...to Jason Mraz, Jim Brickman
Reading....Grade 5 poetry, and not much else
Watching...the French Open (go Roger)
Thinking...about a barbecue on Barb's deck
Missing...the red dirt at second base
Loving...my tennis club
Anticipating...finishing those blasted report cards
Eating...Greek salads
Drinking...water (it's smokin' in Hong Kong)
Disliking...my feet
Celebrating...my Dad
Counting...days til June 30
Trying...to finish well

Heart Change

I wish it didn't have to take a mess-up to bring me to my knees before God, but it usually does. I'm frustrated with that, but at the same time, I'm glad for the moments that remind me of my brokenness.

I messed up yesterday. I mess up a lot, but yesterday I actually felt it. Prick. A guilty conscience, an awareness of something...not right, not pure. And I'm glad it happened because it helped me see my heart more clearly. It's dirty. It's easily calloused to sin. And I am blind to the dirt. But I saw it yesterday, and I loved God's love in a more real way than I have in awhile, and I saw his desire to change me into someone with a heart like his Son.

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. "
-Ezekiel 36:25-26

Three Nights in Bangkok

My friend Mary and I went to Bangkok for our long weekend. Our goals were three-fold: 1) shop, 2) sit by a pool with a book and come back a shade darker than we left, and 3) eat Thai food as many times as possible in two days. I'm happy to report all goals were met, in addition to a late goal, 4) get a massage, or two. Although, I didn't try the Thai massage because I was slightly too roasted by the achieving (over-achieving actually) of goal #2. A foot massage was a fine substitute. As for goal #1, Bangkok boasts Asia's biggest market. It was ridiculously hot, but really fun to wander through the endless stalls. The accomplishment of goal #3 was a glorious thing- very rewarding. Mango sticky rice, spring rolls, pad thai noodles, a couple colors of curry, and some fresh fruit shakes. Ahhhh, so good.
Here's a short video of the weekend...

Too Long

Other than trying to fit some new Mandarin into my brain tonight, you four were on my mind and stuck in my heart. I miss you Mom, Dad, Autumn and Andrew!!!

Singing in the Rain

For the last three weeks I've been glad to have extra company around my flat. I have been hosting a student teacher during her pre-internship at the school. Tasia and her mom, Venee, are from Salmon Arm. They have brought many laughs and new friendship to my life, and as my good friend Deb notes in a recent post, that's the stuff of life! Yesterday I took them out to Sai Kung, one of my favorite fishing villages in the Hong Kong area. From the village you can go on a hike out to a couple quiet and scenic beaches.

The weatherman has been saying it's going to rain like crazy for the last two weeks, and he has been consistently wrong. Why should he be right on a pleasant Saturday? He was wrong for the first half of the day, and we enjoyed a nice hike over a couple hills, past beach one, and enjoyed fresh squid and rice at beach two. And then he was right, and it poured...and it poured...and it poured. We had pruny skin and pockets full of water. It was glorious! There is something fresh, fun, and freeing about running in the rain. Ha ha! Anyway, it was a memorable day, and it was topped off by a monstrous meal at my favorite restaurant- Habibi! Mmmm...Egyptian. Here's Tasia and Venee...thanks for the good times, ladies!

Busy But Better!

Hey all. I haven't devoted much time to the old blog lately, but I thought I'd drop by with a bit of an update on life in Hong Kong, as of May 15.
I am honestly thrilled to write that I am physically feeling so much better. I am still having some of the same "buzzing" symptoms in my feet, but aside from that, I'm feeling almost back to normal. Yes! I'm so thankful to feel like myself again. Almost. And I'll take almost- it feels good after feeling less than myself for quite awhile. This bug is still unidentified, but after a clear MRI (praise God!), and a lessening of the bad buzz, things are looking up! I do really wonder if it could be the pollution. That is scary! Thank you, again, for your encouragement and your prayers.
The last couple of weeks, and the present one especially, are flying by in a busier fashion than I'd like. At school, we have a field trip on Friday and we're busy preparing for the spring musical next week. It's hard to believe we have just over a month left of school!
I'm still playing a lot of tennis, and finding that I have a love-hate relationship with this sport. I love the game, I love the challenge, but sometimes it really ticks me off. Grrrrr. The more that I learn, the worse I become because I figure out that I am doing more wrong than I had even realized. So my backhand goes from inconsistent to plain ugly. However, I want to get it right, so I guess it will have to be ugly until I get it right. Good thing the club players are so gracious...they didn't know what they were getting in for when they let me in!
Enough tennis talk. The only other news I have is that next week my friend Mary and I are going to Bangkok for the long weekend. Fun! Thai food, a swimming pool, and the biggest market in Asia. Sounds like a good time to me.
And I must say, go Steve and the Suns. What an intense series! How can anyone not like Steve Nash?!

The Hong Kong Wedding Wish

Well, it's official- congratulations to Matthew and Tamara Tucker! Missing weddings is one of the definite downsides to living overseas. Sigh. I made up a video from Hong Kong as a way of sending my congrats to Matthew and Tamara. I thought I'd post it, as it is a small window into my life in Hong Kong and we should keep the well wishes for M and T rolling! Enjoy, and again, congrats my friends on your wedding!!!

Don't Miss Out!

I'm thrilled to announce an AMAZING deal on flights from Vancouver to Hong Kong!!! Seriously, friends. You must take advantage of this stellar deal! 600 BUCKS ROUNDTRIP. That's ridiculous! The sweet deal is coming from Oasis, a new airline.
Let me know when you're coming!!!!
600 bucks to fly to Hong Kong...and priceless memories to last a lifetime! (Oasis hired me)
Oh yes, and also- other than me :), three other fun reasons to come to China...1) the Women's World Cup is in China in September (I'm hoping to go to the finals in Shanghai), and 2) the Master's Cup is back in Shanghai again in November (I'm hoping to be there, too!). If that's not good enough for you, try 3) the Beijing Olympics. China is the place to be, folks!

Sedimentation is a natural phenomenon. Shake well before use.

I had a good chuckle when I read this on the side of my iced tea yesterday. You know, that could make for a deep blog entry....yeah, maybe another day. :)

Ah, it's been awhile since I posted here. It's been a busy ten days since returning from my China adventure (I need to post the pics on my flickr site soon!). Speaking of the fleetingness of time, our pastor shared some great thoughts on "investing" and "multiplying" our time today, rather than "spending" it. Extremely relevant for HK society, particularly. This city is built on efficiency and designed for speed! I digress.

Throughout the year, I have been working on becoming involved in different activities in Hong Kong. It seems that all at once a few of these potential activities have become fixtures in my schedule. I'm studying Mandarin weekly, enjoying a few days of tennis a week and a very worthwhile women's bible study. I'm enjoying each very much, but I'm definitely aware of the slightly more crowded schedule.

I am not 100% yet with my health. I am learning (ever so slowly) to let go of worry, and welcome life one day at time. Worry and fear can be tricky- they like to have us think that they give us some measure of control over a situation. The reality is that both disable us from being fully alive today, and we end up absorbed with ourselves. Sometimes it just takes me awhile to figure that out. This week I will go back to the doctor. Thank you for praying!
Teaching is going well! I'm excited about some new technology-based projects we are working on right now. One is a social studies report that will be presented using Wikispaces, and the other is creating "poetry podcasts". Fun!

Alright, guess that's all for today in the updates department. I'm really excited about summer holidays- just over two months away! I will arrive home (Regina) on June 30!

Is it REAL?

Hey friends! I write to you from my old stompin' grounds in Shiyan, Hubei, China. You've arrived at the blogspot of Hubei Harm.

I'm enjoying five days in the place I called home for a year in 2004-2005. It has been a blast to be back in Shiyan. The days have been very full. The reunions have been sweet, the Chinese food aaaamazing and in abundance, the staring intense, the hairwashes still cheap and so beautiful, the streets dirty as before (you know you're back in the real China when you blow your nose and the kleenex is black), and the culture- fun as ever.

I've had lots of pretty great hugs from old friends. Memories have flooded back quickly and in many ways it feels like my year in Shiyan was just yesterday. At the same time, there are many changes here. Some of my best buds have gone to find work in other cities, my very young freshman students are now halfway graduated and the campus has had a major facelift. Where once I ran on gravel, there is a fancy track, the dirty shortcuts are now covered in paved steps, and where there was once a mountain, there is now a new assembly hall. Nobody lives on the rooftop, which was home for me. And my favorite hairwashing salon is gone, as well as my favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

The trip here was worth it when I saw the first of two of my closest friends in Wuhan. So much joy, more than I imagined. It was worth it all over again when I walked up the main road in campus, and started waving at an old student. Her jaw dropped, and she just started pointing at me, like I was a ghost. Seriously. Then she started towards me, saying, "Is it...is it...is it...is it the REAL Harmony?!" She tugged on my skin to make sure. No lies. Ohhhh, that was funny. The next girl I ran into was so shocked that said nothing at all, just stared. The next ran squealing and then crying! Another told me that my skin was much more "loose". Translation: you are not as plump as before. Yes, it has been a lot of fun!

Yesterday I tracked down one of my very favorite little Chinese girls. I ended up playing hide and go seek with five or six of them, and I tried to teach them red light/green light, but the whole language thing got in the way and I promised them I would return with a Chinese friend.

The fruit man, an old friend, has had a baby.

There are new foreigners that have been fun to meet and get to know, and there are new Family members in the Gang. You know you love the return of the Ahem, Capital Letters.

On Saturday I went hiking with a group of new friends, as well as a few from days goneby. They said we were going to "the park", but we ended up doing some serious mountain hiking. I am not as nimble as the young folk, but I had a lovely time.

Today I had my pants hemmed for forty cents, ate an amazing lunch for a dollar, tore it up on the bumper cars and fed my craving for DVD shopping- Chinese style.

Okay, that's all for tonight. I'm jumping on the bandwagon with the whole Prison Break thing. I bought the first season today...yikes, that Schofield is a fine looking fellow. And the show is
good, too. :)

Good night from Shiyan!

A Social Breakthrough!

It's been oh, 8 months, and finally, I've had a social breakthrough with the local HK people. Yes! It hasn't been easy to get connected to the local folks. Sure, I enjoy great exchanges of smiles and hellos and have you eatens with my security guards (they're awesome), the people in the elevator, and I'm working on the folks at the wonton noodle shop down the road. I have short and sweet visits with the laundry mat people, the framers, the guy with the MP3 shop and the boys in the motorbike place. However, I have yet to walk into a local HKer's home, or eat out with the local people (which was routine when I was in China), until last night...

I had a little "tryout" with the tennis club in my area. In traditional HK style, they have too many people for too small a club, so they aren't really taking any new players. However, they were kind enough to "give me a look". Once I got over a bit of jitters and lost a game on double faults, I did okay, and had lot of fun. The ladies were much more experienced, and more skilled, but it was perfect for me because I was close enough to not destroy their game, but at the same time make gains from playing at a higher level.

Anyway, after they invited me out for supper, so finally I found myself eating real Chinese food in a real Chinese restaurant with real Chinese people. Awesome! It was fun. I also have a new taste experience to report. When it came out they were struggling to translate the name of the dish, so they decided it was the "airbag of a fish". Ha ha!!! Sounds tasty doesn't it? Why not?!! As I'm trying to chew the airbag, which was very chewy, but yet gooey, in the sort of gooey way that is somehow still chewy, they found the right translation: it's the thing that makes a fish float - the air bladder. I swallowed the chewy goo as fast as possible.

There you have it, after 8 months of living in Hong Kong, I finally ate with the locals.

New Favorite

If you like Matt Redman, you'll enjoy Jeremy Riddle. His new album, Full Attention, has been on "repeat" since I bought it (itunes)!

Here's a lyrical taste from the title track- simple but it sings a prayer that resonates in a real way...

May Your voice be louder
May Your voice be clearer
Than all the others, than all the others

May Your face be dearer
May Your words be sweeter
Than all the others
Than all the others in my life

Please keep my eyes fixed on You
Please root my heart so deep in You
Keep me abiding, keep me abiding
Keep me abiding that I
Oh, that I might bear fruit

May Your presence be truer
May Your presence be nearer
Than all the others, than all the others

May Your light burn brighter
May Your love go deeper
Than all the others
Than all the others in my life

Good Times in the Circle K

I had an awesome week or so and I thought, hoped and prayed that this whole syndrome thing was on its way out. I guess it's not finished with me yet! I wasn't feeling so hot this weekend, and I think God gave me a good laugh to lighten me up a bit....
So I was in the local Circle K (7-11 and Circle K's can be found on every corner, literally...do we still have those at home?- just reminds me of my older sibling's summer jobs), and all of a sudden there's a very loud crashing noise. I turn around to see the roof tile has indeed fallen to the ground, leaving a sizeable hole in the ceiling. Guess what fell out of the roof? It was a flying cat! Ha. The cat landed right by my foot. It would have been funnier if it landed on on my head (actually on someone else's head), but it sure made me laugh. So beware, you never know what might come flying out from the roof of your local convenience store....

Thursday, 10:24 PM

The most exciting news of the week is that my little area now has a Starbucks. Oh, glory! I'm loving it! It's a ten minute walk from my house. PERFECT. I love how the new baristas repeat your order seven times. You know they are going to get that tall skim tazo chai tea latte JUST right!

And on the more meaningful side of life, tonight was round one of two days of parent-teacher interviews. Though I don't really look forward to this event, once things get rolling, I really enjoy connecting with parents. Oh, people are interesting and funny. I like feeling involved or at least informed about the bigger picture. I'm fortunate because most of mine are pretty easy- I'm the bearer of affirmations and encouragements. It's a sweet thing to be able to tell parents that their children are wonderful, caring, motivated students...and mean it with all your heart! There are some amazing parents, and it's a blessing to my life to know them and teach their children. Seriously, there are a couple of them that bring me to tears! Their love and desire for their children to do well- not just academically- but in their walk with Christ, it moves me. I hope I can love, guide and encourage my children in the same way someday! What a gift to work in a school with parents that are so committed to their kids, and so supportive of teachers.
Round two is tomorrow....we're going to try to sneak in an Indian buffet lunch. That would be grand. Wish I was in Canada so I could watch the Sweet Sixteen at a normal hour of the day this weekend...

We've Got Spirit, YES WE DO

Alrighty, I've tracked down a few pics from the "first pep rally ever"...

Now that's spirit!

Victory!! Love it!!

Rising up, back on the street...

My one big shot. It may have been my last...:)

...it's not YMCA...it's "CAIS"

Best backup dancers ever. Wow!

Oh, good times!!

Basketball. It's just so, so good.

Oh my, what a marvelous time of the year! We've just wrapped up the best weekend on the year's calendar- the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. Today there were finally some sweet upsets, in typical Madness style. There's nothing like it- the squeaky shoes on the hardwood, the pep bands, the CBS jingle, the all or nothing passionate play all tournament long. I feel like I said this last year. And probably the year before that. Ha! It's clearly the sporting event of the year!
I also just found a treasure chest of dunks online. This is crazy stuff that will have your jaw hanging, guaranteed. The top ten dunks by the greats- MJ (clearly....personal favorite has got to be the one where he burns Starks and then dunks over Ewing and some other guy. Ridiculous!), the Human Highlight Reel, Kobe, Dr. J, and Vince. Now that guy can dunk! Go and be inspired!

Teachers Sick at Sea

Today a gang of teachers acted as pirates and rented a junk boat for a trip over the rocky waters of the South China Sea. It had potential to be a marvelous event. However, the weather report today featured a "Monsoon Signal". Nevertheless, we braved the sea and wind, and loaded up on motion sickness drugs. Mine lasted half hour, the other hour and a half I dreamed of glorious, glorious land, while trying to steady myself in the boat. It wasn't really that bad because I didn't even throw up, but it was enough to remind me that I'm naturally and happily a land dweller.
We enjoyed lunch at a fishing village on Lamma Island and the return journey was shorter and actually a lot of fun, featuring fun photo taking and singing. Singing always does the trick, right Mom?! Here a few pics from the day on the boat!

Our Pirate Ship

Lamma Island- Fishing Village

Friends- Jamie and Shannon

Friends- Lynn and Mary

Friend, Tennis and Squash Partner- Bob

Slime Day!

A crazy but memorable Friday afternoon in my classroom. Slime- a fun example of a polymer. What a glorious MESS!!

A Day of Rest?

A friend in Hong Kong has been gently encouraging me, mostly by example, to think more carefully about the Sabbath. I think it's a good idea.

When I was little, I didn't at all like the idea of Sunday being a special kind of day. This meant that I had to miss my hockey or baseball games, and that felt like a pretty big sacrifice. I clearly remember missing out on a significant ball game, telling my coaches "I had to go to church", and them telling me to pray for victory while I was there! So I sat and listened at church, all the while daydreaming of diving for groundballs. Later on, I made my own choices and usually ended up going to my games. In high school, university and now as a teacher, my strong tendency toward procrastination usually finds me up late on a Sunday night, pounding the keys for an assignment due the next day, or tying up odds and ends for a lesson the next day. This has been the routine for many years now.

I haven't even really put much thought into setting apart a day for God. How about you? What are your thoughts on observing the Sabbath? I'd love to hear from some of you on how you approach this.

I started to do some reading on it, and I found a sermon by John Piper to be a good starting point. Here are some of the highlights:
-The Sabbath is a reminder that blessing comes from God's grace, not my labor. (HEY! That really hits home for me. I need this reminder, big time...we cannot sustain, or sanctify ourselves on our own)
-We often understand the Sabbath as a burden, when it is a gift. God promises that He will meet all of our needs in 6 days.
-The purpose is for us to find delight in the Lord.
-Our hearts are set more on the pleasures we find in the world than on enjoying God and being in His presence.

Anyway, what do you think? How does this play out practically in your life? Relevant?

You know it's humid when...

The dehumidifier collects 10 litres of water in a day! No wonder I had mold issues!!!

Buzzing Away (Thankfully)

It's been an unusual month for me. I've updated a couple of times on the strange symptoms I've been having over the past while. The latest is a diagnosis from a neurologist I saw this week. He believes that I have something called "guillain barre" syndrome. If you are like me, then you've never heard of this before, so you could always find out more here. It's a unique syndrome- affecting about 1 of every 100,000 people. Basically, I most likely picked up some kind of infection when I was sick in India or Nepal, and this kind of thing can show up a little later on. In the most extreme case, people are paralyzed and put on a respirator. Mine is a very mild case- resulting in the numbness and tingling I've been experiencing for about a month now.
I'm so thankful that it does not appear to be something serious, and I can expect that the buzzing effect will pass within another 3 or 4 weeks. It has been a new experience for me, and I can say that it definitely has sharpened my priorities in life, reminded me of life's fragility and breathed a very fresh wave of gratitude for good health. I feel like a heavy weight of fear has been lifted. There were so many people praying for me, and I am so thankful for the interceding of many of you. I wish that I could claim I worried less and trusted more through this. I guess it was and is a growing experience for me.
I am still buzzing, but generally I'm feeling a lot better. Plus, the second round of report cards is now in the bag! Woooo! That's a great feeling. In other news, I'm currently combatting the crazy humidity of HK. The only time I have experienced mold in dry old SK was when I'd hide Tupperware containers in my high school locker for months...yes, Mom, that's what happened to all of your missing containers. Anyway, a friend is giving me a dehumidifier and I'm disinfecting my house. Goooood times!
Well, I'm going to meet up with my bball team for our semi-final match this afternoon. It's a tough matchup, but hey, upsets are magical in March! Ohhhhh the MADNESS is coming very soon!!!!

Tunes of the Week

Mat Kearney. Nothing Left to Lose. Refreshing and enjoyable blend of folk rock, hip hop (yes!) and pop. Easy to listen to. Excellent music for backdrop to mark Grade 5 essays. Two thumbs up.

Patty Griffin. Children Running Through hit the Canadian ITunes Store sometime last week. I haven't listened to it enough yet, but "The MLK Song" is powerful and "No Bad News" has been a fast favorite. For your fill of folk, Patty is the way to go!

Dim Sum With The Guy Who Won Gold

Today I had the chance to eat lunch with Henry Wanyoike, from Kenya. I didn't know much about this man until today, but he has an amazing story. You can find it here. Henry woke up twelve years ago in darkness, having lost his sight. He won Gold at the Sydney Paralympics, and today he placed 3rd in Hong Kong's half-marathon. He runs marathons all over the world, with the help of his guide- a childhood friend named Joseph. They are running for the 17 million people with cataracts, 85 percent of whom could be healed with a simple operation. The organization is called Seeing is Believing. Right now he's aiming for gold in Beijing! I'll be watching for him! I was glad to have the chance to share some Chinese food with one, actually two, very inspiring people!
Here's his video:

Why Not?! (Sorry, that's for Sherri)

Earlier this week I kicked Sherri out of my flat and sent her to the REAL CHINA. Yes, enough of this wannabe stuff...it's time she enjoyed the real deal. She went to Yangshuo, a favorite spot of King and Queen China, Jay and Shannon, and myself as well.
I was sad to see her go! I am certain that her being with me in HK during that specific time in my life was something divinely appointed! Definitely some pretty great memories made. Sherri has a rare and wonderful gift of bringing a kind of contagious joy to anyone she comes into contact with. Oh, she's a funny girl- you'd be blessed to meet her!
Anyway, I made up a little comic with pics from her time here, and I've added some new pics to my flickr site should you want to see more!

I'm glad it is Friday night! I made it through the week back at school but I'm still not doing so hot healthwise. Waiting for this to pass...I have been to doctors and I've seen a specialist. They just don't have answers!
Well, time to head for bed. Tomorrow I'm going to try some tennis and hopefully get lots of marking done (knowing me, this may not happen until I have a couple less days before marks are due).
Good night, friends!