The Grade 5 Surprise

I've been slightly suspicious but more amused at the antics of my students this week. Something was brewing. Little giggles. Whispers. Sneaking around with little white checklists. "Miss McMillan, what's your favorite color?"

Before lunch I could sense it was becoming more difficult for the excitement to stay hidden.
After lunch I returned to a streaming door of pink, covering our castle. Inside were 16 kids all singing "Happy Birthday" and a new rendition of "Joy to the World". Mango cake. Monster card. Noise. A Starbucks drink. Lots of balloons and streamers. Gifts. Teddy bears. Snacks. They had covered all the bases! I must say it was impressive display of organization and planning! Everyone had a part. What a sweet bunch, hey?! I felt the love!!

Here's a couple pictures they put in a card for me (click to enlarge). Pretty funny!! The last few at the bottom are of the big party.

"Happy Delayed Birthday" :)

"I will be your friend. Don't be sad. We are here!"

"Happy Belated Birthday, Miss McMillan!"

Ooolsan; Part 2

It's been a week since I returned from Korea. I am overdue to collect some highlights of the trip, because it was a fantastic time!

My time in "Ooolsan" was marked by interesting tours around the city and outside of it, delicious meals, beautiful accommodations and best of all, great visits with my friend Snowy and her family. One of the key themes was that Hyundai is taking over the world. Ulsan is home to the Hyundai Heavy Industries ship building factory. Snowy's Dad is one of the VP's of HHI. Snowy works as an English secretary for a company within HHI. And Snowy's husband is an engineer for the Korean Navy Destroyer ship, which is also within HHI. They drive Hyundais. They shop at the Hyundai Department Store. Snowy went to school at Ulsan University, which was funded by Hyundai. I stayed at the Hyundai Hotel. They call themselves "The Hyundai Family".

I really enjoyed the tour of the HHI ship building factory. It was incredible to see such massive vessels in their various stages of construction. The most fascinating vessel was the one designed for offshoring. It was crazy! The structure was incredibly intricate- it gave me a headache just looking at it. The price tag of that monster is over one billion.

I experienced a variety of Korean foods while in Ulsan. We had stone pots of tofu soup, delicious Korean hotpot (they call it "shabu shabu"...sounds fun, hey?), a bit of sushi (and not more, not such a fan of the raw stuff), and, my personal favorite, Korean bbq "bulgulgi". Oh, it's so tasty!!

It was so good for the heart to see Snowy again. It was even better to meet her family. We spent quite a bit of time reminiscing about her days with us in Canada. They were incredibly generous hosts and I felt so spoiled by their kindness! I'm hoping that I get the chance to play host to them while I am in Hong Kong.

Follow this link for pictures from my weekend in Ulsan.

Take Me To Ooooolsan!

Arriving in Ulsan didn't go exactly as planned, but my memories will be all the sweeter as a result! I arrived at the Incheon airport as scheduled and planned to take a four hour bus ride to Ulsan. No problem. There are clearly marked "Bus Ticket" booths outside the terminal. Cake walk. One ticket to Ulsan, please.

I find the bus stop and start wondering about my destination. Is Ulsan on the way to "Osan"? This ticket price does seem rather cheap for a four hour ride. My first lesson in the Korean language: the u is not short. I visited the ticket booth again. I need a ticket to "Oooooolsan". Ohhhh. Again, no worries- I've now got the right ticket.

I find the bus stop for Ulsan (but I say it again outloud to remember..."ooooolsan"). Excellent. There is only one person on the bus, and many people standing outside. Must be waiting for the bus to load up. I'll have a seat and try my hand at interacting with the locals. I find myself chatting it up with an old Korean man. He's on his way to Daejeon and he likes to travel to America. It was a pleasant chat, until I looked up and saw the tail end of my precious bus vanishing from sight. I went chasing after it, sidestepping all the Korean men that I thought were going to Ulsan. "Oooooolsan, Ooooooolsan!!! Pllllease!!!", I'm desperately begging every bus driver I see to somehow understand me and help me find the elusive bus. Alas, it's gone, and I'm on my way back to the lovely ticket booth. I'm left with another group of Korean men, speaking to me as if I know exactly what they are saying. In China I could tell them I really don't have a clue what they are saying; here I just stand there and look at them sheepishly.

I ended up taking a bus to Seoul and then connected with another bus that took me to Ulsan. At 2AM (instead of 11PM), I met my long lost friend, Snowy, and her husband, Jun, at the bus station. We've had a great time so far, and they have spoiled me rotten. More details to come later- I smell Snowy's fried rice. Time to eat!

Bring on the Kimchi!

I'm packing up for Korea. Tomorrow I will fly to Seoul and then catch a bus to Ulsan, where I will find my long lost Korean homestay sister, Snowy. I can't wait to see her. I think it has been at least five years since I last saw her...walking into the house all bundled up with her frosty glasses, just slightly overwhelmed by the Canadian freezer she found herself living in. What a gal! The thought of her brings a smile.

I'll stay with her family for the weekend and then on Monday or Tuesday I will catch a bus to Jeonju, home to Craig and Leah! It will be awesome to experience their Korean world. I'm hoping to also see Rachel and Robin at some point. I'll stay in Jeonju until Friday, when I hop another bus back to Seoul, and then back to HK. I'm excited to be seeing a new country and culture, and there is a sense of adventure in going on my own and knowing that I'm leaving the comforts of English for awhile. I officially know zilch in Korean.

Enjoy the finest sporting weekend of the year, friends!! The Madness begins tomorrow; how sweet it will be. Go North Carolina.

I'll catch up to the blogging world sometime during my stay in the Northern Orient. Farewell!

Flu Days

Early this morning I received a text that the government was shutting down all primary schools until after the Easter break. Our holidays were supposed to start next Thursday, instead our kids will be off for over two and a half weeks! Hoofta.

It is a cautionary measure as they want to guard against a possible flu epidemic, and in a city that was hit hard by SARS five years ago, you can sense there is likely political pressure behind the move. Better to be proactive, though, especially when you've been through something like SARS.

So, I'm alone in my classroom this morning. It feels strange, and though the flu situation is not a good one, I must say I'm glad to have four days of prep!

Where's the A535?

I've got that soreness that is most definitely a result of basketball. I've missed it! Reminds me of my first basketball camp. I was tagging along with Tim and his buddies to a camp at CBC- Athletes in Action. I was ten, and I remember waking up the second day and discovering the effects of lactic acid for the first time.

Anyway. My friend Jill and I have been on a hunt for a women's basketball team here. A tennis friend connected me to one his buddies, whom we met up with for a bit of street ball. He then pointed us to a team, and last night we joined their practice. This was likely the highlight of the weekend. I haven't been a player in a practice since the the day I said goodbye to my acl in University. It was awesome to get out and run the floor again. Ah, I have missed it so much. They seem to be a nice group of girls and they were fun to play with. I'm looking forward to more, though I'm not sure how I will balance tennis and basketball. Not a bad thing to have to figure out, though! Love it!

It's about time I got back into it- it's March after all!! Time to work on the brackets!

Passing on the blogging love...

My favorite new development in teaching this year is our classroom blog for student writing. I have a simple blog for communication with parents, but this year we're trying a classroom blog. It's a neat set-up for teachers. Each student has their own page. They love it! My favorite part is that before anything is published, I can first do small edits and give them feedback on their writing. We can continue revising and editing until it's ready to be published. I really like that the kids get into reading each other's writing and commenting on each other's thoughts. Blogmeister also gives you the chance to collaborate with other classrooms around the world. I hope to explore that option soon. Helping kids improve in writing takes a lot of work, but this has been a positive experience so far.

Tuesday Night

The schedule has lightened somewhat in recent days. The basketball season is over (we lost in the quarterfinals in a heartbreaker) and another round of report cards is in the books. Beyond the busy schedule was a looming decision about what to do next year, and I'm glad to say (although it was a shaping experience and struggle) that I'm now on the other side of that. I had planned on moving back to Canada in the fall, but I have decided to stay in Hong Kong for another year. I felt that I was leaving this place too quickly and as best as I could discern, felt that God was leading me to stay. Though I'm sad to be away from home for another ten months, I am excited about the developing friendships and opportunities here.

I'm grateful for the slower pace. On Sunday I spent the day cleaning my house, making corn chowder and banana bread, and preparing for the week. Yesterday I had friends over and made apple crisp. Tonight it's 23 degrees and I'm going to take advantage by heading over to the tennis court. Guess I'd better get going! Maybe with the bit of extra time I'll think of updating the old blog more frequently.

Mmmm.

Hong Kong's menu has got to be one of its finest attractions. A succulent melting pot of flavorful goodness. So, if you came for a week, what would you eat (just in case you happen to make this most excellent choice)?

Monday- A solid start with satay, spring rolls, yellow curry, and mango sticky rice at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant.

Tuesday- We swing by the hole in the wall Shanghainese shop for cashew chicken, fried green beans, and, the obvious: dumplings!

Wednesday- I hope you skipped lunch: tonight it's time for the monster of all meals. Tikka, butter chicken, samosas, pakoras, masala, daal, chai tea...welcome to the Indian buffet.

Thursday- We're still busting at the seams from last night's feast, so we go for a far lighter, and much cheaper option tonight: won ton noodle soup from the Green restaurant on my block.

Friday- With a clear night view of the harbor, we head to California Pizza Kitchen, featuring some of the tastiest appetizers and pizzas in the city.

Saturday- This is the climax meal, right here. It's Habibi time! My hands down favorite restaurant in the city. Hummos, babaganoush, falafel, koshary, lamb shwarma, peppermint iced tea. You can't beat the flavor experience at Habibi!

Sunday- Now is your chance to try the innards of all kinds of animals. Why not? You can't skip out on dim sum when you're in Hong Kong! We'll try a few of the fun ones (chicken's feet is standard), but we'll stick to the barbecue steamed buns, pork and shrimp dumplings, and egg tarts!

We didn't have time for any of the American or Australian steak restaurants, or the Irish pub with great roast beef dinner, or the 24 hour breakfast and bottomless coffee restaurant, or the Korean barbecue, or Thai, or sushi, or Mexican....guess you'll have to stay for more than a week!! :)

Jackie Pullinger....Faith in Action

This weekend I had the chance to listen to Jackie Pullinger. The Vine hosted a teaching series with Jackie speaking on "God's Heart for the Poor". Many of you at home may not be familiar with the story of Jackie Pullinger. As a 19 year-old, Jackie moved to Hong Kong from England in the late 60's. She lived in an area (I can see it from my balcony) called The Walled City. Her book, Chasing the Dragon, describes it:

"Until it was pulled down the Walled City was Hong Kong's most foreboding territory. It was a lawless place, dominated by the Triads, and which the police hesitated to enter. Strangers were unwelcome. Drug smuggling and heroin addiction flourished. A place of prostitution and pornography, extortion and fear".

Jackie (she speaks fluent Cantonese), gave her life to those in the Walled City and continues to serve the poor in Hong Kong today. The stories are incredible. As I listened, I thought about what has been said about who Jesus was- crazy, a liar, or, the truth. I wondered something similar with this woman- either she is nuts, or she is someone who is experiencing (and spreading) the power of God in a way I have rarely known. I know it's the latter. You can read more about her life story and impact in Hong Kong by sifting through the St. Stephen's Society website.

Her thoughts challenged me in a number of ways. Here are a few I'll share as thought-provoking:

-We have often replaced the giving of ourselves, our heart, with aid. For this reason, people may receive food, but their hearts and lives are left unchanged. She used the story of the good Samaritan as an example. He gave his own blanket. He gave his own donkey. We need to do the same to make a lasting difference with people.

-We don't see miracles unless we've given all we have. There's no need for a miracle when we've stored up secret stashes that could be used instead. She shared stories of multiplication miracles- Jesus and 5000 men, as well as her own experiences with the multiplying of food when there was not enough.

-Don't pray about things you know you must do; pray about how to do them.

-The important thing about giving is giving. Jesus gave without guarantee of our acceptance, a thank you, or a decision to change our lives. Give because you have the heart of Christ, not because you can be assured that it will be used responsibly.

-Be free inside- enough to give it all away.

There was a lot more, but this is enough for me today! She prayed for us- those of us with much- that we could be freed from the fear of poverty. I need that prayer, and I'm continuing to pray that, or try to. Any thoughts from you?

Mom's Adventures

Mom's blogging! I love reading about their adventures in India. They are definitely have a fresh set of experiences in Guwahati- a big, smelly, dirty city. It's not the wakeup-in-the-clouds experience that Aizawl was, but sounds more like classic India. Plus, they get Pizza Hut for a treat every once in awhile! Reading her blog makes me itch to get back to India. I hope I can make a trip next year; maybe this time I will bring a few of my colleagues with me to experience the wonders of India. There's not a place on Earth like it! Stop by Mom's blog and leave her a note!

Tunes of the Month

Five February Favorites:

1) Feist
...I Feel It All
...1234
...Mushaboom

2) Waterdeep
...Good Good End
...Whatever Thing
...You Have Redeemed My Soul

3) Laura Story
...Great God Who Saves
...Mighty to Save

4) Jack Johnson
...Sleep Through the Static
...What You Thought You Need
...Hope

5) Jason Upton
...Beautiful People
...Sons and Daughters
...In Your Presence

The Men in My Life These Days...(Happy Valentines Day!)

Mature, responsible fourteen, fifteen and sixteen year olds...as you can see.


We just finished off our regular season. A pretty decent record of 6 wins, 2 losses. Today's win was strange, to put it kindly. The home team didn't have a bench to sit on, nor did they have a score sheet, or scorekeepers, to start the game. A game that was supposed to be played in quarters was played in two halves, until the clock chimed 6pm, and the public gym we were playing in lifted their nets with one minute left in the game. A slightly anticlimactic finale, especially with a score of 18-14. Yes, we were playing basketball! Ah well, the best part was that the location of the gym was a perfect picture of Hong Kong- built on the top level of an indoor wet market. We're walking by the vegetable section and I'm wondering- this is really the way to the gym? Classic use of space!!

Saturday is our first play-off game. Should be a good one! I've enjoyed this bunch a great deal- committed, eager and a lot of fun.

Pep Rally Movie 2008

Here is the movie I put together for today's pep rally:

The Latest

This weekend I was back on the road. This time on a sequel trip to Kaiping, China, as a staff sponsor for our high school students. I soaked up the chance to be in the real China again: boys with pink motorbike helmets, the prolific Chinglish signage, dusty streets, Chinese students requesting me to sing their favorite song (either Westlife, Big Big World, or Yesterday Once More), cheap everything, my favorite green tea, and random men on the street with big goofy smiles and hearty "hullo"s. Love it, love it. I didn't take many pictures this time around, but I couldn't resist trying to capture the ultimate cute factor of the little Chinese babies in their bundles!
The downside was the loooow temperatures. I know, I know. It sounds ridiculous to say I was chilled to the bone for three days straight when the temperature was ten degrees. But true. There's no escape from it; no indoor heating to be found.

Today we had our second annual school pep rally. I felt very much transported to my days at Johnson. Good times. It was fun to watch the kids, and particularly my players, as they enjoyed themselves. Definitely worth the effort!! I'm happy to invest my time and energy into helping make our school a place where kids have fun and feel a sense of pride in their school, and of course, their teams!

I'm excited for this weekend because it kicks off the Chinese New Year holiday, which means one week of delightful rest and play. I was originally planning to travel to Malaysia during this week but decided to stay put. I'm definitely glad I made this choice, as I'm already planning many things I would like to enjoy here in Hong Kong. On the priority list: cheap lunches at amazingly good restaurants, squash with Bob, tennis, working out (it's a foreign concept these days), trimming the growing fro :), a couple movies, some reading, some thinking (not toooo much), and what I need most: a lot of praying!

Guess I'd better head for bed. Stay warm!

Aussie Open Hype

Day 5- Serena is sizzling with 15 aces in her third round match. Domination or what?!

Justine Henin blows my mind. Her overall record in the past 3 years is 63-4. Her one-handed backhanded leaves me dumbfounded. She is so good. I love watching her play.

I've got to say, in honor of Heather, that Rafa's orange look is just not working out. I'm not digging it.

However, I know Heather's rooting for Jankovic, so here's a pretty awesome picture I found. Desktop material! I dream of a two-handed backhand like that!

Speaking of Jankovic, this is a neat video on "The Rebirth of Serbia". I find it hard not to cheer for the big three of Jankovic, Ivanovic and Djokovic.

Here's an interesting article detailing how both Roger and Pete tragically lost their coaches- and were seemingly spurred onto their legendary play as a result. It's a good one.

Looks like the match of the day was Baghdatis/Safin. A five-setter, one I hope to catch via my friend's marvelous daily recordings of tennis coverage.

Both ESPN and Tennis.com have good highlights to wrap up each day's action.

Ohhh. I love tennis!!!

Zephaniah 3:17

My students' memory verse this week has become my new favorite. I never tire of hearing this:

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

The Big Visit!

Well, once they finally made it to Hong Kong (a mere 39 hour adventure from Regina due to delays), we had such a good time together. They were great sports in trying different kinds of Chinese food, squishing into my flat (everyone gets 120 sq. feet to themselves, ha ha!), embracing the crowds, and riding in style on the double decker buses around town. Saturday was a beautiful day with a blue sky and we spent it at Disneyland! The favorite ride was definitely Space Mountain! Ah, it was just so much fun to have them here. My students were thrilled to meet my parents and interrogate them on what they imagined to be my evil childhood. Ha ha. They were a little disappointed to find out I really was an angel. Ha ha ha!

It's never easy to say goodbye to my family though, even though it's only five months this time around. I'm glad they get to sneak in one or two more days on their way back home. I was reminded again, of how blessed I am to have such awesome parents. And, just how special Autumn and Andrew are to me. Even though I don't get to spend as much time with them as I'd like, I feel pretty lucky to have some sweet traveling memories with them. Last year, their home in India as well as Nepal. This year, my home in Hong Kong!

Follow this link to my pictures of the weekend!

The Space Mountain Thrill.

Team India 2008. It was great to hang out with Pam and Raysha. They're going to do an awesome job in India!

Buzz and Andrew.

Thailand...two weeks later...

I think my last post regarding Thailand was from Chiang Mai. I didn't tell you about....

-our awesome cooking class (I learned my favorites: pad thai, red curry, sweet and sour vegetables and papaya salad)
-the white flour sand and green see through waters at Koh Samet
-jumping the waves
-playing water frisbee
-laying the smack down on the girls in our Ultimate Pillow Wrestling Challenge
-how it is marvelous to have a tan, but after three days laying around on the beach, I'm ready for a new game
-spending New Year's Eve and New Year's Day next to the toilet :), something that is turning out to be an annual holiday event for me...a yearly cleansing ritual?!
-sweet chats with the three gals I traveled with
-how lovely and refreshing the fruit shakes are, or did I?
-how I really enjoy Thailand, but I feel a certain darkness there. There is beauty, but a more clear lostness than felt in other places I have lived in and traveled to.

There you have it. It was a great two weeks. Sorry to the Flickr fans out there, but for the four of you who check it, here is the first album, and here is the second album of my Facebook pictures. You can view them there; it's just seeming a bit tedious to upload them twice. My favorites are from the Elephant Nature Park. Enjoy!

Our lovely cooking prof and my wicked papaya salad. Spicy!

White Water Rafting!

Quadding!

Giving Dumbo a scrub-down in the river

Feeling the Love!

Our day at the Elephant Nature Park

The Beach!

Best Movie in Years.

I just watched August Rush.  I think it is one of my favorite movies, all-time.  Have you seen it?  

My favorite lines of the movie (spoken to the main character, a young orphan boy):

"Boy, what do you want to be, more than anything in the whole world?"

"Found".

A beautiful movie.  Now if only itunes would add the soundtrack...

Thanks for the nudge, Steve.  You were right.

Loving the Elephants!

Yesterday we played with elephants. We waded into the river and scrubbed their backs, tried to avoid the elephant poop floating down the river, fed an old elephant her lunch diet? of watermelon and banana, and even got a big wet slobbery kiss from a baby. It was an awesome day!

We went to The Elephant Nature Park, about an hour and a half outside of Chiang Mai. This place is all about loving elephants! Seriously, though, they are doing a tonne of good, pun intended. We had the chance to meet a small, bright-eyed woman named Lek. Lek is an amazing woman. She is the founder of the park. She rescues abused and neglected elephants from around Thailand and brings them to the sanctuary, as they refer to it, to essentially be loved, healed and brought back to health.

We learned so much about the elephant tourism industry in Thailand. A hundred years ago, 100,000 elephants could be found in the country. Now, only 5000 remain. The stories of each of the elephants in the park were so sad. One had a gnarled leg due to a landmine while logging in Burma. Another was blinded by his mahout (owner). One had his tusk chopped off and nearly died because of the infection. We learned about how the mahouts put the elephants through a brutal training to break the independence of the elephants- an ancient Thai tradition. It was sick.

Most tourists are just not aware of the exploitation of elephants. I didn't know about most of this until yesterday. The Park has a great focus in offering day trips to tourists. Their hope is that it will catch on, and that other elephant owners will see that it's an attractive option to tourists. There were also a number of other long-term volunteers from around the world. It lets people come and have a natural experience, and really it is so much better than watching them paint pictures, spin hula hoops, etc. Getting elephant poop in your shoe while scrubbing its backside and getting a big kiss from the biggest mammal on the planet is way better than the former option!

So yes, now I am all for saving and loving the elephants! What a great experience. I took so many pictures; can't wait to show you!

The Juniper Tree

In my last post, I mentioned that we are staying at The Juniper Tree. This place is really something special. It meets a real need for missionaries living overseas- a place to be refreshed, to be together with family, to be renewed. They take such good care of each visitor.

Christmas Day was made special by meeting so many new people from around the world. A family from South Africa serving as dorm parents in South Korea, a family from Lumsden (yes, Lumsden!) also working as dorm parents, but in Malaysia, an American family going on 7 years in the south of Thailand, a young British family serving in a remote village in the north of Thailand, a Swiss family in Bangladesh doing business and trying to create job opportunities for the many that are jobless, an American family teaching in Cambodia, the list goes on! It is life-giving to be around people devoting themselves whole-heartedly, as a family, to making a difference in Asia. A sweet blessing to have crossed paths in such a beautiful place.

Christmas Eve in Chiang Mai

It's Christmas Eve. I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is marvelous! Our first day and a half in Chiang Mai included:

-Foot massage (if you follow this blog, you likely assumed this would be on the list!)
-Market shopping (MORE to come! Chiang Mai has the best night bazaar!)
-Quadding through the Chiang Mai jungle-like land (so much fun!!!)
-Whitewater rafting (my first time- the only downer was that by the time we got on the water, the sun was tucked behind the mountains, so it was rather chilly...but still a great ride!!)
-Seeing plenty of elephants (though we will spend Wednesday at the Elephant Nature Park- giving the elephants a bath, feeding them, spreading a little TLC to the big guys)
-Eating delicious curries, pad thai noodles (my favorite), accidently and painfully downing a disastrous chili (ohhhh the suffering!), mango salad, and fresh fruit shakes
-Offroading in the back of trucks as the general mode of transportation

Another highlight has been our home here in Chiang Mai- "The Juniper Tree". It is a wonderfully cozy retreat center- a getaway spot for missionaries in SE Asia. We're staying in a lofty little cabin-like house. There are likely 50 others staying here as well. Tomorrow we will enjoy a Christmas dinner together. What a blessing this place is! Quiet, secluded, clean, quaint.

That's all for tonight. Warm wishes for a cozy Christmas from Thailand...

A Ponytail Present

I have a special friend in Hong Kong who is fighting cancer. She just took her second round of chemo, and the last time I visited her, she knew her hair would be gone by Christmas.

In honor of this dear woman, as well as my Aunty Laurie and other women I have known who have bravely fought cancer, and inspired also by one of my beautiful sister-in-laws, I decided to give away my ponytail. I will send it, as Tara did, to the Beautiful Lengths campaign organized by Pantene Pro-V. They will hopefully accept my curly mop of a ponytail and use it, along with other donated ponytails, to make a wig for a woman who has lost her hair due to cancer. If you're interested, have a look at their website. I think it's just one more way to encourage those we love- "we're with you all the way".

So, here's Harmony minus the ponytail...for the first time since 1985?!!

Saying Goodbye to Hiroki

I am feeling heavy with the news that one of my students will be leaving our school, as of the new year. This is my first experience in having a student leave in the middle of the year, and I don't like it! This particular student has brought so much joy into our classroom, with an additional measure of ten-year-old boy silliness. He is one of those kids who light up a classroom- so eager to learn, so easily excited. A true joy to teach, even on the days when I had just about had it with his goofy faces or his questions: "Hey, Miss Muckkk-Millan (as he pronounces it), can you do this??"(moving his ears without his hands, actually, quite impressive). Ah, it is hard to let him go. I guess we do our best to make a difference for as long as we have the chance, and then trust that someone else picks up where we left off.

(on the right)

High Tea Blessing

Two friends and colleagues treated me to High Tea at the Peninsula Hotel yesterday afternoon. What a treat! It was my high tea debut. What better way to experience high tea than with a British gal and a fellow Canadian, a beautifully festive stringed quartet playing from above, and most lovely (that sounds British doesn't it?) Christmas decorations dressing up the colonial Peninsula. They claim high tea at the Peninsula is a Hong Kong institution. Oooh. Too bad they didn't offer to drive me home via one of their Rolls-Royce Phantoms...

Live Tennis, Gotta Love It!!

I'm really excited about what came in the mail today: tickets for the JB Group Classic 2008!! I'm going to the "Super Friday" on January 4, which should showcase the best of the bunch in the semi-finals. I'll be rooting for Ivanovic; she's my favorite in the draw. Other top players in the draw include Sharapova, Venus, Hantuchova, Chakvetadze and Dementieva. It's just a warm-up tournament and lacks real intensity (I went to the event in 2005), but it's still so awesome to watch these ladies play.

Hong Kong: Built for Speed.

Each time I fly into the HK airport, I'm reminded of the striking efficiency of this city.  I have to yet to find myself in a city that compares.  Even as you travel from the airport to the city, it's easy to see that this is most definitely a place that thrives on convenience and speed.  I'm sure that even as I step off the plane, people are walking faster!

My favorite part of returning to Hong Kong is watching the visitors go through immigration, while I whip out my nifty residence card, note the many empty stalls calling my name, and slip my card into the slot.  I pass through the first gate, it takes my thumbprint, and bam- I'm back in Hong Kong.  The only glitch in the system is that while you pass through at lightning speed, you still end up waiting for your bags on the other side.  This actually makes the baggage folks appear subpar, but the fact is that they can't catch up with the swift immigration process.

The "Airport Express" train takes you from the airport to the city in 20 minutes flat.  You can actually check in your bags at two different stations in the city, which is pretty neat.  After zipping back to town on the train, you are filed into a line and into a taxi immediately.

These are just a couple examples.  Essentially, this city is built to maximize on time and space.  But no matter how efficient Hong Kong is, no matter how quickly you can get from A to B- it's never fast enough it seems.  People are always speeding ahead.  

I must say I love the efficiency and convenience.  Hong Kong is a very cool city to live in.  It makes Canada's set up seem slow-moving. A Hong Konger might even feel quite inconvenienced by much of the comparative waiting.  Compare it to its neighbors in SE Asia, and it is worlds apart.  But while I love how easy it is to live here, it's harder to slow down when the world around you is zooming, never stopping, always going.  I can't forget it because I can hear its chorus 32 floors beneath me!

It may be fast, but I see the effect it has on people's lives and the culture of Hong Kong. Though I now have many awesome friends here, walking through the city it feels like people are disengaged and disconnected from one another.  So, which would you rather?  Are speed, efficiency and convenience worth the sacrifice?

Holiday Playlist

A Christmas to Remember- Kenny and Dolly (YES!)

Christmas Without You- Kenny and Dolly

Wintersong- Sarah McLachlan

River- Sarah McLachlan

Song for a Winter's Night- Sarah McLachlan

Do You Hear What I Hear- Out of Eden

The Christmas Shoes- Newsong

Welcome to Our World- Michael W. Smith

Let It Snow- Michael Buble

Babe in the Straw- Caedmon's Call

Bethlehem Town- Jars of Clay

Love Came Down at Christmas- Jars of Clay

Manger Throne- Mac Powell

Two Days in the Philippines

I had an awesome weekend! On Friday at 6pm, I flew to Manila, arrived at the airport and anxiously sorted through a sea of faces, trying to find Jane, the "girl in the red shirt". I finally found her, not long after I had started imagining how I might spend a weekend in Manila on my own. We were joined up by the rest of our group: three South Africans, one Hong Konger, two American Hong Kongers, Jane, and myself.

We stayed the night in Manila. Though I was only there for a very short time, Manila didn't give off a good vibe. I heard quite a few sirens through the night. We were greeted by a guard dog and a security check at the hotel entrance. I wasn't sad to leave early the next morning for our destination- Bohol.

We arrived in Bohol, a tropical, coconut-tree spotted island just south of Cebu, which you may be familiar with. Bohol is known for its chocolate hills, the smallest primates on earth (tarsiers), white sand beaches and the fattest python in captivity. We actually saw all but the first during our day there.

At the airport we were picked up by the Filipino workers for ICM (International Care Ministries). They were a major highlight for me. Such giving, hardworking and joyful people. Filipino people in general are such fun, easygoing, quick to smile kind of people. I have much to learn from their joy-full way of life, evidently not stemming from their circumstances. The ICM gang showed us some highlights of their work there. We stopped by a slum, where we watched the feeding program at work. About 40 ladies waited there to receive their weekly supply of rice, given by the pastor responsible for distribution in their community. The pastor serves as the touchpoint for ICM, feeling out the needs of the people in his area and then addressing them using the ICM resources and workers. We spent time treating the kids to candy.

They also took us to visit two "special patient" cases. The first was a sweet one year old boy, suffering from severe eye problems. ICM takes the special cases and gives them what they need to pay for surgery. We also visited a twelve year old boy in desperate need of three major bowel surgeries. Both were extremely touching to visit, and realize what a difference had been made in their life because of God's provision extended through ICM. I held that baby boy tight, and we prayed for his vision, his life and his family.

In the afternoon, we saw a couple of sights and stopped by the ICM's crusade, "Celebrate Jesus". There were about 2000 people there.

We enjoyed supper with the entire ICM crew. There are about 100 ICM workers, all local Filipinos. They are working in 3 different places in the Visayas area in the Philippines.

The next morning we joined them for church. The preacher was a blazing fireball! He prayed for English before he started....and he had way more than that. He spoke of the futility of our efforts without the Spirit of God. It was a powerful morning- later he prayed for the two fourteen year olds that were on our team. Very special.

We had to leave shortly after that. It was an extremely fast weekend, but so worth it! I was moved by the hearts of the people there, and very excited about the work being done there. It seems the needs are endless, and many times the main response is feeling overwhelmed. But ICM has managed to create a ministry that is touching so many lives, meeting so many different needs. It is primarily supported by Hong Kongers, and within the Philippines it is generally carried out completely by local people. It's exciting stuff! This coming year, they are planning to relocate an entire slum- between 10,000 and 15,000 people!!

The group I traveled with really made for a great weekend, too. They were a lot of fun!! I learned a lot about the Philippines AND South Africa, too! The mother and daughter combo were always laughing...which made them quite a joy to be around. They infected kids with joy by blowing up countless balloons and shaping them into swords and dogs. The street kids loved them.

Oh, there are more stories and more reflections- but this is already very long, and I'm ready for bed! Hope you enjoy the pictures up on Flickr. They always tell the tale best.

One Long Skate

There is an ache in me that never leaves when I'm away from home, but there are times when it feels more acute. The last couple days have felt that way. It likely has much to do with the arrival of the Christmas season. Though I'm very excited about the adventures Thailand has in store and I will enjoy soaking up the sun and feeding elephants and eating colorful curries, it's not home. I miss my family. I miss, in advance, the family dance nights (yes, we McMillans dance up a storm), Mom's Christmas dinner, Mom's Christmas brunch, holding a new baby nephew, watching the kids I love open their presents, playing guitar with brothers, having great chats with my sisters, going to the McMillan New Year's party, and so on.

My favorite Christmas album, Wintersong by Sarah McLachlan, has been on nonstop for the past week. One of the best songs, River, makes me ache for a good ol' skate. I wonder how long it might take me to skate across the Pacific....

Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
Teach my feet to fly high
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on

I miss Canada. I miss you!

Becoming a Pansy

I think that's me. We've got highs of 23 during the day and lows of 16, and I'm feeling chilled. What the heck?! What's happening to me? Who am I becoming?!
The other day the temperature was about 19 degrees, and my kids were equipped with scarves and layers of long sleeves. Quote: "It feels like the North Pole!!!"
Ridiculous but true, weather can become very relative...

Be Like Pete. For Tennis Fans.

After watching Sampras scorch Federer with 14 aces in two sets, I have been dreaming of the Sampras serve (and the Federer forehand/backhand/everything) all week. So, for tennis fans, here's how you can serve like Pete. I wish...

Rookie Camp Director

Last week I tried my hand at the role of "camp director". I had it easy because another teacher had already planned out the three days, essentially down to the minute (plus we had a great staff team!). It was a great experience for me. It kind of freaked me out, officially being responsible for 80 kids. Aside from some scratched up knees and an aching stomach here and there, we managed to get all the kids back to school safely. Relief!

The kids looooove going to camp. It is a rare chance for them to escape the concrete world we live in here. The camp is in a beautiful spot in a "country park". There are banana trees and pineapple trees. Lush green covered hills and small mountains, and quiet waters. The best part is the silence of the place. It was refreshing to leave behind the crashing of the city for a couple days.

However, it was also an exhausting three days. I had a cabin of 18 girls. They are most concerned about passing notes, playing Truth or Dare, giggling, and playing flashlight tag. I love the chance that being camp counselor gives to breathe love and affirmation into these sweet (and silly) girls. I remember how well my Clearview counselors did that for me many years ago.

I think my two favorite moments were the campfire, and the last chapel we had together with the kids. It was great fun to rock out to the Pigolo, the Chicky Chicky (EPIC...now China has the Chicky Chicky, I feel confident that I have now left a legacy), and the Funky Chicken. Seriously, some of my most enthralling moments in life have come during a crazy hyper screaming of the Chicky Chicky (I cite India 2001 as one example). While the campfire was high octane fun, the last worship time with the kids was very special. Spirit-filled. It was sweet to feel God's presence. Experiencing that with the kids you teach/have taught is awesome.

So I survived, maybe even more than that.

The theme of my days in the past month is to "give myself away". This stems from one of my favorite Robbie Seay songs- "Rise".
"To hear the call is to give your love away....to give your life away
Rise, rise...people of love, rise. Give yourself away."
It has really called me to offer everything I can to whomever I am with, wherever I am. I fail, that's for certain. I'm lazy, that's often true. But this thought is really pushing me, and inspiring to extend myself. In the weary moments of camp, I felt that nudge to give whatever I could. If you are in need of similar encouragement, try downloading the song from itunes, and then while you are at it, download my big brother's "My Dash" podcast series. His sermon entitled "Whatever is Not Given is Lost" is excellent and seemed to be the perfect match for thoughts on "giving yourself away".

Sorry for the length...I haven't even recapped my weekend with ROGER AND PETE! Maybe tomorrow. Pics are up on the flickr site!

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck

Pete and Roger

It's time! Sampras-Federer. Roger won the first two matches, though Pete took him to two tie break sets in Malaysia. Impressive!! I've been looking forward to this for a long time, so I'm thrilled that tomorrow is finally November 24. I'll take pics for you, Jer! The new Venetian hotel in Macau is hosting the event, and we're staying there tomorrow night. I think it's going to be awesome- take a peek! Here's a promo video from the event...

Turkeys Don't Move, Silly!

This morning I was teaching the 5 and 6 year olds class at church. They were supposed to be drawing a turkey, but most of them had never seen a turkey before, so this was challenging. I told one of the little boys about the time the wild turkeys on the farm chased me (there must have been at least 500 turkeys in my memory), and out came Grandma McMillan with a broom to save the day. He just looked at me with a smirk on his face, and a bit of a giggle. He's five. "That's just a story! Turkeys can't move!!! They're just food!" I attempted to explain.....but it was no use, he just gave me this ridiculous look and went back to drawing his turkey. Oh, kids are funny.

Sunday Afternoon

I love the weekends! Wow! I have had an excellent weekend so far...I can't say it's over yet, though as I plan and mark it gets closer to feeling that way! On Friday night I went to Amazing Grace with a friend. What a story. Incredible commitment and perseverance. The one phrase that really stuck with me this weekend was "the weight of hope". It was clearly portrayed in the movie. The last scene in the House- wow- that one had me sobbing! I thought John Newton's character was played especially well. It was also a great history lesson.

Yesterday I spent a portion of the day planning for my Christmas holidays. Destination: Thailand! I am very excited about the trip. I am traveling with 3 other good friends from school. We are planning to go to Chiang Mai (in the north of Thailand), Bangkok (only for a day or so), and then to an island named Koh Chang (in the south).

I've spent a lot of time on the courtyard of late. Basketball is underway, but on Friday we wrapped up the volleyball season with a staff/student friendly. Though not overly aggressive or competitively-spirited, they are a lovely group of girls, and it has been fun getting to know them. Here's a picture!

Princess for a Day

Today was "Book Day" at our school. Though I really wanted to be Willy Wonka, instead I teamed up with another teacher (Ashley) to play as the paper bag princess. Those of you with children have likely read one of the Munsch favorites, the Paper Bag Princess. Dirty, smoldering, smelly and adorned in a paper bag.

Anyway, I was humored by the fact that it took dressing up in a paper bag to lighten me up this week. I've knowingly been consumed in the "busy" mode. I didn't want to feel busy, burdened, but couldn't seem to help it. Of course, agitation follows soon after busy mode takes over. Kids seem more annoying than lovable, and as a friend related- you don't even feel like being around yourself, let alone offer yourself to others. It's hard to take yourself too seriously when you're dressed as a dirty, charred princess in a paper bag.

Highlight of the week so far, minus the paper bag act, has been the start of basketball season. I've been reminded of how much I looooove basketball, and coaching the guys! I think we've got some good potential, so that excites me.

Time for bed...signing off from the land of dragons, princes and princesses....