Yippppeeeee!!! It's finally official! The BIG NEWS has entered blogdom- and you can read it HERE.
To put it simply,
I AM PUMPED.
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!
Sorry if you thought the big news from home was something about marriage or babies! Ha ha!
Friday, September 29, 2006
Gridblog Friday: The Forgiveness Jazz
Today seemed fit for a baby gridblog on forgiveness, so I'm joining the gridbloggers (go to Wyatt's site for more info)...
The power of forgiveness was alive in our community today. It was real, it was honest, and it was moving. You don't experience this flavor of community in most staff rooms, that is for certain. There is not really a need to describe the situation, simply that forgiveness was sought, and it was granted. Love won, and a community was strengthened.
There is something so raw and human that is revealed when forgiveness is sought. It's a brokenness that doesn't seem to come around too often, but there is something so, so spirit-filled about our brokenness and vulnerability. Today I was reminded of the peace, the acceptance, and the love that comes when we are forgiven.
Our community is knotted more tightly because of grace today. I am thankful, and I am called back to my need for grace, and God's love-driven response. What a life, what a gift.
The power of forgiveness was alive in our community today. It was real, it was honest, and it was moving. You don't experience this flavor of community in most staff rooms, that is for certain. There is not really a need to describe the situation, simply that forgiveness was sought, and it was granted. Love won, and a community was strengthened.
There is something so raw and human that is revealed when forgiveness is sought. It's a brokenness that doesn't seem to come around too often, but there is something so, so spirit-filled about our brokenness and vulnerability. Today I was reminded of the peace, the acceptance, and the love that comes when we are forgiven.
Our community is knotted more tightly because of grace today. I am thankful, and I am called back to my need for grace, and God's love-driven response. What a life, what a gift.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Saweeet!
Fun news of the day- other than the long weekend- is that on my next long weekend at the end of October, I'm going to Singapore to meet my most wonderful friend, Sherri!!!! I got a sweet deal on a flight- roundtrip was $200 including tax! It will be fun to relax in Singapore for a couple days, but I don't care nearly as much about the location as I do the quality chats to come with Sher! I can't wait.
Lovely Long Weekend
It's a good feeling to have a long weekend coming your way! Tomorrow we have a PD day, and Monday is a holiday. Awesome!!! Tonight the management of our school treated us to a night at the Hong Kong Golf Club. Fancy! It was poolside and they served an amazing buffet. Wow!
The highlight of the night for me was meeting the families of the teachers and staff at the school. There are a number of new babies and little cutie petuties in the bunch, and I soaked up having such cute kids in my company for even a short while. I hope I can get to know a few of them. So, here is a tribute to the CAIS buddies!
Saturday, September 23, 2006
My Dreamy Day...
Today a childhood dream came true! I am finally complete. I went to Disneyland! What a happy place to wander around for a day! It's a strange thought, actually. Millions of people walk through Disney's gates every year, for an ultra dose of magical happiness. I must say, I had a blast. It's a small park compared to the big daddies in the US, but it didn't matter to me!
I was transported to Grade 3 in seconds. It was dreamy! Zipideedooda, zipididee! Goofy, Donald Duck, The Little Mermaid, and my personal favorite, Woody and Buzz Lightyear! The green plastic soldiers from Toy Story were awesome, too. I dragged my counterparts to the Princess Carousel (Merry Go Round) because it was seriously a highlight ride from Buffalo Days when I was just a young gal. They were skeptical to start, but by the time we hit the front of the line, it was a sprint to the most beautiful horses. Oh, we were pumped princesses! I did it in honor of Laurel and Karlie, actually. Frolicking merrily along on the carousel, I emerged from my dreamlike state to see my friend Lynn casually standing up on her horse!!! Ha!! And I quote, "It just seemed like a good thing to do at the time". HAAA!!! The lovely carousel ride came to a halt and over the loudspeaker we heard, "The ride has come to an unexpected stop. Please remain seated at all times". Ahhh, so funny!!! What a daring Princess!
Space Mountain was thrilling. I'm not a very brave rollercoaster rider. I couldn't help but scream my way through space- this special wheezing, hyperventilating, I want my Mom kind of scream. Phew. And as freaked out as I was, it was really quite fun!
The Lion King show was awesome, too. It was an abridged version of the Broadway show, I think. The music in the Lion King is such a treat to hear live and in color. Oh, can you feel the love tonight?!
The only disappointment was that it closed at 8pm, so I didn't get to go on the Buzz Lightyear Ride. Oh, what a pity. I also missed out on my chance at a picture with one of the Disney legends.
What a magical day.
Yesterday night was lovely too (the weekends have proven to be great in HK). Mary (another teacher friend) and I went over the Island and enjoyed a delightful Indian meal. Oh, Tandoori Chicken- you bring such delight to our tastebuds! After that we picked up some liquid heaven (frappucinos of course) and wandered into a foot massage place. Funny how you end up wandering into places like that. Oh, it was very good. I'll be back for sure. One of the neat parts was that the ladies spoke Mandarin, which I very rarely hear here. I realized how much I miss that dimension of the China experience! It was so fun to listen and attempt at interaction again. I am planning to pick up just a bit of Cantonese and continue on with the Mandarin. I'm looking forward to enrolling in a weekly class soon.
I close with a visual of our Dreamy Day at Disneyland...
I was transported to Grade 3 in seconds. It was dreamy! Zipideedooda, zipididee! Goofy, Donald Duck, The Little Mermaid, and my personal favorite, Woody and Buzz Lightyear! The green plastic soldiers from Toy Story were awesome, too. I dragged my counterparts to the Princess Carousel (Merry Go Round) because it was seriously a highlight ride from Buffalo Days when I was just a young gal. They were skeptical to start, but by the time we hit the front of the line, it was a sprint to the most beautiful horses. Oh, we were pumped princesses! I did it in honor of Laurel and Karlie, actually. Frolicking merrily along on the carousel, I emerged from my dreamlike state to see my friend Lynn casually standing up on her horse!!! Ha!! And I quote, "It just seemed like a good thing to do at the time". HAAA!!! The lovely carousel ride came to a halt and over the loudspeaker we heard, "The ride has come to an unexpected stop. Please remain seated at all times". Ahhh, so funny!!! What a daring Princess!
Space Mountain was thrilling. I'm not a very brave rollercoaster rider. I couldn't help but scream my way through space- this special wheezing, hyperventilating, I want my Mom kind of scream. Phew. And as freaked out as I was, it was really quite fun!
The Lion King show was awesome, too. It was an abridged version of the Broadway show, I think. The music in the Lion King is such a treat to hear live and in color. Oh, can you feel the love tonight?!
The only disappointment was that it closed at 8pm, so I didn't get to go on the Buzz Lightyear Ride. Oh, what a pity. I also missed out on my chance at a picture with one of the Disney legends.
What a magical day.
Yesterday night was lovely too (the weekends have proven to be great in HK). Mary (another teacher friend) and I went over the Island and enjoyed a delightful Indian meal. Oh, Tandoori Chicken- you bring such delight to our tastebuds! After that we picked up some liquid heaven (frappucinos of course) and wandered into a foot massage place. Funny how you end up wandering into places like that. Oh, it was very good. I'll be back for sure. One of the neat parts was that the ladies spoke Mandarin, which I very rarely hear here. I realized how much I miss that dimension of the China experience! It was so fun to listen and attempt at interaction again. I am planning to pick up just a bit of Cantonese and continue on with the Mandarin. I'm looking forward to enrolling in a weekly class soon.
I close with a visual of our Dreamy Day at Disneyland...
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Media
Reading:
Mother Teresa: A Complete Authorized Biography by Katherine Spink
Re-reading:
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Instant Gratification Courtesy of Itunes:
Soul Tsunami by Leonard Sweet
O by Damien Rice
Flaming Red by Patty Griffin
Mother Teresa: A Complete Authorized Biography by Katherine Spink
Re-reading:
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Instant Gratification Courtesy of Itunes:
Soul Tsunami by Leonard Sweet
O by Damien Rice
Flaming Red by Patty Griffin
Friday, September 15, 2006
Book orders, bad internet service and a great weekend on the way
Just a friendly random title for you, to be matched by a friendly random blog entry! It has been a pretty good week here in Hong Kong. There is this very engaging story regarding my internet installation experience, but I'm going to skip that because it's wearisome and there are more fun things to talk about. For example, this week I got a baby oven, a microwave, and even a beautiful pan for banana bread! Now how FUN is that?! So I baked cookies and, of course, in honor of Miss Banana Bread herself (Shannon B.), a fruity fun loaf of banana bread. Also in the fun department, my Grandma called me on my cel phone on Sunday morning. It sounded crystal clear and it was so good to hear her voice again.
Apparently we had an earthquake yesterday. People say it shook buildings. It was only 3.5- and I never felt a thing, but it was good to be on the first floor during that time rather than the 32nd. It is raining a lot here, actually we had a "T1 warning" (typhoon warning) on Wednesday. I was soaked when I arrived at school, and I realized an umbrella is not useful during this kind of weather. Things blow sideways. It is also very polluted right now, which I don't enjoy very much. Take in a big breath of fresh air for me, put it in a bag and send it to me okay?! I could use some fresh air!
In the not so clever part of the blog, we move on to my very poor morning habits. Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about. Yesterday I had an unfortunate classic moment- you know, one of those, "ooops, I meant to hit the snooze button but I hit the off button". Emphasize the OOPS. I woke up at 7:35am and staff devotions begin at 7:45. I don't remember those ten precious minutes. Everything happened at 16x the normal speed of morning routine. It was actually extremely impressive. Yes, I made it. What an adventure, what a rush (not highly recommended)!
On the teaching side of things, we are settling in to a routine in the classroom. Do you remember Scholastic book orders? I used to LOVE book orders when I was in school. The usual choice was an epic Berenstain Bears book. I love the Berenstain Bears. They taught me all about junk food, messy rooms, baseball, and even being spoiled! Yes, siblings, you have Mama and Papa Bear to thank for my very good behavior. :)
Anyway, it felt special to be the teacher doing the ordering. I'm a teacher! :) I'm pretty pumped about this (the teaching part mostly, though Scholastic is cool too). I'm really excited about learning and becoming a better teacher. There are SO MANY things to get better at! But the possibilities are exciting, and I am enjoying the process of setting out some goals for myself. My favorite part of the week was starting up my writing program. I love teaching writing, though I think it is quite challenging.
Anyway, I have one student who will always be the one to say (after sitting there for a few minutes), "Miss McMillan (in his lispy voice), I don't know what to write. I have no ideas". Hmmmm. So then we will have a brainstorming conversation and maybe we will get somewhere, or maybe not. This happens frequently...."I have nothing to write". This week they were writing "personal memoirs" (half of them wrote about trips to Disneyland). My buddy went from having "nothing to write", to the next day, bringing back four pages of writing, and he just couldn't stop talking about every little part of his trip to Disneyland....like he'd come up to my desk and tell me ALL about it. :) It was sweet though. I dig those moments as a teacher....the "LOOK! You did it! You're totally capable!" moments.
The parents of my students have been so good. This week I had three notes of encouragement- "We are praying for you". That's a pretty neat thing.
This weekend has the potential for fun. Two birthday dinners and one beach party. Sounds good, hey?
Oh, and the other fun thing this week was some exciting news from home....fun, fun, fun!!! But I'll let that person go ahead and blog it!!!
Have a good weekend, Canada!!!
Apparently we had an earthquake yesterday. People say it shook buildings. It was only 3.5- and I never felt a thing, but it was good to be on the first floor during that time rather than the 32nd. It is raining a lot here, actually we had a "T1 warning" (typhoon warning) on Wednesday. I was soaked when I arrived at school, and I realized an umbrella is not useful during this kind of weather. Things blow sideways. It is also very polluted right now, which I don't enjoy very much. Take in a big breath of fresh air for me, put it in a bag and send it to me okay?! I could use some fresh air!
In the not so clever part of the blog, we move on to my very poor morning habits. Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about. Yesterday I had an unfortunate classic moment- you know, one of those, "ooops, I meant to hit the snooze button but I hit the off button". Emphasize the OOPS. I woke up at 7:35am and staff devotions begin at 7:45. I don't remember those ten precious minutes. Everything happened at 16x the normal speed of morning routine. It was actually extremely impressive. Yes, I made it. What an adventure, what a rush (not highly recommended)!
On the teaching side of things, we are settling in to a routine in the classroom. Do you remember Scholastic book orders? I used to LOVE book orders when I was in school. The usual choice was an epic Berenstain Bears book. I love the Berenstain Bears. They taught me all about junk food, messy rooms, baseball, and even being spoiled! Yes, siblings, you have Mama and Papa Bear to thank for my very good behavior. :)
Anyway, it felt special to be the teacher doing the ordering. I'm a teacher! :) I'm pretty pumped about this (the teaching part mostly, though Scholastic is cool too). I'm really excited about learning and becoming a better teacher. There are SO MANY things to get better at! But the possibilities are exciting, and I am enjoying the process of setting out some goals for myself. My favorite part of the week was starting up my writing program. I love teaching writing, though I think it is quite challenging.
Anyway, I have one student who will always be the one to say (after sitting there for a few minutes), "Miss McMillan (in his lispy voice), I don't know what to write. I have no ideas". Hmmmm. So then we will have a brainstorming conversation and maybe we will get somewhere, or maybe not. This happens frequently...."I have nothing to write". This week they were writing "personal memoirs" (half of them wrote about trips to Disneyland). My buddy went from having "nothing to write", to the next day, bringing back four pages of writing, and he just couldn't stop talking about every little part of his trip to Disneyland....like he'd come up to my desk and tell me ALL about it. :) It was sweet though. I dig those moments as a teacher....the "LOOK! You did it! You're totally capable!" moments.
The parents of my students have been so good. This week I had three notes of encouragement- "We are praying for you". That's a pretty neat thing.
This weekend has the potential for fun. Two birthday dinners and one beach party. Sounds good, hey?
Oh, and the other fun thing this week was some exciting news from home....fun, fun, fun!!! But I'll let that person go ahead and blog it!!!
Have a good weekend, Canada!!!
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Inspiration Day
This week I'm jumping on the "gridblog" bandwagon (two days late). Sir John begged the question, "What inspires you?" I feel obliged to answer such a question given it's reflective nature. Anyone who claims to be a past or present Education student should be at complete ease in the "reflective" zone. Four years of reflecting, reflecting on our reflections and then reflecting on the process and significance of reflecting. So Leah, Tara, Dad? Let's get those reflective juices flowing!
Yesterday morning I had it all planned out and I was going to tell you that music is the inspiration of my days. Last night changed the plan, and now I'm two days late for the gridblog, but I feel more inspired than I've felt in a long time.
It's kind of weird how my ordinary evening unfolded last night. I can't even really explain it now, but by the time I went to bed, I was fired up. Kind of like a sum total of feelings and thoughts exploding like excited fireworks.
Things have been go-go-go since arriving in Hong Kong, and I was enjoying some time to just sit and think without any agenda. I started reading the autobiography of Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa inspires me, completely. I've only read the preface and the first chapter, but wow- talk about a woman on a mission of love. Such drive, such passion, such compassion. One of the things that struck me was that she was so much about action. I sure like to talk. This woman brought real love to action; she lived with such purpose.
I have become content asking questions, wondering, tossing things around, but not really getting to the action part. I often say it's freeing to ask questions, but in a way it feels a bit comfy and safe because I'm still pondering. Pursuing greater understanding of God and the world he made, and mistaking that for actually serving Him and loving Him. Where's the heart change? I don't want to miss out on the point of life, and full and new life because I was consumed by everything I couldn't figure out. Mother Teresa's life was so driven for the cause of God- to giving all of herself to the Lord, to every person that she met. Even a piece of the devotion she had would transform my heart. Today the preacher spoke of the invitation to character transformation that Peter writes of (Jay, you'd like this guy!). It excites me when I start to think about the possibilities of who you and I can become. The spiritual journey is one of hope.
The first chapter in the autobiography ends by explaining the day that Mother Teresa decided to leave the convents she was teaching at in Kolkata, and go to live among the poor. Every year, dating back to 1946, the Missionaries of Charity (her organization) celebrate September 10 as "Inspiration Day". I had to smile as I looked at my watch, striking 12AM on September 10, 2006, 60 years later. I wondered if someone was nudging me towards action.
Inspiration Day- pass it on.
I write this to you whose experience with God is as life-changing as ours, all due to our God's straight dealing and the intervention of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master.
Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you?your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:1-11
Yesterday morning I had it all planned out and I was going to tell you that music is the inspiration of my days. Last night changed the plan, and now I'm two days late for the gridblog, but I feel more inspired than I've felt in a long time.
It's kind of weird how my ordinary evening unfolded last night. I can't even really explain it now, but by the time I went to bed, I was fired up. Kind of like a sum total of feelings and thoughts exploding like excited fireworks.
Things have been go-go-go since arriving in Hong Kong, and I was enjoying some time to just sit and think without any agenda. I started reading the autobiography of Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa inspires me, completely. I've only read the preface and the first chapter, but wow- talk about a woman on a mission of love. Such drive, such passion, such compassion. One of the things that struck me was that she was so much about action. I sure like to talk. This woman brought real love to action; she lived with such purpose.
I have become content asking questions, wondering, tossing things around, but not really getting to the action part. I often say it's freeing to ask questions, but in a way it feels a bit comfy and safe because I'm still pondering. Pursuing greater understanding of God and the world he made, and mistaking that for actually serving Him and loving Him. Where's the heart change? I don't want to miss out on the point of life, and full and new life because I was consumed by everything I couldn't figure out. Mother Teresa's life was so driven for the cause of God- to giving all of herself to the Lord, to every person that she met. Even a piece of the devotion she had would transform my heart. Today the preacher spoke of the invitation to character transformation that Peter writes of (Jay, you'd like this guy!). It excites me when I start to think about the possibilities of who you and I can become. The spiritual journey is one of hope.
The first chapter in the autobiography ends by explaining the day that Mother Teresa decided to leave the convents she was teaching at in Kolkata, and go to live among the poor. Every year, dating back to 1946, the Missionaries of Charity (her organization) celebrate September 10 as "Inspiration Day". I had to smile as I looked at my watch, striking 12AM on September 10, 2006, 60 years later. I wondered if someone was nudging me towards action.
Inspiration Day- pass it on.
I write this to you whose experience with God is as life-changing as ours, all due to our God's straight dealing and the intervention of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master.
Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you?your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:1-11
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Fast weekend
I can't believe it's Sunday night already!!! Yikes! The weekend ran away on me. That's not very nice! Though it was a fast one, it was pretty fun.
On Friday night, my friend Mary and I went to a pool party at the Yacht Club, sponsored by the church I have been attending to. The best part was the view surrounding the pool- so as you were swimming, everywhere you looked you saw neon lights and skyscrapers...it was kind of like the pool was dropped in the middle of it all.
Yesterday I cleaned up my house and spent the last half of the day devoted to exploring an area called "Tsim Sha Tsui". Yeah, try and pronounce that one! Among the interesting places in this area, I was happy to find a great outlet store, a new monster Adidas store (new tennis shoes, Heather!) and a big music store. Oh, and an amazing dessert shop that has this incredible dessert called "mango sago". Anything with mango = tastebud heaven, but this stuff is just glorious. Mmmm, mango sago.
Today after church I went to the "visitors lunch". It was a good chance to meet some of the staff of the church and feel more connected. It's a much bigger group- about 1200- a much larger family than I'm used to! It's called Evangelical Community Church.
I put up just a few pics of my house and my classroom, so you can see them on my flickr page if you're interested.
Well, Sunday night is the prime time for planning, so I'd better turn my attention that direction. I hope your weekend was great! Have a really good week, friends!
On Friday night, my friend Mary and I went to a pool party at the Yacht Club, sponsored by the church I have been attending to. The best part was the view surrounding the pool- so as you were swimming, everywhere you looked you saw neon lights and skyscrapers...it was kind of like the pool was dropped in the middle of it all.
Yesterday I cleaned up my house and spent the last half of the day devoted to exploring an area called "Tsim Sha Tsui". Yeah, try and pronounce that one! Among the interesting places in this area, I was happy to find a great outlet store, a new monster Adidas store (new tennis shoes, Heather!) and a big music store. Oh, and an amazing dessert shop that has this incredible dessert called "mango sago". Anything with mango = tastebud heaven, but this stuff is just glorious. Mmmm, mango sago.
Today after church I went to the "visitors lunch". It was a good chance to meet some of the staff of the church and feel more connected. It's a much bigger group- about 1200- a much larger family than I'm used to! It's called Evangelical Community Church.
I put up just a few pics of my house and my classroom, so you can see them on my flickr page if you're interested.
Well, Sunday night is the prime time for planning, so I'd better turn my attention that direction. I hope your weekend was great! Have a really good week, friends!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
I am still living!
Hey blog friends. Ah, I do say with sadness that I have left you hanging for some time now. Yes, my life is just so exciting that it's like a cliffhanger- what's going to happen next? Oooooh.
You see, I've submerged into a sea of planning (yes I said it aloud), cutting, pasting, laminating, stapling, repeat process- again, and again, and again! I have never worked at such an intense and continuous pace. Seriously. Okay, maybe that's not hard to believe seeing I've only been "working" for two years (does China count?!). The week prior was spent organizing my new home in Hong Kong. There has been so much to do! But since the whole moving in deal, I haven't been home too often!
I am SO GLAD that I decided to live close to the school. It's a 5 minute walk to get home at night and it's especially wonderful for a morning lover like myself...get up and go! I will post pictures of my apartment and my building soon. I have a pretty neat view when I come home at night. Sparkling white and yellow city lights.
I am also now a computer owner for the first time. I went fruity and picked a Macbook. I haven't used it a ton yet because it takes a couple weeks to get internet installed at home, but so far it seems good. I saved quite a bit because I didn't have to pay tax and also got a teacher discount. It will be so good to be connected at home- can't wait. I feel like I haven't keep in touch well over the couple of weeks and that has left me feeling a bit disconnected from many of you. Send me an email if you get the chance?
I must tell you that the school I am teaching at is amazing. I honestly feel so blessed to be a teacher here. They treat us so well and the staff has been so warm and helpful. The adminstrative staff is fantastic and I know I will learn a lot from many people here. The staff is a mix of international flavors, ages, and backgrounds. I am impressed, and very appreciative, of the efficiency and overall focus of the school. We have tons of resources and lots of support. I have two preps everyday, and twice a week I get an extra as well. It's great to be a part of so far!
Today was our first teaching day. I have 23 students in my Grade 5 class. I have Chinese, British, Canadian and Spanish students in my class. They are a sweet group of kids (aren't they always on the first day?!). The favorite part of the day for me was when I did a little activity focusing on the uniqueness of the students. I brought one of my suitcases and put a mirror inside. Then I went on and on about how very, very amazing and special and valuable this suitcase was. It's worth millions, there's not another in the whole entire world, etc. Then I asked them if they wanted to come take a look. They were so cute! Man. So one by one they came up- very carefully as to not disturb the precious treasure. Maybe you guessed what was inside?
A mirror. Awwww. Get it? You're special too! :) I'm so cheesy.
Anyway, that was pretty fun. I am having a very good time here in Hong Kong. The city is incredible, really. In the same fashion as the school, Hong Kong amazes me with its efficiency. For one example- they have something called an Octopus card here. You put money on the card and then you can use it on the subway, bus, at 7-11, at parkades, parking meters, etc. It eliminates the need for change. The organization of the city is pretty neat- so many escalators, underground walkways, moving sidewalks, etc. It's amazing what can be done to make the best use of a small space. Come and see for yourself!
Okay, so I AM having a great time- it's all good...but I am very, very tired. The last 5 days have been goofy. I have definitely not been eating well, and it wasn't for the dear kindergarten teacher bringing me extra lunch, I'd really be in trouble. Ha! I have this thing inside of me that can't just let something go and be less than what I want or know it can be. Sometimes people who have "this thing" are called perfectionists. It's like an addiction, I think, and it comes out when you're a teacher because you could probably work at it forever and ever and ever. It's hard for me to just let things be less than what I want! Ai ya.
Well, speaking of that P word- I do need to do some planning for tomorrow. It's nice that the weekend is just around the corner. On Friday night I am going with one of the other new teachers, Mary, to the Yacht Club for a pool party put on by the church I've been attending. It should be a good way to kick back after a long week or so.
Anyway, sorry for the delay in updates- they should be more consistent now that both my classroom and my home are relatively set up. Let me know how you are doing, okay?!
You see, I've submerged into a sea of planning (yes I said it aloud), cutting, pasting, laminating, stapling, repeat process- again, and again, and again! I have never worked at such an intense and continuous pace. Seriously. Okay, maybe that's not hard to believe seeing I've only been "working" for two years (does China count?!). The week prior was spent organizing my new home in Hong Kong. There has been so much to do! But since the whole moving in deal, I haven't been home too often!
I am SO GLAD that I decided to live close to the school. It's a 5 minute walk to get home at night and it's especially wonderful for a morning lover like myself...get up and go! I will post pictures of my apartment and my building soon. I have a pretty neat view when I come home at night. Sparkling white and yellow city lights.
I am also now a computer owner for the first time. I went fruity and picked a Macbook. I haven't used it a ton yet because it takes a couple weeks to get internet installed at home, but so far it seems good. I saved quite a bit because I didn't have to pay tax and also got a teacher discount. It will be so good to be connected at home- can't wait. I feel like I haven't keep in touch well over the couple of weeks and that has left me feeling a bit disconnected from many of you. Send me an email if you get the chance?
I must tell you that the school I am teaching at is amazing. I honestly feel so blessed to be a teacher here. They treat us so well and the staff has been so warm and helpful. The adminstrative staff is fantastic and I know I will learn a lot from many people here. The staff is a mix of international flavors, ages, and backgrounds. I am impressed, and very appreciative, of the efficiency and overall focus of the school. We have tons of resources and lots of support. I have two preps everyday, and twice a week I get an extra as well. It's great to be a part of so far!
Today was our first teaching day. I have 23 students in my Grade 5 class. I have Chinese, British, Canadian and Spanish students in my class. They are a sweet group of kids (aren't they always on the first day?!). The favorite part of the day for me was when I did a little activity focusing on the uniqueness of the students. I brought one of my suitcases and put a mirror inside. Then I went on and on about how very, very amazing and special and valuable this suitcase was. It's worth millions, there's not another in the whole entire world, etc. Then I asked them if they wanted to come take a look. They were so cute! Man. So one by one they came up- very carefully as to not disturb the precious treasure. Maybe you guessed what was inside?
A mirror. Awwww. Get it? You're special too! :) I'm so cheesy.
Anyway, that was pretty fun. I am having a very good time here in Hong Kong. The city is incredible, really. In the same fashion as the school, Hong Kong amazes me with its efficiency. For one example- they have something called an Octopus card here. You put money on the card and then you can use it on the subway, bus, at 7-11, at parkades, parking meters, etc. It eliminates the need for change. The organization of the city is pretty neat- so many escalators, underground walkways, moving sidewalks, etc. It's amazing what can be done to make the best use of a small space. Come and see for yourself!
Okay, so I AM having a great time- it's all good...but I am very, very tired. The last 5 days have been goofy. I have definitely not been eating well, and it wasn't for the dear kindergarten teacher bringing me extra lunch, I'd really be in trouble. Ha! I have this thing inside of me that can't just let something go and be less than what I want or know it can be. Sometimes people who have "this thing" are called perfectionists. It's like an addiction, I think, and it comes out when you're a teacher because you could probably work at it forever and ever and ever. It's hard for me to just let things be less than what I want! Ai ya.
Well, speaking of that P word- I do need to do some planning for tomorrow. It's nice that the weekend is just around the corner. On Friday night I am going with one of the other new teachers, Mary, to the Yacht Club for a pool party put on by the church I've been attending. It should be a good way to kick back after a long week or so.
Anyway, sorry for the delay in updates- they should be more consistent now that both my classroom and my home are relatively set up. Let me know how you are doing, okay?!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Living on the 32nd Floor
Greetings! It is a smoggy morning here in Hong Kong. Sometimes it clears up quite nicely and we've got blue skies, while other times you wish hopefully that you are looking at a storm cloud. The pollution crisis is real in a tangible way here in HK.
I found a place to hang my hat! After some pondering, I have decided on a place that is just down the block from my school- less than a 3 minute walk. It seems there is not a perfect solution to finding housing here. Something has to give- you either live farther away and spend more time on getting places, or you live close and pay a bit extra for the convenience. The place I'm in is very nice and I'm sure I'll never live in such a place in Canada. It is a complex with 7 towers- each with 60 floors I think. As is the case in many apartment complexes here, it is outfitted with many amenities- my favorites include a huge swimming pool, indoor squash court and badminton/basketball court, and work out area. There a lot of teachers around this area too, so I'm glad for that as well.
I ended up finding the apartment through a pink-shirted real estate agent named Sam. Sam is on the strange side, but he's a great bargainer that guy. He negotiated the price down an extra $150 CDN per month, so I'm thankful for Sam! The flat I'm living in is nearly fully furnished, so that is a huge plus. I get the keys for the place tonight, so I'll spend the weekend trying to get things set up. I'm excited, and thankful.
Some of you will know the names "Andy" and "King". They are students from Western that I coached and taught last year. I went out for supper with Andy and his mom this week. It was so fun to meet her. She's so cute!!! Yesterday Andy and I spent most of the day hanging out and later joined King to play some Hong Kong street ball. King informed me of a few things beforehand- 1) they may take off their shirts and they'll be very slippery, 2) they may smoke inbetween games, 3) don't argue if they call a foul, that's just the way it is, and 4) no teamwork is to be expected, so be selfish because that's just the way it is. Sounds like the way we played in China- so the transition was not too difficult. I like being back in the land where I'm almost average height. It's great! The funniest part of the night happened as we were walking along the street. We turned a corner and this old, skinny man jumped in front of me and said in a huge loud voice with a huge smile, "NI HAO, HELLO!!!!!!" And then he grabbed my hands and started dancing on the sidewalk with me. I tried to dance along, but I was slightly taken aback by his enthusiasm! Funny old man!
Anyway, I'd best get moving (get it?!). Next stop, the 32nd Floor!
I found a place to hang my hat! After some pondering, I have decided on a place that is just down the block from my school- less than a 3 minute walk. It seems there is not a perfect solution to finding housing here. Something has to give- you either live farther away and spend more time on getting places, or you live close and pay a bit extra for the convenience. The place I'm in is very nice and I'm sure I'll never live in such a place in Canada. It is a complex with 7 towers- each with 60 floors I think. As is the case in many apartment complexes here, it is outfitted with many amenities- my favorites include a huge swimming pool, indoor squash court and badminton/basketball court, and work out area. There a lot of teachers around this area too, so I'm glad for that as well.
I ended up finding the apartment through a pink-shirted real estate agent named Sam. Sam is on the strange side, but he's a great bargainer that guy. He negotiated the price down an extra $150 CDN per month, so I'm thankful for Sam! The flat I'm living in is nearly fully furnished, so that is a huge plus. I get the keys for the place tonight, so I'll spend the weekend trying to get things set up. I'm excited, and thankful.
Some of you will know the names "Andy" and "King". They are students from Western that I coached and taught last year. I went out for supper with Andy and his mom this week. It was so fun to meet her. She's so cute!!! Yesterday Andy and I spent most of the day hanging out and later joined King to play some Hong Kong street ball. King informed me of a few things beforehand- 1) they may take off their shirts and they'll be very slippery, 2) they may smoke inbetween games, 3) don't argue if they call a foul, that's just the way it is, and 4) no teamwork is to be expected, so be selfish because that's just the way it is. Sounds like the way we played in China- so the transition was not too difficult. I like being back in the land where I'm almost average height. It's great! The funniest part of the night happened as we were walking along the street. We turned a corner and this old, skinny man jumped in front of me and said in a huge loud voice with a huge smile, "NI HAO, HELLO!!!!!!" And then he grabbed my hands and started dancing on the sidewalk with me. I tried to dance along, but I was slightly taken aback by his enthusiasm! Funny old man!
Anyway, I'd best get moving (get it?!). Next stop, the 32nd Floor!
Monday, August 14, 2006
Harm is officially IN Hong Kong!
Hello all. Sorry for the delay in updates, but the computer here seems to have disagreements with blogger.
I have arrived! I have been in Hong Kong for almost 4 days now. I'm staying at an older couple's home that have gone back to Canada for the summer. My apartment is on the 48th floor and has a brilliant view of Hong Kong in all of its lit up glory.
It seems there a million things to write but where to start- hmmm. The first day or so was a bit slow and stomach issues are keeping me somewhat at bay, but the last couple days have been pretty fun. I'm trying to figure out how this city works, surely not without making a lot of wrong turns. It seems easy to get mixed up, although the transit system is slick, slick, slick. Yesterday I nearly got squished between the subway doors- yes indeed, there ARE 6400 people per square kilometer. I am not far from what holds the title as the most dense place on the planet. Apparently within the square kilometer belonging to "Mong Kok", there are 160,000 human beings. Thus, we live in apartment buildings that commonly have 50 floors!
Cantonese sounds absolutely goofy. It's a pity that it doesn't share many similarities with Mandarin, although more and more Mandarin is seeping into Hong Kong.
On Saturday I went to "The Peak". As the name suggests, the best view of the city is from the Peak. It's awesome- probably my favorite part of the city. I love being on the Island.
I have spent some time getting to know two of the other new teachers at my school. One is married with a tiny baby and they are from Saskatoon, and the other is a single gal my age from Michigan. They are great!
I have seen my classroom and I'm excited to get started with the planning and such, but before that I need to find somewhere to live permanently. I don't know where that will be just yet- I guess I'm going to look at a few more places on Wednesday. It's a bit of a challenge to find something within the housing allowance close to the school, so I'm going to take a look at some other places a bit farther away. It will be good to settle in, but I still have quite a bit of time so there is no need to rush.
Well, this concludes the end of the first official post of Hong Kong Harm! Time for some dim sum!
I have arrived! I have been in Hong Kong for almost 4 days now. I'm staying at an older couple's home that have gone back to Canada for the summer. My apartment is on the 48th floor and has a brilliant view of Hong Kong in all of its lit up glory.
It seems there a million things to write but where to start- hmmm. The first day or so was a bit slow and stomach issues are keeping me somewhat at bay, but the last couple days have been pretty fun. I'm trying to figure out how this city works, surely not without making a lot of wrong turns. It seems easy to get mixed up, although the transit system is slick, slick, slick. Yesterday I nearly got squished between the subway doors- yes indeed, there ARE 6400 people per square kilometer. I am not far from what holds the title as the most dense place on the planet. Apparently within the square kilometer belonging to "Mong Kok", there are 160,000 human beings. Thus, we live in apartment buildings that commonly have 50 floors!
Cantonese sounds absolutely goofy. It's a pity that it doesn't share many similarities with Mandarin, although more and more Mandarin is seeping into Hong Kong.
On Saturday I went to "The Peak". As the name suggests, the best view of the city is from the Peak. It's awesome- probably my favorite part of the city. I love being on the Island.
I have spent some time getting to know two of the other new teachers at my school. One is married with a tiny baby and they are from Saskatoon, and the other is a single gal my age from Michigan. They are great!
I have seen my classroom and I'm excited to get started with the planning and such, but before that I need to find somewhere to live permanently. I don't know where that will be just yet- I guess I'm going to look at a few more places on Wednesday. It's a bit of a challenge to find something within the housing allowance close to the school, so I'm going to take a look at some other places a bit farther away. It will be good to settle in, but I still have quite a bit of time so there is no need to rush.
Well, this concludes the end of the first official post of Hong Kong Harm! Time for some dim sum!
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Pondering.
One of the books I started reading this week is "The Jesus Creed" by Scot McKnight. I've only read the first couple chapters, but one of the things the book encourages is to allow the Lord's Prayer to become the framework for our conversations with God. So today I tried it. Everything was sailing smoothly until I arrived at "Forgive us of our sins just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us". I felt like I had been clotheslined. I didn't realize the jungle of unforgiveness I had been stumbling through. Forgiveness, in light of the darkness of real pain and heartache, floods me with questions. Here's a piece of my meandering mind this afternoon- maybe you've traveled this way before:
You mean forgive even if they don't think they need forgiveness? Even if they won't change because I forgave them? Even if they are the meanest, nastiest person I know? Do you KNOW who I'm talking about, Father?! Even though they're hurting the people I love the most? Even if they'll never know how much pain they've caused, how many tears have been shed because of them? Even if I'm in China, a million miles away and I won't see them again for a long time? Does it matter? I can't do anything from here anyway. You know what's going on here, God! When you said be kind, be forgiving of others- you actually meant this situation too? You couldn't have? Even in the midst of the mess they're making??? Doesn't forgiveness come at the end not inbetween?? You mean today? Is it okay if I have to do it all over again everyday until it's full in my heart? I don't know if what I can offer today will be enough. I'll probably have to come back again tomorrow. And the next day, and the next day, and the next...is that alright, or does that mean its less genuine? I wonder what healing looks like on the other side of it all?
I am not there yet. But I'm feeling this tug that it's where I should be aiming to be. So help me Father- help me have your heart of grace. Do you have these questions when you're thinking about us? How about me? Thank you for being love in all its completeness- and help me to get there and give up the negotiating when it comes to grace. You've never negotiated anything with me.
I liked something I read in Anne Lamott's "Plan B" today. She writes well of the journey of forgiveness:
"Any willingness to let go inevitably comes from pain; and the desire to change changes you, and jiggles the spirit, gets to it somehow, to the deepest, hardest, most ruined parts. And then Spirit expands, because that is its nature, and it drags along the body, and finally, the mind."
And on a sidenote, if you're reading this and know the story of A & A, please pray for them today. If you need/want more details, send me an email.
That concludes today's pondering- a slightly altered tone in comparison to recent posts. But I didn't really think about the solidified pig's blood served for lunch (I draw the line at blood) or the psycho driving in this country today, I thought about forgiveness.
You mean forgive even if they don't think they need forgiveness? Even if they won't change because I forgave them? Even if they are the meanest, nastiest person I know? Do you KNOW who I'm talking about, Father?! Even though they're hurting the people I love the most? Even if they'll never know how much pain they've caused, how many tears have been shed because of them? Even if I'm in China, a million miles away and I won't see them again for a long time? Does it matter? I can't do anything from here anyway. You know what's going on here, God! When you said be kind, be forgiving of others- you actually meant this situation too? You couldn't have? Even in the midst of the mess they're making??? Doesn't forgiveness come at the end not inbetween?? You mean today? Is it okay if I have to do it all over again everyday until it's full in my heart? I don't know if what I can offer today will be enough. I'll probably have to come back again tomorrow. And the next day, and the next day, and the next...is that alright, or does that mean its less genuine? I wonder what healing looks like on the other side of it all?
I am not there yet. But I'm feeling this tug that it's where I should be aiming to be. So help me Father- help me have your heart of grace. Do you have these questions when you're thinking about us? How about me? Thank you for being love in all its completeness- and help me to get there and give up the negotiating when it comes to grace. You've never negotiated anything with me.
I liked something I read in Anne Lamott's "Plan B" today. She writes well of the journey of forgiveness:
"Any willingness to let go inevitably comes from pain; and the desire to change changes you, and jiggles the spirit, gets to it somehow, to the deepest, hardest, most ruined parts. And then Spirit expands, because that is its nature, and it drags along the body, and finally, the mind."
And on a sidenote, if you're reading this and know the story of A & A, please pray for them today. If you need/want more details, send me an email.
That concludes today's pondering- a slightly altered tone in comparison to recent posts. But I didn't really think about the solidified pig's blood served for lunch (I draw the line at blood) or the psycho driving in this country today, I thought about forgiveness.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
The Qingdao Adventure
Recently:
- Today we had a stellar lunch- Korean barbecue. Mmmm. And I ate the tongue of a cow. It was chewy, which makes sense (yours would be too), and it doesn't taste like much of anything. Oh, and the other night Rachel almost conned me into eating the leg of a starfish- and it wasn't a cute starfish tentacle either. She innocently told me it was "sea cucumber". I didn't fall for her trickery!
- We went to the beach today. The ocean is amazing, and I think waves are fantastically fun. I felt like I was 7 years old prancing around in the water and jumping over waves with all of China watching me, in their tight spandexy swimming gear. And no, Jeremy, just because Chinese people wear them doesn't mean you should!
- I'm enjoying time that I haven't found for a long while- time to read. And it is good.
- Rachel and I find many reasons to laugh in a day. She's a funny girl!
- Yesterday we saw all sorts of sea creatures at a park. Walruses are funny looking and fat, seals are instrumentally very capable (they played in a band), and beluga whales are plain lovable! Plus, I found Dori,Nemo, and Bruce the Shark too! Scary! That could have been the highlight right there!
- I am feeling a bit more adjusted to life back in Asia now. The first few days felt on the rough side. I am missing my family a lot. The focus is one day at a time- that's all it ever needs to be.
- It's easier to let pictures do the talking. Here's a photographical summary of the last five days in Qingdao:
All of my pictures have been updated on my Flickr site, which you can link to by clicking on the fun image on the sidebar (including pictures from my last week with the kids in Calgary). I will leave Qingdao on Thursday and arrive in Hong Kong, where I will move through the "settling in" process.
Cheers from Qingdao!
A Chinese Wedding Story
On Sunday I had the privilege of getting the upclose and personal version of a traditional Chinese wedding. The groom was Rachel's cousin. It was a very memorable experience. Hopefully the images below give you a simplified overview of the wedding tradition here in China. There was also a reception, but I didn't take any pictures. It was loud, they played the Star Wars theme music when the bride and groom walked in (and it wasn't a joke), and the bride changed outfits three times during the afternoon. And there was a lot of wine flowing. I preferred the more traditionally flavoured rituals in the morning. The dragons were my favorite part! Enjoy! (Click on the image to enlarge)
Sunday, August 06, 2006
An Eye A Day Keeps the Doctor Away..
The eyeball-eating progression, for your enjoyment:
Mmmm. A seaside delicacy.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
The City by the Sea
Day 2 in the City by the Sea is winding down with a flavorful peach and lukewarm ice tea. I am in Qingdao (pronounced "ching-doww"), a city of 8.5 million people on the coast of Shandong. Shandong is a province to the southeast of Beijing. It is known primarily for its beer. Seriously- these people are pumped about their beer. It's one of the only English words Rachel's parents have spoken to me thus far, thus suggesting its significance.
However, I would say the best part of Qingdao is its beautiful coastline and backdrop mountain range. Gorgeous! Yesterday Rachel and I walked along the coast, west to east across the city. Qingdao is green, clean and fairly affluent in comparison to the other parts of China I have experienced. I have seen a handful of foreigners and it seems they stare less here, which is a nice plus. Because of its seaside geography, Qingdao's menu is high on the fishy flavours. Mmmm. I am admittedly fearful of most of these creatures. It has been an adventure in fine fishy cuisine thus far, and no doubt it will continue. I refused the long shelled water worms that poke their head in and out (SICK- why would you want to EAT that?), but I did test out the waters in the ones that are covered in shells of all sizes and shapes. So far I am still alive and I don't look like a mermaid, so I'll keep trying to be brave, and try not to disappoint the locals too much. I do enjoy (and I'm not just faking it) the more regular flat looking, shell-less fishies. Tasty.
Today we climbed a mountain with Rachel's dad. Her parents are a lot of fun, despite the significant language barrier. They are kind, generous and quick to laugh.
This evening Rachel and I were spoiled at the Beauty Salon. Ahhhh. Foot massage. Back massage. Hand massage. Head massage. Facial. You get the picture!!!! And now you understand why I'm back in China, right?!! Ha, ha. Come for a visit and I'll share the experience with you!
Tomorrow I'm joining in the wedding celebration for Rachel's cousin. It will be a neat experience. Rachel and I are singing a song- the beloved Chinese pop hit that translates "I Love You Like the Mouse Loves the Rice". :) I'll let you know when our first CD hits the shelves...BAH!
Well, it seems that I hit a bit of a wall come 6pm- though tonight I was able to work hard and make it through the whole beauty salon bit. Anyway, it's now 10pm and I'm ready for bed. I'm not yet feeling "just right" just yet, but I'll get there. More to come on another night.
Good night from the City by the Sea!
However, I would say the best part of Qingdao is its beautiful coastline and backdrop mountain range. Gorgeous! Yesterday Rachel and I walked along the coast, west to east across the city. Qingdao is green, clean and fairly affluent in comparison to the other parts of China I have experienced. I have seen a handful of foreigners and it seems they stare less here, which is a nice plus. Because of its seaside geography, Qingdao's menu is high on the fishy flavours. Mmmm. I am admittedly fearful of most of these creatures. It has been an adventure in fine fishy cuisine thus far, and no doubt it will continue. I refused the long shelled water worms that poke their head in and out (SICK- why would you want to EAT that?), but I did test out the waters in the ones that are covered in shells of all sizes and shapes. So far I am still alive and I don't look like a mermaid, so I'll keep trying to be brave, and try not to disappoint the locals too much. I do enjoy (and I'm not just faking it) the more regular flat looking, shell-less fishies. Tasty.
Today we climbed a mountain with Rachel's dad. Her parents are a lot of fun, despite the significant language barrier. They are kind, generous and quick to laugh.
This evening Rachel and I were spoiled at the Beauty Salon. Ahhhh. Foot massage. Back massage. Hand massage. Head massage. Facial. You get the picture!!!! And now you understand why I'm back in China, right?!! Ha, ha. Come for a visit and I'll share the experience with you!
Tomorrow I'm joining in the wedding celebration for Rachel's cousin. It will be a neat experience. Rachel and I are singing a song- the beloved Chinese pop hit that translates "I Love You Like the Mouse Loves the Rice". :) I'll let you know when our first CD hits the shelves...BAH!
Well, it seems that I hit a bit of a wall come 6pm- though tonight I was able to work hard and make it through the whole beauty salon bit. Anyway, it's now 10pm and I'm ready for bed. I'm not yet feeling "just right" just yet, but I'll get there. More to come on another night.
Good night from the City by the Sea!
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