Well...I'm home.
My last week in China was somewhat crazy. My friend Karen ended up coming home from university and we spent a ton of time together. She helped me clean/pack my apartment and I went with her to visit her boyfriend's grandmother in the hospital until 11:30pm almost every day that last week. I got to meet many more people and ate meals in SO many different homes. The grandmother had cancer and had been in the hospital for 3 months already. I spent hours and hours with the lady along with an entire room-full of her family. Brushing her hair, washing her, turning her over etc. etc. There was lots of love in that hospital room!
On Wednesday morning (July 2) I was about to leave the town 'forever' when I got a call from Karen. Grandmother was dying and they wanted me to come. My last 4 hours in my Chinese hometown were spent washing the lady's body, prepping her coffin (removing sawdust and putting glue/tar on the coffin to seal the wood), and spending time with the grieving family. It really was very sad actually - as the body was being prepped the family was burning hell money and incense at the foot of the bed to scare away the ancestral spirits. I did not have my camera on me and even if I did I probably wouldn't have taken any pictures. It was sad and not like anything I'd ever seen before. I ended up leaving town that afternoon - after eating lunch with the family beside the coffin. The death put things in perspective for me - this lady was dead. Never coming back. I was only leaving to go to the other side of the world.
Home.
What somewhat surprised me is that nothing at home in Canada has really changed. When I drive through town I notice that the potholes are still there in the same places etc.
It's good to be back. China seems like something that happened long ago. No jet lag at all, whatsoever. A long to-do list but not really feeling busy. No real plans for the future (that's on my to-do list).
That's 'it'. Weird. I wonder what the next post on this blog will say...
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The last itsy bitsy bits.
Oh, I thought the last post was going to be my last on this side of the world. But, I guess I was wrong. I'm inspired to write even though I have a hundred other things I could be doing right now (isn't that always how it goes??).
I survived (I think deep inside I am somewhat surprised)! This afternoon I taught my last teachers lesson. I thought the end of teaching the teachers would never come - it was by FAR the most challenging and least fun class I had to teach (with the exception of last week). I don't think I will miss that class one bit at all whatsoever. Poor attitude huh?
So this evening I decided to go out for dinner. Wait...I have been going out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for the last week and a half or so because I don't want to buy any more food from the market. I am starting to clean up my kitchen and it's easier to just eat out and it might even be cheaper too. As I entered the restaurant I realized that I truly felt at home there. I just walked in, sat down, and didn't even have to ask for 'the usual' stirfry. At first they'd bring everything to my table, and serve me like in any other restaurant. But, I now get to grab my own bowl and chopstick from the sanitizing cabinet, scoop my own rice, and feel like a local person because the owners don't stare me down anymore while I am eating. Ha, I even eat like a Chinese person...slurp my soup, spit bones and fat on the ground, eat with my mouth open (owh, mom and dad would be so ashamed of me), throw napkins (which is really toilet paper) on the ground once I am done, and stay at the restaurant just to 'hang out'. Too bad I pretty much can't communicate at all with the owners...haha!
A week from tomorrow I'll be leaving this place. Still seems kinda surreal. As much as I feel like a foreigner - it does kinda feel like home here too. I know people all over town and they know me and there's not a 'walk' that goes by without running into at least 5 people I know. I shall miss them.
I'll be leaving Hong Kong on the 4th of July at 12:45pm on flight AC008 which should arrive in Vancouver at 10am on that same day (seems kinda odd - flying back in time). Then I'll have about 2 hours in Vancouver and I am hoping with all my heart that I'll be able to rush through customs and that all will go smoothly there so that I can hang out (at least for a few minutes) with my friend who's coming to see me at the airport. From there I'll head to Calgary and hope to arrive at 14:25pm on flight AC212. That will be the end of my 3-4 day trip home.
I'm hoping to leave here on the 2nd, then sleep in 'the city'. Then head from the city to the capital of this province. I haven't actually booked my flight from the capital of this province to Shenzhen yet (city right by Hong Kong) because I am hoping the prices will still go down. I'll stay in Shenzhen from the 3rd to the 4th of July. From there I'll have to catch an early morning ferry to take me to the Hong Kong airport. The 4th of July will be a looong day - good thing I enjoy traveling!
I enjoyed my 38th 2 hour massage today (since I came here in August)...which was probably my second last one. I've been spoiled. I am sure I will miss it!
Ok, time to do some more work. See you all soon!
I survived (I think deep inside I am somewhat surprised)! This afternoon I taught my last teachers lesson. I thought the end of teaching the teachers would never come - it was by FAR the most challenging and least fun class I had to teach (with the exception of last week). I don't think I will miss that class one bit at all whatsoever. Poor attitude huh?
So this evening I decided to go out for dinner. Wait...I have been going out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for the last week and a half or so because I don't want to buy any more food from the market. I am starting to clean up my kitchen and it's easier to just eat out and it might even be cheaper too. As I entered the restaurant I realized that I truly felt at home there. I just walked in, sat down, and didn't even have to ask for 'the usual' stirfry. At first they'd bring everything to my table, and serve me like in any other restaurant. But, I now get to grab my own bowl and chopstick from the sanitizing cabinet, scoop my own rice, and feel like a local person because the owners don't stare me down anymore while I am eating. Ha, I even eat like a Chinese person...slurp my soup, spit bones and fat on the ground, eat with my mouth open (owh, mom and dad would be so ashamed of me), throw napkins (which is really toilet paper) on the ground once I am done, and stay at the restaurant just to 'hang out'. Too bad I pretty much can't communicate at all with the owners...haha!
A week from tomorrow I'll be leaving this place. Still seems kinda surreal. As much as I feel like a foreigner - it does kinda feel like home here too. I know people all over town and they know me and there's not a 'walk' that goes by without running into at least 5 people I know. I shall miss them.
I'll be leaving Hong Kong on the 4th of July at 12:45pm on flight AC008 which should arrive in Vancouver at 10am on that same day (seems kinda odd - flying back in time). Then I'll have about 2 hours in Vancouver and I am hoping with all my heart that I'll be able to rush through customs and that all will go smoothly there so that I can hang out (at least for a few minutes) with my friend who's coming to see me at the airport. From there I'll head to Calgary and hope to arrive at 14:25pm on flight AC212. That will be the end of my 3-4 day trip home.
I'm hoping to leave here on the 2nd, then sleep in 'the city'. Then head from the city to the capital of this province. I haven't actually booked my flight from the capital of this province to Shenzhen yet (city right by Hong Kong) because I am hoping the prices will still go down. I'll stay in Shenzhen from the 3rd to the 4th of July. From there I'll have to catch an early morning ferry to take me to the Hong Kong airport. The 4th of July will be a looong day - good thing I enjoy traveling!
I enjoyed my 38th 2 hour massage today (since I came here in August)...which was probably my second last one. I've been spoiled. I am sure I will miss it!
Ok, time to do some more work. See you all soon!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Bits of this and that.
Yikes, I know I haven't posted for a long time when I have trouble remembering my Blogspot password - especially when I try some random passwords and find out that the password I use for everything else is also the one I use for Blogspot. :) How's that for security.
I kinda feel bad for not posting more often. But well. Time is drawing to a close here and I almost sorta feel like I'd rather just tell you about all my experiences in person. However, I thought I'd write another post before heading home - just to be able to say I wrote one this month :)
So, 2 days ago some of my students asked me for my picture. Some students as in...50 or so in 5 minutes. I figured I'd better be prepared so that evening I headed to a little photo shop in town where you can get pictures taken with cute backgrounds...and best of all...they fit 9 on 1 page. What a steal of a deal.
Sooooo...at about 8pm I get to the shop. And even though I am allowed to pick 9 different backgrounds I picked only one to save time (I was trying to hurry because I was hoping to get
a massage right after). They thought I was crazy...apparently picking backgrounds is the most fun part of taking the pictures. Owh well, once again proves that I'm the crazy foreigner.
Three of the 9 pictures
Got the background...asked for 10 sheets with 9 pictures each on them so that I'd be ready to give out 90 pictures right away. So I get into the little booth...feeling all awkward since ya kinda have to pose and smile and I had 5 people trying to peek through the curtain. After 5 pictures or so (out of the 9) 2 girls my age pulled back the curtain and hopped into the booth with me. They were saying they wanted their picture taken with me so I explained to them that I was getting 10 copies of each pose printed for my students.
And they looked at me like "Soooooo...what's the deal????".
Uhmm, I thought, "Wellllll, you are total strangers. Haven't seen you before in my life. I don't know if I necessarily want 9 pictures with you guys.....".
They didn't seem to get my point. They thought it'd be perfectly fine for them to be in the pictures I was planning to give to my students. They were stubborn.
I was trying to be all nice and said "Oh, ok, just one picture...".
So, we took one picture. And then I looked at them like "OOOOK...time to get lost now...".
But they started posing again and invading my personal space once again because they all thought they needed to fit in that tiny picture a second time.
Then I was like "Noooo no no, you guys. No.".
I actually had to push them out of the booth since they weren't going to listen to me. I finished the posing process and got the lady at the shop to print the pictures. Lovely...except that one picture with 3 girls where I have that "what are you doing???" look on my face. Sigh. As if that wasn't enough.
I paid a pretty penny for the 90 pictures and then the girls started taking the pictures they loved (about 60 of them) and were like..."We're going to take these and give them to our friends, OK?".
I was like "OK??? NO! Not ok. They are for my students!"
(by this point I was frustrated. I had gotten picture like it taken before and it only took about 15 minutes that time while this time I had already been in the shop for an hour and a half).
I started taking them back but they were visibly upset so I took 40 they took 50 of the 90 pictures. And now...now I am dreading going back to the place to get more pictures taken for my students. Had I known lots of the Chinese language I would have explained to them how annoyed I was but well...it was probably better that I didn't have the language ability to express myself. (I get annoyed each time I think back to that evening...grrrr) :) Oh, and I still went for my massage...just meant I wasn't home till 11:30pm.
Anyway, earlier that day I had been enjoying teaching the teachers. I know!!!! I never thought I'd say that. You see, we were playing this game called "Guess Who" or "Who Is It" (different versions/different names). If you recognize the faces below then you know what I'm talking about.
Anyway, I decided to play the game with the teachers...thinking that if they played it in partners they would individually get decent speaking/listening practice.
You know how when people in North America play the game they will ask things like
"Does he/she have brown hair?"
or
"Is he wearing glasses?"
Well...it was SO funny hearing how the teachers described the people. Seriously, I started walking around the classroom with pen and paper just so I could write down quotes.
"Is she beautiful?"
"Does he look kind?"
"Does he wear a beautiful hat?"
"Is the person feeling happy?"
"Is she a man?"
And then there was the teachers who already knew who her partner's 'person' was but she just kept asking a million questions just so she could speak English. Oooook then, fine by me...made that activity last longer than it ever needed to be.
They had no idea why it was so funny to me. Perhaps I have developed a (more) lame sense of humor out here in the boonies.
At this point I have one more student class and one more teachers class to go. I am not feeling as though I am leaving here any time soon though so it's not too horribly difficult to teach these last classes. Which is nice. The students are LOVING the gifts I made them. (see picture below), which I am thankful for. Making gifts for all my students always tends to be more work than I anticipate.
A little piece of cardstock with a Canadian penny taped to it and the following message:
"When you see this coin, remember:
Your life is much more valuable than money.
You wouldn't waste money, so...
...don't waste your life - make it something beautiful!"
Farewell you all. I hope to meet you again in person soon. :)
I kinda feel bad for not posting more often. But well. Time is drawing to a close here and I almost sorta feel like I'd rather just tell you about all my experiences in person. However, I thought I'd write another post before heading home - just to be able to say I wrote one this month :)
So, 2 days ago some of my students asked me for my picture. Some students as in...50 or so in 5 minutes. I figured I'd better be prepared so that evening I headed to a little photo shop in town where you can get pictures taken with cute backgrounds...and best of all...they fit 9 on 1 page. What a steal of a deal.
Sooooo...at about 8pm I get to the shop. And even though I am allowed to pick 9 different backgrounds I picked only one to save time (I was trying to hurry because I was hoping to get
a massage right after). They thought I was crazy...apparently picking backgrounds is the most fun part of taking the pictures. Owh well, once again proves that I'm the crazy foreigner.
Three of the 9 picturesAnd they looked at me like "Soooooo...what's the deal????".
Uhmm, I thought, "Wellllll, you are total strangers. Haven't seen you before in my life. I don't know if I necessarily want 9 pictures with you guys.....".
They didn't seem to get my point. They thought it'd be perfectly fine for them to be in the pictures I was planning to give to my students. They were stubborn.
I was trying to be all nice and said "Oh, ok, just one picture...".
So, we took one picture. And then I looked at them like "OOOOK...time to get lost now...".
But they started posing again and invading my personal space once again because they all thought they needed to fit in that tiny picture a second time.
Then I was like "Noooo no no, you guys. No.".
I actually had to push them out of the booth since they weren't going to listen to me. I finished the posing process and got the lady at the shop to print the pictures. Lovely...except that one picture with 3 girls where I have that "what are you doing???" look on my face. Sigh. As if that wasn't enough.
I paid a pretty penny for the 90 pictures and then the girls started taking the pictures they loved (about 60 of them) and were like..."We're going to take these and give them to our friends, OK?".
I was like "OK??? NO! Not ok. They are for my students!"
(by this point I was frustrated. I had gotten picture like it taken before and it only took about 15 minutes that time while this time I had already been in the shop for an hour and a half).
I started taking them back but they were visibly upset so I took 40 they took 50 of the 90 pictures. And now...now I am dreading going back to the place to get more pictures taken for my students. Had I known lots of the Chinese language I would have explained to them how annoyed I was but well...it was probably better that I didn't have the language ability to express myself. (I get annoyed each time I think back to that evening...grrrr) :) Oh, and I still went for my massage...just meant I wasn't home till 11:30pm.
Anyway, earlier that day I had been enjoying teaching the teachers. I know!!!! I never thought I'd say that. You see, we were playing this game called "Guess Who" or "Who Is It" (different versions/different names). If you recognize the faces below then you know what I'm talking about.
Anyway, I decided to play the game with the teachers...thinking that if they played it in partners they would individually get decent speaking/listening practice.
You know how when people in North America play the game they will ask things like
"Does he/she have brown hair?"
or
"Is he wearing glasses?"
Well...it was SO funny hearing how the teachers described the people. Seriously, I started walking around the classroom with pen and paper just so I could write down quotes.
"Is she beautiful?"
"Does he look kind?"
"Does he wear a beautiful hat?"
"Is the person feeling happy?"
"Is she a man?"
And then there was the teachers who already knew who her partner's 'person' was but she just kept asking a million questions just so she could speak English. Oooook then, fine by me...made that activity last longer than it ever needed to be.
They had no idea why it was so funny to me. Perhaps I have developed a (more) lame sense of humor out here in the boonies.
At this point I have one more student class and one more teachers class to go. I am not feeling as though I am leaving here any time soon though so it's not too horribly difficult to teach these last classes. Which is nice. The students are LOVING the gifts I made them. (see picture below), which I am thankful for. Making gifts for all my students always tends to be more work than I anticipate.
A little piece of cardstock with a Canadian penny taped to it and the following message: "When you see this coin, remember:
Your life is much more valuable than money.
You wouldn't waste money, so...
...don't waste your life - make it something beautiful!"
And to finish off...a picture of that latest interesting critter I found in my bathroom the other day. It just keeps getting better...spiders, cockroaches, centipedes, lizards...what's next, a snake?? Oh, I wouldn't put it past this place...
Farewell you all. I hope to meet you again in person soon. :)
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The final stretch...
Well, I really have nothing exciting to post today. To be honest...I am feeling somewhat lousy for several reasons.
1) Physically I haven't been feeling well these last few days. It started out with a bit of a cold (though in general my respiratory system isn't handling the pollution here so well) and now it seems like more of a flu. Yesterday I felt sick to my stomach all day and I was so happy when I finally puked (sorry for that...). I was up most of the night (except for the 2 hours when I had a nightmare about surviving an earthquake but being stuck in the rubble - only to wake up to a massive thunderstorm). I did eat some food earlier today but I'm starting to feel like maybe that was a bad idea as well. Add to that a headache and sore muscles.
However...it hasn't been ALL bad - I got to be in bed allll day, Suzanne came over to drop off some food and to take care of me for a bit, and I got to read some good books. I was relieved about the fact that no students stopped by today - I think I would have been tempted to pretend I wasn't home... All in all it was WAY more of a relaxing Saturday than I normally would have had. Probably good to have a break like this every now and then...
2) I am tired of thoughts about the future. I feel like I had 2 great options a week ago: work/school. I ended up turning down the job offer and decided to pursue a Masters in Counseling. However, after sending in my application etc. I got an email from the admissions counselor saying that the program is not quite like he had described it before. He explained how the program was set up and now I am not quite sure about that option anymore either.
I think at this point I am just tired of doing everything through email. I've been teaching 7am classes so I never feel like staying up late enough in the evenings to phone during North American business hours. All in all I am just 'fed up with it'. I think I'll just forget about everything and wait till I get home. It'll be much easier to organize things from there. So...I guess I am back at square 1. I might work. I might go to school. I might be a bum for the rest of my life. I am sure things will work out - they always do! :)
3) The 'news' of the earthquake is sinking in here. On the 19th of May at 2:30pm (exactly 7 days after the earthquake) there were 3 minutes of 'silence' - though cars were honking and sirens were heard for those 3 minutes as well - the sound of wailing. This country is clearly in mourning. It's been a difficult year for China...
Wow...I hope all this didn't make you feel lousy as well :)
I must say I am thankful for how the thunder/rain storm last night made everything green and fresh and smell good. The sun was shining this afternoon and it was great to hear the students playing in the school yard during their 24 hours of no class. I haven't been without power for quite a while. I have more than enough food to eat (for when I feel like it). I don't have to spend oodles of money on gas because I can walk everywhere. Living in the mountains is great. The apartment which I live in is much bigger and nicer than I need. And I feel loved.
1) Physically I haven't been feeling well these last few days. It started out with a bit of a cold (though in general my respiratory system isn't handling the pollution here so well) and now it seems like more of a flu. Yesterday I felt sick to my stomach all day and I was so happy when I finally puked (sorry for that...). I was up most of the night (except for the 2 hours when I had a nightmare about surviving an earthquake but being stuck in the rubble - only to wake up to a massive thunderstorm). I did eat some food earlier today but I'm starting to feel like maybe that was a bad idea as well. Add to that a headache and sore muscles.
However...it hasn't been ALL bad - I got to be in bed allll day, Suzanne came over to drop off some food and to take care of me for a bit, and I got to read some good books. I was relieved about the fact that no students stopped by today - I think I would have been tempted to pretend I wasn't home... All in all it was WAY more of a relaxing Saturday than I normally would have had. Probably good to have a break like this every now and then...
2) I am tired of thoughts about the future. I feel like I had 2 great options a week ago: work/school. I ended up turning down the job offer and decided to pursue a Masters in Counseling. However, after sending in my application etc. I got an email from the admissions counselor saying that the program is not quite like he had described it before. He explained how the program was set up and now I am not quite sure about that option anymore either.
I think at this point I am just tired of doing everything through email. I've been teaching 7am classes so I never feel like staying up late enough in the evenings to phone during North American business hours. All in all I am just 'fed up with it'. I think I'll just forget about everything and wait till I get home. It'll be much easier to organize things from there. So...I guess I am back at square 1. I might work. I might go to school. I might be a bum for the rest of my life. I am sure things will work out - they always do! :)
3) The 'news' of the earthquake is sinking in here. On the 19th of May at 2:30pm (exactly 7 days after the earthquake) there were 3 minutes of 'silence' - though cars were honking and sirens were heard for those 3 minutes as well - the sound of wailing. This country is clearly in mourning. It's been a difficult year for China...
Wow...I hope all this didn't make you feel lousy as well :)
I must say I am thankful for how the thunder/rain storm last night made everything green and fresh and smell good. The sun was shining this afternoon and it was great to hear the students playing in the school yard during their 24 hours of no class. I haven't been without power for quite a while. I have more than enough food to eat (for when I feel like it). I don't have to spend oodles of money on gas because I can walk everywhere. Living in the mountains is great. The apartment which I live in is much bigger and nicer than I need. And I feel loved.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
A week later...
Wow...only 1 week has passed since my last post but I feel like many, many things have happened.
First of all: earthquake.
On Monday, May 12th at exactly 2:30pm I was working at my computer in my apartment on the 7th floor. Normally I wouldn't remember that kinda stuff but this time as I was typing my building started shaking and swaying back and forth. First I thought it was my imagination (I'd gotten up early that morning and well...perhaps it was nap time) but then I noticed that my full glass of water was spilling over, the new wind chimes I'd just received from a friend started clanging together, and some people on the school yard were looking up at the tall buildings. So I quickly called a friend and asked "Hey, what's going on? Is your building shaking as well??". Anyway, she said she was already on her way down to the school yard to get away from her building so I did the same...I probably made it down the 14 flights of stairs in record time! Once I was down on the school yard I couldn't feel any tremors anymore. Eventually we headed back to our apartments. I think I was a little paranoid yet that afternoon...I kept looking at my glass of water. Also, at that time we didn't know yet that a bad earthquake had devastated the neighboring province, we were wondering if the tremors we had felt were preceding a massive earthquake in our area. Well, turned out that what we felt WAS the massive earthquake... More on that later.
Well...I've made up my mind - I turned down a great job offer (offered to me the end of last week). A few days ago I already told my family I had decided to go back to school instead of going to work but I 'secretly' decided to not make it 'official' by not sending out an email saying 'I decline'. I think I still wanted there to be the option of a safe and secure career. Well, this afternoon I made up my mind - I declined the job offer and trust that I will be accepted into a Master of Arts in Counseling program for the Fall semester. Ah, I am SO SO SO SO happy that decision is made and that I can't turn back and that if I regret this later I have no one to blame but myself.
On Sunday (May 11th) I went on a class outing with one of my grade 10 classes. It was one of the most fun days I've had yet in China.
It was a super fun opportunity to get to know my students outside of a classroom setting! The school outing consisted of meeting at the school at 7am. Walking for 1 hour to get to a beautiful spot by a river. Making a HUGE fancy lunch together over little fires, playing badminton, flying a kite, biking, playing chess, swimming in the river etc. 
I am still amazed at how little grade 10 students can throw together such a huge delicious meal over a little campfire. I shouldn't be so surprised though...many of them don't have much more than a fire at home to cook on. 
By 5pm we started heading back - by that time we were all exhausted but we still had to drag all the equipment back. Owh well, I am SO glad I went!! (pictures on facebook)
And last, the thought motivating me to write this post: It feels to me as though this word is crumbling into little pieces. I don't know if there is actually more devastation around me now or if I am just more aware of it, but it definitely hit me this evening.
- The insane snow-storms in China in January/February - people are still trying to recover.
- The recent earthquake in Sichuan province, China. The death-toll is now quickly rising. Oh the pain...
- The cyclone in Myanmar. Also indescribable anguish among survivors.
- The little boy back home who's dying of Cancer...
Those are only a few examples of what's been running through my mind this evening. And then to think that things will fall apart even more before everything is made perfect...
First of all: earthquake.
On Monday, May 12th at exactly 2:30pm I was working at my computer in my apartment on the 7th floor. Normally I wouldn't remember that kinda stuff but this time as I was typing my building started shaking and swaying back and forth. First I thought it was my imagination (I'd gotten up early that morning and well...perhaps it was nap time) but then I noticed that my full glass of water was spilling over, the new wind chimes I'd just received from a friend started clanging together, and some people on the school yard were looking up at the tall buildings. So I quickly called a friend and asked "Hey, what's going on? Is your building shaking as well??". Anyway, she said she was already on her way down to the school yard to get away from her building so I did the same...I probably made it down the 14 flights of stairs in record time! Once I was down on the school yard I couldn't feel any tremors anymore. Eventually we headed back to our apartments. I think I was a little paranoid yet that afternoon...I kept looking at my glass of water. Also, at that time we didn't know yet that a bad earthquake had devastated the neighboring province, we were wondering if the tremors we had felt were preceding a massive earthquake in our area. Well, turned out that what we felt WAS the massive earthquake... More on that later.
Well...I've made up my mind - I turned down a great job offer (offered to me the end of last week). A few days ago I already told my family I had decided to go back to school instead of going to work but I 'secretly' decided to not make it 'official' by not sending out an email saying 'I decline'. I think I still wanted there to be the option of a safe and secure career. Well, this afternoon I made up my mind - I declined the job offer and trust that I will be accepted into a Master of Arts in Counseling program for the Fall semester. Ah, I am SO SO SO SO happy that decision is made and that I can't turn back and that if I regret this later I have no one to blame but myself.
On Sunday (May 11th) I went on a class outing with one of my grade 10 classes. It was one of the most fun days I've had yet in China.
It was a super fun opportunity to get to know my students outside of a classroom setting! The school outing consisted of meeting at the school at 7am. Walking for 1 hour to get to a beautiful spot by a river. Making a HUGE fancy lunch together over little fires, playing badminton, flying a kite, biking, playing chess, swimming in the river etc. 
I am still amazed at how little grade 10 students can throw together such a huge delicious meal over a little campfire. I shouldn't be so surprised though...many of them don't have much more than a fire at home to cook on. 
By 5pm we started heading back - by that time we were all exhausted but we still had to drag all the equipment back. Owh well, I am SO glad I went!! (pictures on facebook)And last, the thought motivating me to write this post: It feels to me as though this word is crumbling into little pieces. I don't know if there is actually more devastation around me now or if I am just more aware of it, but it definitely hit me this evening.
- The insane snow-storms in China in January/February - people are still trying to recover.
- The recent earthquake in Sichuan province, China. The death-toll is now quickly rising. Oh the pain...
- The cyclone in Myanmar. Also indescribable anguish among survivors.
- The little boy back home who's dying of Cancer...
Those are only a few examples of what's been running through my mind this evening. And then to think that things will fall apart even more before everything is made perfect...
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
A (productive) day in the life of me.
I just had the most productive day ever and I am going to write about it...that's how excited I am! It feels like I did a month's worth of work today so I figure I might as well add a blog-post to the deal. So, today I:
- Slept until 9. (I know, that's quite late but I had to stay up until late into the night to talk to University admissions counselors on the other side of the world - owh the joys of 14 hour time difference).
- Showered.
- Made my bed - only just starting to get into the habit.
- Made a banana-mango-pineapple-strawberry-orange smoothie for breakfast.
- Read Book.
- Did dishes (yup...they were still there from yesterday).
- Sent out a total of 8 emails, chatted with 4 people, and talked on the phone with 9 people.
- Folded the laundry that had been drying for 2 days.
- Did another load of laundry (which is A LOT more work in China than Canada!).
- Prepared a lesson about Canada for my Senior 2 (Grade 11) classes.
- Swept and mopped all my floors.
- Swept and mopped the stairs going up to my apartment.
- Taught my Senior 1 (Grade 10) Class 11 this afternoon.
- Prepared a lesson about Friendship for my Senior 1 classes for next week.
- Picked up the latest handouts from 'the press' (I've been making handouts even though it wasn't 'encouraged' - it makes my life an awful lot easier!).
- Researched more Universities online.
- Filled out a University Application (Providence, Manitoba).
- Got caught up on all my finance paper stuff.
- Got to read the news paper online.
- Started filling a small suitcase of stuff I would like to send home via mail prior to my departure here.
- Made an elaborate Chinese dinner which consisted of 4 different types of dishes.
- Organized the clothes in my closet (organize as in fold the clothes I had just thrown in there this last week).
-
-
- Ok, I can't think of anything else except when I am done this post I can add this to the list as well.
Oh how good it feels to have a productive day every now and then!
Hmm...about universities (I can't remember if I wrote about this in previous posts and I can't look back because it's all blocked from here and I used up all my 'proxy bandwidth' for the day)...
Anyway, C.I.U. in South Carolina is probably a no-go for several reasons (too long to explain on here). I am seriously thinking about applying for the Master of Arts in Counseling @ Providence in Manitoba though. I am still trying to decide whether I would want to go to Manitoba and take it there or if I want to take their extension program that they offer through Ambrose in Calgary. I guess it sounds like I am somewhat moving forward into the future though! YAY...I am making decisions.
Speaking of decision (can't remember if I mentioned this before either)...I purchased my flight home. July 4th @ 14:25 in Calgary.
About 4 days ago I sent out a message to my Chinese friends who are in universities all over China. I just wanted to let them know I had bought my return ticket and that I was hoping I'd have a chance to see each of them yet before I leave. Then, 2 days ago I got a message from my friend, Sky, asking me if I liked surprises. So I replied with 'I love any good surprise'. The second I hit 'send' I heard knocking at my door and who was standing in front of me when I opened the door...none other than Sky. Woah...CRAZY. He actually stepped on the train not soon after he got my message - he said school wasn't going to be finished by the time I leave China so he wanted to come say goodbye now. His train ride was 16 hours long (yeah, his university is quite a ways away) and then it was another 4 hours on the bus. Hmmm...crazy kid! So anyway, we've been able to hang out a bit. I went to his home yesterday afternoon for lunch and tomorrow he'll be off to college again. I'll be honest, it's a little creepy but kind nonetheless (and a great surprise - owh how I love it when people do that to me!).
Ok, it's time for bed for me now...good morning to you all. Goodnight to me.
- Slept until 9. (I know, that's quite late but I had to stay up until late into the night to talk to University admissions counselors on the other side of the world - owh the joys of 14 hour time difference).
- Showered.
- Made my bed - only just starting to get into the habit.
- Made a banana-mango-pineapple-strawberry-orange smoothie for breakfast.
- Read Book.
- Did dishes (yup...they were still there from yesterday).
- Sent out a total of 8 emails, chatted with 4 people, and talked on the phone with 9 people.
- Folded the laundry that had been drying for 2 days.
- Did another load of laundry (which is A LOT more work in China than Canada!).
- Prepared a lesson about Canada for my Senior 2 (Grade 11) classes.
- Swept and mopped all my floors.
- Swept and mopped the stairs going up to my apartment.
- Taught my Senior 1 (Grade 10) Class 11 this afternoon.
- Prepared a lesson about Friendship for my Senior 1 classes for next week.
- Picked up the latest handouts from 'the press' (I've been making handouts even though it wasn't 'encouraged' - it makes my life an awful lot easier!).
- Researched more Universities online.
- Filled out a University Application (Providence, Manitoba).
- Got caught up on all my finance paper stuff.
- Got to read the news paper online.
- Started filling a small suitcase of stuff I would like to send home via mail prior to my departure here.
- Made an elaborate Chinese dinner which consisted of 4 different types of dishes.
- Organized the clothes in my closet (organize as in fold the clothes I had just thrown in there this last week).
-
-
- Ok, I can't think of anything else except when I am done this post I can add this to the list as well.
Oh how good it feels to have a productive day every now and then!
Hmm...about universities (I can't remember if I wrote about this in previous posts and I can't look back because it's all blocked from here and I used up all my 'proxy bandwidth' for the day)...
Anyway, C.I.U. in South Carolina is probably a no-go for several reasons (too long to explain on here). I am seriously thinking about applying for the Master of Arts in Counseling @ Providence in Manitoba though. I am still trying to decide whether I would want to go to Manitoba and take it there or if I want to take their extension program that they offer through Ambrose in Calgary. I guess it sounds like I am somewhat moving forward into the future though! YAY...I am making decisions.
Speaking of decision (can't remember if I mentioned this before either)...I purchased my flight home. July 4th @ 14:25 in Calgary.
About 4 days ago I sent out a message to my Chinese friends who are in universities all over China. I just wanted to let them know I had bought my return ticket and that I was hoping I'd have a chance to see each of them yet before I leave. Then, 2 days ago I got a message from my friend, Sky, asking me if I liked surprises. So I replied with 'I love any good surprise'. The second I hit 'send' I heard knocking at my door and who was standing in front of me when I opened the door...none other than Sky. Woah...CRAZY. He actually stepped on the train not soon after he got my message - he said school wasn't going to be finished by the time I leave China so he wanted to come say goodbye now. His train ride was 16 hours long (yeah, his university is quite a ways away) and then it was another 4 hours on the bus. Hmmm...crazy kid! So anyway, we've been able to hang out a bit. I went to his home yesterday afternoon for lunch and tomorrow he'll be off to college again. I'll be honest, it's a little creepy but kind nonetheless (and a great surprise - owh how I love it when people do that to me!).
Ok, it's time for bed for me now...good morning to you all. Goodnight to me.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Zhang Bu and more...
Woh, how embarrassing...I can't believe I haven't posted anything for so long (for a second there I thought I'd forgotten my password - proves my point). The longer I wait each time the more I want to put it off because, well...experiences start piling up and after a while it starts to seem like more of a 'task' to keep this thing updated than just a fun way of processing things. However, tonight I am excited to write a bit! I guess it's been a month since I updated my blog and I don't really know where I left off so I'll just start randomly...
The weather has definitely been warming up. It's not always sunny but it is definitely almost always hot and humid! So far I haven't minded too much - I definitely prefer the warm over the cold. Funny...in class I usually grab anything and use it as a fan (not uncommon - even the students do it). The other day (while fanning myself with a random piece of paper) I was scolding a student because he was disrupting the class. It was clear that he could hardly understand me as I was telling him to be quiet but I am sure he got the point simply by looking at my face. As soon as I was done my little disciplining session he pulled a beautiful and colorful Chinese fan out of his desk, opened it up, put it in my hand and said "for you, teacher!". Little brat, I couldn't help but smile. Smooth kiddo, smooth!
(1.5 hours later - after playing games and drinking smoothies with some students who stopped by...)
The last month has been very much routine again. I am teaching fewer classes than last semester which is somewhat nice. One Thursday evening at 9:15pm I got a call from a headmaster at the school and he told me I would be teaching my gao san (grade 12) classes for the last time that week. I had some sort of 'telephone conversations' class planned for that week - not exactly a lesson I wanted to end the school year with... So that Thursday night I threw together a somewhat more meaningful lesson (not sure if it was exactly the lesson I would have picked if I'd had more to plan it but it was ok). So, the next morning at 7:20 I taught one of my last grade 12 classes. I ended up teaching the song "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts. It was quite fun and a good 1/2 hour of relaxing for the hugely stressed and over-worked students! No more grade 12 for me...
Two nights ago I purchased my return ticket back to Calgary. I should be arriving home on Friday, July 4th at about 2:25pm...I'll leave Hong Kong on the same day at 12:45pm so I'll be arriving 2 hours after leaving - although there will be a whole lot of traveling in between!! I'm excited and yet I do sense that it's so bittersweet (I remember using that same word on my first post on this blog about 10 months ago when I was preparing to leave Canada). I have decided that one of the crappiest things in life is saying good-bye to people...it's just rotten (especially when there's a chance you'll never EVER see the people again!). Having said that...I am going to cherish my last 2 months here!
Last week Karen came home again. Ridiculous. I finally asked her "what the heck are you doing home so often...shouldn't you be in school???". I mean, each time she comes home from university it's 11 hours on the train 1 way (that doesn't even include the 2 hours on the bus). She said that she missed home and that she wants to spend as much time together with me now that I am still on this side of the world. What a crazy thought! Well...it's true - whenever she's home we spend a ton of time together and don't seem to waste a minute.
The first day Karen was back in town last week she came over to my house with a bag of vegetables from the market. When I opened the door she said "I need to teach you how to make Chinese food for your family when you go back to Canada". So...I learned how to make some more Chinese food. I think the food tastes really good in general and the super hot and spicy pepper is definitely starting to grow on me (even for breakfast!) but the food is soooo greasy and salty (it doesn't taste salty but they use a ton of it)! Perhaps I'll prepare it every now and then when I go home but I don't think it'll be a daily thing (partly also because I doubt I'll be able to get some of the key ingredients in Canada - Lacombe that is).
Yesterday we went to Zhang Bu with 5 of Karen's friends from college who came to visit. Zhang Bu is a beautiful park/village in this province and I am so glad I got to go!! Karen's family rented a van and a driver for us for the day which was much more convenient than having to take a bus. Right after I taught my 10:10am class I headed over to Karen's home. First we ate at a wedding lunch and then we were on our way. The bus ride was about 2 hours but it was beautiful...again, I am SO thankful I get to live in the mountains for a year and that the weather has been warm and that everything is green again! Anyway, I'll post some Zhang Bu pictures because I don't know how to describe it.
The weather has definitely been warming up. It's not always sunny but it is definitely almost always hot and humid! So far I haven't minded too much - I definitely prefer the warm over the cold. Funny...in class I usually grab anything and use it as a fan (not uncommon - even the students do it). The other day (while fanning myself with a random piece of paper) I was scolding a student because he was disrupting the class. It was clear that he could hardly understand me as I was telling him to be quiet but I am sure he got the point simply by looking at my face. As soon as I was done my little disciplining session he pulled a beautiful and colorful Chinese fan out of his desk, opened it up, put it in my hand and said "for you, teacher!". Little brat, I couldn't help but smile. Smooth kiddo, smooth!
(1.5 hours later - after playing games and drinking smoothies with some students who stopped by...)
The last month has been very much routine again. I am teaching fewer classes than last semester which is somewhat nice. One Thursday evening at 9:15pm I got a call from a headmaster at the school and he told me I would be teaching my gao san (grade 12) classes for the last time that week. I had some sort of 'telephone conversations' class planned for that week - not exactly a lesson I wanted to end the school year with... So that Thursday night I threw together a somewhat more meaningful lesson (not sure if it was exactly the lesson I would have picked if I'd had more to plan it but it was ok). So, the next morning at 7:20 I taught one of my last grade 12 classes. I ended up teaching the song "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts. It was quite fun and a good 1/2 hour of relaxing for the hugely stressed and over-worked students! No more grade 12 for me...
Two nights ago I purchased my return ticket back to Calgary. I should be arriving home on Friday, July 4th at about 2:25pm...I'll leave Hong Kong on the same day at 12:45pm so I'll be arriving 2 hours after leaving - although there will be a whole lot of traveling in between!! I'm excited and yet I do sense that it's so bittersweet (I remember using that same word on my first post on this blog about 10 months ago when I was preparing to leave Canada). I have decided that one of the crappiest things in life is saying good-bye to people...it's just rotten (especially when there's a chance you'll never EVER see the people again!). Having said that...I am going to cherish my last 2 months here!
Last week Karen came home again. Ridiculous. I finally asked her "what the heck are you doing home so often...shouldn't you be in school???". I mean, each time she comes home from university it's 11 hours on the train 1 way (that doesn't even include the 2 hours on the bus). She said that she missed home and that she wants to spend as much time together with me now that I am still on this side of the world. What a crazy thought! Well...it's true - whenever she's home we spend a ton of time together and don't seem to waste a minute.
The first day Karen was back in town last week she came over to my house with a bag of vegetables from the market. When I opened the door she said "I need to teach you how to make Chinese food for your family when you go back to Canada". So...I learned how to make some more Chinese food. I think the food tastes really good in general and the super hot and spicy pepper is definitely starting to grow on me (even for breakfast!) but the food is soooo greasy and salty (it doesn't taste salty but they use a ton of it)! Perhaps I'll prepare it every now and then when I go home but I don't think it'll be a daily thing (partly also because I doubt I'll be able to get some of the key ingredients in Canada - Lacombe that is).
Yesterday we went to Zhang Bu with 5 of Karen's friends from college who came to visit. Zhang Bu is a beautiful park/village in this province and I am so glad I got to go!! Karen's family rented a van and a driver for us for the day which was much more convenient than having to take a bus. Right after I taught my 10:10am class I headed over to Karen's home. First we ate at a wedding lunch and then we were on our way. The bus ride was about 2 hours but it was beautiful...again, I am SO thankful I get to live in the mountains for a year and that the weather has been warm and that everything is green again! Anyway, I'll post some Zhang Bu pictures because I don't know how to describe it.
Karen and I at the entrance of Zhang Bu park.
Some local woman who are from the Buyi minority group. They were singing a song in their local dialect.
A buyi woman cleaning chickens. Perhaps we ate one of them for dinner later??
Gorgeous waterfall.
Karen and I
Perhaps you notice some of the writing on this rock - they are Chinese characters. Around here it is widely believed that the words were formed naturally - no humans involved. The words mean "China Communist Party"
Neat bridge.
We walked inside a HUGE cave for about an hour. It was soo neat!
In order to get out of the cave we had to take a boat-taxi. It was so fun!
In order to get to the exit of the park everyone had to walk on this little path of unsteady rocks through the river (unless you wanted to walk for 3 hours to get back to the entrance for 3 hours). It was really quite fun and not something you would typically experience at a touristy park in North America (the faces/gates would be chin high -for me, anyway- in North America).Hmm, it's bedtime for me... (abrupt ending). Thanks for reading this. I hope to meet many of you again in about 2 months and I am SO excited for that! For now I'll cherish my time here :) With love...
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