This year vs. last year

It my second year teaching at a local highschool in HK and I've noticed a couple differences in terms of how I yeah this year compared to last year. It's kind of interesting how things change

Last year I told the students I didn't know any Chinese and asked them not to speak to me in that language hoping that it would push them to practice their English. Instead, I found myself constantly worrying about being found out that I had lied to them. Whenever parents called or came to talk to me I got so nervous about speaking to them because my secret would be exposed. It ended up hurting my teaching more than it helped.

This year I just told my class st the start that I knew a little bit of Chinese, enough for me to understand that they are fussing each other or swearing in class. Kids have responded nicely and haven't hounded me asking whether I know Chinese. It's freed me up to actually talk to parents and focus on my teaching. It's a liberating feeling.

Another difference I've noticed is just how calm I am about things that have happened. Last year I stressed so much about what to do when, which rules needed to be obeyed, etc. This year things are more familiar and I don't stress the small stuff. When kids don't follow the rules I just explain what the expectations are and move on. When coworkers butt in and interrupt I just figure it's expected and the culture here. I just roll with it.

Last thing I've noticed is that I've been able to spend so much more time marking and doing actual planning during school as opposed to wedding planning every spare moment I had. It's nice because when it's 5, I cab clock out and go home. Not that its a badge of honour I am proud of, but I am happy that I am able to balance my work and home life to spend time with Michelle and continue building our marriage. It's important in a culture that values work at the expense of family. I'm glad that things are more familiar so that I can be more productive.

Overall I'm relate happy about this year. It's exciting because I feel free to do the actual parts of teaching I enjoy like interacting with kids and hopefully getting to know them as individuals. And what's more is that I was able to start a ball hockey club after school so that has me planning for practices and matches to come in the future!





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Medicare

It sucks being sick. Being sick in HK especially sucks because there is no Medicare. I realize how awesome it was to hbe consultations covered in Canada. I just had to spend about 80 CDN to see the doctor and get flu medicine for 6 days. I don't remember it ever being so pricey in Canada, but then again I don't remember a lot of things.

I should stick to not getting sick then I'd have no problems.




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Wedding Reflections

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve arrived back in Hong Kong to begin our teaching years. And though some things are familiar, (and even eerily comforting) like the constant hum of the air conditioner and anonymous crowds, we miss home. We miss the meaningful conversations and the heartfelt fellowship we can only find in friendships steeped through years of joys and heartache.

We are ever-grateful that we had the opportunity to share our wedding with the best of friends back home in Richmond. This is where we’ve grown up. This is where our faith was formed. This was where we were challenged to follow Christ with our band of believers and pursue Him recklessly. What an honour to celebrate with those who have walked with us over the years!

Over the last year, when Michelle and I planned our wedding, we really didn’t know what to expect. Frankly speaking, neither of us had ever given our wedding any thought. There were no dreamt-up childhood fantasies of a special wedding dress or a little white chapel. In fact, we hatched out most of our plans quite unromantically, bumbling around ideas and breaking etiquette. The fact that our wedding turned out is a testament to our friends- both to their love and competence.

Michelle and I joke about how God used our friends to hijack our wedding day. Throughout the planning we had just hoped for the best and prayed that somehow our wedding would be a testimony of God’s goodness in our lives. God took that prayer and showed us the full spectrum of his goodness. The sun blasted its radiance and held off the rain until the evening. All the details we had labored over for months were perfectly set by our friends and helpers. The music and sermon at the ceremony was awesome. Our polaroid cameras actually worked and our guests had fun! The day went so well.

At the end of the night many guests at the reception dinner commented that they could sense the deep love and fellowship we shared as a church community – that we had something that they had never really seen before. They saw a Christian community whole-heartedly celebrating not just the love between two people, but the love between the church as a body.  They shared that they could see a God who was real, who indeed changes people and works in wonderful ways to bring about His purposes and glory.

The thing that Michelle and I miss most about home is being able to celebrate with friends. Not just celebrate in extraordinary ways for weddings and such, but in the ordinary ways when we simply live life together. For in those moments of genuine fellowship, the body is united and Christ is shown to the world.