Always an Adventure...

With only 10 days until I return home, I've been thinking with much anticipation about the friends I'll be meeting this summer. I've got some amazing friends and family back home whom I only get to see once a year, if that. This summer, I'm flying to see a friend of almost 20 years whom I haven't seen in 5! I wish I could see everyone every time I go home, but with time, money, and geography, it's just not possible. Plus there are so many Taiwan friends who have returned to North America that I would love to see in addition to the Canadian friends I left behind 10 years ago. It's really hard for me sometimes to choose to see someone, or not to make the trip to see someone, to impose myself on people helplessly (I'd love to visit you, but I'll need you to drive me an hour or more to an airport afterward), and to have to say "you only get a few hours of my time" when it would take much, much longer for us to catch up. I also don't want i...

Recently there has been a lot of bad news coming my way. In the past few weeks there was news of two sudden deaths from afar. It is really hard to grieve when you are not there with everyone else, especially for an avoider like me. But as a friend recently reminded me, it doesn't make sense for us to wait until the end of someone's life to express how much they meant to us and how much we appreciate them. This is something we should tell them NOW, while they can still hear us. So here are some goodbye thoughts for those who have moved on, and coming up, I hope to post some #sayitnow words of gratitude and appreciation to people who have impacted my life! Auntie Mona Yours was the first wedding I remember going to, and I remember as a child always thinking you were so beautiful . But even more than that, you were the aunt that always took the time to talk with us kids. You would do our hair sometimes, and compliment us, and just make us feel like we mattered. One memory ...

It's a new year, and just like last year , I wanted to ask God to give me word for the new year, to guide me, to inspire me, and to be a theme for me. I've been thinking about this for a couple of weeks, and the word freedom popped into my head one day as I was walking, but it didn't seem quite right...too easy almost... so I kept thinking, then I started sharing with people that I was looking for a word, and the pressure was on, I knew they would ask me what I chose...or what chose me! As I went through a fun long weekend and an enjoyable New Year's Eve with friends, I still didn't really have a word... just before bed, I read a verse from Streams in the Desert which came from Deuteronomy 11, here set on the background of my view of Taipei 101 on new year's eve: It kind of inspired me to remember that God is there among all the beginnings and endings. In fact, 2012 was a year of many endings for me. The end of my 20s, the completion of my master's degr...

1.           I've been having too much fun being 30! 2.           I got assigned to a new work project in May 3.           I traveled around Taiwan doing workshops in May and June 4.           I was visiting Turtle Island for the first time 5.           I was teaching myself how to use Microsoft Excel so I could finish my MA research paper 6.           I was only sleeping 4 hours a night prior to finishing said paper 7.           I was editing my paper 8.           I was finding somewhere to get my paper printed and bound 9.           I was preparing my resear...

Life just keeps going at breakneck speed. It is just over two weeks until my birthday, and I have 4 more blogs to write! This week has been a pretty typical week:  Teaching at the girls school (their annual school fair is this weekend, which I'm looking forward to) English bible study (a small but sweet group of low level students in the small town of Zhuang-Wei outside of Yilan)  Small group (meeting in my home since October, we're in James chapter 4 now)  Writing tests (never ending)  Doing homework (ironically, my project due Monday is to create an achievement test)  Teaching in Hualian (funny story - the school has been asking me to do more classes, even offered to pay me directly. I really do like the school, so I emailed our office and recommended that we could add a couple more classes this semester. I got back a proposed schedule of 8 more classes in the next two months which would have me going to Hualian almost every week... inch - meet mile....

Yilan is rich in a lot of resources, fresh air, great food, etc, but apparently its most precious treasure lies somewhere with the modern trappings of the University’s library. I have not seen this treasure, but the seriousness with which they guard it has convinced me it must be something of ultimate value… knowledge? It all started a couple of weeks ago, when I thought there might be something in their English stacks that could assist me in my research. Having helped them with their English corner, I have been in the library before, but this time decided to go on my own. Since I am not a student, they asked for a piece of ID to exchange for a guest pass. On that fateful day, I didn’t have my ARC with me, and tried to give them my health care card. It was denied… reason? It didn’t have my address on it. I can’t even just go inside and look around? Denied. I don’t know what they need an address for anyways, a guest pass doesn’t allow you to take books out, you can only enter the...

Our first week in Yuli October 16, 2004 I arrived in Taiwan with no idea what I'd be getting into. I was originally only planning to be here for one year... but 7 years later I can say that I truly enjoy my life here. It still feels a little surreal that it's really been 7 years. They do all kind of blend together after awhile, there was the year in Yuli, the year I broke my leg, the year I started commuting to Taipei, and so much in between. A song that I've been listening to a lot lately is Never Once by Matt Redman, and part of the lyrics say: Scars and struggles on the way//but with joy our hearts can say// Yes our hearts can say// never once, did we ever walk alone// never once, did you leave us on our own// you are faithful//God you are faithful I've had plenty of struggles along the way, and one long scar down my left ankle, but it's true God has been so faithful in big and little things, and it is true, never once in these 7 years have I ever walked ...

Ok, so I kind of fell off the 30 before 30 wagon, but I still have almost 7 months!! There are a number of things I was going to post about or wanted to post about... but it just didn't happen. I achieved two of my 30 before 30 goals, going to Hollywood (see pics here ), and swimming across Sun Moon Lake which really does deserve a post of its own. I also had a very eventful trip home, which included a trip to Banff with my sweet nephew, my grandparents' 50th anniversary, and my great grandmother's funeral (she also has a tribute post all written in my head) One of the reasons I haven't been posting is that I've been having issues with Chrome, which is the browser I normally use, not working, causing me to lose a couple of entries :S But I just set up email posting, so if I can get that figured out, maybe you'll suddenly see a lot more posts! This semester, I got a huge surprise when I found out I wouldn't be continuing my weekly commute to Taipei. In...

Here is a song (click if embedded video doesn't work) that I love by a band called Gungor that I've recently started listening to. It's a great band and a great song! In talking about "beautiful things" or maybe colorful things, I went to the hairdresser today to get highlights. It's always a bit of an adventure to see what I'll come out with, with the communication gap and all, but this is one of the craziest outcomes yet. I decided to get blond and dark red highlights...but after the final rinse, the blond highlights turned bright pink! It's definitely a dramatic change...but I'm told it will fade after a few washes. Here's the result from today.....

Got some pics from New Years Day. It was really hot and sunny that day as you can see from the fact that I'm squinting in EVERY picture! The weather has taken a turn for the cool (11 degrees) and my hands felt like ice all day. Had my last classes at one school today, and instated a new lateness policy which I think may just get results - 5 push-ups for every minute late. It works in my 2 hour, smaller classes where i can afford the short diversion, (I don't think I'd use it in my 50 minute classes, which end up being 45-40 minutes once everyone shows...another 5 minutes for punishment just isn't worth it). They did some fun role plays today on the topic of holidays and inviting someone to spend a holiday with you. The highlights were a group talking about ghost festival where one of the people ended up being a ghost (the other boy screamed and ran out the door at the reveal), and one 10th grade boy turning down an invitation because he had a date with Charlotte. Should...