John and Wendys Adventure

Here I sit in our lovely windowed balcony in our spacious apartment at the beginning of our fourth week in Tianjin. Although John has been working all along he has now settled into the school four blocks away and we are starting to see some routine to our life here. In the days following quarantine we were happy to arrive at our apartment and unpack the many boxes forwarded from our old apartment. We have noticed a few things missing and may venture out this weekend to get another box of items and my bike but that is to be determined. All in all we are happy with what was sent us and we appreciated that it was here upon our arrival.

John immediately went to work Monday morning after our late Sunday night arrival on October 4th and I settled the apartment for a few days and then started to explore the neighbourhood. We see the similarities to Beijing but also see some welcomed differences. We feel that Tianjin is definitely quieter and less busy and people are in less of a hurry around here. There is more of a community feeling as there are young and old in the area and many schools as it is a residential part of town. There are small businesses as well as large malls and a really good, modern Metro Grocery store close by, much like a Superstore in Canada. There is also a good noodle shop, bike shop, fancy restaurants, car washes and laundromat in the neighbourhood as far as we have explored so far.

We are part of a few groups within John’s staff. We are in the foodie group that goes to a Chinese BBQ place, within walking distance of our apartment, every Wednesday night. John is in the biking group, which he went with this past Saturday and we may also be part of a badminton group that has yet to start up yet. We tend to keep our weekends to ourselves and explore Tianjin. The first two weekends we went to the Italian Quarter to sight see and roam the streets there and this past weekend we chose to stay in the neighbourhood and go to a few more local areas. The weather has been very nice so far so we have taken advantage of this and plan to continue. We tend to feel that the weather is about a month behind Ontario’s weather. Right now we are getting about 17 degrees in the day and about 7 at night on average. It hasn’t rained since we have been here but there have been higher polution days than others but last week it was really windy and cleared the air for a few days.

In our first couple of weeks we did attend a fancy Chinese restaurant with about 8 of John’s Chinese administration members. We made out okay in the restaurant with the help of one of John’s Vice Principals from Maine, US. More or less he helped us decide what to eat and when John should say something. A very nice evening all in all.

Another outing that we attended was John’s staff’s Thanksgiving Dinner. It was held at Cassa Cafe and it was delicious and had everything that was a part of our dinners back home. Apparently the staff has been going to this restaurant for a few years and having their Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners catered here so we will look forward to a traditional Christmas dinner as well. This past weekend we went here for a meal on our own at Cassa’s and it was, again, very good. The owner, Oscar, checked in with us during our meal and wouldn’t let us leave without a free drink.

So having explored the area this weekend led me back to Judy’s Restaurant, another place that the teachers recommended that we try out. Well at Judy’s place the family runs the restaurant plus they have a second floor ready to have a school program take place. When John and I were there she said she needed a teacher and John told her I was a teacher and that maybe I could come and volunteer this week as I don’t have a work visa…so I will be doing some midday Halloween crafts with some kids. Looking forward to it.

So basically we have been pretty busy with walking, biking, eating, exploring and day to day life. It’s been a good start and we look forward to the days ahead. Covid is not apparent here in this area however people are required to wear masks on public transit and in grocery stores and malls that are busy. Not all the stores require masks and certainly not restaurants. When we get on the subway they take our temperature and they ask for our health record on an app on our phones, which basically tells them we went through a quarantine and passed the Covid test. We are sorry to hear the reports from Ontario.

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So understandably when this quarantine started we were wondering how we would be doing at this point. Over all I guess pretty good. I think we have forced ourselves to be positive because if we go the negative route then it makes it a longer process. But I will dwell on the negative briefly just so I can vent a little bit and perhaps get it out there. Thinking that this hotel is probably an international hotel we would hope that they could have at least served us something other than milk and bottled water for 14 days. On Day 6 I did have a moment of sickness as I needed some vitamin C. I needed to drink something else so I dove into a day old orange. Who knows if this was the cause of my sickness or not but it was the only different thing I ate. We did have a changeover of food on Day 3. We asked for western meals as opposed to Chinese food and that was a good thing. However there has been a steady diet of pizza at lunch and steak for dinner and I know I shouldn’t complain but do they really think this is all we eat? Hoping not to have gout by the end of this stay…ha.
On Day 6 I noticed a sign that said ‘no smoking in bed’. So we interpreted it as read. We wouldn’t smoke in the bed. We decided to begin smoking our cigars again and blowing the smoke out the small window feeling like teenagers again if we got caught but no one has mentioned anything to us so far. And that leads me to my other small complaint. We haven’t had any new towels or bed sheets. I guess I understand why but it would brighten our spirits to sleep on clean sheets but in reality I’m sure these people feel that a quarantine is a quarantine and that’s that.
So on the positive front we have surpassed ‘hump day’ and we are rounding third base so to speak. We are heading for home and that is what keeps us going. We just looked over the list of items that come with our apartment and it’s all good news. Along with our 14 boxes from our previous apartment in Beijing, it will feel like Christmas to us. We will have a home like we haven’t had for 8 months.
As ever with travel plans we have been informed that there are no flights from Zhengzhou to Tianjin so we will have to take a flight to Beijing and then get a driver from Johns school board to pick us up at the airport. He will have a sign with our name on it upon arrival. Fun! Just like in the movies! Hold on! The flight however is not leaving Zhengzhou until 550 pm. So much for being positive. Probably a 3 to 4 hour drive from Beijing to Tianjin and we will be in our apartment by late Sunday night. So I guess it’s going to be a long ‘Christmas Eve.’ Hmmmm. I will likely be happy to unpack boxes and settle things at the new apartment in the morning. It is said to have a purple kitchen. Interesting choice of colour.

Then Monday John will be off to school and I will be off to explore the neighborhood and walk in the great outdoors!
But until then it’s more of listening to John tap on his computer, listening to music, listening for the machine that sprays the hall with disinfectant and listening for the knock on our door that our meal has arrived.
Looking out the window is very uninspiring. The sky colour really hasn’t changed much in the 10 days we have been here. There is rarely a bird that flies by. In the afternoon there are several jets that go by on a certain flight path but that too is not too exciting. We have not talked to anyone ‘live’ since being here. We haven’t even seen anyone ‘live’ except for a few workmen that open the gate below our window daily, suited up in camouflage outfits heading to the green house but that’s about it.
On the upside of things I have also mostly completed another book with illustrations. Basically I have four more drawings to do. The writing has been completed and the layout to be worked out but all in all another project done. John has finished this ridiculously long report he had to do for the school and is now getting feedback on the corrections for it. More tapping at the computer amidst notifications about our travel plans. A knock at our hotel room door and we have to have a throat swab done and bloodwork before lunch. Oh well it keeps us busy and moving forward and that is the best we can do for now. Look forward. In yoga practice they say inhale the future and exhale the past. I feel like I’m exhaling a lot longer these days.

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Timing on this leg of our journey has been key to beginning the process of getting here, getting the visas at the right time, the covid tests at the right time and the flights at the right time. For anyone that has travelled you know this but in the time of a pandemic it is essential and previous to leaving we were feeling that we were hitting a streak of being unlucky but reflecting back we can see that our timing was extremely lucky. As we sit in our hotel room on our 8th day of quarantine we are tuned into the news from Canada and the US and see that we got away in good time. It seems we hear of more and more cases happening in Ottawa where we flew out of and more of a chaotic time getting tests completed. We were also aware that doing our flight from the nation’s capital was beneficial as John is dealing with teachers now who are in secluded areas of the country trying to get out and even having to take flights to get their covid tests. The stories are long and varied so we have to be thankful for where we are in the process right now. Not that it was easy getting here but I believe because we were on top of things when we were living close to Ottawa that enabled us to get the process moving faster. I understand the stress that some of the teachers are under. Their stories are sometimes heartbreaking as they miss loved ones, try to connect with them and ultimately be together but it will still take months. This reflection leads me back to the year when John and I were apart and the questions that go on in your head that lead you to wonder if it’s all worth it and what have you done to cause all this commotion in your life but when you have time to think about it you see there was a plan but the pandemic threw us off of that plan. Nobody is to blame. Everyone is on survival mode.
At present we are in a good spot in this venture. We are both healthy and happy to get the train moving again. We felt like we were stuck on the tracks but now have jumped onboard again and will stay on the rails for awhile hopefully. John is working Monday to Friday in daylight hours as opposed to working the night shift in a trailer on the Mississippi or a studio apartment in the middle of Ottawa. I am keeping occupied with writing and drawing and of course Netflix. We do try and walk within the confines of the room and try to get our steps in. Mine usually occur at 3 to 4 am as we tend to go to bed by 8 or 9 pm to lessen the dark hours. John tends to do his later in the day when sitting at his computer has taken its toll. We have certainly noticed the shortened day. Here in Zhengzhou it gets dark about 630 pm so going to bed early seems natural.
In the end, we are fine and chat with our boys and my mom regularly and still feel connected. Thanks to a few friends that have figured out WeChat and been in touch as well. Also thanks to the Facebook group of friends that comment on posts. I’m sure you have your own stories to tell during this time as well. Stay in touch! Stay healthy! And remember a 10,000 mile journey starts with one step and we are still glad we took it. Oh yeah and wash your hands…as if you didn’t already know this…I just wanted to remind you for the umpteenmillionth time! Take care

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Well we made it back to China. Not back to our original apartment or back to our original city but indeed we have returned. After finally receiving our travel visas after a 2 week wait, properly lining up our accommodations and making sure we did our COVID tests on the right day we left for Vancouver on Saturday September 19th on the 8 am flight. We had said our goodbyes and spent our final night in Ottawa having a special meal at KS on the Keys. We spoiled ourselves with the roast beef special knowing full well that having this type of food again may be well into our future.
Landing in Vancouver airport felt a little eery as there was hardly anyone milling about as usual.

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Certainly there was no waiting in any lines when getting our bags for the next flight and we had about four hours until heading to China. We had heard on the Uber ride over to the Ottawa airport that we wouldn’t likely be landing in Beijing but in Zhengzhou. Of course we knew to expect the unexpected when we landed in China. We had read what we could about what to expect but there’s nothing like the real deal.
Anyway once on board our flight we were pleasantly surprised that it was about a 7th full unlike the previous flights we had taken to China that were wall to wall people and luggage. The stewardesses were dressed in full hazmat suits so they looked like little teletubbies bopping around the plane. We hadn’t even sat down and they promptly gave us 3 waters each and as soon as we were seated they gave us a very disgusting boxed lunch. Lucky for us we had eaten a nice fish and chip dinner at the Vancouver airport so we were full once again with good Canadian food.

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So yes the flight was long but we were able to sleep across three seats each so we rested when we could. Watching movies that were recently released kept us entertained for part of the journey and reading and writing too. We were heading into a quarantine when we arrived so that was constantly on our minds. We were not getting off the plane and heading to a clean apartment or a new site to see, we were heading into the unknown.
As we descended in Zhengzhou it was still light outside as we landed around 4 pm China time. We were greeted by more airport staff wearing hazmat suits and told to stay in line and keep a distance from the person in front of us. The first checkpoint we came to was to take our temperature and our passports looked at and give them a form we had filled out regarding our health on our phones previous to boarding using a QR code. Well let’s just say I got mine done but John didn’t have his completed so we had to wait until he finished his with luggage in tow surrounded by a bunch of Chinese in hazmat suits talking in Chinese and disturbing his concentration. Enough said.
Then it was onto the land of COVID tests and things got confusing and chaotic. I was seated first but John was up and done just as I was wiping the tears away from getting my second nostril swabbed. Next was the throat swab and I gagged three times while the mask was over my eyes. Well at least I had something handy to wipe the tears away again. Next was the blood test and I was a little nervous with this group as they couldn’t find the vein in the lady ahead of me but luckily I have good veins and they said “Are you ready?” and I said, “Well I hope you’re better at this than the other tests”. And they were. Blood test done and I can stand up with my purse, more paperwork and my carry on and hold the swab over my blood patch. Very annoyed and tired by this point we then entered a time of waiting for the bus to take us to the hotel for our quarantine. It was now dark outside and we got our luggage and then got on an elevator that took us to the bus and then loaded it onto the bus and walked up the very steep steps onto the bus to be driven into the night for another hour. We both fell asleep and woke up as the bus backed down a hill beside the hotel. Off the bus we got and more questions about who we were and as we were escorted to our hotel hallway we were sprayed down with disinfectant. Lucky for us we have a nice hotel with a spacious room and bathroom with a large window at one end. We are just finishing day two of a two week quarantine. I will stop while I’m still positive. Lol

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So we have now received word that we are able to travel back to China. It will be a new adventure for sure but some things will be familiar to us. We leave this coming Saturday and will head to Vancouver first and then it is off to Beijing. This is a familiar route for us both so we take comfort in that. So what started out as a 3 week trip home turned into an 8 month pandemic stay in Ontario with ‘no fixed address’ as they say. Previous blogs have mentioned the people we stayed with and places we stayed in but the most familiar and the longest run was at our trailer. I think I added it up to be about 70 nights at the trailer overall and this is quite the feat even for us. We have never stayed this much at the trailer but we did have a hot July and a cooler, wet August which led to an even cooler, wet September. It was time to move out! As I searched the internet and Facebook for a place to stay I landed us a small studio apartment near the airport. My timing was impeccable for two reasons. One was that we figured with our paperwork submitted we could well be on our way by mid month and two, well unfortunately for us the trailer parks’s owners decided to close the park for good and was giving us until mid October to pack up and leave. Well! This was not the amount of time we had left in Ontario, we had two weeks at best. So back to the internet and Facebook to find a place to store the trailer for the winter as we wouldn’t be back in time to move it at the forecasted closing date of the park of June 15th. I didn’t even have time to send the owners a nasty email I had to get to work immediately because no one wants to leave their trailer on a site that no one is caring about. So again I got lucky. I found a storage place on Rae Road and they even were nice enough to take the canoe and the two kayaks. Wow, that was quick. Next up was my third trip back to the internet and Facebook. We wanted to sell the much-loved deck that we had built just two seasons ago. This was surprisingly easy and within a few days a buyer was ready to pick it up and take it to a new location. Through the communication with the buyer and even pictures at its new location I had a good feeling that new memories would be made on the deck and it was in a good spot. It’s funny how you get attached to certain objects. I had the deck built while John was away the first year in Beijing and helped in the planning of it. Oh well there will be another deck in another campground someday that will replace it. So here we are with no roots at all and hoping to grow them temporarily in Tianjin, China mid September 2020.
As ever it will be a little sad to leave Ontario but we saw lots of the boys and my mom on this trip. I think we are all ready to go back to a routine and live our separate lives for awhile. I feel sometimes that we couldn’t put our best foot forward all the time as there were so many unknowns and interruptions to our summer but we did it and are a stronger family unit for having lived through a pandemic together. We lived through the ups and downs of job insecurity and job applications with Matt and some shifting of home life and job applications with Nick. We all tried to vacation over the summer but there always seemed to be a cloud hanging over all of us this summer as there were uncertain times and now hopefully we can enjoy what is at the end of this current journey, a new city, new people and new experiences. Good luck to our homeland as the pandemic continues and good luck to us as we venture out again!

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In a word we have been forced to adapt to our surroundings this summer. From the few weeks that we expected to land here in Ontario to 6 months we have certainly been ‘through the wringer’ as they say when it comes to adapting to what was expected to what was the outcome. I think it would be hard to list all the places we have stayed but it has tested our creativity and our perseverance of the situation given us. Whether it was due to the COVID 2020 situation or not we had to come up with plans as they were presented to us. We feel we have done pretty well considering the fact that our visit was initially supposed to be short and turned out to be half a year. Some of the planning was already done as we always planned to stay at the trailer at Tranquil Acres Campground but in staying Ontario this long we considered buying a house, renting an apartment, getting a short term rental cottage or none of these options and just sticking it out at the trailer, which we decided was the best option overall. Having Paul and Lyse’s cottage for almost 3 months was a blessing and having my mom’s condo in Ottawa and Matt’s apartment in Morrisburg all helped immensely when needing a place to switch up the monotony of one place to live and one area to discover.

I find the most dramatic change is what we see looking out our window. When we left Beijing we were leaving a view of a massive city in its day to day routine of life, its busyness and its natural vibe. Now here at Tranquil Acres Campground we look at nature when it happens by our window and it is amazing that we can be equally intrigued by what we see. We went from viewing regular dance and yoga and tai chi classes out the window to the odd squirred, chipmunk or robin and we adapted.

We have certainly been lucky with the weather this summer and we reflect on this quite often. If we had been experiencing rainy, wet weather well I know this blog would have not been as positive for sure. Long summer days here at the campground have let us appreciate outdoor living once again and know that it has a calming affect on us. We become grounded here with family and friends.

As of today we are waiting for our invitation letters to return to China, this time to Tianjin as John has accepted a teaching position with Maple Leaf Schools at Tianjin Teda. This adventure awaits us and we are looking forward to a new school and community. Of course we missed out on an opportunity to be in Beijing from late in February until end of June however we have seen the benefits of not returning as well. Tianjin is only half an hour from Beijing by fast train so I would imagine there will be some weekend excursions to Beijing to visit and revisit some historic sites. Again we look forward to continuing our adventure with this major glitch in the middle of it but as I said originally I feel we have been able to rise to the challenge of adapting to our surroundings to the best of our ability and hope there won’t be any more glitches in the plan but who knows!

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So as previously mentioned, John and I did a trip to Seoul on one of his breaks from school last fall, basically from October 1rest to the 5th. I would have to say that it was one of the most positive trips we have been on and everything went very smoothly when it came to accommodations and travel. I think because it was a longer stay than other trips we had been on we were able to get a feel for our little neighborhood and the vibe of the city. It was great to pass someone on the street and feel comfortable enough to ask them where to eat, shop or sightsee and, of course we look like tourists and pretty friendly ones at that so we do get approached on occasion to have our picture taken but mostly we get longer stares then normal which takes some getting used to. At any rate we were sitting at a little bench outside our hotel after a couple of nights in Seoul and a gentleman came along and he was well dressed and motioned to us that he would like to sit down. Of course we were fine with this and then we started to chat with him. He had limited English speaking skills but we managed and we shared a cigar with him and he was very polite and curious about us. As the evening went on we were getting tired from our day but this gentleman kept wanting to talk so asked us if we would like a coffee so we said sure and we entered the little restaurant below our hotel. He bought John and I a coffee and offered to buy us dessert and so we shared one and the evening continued. After awhile I was getting more tired so decided to head up to our room. John stayed and chatted with our new Korean friend and found out that his name was Song and he didn’t have a good marriage and was lonely. He and John started to talk about his life and views and John learned many things from him. He was actually better at communicating by writing so he and John exchanged notes on paper and went back and forth for awhile. Eventually John came back to the room and we got up in the morning and spent another day sightseeing and ended up outside the hotel the next night having a cigar and who should come along again but Song. We weren’t sure at this point whether he was actually coming home from work again at the same time or he was watching for us and it doesn’t matter at this point as we were getting to like him. This evening he decided that he wanted to take John out to a karaoke bar. So John obliged and off they went as once again I was a little tired from the day’s outings and I get up early so I felt it was harmless enough to let the two men go out.
As John explains it, karaoke is a bit different in Korea. Basically you go to a little room and there is a microphone and maybe enough room for a couch for a few people to sit and listen. So he said he and Song would sing their hearts out to each other. Song would sing in English some heartbreaking song and John would sit and listen on the couch and then John would take his turn and undoubtedly eventually felt a little awkward in the little room but felt that Song was just needing some company.
So the third night rolls around and we are heading back to Beijing the next day and since we are creatures of habit, once again we are having our cigar outside the hotel and along comes Song. This time he is dressed in casual clothes and looks very different and comfortable in jeans and a tshirt. We start chatting again and he says to me ‘Wendy, I think you are beautiful. I wonder what you looked like when you were younger.” I laugh and say, “ You are too kind but thank you and I do have a photo of John and I when we got married.” Well this is one of those times when ‘you had to be there’. He looked at my photo and he says “You look like Audrey Hepburn and he starts laughing and quoting lines from the movie ‘Roman Holiday’ and he mentions the part where Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn visit the rock with the hole in the wall and he has her put her arm in and then he puts his in and he fakes that it is grabbed…anyway you have to know the movie and I’m not sure what was funnier, Song acting out the movie or John’s reaction to him and I knowing the exact scene he was talking about. Very cute interaction and obviously flattered that he thought I resembled Audrey Hepburn!
Again the evening progressed and in his own cute way Song says to me. “Wendy, Are you tired tonight? Maybe you want to go back to your room…? Basically he was wanting to go out with John again to go sing karaoke. So off they went.

Getting back to thinking about people by the fire last night, this story came to mind because it reminded me of being lonely when John was away his first year in Beijing and that it was very hard on both of us. It made me think that we really don’t understand what others are going through sometimes and that we have all probably got similar stories from each of our lives. I am hoping that during this quiet quarantine time we have learned something about ourselves and about each other. I hope that when we have seen someone struggling that we have hopefully helped out and put our best effort forward to make a difference in the life of someone who is lonely and to realize the importance of sharing a coffee or a smile or a story with someone even for a brief moment. Hopefully it is a lesson that John and I have learned from meeting Song. We have learned to be more open to listening to others whether strangers, friends or family. Song continues to reach out to us by email usually once a month. He asks us how we are doing and apologizes for his bad English but always checks in with us and it makes us feel good to know that someone a world away is thinking of us sometimes as we do of him. And as I sat by the fire last night I was grateful for this lesson.

One would think that we should have had this done previous to now but we have been in a pretty good place and routine and quite honestly keep forgetting about the blog only because it was something we did in Beijing and not here in Canada. So basically from our perspective now we are sitting here in Ontario on the Big Rideau waiting for the ‘go ahead’ sign to return to Beijing. To be honest we have been waiting for this for awhile but the day to day news is just starting to show a light as we sit here at the end of April 2020. What started out to be a three week stay packed with visiting and travelling about to various locations has ended up being a three month stay and we have been at our current location since March 14th so a month and a half. Just previous to staying here we were at Phil and Kathrina’s for a bit and now at Paul and Lyse’s so we thank all of them for seeing us through this emergency living situation that we found ourselves in.

Our day to day life has included lots of walks together and thoughts of planning out our next year. We do have some news and that includes a continued time in China as John has secured a principal position at a Maple Leaf School in Tianjin. At this point we are unsure as to the duration of this position. It could be five months or it could be a year and a half, this remains to be seen. In the mean time we will continue to walk, bike, and enjoy the outdoors. John may continue writing songs. I have continued a little bit with my book and the further adventures of Felicity the Mouse but have also sewn made some COVID masks, pot holders, oven mitts, hot pot placemats and aprons. I have also made a paper mache sun and did some paintings through online teaching and some illustrations for the book. My favorite accomplishment has been picking up wood from the side of the road and making rustic frames for some of my photos and also I made a rustic table, trying to remember how to do it from memory from a course taken 7 years ago.

So our hope is to return to China mid May or June 2020 and move apartments from Beijing to Tianjin and continue on our Asian Adventures! An ancient Chinese Proverb comes to mind…A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. We are in a trial period as we wait for the quarantine to be lifted however we hope for the shiny gem at the end of continued travel and the final gem to return home.

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Looking back at our last month we would never have expected what happened to occur but we look at it from both perspectives now. One being that we could be secluded in our apartment in China along with the Chinese but luckily we landed in Canada before the outbreak was known to the world. We listened along with other Canadians as the Corona Virus spread throughout Wuhan. Looking at it from our perspective in Canada we consider ourselves lucky. Our trip home was to be three weeks and now we are sitting at the five week mark with no sign of when we can return. Our previous flights have been cancelled and reimbursed with nothing booked and possibly not able to return until mid April.

We have taken advantage of our time here and have visited with family and friends. We had booked our holiday to stay in Ottawa with my mom and at an Air B and B, Kingston with Phil and Kathrina and an Air B and B in Belleville but also added trips to Toronto to see Susan and Kieran and Nick and Quebec City with a fun family group. We have now settled ourselves in Morrisburg with Matt and we may stay for a bit. We are taking it a day then a week at a time at this point.

John has returned to work online which has been an interesting challenge as he navigates different ways to communicate with them as well as teach and deal with the 13 hour time difference. I have kept busy knitting, walking, organizing. sewing and helping out my mom and going to appointments myself that I couldn’t possibly accomplish in China.

Do we miss our life in China? Yes Do we want to back? Yes All in due time our life will unfold again but right now enjoying a Canadian winter together is a treat…imagine!

Our photo gallery in no particular order.

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As expected December was a long month but a lot has happened. My good friend JP visited to begin the month and I was fortunate to get together with him twice. Always nice to have someone from home to share our China experience.

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Before and during his visit I had been communicating with Maple Leaf Schools. They are the largest International School company and have purchased the old GCC site in Brockville and are to open a school Sept. 2020. I reached out and at this point am one approval step away from the Head of School position. It was not an easy task as I had to update my cover letter, resume and prepare for my interview. I as always reached out to others for guidance and assistance. My brother Paul was a champion and he took the time to prepare me for the interview in a detailed step by step manner. His guidance was key to me being in the position I am in now. Thanks so much Paul. Hopefully I hear soon from Stuart McIlmoyle with a proposed contract. I will keep my fingers crossed.

During the month of December Wendy pulled together her love of pictures and painting with a childhood story of her life. This book about Felicity the Mouse is not complete but she was able to share it with everyone back home for Christmas. Once completed we will publish it. A lot of work but the final product will be amazing. Below are a few pictures from the book.

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We ended our December with the YGQ Christmas Gala and staff luncheon. A great way to celebrate the Season with colleagues and Wendy.

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The luncheon was a potluck so I made Wendy’s meatballs and as a foreign and Chinese staff we all sang, played games and celebrated together. A very nice end to our December and start to our New Year holiday.

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With the work festivities behind us we visited the beautiful city of Xi’an. After a comfortable ride on the high speed train we taxied to the hotel and spent 4 days and 3 nights enjoying this amazing city. The pictures do not do justice to what we saw and experienced.

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It would have been easy to fill this blog with pictures. The Terracotta Warriors was our big outing. A must see when visiting Xian. Wendy and I met a young Chinese man when biking the Wall that surrounds the inner city. Roy assisted us in purchasing tickets that included an English guide with small tour group. We were picked up at our hotel at 9 AM and dropped off around 4 PM. An awesome day!

We ended our holiday with a day at home, January 1st 2020. We biked to our new park the Elk Park that we discovered in early December. It was a cool bike ride but once there we were surrounded by water, ducks and a serene escape from the city. Beijing has so many spots for people to get away and enjoy nature. Wendy has been my rock and has done so much to settle me and get us through this adventure I began more than a year ago. I will leave this blog and my New Year post with a picture of the person that has made all the difference.

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