The Final Stretch

                Well, today is the last teaching day of the semester.  I really can’t believe it.  It seemed as though this day would never come when we first got here, but now I’m in shock that it came so quick.  Before I know it July 1^st will be here and I’ll be on a plane back home. 

                It was a little bit of a sad day as it’s the last day with my Grade 11 classes.  I had my first block class and they were really cute.  I left the class to go get a box to collect all of their books from them and when I came back they had written on the board “We will miss you Ms. Coupland” and then they all signed their names.  They also made me take a picture with all of them and then they all wrote a little personal note to me.  It was so cute.  I’m really going to miss those classes.  They were a little smaller so I really got to know all of the students very well.  Now it will be off to a new adventure with my PE kids which I’m really looking forward to.  I also took a cute picture of my Drama class on their last day with me as well.  It’s been a fun day, only one more block to go!

                We have a lot of work to do this week though.  I have to invigilate three exams and mark all of my students exams, do report cards, and plan for the first week back.  It will keep me busy for sure, as I’m getting so anxious about my holidays.  It’s going to be a great few weeks.  It will be especially nice to get out of the cold and have some warm weather.  And as much as I love the people here, it will be nice to see people from home. 

                The weekend wasn’t too eventful.  Stayed home both nights to get some marking done and all organized for the week so that we weren’t chickens with our heads cut off during the week.  Saturday we did take the shopping bus to Computer city where I got a fancy leather case for my G11.  I’m so excited to take pictures on this vacation as well.  The flowers in Hawaii is what I’m really excited for.  Haha, and hopefully some more hilarious photo shoot on the beach.    I also picked up my super sweet blazer at Tailor street.  I took in my Aritzia blazer and got it copied in light grey.  It looks awesome.  Haha, so awesome that three other people in the office want to take it in and get one made for themselves.  After that we just came home, marked, made dinner and watched a movie.   Pretty tame weekend.  Robyn really isn’t feeling well so decided it was best to stay in and get better so that she isn’t sick for the holiday.  It was good.  We had some quality chats.  We seem to do that, sort of evaluate the life that we’re  living here.  Not quite what we pictured ourselves doing a year ago, but we’re so glad that we’re here doing what we’re doing. 

                Anyways, hopefully I’ll have an update before we leave for vacation. 

-Taryn

Where does the week go?!

                I’m just sitting at my desk on a Thursday after school and wonder to myself, where does the week go?  I know I have said this several times throughout the year, but when you’re busy you just really don’t understand how time goes by.  It seems like I was just here, Monday morning, working off an hour of sleep!  Haha.  I guess that is a good thing, rather than the opposite, and have the days drag on and can’t wait for Friday.  I have so much stuff to do within the next week and a bit it’s insane.  Marking coming out of my ears with finals as well as report cards, and then packing for Hawaii and Thailand J  I can still remember back in September when we were all like, so when is January break?!  And now it’s finally here.  You can tell that both the students and the teachers are needing this break.  Two more teaching days and then exams next week for the students starting on Tuesday. 

                I also have some awesome news for next semester.  I talked to the principal a couple weeks ago inquiring if there was any way that I could try teaching something else, as English is the farthest from my comfort zone and my background.  Turns out, all I had to do was ask J  My new schedule is two blocks of PE10, one block of Drama 10 and one block of English 10.  I still have three courses to prep for, but PE will be a lot less marking.  It’ll also be extremely hot in the summer, but I am prepared for it.  I had to get some new clothes at the outlet mall Hong Kong for PE, as it’s a whole new ball game when it comes to clothes.  I have to wear polo shirts and athletic pants….sigh….lol, I’m so happy that I get to wear runners to work, and my knees are going to love me more. 

                Anyways, this is just a thought that I had…thought I would share it.  The weekend probably won’t be too exciting as everyone has tones of work to do. 

-Taryn

New Years in Hong Kong

                Yes, another adventure in China for sure.  I think that this has been my favourite vacation here so far.  It may have something to do with the fact that I got to spend an entire day in Hong Kong Disneyland.  Oh, being in the happiest place on earth can just brighten up your day.  I think it was the best way that I could have brought in 2011.  Who knew a year ago that I would be spending my first day of 2011 in Disneyland, in Hong Kong.  These are the times that I am so thankful that I am able to experience all of this. 

                Although we didn’t have the best luck with the beginning of the trip (ie. Our flight was cancelled, we had to spend the night at the airport hotel in wuhan, had to fly to a different city, and then take a train to get there….) we made the best of everything and didn’t let anything get our spirits down.  When we got there it was so shocking.  So much English, so much diversity.  It was a nice change to recognize things as well and actually be able to read signs and packaging.  The hostel we were staying at was uber sketchy, but there were 11 of us all staying there so we weren’t too worried about it.  Once we were all settle I was set on trying to find the sephora in Kowloon.  I had the address so we headed that way.  We got distracted as we wanted to get our hair done so that we didn’t have to do it ourselves for New Years Eve.  Well, that ended up taking a lot longer than expected (and I lost like 5lbs of hair) so we had to head straight back to meet up with the others for dinner. 

                Once we all finally ate it was out to Dragon-I, a club that mike had found and got us all on the guest list for the night.  It took a little bit of a trek and fighting through crowds to get there.  The streets were comparable to Granville during the Olympics this year.  It was insane.  I was shocked that by the time we got there all 12 of us ended up in the same spot.  We lost each other so many times.  The club was awesome once we were there and we all had a fun time counting down to new years together and giving hugs and kisses when midnight hit.  The cab ride coming home was a little difficult…and I also had a very intoxicated friend to deal with, haha, so that didn’t make matters any easier.  In the end we got back safe and sound and everything was all good.

                When I woke up in the morning I was so excited!  Haha!  I had been looking forward to Disneyland ever since we decided to go to Hong Kong.  To top it off I knew that it would still be decorated for Christmas which made it even more exciting.  That’s pretty much combining two of my favourite things into one big ball of goodness.  The train which connected to Disneyland even had Mickey head windows and Mickey head hand rails.  I won’t go into full detail of our whole day.  It is a lot smaller than the real thing.  They only have three lands: tomorrowland, fantasyland and adventureland.  Most things were in English, or your had to the option to see things in English, but one of the shows was in Cantonese with English subtitles on the sides and then the songs were in English.  The best part of it was that Mickey was speaking Cantonese in a high pitched voice.  It was absolutely hilarious.  I took a short video of it just because it was so entertaining.  We stayed there the whole day enjoying the part and the last thing we did was shop down mainstreet and watch the fireworks.  Perfect end to the perfect day. 

                The next day it we weren’t really too sure what we wanted to do.  We ended up taking the metro to take a gondola to see the largest Buddha I had ever seen at the top of this mountain.  It was a long wait but in the end it was worth it.  There was this whistler type village at the top of the gondola as well.  Big tourist spot.  On the way back we took this special ‘crystal’ gondola which had a glass bottom.  It was pretty awesome.  After that the base of the gondola just happened to be at a huge outlet mall, so we were able to do some shopping at some familiar stores and head on the metro to the airport.

                Our trip ended just as it began.  We got to the airport to see that our flight had been delayed, and we had already booked the late flight home :s  we didn’t end up leaving Shenzhen until 1:15, got into Wuhan around 2:45 and weren’t home until 4:15am…and had to start teaching at 7:40.  Lol, let’s just say that I was a little bit delirious while teaching the students, but that’s alright, I got through the day and it all worked out!  Hehe. 

                So that is how I brought in 2011.  Probably won’t forget that one!  Now I’m counting down until our big break which I’m getting super excited about.  The cold is really getting to me :S

                Missing everyone back home!

-Taryn