Dave and I are very independent people. Some people don’t really know how we work, because we are so different. He is very science minded, and I’m all about the humanities. He loves reading about political science and current affairs, I’m all about the fiction. Dave’s a cat person, I love dogs.
Ok….I might be a dog person who also loves cats
But I mean…. Look at that derpy face!!!
But where it matters, we see eye to eye. Politics, religion… and coffee!!!
Unfortunately for us, the only coffee available in this part of the Philippines seems to be instant. It’s sugary, processed and tastes vaguely like marshmallows. Worst of all, I’m pretty sure it has negative caffeine in it. It’s upsetting, really.
Kopiko is slightly better than Nescafe… But this is what we see in every convenience store: a wall of individual portions of instant coffee mixture.
Today, we decided to go for a drive down to Oslob, and on the way, we ran into this sweet little place:
When we walked in and I saw canisters of actual beans you could choose from, I felt overjoyed. Our moods improved significantly from that point on, and we enjoyed the rest of our day!
It annoys me greatly that I didn’t turn that chocolate bar around. It was delicious, by the way (and if you’re in the weightloss challenge and reading this.. Dave and I shared it!!)
We were pretty stationary today. Between Dave being sick and the rain that wouldn’t let up, we spent most of the day reading, playing games on our phones and napping.
And hanging out with Happy, of course!
Eventually, the weather improved and we ventured into town to get some food to BBQ for dinner. Before leaving, we asked Karen, one of the staff at our Air BNB, where we should go. She told us the market would have everything we need.
It was busy when we arrived so we knew it was popular
And we did find what we needed….and then some.
In Asia’s markets, you can buy dinner for tonight AND dinner for 3-4 months from now!
The thing about Asian markets is that they would be SO illegal in Canada. They’d never pass health inspections and they just couldn’t exist.
Dried fish is a staple at any market in AsiaI’ve seen dried sardines, squid, and every type of fish you can imagineOf course, there’s plenty of fruit in these markets!In this shop, you can buy just enough ground pepper, chili, ginger or garlic for 1 meal. Groceries are bought on a need to have basis in many countries. People don’t just stock up on pay day the way we did in my familyTaken on my way up to the second floor. Dried noodles and a whole lot of scales. Everything is sold by weight.Even shampoo is bought on a day to day basis. Cell phone plans too, as I recently learned!!
We were careful to choose a vendor that had a decent set up (many vendors just hit their product with a plastic bag when you walk by so you can see they are keeping it insect-free). It took us 4 or 5 shops to get everything we needed (meat, vegetables, skewers, coal), but before long, we were on our way back up the hill to our little home for the week.
Their chicken didn’t have a weird purple colour to it like many of them did
I’ll be writing more about what we made in my post about the Bee Farm (coming soon!).
Every trip we take involves hours of me reading over blogs, checking out websites and comparing hotels. I’ve become pretty good at it, and although it might seem like a lot of work, for me, it’s part of the adventure.
I took a picture of our hotel door in Cebu because I was pretty sure I’d never remember which room we were in otherwise.
Dave and I have simple but specific tastes when it comes to hotels. We usually stay in middle range places, where we can rely on the hotels to be clean, safe and comfortable.
I decided to search for “funny hotel reviews”. I was not disappointed.
Sometimes we are lucky and are able to find really good deals in our price range. Usually, I book our stays on booking.com, but recently I’ve been searching Airbnb as well, and the extra options have been great!
We’re on the top of a hill, overlooking the ocean. It’s quiet, beautiful and very comfortable!!
This gorgeous pool is a perfect place to relax after a month of craziness!
There’s a nice lounging area too, where we can read, blog and enjoy the view
For $24 a night, I’d say this is a steal of a deal!!!
This is Happy…. The friendliest dog in the world!!!
Living abroad, you meet people from everywhere. One of the best things of meeting new people when you’re abroad is that you know that at the very least, you have 1 thing in common: you have an adventurous spirit.
Seen Here: 4 Adventurers on a very small boat on a very wavy ocean.
Occasionally, you end up travelling at the same time, in the same place, as one of your friends. Sometimes it’s on purpose, and sometimes it’s by luck. By luck, 2 of our best friends had booked a holiday in the Philippines at the same time we were set to be there! A little bit of schedule juggling made it possible for us to meet up on the island of Bohol.
When they told us they would be on Bohol Island at the same time we were in Cebu city, we knew we had this make it work and meet up!
We didn’t have a lot of time together but we did a lot with the time we had! I have a special post planned for our time at The Bee Farm, but I wanted to share a little bit about our snorkeling adventure with Dedrick and Deb for yesterday’s recap. It was definitely the most memorable part of our day!
Photos of our morning adventure together
We were on a boat similar to this one
One of several turtles we spotted
The weather was a bit nasty when we woke up, but not nasty enough to cancel the trip, so at 7am, we head down to a little dive shop Dedrick had found, and set off on a boating adventure. The water was choppy and the sky looked like it might unleash rain on us at any moment, but before long, it calmed down and we were able to enjoy some snorkeling! The sun even peeped out before we left, and Dave and I both ended up with nasty sun burns too!
The captain of our first boat. Eventually we had to switch to a second boat. We had to pay for both boats individually. It’s a bit of a racket, but it was still a pretty good deal, so no one complained much
Here’s a short video on our way to the little snorkeling island. I’m actually quite bruised from all the bumping around on this boat. I was happy to get back on land when it was all over!
Our second day in The Philippines was spent traveling to and around the island of Bohol.
We reached Bohol via 2 hour ferry ride. They had the temperature so low in business class that I thought I might freeze to death!!! One passenger compared it to a meat cooler. I agreed fully!
I was starting to feel better so we rented a motorbike, and as anyone who knows us or reads my blog knows…. That’s when it really felt like our vacation starts.
This may come as news to the kitty sleeping in this picture… But motorbikes are not only useful as cat beds!
Motorbiking around a new areas is always an adventure. It’s a fast way to get around and it keeps us cool in the equatorial heat. It’s also a ton of fun!
Alternatively, you can hire a Tricycle to take you around. Everywhere we go these vehicles are called something different. In Thailand they’re called Tuk Tuks. Sometimes they’re just called taxis… But most countries have some variety of these nifty little vehicles.
We travelled around the city of Tagbilaran for a while and saw some of the countryside too. One thing was very obvious to us as we scooted around…. The Philippines is Catholic+++.
We visited Tagbilaran on a Sunday and the streets were empty. Today, on a Monday, it took 4x as long to get anywhere. We couldn’t even book our ferry tickets on Sunday because it was an unnecessary service. Sundays are a day of rest wherever possible.
We saw numerous churches and even a monestary. There were Bible quotes on all the taxis and every shop we went into had biblical quotes, paintings and status displayed. There were even reminders graffitied onto walls for people to be honest and good Christians.
I don’t think you can talk about the Philippines and not discuss Catholicism… So I figure this important part of Filipino culture deserves its own post.
I’ve really grown to love writing these mini posts while we travel. I prefer writing when things are fresh in my mind and I find these posts a perfect way to wind down for the day and to reflect on the day’s adventures.
And it gives me a chance to go through ridiculous photos I took throughout the day
Today it was hard for me to choose which mini topic to write about, because the first day in any new country is always hard for me. No matter how well I try to prepare myself and no matter how excited I am, I always suffer from a bit of culture shock when we first land. I suppose it makes sense, given that your first few hours in a new country are filled with firsts, but I always hate myself for being so overwhelmed. Dave often has to remind me to be easier on myself because I get so frustrated with my mind and body for not doing exactly what I want them to do!
2 hours of sleep is not enough to fuel me on my first day in a new country… But I still remembered to get the quintessential airport line up selfie
Although I spent a good deal of today resting, hydrating and trying to stay cool, I still did get some blogging material. 2 things really stood out on our first day in The Philippines.
#1 – Water Refill Stations
Our hotel didn’t give us plastic bottles to use while we are here. Instead, they offer a water dispenser and reusable mugs. I love this idea and strongly feel like this needs to be something practiced worldwide.
Because plastic doesn’t break down, every piece of plastic that has ever been made is still on the planet. This is a huge problem, especially for the oceans. It amazes me when I hear that wealthy countries like Canada and the US are doing so little to reduce the waste, but poor countries like Indonesia and the Philippines actually are.
I later discovered that these dispensers are all over the city. You put coins in the machine and water is dispensed. Brilliant.
#2 – “Everything Stores”
We’ve learned over the last few years that having a usable cellphone while you’re traveling is about so much more than being on Facebook or Wechat. Having access to Google maps etc when you’re on the road really simplifies situations.
This is especially true in countries where you don’t speak the local language. Some apps work without the internet, but others don’t. The internet is an invaluable tool for the modern day nomad.
Best of all, when you’re in South East Asia, you don’t need to go find a cell phone provider to get set up. SIMS are sold pretty much everywhere, and prepaid phone cards are dirt cheap.
This bad boy cost under a dollar and it comes with a bunch of freebies that will get me through a few days. In total I’ll probably spend less than $10 to have a phone for the whole week
I was looking to stay close to the hotel due to reasons I mentioned earlier, but luckily, a little store right outside our hotel sells SIMs. And rice. And flip flops. And earrings. And is a bakery….
These little stores are very popular in Asia and it always baffles me how one store can possibly hold so much product, but they do.
Look closely at my pictures and see how many different items you can find in this one tiny store! Leave me a message about the item you found most surprising in the comment section.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more stories from The Philippines!
There are more than 17,000 islands in the country of Indonesia. In total, we were able to visit just 9 of them, but each provided us with new adventure. From the architecture on Java, to the volcanoes of Sumatra, each area of the country was different and interesting in its own way.
One of my favourite Sumatran moments
Though many people travel to Indonesia for a particularly beautiful island called Bali, our last 10 days in Indonesia were split up between 3 lesser known islands: Flores, Gili Trawangan and Lombok. Here’s a little about each.
Flores
Flores is a beautiful island south of the equator.
Our time in Flores was short, but it served a very important purpose: it where we flew in to see Komodo National Park. Although there is more to see on the island than just Labuan Bajo, it’s all we had time for. We spent the day before and the day after our trip cruising around LB and the surrounding area, enjoying the scenery and sunsets.
One of the two sunsets we saw there
Flores island from the top of a hill
The island is very lush and not as developed as many other areas of Indonesia.
We rented a motorbike while we were there so we could make the most of the short time we had. There are several great places to see sunsets, so we definitely did our best to check them out. I’m glad we did.
We also spent Valentines day cruising around the countryside. I can’t say the day was particularly eventful, but we met some very nice people and ate some beautiful and fresh avocados while we waited for a monsoon to pass.
I also made friends when I offered to take a picture for these nice people
A little pit stop
So green!
Lombok
Lombok is only a short boatride away from Bali. It isn’t quite as touristy as Bali, but it’s quickly rising in popularity.
Our next stop was Lombok, though the first time we were on this island, it was just to transfer to Gili. Unlike Flores, which was primarily Christian (we actually saw people leaving church on Ash Wednesday while we were there), Lombok is predominantly Muslim. When we took a daytrip onto the island, we drove out to see this beautiful mosque in Mataram city.
We weren’t dressed appropriately enough to visit, but we still wanted to see this beautiful building in person
It is so grand compared to the rest of the city
Other than our trip to the mosque, we spent the day driving around, picking up final souvenirs for people back home and then had back to Gili island, where we were actually staying. It was a nice day trip to break up the week of relaxation we were enjoying on Gili T.
The road we drove along was mostly shaded too, so that was nice!
Of course, the ferry to and from Gili was quite the experience!
Of course, we did have to go back one more time, because we flew back to Shanghai (via Malaysia) from Lombok airport. Our final moments in Indonesia were spent on that pretty little island.
The nice people at the post office
The last picture I took in Indonesia. A storm coming in over a rice field
Gili Trawangan
There are 3 Gili Islands in total, and they’re all off the coast of Lombok. They’re very small islands, without any cars or transportation aside from bicycles and horses.
Of the 3 Gili Islands, Gili T is the most popular and busy. We chose this island because we thought there would be more to do there, and although our goal for Gili T was to relax….we knew we’d get stir crazy before long.
Gili has very famous parties. We didn’t attend any ourselves, but it still looked like fine
Lots of live music was there to enjoy
We did enjoy some sangria with dinner one night!
Like on most islands, seafood was abundant
our meal at Egoiste was very memorable!
We did a few things on Gili T, like silver making, and our trip to Lombok, but mostly, we just relaxed. We stayed at a beautiful little hotel called Marigio, which is owned by an Italian woman named Alessandra. Her hotel was impecably clean and each day we ate an incredible Italian breakfast. I spent a lot of time by that pool, working on my tan, finishing several books, and catching up on my journal.
Of course, sunsets on the Gili Islands are world famous. There are a series of swings set up around the island where tourists can get pictures. Dave and I aren’t big into selfies, but I loved the way the swings looked in the fading light.
There were other props set up as well
My favourite swing. I was lucky to get this shot before someone else went and sat on it
A swing to show couples in love…..
The night market was also a pretty cool experience. It was packed with people (a good sign) and all the vendors seemed to make a lot of the same stuff, but we could have probably eaten there every night we stayed on the island and tried something new each day. The selection was great, and from what we saw, it was pretty clean!
The night bbq had an array of salads, seafood and other dishes to enjoy
And of course, ice cold Bintang (and beer…and coconuts, which are my favourite!!)
My favourite experience on Gili T however, was not the sunsets or the food. My favourite moments spent on Gili were spent in the ocean, ‘stalking’ sea turtles. There is a sanctuary on Gili T and the turtles are protected in this part of the country. So, if you are patient, you can often find these giant creatures chewing on seagrass near the beach of Gili T.
Pictures can’t do these beauties justice…
This little guy was in the sanctuary on Gili T.
Sea turtles are very endangered at the moment, so sanctuaries and protected zones like this are extremely important to the ocean’s health. After all, sea turtles keep reefs healthy and are an important part of the ocean eco system!
Dave even got this really cool video where you can see how close we were and how big this guy was! We watched him for close to an hour. What amazed me most was how he could stay underwater for so long without air!
So, this is how we spent our last 10 days in Indonesia. We saw some beautiful sunsets, enjoyed some great food and had fun with local wild life. I can’t think of a better way to finish a holiday!
I’ll be back soon with an overview of our experience in Indonesia, as well as tips for anyone looking to travel there soon!
After leaving Jogjakarta, we flew to the city of Labuan Bajo. We already knew we wanted to see Manta Rays in Indonesia, if possible, but when we learned that they can be found in Komodo National Park, there was no doubt we were going to visit this area of the country.
For those of you who have been following along, we started in the north of Sumatra, then down to Java. Our 3rd stop was Komodo National Park
About Komodo National Park
Komodo National Park is more than 1,700km square and consists of 3 major islands as well as many smaller ones. It was founded in 1980 to help protect the very rare Komodo Dragon, but since then has become a protected zone for many other animals as well. Roughly 4,000 people live in the park, and many of them work in the tourism industry.
We visited both Komodo and Rinca Island, but Padar Island took the cake
The park itself is pretty undeveloped and Dave and I were both pretty disappointed that more of the very high entrance fees weren’t used to keep the parks looking a bit nicer, but I wouldn’t say our visit was a waste of money…and it definitely was worth the trip to this area of Indonesia.
This display was effective enough to show what the Komodo Dragons eat, but I feel like some write ups about the Dragons in a learning center would have been nice. All of the information we learned about the park came directly from the employees, which was a problem if you couldn’t hear them because you fell behind getting photos etc.
The Dragons
The dragons are what bring most people to Komodo, and they’re quite the sight to see! I can’t say I have a lot of love for them, but definitely respected them enough to keep a safe distance.
Yeah….that’s blood on his face…
They’re clearly fed by locals because as soon as you arrive on Komodo Island, you see them all huddled around the restaurant where locals eat.
We saw plenty of other dragons along the way, and we learned about some of their rather nasty habits. Did you know Komodo Dragons spend their first few years living up in trees? They need to hide from other Dragons because these giant lizards are cannibalistic. They’re also terrible mothers, and do nothing to care for their young after they hatch.
Perhaps their poor manners have to do with their non-existent upbringing!
As I’ve been researching for this blog, I’ve been learning more about these animals and sadly, I’m seeing that at least some of the information provided at the park was false. We were told multiple times that what kills animals from Komodo bites is the various types of bacteria in their mouths. Scientists recently discovered though, that a dragon’s mouth is no dirtier than any other animal’s. What kills their prey is a venom that they release when they bite.
It’s a very slow acting venom that can take a week to fully kick in. It’s not good to be a deer or buffalo on this island…
This is actually why I enjoy when there is posted information available at parks and animal reserves. We had the same thing happen in India, and I’ve learned to fact check things before posting them in my blog. Apparently, you can’t trust everything local guides tell you about the animals native to their countries!
The guides did point out this Komodo egg den for us. That information seems legit 🙂
Rinca and Komodo were virtually identical in most ways. Both islands had dragons…and both islands were incredibly hot. We were marched around by guides who told us about the flora and fauna in the area (sorta…). We saw 1 massive buffalo, but the guide chased it away before most of our group even knew it was there. We also saw deer, birds and even some monkeys. I was already suffering from some heat exhaustion, so I only took 2 or 3 photos on Rinca, which is pretty regrettable. It was definitely the nicer of the two islands.
There wasn’t a whole lot of shade on Komodo Island either…and given that it was well over 40 degrees celcius, that was a problem for me….
Heat exhaustion began early…
Some of our group, walking ahead
Padar Island
Padar Island was actually our second stop (Komodo Island was #1 and Rinca was #3). We arrived on the island shortly before sunset. Now, I should add that nothing was really explained beforehand on this tour…we would just arrive and do things. Any time I asked what was next, our guide would tease me for ‘worrying too much’. So, when we arrived on the beach of this little island, I figured we’d be spending some time watching the sun set from the pink sand. As it turns out, we were climbing a small mountain…
The island from far away
The trail….beautiful, I know
Dave giving me an opportunity to rest
Now, I should also explain why this small hill was a big deal for me. I mean…I did a much harder climb than this in Kuala Lumpur and our Jungle Trek was WAY more intense. The problem was, at this point, I was suffering from pretty bad heat exhaustion. I was having a hard time catching my breath and I was completely and totally exhausted. If our guide had told us we’d be climbing, I probably would have stayed in the boat. So, I guess it’s lucky I didn’t know what to expect because….
It was absolutely stunning
Each part of the sunset offered new beautu
When we arrived at the peak, we sat around, sipping beer and cold water, and chatting about life in Indonesia. Before we knew it, the sun had set and we had to climb down the ‘mountain’ in the dark. We all used our cell phones to light the way and it was probably pretty dangerous, as the path wasn’t really much of a path. But…at least it wasn’t all done in the sun!
Padar Island in Indonesia
Dave chatting with Archer, our French tour guide
Our Indonesian guides, along with a fellow tourist.
Time In The Water
Dave and I were both really excited about snorkeling in Komodo National Park because we’d heard that it’s home to so many sea animals and beautiful coral reefs. The rumours were true, and it was a beautiful place to both dive and snorkel, but what I didn’t know was that about 30% of the sea life in Komodo National Park seem to be jelly fish!! If I didn’t get stung 50 times, I didn’t get stung at all!!!
A boat similar to the one we were on
Full speed ahead!
I was so hopeful at the beginning of this trip…
The snorkeling was good, but as my heat exhaustion worsened, my tolerance for jellyfish lessened. Soon, I made the decision to stay out of the water until there was something REALLY interesting to see.
I didn’t want to be a total party pooper, so I did go out into a tiny boat to check out some mangroves and look for some salt water crocodiles. We did find mangroves…but no crocs were to be found
After spending most of the day on the boat, I was happy to get out a little bit though!
Of course, the real reason we were in the area wasn’t for the dragons, or even for Padar Island (we had no idea it was going to be that beautiful!). The real pull for us was the chance to see Manta Rays.
And of course, our trips aren’t complete unless Dave has had a chance to do some diving!
Vibrant and healthy reefs
Manta Rays are intelligent and curious and we heard from many people that swimming with them is quite the experience! They’re huge, gentle and majestic and I was very much looking forward to seeing the giants in person. This was actually at the top of Dave’s bucket list too, so it was important to me because it was important to him.
Of course, things didn’t turn out the way I’d wanted. I woke up the day of our trip to Manta Point and ended up fainting in the shower….twice. I was so sick from the heat that if the sun touched my skin for even a moment, I became too dizzy to stand. So, while Dave and everyone else went swimming with the mantas…I sipped Sprite under the comfort of my over-sized hat, and tried not to throw up….
With
The mantas in Komodo National Park were beyond beautiful
I was lucky enough to see 1 Manta right near the front of the boat. It came up to the surface and I was able to watch it from the safety of shade. Mostly, I’m just happy Dave got to see them, because it is truly an incredible experience.
Dave loves diving as much as I love the jungle!
So, I didn’t quite have the experience I’d hoped for in Komodo National Park. I hope to go back some day, to see the sea life and maybe do that discovery dive. Until then, I’ll just have to hang onto the memory of that 1 kind Manta who swam along the surface so that I could admire it’s graceful beauty.
Check back soon! This won’t be my last post of the week!
One of the best things about living in China is the high speed train. Dave and I have no interest in buying a car in China, so the high speed train is how we get from city to city, when we need a break from Suzhou.
Gee…I wonder why I don’t want to be a part of this wonderful driving experience?
This year, we’ve taken a record number of weekend trips that I thought might be worth writing about.
Cirque du Soleil
My hatred of Shanghai city has never been a secret, but I’ve recently grown to appreciate this metropolis, regardless of its overpopulation and pollution…
I mean…I guess it’s a pretty enough city…
The event that began this new understanding of Shanghai was none other than a Cirque Du Soleil show. Dave and I have seen 6 shows total now, so when we found out that Kooza would be playing in old Pudong…we booked tickets with our friends Kim and CJ.
Shanghai doesn’t get as many big shows as I wish it did (mainly because a lot of bands and musicians are banned in China), but now and then, they get a good one. Linkin Park played Shanghai a few years ago, before Chester Bennington’s death. Unfortunately, the concert took place while I was visiting family in Canada, which meant I missed my last opportunity to see one of my favourite bands perform.
Couldn’t pay me to see….
Couldn’t See….
Don’t really care to see…
Christmas with Friends
We’ve taken a couple of trips to Hangzhou this year as well. Located about 2 hours away by high speed train, Hangzhou is a beautiful city. It was recently the location of a G20 Summit, and is home to West Lake, which is both scenic and huge. Hangzhou is the capital of Zhezhang province, Jiangsu’s neighbour to the south.
Christmas with Friends
West Lake
A beautiful place to take a walk
More importantly, Hangzhou is home to two of my favourite people in the world! So, Dave and I, along with our friend Kevin, made our way down to Hangzhou for Christmas this year. We enjoyed some excellent meals, a nice walk around West Lake, and time with good friends. It was well worth the weekend trip!
Feeling ‘Christmasy’ at Eudora…a lovely restaurant in Hangzhou
On the train
A purple wreath
We had dinner at a very interesting place. The menu had some translation problems…
Weddings in Hangzhou
A few months later, we found ourselves back in Hangzhou for Deb and Dedrick’s wedding! We had another lovely trip in, and this time, we got to spend the weekend with our good friends Mark and Deb. Mark and I play in The Sundaze together, and it was good to get out and cut loose in a new city with them. And of course, my dear Kevin was there as well!
Back at Eudora
The adorable Deb and I
Mark, being himself
Midnight snack stop on our way home from drinks at Eudora
The longer you stay in China, the more people you meet. Deb and Dedrick’s wedding was a really cool experience because there were people from everywhere there. It was a beautiful mixture of North American and Argentinian culture, with guests from all over the world.
Dressed up for the wedding
A beautiful vegetarian wedding dinner
These were so darn good!
A beautiful dress designed by the bride
Lucky shots!!
Friends travelled from France and Mexico to be there for the wedding
Moroccan food in Tianzefang
Finally, Shanghai itself can be an awesome little getaway. When Dave and I went to Taiwan in April, we opted to spend the night in Shanghai before flying out the next morning to Taipei (Suzhou doesn’t have an airport). We asked around for food recommendation, and my friend Andy told me of a good Moroccan place in an area of Shanghai called Tianzefang.
Such a great restaurant! Can’t wait to go back!!!
Pear and chicken breast….
figs and lamb shank
Morrocan friend rice
Appetizers
Tianzifang is lovely! It’s a vibrant and interesting area that doesn’t feel at all like the Pudong I grew to hate. It’s full of bars, unique shops and great international food options.
Dave and I, enjoying a walk home
Some strange signs
This cat doesn’t move….these two pictures were taken a month apart lol
A month or so later, Dave and I actually made a special trip to Shanghai just to have another meal at Andelus, the Moroccan restaurant Andy recommended. The following morning, we visited the very famous ” Lao Wai Park“.
Shanghai’s Lao Wai (foreigner) Park, is an are of restaurants and bars that are very popular among expats. The comedy group Mamahuhu did a series of videos there. Dave and I had an amazing lunch at a little Vietnamese restaurant. I can’t wait til we can visit again!
We also wandered around Shanghai for a bit during our last trip in. We saw the largest Starbucks in the world while we were there. There was a massive lineup, so we didn’t go in, but I did take some pictures.
In it’s first 8 weeks, this 30,000 square foot Starbucks roastery made more than $60,000 every DAY
The lineups were ridiculous and we didn’t want to wait in the heat, so we didn’t go inside
But I DID sneak some pictures from the outside!
There are so many more nearby places we want to visit before we leave China. We have friends in Nanjing that we really want to go visit. We also want to see Yellow Mountain, and of course we’d love to see more of Shanghai and Hangzhou. The high speed train gives us so many opportunities for travel. Now, to make the time!
Here’s a photo of a dinosaur made completely of smoked meat….it was part of an art exhibition we saw while walking around the Starbucks. Because….China!?
I’ll be writing lots over the next week, trying to catch up on all my Indonesia posts before we head to The Philippines!
Being an English teacher has its challenges, but one of the biggest perks I have as a language teacher is that I can teach my lessons through a variety of lenses. If I’m teaching about conditional voice, for example, I can have the students talk about which super powers they wish they had, or about regrets they have from the past.
The super power I always wish for is teleportation. That way I could see these cuties any time I want!
This year, I chose to teach my grade 9 students English through a lens I think everyone should consider: “Critical Thinking in Social Media”. I introduced them to Snopes, discussed the power (and danger) of memes and we talked about subjects ranging from gun control in the United States to South Korean fan superstitions. My hope was that I’d teach them how to be considerate and intelligent Netizens, but I probably learned nearly as much as they did.
Each week, I put students into groups and gave them an outrageous news article. I asked them to guess whether or not the information was true based on some ‘fact checking’ skills I’d taught them. Then, I handed out the Snopes articles that verified the information. Finally, they presented their findings (along with any new words they learned through the process) to their classmates. It was a VERY worthwhile way to spend a few classes!
Our class discussions about the dangers of Social Media really got me thinking. We discussed the idea that people rarely write about bad things that are happening in their lives, but instead tend to focus on the positive, making their lives look more glamorous and perfect that they really are. In of itself, this isn’t a problem, but when others see those happy posts, they start to compare their own lives with the (perfect) lives that others present to the cyber world.
Elephants in Thailand
Ziplining in Laos
Cruising down the Mekong River looking for Irawaddy Dolphins
Sunsets on the Great Wall
Sunsets in Phu Quoc….if all you see are these…it seems like my life is a breeze!
I try not to do this, but, of course, it can be difficult. I haven’t been feeling particularly positive lately, so I thought this would be a good time to write about the negative aspects of living as an expat. *Spoiler…it’s awesome…but like everything, it has its downsides*
For example, I rarely post about all the food poisoning I’ve had in the last 4 years!
June is a hard month for a lot of reasons. It’s the end of the school year, which is stressful for all teachers. Between grading, report cards and final tests, teachers across the planet are barely holding it together every June. When you’re an expat teacher, you have to also consider the stress of booking flights home, finding cat sitters, and spending 6 weeks living out of suitcases. It’s stressful.
Not to mention the nightmare of travelling…
And the fact that I have to go to an airport that has SIM card vending machines every few meters, but bottled water is hidden away
And then there’s the train station…. Have I mentioned we do all this with luggage???
That’s not to say that I’d give up my trip home to avoid these stresses…but it is something a lot of people don’t think about when they think of what it’s like teaching abroad. Other things include…
Saying Goodbye to Students
One event was particularly emotional for me this month. My grade 9 students have been with me since my very first day at SFLS, and in September, they will be moving onto high school. Many of them will be moving abroad as well, so it’s not as though I’ll be seeing many of them again. Their graduation was last Friday and although I promised myself I wasn’t going to cry (I even refused to bring tissue in an attempt to not even give myself the option), I ended up red in the face and tearier than I would like to admit. When you love teaching…it’s easy to become attached to the kids you see every day for 3 years.
Victor and I with Wendy. I was happy I could put my hands in front of my face because I’d started crying a few moments before and simply couldn’t stop
This class is full of the coolest kids in China. I’m sure of it
This is Angel. She’s the reason I was crying. She came up and gave me a hug and whipered ‘thank you’ in my ear and I just couldn’t stop. As a teacher, you pour yourself into your students. You spend all your free time grading their work and helping them on Wechat. You spend you life getting them ready for exams and making sure that they’re getting the best education you can provide. Unfortunately, teaching teenagers can be pretty thankless. They often forget about their foreign teachers because we aren’t as important at the school as the Chinese staff. It’s amazing what one quiet “Thank You” can make you feel. Also…I know teachers aren’t suppose to have favourites…but Angel is one of my favourite students ever. She’s kind and intelligent as she is beautiful.
Michael and I at the Drama Festival. I’m still waiting for him to send me the photos of us at grad, although he made me cry too. He has popped up in many of my blog posts and will always have a special place in my heart.
Ken, back when he was in 7th grade
He’s taller than me now…but still one of the coolest kids I’ve ever known. He’ll be moving to Hawaii over the summer. He was accepted in the a school there. I’m insanely jealous.
Still, I wish them all the best, and although it sucks to see them go, I have new students coming in next September, and they will provide new challenges and rewards for me and all their other teachers.
This class is full of the coolest kids in China. I’m sure of it
Kate looked beautiful in her graduation dress. She reminds me so much of what I was like at that age…kind of sarcastic…very dramatic…but as passionate as they come.
With the students at this year’s spelling bee
Final class photos
Expat Friendships
The friendships you form while living abroad are also a very important part of the expat life. I’ve made friends from all over the world, and although we’re all very different people with very different backgrounds, there is one thing we all have in common: we don’t really belong anywhere.
Pictured here: 2 Canadians, a Chinese-Australian, an Argentinian and an American. Some of my best friends in the world
When you’re away from home, having a good group of friends becomes increasingly important. They’re who you spend Christmas with and they’re who help you through troubled times. Most importantly, they’re the ones who understand you, because as much as people back home can try and empathize, they only really see the really good and really bad parts of being an expat…none of the ‘in-between-everday-stuff’.
When a student of mine committed suicide in January, it was Kim and CJ who helped me through. Kim has been a teacher for years, and she understands the pressure Chinese students deal with. It’s pressure different from anything western students experience
These people have helped us both through a whole lot of crappy days, crappy months and crappy moments.
Mike also helped me through Pony’s death. He and I spend quite a lot of time brainstorming ways to make sure our students know we are there for them. Pony was his student as well, and I think that if I hadn’t had someone to talk to about how we could prevent this from happening again…it would have been even harder to get through it.
Dave and I are far more outgoing and far more adventurous abroad than we ever were back home, and our social life is pretty awesome. We spend lots of time going out for dinner, going to KTV, going to Salsa parties, and of course, I have my band. All these things are done with friends…and 99% of my friends are currently expats, or people who were previously expats, but have moved back home to China.
Cheetar (USA_, Myself and Tythus (Malaysia). They both work in the highschool. Cheetar and I have been working together for 3 years. He is leaving to move to a different part of China this summer. I’m going to miss seeing him around the school.
Dedrick, Mark and I….We are the Sundaze! Dedrick moved to Hangzhou last summer…it’s only an hour away, and I still get to see him often, but it’s sucked not having him around. Luckily, he’s moving back to Suzhou in September!! Mark and I are planning to leave Suzhou at the same time. I’m working on convincing him and his wife to join us in Vietnam. Fingers crossed!
Katie, Kevin, Dave and I last year at Dave’s Birthday. I just learned that Katie is moving back to Suzhou after finishing her Master’s degree in England. It’ll be great to have her back!
Jeff…the very first friend i made in Suzhou. When he found out a new Canadian was going to be working at SFLS, he emailed me to welcome me to the team. I felt more welcomed in Suzhou before I even moved there, than I did my whole time in Guiyang
Liz. One of my longest friendships in Suzhou
Adam is also one of my oldest Suzhou friends. We only worked together for a year before he moved to a different school, but we’ve stayed friends even though he’s across the city. His girlfriend, Tracy, lives in our building, so we get to see her often
Kevin is one of my best friends in the world. He moved away last week. I miss him more than I really want to think about
You make friends at school too, of course. Sam is the giant on the far left. He teaches economics with me in IGCSE. Crystal is the Chinese teacher and she is also my cleaning buddy in the office! And Victor is one of my bffs. We’ve worked together for 2 years at SFLS. He’s from Nigeria and he’s a fantastic human being
Linda and Paul are Taiwanese. We became friends over the past 3 years because Linda’s parents own a restaurant we like
Miya. One of the most beautiful people on the planet. She moved away for a year to live in New Zealand. It sucked.
Michael and Dave. Michael is a Kiwi who lived in Suzhou for our first 2 years. I still find myself missing him although he moved back to New Zealand more than a year ago now.
We are losing Shane on Saturday. He’s moving back to Australia. He’ll be missed a lot. Other than Dave, he’s our best groupie!
Of course…when you are a nomad and surround yourself with other nomads…people enter and leave your life regularly. It’s difficult because I understand it…but I hate it. I also hate that soon I’ll be the one leaving people behind. Already, I find myself wondering if I’ll ever find friends as good as the ones I have in Suzhou…
Occasionally, you get to see your expat friends again….
We were lucky to have 2 friends visit us this year. Joan and Lexie both visited us in the fall
And sometimes, people even move back…like Miya. this was us the day she came back to Suzhou. I look only about half as excited as I actually was!!
The ‘Home Dilemma’
Home becomes a really weird concept when you live abroad. I like to say that ‘Home is where my cats are’, but in reality, I spend 3 months away from them every year. I’d like to say that ‘Home is where you grew up’, but nobody in my family even lives in that tiny Manitoba town, so how can that really be home? Steinbach never really felt like home for me, because I was too different from the local people. Oddly enough, in some ways, Suzhou has been feeling more like home than anywhere I’ve ever been. I’ve become a part of the community, through music, foodie groups and through school.
My band has turned me into a more social and charismatic person. Playing with these guys is easily one of the funnest things I’ve ever done in my life
Whether we’re playing in dingy bars
Or at music festivals
We always have a blast!
I think that living abroad changes you in that way. Home isn’t as easily defined when you don’t ever quite fit in. In China, I’m a minority. I’m only one of a few thousand expats in a city of 8 million people. Back home, it’s the same. I’ve had such a different 4 years than most of my friends and family. It’s difficult to explain your feelings about things when the people in your life see the world differently than you do. It’s especially noticeable when talking about world politics or world events with people back in Canada. It’s easy to talk about India’s poverty or an earthquake in Indonesia when you see it as some far off place, separate from you. But when you can picture the smells and sounds of a place….when you’ve been there and it’s personal…you see those events very differently.
This week a ferry capsized and sank in Northern Sumatra. Several people have been confirmed dead and more than 120 people are still missing. We took a ferry on that same route to Samosir Island back in February. It affects us differently than it will have affected people back home (who probably haven’t even heard about the accident)
What makes it especially hard is that we’ve never had any family or friends visit us here in China. I know that it isn’t in everyone’s budget, and there are a thousand reasons why people can’t just hop on a plane and visit, but regardless of those reasons…it makes ‘home’ a difficult subject. At the end of the day, China is currently our home, but the people we know and love back in Canada have no idea what our life is like in the place we call home.
When family and friends do come visit, everyone gets excited. When Kim’s parents visited last year, we all went out for dinner together.
And that’s why I hound my family save up and come visit us…it’s not because I want to show them the sites or because I think China is the most beautiful place on earth….it’s because I want them to understand me. I people back home to understand what life is like in the city I currently call home.
Always Missing Somewhere or Someone
And of course there’s the obvious reason it’s hard being an expat is all the stuff you leave behind at the end of the summer. It’s great having stories to tell your family and friends…but I really do wish I had the power of teleportation. Then, I wouldn’t need to miss everyone so much.
I always laugh because when I’m in China, I call Canada Home…and when I’m in Canada, I call China home
There’s so much I miss about Winnipeg. Going to concerts is definitely one
I miss lakes and trees….and quiet.
I miss these wonderful people most of all!
It isn’t All Bad
Of course, it isn’t nearly all bad. June is probably my least favourite month of the year. It’s difficult saying goodbye to students. It’s difficult saying goodbye to friends. Add that to the fact that it’s exam season and end of term…and I can’t believe it’s taken me 4 years to write this post.
I can barely complain about my own stresslevels in June. Students in China write the Gaokao, which is the test that will get them into a good (or less than good) university. When the tests are done, kids choose a classroom, tear up their books and dump them all in a pile. This was this year’s classroom….
Still, there are a thousand things that being an expat allows us to do. It sucks saying goodbye to friends…but it’s great meeting so many new people all the time. It sucks only seeing our family and Canadian friends once a year, but we always have so many stories to tell them! And being an Expat gives us so many opportunities that we’d never have back in Canada. My band wouldn’t get nearly as many gigs if we weren’t ‘interesting foreigners’. Of course, we could never afford to travel this much if we didn’t live in China. And with Dave working from home, we were able to foster little Oscar. Here are some pictures of Oscar to remind you of all the reasons I love being an expat!
Stay tuned! I’ve got half a dozen more posts coming in the next month or so!!
He was found in the bushes right outside my school
He was mostly blind when we found him. Within our first week with him he started following movements
He was such a princely little cat!
What a flirt!
If Dave didn’t work at home, we never would have been able to give him the care he needed
These are the lovely women who adopted our little foster kitty
