The End is Here!

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Months slide into weeks, weeks fly into days and days zip by – before you know it, our time in Jinshitan is over and the end is here! Such mixed feelings- it is hard to put into words how we feel about leaving this fabulous community that has been home for three years.



Today, Sunday July 1 is not only Canada Day, and our first day of summer holiday, but also the first official day of retirement for both of us. Although we are having a lovely time as at a 5 star hotel in Dalian, both Rick and I are pretty nervous about that and already wondering what and where our next jobs and adventures will be. Everything seems like limbo right now, but things will sort themselves out and we are both looking forward to the summer and moving into our new place.



It also has not really sunk in yet at we are moving to Qualicum, not returning to Peace River, our home for 35 eyars. Our neighbours there will be so surprised to finally meet the owners of 366 Palm Drive; it has been eight years of ‘next year’. We are truly looking forward to being there – Chris is meeting us the weekend after we
arrive to help us unpack. We have been blessed to have had Geoff here for a year and are so looking forward to seeing Chris more often now.



The last couple of weeks have been a blur with finishing work, trying to pass on information to the new people taking over, packing crates, sorting through treasures and throwing away junk. It was a huge relief to close the door of the apartment this morning and head off with Geoff. Both of us to Dalian, but he to the airport and back to Canada, and us to the hotel- we are off tomorrow to Beijing to meet brother Bob and his family.



Such good memories for us, but so looking forward to travelling with Bob and seeing family and friends in Canada. So sorry not to have had the chance to put up pictures from our May holiday with Larry and Linda. It was a wonderful trip to southern China with the highlight being the Dragon's Back Rice Terraces with the beautiful long haired women. We also spent a night in Shanghai then back to Jinshitan. I dropped my camera and all the pictures got lost so no photos, but lots of good memories. I hope to get copies from Linda sometime so that I can remember all the things we did with our great friends the Tutts.

Happy Canada Day!

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Photos

Sports day at DMLS May 2012
Sports day is for teachers, not kids - they are the judges and referees. Two of the chinese ESL staff - Carrie and Echo - in our sports day uniforms.

grad ceremony june 9, 2012 010
Our final grad ceremony was a bit emotional for me, especially for the ESL boys that I knew who were graduating. Lucky for me that I won't be there next year when the main ESL group graduates - I'd be a blubbering mess!
Sherman Jen is the owner, founder, CEO and everything else for the Maple Leaf school system truly a man of vision (and much money!).

Fresh Produce
You can't leave the farm without several bags of fresh vegetables.

Day on Ryan's Farm
Ryan, my secretary on the girls campus became a good friend. Because he knew my interest in learning Majiang, he introduced us to his parents. Besides having a home in Dalian they spent half the year in their country house which has several acres of farm, gardens, and fruit trees. They came into Jinshitan to visit Ryan during the rainy times - he is an avid majiang player and enjoyed teaching Rick and I the basics. Although we couldn't speak each other's language, we too became very good friends. As well, we were the recipients of more fresh produce than we could possibly eat- and delicious fresh peanuts. This picture was taken on a day trip to their farm, a place I wish we could spend more time at with three wonderful people.

Sleeping on the kang bed
Kangs are a traditional bed made of cement and heated by the fire from the kitchen stove. After the 10 course meal that Mrs. Liu cooked for us (including fish caught by Mr. Liu), Mrs. Liu insisted that we needed a rest, so sent us to the kang for a sleep. It was pretty comfortable - I ended up sleeping for a while because it was so nice and cozy warm. Not Rick!

At the tailor's
Geoff had to dress up in suit and tie for work, so here he is getting a made to measure suit, vest, and shirt. Luckily Trent's girlfriend was there to help get the details ironed out!

Science 10
Second semester was great as Geoff moved to the high school to teach Science 10 to the girls, as you can see, an adoring crowd.

cindy and the bike
Cindy was my secretary on the boys campus, also one of my mandarin teachers and a friend. She and her husband were the recipients of our motorcycle. We were glad that it went to such a good family.

Karl and Rick
A few beers to wash down the chuar -food cooked on skewers over an outdoor barbecue . Meat (many kinds!), veggies, seafood, bread, you name it. Ususally spicy hot.

Val and Gail - street chuar in JInshitan
Val and Karl - what good friends - we miss you! So sorry to only have discovered the fun of 5 Colour City so late! Good memories of chuar , gin and tonic and beer. Looking forward to seeing you next summer.

crates
What an experience - packing the crates. So many treasures, so much junk. After selling most of the electric items to a colleague, Cindy and Ryan were the recipients of most of the remainder of our household items. When we finally opened the crates in Qualicum we shook our heads as to why we thought they were worth packing...should have left more there!