Merry Christmas!
With Bunches of Love,
Marcy
Friday, December 19, 2008
Today we said "Goodbye" to the kiddos at Bethany after an amazing "Narnival" (think Narnia Carnival) and time of worship at All-School Chapel. One of my new adventures in Taiwan has been leading the worship team...something I absolutely love but often feel very inadequate to do...I'm so thankful for amazing musicians who can figure everything out and transpose on the fly. What a blessing! Anyway, we had a fabulous Christmas party/lunch as a staff, and after wrapping up a few things at school, I've been puttering around trying to clean and pack BECAUSE I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS....and I leave Taiwan in 11 hours! When I'm home in the frigid land of MN (which promises to have a very white Christmas this year), I'll post a Christmas letter telling you all about the comings and goings of this past year. Until then, this year's Christmas photo will have to do:)
Merry Christmas!
With Bunches of Love,
Marcy
Merry Christmas!
With Bunches of Love,
Marcy
Sunday, December 14, 2008
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas....
I love this song, and this version cracks me up every time I watch it! Enjoy....
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Mama Mia---You're the Birthday Girl!
Meet my Mom....she's absolutely amazing!
Happy Birthday.....
I love you!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Hong Kong 2008
Over Thanksgiving, a large group of Morrison Academy teachers headed to Hong Kong to join hundreds of other Christian school educators from Asia for the ACSI-International Christian Educator's Conference. The conference was really great, and it was so encouraging to see all the missionary teachers who are working in Asia. I managed to have a few adventures outside of the conference, and I thought I'd share a few pictures!
For the first time, I tried Cantonese dim sum (lots of small dishes/baskets of different types of food) and had some amazing sweet and sour pork ("real" Chinese food!). I perused some fun markets and walked, and walked, and walked, and walked around Hong Kong! The flight home was also an adventure...after lots of delays, an airline swap, and some treats from Starbucks (compliments of a Thai Airways voucher), we finally arrived home on LiShui at 3am (5 hours or so later than expected). We were getting a little silly!
Enjoy the pictures!
(By the way, all of you Mac users, have you ever tried to use the application: Comic Life? I'm now a huge fan! Check out this website to learn how to make a photo collage!)
For the first time, I tried Cantonese dim sum (lots of small dishes/baskets of different types of food) and had some amazing sweet and sour pork ("real" Chinese food!). I perused some fun markets and walked, and walked, and walked, and walked around Hong Kong! The flight home was also an adventure...after lots of delays, an airline swap, and some treats from Starbucks (compliments of a Thai Airways voucher), we finally arrived home on LiShui at 3am (5 hours or so later than expected). We were getting a little silly!
Enjoy the pictures!
(By the way, all of you Mac users, have you ever tried to use the application: Comic Life? I'm now a huge fan! Check out this website to learn how to make a photo collage!)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Marcy the Un-Blogger
So, it's been so long since I posted last that I had to try and remember my password....not good!
How are you?!
I was thinking about my life in Taiwan. I think I blogged several months ago about how things were "normal" now. It's interesting, but so true...I'm having to force myself to be a tourist and be amazed at all the non-normal things I see each day. Today, I was sitting in a taxi (which is not a typical MN experience) and gazed out the window to see a scooter loaded up with a homemade cart-like thing. The cart was piled with cardboard to be recycled...and I mean piled! It must have towered over the taxi by 4-5 feet. You just don't see that very often in Minnesota. Earlier this week, one of my colleagues opened up her biandong (lunchbox) that she orders from a company that our kids use. Inside was the usual rice, mystery meat, tofu, and vegetables. Plopped in the middle of all that wonder was one somewhat withered looking pinkish-purple squid. Again, not your typical Minnesota lunch.
As different as things are here in Taiwan, it's really starting to feel rather comfortable. I do have to admit that my slowly increasing Chinese vocabulary and the knowledge of where to find Kraft Macaroni and Cheese has helped me feel a bit more at home.
I've actually made some changes this year. Of course, the job is new. That's a huge change! Chinese lessons are new...although I think I would learn more if I actually got up the gumption to speak a bit more or at least study a bit more diligently! (Why are teachers sometimes such poor students?!) I have a new view of money thanks to Dave Ramsey and FPU. I have a new mode of transportation....not my first choice of a "wind at my back Freedom Machine" (aka scooter), but my new bicycle has helped me cut most of the never-ending waiting out of my life plus it has the feature of easy parking and forced exercise (always a good thing for me).
I have a new, amazing, and totally cool camera (thanks to my very generous Uncle and Aunt and parents), and I have a new water machine that has saved me a bundle! I also have a new tutoring gig that is providing some extra income and helping with my quest to be debt-free....
Perhaps some additional new "news" is that I've decided to stay in Taiwan for at least one more year. This was definitely not an easy decision, and it's really tough to have to make it so early in the year (contracts come out in October); however, after lots of prayer, the decision seemed obvious. It's hard to be away from home...family...and friends (BFF included!). BUT I really felt led to finish out this year with no thoughts of transitioning. With all the new challenges in my job, I wanted the opportunity to be 100% in the game and do it right! I'm praying that God will bless my meager efforts....One special treat that is coming soon is a trip home for Christmas (thanks, Mom & Dad, for supporting your "missionary")...I leave the 20th, and I CAN'T WAIT!! It's fun to sing "I'll be Home for Christmas" and really mean it!
Things have been busy around here. Last spring, I submitted some workshop proposals for the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) ICEC (International Christian Educator's Conference) that would take place in Hong Kong over Thanksgiving break. For fun, I wrote up 7 proposals---one with another teacher at Bethany. I was delighted to have 4 proposals (including the one with my friend Amanda) accepted, and I readily agreed. That was last April...I figured I'd have plenty of time to get those things ready......
Once upon a time, Marcy was a freshman at Northwestern College. School had always come rather easily for her, but she had never faced the rigor and dynamics of an undergraduate program. Her educational world was exciting, but the personal computer was still rather new and Google didn't exist. Car phones were only for the very wealthy, FRIENDS wasn't syndicated, and the college library had several different volumes of encyclopedias in addition to microfiche and a filmstrip collection.
One day, Marcy was given a syllabus that listed all the different things she would need to do for the trimester in order to fulfill the class requirements. 50% of the final grade was a project. Marcy did a piece here and there, but finally it came down to the night before the project was due. The project was in shambles, but Marcy felt "empowered by the pressure" and worked late into the night--bunkered down at her roommate's Apple working away on her diagrams in the blue light of the screen. The next day, she stumbled to class and turned in her project--thankful to be done and praying that she would never have to get so little sleep again in her college career!
One week later, Marcy opened her mailbox and found the project. Across the front was a large A+.....and that, my friends, is the moment Marcy learned that procrastination suited her, and there was some truth to the adage of working well under pressure....and the rest is history....
So, back to Hong Kong....I began to relive my college days trying to get these presentations together...and I wasn't quite so fond of the stress related to last-minute preparations at this time in my life....hmmm...lesson learned! All in all, it was a blast (I think!)...it was all such a blur :) The conference was great (my favorite speakers were Gary Chapman--5 Love Languages guy--and Phil Calloway--funniest Canadian alive!), and the presenting went well. The first day, I talked about Theatre, and the second day was Love and Logic. The last day, I presented on parent/teacher communication to a packed classroom (50+ people) and that was followed by and even larger crowd (75+) for our workshop on Creativity in the Classroom. I learned so much about myself, and I learned that I have a presentation "style" that I most enjoy. It was really an amazing experience, and I guess I can add "International Education Conference Presenter" to my resume:) Hong Kong is an amazing city. I didn't really feel like exploring very much...I was pretty worn out from school, workshop prep, etc., but I did manage to head out a couple of nights with friends. The markets are a blast, and the skyline is gorgeous.
Well, I think I'll close this off so that it actually posts. I finally have some pictures to post, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow because it's time for bed.
Thanks so much for your prayers!
Love,
Marcy
How are you?!
I was thinking about my life in Taiwan. I think I blogged several months ago about how things were "normal" now. It's interesting, but so true...I'm having to force myself to be a tourist and be amazed at all the non-normal things I see each day. Today, I was sitting in a taxi (which is not a typical MN experience) and gazed out the window to see a scooter loaded up with a homemade cart-like thing. The cart was piled with cardboard to be recycled...and I mean piled! It must have towered over the taxi by 4-5 feet. You just don't see that very often in Minnesota. Earlier this week, one of my colleagues opened up her biandong (lunchbox) that she orders from a company that our kids use. Inside was the usual rice, mystery meat, tofu, and vegetables. Plopped in the middle of all that wonder was one somewhat withered looking pinkish-purple squid. Again, not your typical Minnesota lunch.
As different as things are here in Taiwan, it's really starting to feel rather comfortable. I do have to admit that my slowly increasing Chinese vocabulary and the knowledge of where to find Kraft Macaroni and Cheese has helped me feel a bit more at home.I've actually made some changes this year. Of course, the job is new. That's a huge change! Chinese lessons are new...although I think I would learn more if I actually got up the gumption to speak a bit more or at least study a bit more diligently! (Why are teachers sometimes such poor students?!) I have a new view of money thanks to Dave Ramsey and FPU. I have a new mode of transportation....not my first choice of a "wind at my back Freedom Machine" (aka scooter), but my new bicycle has helped me cut most of the never-ending waiting out of my life plus it has the feature of easy parking and forced exercise (always a good thing for me).
I have a new, amazing, and totally cool camera (thanks to my very generous Uncle and Aunt and parents), and I have a new water machine that has saved me a bundle! I also have a new tutoring gig that is providing some extra income and helping with my quest to be debt-free....Perhaps some additional new "news" is that I've decided to stay in Taiwan for at least one more year. This was definitely not an easy decision, and it's really tough to have to make it so early in the year (contracts come out in October); however, after lots of prayer, the decision seemed obvious. It's hard to be away from home...family...and friends (BFF included!). BUT I really felt led to finish out this year with no thoughts of transitioning. With all the new challenges in my job, I wanted the opportunity to be 100% in the game and do it right! I'm praying that God will bless my meager efforts....One special treat that is coming soon is a trip home for Christmas (thanks, Mom & Dad, for supporting your "missionary")...I leave the 20th, and I CAN'T WAIT!! It's fun to sing "I'll be Home for Christmas" and really mean it!
Things have been busy around here. Last spring, I submitted some workshop proposals for the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) ICEC (International Christian Educator's Conference) that would take place in Hong Kong over Thanksgiving break. For fun, I wrote up 7 proposals---one with another teacher at Bethany. I was delighted to have 4 proposals (including the one with my friend Amanda) accepted, and I readily agreed. That was last April...I figured I'd have plenty of time to get those things ready......
Once upon a time, Marcy was a freshman at Northwestern College. School had always come rather easily for her, but she had never faced the rigor and dynamics of an undergraduate program. Her educational world was exciting, but the personal computer was still rather new and Google didn't exist. Car phones were only for the very wealthy, FRIENDS wasn't syndicated, and the college library had several different volumes of encyclopedias in addition to microfiche and a filmstrip collection.
One day, Marcy was given a syllabus that listed all the different things she would need to do for the trimester in order to fulfill the class requirements. 50% of the final grade was a project. Marcy did a piece here and there, but finally it came down to the night before the project was due. The project was in shambles, but Marcy felt "empowered by the pressure" and worked late into the night--bunkered down at her roommate's Apple working away on her diagrams in the blue light of the screen. The next day, she stumbled to class and turned in her project--thankful to be done and praying that she would never have to get so little sleep again in her college career!
One week later, Marcy opened her mailbox and found the project. Across the front was a large A+.....and that, my friends, is the moment Marcy learned that procrastination suited her, and there was some truth to the adage of working well under pressure....and the rest is history....
So, back to Hong Kong....I began to relive my college days trying to get these presentations together...and I wasn't quite so fond of the stress related to last-minute preparations at this time in my life....hmmm...lesson learned! All in all, it was a blast (I think!)...it was all such a blur :) The conference was great (my favorite speakers were Gary Chapman--5 Love Languages guy--and Phil Calloway--funniest Canadian alive!), and the presenting went well. The first day, I talked about Theatre, and the second day was Love and Logic. The last day, I presented on parent/teacher communication to a packed classroom (50+ people) and that was followed by and even larger crowd (75+) for our workshop on Creativity in the Classroom. I learned so much about myself, and I learned that I have a presentation "style" that I most enjoy. It was really an amazing experience, and I guess I can add "International Education Conference Presenter" to my resume:) Hong Kong is an amazing city. I didn't really feel like exploring very much...I was pretty worn out from school, workshop prep, etc., but I did manage to head out a couple of nights with friends. The markets are a blast, and the skyline is gorgeous.
Well, I think I'll close this off so that it actually posts. I finally have some pictures to post, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow because it's time for bed.
Thanks so much for your prayers!
Love,
Marcy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
