Wasaga Beach July 2010

Home connection!

Penang staff trip...very nice!

Our employer, Taylor's, sent us on our second, all expenses paid weekend trip. This time we enjoyed Penang which is situated in the north-west section of Malaysia. We crossed a 13.5 km long bridge to reach Penang. The bridge is called the Penang Bridge...imagine that! I met my twin in Penang.

A bit of meditation in Penang. The Buddha behind me was tickling the back of my neck. I had a tough time staying focused on my meditation word which was "tickle". I think Buddha read my mind.

The head of a turtle sticking out of the water. A nice "zoomed" photo.  Isn't he cute?

Yeah...I'm note quite sure what's going on here. Is it a team building event? Are they posing for photos? Are they playing turtle rugby? Or is it a mating match? However, it was a cool shot.

More Canada! I love my Home & Native

To BBQ or not BBQ, that was the dilemma! Getting behind a BBQ after spending a year in Malaysia's heat...ouch! I really had to think about that...course I was hungy after flying for 20 hours; my arms were tired, and I had built up quite an appetite, with Amy on my shoulders the whole way.

Some pictures are simply awesome and this is one of them. Scott and Peyton happily bonding!

Mitchell the Halo King!

Canada...home again! Ahhhhhhh

Melinda, Jazz and Ella.

M & M, hanging out.

Kim and Amy; best friends for ever and ever amen! What an  awesome friendship they enjoy. And they're cute too!

Amy's first sip of Timmy's Coffee after a full year without it. The fella in the car directly behind her, was looking at her as though she was nuts...until I explained that we had been out of our 'Home and Native' for a year, then he sighed and completly understood.

I think my sister was happy to see us back in Canada!

Awwwwwww...what a nice auntie and a sweet baby!

Lexie, our up and coming beautiful Canadian...

They made me wear this or I couldn't get any food. 
...Yeah ok, I vote for Lexie, she's much prettier.

CPU June 2010 Prom

Rowena, our new CPU Assistant Principal.

Student photos

Business Leadership Memories

My Students

Farah &Anhar

Natalieya

Neil

Sean & Paul

Business Leadership students.

Our last day, June 3, 2010, Business Leadership comes to an end. We had a great time! Period 1, 2 and 4...U ROCK! Thank you for a fantastic semester.

The new CPU

This is our new location. We left the main campus and moved to this Business School. We have a new staff room, nice offices, windows, aircon; it's a nice place to work. Our classrooms have plenty of windows as well.

Reflections!

We landed here June 27, 2009. It's been almost a full year now. My opinion and perception about Malaysia and this experience have not changed.  Teaching is still as awesome as my first day. My students are still angels and I still really enjoy teaching. I'm ok with the constant heat now, I've adjusted. Taylor's is a fantastic place to work, no doubt about it, they take good care of their employees. One thing that still makes me shiver with inquisition...why?, is these open sewers or waterways along the sidewalks..

I just don't get it...why not cover them? Someone could fall into these cement pits very easily. I was told by one of my students that the reason they do not cover these pits is because they don't have to... YIKES!

Cambodia and Thailand really impacted my perspective on life and gratitude. I was humbled by what I saw and experienced in those countries. I would travel back there with anyone who comes to Malaysia because it's a life changing experience.

Anyhow, we fly back to Canada on June 19th, we're excited. I'm eager to hold and hug my children, see my family members, my friends and smell the Canadian air again. Overall, after a year of being here, I'm glad I came, I learned a lot, although I didn't grow much, I'm still 5'7", damn. I appreciate and love my country even more now, I see how much we have in Canada, I see how forward thinking we are in relation to rights and freedoms. My home and native land will always be my anchor.

Please say something!

Amy was trying to teach these three German tourists how to smile. She must have stood there for an hour, just smiling for them...well, they didn't even crack a tiny grin. When I asked them questions about their country and why they were in Thailand, they just looked ahead. Oh well, their loss, we were nice!

Memories of an awesome wedding day for Kim & Brian. The drinks were very strong, my face says it all.

Amy & Jwu Yng

Amy and her student Jwu Yng-a big hug during the musical event-, they really bonded throughout the semester, working together on the musical just cemented the relationship.

Petronas with James

James and Amy at the Petronas Towers.

At the Mosque, women cover their heads and men cover their legs, I think women cover their legs as well and men cover...wait, was it legs and heads or eyes and arms? Hmmmm

James on Broadway

James got all done up and attended our Musical production " A Night on Broadway" which featured 13 different songs from past Musicals. Amy directed two numbers, Fame & The Cell Block Tango.