I Remember, I'm Thankful!

Today is a very important day. It's a day that we Canadians (along with other Commonwealth nations) stop and be thankful for the freedom we have thanks to the veterans of the wars we've fought.

Today, I spent the day at home sick but it gave me the opportunity to tune into the Remembrance Day service at our nation's capital. I cried my eyes out. For one, at the ever decreasing number of the vets who fought for our freedom. I already have a weakness for old men (my heart melts when they throw out a smile) but these elderly people (women included) are the cream of the crop. While there are those who continue to fight for our freedom today, for the vets of the first world wars and the Korean and Vietnam wars, their fights are distant memories that likely have haunted and shaped the people they lived the majority of their lives as. We wouldn't know the world we know now if it weren't for these courageous individuals.

Secondly, I'm so proud to be Canadian. I'm so proud to be part of a nation that takes pride in our past, our present and our future. I'm proud to be part of a nation that has a reputation for being friendly, open-minded, caring and adventurous. I'm so proud of the veterans that made this a reality.

I am so grateful for the life I get to live now. I'm grateful to be living in Germany, where for decades this nation was scorned for the actions of their past until the youth finally stood up and said enough is enough. We won't ever forget the lives that were lost or the battles that were fought but we can move on and learn from our mistakes. I am grateful that people have it in them to forgive and move on and make the world a better place.

Finally, I've got to throw a special thank you out there to my grandfather and my uncle who are both deceased but who fought in WWII. I've also got to thank my uncle Colin who fought in the Korean War and who gave me an incredible moment in my life when he met my ex-fiancé from the country he fought to protect. All of these men are tremendous individuals and I feel so lucky to have/have had them in my life and I feel eternally indebted to them and the others who have made Canada/the world the incredible place it is today. I took my minute at 11am but also took note that I need to be more grateful for all that I have every minute of everyday.

Thank you to everyone for your service to our country, to humankind and our universe. Lest we forget.

Oh hello again! :)

It has been sooooo long since I made a post on here. I've thought about several things that I could post about but thinking and then actually taking the time to sit and post are very different things. A lot has been going on in my world so let's catch up!

Unlike here, my MIS PE Blog has actually been kept up to date. I've been so busy with work and after a week off to catch my breath, I'm ready to jump back in and push through until Christmas; I'm actually looking forward to it and this is such a great feeling! Within the blog, I've also decided to have a "Learner Profile Athlete of the Week" - it recognizes one or two students each week who are outstanding in PE class by either demonstrating the learner profiles and/or demonstrating awesome athleticism. After having taught several students the past couple of years who have excelled in PE but struggled in the classroom, I thought this would be something really motivational for them. It's been very well received so far!

This year has also added a new responsibility to my role at MIS - I am now the Tanzania Project Coordinator at the school which has been a big undertaking. I've also set up a blog for this but it's not been so well maintained with the other things I have on my plate. I'm passionate about the Tanzania Project at our school but it seems that we're having an 'off' year with not a lot of interest in the trip and the incredible projects that the school has set up to benefit these amazing people in different areas around the country. I am having a hard time getting the non-believers to understand how awesome it is to be a part of this 25+ year tradition that the school has set up but it's hard. One big issue is with the Masaai culture - a number of people can't find it in themselves to support a culture that doesn't accept the LGBT community and that still believes in female circumcision. Do I think these things are good? No, certainly not. But I respect that the Masaai are a culture that I will never quite understand...much like they will never understand Western culture and our need to get boob jobs, have anal bleaching or the need to have an automatic weapon in a gated suburban home. The bottom line is that these people still need our help - we have so much more than they do so why not share? We need to develop these intercultural relationships better so maybe they can begin to understand our way of thinking and vice versa. We can't just expect things to change overnight and because someone tells us/them that what we're/they're doing is wrong. Imagine a world like that...! When it comes right down to it, my passion lies with the children. We need to help the children. Would you discriminate against a child in need because of the beliefs of his/her mother and father? Grandmother and grandfather? These things are embedded within a child's upbringing and we can hope that changes will be made over time...but in the meantime, take a hard look at these faces.

It's hard to believe people out there who have so much can deny supporting a cause that supports children like these. I understand that there is poverty and financial struggle for children in a lot of different places in the world but it was here that I was touched the most - because I met people who are making a difference! I admire MIS for having these projects at the school but most especially I admire (and thank) the people who have set up the Tanzania Project and who have made a difference! I'm so proud to be a part of it! :)

This year I've also moved from Starnberg to Munich and it's been awesome. I love my new apartment, its location and everything about it. I regret that I didn't make the move sooner but it was pretty convenient to have a 10 minute bike ride to school and my own schedule to work with. I carpool now which is also a new experience and I enjoy the morning company but it involves more organization on my part in the mornings...and less snooze button hitting! No complaints! :)

Well, that's it for now! Keep on smiling people - life's good! :)

My Top 3 Scariest/Worst Travel Experiences - Part 2

April 30th - May 8th, 2011 - Lhasa, Tibet - Mount Everest Base Camp, Tibet

This was an incredible, once in a lifetime trip. Again, I was travelling with work colleagues/friends and we began planning this trip months in advance, what with visa regulations and requirements. One of my companions was my best friend at my school in China and the other was a colleague who worked at one of our sister schools that we'd hung out with a few times and who we got along well with. My best friend's boyfriend would also join us but he would meet us in Lhasa, while the rest of us hopped on board the train in Shanghai that would take us to Lhasa...in 47 hours and 40 minutes.

Map of train to Tibet

We were prepared for the trip with lots of snacks, books, laptops, iPods and chargers to keep 'em juiced. On the train ride, we'd gradually acclimatize to the altitude as we climbed higher and higher and closer and closer to Lhasa. On the train, we'd reach a maximum elevation of 5,072m. Equipped in our soft top sleeper cabin, were oxygen tanks which released oxygen into the train gradually but you could control how much intake you would get by opening or closing the vent, like with air-conditioning in a car, I guess. While my best friend and I were adjusting well, our other mate began to experience fatigue and headaches as soon as we started to climb...not a good sign.

Information on monitor in train

Self-explanatory

This is a before shot of the bathroom - it got pretty nasty as you can imagine! Not a very friendly toilet for many, either! :P 

Our sleeping car and one sick lady!

The train ride itself was pretty incredible. Within an hour or two, we'd see completely different landscape, especially on the second day as we entered Tibet. Once in Lhasa, we were greeted by our tour guide (it' pretty strictly regimented there), given a khatak - white scarf given to visitors by Tibetans to indicate their pure heart (I still carry mine in my travel backpack) - and then taken to our first hotel.

Tibetan landscape featuring a couple of yaks! :)

Most amazing blue skies and some mountains...

And then this big lake, the biggest in China, was absolutely beautiful!

The next day involved sightseeing and shopping in Lhasa, before heading off to the Himalayas and eventually Mt. Everest Base Camp in the coming days. Lhasa was amazing, but the first thing I noticed was the awkward Chinese presence in the area...soldiers marching around in unison...it was kind of freaky at first and seemed completely unnecessary. I had wished that I had seen the city before Chinese domination, but then again that'd be pretty hard, seeing as the Chinese built the railway I had just arrived on. Aside from that, Lhasa was amazing. Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery were all sights in or around Lhasa and all must-see experiences if you find yourself in Tibet. As I write this, I realize I should probably dedicate a whole post to how amazing Tibet is; despite the 'bad' experience I had here, it was such an amazing place and the trip was incredible. Tibet remains the place where I found the people to be the friendliest, to have the best smiles and the most amazing culture, as it still seems pretty far removed from Western Civilization. I hope that doesn't change!

Potala Palace 

One of my fave pics :)

Barkhor Street...lots of people walk around the Jokhang Temple (just in the background) with these prayer wheels.

Jokhang Temple

Monks preparing tea at Drepung Monastery 

Prayer time in Drepung Monastery

My new friends :) 

Watching these guys take part in the famous Monk debate at Sera Monastery

Prayer wheels at Sera Monastery

After our full first day in Lhasa, our travel companion/my roommate was really taking a turn for the worst; she wasn't acclimatizing well and was feeling the effects of altitude sickness. She excluded herself from the monastery visits on day two, as they involved lots of stairs, and instead visited an orphanage with blind children...I have to say, kudos to her for doing this! I guess it was also an amazing experience! But, after a day in Lhasa, she was already relying on oxygen cans to help her breathe from time to time, as she was struggling. Lhasa is at 3,650m...where we were going was 5,150m with one higher ascent than that en route. I remember her mentioning that she said she wished she could help out at the orphanage some more, I suggested once that she do that, but she insisted she'd carry on with the travel itinerary...and higher and higher in altitude.

Our next place of stay on our journey was Shigatse, a city situated at 3,840m above sea level, and it was here that my travel roomie really started to have a hard time. She was nauseous, fatigued, had diarrhea and at this point, began taking Diamox for altitude sickness. Her oxygen intake from the oxygen cans became more frequent and now she had severe pains in her right hand. Things were not looking good, yet she still wanted to try to move on more the next day as we would have been arriving at Everest Base Camp. On one hand, I can understand that you don't want to miss the opportunity to stand facing the world's highest mountain - it is pretty darn special! But, at the same time, to push your body further and further when it's trying to give you signs to stop, isn't really the smartest idea. Before the trip, I was nervous about altitude sickness never having been very high up, so we had Diamox on hand, just in case. I was going to the gym to ensure I was in good shape before the trip, though I was also told your physical state of health can have no effect on you chances of getting altitude sickness. Luckily, I was fine for the entirety of the trip, and only experienced a slight headache and racing heart overnight at Base Camp.

So, we headed off to Base Camp on the morning of May 5th with a lunch stop in a small town called Tingri, 4,300m. It was here that our mate could go no further. She couldn't breathe. She was in a bad way. One of our two guides stayed behind with her, which was risky seeing as we had several Chinese check-points left to go through (basically Chinese authorities flexing their muscles and severely inconveniencing travellers with roadside checks where we had to get off the bus with our passports and sometimes even have our bags searched!). Also, a few more people in our tour group of about 14, began to experience symptoms of altitude sickness - headache, nausea and they were using the oxygen cans - well what was left of them. I felt a bit guilty leaving my roomie behind, but there would have been nothing I could do, I spent a lot of money to be there, I wasn't sick at all, I'd probably never get the chance to go back there AND I wanted to be with my best friend, who was beginning to experience some symptoms now. She did have her boyfriend, the French mountain goat, but does this make me a bad person? I don't think so...

So, I continued on. Seeing Mount Everest and the final six hour drive through the Himalayas and all that it entailed was just incredible; there's not much I would trade for it, nor would I trade any of my travel experiences for anything. Of course, I was worried about our fallen friend but all I could do was hope she was okay.

Yamdrok-Tso, one of Tibet's four holy lakes

Gyatso Pass, 5,248m and a lot of prayer flags :)

Our first glimpse of the Himalayas and Mt. Everest...and some crazy switchback road action!

Guess which one is which?! 

We slept in tents owned by Tibetans at the Base Camp and had meals inside of our tents shortly after arrival. There was a big fire stove in the middle of the tent (I guess a cross between a tent and a yurt) but at bedtime, it was put out to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning (I guessed?). It's cold at 5,150m and the solution was a yak skin blanket. I didn't sleep that night as all I could hear was my heart beating in my ear at, it seems, 100km/hr and my best friend throwing up from a combo of food poisoning at lunch and altitude sickness. The blanket was also so heavy that I felt I couldn't breathe right when it was on me but I was too cold to not have it on me! I ended up seeking refuge in the bathroom about 150m away from the tent and visited there 4 times during the night (just to be able to walk around) and even called my boyfriend for comforting advice - probably not the cheapest phone call! Before you start picturing luxurious heated bathrooms, these 'bathrooms' consisted of a wood hut with two holes cut out in the floor to squat and do your business without any privacy. The benefit of being there was that everyone else was probably too cold to leave their huts so I was the only one out there - I guess it just felt good to stand up and move around.

Home for the night at 5,150m

Where I slept...or tried to :) 

I know, gross...but it was dark...

The next day, we took a bus (because we weren't allowed to walk - we were told there were wolves, which was a lie as I'd have seen them on my bathroom trips, I'm sure :P) to the pedestrian only access point of base camp. We all went through a security hut one by one, had our bags searched, passports checked then we waited outside for the rest of the group. Once everyone was done, we were told to get on the bus. What?! We were not happy but we were told Base Camp was closed. No reason why but there were a lot of angry people. What could we do? We're foreigners in a foreign country who just got deprived of the chance to step on the beginning trek of one of the most infamous climbs in the world. We later found out, as we were stopped and completely searched en route back to Lhasa, that someone had gone into the base of the trek with their country's flag and waved it around. This was seen as very offensive and apparently reason enough to disallow anyone else from entering for the coming weeks. Great. So we left later in the day, deprived of this experience...but at least with a good story.

And there it is - Mt. Everest! The highest point on this earth at 8,848m..and the closest I'll ever get! 

View of Mt. Everest from Rongbu Monastery - the highest monastery in the world, obviously.

Once we reached Tingri again, we stopped for a bite and picked up my sick travel roomie. She was really, really ill by now - she couldn't talk, had cushions full of oxygen that were constantly in or very close to her mouth. She was coughing now, a very congested cough, and in a lot of pain. She also had a doctor come visit her there who told her she had a 'lung infection' and gave her some kind of medicine. We helped her onto the bus where she sat motionless and colourless with an oxygen pillow and a blanket. Along the way, we stopped to have a bathroom break (just on the road - boys on the right side of the bus, girls on the left) and our friend had to go. Since she couldn't really walk, we helped her off the bus, two of us held a blanket and the guide held her hand as she tried to pop a squat next to the bus. I'm sure it was a humiliating experience for her, obviously extremely scary too, but it was something my close friend and I never thought we'd do, not having known her very well. We got her back on the bus and finally to Shigatse. It was there when she realized she needed more than just the guide to take care of her; while we were gone to dinner (she obviously had no appetite), she was taken to the Shigatse hospital for the night.

The next day, my friend and I had the bus take us to the hospital to pick up our mate before heading on back to Lhasa. She was hooked up to an oxygen machine, in a hospital bed and still looking pretty bad. At this point, she was still considering (and wanting) to take the tour bus back to Lhasa with an oxygen tank. I found this pretty irresponsible. That would make me feel somewhat liable for her health as well as the guides on the trip - not really fair! Finally, the decision was made to transport her back to Lhasa (the whole 8.5 hours) by ambulance. The bus would still be stopping at a base where the Tibetans fought off the English from invading via India and this was something I was interested in seeing, but I thought I'd make up for leaving her behind when we went to Everest and I took the ambulance back to Lhasa with her. Well, what a trip this was.

The ambulance had it's full speed on for as much of the way as it could, but, it was an old piece of shit ambulance from the early 90s so going fast wasn't exactly fast. It. Was. Awful. There were Jeeps, Land Cruisers and other SUVs passing us left right and center; I couldn't believe it really. We also had to stop for my friend to relieve herself and since she was in such pain, couldn't move or breathe, it took the doctor (who was with us), the guide and myself to get her down from the ambulance to pee on the roadside. I also got to go empty and rinse the bed pan. Once back in Lhasa, she was taken to the army hospital. I waited until my other friend (and her boyfriend and the rest of the tour crew) arrived to pick me up later that night...there was some really bad traffic with road construction which was the only benefit of having the ambulance to bypass it!

We spent our last day in Lhasa running around getting things for our mate because the hospital provided nothing. It was a scary, scary place...and having a white girl in there, was like a tourist attraction. Initially, I was annoyed at the whole situation, despite her being very, very ill, because I had to give up some of my trip because she was too stubborn to just stay back and listen to her body. She could have prevented her condition from worsening by staying in Lhasa...it put a big stress and responsibility on us that I felt was unfair - especially since I should have been the younger, naive one! She was nearly 40 and me in my late 20s - why did I have to even suggest she stay behind as she should have done this herself anyway! As it turned out, she was in such a bad state that she was unable to fly back to mainland China with us and we had no option to stay with her with the visa situation we were in - we had to get out! So, we left her in Lhasa at the hospital with the tour guide (who was an amazing woman) and she was airlifted to Chengdu a few days later. She had pulmonary edema, a life-threatening illness and the worst thing you can have happen to you when you've got altitude sickness. I resented her even more because I thought, what if she would have died?! That day in the ambulance, I had to communicate with her family on the phone about what was happening and that was also pretty unpleasant and scary - we weren't that close, they didn't know who I was...it was just a nightmare! I felt she brought a lot of this upon herself and she ignored the advice I sheepishly gave her...I shouldn't have had to advise her at all, surely your body's warning signs would be enough to tell you to stop!

Both my best friend and I didn't see her again after that trip and we no longer keep in touch. I had deleted her from Facebook (but then re-added her) because she made a comment about really fit people dying from pulmonary edema or getting really sick, even though they were really fit. This lady was very overweight and before the trip, I remember talking about making an effort to get in better shape. She was going to try to walk more and prepare her body for the trip, while my best friend and I were going to the gym. Well, trip time came and she made no effort to get into any decent physical shape, as she said would, and up until this point, she struggled to even walk around her own city. My best friend was worried about her before the trip and questioned her decision to be coming in the first place, being in her physical condition, but it was a cultural experience she couldn't pass up - I get that! In the ambulance that day, I made a comment to her that I hoped this situation would encourage her to be a healthier person as I thought this was a pretty fair warning (Hi! You're on your death bed!) and she agreed. I'm not sure if she ever did.

So, the scary part of all of this? Almost having a travel companion die on you. No joke, her coughing on that last day, in that ambulance, is still clear in my mind. She was sick. She was really, really sick. What would you do? We had even signed waivers for the train and the trip saying no one but ourselves was liable for our death which freaked me out but we all signed it. The thought of almost having to accept responsibility for all of that, and the way that her lack of commitment to her own health and wellbeing nearly ruined an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime trip, was extremely aggravating, as selfish as that sounds. But in the end, you're responsible for yourself, your life. Don't be an idiot about it and I'd hope I'd never put that stress on anyone near or around me, ever! Scar-y!

My Top 3 Scariest/Worst Travel Experiences - Part 1

Ok, one word in and I'm already thinking this is going to be a long one...so I'm separating it into three different posts! So, in chronological order, here are my top three experiences in travelling that I'd never wish upon my worst enemy...though I don't have one! :P ...one post at a time!

December 2010 - Langkawi, Malaysia - Koh Lipe, Thailand

My work friend and I went on Christmas vacation from our school in China to Malaysia and Thailand. After a few days in Malaysia, on December 21st, we caught a ferry from Langkawi to Koh Lipe and met a fun Australian couple on board who had some alcoholic bevies with them (a bottle of rum with some fruit juice) that they shared with us. As I'm not a huge drinker (most of the time), I didn't have that much, while the others indulged. We sat at the back of the boat but our company was quite loud and the rest of the passengers weren't incredibly impressed with the drinking behaviours. However, one of the ferry workers, did enjoy some sharing in of the drinking so we won over one person on the boat trip.

Upon arrival at Sunset Beach in Koh Lipe, our new friends, and my friend, were a wee bit drunk; it's vacation - it's allowed! :) We had to exit the boat from behind where the motor was pulled up with propellors exposed, but turned off, obviously. When the Australian female disembarked the vessel, she slipped and her ass bumped the propellor and she stumbled into the water a bit. She seemed fine immediately after and there was no sign of injury, it just looked like it hurt. Her boyfriend helped the crew to remove bags from the boat onto the beach and then the girl, we'll call her Sheila, said to me that her ass was really sore and asked if I could see anything wrong with it. Well, yes I could, once she lifted her sarong! She had a cut so deep that it hadn't really even begun to bleed, hence not noticing anything until she asked. I didn't show my reaction of shock to her, but I was shocked, however, my slightly intoxicated friend saw the wound and immediately exclaimed "Ah Jesus!" at the sight. Of course, Sheila began to panic a bit but I assured her it was okay and we had her lay on a blanket on the sand, with her ass up. My friend held her butt together with her hands while I held her hand and just talked to her to keep her calm. The propellor had cut pretty deep into her ass and all I could think was: a) Thank goodness she's drunk. b) She's so lucky it was her ass and not another part of her body, or else she'd be in more trouble! Keep in mind, huge open wound, on a beach, sand everywhere. Fortunately, there was a doctor on board the boat with us, we thought! She gave us a wet wipe and told us to just keep holding her wound together until help arrived. She then left us to begin her Thai vacation. B**ch wasn't a fan of Sheila on the boat so figured she had the right to just leave her with two Canadian strangers instead. Pretty glad she's not my doctor!

Amidst all of this, she wanted to see what it looked like so asked us to take a photo. It's pretty held together here, but initially, it was a pretty gaping wound!

Her boyfriend started to panic and act like an idiot until help arrived; a 4-wheeler with a trailer hitched on back. Koh Lipe is a very small island, with no roads (well, some sandy, dirt, bumpy roads) and no cars. I doubt the medical facilities are very extravagant and was told there are limited or no police force as well, which is totally part of the charm of this paradise, but not in a situation like this. As we had just arrived from Malaysia, we had to go through customs, or in this case, have our passports taken from us to be stamped and wait for them to be given back to us. Well, Sheila and her boyfriend were carted away and we had been left with their bags (and ours) and we had to wait for their passports as well. They had a friend on the island and we were meant to find him. How hard could that be? After hauling both our and their bags through the sandy pathways that they'd call roads for a couple of hours, we realized it wasn't as easy a task as they had claimed. We asked loads of people but no one knew their friend or where we could find him. It was a bad start to our Thai vacation time. Booooo!

Eventually, we found their friend and this shop that was run by his Thai girlfriend. Moments later, Sheila and her boyfriend came by with a woman in the 4-wheeler with the trailer. They passed us, boyfriend yelling, and came back again five minutes later. Weird. Sheila was still drunk and now high on ether she was sniffing from a cloth...and had 18 stitches to hold her ass together. We finally got to walk to our resort and boyfriend offered to help us out by carrying our bags. On the way, we ran into the husband of the woman driving the 4-wheeler...actually, he had found us and followed us onto the beach and then encircled us with his friends. Apparently boyfriend also turned out to be an a**hole who yelled at her and husband was NOT happy. He then pushed him, screamed at him and tried to fight him. Great, could this get any better? My friend used the power of her persuasive talk to diffuse the problem, made boyfriend apologize and said he'd also find the wife to apologize. It was all ridiculous...and kind of unbelievable. My friend and I should have taken our cue to stay away but he insisted we have dinner and drinks with them and their friends who lived on the island, to thank us. Being naive, and thinking things can't get any worse, we agreed.

That night, we met up. We had some dinner, drinks and things were going well. We then went to this private beach bar that was really awesome and chilled out there for a while. Well, it was then we realized boyfriend was a real dirtbag. It turns out he was looking to buy some drugs on the island to bring back to Australia with him. We also realized that Sheila and he had only been dating a couple of weeks when she decided to take this trip with him. We tried to tell her she should probably leave and go back home without him, because he was a douche, but also because we didn't want her to get in trouble. She was quite a bit younger than us and pretty naive and he was in his late twenties, I believe. We decided to fly the coop and leave these guys to themselves. We saw Sheila again, she told us that he wasn't going to traffic drugs anymore (thank goodness!) and that she was going to break up with him when she got back home. I hope she did. We remained Facebook friends for about 5 minutes, until I realized, though it's a good story, I don't really want anything to do with my new Australian friends and their ridiculous dramas! :P

DISCLAIMER: Despite this negative (and random) experience, Koh Lipe remains my favourite island/beach vacation of all time. It is paradise there and I will return one day! On Christmas Day, two friends from Korea (Nova Scotia originally) met us on the island and we spent an awesome day together on the island together. Thinking about it, makes me smile. I wouldn't hesitate a second to recommend this place as a MUST visit place for any traveller looking for a relaxing holiday! :)

Me in Paradise! :)

To date, still the best Chicken Pad Thai I've ever eaten!

View of Sunrise Beach

View of Sunset Beach from a cool bamboo walkway that brought you to a very private beach on the other side of the island!

Dear National Student Loans Service Centre...

After years of repaying my loan, and still having many, many more to go, I felt I had to voice my concerns to the NSLSC back in Canada. Obviously, I know nothing will be done, but this shouldn't be the standard that the future generations accept if they want to better their educational futures. It just doesn't seem fair...

To whom it may concern,

The longer I live overseas and speak with people from outside of Canada who attended school with assistance from their government, the more enraged I become with the burden of repaying my student loan.

How does being a Canadian student loan borrower compare to other countries in the world? What's the standard? It seems Canada's at the bottom of the 'benefit' ladder with a 7.5% (or more) interest rate. If I were British, I could borrow from the government but if I move away from the UK after completion of my degree, I don’t have to make payments because I’m not benefitting from the UK system, I guess. If I were a German citizen, I could go to school in Germany for free, as my loan payback would be 0%! What benefits do I reap from having gotten a loan to continue my education in Canada as a Canadian?

Haven't I done my part by actually getting a degree and not being a burden on Canada's government by filing for unemployment insurance or social welfare in the case that I wouldn't have attended university? I see the benefits the Canadian government has here - one less UI or welfare claimant in the system because I attended an institution of higher education. You’re welcome, Canada. But that’s not good enough for me.

I'm a teacher, to be precise, I'm an international school teacher currently employed in Germany. Perhaps if I had been given some sort of incentive to stay at home and teach in my home province, I would have opted for that. But there's no incentive, is there? I'd have to start from the bottom of the barrel and compete for jobs only if they were available after passing through the rungs of seniority within the school district. Tell me how often that happens. I'd have to hope and pray that I get a call for subbing at 6:00am the day of and then make my way to some school that could be a 45 minute commute and likely not serviced by public transportation. That doesn't sound like incentive to me, when I can teach and live overseas, hold a permanent job and have the students I teach benefit from the great teacher I am. I love and value my role as a teacher too much to sacrifice developing a hatred for an education system that would make me begin to regret my educational choices. How many teachers are unemployed in Canada? How many teachers are regretting their choice to spend money on an education (and still paying for it) that has no room for them in their chosen profession of study? It doesn't matter how great you are at your job, how inspiring you are, how many lives you can shape and change - there are no jobs. It's pretty disheartening.

I'm too awesome a teacher, too qualified a teacher, to consider moving back to Canada to teach. I've already seen the impact I can have on the lives of my students that giving up this amazing profession is not an option. I may sound conceited and self-righteous, but I know my strengths and teaching is one of them. I'd be happy to pass along references from my employer(s) and parents. But that's not why I'm writing or what I'm trying to convince you of.

I was reading your "How to Manage Student Loan Debt" advice and laughing to myself. I can barely afford to make the payments I make now, so making a lump sum payment or increasing my monthly payments are not options for me. So what other options do I have? I can't get repayment assistance either, as I live overseas. I can't catch a break here, can I?

I'm a single, 30 year old female. I support myself 100% but that's not easy to do with $550+ a month being allotted to loan repayment. The amount of interest you're going to (and have) scam(med) from me (and other borrowers) is outrageous! Why 7.5% (or more)? Why ANY percentage of interest at all? You’re sure as hell to get the money out of us, so why not just make us pay the basic principal? You’re already benefitting from most of us not being a strain on your governmental system, so why punish us for continuing our education? Why is there always s a need profit from the do-gooders? Please help me understand at least this bit. It seems unfair that I'm being punished for making the choice to better myself and to better my job qualifications for attending university. Maybe I should have quit high school and just drew unemployment. I’d be able to do this because I’d find a way to prove that I did try to find a job but I couldn’t…and that wouldn’t be so difficult to prove in my small hometown. I could have popped out a few kids so I could get money from the government’s welfare system...but that wouldn’t be living my dreams and no one should be deprived of that opportunity, no matter how difficult you make it! But now that I’m 30, these are the years where I should start thinking about having kids, buying a home…but these things seem impossible as supporting myself and paying rent is struggle enough thanks to my student loan payments. Maybe you will succeed in crushing my dreams after all.

But no, that's not me. That'd be a waste of a quality teacher and a believer and promoter of education. You NEED me, Canada. The world needs me. I'm not looking to cheat any system because I'm a principled person. I'm teaching the future generation of global citizens – at what point do I tell them their education might haunt them for years to come down the road? Sadly, it seems I'll have to teach my students how lucky they are not to have been a student going to university in Canada and I'll advise highly against the idea of attending a Canadian university if a loan from NSLSC is necessary for them to continue aspiring to their educational goals. What do you say to that, NSLSC and CanLean? CanLean? What’s that? Yes, we can all learn…but can we all afford the debt we’ll dig for ourselves and the way it’ll taunt us for years to come? Of that, I’m not too sure; especially with the way today’s economy is! It just doesn’t seem fair. What are my options?

Deeply frustrated, and holes in pockets, I remain,
Melinda MacKenzie

A Day of Love ♥

This year was the first year I've celebrated Valentine's Day as a single lady in seven years. But, my ex was Korean and in Korea, February 14th is a day to shower the men in your lives with chocolate. He wasn't a big believer in this hyped up February day but because he was always well aware of my Canadian culture and ways, I usually didn't have an empty handed day when we actually got to spend it together. For all the ladies in Korea, March 14th is their big day of love when they receive candy (not chocolate) from their men. This day is called White Day and it's a day when Chupa Chups are a hot commodity!

So what if you're single in Korea? You don't get to celebrate Valentine's Day or White Day? Well, you still have a special day to celebrate your 'singleness'! Black Day is on April 14th and it marks a true 'Singles Awareness Day' as single men and women are meant to order Chinese black noodles, called jajangmyeon, to show others they are, in fact, alone and single! It's not really something I think I'd want to advertise unless there were some hot men sitting in the restaurant eating their own jajangmyeon! :P I guess I'll wait and see what happens this coming April 14th!

Jajangmyeon - black noodles in Korea

So, my first Valentine's Day single wasn't much different from other Valentine's Days for me, as BokYoun and I usually had quite some distance between us on this international day of love. I've been giving out Valentine cards nearly every year since I was in grade primary and this year was no different. I ordered some printable Transformers Valentines online, printed them and gave them to the students I taught yesterday. I also intended on filling out some cards for my friends and colleagues but after signing up for snack duty and committing to make 100 heart shaped cookies, I just ran out of time.

The final product - heart shaped cookies, chocolate, chips and classic Valentine cards for the MIS JS staff! :)

So why buy into all the hype of this Hallmark holiday? Well, because we need to spread the love! You don't necessarily have to buy anything either if you don't believe in supporting the big companies that profit from February 14th. It's an extra smile, hug or kiss you can throw out there. It's an additional greeting to brighten someone's day, aside from the ol "Hey!", "Good morning!" or sometimes mundane, "How are you?" followed by "Good/fine." in response. People claim that everyday is a day of love for them so Valentine's Day is a scam...but I disagree. Though I tell my friends and family I love them on a daily basis, it's a chance to spread smiles and warm the hearts of others - and have a valid excuse to do so! I went around distributing smiles and cookies once my junior school colleagues had their share and it felt good to get a smile (from most) in return. So, yes, I love Valentine's Day! Even though I'm single and I didn't get any 'lovin' of my own, I will always take the opportunity to spread positivity and good cheer when I can. So, a very, very special "HAPPY DAY AFTER VALENTINE'S DAY" to all of you love day critics and I hope everyone has a lovely day! :) xoxox

Before you head abroad for the first time...

My first overseas teaching gig was an elementary - middle school ESL position at a school (hagwon/private English academy) called JEL in Suji, South Korea. I had just graduated from University with my Bachelor of Kinesiology in 2005 when my friend, Courta, planted the seed that we should go abroad and teach. My future intentions straight out of undergrad school involved me becoming a chiropractor after studying at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in the fall of 2006...so, I had a year to save up and work until then. I asked myself, "Why not do it in a foreign country?"...a completely foreign country that couldn't be any different from the small town of 3500 where I had grown up and spent most of my life - a town where everyone knew everyone. Now, I'd be relocating to a city on the outskirts of one of the most populous cities in the world.

The man who had recruited me for this 'once in a lifetime opportunity that I just couldn't pass up' was named was David and he worked for a company called Omega Consulting. He was a charmer and a complete scammer. He called my house, developed a relationship of trust with my mother and checked all the right boxes to sell me on this position and get me on a plane to Korea. I was by no means ready for this leap - it all happened in a 2 week span - but I felt like I'd be missing out if I didn't jump. So I did.

David fed me lies. He told me there'd be other foreigners at my school. He told me there'd be other expats in my building, and even some from Canada. He said the city was very close to Seoul and commuting was easy (to be fair, I guess it's not so far, but not so close when you consider traffic in this country!). He also said he'd be at the airport to greet me.

I boarded an airplane on June 10, 2005 for a marathon flight...stopping in New York, Anchorage and Taipei before finally arriving in Incheon, South Korea. It took about 32 hours and it was awful. Back then, there were no TVs in the backs of the seats and I can only read so much. Luckily, I did have several CDs burned by my friend Clare to help me pass the time...but then again, you can only listen to BSB, John Mayer and Jack Johnson for so long! When I finally touched down in Korea, I saw a man holding a sign (with my name spelled wrong) who I approached and who ushered me to his vehicle after helping me exchange my money at a currency desk (10,000 - 50,000 bills y'all?!). He was not David. He didn't speak ANY English. The car ride to Suji took about two hours and as we drove through this new country, with unfamiliar characters littering road signs and sights I'd never seen before, I wanted to ask questions. So many questions. But the taxi driver just shook his head to indicate he had no idea what I was asking/saying.

At about 8pm at night, I arrived at JEL - my new workplace. It seemed okay, I was given a tour and told some basic things about the school and then I was taken to my new apartment. All I wanted to do was sleep since I hadn't slept a wink on my flight(s). After fumbling with the door for 20 minutes, my new boss' wife (who spoke no English) left me in the hallway with all my bags to go and sort out this key problem. In the process, she had awoken a man next door who came out in his underwear and yelled at us (obviously in Korean). After sitting alone for 20 more minutes, I began to cry. What the f*** was I doing here?! I hadn't really thought this through! I was exhausted and my emotions got the best of me. Then, this lovely lady made her way upstairs to see me in the midst of my emotional break-down. She had kyphosis (I'd realize a lot of older women suffer from this in Asia) and though she couldn't speak any English, she invited me into her home for a glass of milk and a banana. As sweet as she was, being in her house only made me cry more. She had no table (we sat on the floor) and no bed (she slept on the floor). At this point, I thought I had signed myself up for work in a country that had no chairs or beds. I was also angry with my Korean friends at uni for not telling me this...I had no expectations arriving in a country I knew nothing about so I thought this was the new reality of my living situation. After a further 10-15 minutes, the boss' wife returned for me. It turns out, we were in the wrong building. We lugged all of my stuff back downstairs and up another couple flights of stairs in the building next door. The good news was that I had a bed. A very small apartment but there was a bed. I unpacked enough to get me through the night and just wanted to sleep. After all, I was expected at work the next morning at 10am.

The next day, I was woken up by a loud speaker a building behind me, announcing over and over again something in a language I didn't understand. Awesome. I got up, jumped in the shower and discovered there was no hot water. Why? No idea (but turns out I had to turn on a boiler switch that I didn't know about). All I wanted was a nice hot shower after looking like crap and feeling even grosser. That didn't happen. So, off I went to school, annoyed already, but still trying to be positive despite the situation(s). I had older Korean people stop what they were doing and stare at me. Not knowing what to do, or say in return, I began bowing to them. Yes, bowing. I was bowing to every person I met in the street. At least they loved it and it seemed to be the right response as they'd bow back to me. Finally, I've got something right...?!

Upon arrival at school, I was greeted by a grumpy boss who barely spoke any English. By now, it had been a solid 50 hours since I had a fluent English conversation. I asked if I could call my mom and when I did, I could barely talk. All I did was cry. I was experiencing culture shock to a degree I could never have anticipated and I just missed her...I felt I had made a mistake moving here and I was not in a good place. I was young. I'd never been abroad. I had no idea what to do or where to start. After hanging up the phone, I didn't even consider how I must have made my mom feel. The next several weeks/months would turn out to be an absolute hell for her as well, as she struggled to understand why she had let me go and now that I was in Korea, there was nothing she could do to help me...except offer to pay for my flight back home but I was so scarred from that flight, I couldn't bare to get on another airplane anytime soon. It was torture...I can't believe I've adapted so well to flying since 2005...because it was scary, uncomfortable and sickening. I could not handle another marathon flight home...even though it would mean I was back home again.

My first day involved my boss telling me what my jobs would be. It sounded awful. I'd be at school 9 hours a day/5 days a week and could be called in on weekends. I'd have a two hour break for lunch where I could go home, but I'd have to be back again. My hours were 9am - 12pm and then 2pm - 8pm; a long day. In reviewing my contract, that I had a lawyer from home go over, I can't believe I actually signed it. I just resent it to my mother last night, and we couldn't believe how naive I was to actually sign it. It's littered with mistakes...and it's ridiculous. Live and learn, I guess.

After my initial intro and an explanation of the materials I'd use to teach, I was asked to create a language test and give it to a kid. When that was done, it was time to go grocery shopping to get my home more looking like a home. My boss' wife drove me to the local E-Mart. And dropped me off. She didn't come in with me, she didn't offer to help or pick me up. My boss drew a map for me to get back to my apartment from the grocery store though - really helpful. I walked in the store and tried to get a cart. How the hell do I get a cart? A nice lady finally helped me by putting a coin into the handle bar and showing me how it worked; we don't pay for carts in Nova Scotia. So, off I went into the store. I had no idea what any of the prices meant or would be converted to. I just picked up things I needed, threw them into my cart and showed up at the cashier. Actually, it should have been that easy but I had a breakdown in the middle of the store. Everyone staring at me (they would have been anyways) as this tall, white, brunette girl with blue eyes was crying her eyes out in the cereal aisle. Again, thoughts rushed through my head - what was I doing here?! When the cashier lady told me how much I owed, I just held out my money and let her pick it out. I had no idea how much I had just spent and I trusted she'd only take what was required. Again, the Nova Scotian in me I guess.

On my way home, I realized I wanted to get flowers for the nice lady who had taken me into her home. I stopped at another shop and tried to mime out flowers. Finally, I drew a picture on paper and was handed a box of cigarettes with flowers on the front. Nope, that's not what I want/need. I guessed this place didn't have flowers and would go out and search for them later. I did find a flower shop and went back to the lady's place, but she wasn't there. I left the flowers outside of her door and would never lay eyes on this kind woman who I'll forever be indebted to! 감사합니다! 당신의 친절한 행동은 결코 잊지 않습니다!

Two more days had passed and I was still miserable. I still hadn't seen another non-Korean (well Asian to be sure), English speaker in my neighbourhood. I had yet to have a normal, somewhat fluent conversation in English with another human being. I still hadn't met David, who had promised to meet me at the airport, take me out for dinner and be my 'friend' as he quoted. At this point, my mom was rating high on the psychotic worry scale and she, fortunately, had an encounter with a girl from home who had just returned from Korea. She also had a Korean boyfriend who turned out to be a recruiter. All became right in the world when I had the chance to speak with him, I was able to give my phone to my neighbour so she could explain where I lived, and he could come and rescue me. And that's what he did. Four days after I had arrived in Korea, I did a midnight run. It wasn't the best solution, perhaps, but for my own well-being and for the health of my mom at home, it was the right decision.

Then, I heard from David. Actually, I had contacted him first to let him know I was leaving and that a friend of a friend was coming to get me. He was frantic! He promised to come and see me right away. He promised that he'd be there the following day...he fed me more lies to try and get me to stay in a place I've never been so unhappy. It didn't work though. I told him the deal had been done and I was leaving. Fortunately, my rescuer and his friend arrived to save me before David ever showed up. I was taken to a suburb of Seoul, called Bucheon, where I'd spend the next year and a month of my life...and where I'd meet some of the best friends I've ever had. I'd also come to find out that the school I was at, was a school where the girl from home's friend had worked and she'd been ripped off with rent each month, never received back her "damage deposit" (I've never seen that on a contract in Korea again) and never received her severance pay. I dodged a bullet. But David, wasn't letting me get off that easily.

He wanted his money back; he wanted to be reimbursed for my flight to Korea. Initially, I intended on giving it to him, but, I just upped and left with limited funds (because he told me I wouldn't need much to get started) so it wouldn't be immediate. I received email upon email asking for money. I sent him back the paper ticket so he could be reimbursed for the return sector of the flight and was told by my new boss that they'd reimburse him. Business in Korea is tricky. I'm sure a lot of people have horror stories about it, but the only thing my new school did to wrong me was lie and say they'd reimburse this man from Omega Consulting. However, when they had to pay for a round trip ticket for me to do a visa run to Japan (another flight - I was so scared no matter how short it was!) they decided they wouldn't pay out this man who forked out money for my flight from Canada. My new recruiter/saviour said not to worry about it, so I tried not to. But the emails kept pouring in. And my mom kept getting phone calls...calls that no doubt scared her half to death. I tried to reassure David he'd get his money, but eventually I decided that it was his fault I had left to begin with. He had wronged - if he hadn't lied to me, then I wouldn't have upped and left. Then, I got this final email from him:

I showed my colleagues and they were shocked. They also knew he was full of lies. I never replied and I never heard from again...a line was crossed and I think he knew he was in the wrong.

Everything worked out well for me in the end. In fact, I probably would have survived if I hadn't been taken away but that's just how things happened. This was one of those moments where I realized everything happens for a reason and we have to be optimistic that things will work out as they should. Since this happened, I read AWFUL reviews about this crook, David, online...I was just too naive to do my research and trust a complete stranger. If I had of done my research before leaving, I would have saved myself (and my family and friends) a lot of stress: Omega Consulting Forum

So, if you're planning on making a move overseas, be sure you consider the following first:

1. Do your research. If you're starting out with teaching ESL straight out of university, there are great sites like Dave's ESL Cafe that has a blacklist of schools, employers and recruiters with many forums to answer any and all questions you may have about making a move. Dave's ESL Cafe
2. Lonely Planet it - buy or borrow the Lonely Planet book for the country you intend on moving to. They may seem pricey but it'll get you excited about a good place to eat (if your situation does turn sour) and there are always helpful phrases in the back that can help you out in dire situations.
3. Ask to talk to people at the school. You need to be sure you'll be supported so get in touch with the person your replacing (why are they leaving?) or some of the other foreigners you'll be working with.
4. Review your contract with someone who has experience teaching overseas. By now, everyone has a connection to someone who has done this. Ask them to look at your contract and point out any loop holes...because there probably are some. Even better, get a second opinion as well, if you can! A lawyer from your hometown who will charge you money, will not have the experience or expertise that someone who's actually done it has.
5. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. You know that gut feeling that says, "Maybe I'm not ready for this.."? Well, it's probably true. Make sure you're truly ready to take the leap as it will be difficult...expect it to be the most difficult thing you've ever done. Also expect that it may well be the most rewarding thing you've ever done in the long-run!
6. Don't trust anyone. Be skeptical - it's okay! If something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. This goes hand-in-hand with #5. To this end, try to avoid recruiters that are working inside of the company and look to online forums and even recruiters that operate from inside of your home country. Also, you can go directly through a state/public school board or the principal him/herself. A lot of school owners and principals may not speak English...consider this...maybe you'd be better off looking and waiting for a school that does have an English speaking boss/owner!
7. Ask about the Visa process. I was told to lie upon entry into Korea and say that I was just visiting friends. Canadians have a 3 month tourist visa upon arrival so that was used to my recruiter's advantage. I also started working illegally...I should have had my visa sorted before I started working at JEL and this was definitely a red flag that I should have caught! There was no mention of when I would get a working visa for JEL or how, and I didn't question it. Make sure you do!
8. Have some back-up funds. Though you may be told it's okay to go with limited funds, it's best to have a back-up cash pile in case of an emergency...in case you need to get out of dodge...and fast! It's also wise to have a credit card in these situations.
9. Regardless of how bad the situation may be, once you arrive, give it a chance. Not saying I really gave JEL a fair chance, but I did give it a couple of days...until an option presented itself to free me of my nightmare. I also was too scared to go on a flight back to the other side of the world, and maybe if I had been a good flyer, I would have done this. I am SO glad I waited it out though and that I gave this amazing, first-outside-of-North-America culture a chance. :)
10. No regrets. It's important that we have no regrets and you want to go into this and come out of it without any. Remember this - every opportunity presents a chance to learn and grow. Though I wish things had happened differently, I still learned a lot from my negative situation!
11. Be excited! Your life is about to change and you're probably going on the biggest adventure of your life. Embrace that and cherish these anxious feelings you're having...it's a rush! :)

Good luck and happy travels! :)

And oh! I never did pursue the chiropractic medicine route...I fell in love with teaching and became a certified teacher...and I've been living and travelling abroad ever since!