September

It's been a whole month. I left Canada on a plane a good 30-some days ago and now it's been an entire month. I feel like it's been a lot longer, but that could be my hazy memory and poor attention to detail. I'm back in Macau for another year of 4th grade teaching. 

I'm really grateful to have seen so many cool people, both new and old since the school year has begun. New staff at our school, other teachers from around town, locals, Portuguese, the lot. There are some pretty cool cats in this city/country, and lots of opportunities to hang out. Best part of it all is they encourage me (directly or indirectly) to break free of my miserable habits and try new stuff. I'm  dressing much better due to the persistent good advice of my room mate, and now playing squash due to the insistence of a buddy of mine. 

Look at those charming characters 

Yup, that's a sport. I play sports, because I own active wear and a water bottle and throw the towel around my neck like an athlete who does sports in active wear. But with the passing of time, contracts expire and we lose a few friends too. I suppose that happens no matter where you go, I'm no special snowflake. 

This year's new batch of kids may be the best yet, although that may just be my perspective, as these students haven't been tarnished by my bad manners and excessive volume. That may yet change yet. Each new year brings new challenges and rewards, but you can read that on an inspirational poster with an artsy cursive font. As you can see by my impeccable MS paint skills, I've protected their privacy and enhanced the photograph simultaneously. 

This isn't Japan. These are steaks.

In a few weeks, I have a period of time off that I'll be using to go to Japan for the first time. I've heard good things about it but I will have to go there for myself to see if it's a country I'm fond of. That should be neat. If you have any recommendations I'll take 'em. 

What a MESS

Macau is still about the same, although with a little less foliage. Now that it's the beginning of year #3, I suppose it would be a good idea to do a little self-improvement since I've got this teacher thing down. Health, creativity, number of neat shirts with cool patterns, who knows. Maybe I'll do some redecorating I still have some lovely framed maps & paintings I'd like to put up, which means drilling holes in walls, putting studs in holes, and hanging pictures securely enough to inflate my ego and assure myself that I can fix anything (the same feeling you get when changing light bulbs and tightening pot lids or cabinet handles). Gotta get ready for a Canadian Thanksgiving extravaganza after all. 

A bunch of pals

While it's only the beginning of the school year, I've been constantly thinking about if and when it's time to leave Asia and return home. Ideas of home loom in my head, ideas of rooming with pals from back home, having chili nights & board games hangs, and driving that Buick of mine in rain, sleet, snow or shine. MMMM-MM. Yessir. Every summer/Christmas I return, I'm reminded of so many of the things I took for granted that I now enjoy so much. 

A mom-cooked meal

It's a decision I'll have to make soon, as applications for teaching positions will open and close relatively quickly. But you're not concerned about that, you're here to see if I screwed up another seemingly simple aspect of life. How rude!

Well, it just so happens that I recently did...  

On the penultimate full day of my summer vacation, after packing my things and paying the collection of parking tickets that I had accumulated, I decided to pull an all-nighter to combat the jet lag and time difference in Macau. I arrived at the airport in Toronto with luggage packed to the limit, and a cozy outfit to make sleeping on the plane a breeze. I arrived at Pearson airport and sat in the lobby to allow my flight's excessively long check-in line to dissipate (this is also part of my scheme to get bumped to business class). Unfortunately, my outfit was a little too cozy, as when I rested my eyes for only a short moment, I slipped out of consciousness for almost two hours.... 
It's in these 'Oh Shit' moments that I lose the arrogance and cavalier attitude towards the things I can and cannot do. You can strategically be the last one to board an airplane in order to plunk yourself down in a business seat, but you cannot get on said airplane if you haven't checked in before the desks close. A very gracious Air Canada employee allowed me to purchase a ticket on the following day's flight for a mere $100, when it could have been ten-times that amount. Perhaps I will take this as a sign to respect the check-in process. Or perhaps not, time will tell. 

It only cost me an extra hundo to do this again

And in a short time, perhaps I'll have more disgraceful experiences to share, who knows.

Take care