Chapter 12
Hello Everyone,
The Three H's have arrived in Toronto; Hot, Hazy, and Humid. We are now immersed in the summer weather. There are those who love it and those who hate it, but one thing is for sure. It is short lived. My motto; enjoy it, get in the moment, embrace it, because it will soon be gone. I am sitting outside on the patio at a Starbucks not far from home. Yes, patios have opened and we can now enjoy some semblance of normalcy. It feels wonderful sitting here, with the warm breeze flowing through, people chattering, and loving my cold brew. Oh COVID-19, you are not going to get the best of us, no, not yet!
Things have changed since the last time I wrote, incremental changes as we go from Stage Two to Stage Three of the re-opening of our cities and towns. We might have to wear masks now everywhere we go, constantly Social Distance, can't go to see a movie yet at the cinema, and are only able to eat outside at a restaurant, still now in Toronto. But these are only inconveniences and not the worst things in life. What we can do is enjoy nature, feel the breeze on the patios, meet up with friends and loved ones in small circles, and strive to stay healthy. I am thankful and smiling.
What have I been doing? I can work from home much to my delight. I have always loved my work so being able to continue with it makes me smile. I consistently meet my Japanese students every week, and have grown to cherish these moments whereby I can discuss topics at length. Staying atop of the news in Japan allows me to stay current on my other home country. For my part, I share things about Canada with them so we both learn and stimulate our curiosities. I also love teaching my new ladies' groups from the Nanzan University English study course. They joined me back in the Spring when the repercussions of COVID forced their English class to close. I was happy to take them on as students, virtually , and we have had great weekly lessons ever since. What else is new in my work is my progression into teaching my newer students, in and outside of Vietnam. When I returned to Canada last year, I started employment with a Vietnamese Juku of sorts. As compared to a Japanese Juku, it is less glamorous, stocked with fewer resources, and the students are from homes which are less financially advantaged. The similarities are that the students are just as eager to learn, are as intelligent and are just as respectful as in Japan. I now "drop in" on university students in Vietnam, who are studying for English tests in order to expand their job options. I teach younger children who can barely say a word in English, but with every word they learn, the smiles on their faces get wider. These are the students "Zooming" into my home a few times each week. Others are coming to me from Toronto and area, all trying to increase their English comprehension. Each week they come to me and perhaps discover more about themselves and the world around them through our informal chats more than actually getting through our intended study material.
This leads me to the news of the students returning to school in September in Canada. The format may not be exactly as it was but they will return under three possible models. First, in an ideal world, they will return to the classrooms, albeit with specific safety protocols in place. The second choice may be virtual study, but this has proven to have a negative effect with regards to the young people's socialization and development. Some students are suffering from mental health issues the longer that they stay out of school. Finally, the third option will be a mix of both of these. Irregardless of the format, education will be delivered to our school-aged children this Fall starting in September. The students themselves can hardly wait. They have been free for far too long.
With the arrival of summer, I started to experiment with a summer sport. Rachel has introduced me to paddle boarding. It involves standing on a surf board and paddling from the standing position while moving across the top of the water. It takes balance, of which I have proven that I do still have. But it was not easy learning to go from a kneeling position to the upright posture while out at sea. Not exactly out at sea with big waves, but rather offshore in the deeper still waters. It is calming and serene. I can soak up the nature all around me while thinking of whatever it is, I wish to. The board itself is an inflatable one that is carried in a backpack along with the air pump, paddles, and fin. One looks like a hard-core backpacker carrying that around. Once we get to our destination, we pump it up as hard as a rock. It no longer looks like an inflatable product. You are hard pressed to distinguish it from a solid surf board. I have so much to learn about this sport, and can only improve in leaps and bounds. The only thing I am certain is that I like doing it a lot!
This leads me right back to the beginning, Summer. What I still hope to do in the next few weeks is to sit around a campfire, observe the night sky away from the city lights, stay in a lakeside cottage, and do anything with water. That could be swimming, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, or simply dangling my feet into the water off of a pier. Summer in Canada wouldn't be complete without eating ice cream, having a barbecue, drinking an ice- cold beer, and tasting French Fries from an outdoor stand with vinegar all over them. I intend to do every one of these things, more than once! I know that summer in Japan is excruciating Hot. The last summer I spent in the country I thought that I was going to die of heat exhaustion. Those August days showed me what Hot summer weather really is. Now, back in Canada I resist uttering even one complaint about the heat and/or humidity. Nothing is as Hot as what I experienced back in Japan.
Upon saying Goodbye, let me leave you with a thought. Be mindful and in the moment every day. Let's Capture Those Moments.
Love Rosemary🌹