Happy Birthday, Canada!

Dear Canada,

Thank you for everything you have done for me and the opportunities you have afforded me.  Thank you for taking care of me and my family; for providing an excellent education; for giving me the wonder of poutine; for being diverse, open minded and beautiful.

I miss you, Canada.  I hope you have a fabulous 145th birthday.

My favourite ad.  Ever.

exhaustion tempered by gratitude

I'm exhausted for all the right reasons.
I'm too tired to write heaps, but feel like I'm going to explode with gratitude, so I had to share why I'm loving life so much (in no particular order...)

1. Great zoo trip yesterday - I love the zoo!
2. Cultural Fair today was AWESOME.  The children who organised it did a GREAT job and the parents were an incredible help.  The assembly in the afternoon was fabulous and everyone was well impressed with my students' square dancing.  Particularly grateful that no one was absent and I didn't have to get up there and dance in their place!



The sign they started yesterday and finished this morning (just in time too!)
















3. I'm going home TOMORROW!!  (and finally get to check out the international Air NZ Lounge!)
4. Tomorrow is the last day of Term 3 - only 8 more weeks of school until the long holidays, summer and beaches.
5. I was bone tired today and was lucky enough to be served a lovely dinner by a lovely husband while I was sprawled in my chair.
6. I'm going to see Noah and Maya and give them the stuffed toys I made with so much love (and swearing.)
7. I'm going to see my Mum, Navaz and Shazeen!
8. And my friends!
9. I got lovely letters from my Year 8 students that I mentored for exhibition (not from my class.)  It was a great opportunity to get to know some awesome kids that I don't get a chance to work with very often.  My favourite lines: "You have made this exhibition a whole lot better with your happy and cheery personality day after day which has kept me motivated.  You have helped me become more of a role model because you are such a great role model yourself."   and "Once again I would like to thank you for givng up your time to help us make our presentation.  And being the best mentor ever!" 
10. I got some beautiful cards (and a box of chocolates which came in handy at the zoo yesterday) from a couple of my students recently... it made me cry when I read "I am so greatful that I can now not be hurt inside.  I am also great-ful you have helped me with my Dislexia."  (How much do I love that this child spelled Dyslexia wrong?!)  "I know that they (classmates) are better but a know even more that I am better than them at somthing they are not... I can't imagine not having a teacher like you when I go (next year.)"  (It was very hard not to correct that as I was typing!) (The words in blue were written with sparkly blue pen.)  When I asked their mum about it, she said it was all her children's words - she didn't prompt them one bit.  Gorgeous!
11. This is my 100th blog post!
12. I'm now going to up to my bed, and I have a roof over my head, a full tummy and am blessed with all that I need for a happy, safe and secure life.

Okay, party people in the house, may I have your attention please?

This song has been stuck in my head all day.  I can't help but to smile when I hear it. 
It reminds me of summertime, Popsicles, growing up, Junior High, and good times... when Hip-Hop was fresh, new and largely unoffensive.  How can you not love it?

Was there ever any doubt as to what 'C' would be?

My home and native land...

I get a bit choked up when I think about Canada.  I am immensely proud of being Canadian.  Yes, I am aware that I no longer live there, but that does not diminish my love for the True North, Strong and Free one bit.  I still follow my Leafs online (thanks to Phill); anxiously peer at the TV when a Canadian team is playing anyone, in any sport; and whenever possible, go see Canadian teams play versus Kiwi teams (and cheer obscenely loudly!)

My parents moved to Canada nearly 34 years ago now, and Canada has been good to our family.  They landed in Toronto with very little money, a young son and baby on the way.  I am proud to hold the distinction of being a first generation Canadian, and the first one in both Mum and Dad's families to be born there.  It's a story that is commonplace in my parents' generation - they immigrated to another country, worked (very) hard and gave their children an excellent start in an exceptional country.  I don't mean to sound blase about the whole thing -  I think it's absolutely incredible actually, and I'm thankful each day that my parents made that difficult choice, and that it turned out so spectacularly.  Both Navaz and I have made very good lives for ourselves, and it is mainly due to our parents' decison to move to Canada.  Being the people we are, I'm sure we would have done equally as well if we grew up anywhere else, but it was a lot easier because of where we did grow up. 

I could go on for hours about the natural beauty that spreads across the entire country; the multiculturalism, of which we are immensely proud; the opportunities Canada has afforded myself and my family; the people I've met; the busy buzzing hum of Toronto... the list goes on... and on... and still carries on... but I think that most of you reading this are those of my friends and family from Canada - therefore, you know exactly what I'm talking about. 

As Bono said: "The world needs more Canada."

Thank you to my Mum and Dad for moving to Canada 34 years ago (and to all Mums and Dads who did the same thing for their children) and thank you Canada for being so good to us.