Monday, December 8, 2008

sorry guys, i'm half a day ahead

So, some of you might have known, I made a day trip to Tremblant and ended up with a head start in skiing before Vermont with you guys. Its really fun!! And I am aching all over even though I only skied for less than 4 hours. I didn't even attempt more than the baby practice slope cos by the time I felt comfortable enough to go up to the mountain, it was terribly windy and misty, visibility was low and the snow was blowing into my face. And of course, too freaking cold.

It was supposed to be a day trip but we decided to just stay one night there eventhough I eventually did not go skiing on the second day due to some unforeseen womanly circumstances. Mont Tremblant is very pretty and I am really falling in love with the Quebec province. Not trying to start a Quebec-Ontario fight but this place is really cool. You guys should all go see for yourself when you go to Quebec City, its really different from Montreal.

Smiles all frozen

I swear it was freaking cold. Close to -20, excluding wind chill.

The little pathetic snowman

Snow angel :)

Awesome Americanos @ 7:08 PM

Monday, December 1, 2008

~to be truly blessed ~

Well.. its a typical monday in Kingston.. Cold, wet and dreadfully peaceful as usual.. but yet at the same time.. this monday turned out to be truly remarkable. A stick in the mud out of the usual routine in my exchange life....

Today i woke up at 830am, 3 hours ahead of my usual time to wake up, and went off to take a 10 min walk to Toronto Street. I spent the next 3-4 hours helping a person whom i dont really know move her stuff out. I think she is (presumably) being evicted by her landlord.

These are perhaps sights (of the less forunate) that perhaps we as exchange students see, but never had the chance to delve deeper into.

I volunteered for this when Dan ,the staff worker at Navigators asked for help just last night. The place was (no offence) kinda dirty, smells a little and dusty. I knocked my head quite a number of times shifting furniture from the nooks and cranies in the house onto a big U-Haul moving van. It was indeed an unusual experience. But at the same time, I felt that the people helping her out did so in a fashion that still maintained this person's diginity? I cant explain it..

But i digress!

On the walk home, I thought to myself:

- I am halfway around the world in a foreign land.

- Yet as it is, i am still definitely more fortunate than people around me. I have had the chance to be here in the first place. And as spartan as my house may seem (Pegs will testify to that), I still live in comfort and security that i have a roof over my head for as long as i am in Kingston. Though I say that i live a prudent lifestyle, I dont worry about where my next meal will come from.

- I may not have the best clothes, the best car, the best landed property, i am indeed TRULY blessed by God through my parents to be able to live life as it is.

- I pray and give thanksgiving for that.

I end off this epiphany with a quote that i will always remember from my Company Law Prof ,Lee Pey Woan:

"I sincerely hope that you will always remember to do something for those less privileged than yourslves whatever your future station in life is."

bobbs

-Sola scriptura, Sola fide, Sola gratia, Sola Christus, Soli Deo gloria-

Awesome Americanos @ 9:29 AM

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