Comments:
2013
Hello Everyone;
Merry Christmas and best wishes to all. Sharon and I hope your year has been filled with good health and happiness. How a year's worth of days seems to fly by in the blink of an eye and yet as I look back I can easily say that this has been one of the busiest years in our lives.
Starting with the boys . . . Both Jordan and Kelvin are in Calgary and are eagerly looking forward to returning home to the Yukon at Christmas break. Jordan entered into his 3rd year of studies in Communications at the University of Calgary and has had a great year so far. Last September, Kelvin also went to the U of C where he has begun post secondary studies in Business. Though we don't hear much from them - this is no real surprise with how busy we all get with living our lives - I'm happy enough knowing they are well on their way toward making lives of their own.
Sharon has had a very good year also. She continues to teach at Jack Hulland Elementary School and keeps busy with plenty of regular fitness, walks with our dog Mocha, and always on the lookout for the next adventure. Her annual trip with her "girlfriends" saw them paddle their kayaks on a 5 day trip from Teslin to Carmacks .
Sharon took several day-hikes this summer, the highlight being one from a location in the Yukon called Fraser, near the Alaskan border, to a fantastic view of the Chilkoot Trail from the mountain pass above it.
Sharon and I were able to get our new truck and camper out for several overnights in the territory. We also flew South in July to Las Vegas, Nevada and one of the hottest- temperature vacations (+47°C) we've ever had. Beyond the over-the-top lights, sounds, shopping, and mega-hotel features, we were able to take an excursion out to see the Hoover Dam (Whoa! Massive!), the Grand Canyon at sunset, and the beautiful northern part of Arizona.
I traveled to Saskatoon in April where I spent a week becoming certified at the National Level as a badminton umpire at the Under 23 Canadian Championships. On my return Sharon had organized a 50th birthday barbeque party for me. Kind of a special year I suppose, but hard for me to believe that I'm already at half a century. Oh well.
Also last spring, I applied for and successfully gained new employment as the Experiential Science 11 teacher at a school called Wood Street Centre here in Whitehorse. With 16 students in each semester the focus is on learning through outdoor and hands-on experiences. In the program, I deliver Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Phys. Ed., Visual Art and Applied Field Studies. Beyond our twice-a-week days spent in the Yukon College laboratories, the highlight is the 24-day field excursion taken by school bus down to Vancouver Island. While field studies is the primary focus there, students also receive training in scuba diving, sail boating, and surfing. It's something else to be with the same students every day and for such a long time but I can say that I really feel like this could be the best teaching job I could ask for.
As expected the summer went by with a lot of time spent preparing for this new job. There was lots of work to do with planning lessons and familiarizing myself with different tasks I hoped my students would work on. Into August I also chaperoned 5 grade 11 students to Bozeman, Montana where I acted as an advisor and they participated in a week-long International Envirothon competition with students across the United States and Canada. The students didn't place but are eagerly looking forward next summer's Envirothon in Georgia. Following this, I made a quick trip to Manitoba to visit family and on the return underwent laser eye surgery in Edmonton that has left me with terrific glasses-free vision and no more fogging up when snowmobiling. What a treat.
All this along with the annual filling of the freezers with bison and moose, getting a new snowmobile, and learning to mountain bike, another year has quickly flown by. A year ago we all travelled to Mexico for our winter break but this year we are content with just spending it together at home. I am looking forward to spending time this Christmas break just catching up with my family, tackling some long-overdue projects, and just plain taking the time to exhale. Yes, it can be bone chillingly cold here but I am finding myself very content with enjoying the isolation, the darkness, and the absolute stillness the North brings.
I hope you, too, find the time to pause and reboot in this upcoming holiday season. May you spend the time with family and friends.
Kelly, Sharon, Jordan and Kelvin Choy
