Visitor Info Line - Kaipara Konnection - Dargaville.BIZ

The one thing women don’t want to find in their stockings
on Christmas morning is their husband. --Joan Rivers
A Christmas Greeting from Mark Tan
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Christmas is 5 days away but I thought that I had better send this email off to you before it gets
busy over here – Ivy’s parents are with us with my parents arriving tomorrow!
We have certainly enjoyed our time over here in Shanghai. The contrast to home is very distinct
and we have enjoyed it thoroughly. That being said, we have missed home – the place and the
people – and we are looking forward to returning on the 18th of January.
Mihiora has had a real experience here, one that has benefited her greatly. She has seen and
experienced new cultures – Chinese and otherwise – as WISS (Western International School of
Shanghai) is very much international. She has taken to writing and copying every word she can
find, loves counting and describing and has lapped up every Chinese lesson she had each day. She has openly told her
class here that she won’t miss them – you have got to love the honesty of children! She is looking forward to being back
‘up north’ with her family, friends and especially her cousin Atama.
Ivy has loved being back in Asia. She was far less homesick than I was without doubt! She has been busy completing
her book (now about 10 years in the making!) and is in the process of finalising printing and cover design. It will be a
great read so keep in touch if you want a copy! What has been most impressive to watch is Ivy cruising around Xujing
on our electric scooter. She is truly local and has clocked up far more hours on that machine than I have minutes. She
sold it today to a fellow teacher and, despite my initial predictions, she readily let it go.
Teaching over here has been dreamlike. I have never had a smaller class with full time teachers working with you,
beautifully attentive and polite students and great colleagues. The school provided lunchtimes would rival most
smorgasbords back home (read into that how you like). But then life throws a curve ball at you and you’ve got to
respond. The snapping of my achillies tendon was something completely out of the blue and it has now determined
that we will be back, permanently, on NZ soil on the 18th of January. I never expected this to happen, let alone the ups
and downs of rehabilitation – life has been a little trying of late with the realisation that I’ve got to learn to walk properly
again, that I can’t simply run up the stairs to get something – but hey, that’s life and what doesn’t kill ya, makes you
stronger. It is developing something in me but hindsight will reveal that in due course.
Ivy and I have applied for jobs back home and are awaiting the outcomes for these. We will return to our place at
Ahipara and I look forward to seeing the waves of the Tasman Sea once again . . . home. I don’t know how long it’ll be
before I can surf again but at least I can see it.