Christmas Time in Port Colborne

After five months in South Korea, with a lot of work done and a lot of work still to do, the Wendling family was due for a well deserved break - Christmas Break that is.  So, once again they headed back to Canada to spend three weeks with family and friends.

While back in Port Colborne the girls were able to visit family and friends - but perhaps the person they most wanted to see was me mere - their grandma.  Pictured below is Justine and Mia making donuts - part of the Lafontaine family tradition at Christmas time.

Another tradition that the Lafontaine family does, involves get together around New Year's - this year it was actually New Year's eve - and going for a family skate/hockey game.

This year the game and event took on new meaning as the family was able to wear their new hockey jersey's.  The Manniwaki Chiefs now have jersey's - no goalie - but jersey's with their names on their backs.  (Amazing what you can get done in Korea with a little money and some time.)

The Wendling's also made the trip to Waterloo to visit Grandpa and Grandma Wendling.  Pictured above is Grandpa opening his present from his Grandaughters.  The five girls were very lucky to receive tickets to Disney's Princesses on ice in Toronto.  Thanks once again Grandma and Grandpa.

Although there was much activity, eating, visiting, and fellowship while back in Canada.  The Wendling family were blessed to know that although they are spending 10 months of the year in Asia - they still have family and friends back in Ontario - specifically in Niagara.

Sometime you can even get special guests to come by - in this case - Uncle Bernie - pictured above came by and decided that he had to have a hockey jersey.  So he took Jeff's - oh well, Jeff good luck getting this jersey back from  your dad.

Christmas is truly a special time of the year.  In particular when you visit family and friends that you have not seen for a number of months.  The Wendling Family is so glad that they were able to "come home" for Christmas.  Coming home from Korea is easy to do and yet difficult because we also have friends in Suwon.  However, we are very luck to have family in Friends in Canada and another set of friends in South Korea and in particular with the GSIS School Community.  It is truly a blessing.

So what does 2010 have in store.  We will have to wait and see.  Maybe somewhere warm, seeing a Great Wall, experiencing another culture.  No matter we will back this summer - around June.  See you then.

Subic Bay - Phillipians

Swimming With the Dolphins

Once again the Wendling Family can be found discovering and learning as they take in some of the most beautiful places in Asia.  At the beginning of November Rosanne and the girls joining Kevin in the Phillipians.  Kevin was at the EARCOS, (East Asia Council of Overseas Schools) and ICEC, (International Christian Educators Conference), Conferences in Manilla and the rest of the family joined him for an extra long weekend.

So it was decided that the family would travel North from Manilla to Subic Bay.  Subic Bay has many eco-tourism sights - including Ocean Adventure Park.  At this park visitors had the opportunity to have a Nature Adventure - in this case the girls, and Rosanne, had the opportunity to swim with the dolphins.

There are a number of resorts in the world that allow visitors to swim with or experience wildlife.  However, at Ocean Adventure the trainers allowed the visitors to not only swim with the dolphins, but to also dance, feed, pet with this beautiful mammals.

The day was very special as Ariel, Matteya, Kyara, Justine, and Rosanne were able to swim and experience the dolphins in a special way.  Part of the family going overseas was to have new experiences and learning in new and different ways.  This was truly a unique experience for the family.

What was truly amazing was to watch Justine...who is and will probably will always be afraid of animals...learn to trust and swim with the dolphins.  This was hard for her, but she stayed open minded and really want to have this experience.  Great job Justine!!

Of course Rosanne was there, the always open minded mom was leading the way and ensuring that she was able to learn with her girls.  By modelling this experience all the girls had the chance to build confidence and feel as if these new experiences were OK.

Well before we go, Matteya will demonstrate a little dolphin dancing for you.  The dolphins, although highly trained, were extremely gentle and kind to the visitors.  However, they are still wildlife.  

Well, until next time....

Yanjee - Part 2 - Going to an Improbable Place

At times during Rosanne and Kevin's trip to Yanjee it was hard to believe that we were in China. One could look around and see the fall colours, the rolling hills, the beautiful country side and to be honest one could think that you were anywhere in the world. However, once in a while you would come across a Chinese flag - as pictured above - and then you could say to yourself - ahhh - that's right I am in China.

During the 3rd day of their journey Kevin and Rosanne experienced a number of moments that made them realize just where they were in the world. Pictured below is a sample of life around Yanjee as viewed from the bus. Below one can see a "butcher shop" where people are buying meat. Similar to this are "fish shops", produce vendors and so on. This is definitely a different way of looking at the economy and of commerce.


Below you will see a road which leads to small area of housing in an area just outside of Yanjee. The housing is very simple and these areas or villages would be clumped together and would have a number of stores or shops close by. These villages, which were extremely independent, did not have a lot of cars - but some motorcyles or small tractors.


When Rosanne and Kevin visited this area it was beginning to get cold - the start of October - and we saw a number of people searching and gathering fire wood. Below you can see the fire wood that they need to get through at least part of the winter.


After a long journey - 3 to 4 hours - the group arrived a Tumen a border city between China and North Korea. In order to travel between the two countries one would have to travel between the long 200 meter bridge. Pictured below is Kevin and Rosanne standing on this bridge the gateway to North Korea.


The excitement at the bridge was quite intense as you can see in the picture below. (To be honest our friend Choua has a trademark photo of people "jumping" in a special place or after a special event. So, at her request, everyone around her jumped on the bridge from China to North Korea).


Following our time on the bridge was another stop to a restaurant - this time it was a restaurant with a Korea/Chinese influence. Yet when you look at the signs in the area you can see three languages - Chinese, Korean and Russian. When you think of these countries it is hard to see similarities, yet, when you visit you begin to understand that these countries are related. Borders define a country or area - it does not define a culture or heritage of a person. Yet, through it all, people are people they have a job, families, they love, laugh, cry and live - maybe in a way that is different from us - but they live.



As our group continued down the road we came to the point where the countries of China, Russia and North Korea (DPRK) meet. The picture of Rosanne and Kevin seen below actually show a view of the Sea of Japan. What one cannot see is the fences which divide the three countries.


Returning from this place we stopped at large rock which was erected by the United Nations and number of years ago. The rock calls for peace not only between these three countries but for all countries around the world. To the left of this rock is a 12ft fence that marks the border with Russia - while to the right is a river that is the border between North Korea (DPRK) and China.


In the end this trip provided Rosanne and Kevin and understanding of a different and developing world. Of people who are living in world which is evolving with Chinese Communism (China) and a country which may, hopefully, be on the verge of opening itself up to the world (North Korea). Growing up many of us had notions of countries like China and Russia of what communism is and the negative affect it must have on its people - yet, those notions do not seem relevant or even possible now.


In the end the world is full of people...who are living and doing and learning. We have a lot to learn from each of them. The trip to Yanjee is a reminder of this.

Our Yanjee Adventures: Part 1 - A Trip to Changbai Mountain

The Chuseok holiday came upon the Wendling family and an exciting opportunity came forward - a Trip to Yanjee, China. However, it would only be a trip for Rosanne and Kevin - the kids could not go. So after much thought about the idea - and a number of good friends who offered to watch the girls while they were gone - it was decided that the parents of the family would go to China for a few days.

Along with a number of people from GSIS, and our sister school TCIS, Rosanne and Kevin made their way on a trip that would take them to Yanjee which is just north of South Korea and North Korea. Yanjee is a unique place which has cultural influence of both the Han Chinese and the Koreans. In fact, most of the signs around the city show both languages. Pictured above is Kevin with Kevin - Math Teacher, Steve - History Teacher and IB DP Coordinator, and Andre - History and Bible teacher; all the teachers picture are from GSIS.



On the first day of the trip our group was able to do some sight seeing around town - as seen by Rosanne and this big rock - and able to share some great food as seen below. In the picture below Rosanne and Kevin and pictured with Choua - the last member of the back of the bus gang - eating at a Chinese/Korean BBQ restaurant.

The restaurant was interesting in that Fish, Beef and Pork work all cooked on skewers and that vegetables, which could also be cooked, were found in bowls around the table.


The following the grouped headed to Changbai Mountain. The mountain is actually a dormant volcano which contains a glacier lake. The mountain also serves as a border between North Korea and China.

However, to get to the mountain the group had to take a 4 hour bus ride through many hills and valleys. However, after the long journey the group was ready to get to the top of the mountain.


Before starting our adventure up the mountain, we stopped for lunch. Pictured below was a "very different" lunch consisting of: rice, sauerkraut, sausage, green peppers, and few vegetables that we were unsure of. One of the unique aspects of traveling in different countries is the food you are able to experience. One thing China prides itself on is the ability to grow its own food and because of the vast size of the country and various vegetation zones - China is able to grow many different varieties of foods.


After our hearty meal Choua poses in front of the restaurant to show that she survived.

However, it was a good thing that the group did not eat too much because what happened next. In order to go up to the top of Changbai you could either walk - 2.5 hours to get there - or take a jeep. Not a tough choice - you take the jeep.

Well the Jeeps that drove groups up went an average of 80+ km /hr up the switchbacks to the top of the mountain that was well above the tree line and somewhere around 2 600 km+ above the ocean. Pictured below is Steve getting ready for the trip.


We should have known something was up when we looked at the back of the driver's seat:


I guess with the speed and the movement the driver wanted to be sure that nothing, absolutely nothing bothered him, as we traversed the mountain side. Prior to the start of the trip up we laughed at the sign above - later we realized - that is was there for good reasons.

When we finally made it to the top the view was beautiful, as seen in the pictures below:


The dormant volcano, or crater, was filled with water that created a lake - the largest such lake in the world. Surrounding the lake were many mountains. The water looked as smooth as glass except when a gentle breeze went across the top of the water - like the breath of God.



The day we were on top of the mountain was cloudy, however, it truly added to the beauty of the scenery. To try and describe what Kevin and Rosanne saw would be minimizing the beauty so please enjoy the pictures.





Both Rosanne and Kevin have seen the Rockie Mountains in Alberata, last summer they saw the Glaciers in Alaska - Changbai definitely ranks with them in natural beauty and wonder. One has to believe that when God made the world a little extra time was taken to make Changbai.

At the base of the mountain was a set of waterfalls. So after surviving the jeep ride down from the top of the mountain a number of people went out to see the waterfalls. Pictured above is Kevin, Steve and Kevin.



Pictured above is the group of teachers from GSIS who made the trip to Yanjee. One thing about working at an International School is that the people you work with want to continue to learn, discover and explore the world that they live. GSIS is no different in this regard and the people seen below are handful of many people who took time to see a different part of the world during the Chusok holiday break.



In our next blog we will continue to look at Kevin and Rosanne's trip to Yanjee and in particular look at there journey to the point where the North Korea, China and Russian borders meet. Stay tuned.

H1N1 - Memories of Korea

When Kevin decided to return to administration it was with the understanding that working in a High School, in an international school would give him experiences that were new, exciting and different. However, in the first month of being principal at GSIS, he was faced with the H1N1 pandemic.

The first indication of problems was when the Wendling's got off of the plane in Incheon airport back at the end of July. Every passenger had their temperature taken and had to fill out a questionaire. Although Korea did not have an H1N1 outbreak there still has been two deaths caused by swine flu, and the Korean government was being extremely cautious and preventive towards this situation.

In fact, schools were told that if they had 2 or more causes of H1N1 flu then they would have to shut down, Kevin heard this on Friday, August 19th, when the school sent a letter home to its students that all was well and that we would stay the course. On Sunday, August 22nd GSIS was in this position and so at a late night meeting the Headmaster instructioned the adminstrators to shut the school down.



So at 9:00 PM the decision was made to close GSIS for the following week due to H1N1 within the school. Within two hours every student and their family was emailed and called as well letters went out on the appropriate websites in both English and Korean so that the community were informed.

Staff was informed and instructed to come into school for divisional information meetings. During the meetings they were instructed to make their courses continue by assigning work and giving lessons via the internet and specifically through Edline, our on-line webiste. Within a couple of hours the school was closed and teachers and students went on-line for a week.


The experience for Kevin and Rosanne to teach on-line and for the four girls to learn on-line was truly unique and stressful. As well, Kevin was involved with monitoring how teachers were delivering their programs, updates on H1N1 cases, organizing a High School textbook pick up plan and at the end of the week he worked with the other adminstrators to determine a reentry plan. One of the requirements of this plan was the Korean Health Ministry now requires school to do a fever screening process. (Which the pictures in this blog represent.)


So now every morning before school over 500 students, from all three divsions - elementary, middle and high school, have their temperature checked. At first all three divisions used a type of "temperature gun" and checked names off of students as they arrived in the morning. If the students had a temperature they were re-checked by the school nurse with a more accurate thermometer and then a determination was made as to whether they should be sent home.

One small problem which occurred was the shortage of termperature guns and thermometers in Korea due to the fact that schools and other institutions were checking temperatures. At one point we wondered if we would have to break out the rectal thermometers - but that did not happen.

However, beginning last week the Middle and High School began using a high tech screen device that scans the students as they walk through the screening area - our adutiorium. This is somewhat more efficient, but it still takes time to check students names.

Kevin's superintednent his first year in Niagara as principal always told him that experiences like this were truly gold as it enabled one to show their gifts and talents for dealing with situations. However, it is hard to see the gold 0r even a silver lining in this serious situation. In the end, one tries to work smarter rather than harder, and remember that the needs of safety, health and well being come before any curriculum needs a student or school may have. In all a little reality in Korea of a current world wide problem.

STAY HEALTHY!!!!