March 16, 2025 – Remembering My Mom in Different Ways
Last week I visited my mom’s resting place in the Lower Mainland. I’m not even sure if that’s what it is called. Her ashes are in an urn, in a glass enclosed shelf, in a building at the cemetery last week. I had visited Vancouver a few times over the last few months, but mostly those visits were related to work and I did not have the opportunity to go visit her. Last week was a weekend trip FOR ME and my brother had borrowed my dad’s car and we went out there to go visit her. I like to keep her updated on what’s happening and to say hello. It’s strange to go visit her. The photo of her that’s by her urn was taken before I was born. It’s not how I remember her as a child, but it’s a photo that she chose that she thought that best represented her. I remember when my mom was alive when she first invested in this resting place for her and my dad. She got name plates and everything. She wanted to take each of her children out to this site complemented with a lunch out at the golf course. By the time it got to my turn, I said… NO THIANK YOU… and that I would visit her when she was at the place, I had no desire to check out her resting place otherwise. So, there I was last week saying hello. A few thoughts shared and a few bows, all was good.
Now that I’m back home and lots of uncertainty with the economy, etc., I am very conscious about what I buy and how much I am spending. I have to pay utilities and property tax right now, and I have no idea what I have to pay for income tax, who knows what I will have to spend in the next few days, months, and years. The idea of going into a recession does not put my mind to ease by any means, but I will admit that I am more conscious about my spending habits and how much things cost as we anticipate rising costs and how much I used to spend. In the end, saving money and minimizing my spending is going to be key. I’ve cancelled a few memberships, and I wanted to cancel my cable package, but it seems like the company is no longer providing a basic cable package. I just need to find places to spend less, even though I am investing dollars in self-care. Strangely, I am just understanding it’s importance and the value in investing in those things like massages and therapy. Nonetheless, I am feeling very aware of money, with my mom whispering in my ear the importance of saving money. It was incredible how much money she was able to save. She was amazing at it. It almost reminds me of “extreme coupon,” the TV reality show.
As a kid, I remembered when we went shopping that my mom would by X-bread. This bread was found in a basket at the supermarket and it had a black X written on top of the price tag. Now as an adult, I know that the X-bread was day-old bread. Stale bread. And this bread was on sale for 50% off. I could never understand why she chose this bread. It almost seemed like she was insistent in buying this bread and I really did not like it. My dad would wake up every morning to have this bread. He would toast it, add peanut butter and honey to them, and he would eat it with a cup of Red Rose tea with milk and sugar. That was his morning ritual. I clearly remember him doing that and sipping from his tea cup. Til this day, I’m not a break-fan. It’s not my favourite even though I find myself toasting it as well, but to have an open-faced egg salad sandwich (of which was not my mom’s favourite). She was saving money. I know that now. So, when I bought this loaf of bread from the Superstore a couple of days ago, I thought of my mom. It was almost a compromise. I’m thinking about how much things cost and it was a fresh loaf of bread, but it cost $1.25. It this economy, it’s a steal. This loaf of bread will last us a long time. On the counter for a few days while it’s fresh, then it goes back into the fridge to have toast like my dad did.
Bread is still not my favourite, but I respect my mom who did what it took to make things happen. I have a huge regard for her and I realize now that I may not have acknowledged a lot that she has done. Admittedly, I never noticed until she had passed away 7-years ago. All of what she used to do for me, my siblings, and my dad are astounding. I had no idea. It’s moment like these when I am reminded that I want to write about my mom… maybe as an autoethnography or biography… not sure. As each day passes and I am “doing the work,” I am building up the courage to bring pen to paper. I will wait for this term to end and make a plan soon after. I had no idea how much of an impact my mom has made on me. I guess you don’t know until you know.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 16th, 2025 | No Comments »
There is nothing wrong with a reboot. Last week entailed trying to catch up on a few outstanding items on my things to do list and I am happy to have finish a few things, even though it took waaaaaaaaay longer than I expected it would take to do. A comment reoccurrence for me… an underestimation of time. That’s ok. I’m learning and I am taking the time to understand how things work, how long it takes, and what I need to do to get things done. Furthermore, I’m not even sure how well I’m doing things, but that will be the next hurdle when it comes. I’m not being hard on myself, but I’m trying to keep a realistic and reasonable perspective of my work, my life, and my wellbeing. Admittedly, what has served me in the last year, and what I am taking into this year, is embracing SLOW, which required intentionality, LOVE, and rest.
I’m back in Vancouver/Burnaby. Coming back to the Lower Mainland feels like HOME. I am wondering if we can have different homes. Going to Prince Rupert also feels like home. And, I love my new place in Prince George. That feels like home too. Ahh… look at that food pic. I may have shared that image before, but it is one of my favourite meals to have. Often, going to The Boss Restaurant is one of the first things I do. This meal-of-choice is fish congee and lo bok go. I love the ginger and sesame oil flavours of the soup, the tender fish, and comforting texture and taste of the turnip cake. It also reminds me of my mom and making this food in Prince Rupert when I was a kid. Again, it feels like home. This visit to the Lower Mainland, I’m staying at a hotel. Normally, I would stay at my twin-bro’s place, but he was feeling under the weather.
So, this weekend has been a splurge. I’m staying at a hotel near my brother’s place… and near the location of which I booked a massage/spa session. OMG. I tried a massage last winter with my friends. It was intense. A bit of wincing, thus I am surprised that I booked another session at a different location. It was also a different massage package too. Whoa. I think I fell asleep a couple of times. I never experienced something like that before and it was exactly what I wanted (and needed). It was 90-minutes of pure relaxation. It was interesting to notice that my mind was fully activated at the beginning of the session, then I was focused on the massage, then… I was asleep. LOL. What a perfect way to spend my Saturday (aka., be a person day) morning. The experience was pure luxury and joy. I just LOVED it.
One thought that passed through my mind during the massage was… my mom would have loved a massage. She would have NEVER done something like this. She was so frugal and every thing was for everyone else. She never tended to her needs. She ALWAYS focussed on everyone else. She wore clothes that were way too big for her because they were clothes that were more than 20-years old. She might have splurged on a pair of shoes, but they were likely on sale. I admired her stamina to save money and make something out of nothing. It was somewhat incredible and admirable. She held everything together. Now that she’s gone, I noticed (over time) that she was the heart of our family. Ever since, we’ve made efforts to connect as a family, but it’s not quite the same. Coming to Burnaby is a time to restore and reboot.
After my massage, I had dim sum at the Neptune and then met up with my twin-bro. He is feeling better. We roamed around the mall and picked up small gift for my aunt. She planned a birthday party and it was a big Chinese dinner at a restaurant with 65 friends and family. Five huge round tables of people and the food was incredible. It was wonderful to reconnect with family and I was really happy for my aunt to celebrate LIFE with friends and family… and to celebrate her. It was amazing and cup filling. My aunt just wants to make a connection, and she did. I had a really good time. Today, included breakfast at the hotel (one of my favourite things to do, even though it’s included), chilling in my hotel room lying diagonally on the king size bed, and passively watching the Brier semi-finals on TSN (because I don’t get this channel).
Whew… does it get any better than this? Yes, it does. I’m blogging, I hope to get through my emails (and get crap off my desktop), and I have snacks and leftovers to eat in my hotel room. I LOVE this slowing down (while the Brier is on). I can’t watch the game too closely. It would stress me out. LOL. This afternoon, I’m meeting up with my siblings to go to happy hour downtown Vancouver, then I’m going to Gabor Maté at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre as a VIP ticket holder. I get to meet Gabor in a pre-session and take a picture with him, then go to the evening event near the front rows to listen to him talk. Now, that’s splurgy… for me. I bought the ticket before I bought my house, but no regrets. Gabor Maté’s books have resonated with me. I’ve been listening to his books online and the stories he shares are incredibly compelling.
So, when folks ask me if I am in Vancouver for business or pleasure… I’m here for me… for pleasure!! PS. I even went out on Friday night with a friend of mine who was in Metrotown… for business. I enjoyed the serendipity of our meeting. They sent me a food pic to make me jelly… and I said, I’m going there too. LOL. Life is so fun!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 09th, 2025 | Comments Off on Nothing Wrong with a Reboot
March 2, 2025 – What does it take to do a self-study
I have written to date 9 journal reflections for a self-study with two more on the horizon to “feel like” I am caught up. I might tackle them after this blog post but each journal reflection takes about 2-hours each to complete. Oof. It’s a bit much. I’m not sure why it takes that long, but it does. Although I thought I would talk more about the subject matter, I am finding that I am more focused on social dynamics, agency, and leadership. Maybe that’s what my learning is, but I did not realize that until I worked my way through these reflections. Moreover, I had to figure out “my flow” with the suggested template. I tried several times, but felt restricted or guided in my thinking. As a result, I had procrastinated or avoided doing these journal reflections.
Now that I have found my flow with the template, I did not anticipate how much time it would take to complete. I have invested about 16-hours so far and underestimated the task. I thought I could finished my journal reflections on Friday, they flowed into Saturday and now Sunday. I’m not sure if I can do it, but I would like to take a moment to reflect on the remaining journal reflections to feel “caught up.” I will have to continue contributing to these journal reflections as part of this self-study but I have not idea if I’m contributing what I need to. Each journal reflection is about 3-4 pages single spaced. Not a small feat, but in the next few weeks, I need to catch up on these journal reflections and other work to catch up on. This is the time!!!
It’s practicum, so I am not teaching a couple of classes on Monday. As a result, I have a workload pause so that I can catch up on these journal reflections and other work. So, I’m glad I took a moment to contribute to my blog post to see that light, rather than my aching forearms due to typing on my laptop. Life is good and really… I’m grateful to do the work that I do… and it’s ok to rest on the weekends too. It will be a short blog post for this week, but I am happy that I’ve landed in a place of gratitude.
PS. I love my cat too.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 02nd, 2025 | Comments Off on Reflecting Like a Pro
Here is a photo of a food pic that I have not yet posted onto social media. This blog post seems like a good place to share this image. I went out for dinner this weekend on “be a person day” and we went to a restaurant that serves green curry. Now that my gall bladder is out, I can return to this kind of food without fear of having a gall bladder attack. Damn. This dish was delicious and comforting. It was not too spicy, but rather tangy with bits of mango in random bites. I approached this beautiful meal by mixing it all up so that every grain of rice was covered in green curry. I ate the whole bowl and ended the meal with a dessert. Best of all, this place had diet coke. It was a meal that I really enjoyed and really wanted. Yes, the meal brought me lots of JOY. I LOVE eating a great meal. I was HAPPY to know that I can get a meal like this, but also pad Thai, if I was in the mood, in Prince George. I loved a place in Vancouver where their chicken green curry dish had eggplant in it. Green curry just hit the spot.
When i was in Vancouver, I went out to dinner with family. We went to a place that I wanted to go to. It’s family-style eating where you order a bunch of dishes to share. It was not a Chinese food place, but rather western, and I love the vibe and food of this place. To make a long story short, one person did not want me take pictures of the food. I normally do, but this person was trying to convince me, or shame me, into not taking food pics. I replied by saying I did not care about what other people in the restaurant thought of me. In the end, this person did not want me to take pictures. I complied and did not make a big deal out of this situation but what disappointed me was the fact that the person could not tell me that me taking photos embarrassed them. Nonetheless, the meal was good and I ended up paying for the meal. I enjoyed the experience and I wanted to express my gratitude for the evening. Anyway, what the evening taught me is, I like taking food pics because food is part of my identity.
I took a bunch of food pics of the congee, turnip cake, and tea from The Boss when I went to Burnaby/Metrotown and of the Chinese food I brought home from Vancouver to Prince George. I took pictures of the soup dumpling lunch and hot pot dinner with the teacher candidates in Burnaby (before and after the WestCAST conference) and I generally like taking pictures of food. You never know when you are going to use these images, just like the one above, but also I love sharing pictures of food I love and food that reminds me of my mom (which I also love). I was teased by my siblings by going to the same places when I come to Vancouver. Of course I do… I love going to the ocean and I love going to Chinese restaurants… and Thai too. Anyway, the food reminds me of my mom, but also I can’t get this food in Prince George (nor am I close to the ocean in Prince George). The food connects me to my ethnic identity, just as being by the ocean. Last year, I was focused on doing things that make me happy… but now, I will do things that LOVE. Food pics is one of those things. It’s who I am. 🙂
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 24th, 2025 | Comments Off on Food Pics Represents Identity
February 16, 2025 – A Photo from the CHY’s archives
I just finished writing my Professional Activity Report (PAR) for 2024 on Friday. It was due that day. Valentine’s Day. I am more convinced that maybe my One Word for 2025 is LOVE. Oy. Let’s not talk about that again. But, on the day of LOVE, I spent about 11 hours working on and finalizing my PAR. I did spend some time collecting information and updating my CV, but I definitely underestimated the time it would take to compose my PAR and send it to the Chair. Thank goodness, from what I noticed, that there was not a time that it needed to be submitted. I could be wrong, but at least I got it in on the day it was due and found it to be a fruitful exercise.
Despite the time it took to summarize what I have accomplished in 2024 in my work, I found it to be an awesome way to look back at my work in a critical and appreciative way. I did not realize how many professional development or professional learning activities I engaged in, which included beading for 4-months at the art gallery. I also did not realize how many conferences I attended and presentations I gave. I was somewhat astounded. I also joined another research group and I am leading another. I am grateful to my peers for collaborating with me on a chapter I led and co-wrote with another research team. I assisted another team with writing an NSERC grant and a participated in course evaluations. It’s been about 8-years since I embarked on that practice wholeheartedly. It’s not easy, and I have been un- and re-learning life again.
Why this photo from 2009 is so important to me is to recognize and understand that my practice has not changed over the last 30-years. Can you believe that? 30-years. I graduated from UBC with my teacher education in 1994. I look back at old photos and I am reminded that I love collaborative work, I love creating community in my classrooms that were centred around formative assessment, and I loved to try new ways to teach was new to me, non-traditional, or student-centred (i.e., the student does most of the work). I was a favourite teacher to some, and not so liked by others. Overall, I loved what I did and took photos of students then too… in class, during grad, or during prom. I had a connection with students and I enjoyed teaching.
Were there ups and downs in my K-12 job teaching secondary mathematics? Absolutely. Are there ups and downs with my current position? Absolutely. What I don’t want to lose is my love for LEARNING, building community, and having a connection. I may not be “the best” teacher where I am winning awards or ranking 5 out of 5 on course evaluations. I love to learn and part of that in my teaching practice is, I sometimes delve into crappy moments where I’m not great, not certain, or not on top of what I am doing. And, guess what? That’s ok. I left teaching for about 8-years to work on my dissertation and during that time I was an elected official, not teaching. Guess what? It was not where my heart is. I love to teach. I love to learn. And I hope, I can and am leading with that LOVE. Here are are again… LOVE. Surprise!! LOL.
My biggest fear is, I’m not perfect. I feared being “wrong.” Guess what? It’s all good.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 16th, 2025 | Comments Off on Overcoming My Biggest Fear
I know it is February 9th and it’s well past the new year of January 1st and Lunar New Year of January 29th. It’s not to say that being HAPPY and experiencing LOVE are not good things… they are!! I thought about AWESOME a few days ago, but really, I’m coming to terms with the word CLOSURE. I think that’s what I need. That #OneWord just popped into my mind before approaching my computer. I need closure. I have a pile of things to do and all partially done. That is the work context, but I can also apply that word for the personal. What I have learned in the past few years is, there is no separation between work and personal because it’s just me. That’s it. It’s all ME. So, it’s not for me to separate the two parts of my life or compartmentalize them from each other, but it’s only to provide some context to what I am referring to.
There was a time when “getting started” was a huge barrier for me… and another time when “knowing my potential” was another. Over the last year, it was to understand “my value,” which was derived from my #OneWord2024 of HAPPY. I was able to identify what made me happy, what things are important to me, and what my boundaries are. I learned a lot from last year, so I’m putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on me to find the next best word. As I look around, I think that the word CLOSURE makes a lot of sense to me. It has nothing to do with LOVE or HAPPY, but it has everything to do with LOVE and HAPPY. I have started many projects that need some closure, I have a lot of intentions that need some closure, and there are some crappy things that needs some closure too. Achieving closure equates to “letting go” of some things, “making space” for other things, thus self-love and happiness.
Let’s get things done!!
Even sitting here and writing this blog post, my mind wants to wander and do something else. I am being very intentional with writing this blog post and “getting it done.” I feel that when you get something start, GET IT DONE!! This idea of closure is resonating with me. It’s like that big homework assignment that needs to get done… I procrastinate (or put it in the “to do” pile)… and then something else is added to the pile. It becomes a burden. It feels like extra weight that needs to unloaded. I need my FREEDOM and have the FLEXIBILITY to do what I want. I have got the “get started” idea going… I have got the “your ideas are worth it” going… and I have many, many things on the go that need to get done!! And, there is no good or bad… just things that need CLOSURE. This feels great!! And, I feel that this alignment will help me in 2025. Look at that… I’m at the end of my blog post. Tah dah!! It’s done!! Brilliant. Closure.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 09th, 2025 | Comments Off on Still Pondering
Oh my goodness… It’s been awhile since I’ve been blogging and sadly, it seemed like a slog to get to this platform. I’ve wondered and deliberated for weeks what my One-Word would be for 2025. At first, I thought it would be LOVE, then it shifted to JOY, then to THRIVE, then back to LOVE. As you can see, I’ve been undecided. All of these words are wonderful, but none of them seem to hit me like HAPPY did in 2024. Last year, I almost burned out in January and it was an uphill battled to end the year STRONG. I had my gallbladder removed, I bought a new home, and I adopted Simon-the-cat. Only moments ago, I decided that my #OneWord for 2025 will be HAPPY once again. Who makes these rules? Does my one-word have to be different every year. There is no question in my mind that I will feel LOVE and JOY in the new year, and THRIVE in my work and my personal life. Just by shifting my mindset to HAPPY, once again, I could see the GOOD in the images that I will be including in this blog post, and I am 100% motivated to write and reflect about the last few weeks. Yay!! – Finally.
Gong hey fat choy. Happy Lunar New Year. Hello… THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE. The AI on Google indicates that this year for “dogs” is about personal and professional growth, strengthen bonds with loved ones and colleagues, a focus on health, fitness, and mental health, financial stability, and explore new areas (i.e., going beyond my comfort zone). Now that I have changed my #OneWord, this projection makes a lot of sense to me. Oh my goodness, even when writing this blog post, I feel lighter and… HAPPIER. I feel optimistic and I look forward to 2025. What I have also learned is, FOOD is central to my being. The image above (i.e., soup dumplings from Costco) and this picture (i.e., duck from Costco) make me happy.
Food makes me feel connected to my family and heritage. OMG… look at this photo… LO BOK GO. This is my most favourite food. I get this fried turnip delight from THE BOSS in Metrotown. I complement the lo bok go with a bowl of fish congee. It’s a winning combination. Finding this restaurant at Metrotown was a gift. It was a recent discovery (i.e., only a few years ago) but I think the restaurant has been in Metrotown since the mall opened. I just Googled this, and I’m correct. The restaurant opened in 1999 with the opening of Metrotown. AMAZING. We never went there as a family, but after my mom passed away, it seemed like a place to try. It has great prices and it’s very much like a Hong Kong cafe. I love what they have to offer and I forgo the congee special and go for the fish congee. I just love this meal and pretty much get the same thing when I go. Other things I love to get when I’m in Burnaby is dim sum at the Neptune Restaurant, and soup dumplings from the Dinesty Dumpling House. The dumpling house is a treat. Often I run out of time (or meals) to go. I also like to cook rice rolls (aka., “tubes”) at my brother’s place. We often go to T & T and pick up a few of my favourite things (like lo bok go) to cook at home. Here are few pics below.
Not only do I “have to” go to as many Asian/Chinese restaurants as possible when I’m in Vancouver, I also have go “see” or visit the ocean. These are non-negotiables, in addition to seeing my siblings. Of course, I would love to see my dad too, but it was a short visit and he was busy celebrating the Lunar New Year with his (new) wife’s family. Nonetheless, my sister suggested going to Canada Place for dinner and go to the Coal Harbour Bar/Lounge at the hotel. I’m game. It was MAGNIFICENT. Although it was dark, we were right against the ocean, with live music (jazz, piano, singing), and DINE OUT!! I did not realize that January was DINE OUT month, so I ordered from that menu. A three course meal of scallops, gnocci, and panna cotta for dessert for $49. The food was DELICIOUS. Albeit, my dinner was not Asian, but Italian is a strong second. Loved it and I loved hanging out with my twin bro, sister, and brother-in-law.
OH BOY… THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG BLOG POST. There is so much to catch up on. I feel great and now I feel liberated to write and talk about the good things about my last few weeks. I felt it was a appropriate to talk about FOOD to celebrate the Lunar New Year. And, I LOVE food… oh yes, LOVE is back in the picture… but my #OneWord is HAPPY. Food makes me happy. Enough said. I hope my food pics and blog post up until now demonstrates my LOVE for food. I think food will be an entry point with my “20 days” auto-ethnography about me and my relationship with my mom. I can’t wait to get that project started. This declaration was my first time saying that, and meaning that. I am READY to write about my mom, my experiences, and how I understand the world. When my mom passed away in 2018, I thought I would embark on this project soon after her death. I could not do it. So much has changed since her passing and I had to do “a lot of work” to get where I am today. YES… It’s time!!
Oh yes… why I was in Vancouver last week was to go to a beading session at UBC with Anishinaabe Artist Nico Williams hosted by Dr. Cynthia Nicol from the Faculty of Education We started a beading community during the pandemic in 2021 called Beadwork + Mathwork = Community Beading. A group of us joined from across Canada for 5 sessions online on Zoom. We learned how to bead three sided and four-sided shapes (re: “hypersquare”). The community members were provided with beading supplies and in return, we contributed at least one hypersquare back to Cynthia to ultimately bead these squares together in a blanket. I never thought I could bead or believe this is something I could do, but I learned so much from beading. The bead, thread, and needle are only metaphors or tools to learn some critical lessons about patience, presence, and persistence. Beading became a place of solace for me and I have made and gifted some of my work to teacher candidates, colleagues, and friends. In December 2024, Cynthia sent out an email to the group about coming together in-person to bead these hypersquares together. I could not miss this opportunity, and Nico is exactly who he was online. I just loved every moment of this learning opportunity and I learned something new… THE HINGE.
I met so many great people that day, I had a wonderful smoked salmon lunch with sweet and savoury bannock, and I got to learn something new. What more can you ask from a day of professional development. I feel lucky that I have a position where I have flexibility to make this learning experience possible. I flew down on a Wednesday. I teach on Mondays and Tuesdays. I had the beading workshop on Thursday. I made it back to my brother’s place to teach my night class. And, I took meetings on my phone and computer on the bus to and from the UBC and at my brother’s place on Friday. Working remotely has it’s benefits and I am grateful to folks who made the in-person meeting possible for me to attend via Zoom. And yes, concurrent to my beading session, I attended a Zoom meeting launching the CATE (Canadian Association for Teacher Education) book as part of the Polygraph Book Series. I was able to lead the writing for the Climate Education in Teacher Education (CETE) research team I belong to at UNBC (University of Northern British Columbia) on “Research Our Way Into Teacher Leadership.” We are Chapter 22. I am so proud of this work and I learned a tonne from the editors (Drs. Cathryn Smith and Leyton Schnellert), the guest speakers at the working conference held at Brandon University, the copy editor, and the learning community who were the authors/scholars who co-created this book. I met so many great people and loved this learning experience.
What can I say… I’m back (to blogging). I feel great!! I loved my time in Vancouver, but I also love being at home. I love my new place. I love cooking at home. And, I love going out for dinner from time to time with my kid to spend some time with her but also enjoy good food. There is something about FOOD that brings people together. Food represents community, exploration, and love. I am HAPPY to be blogging and sharing what’s important to me. I feel optimistic and excited. Yay!! Onwards and upwards!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, January 31st, 2025 | Comments Off on Returning to HAPPY
January 10, 2025 – What do I really want to accomplish?
Does this sound like a “new year’s resolution” blog post? It has that potential of being one. I have just finished my first week of teaching for the Winter 2025 term and making a conscious effort to get back to familiar routines like writing a weekly reflection in my blog. I just realized from an an email received earlier this week that folks may use this WordPress site to introduce me to others. Of course, I should know that and possibly expect that. But over time, this website has seen some ebbs and tides over time since it’s original conception over 10-years ago when I was using it as a vehicle to promote my edu-consulting business. I have since stepped away from self-employment and have slowly but surely stepped back into teaching and learning more about academia. This website has also followed me into the pandemic and through many life changes that I needed some platform to help me to sense-make though the challenging times, but also the joyful ones. This blog has served me well.
For those who may follow me on Twitter/X, Facebook, or Instagram, I am a bit of a foodie and food-pic fanatic. A part of that LOVE is the joy I seek from a hotel-breakfast, or breakfast in general. Look at it’s simplicity and deliciousness to start off the day. There is nothing I like more than eggs and toast (see image above) complemented with a hot cup of coffee, a glass of water, and a piece of fruit. This image is taken from my new home on my new “fancy” table (it was a splurge). I just love how simple this meal can be and yet it accomplishes everything I want it to achieve. Even the image itself makes me happy. This image serves as a metaphor for 2025. I can see on my landing page for this website that I did not publish anything in 2024, yet I had so many things on the go that had the potential for writing, I was in the middle of writing, or I finished writing and it will not get published until 2025. Guess what? That’s OK, because that’s how 2024 unfolded for me. In 2024, I went to many conferences to present, which brought me a lot of joy, fun, and happiness.
So, what will 2025 bring?
I want to focus on the plate of food. There’s not too much on the plate, but enough on the plate to walk away from the meal feeling satisfied. I know that I will start the year with a publication, a chapter in a book on teacher leadership. This prospect is very exciting and that was a challenge I took on in the fall of 2023, almost burned out in January 2024, but saw through the task by the end of 2024. I learned a tonne from the experience, intended and not intended. I have a book review to complete, a manuscript to revise, two other manuscripts to find a journal to review them, another manuscript to finish writing, two conference proceedings, and a chapter proposal on the horizon. Even describing what I have just listed, it might be 3 different meals (i.e., winter, summer, and fall terms). Nonetheless, there is plenty to do in addition to several research teams I am a part of. There are other publications we are completing and again, many more on the horizon. I feel good about where I am. More is to come.
Avoiding the worm hole means… don’t get caught into things that take you away from this meal. Stay focused. Be content. Do what you love. One thing I do want to do is to pursue the “20 days” research project that is an auto-ethnography on my ethnic identity and how I perceive the world through the lens of being “child number three.” Part of this study is about learning more about my ethnic heritage as a Chinese-Canadian, the role of policy that impacted how I was raised and educated, and how I navigated through my personal and professional life. This study was inspired by my mom. She passed away in 2017 and I spent her last 20-days taking care of her along with other family members. I wanted to write this when she had first passed away, but I was not ready. I had to do so much work on myself such that I needed to see things the way they are before I could even make a commentary of what is (or was). Even when I write this final paragraph, I am self-assessing how I feel, and I feel READY.
Let’s do this!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, January 10th, 2025 | Comments Off on Avoiding the Worm Hole
Here I sit in my bedroom/office facing my laptop and desktop screens while my “new” cat, Simon, lies quietly on my bed while I work. This is not a easy transition “back to work.” I have throughly enjoyed my winter break and appreciate all that 2024 had to offer. Admittedly, the year started with me almost burning out in January. What a strange time to burnout, but there were due dates that had to be met and I was not fully sure if I was living the life the way I wanted to live it. It got to the point where 2024 started with struggle, stress, and survival. This way of life was not sustainable, but it was one that I had lived with for most of my life. For 2024, it had to be different.
The focus for 2024 was HAPPY, my one-word. To achieve that, I had to focus on what made me happy. Did I feel happy? Are the people I’m spending my time with make me happy? Was the work that I was achieving making me happy? Was how I living making me happy? My one-word 2024 was the first time I was focused on me and my wellness. I did not realize that at first. I knew that this word was different than the ones I’ve chosen in the past and it’s intentionality. Other words from previous years were more focused on ways to remedy deficiencies or something that would move my career forward, but it was never for me. Happy seemed self-indulgent.
Honestly, no regrets. I was focussed on “being slow” with my work, being accepting of my need to do (and complete) one thing at a time, and prioritizing sleep was not a bad thing. Some things I could not get to and other things I go to do, I never thought I could or would do. This year, I supported a few teacher candidates with their inquiry, conference presentation, and soon to be academic writing. That is super exciting to me. In the summer, I went to Montreal and splurged a bit with the hotel, visiting friends and family, and collaborating/presenting with colleagues. In the fall/winter, I purchased a new home for me (and the kid) and adopted Simon the super cute cat.
I am loving my new home and never thought I could do this for myself… and I have. I’ve joined a few research groups and I am learning lots. Most of all, I focused on my health, meaning, I asked questions, made appointments, and yes, got my gallbladder removed in December. It was a long (and painful) journey to get to that point and the rest of December was spent moving, recovering, and ending the term. I cannot even believe that so much was accomplished in such a short time. I love working in my new office/bedroom and I love that Simon naps behind me on my bed and keeps me company while I type on my computer. I could not be happier. 2024 ended STRONG.
I’ve been contemplating my #OneWord2025 as I have been attempting to get back to my routines (with no excuses) and enjoying and appreciating my new space and company. In my other WordPress blog site, I wrote that my one-word for 2025 would be JOY. I am so obsessed by how much I loved my one-word of HAPPY. So much had manifested from it. Many things I did not anticipate, but I am Happy with how the year ended. I did not want it to stop. But, whit I am realizing is, my #OneWord2025 should be something that scares me a little, and maybe a bit back on the self-indulgent vibe again. I think I am going to stick with my original one-word for 2025 which is LOVE. In many ways, I think JOY is a given if I’m doing what I love. Right?
So there you go… I have landed on my one-word for 2025 and I will be modifying my other blog post to reflect the same word. I am super excited about 2025. I have learned so much from 2024 and I will continue with that learning. Gosh… there is nothing I love more than listening to the silence, looking out the window and watching the snow fall and ice skaters in the distance, and returning back to my blog(s) and work to being the new year. I really enjoy teaching in terms of all the things I get to learn, the creativity involved in designing learning experiences, and the people I get to work with while teaching and learning. This profession in teaching has brought me to many places… and the work that I do (and LOVE). I am grateful.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, January 05th, 2025 | Comments Off on A New Way of Being
August 18, 2017 – A photo taken the day after my doctoral oral defence of me, my mom, and my dad.
December 31, 2024 – Climate Change Education – BLOG 1
I went into the photo archives and pulled out this image of me, my mom, and my dad. This photo was taken the day after I successfully defended my dissertation. My mom could not attend my defence. She was not feeling well, but she was always routing for me. In fact, I think she waited for me. She passed away 6-months later. Writing about my mom was not the intention of the blog post, although, I will be writing about my mom soon. I wanted to write about her ever since she had passed away, but I was not ready. I’ve done a lot of work to get to a place of readiness and 2025 is the the year.
My intention in writing this blog post, and there will be many more for 2025, was to write about my thoughts and reflections as a research team member of the Climate Education in Teacher Education (CETE) research project. We have been working on this project for more than 2-years and a few months into our third year. The project started with a focus on Climate Change Education (CCE) with teacher candidates in the first year as one response to the Association for Canadian Deans in Education (ACDE) Accord on Education for a Sustainable Future (2022). Five of us got together.
The initiative started with one person on our term who has an expertise in climate change education and I helped out to share the ask with colleagues within the School of Education to see who was interested. Our research team of 5 formed and amongst the 5 of us, only one of us was a tenure-track member. The rest of us were either term, lecturer, or adjunct. We did not have the agency, ability, or motivation to get the research project off the ground, so this faculty member became the Principal Investigator. The initial goal was to investigate CCE use with Teacher Candidates.
The methodology chosen for this project is Educational Design-Based Research (EDBR) using Sandoval’s Conjecture Mapping. EDBR uses multiple strategies to unpack a complex problem in practical and doable ways. Conjecture mapping tracks our intentions and changes over time. The method, if anything, is experiential with many opportunities to pivot, when needed. We have pivoted many times, and that’s ok. We also work with a Design Team which is comprised of folks who are experts in the field, locally and nationally, and their role is to help guide our work/project.
Our main intervention of the CETE project is CCE workshops for practicing teachers and teacher candidates with a focus on northern BC. We offer/ed 4-workshops per year and in planning these workshops, we tried to anticipate the needs of the field but also listen to the feedback after each workshop. The preparation and development of these workshops are time intensive and much effort is given by research team members, design team members, and research assistant(s). We have offered and facilitated these workshops online and a few of them in person.
The attendance to these workshops have increased over time and so has the research project. As our dreams and aspirations grew, the research project expanded to 4 REB’s… the first is with Teacher Candidates, the second with practicing teachers from 2 school districts, the third is a self-study involving the research team, and the fourth one is the most recent that is focused on Indigenous knowledge holders and elders. This blog post series will focus on REB3, the Self-Study. We are asked as research team members to reflect on our experience and growth within the project.
Finally, I am back to writing about the picture above from my doctoral oral defence. Why does this image matter? My dissertation was about “out-of-field teachers” teaching secondary mathematics. I have an interest in out-of-field teaching, professional learning, and educational leadership. Lots of what I am interested in is MAKING A CHANGE… in one’s practice, in school/class culture, and in educational policy. I love the idea of agency, influence, and engaging learners to “be the change.” We are learners too. Anyway, this is my interest and motivation for the CETE project.
Moreover, I’m blogging about it as a means to reflect on my role on the research team and how this project is impacting me, as a learner, educator, researcher, and educational leader. We have a framework on MS Teams to record our reflections, however, my brain does not work in that way. I found the template to be a barrier to my reflections, so I have decided to blog about my thoughts in my reflective practice and then unpack my reflection within the framework as part of the analysis. Anyway, I am an “out-of-field” researcher on this project and learning lots on CCE and research.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, December 31st, 2024 | Comments Off on Reflective Practice: A Documentation
