Of course I have to blog as a moment of solace, joy, and reflection before I delve into the next “thing to do.” It’s been unbelievable this month in terms of workload, timelines, and expectations. There are some wins, and some losses. I don’t want to get too down on myself, but rather take one step at a time and know that things will work out in the end. I’ve just completed a whole bunch of tasks and I have to jump into another HUGE task (that’s now overdue). Before I do, I had to get things off my desktop, organize my planner, and blog a little. As I am doing this transition-ritual, I am filled with hope, optimism, and a new mindset of what’s possible. Hence, my name. I’m showing you a screenshot of part of my Chinese name that my sister has been learning more about from my aunties, cousins, and niece. I love that she is looking into our Chinese names. I don’t speak Chinese, and admittedly, I have not had the huge motivation to learn more about it. I feel almost language-deaf to the words. I’ve been listening to Chinese my whole life, but I don’t recognize many words except for good morning, thank you, watermelon, and shrimp dumpling. Over the last handful of years, I’ve become more curious about my ethnic heritage. Learning more about my Chinese name has brought me some solace.
When I was growing up, I had always believed that my name meant “quiet” and “pretty.” I have a twin brother and our Chinese names sound similar. His name, I believed, meant “strong” and “masculine.” Sadly, it’s like “sweet and sour chicken balls”… it’s not quite right. There is a nuance with language that needs to be understood. Someone like me who does not have the language cannot understand the nuance, and for those who do have the language, it’s not easy to translate its meaning into English. It was good for me to know that my dad had a big part in how my twin bro and I were named. There had to be an interplay between our names. At first glance, there seems to be one… “quiet” versus “strong.” But, there’s more… my dad also set the task for my grandmother (his mom) to research names and consult with community. I found that also interesting because I’ve always held the belief that I was the unexpected twin. Knowing that there was great effort made by my dad and grandmother to ensure that our names had meaning meant a lot to me. I was so glad that my sister was able to find out this information and learn more about what our names mean. She is also learning more about her name too. The inspiration of this work stemmed from my mom. Before she passed away (or lost her vision), she wrote our three Chinese names on a piece of paper.
The symbol that you see above is the last of three symbols in my Chinese name. “Stillness” and “tranquility” is different from “quiet” and pretty.” The mystery continues with what my brother’s name means. His is something like staying within a set of rules or boundaries because it’s the right thing to do. This tracks because my brother is always helping people, he is very principled, and when he steps out of the box (his box)… it’s not pretty. LOL. I can see how we may have originally interpreted his name as “strong”… when really he is “doing the right thing” to benefit others. He is always helping people. I would not say that he is a people pleaser, but rather, he is a peacekeeper. He avoids conflicts, and he’s just an all around good guy. Everybody loves him… and that’s not an over exaggeration. He’s a good person. As for me, my name interplays with his. My name does not mean that I am still or tranquil, but rather I need things around me (and maybe within me) to be still and tranquil before I get anything done. HELLO. That’s what I just did (and am doing). I need the dust to settle to recalibrate to get to the next task. I always thought that I did things one thing at a time, which is true. I also need stillness and tranquility. In other words, I need things “out of my box” to get things done.
I think this is why my brother and I get along so well. In many ways, we had always thought that we were opposites… and in many ways, I can see why that is true. But now knowing my name, our names, we are actually complements. And for that, I’m grateful.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, October 22nd, 2026 | Comments Off on It’s all in the name
September 6, 2026 – Nothing tastes better than crab
Gosh… I remember as a young child growing up in Prince Rupert of eating crab at the coffee table. I’m not sure how the crab was acquired. I think my mom new a lot of people from working in the cannery who my have gifted or sold the crab to my mom and dad for a very reasonable price. There is no question in my mind that I am a crab-person through and through, and not a lobster-person. Seafood, living near the ocean, and being in a small town is very much in my DNA (aka., my identity). I am reading a book now about identity, or at least the first part of the book, and I was struck by how one’s identity is fluid, negotiated, and context-based. Today, I don’t live near the ocean and in a place that’s at least 10-times bigger than the two places where I have lived for an extended period of time. And yes, I get crab, that’s frozen, from a person who transports it from the place I used to live as a child. So, having this half-crab for dinner was a delight.
I just love the idea that one’s identity can change. I feel that. I’ve been undergoing many changes over the last few decades (LOL) and it almost feels like I’m returning home lately. I’m not sure if it’s because I have less distractors in my life, or that I have made great efforts to exist in my bubble, or the combination of both ways of being. I am finding my way back home… returning to my-SELF and feeling very aligned to who I am and who I want to be. For example, I am working with a former colleague right now to write a chapter for a book. We are looking back almost 20-years ago on a project we collaborated on. We have been meeting every Sunday to collaborate and discuss ideas, and it’s been very heart-filling and cognitively-nourishing having these conversations. We just decided today to possibly work on a manuscript after the chapter because the amount of work and memories we are going through would merit a second (or third) publication.
I am also grateful for a research team I am leading. There are two faculty members who are associate professors and two graduate research students who are PhD candidates. I feel so honoured to be leading and learning from this group. I always feel awestruck, honoured, and humbled to lead this group, and my colleagues feel the same way. Although I am the Principal Investigator, we are all equal members of this team. WE ARE A TEAM. I feel mentored at the same time as being a co-contributor and leader. We are not in a competing with one another or trying to make an impression, but rather we are doing the work together. Each of takes a lead in different ways, and each of us support one another in the work that we do. We can also see the potential in the work that we are doing and look forward to the new year and where we will go with this project. Data is collected and analysis almost complete. This year will be knowledge mobilization.
I am also grateful for another research team that I am a part of and learning as I am doing within that group. The subject matter can be somewhat out-of-field for me, so I like to focus on what I am able to learn and what aligns to the work that I currently do. I am also grateful for another group of former teacher candidates and the work we had done as we attempt to write a chapter for a book. I am learning so much with this crew and it’s incredible how much they are willing to do and give back to the field and profession. Finally, I was also fortunate to work with some current teacher candidates where they were able to publish their own work, and we co-presented the journey at a recent conference. I should strongly consider writing about my inquiry and the THIRD SPACES that are created for teacher candidates to flourish as undergraduate scholars and maybe consider graduate studies in the future. In the meantime, I learned so much from them.
THIS is what joyful-alignment feels like. I am swamped with gratitude, and I have only mentioned a few recent opportunities and relationships I was gratefully to be a part of. There are so many more… and when you are in alignment, joy and happiness soon follow. It feels like a plate of steamed dungeness crab… LOL… for dinner. Lots of memories, tastes great, and I am riddled with gratitude. This knowing (in addition to the counter-examples experienced that serendipitously affirm my direction and way of being) helps me to decide what’s next. For example, I am going to go to the BC Association of Mathematics Teachers PSA Fall Conference in October. I want to learn more about math and math education. I want to reconnect with “my people.” And, I want to learn something new. I know that math and math education gets me jacked up, and I’m trying to get my doctoral work published. So, getting excited about math is important to me.
I need to stay focused on what’s important and what I love to do. STAY ALIGNED.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, September 06th, 2026 | Comments Off on Joyful Alignment
Well… I may have mentioned in previous blog posts that my kid has moved out of my place… and into her own place. I feel so honoured and privileged to have spent the last 5 years with my kid post-high school graduation. I remember moving out of my parents place and on to university residence at 17-years old. Admittedly, going to the big-smoke as a young kid was somewhat traumatic. I did not transition well… LOL… but managed to stay in university. Thank goodness. For me and the kid, I felt that we got to grow up together… I got to see her transition in to adulthood… we got a chance to transition into adulthood together. I loved that we had the last 5-years together. Our relationship remains good and we see each other almost every day. It’s nice.
What’s also nice is that my twin bro and big sister are coming up to Prince George to visit… to see the kid’s new place (and mine too), and to do the “Prince George” together for a couple of days. It’s a short visit. That’s all we need… and it’s a jammed packed couple of days. I am really looking forward to seeing them and hosting them, but also, it’s a refreshing change from me going to Vancouver to visit them (and my dad)… of which I’ll be doing in September and maybe October. I feel so lucky that we are so connected as family. We talk sometimes thinking that we would not be friends had we not been related. LOL. We are very different people, but we get along very well. Lots of giggles and an appreciation of food. I attribute our close bond to my MOM.
Mon was such a character. I do have some “scary” memories of her as a child… aka. cutting chicken for dinner with a cleaver… but also some appreciative moments… aka. mediating between me and my dad. I love the photos I am sharing in this blog post. These images do remind me of her… how she looked… and her unassuming playfulness. She would have been totally pissed off to know that I was writing about her on a digital platform if she were still alive. I did a gratitude post of her once on Facebook when she gave me toilet paper, a frying pan, oysters sauce, canned salmon, and Spam. I guess she got a lot of “feedback” from some of my auntie, and I got the riot act. Oof. I did not post anything about her since until she had passed away. My mom was a strong woman. She did a lot for us and after she passed away, I realized kept us all together too. 🙂
So when my sister texts me today to say… “You are very Viving”… it’s a compliment. My mom’s (Canadian) name was Vivien. I love that we name things after her… like “Vi-Guy” (soy sauce chicken stir fry) or “doing the Viv” (furniture re-arranging). It reminds me how my mom made great efforts to ensure that everyone was ok and taken care of. I helped my kid move out (and move into her place), and I got my place (aka. moving into my own place) organized and took stuff out of storage to create my own office. I love my office. I bought golf clubs so that we can do a Par 3 together, and a foam mattress so that my sister can stay over in my new office during her stay (my twin bro prefers the Marriott). I love that I’m Viving… and there is no doubt that I am. I planned the two days that they are here, and taking every step to ensure everything is ready before their arrival.
I’m stoked.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, August 20th, 2026 | Comments Off on Feeling the VIV
July 26, 2026 – Learning about myself through others
Yup… of course I’ve shared a photo of tonight’s dinner. It’s a baked sweet potato with ground turkey cooked in taco sauce with cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and homemade salsa. The sweet potato, lettuce, and tomatoes came from the Desert Hills Ranch. This meal was absolutely delicious and satisfying. I love eating fresh food from Desert Hills (it was my first experience), and I love their taco stand in Cache Creek. Absolutely delicious. Anyway, I wanted start of this blog post with a food pic, but really, what I wanted to talk about was my joy and inspiration listening to the biographies of chefs on “Chef’s Table” on Netflix. Also, AMAZING. I love the production, I love the stories, I love the honestly of their struggles and failures, and of course, I love their successes and how they overcame, persisted, and found themselves in their journey. I have been watching and listening to this series as I work in my LazyBoy chair. In fact, I’m watching it right now while I blog.
I started and re-started this blog post with hopes of discussing NORMALIZING FAILURE, but when I watch these documentaries, failure is part of the journey. These chefs took big risks, failed along the way, and eventually found their way. The journey is not meant to be easy. I can see that, if you want to do what you want to do. And I love what this person just said as I am writing this post… “I just got to be me.” Hello? I could not agree more. This chef is also Asian, and she described her struggles with her parents, her self-doubts, and struggles with racism. I get it. You need to be who you are to thrive. It takes time to figure out who you are, and to live this authentic life, you need to not only be honest to yourself and your family. I can really relate to this. I was reminded when I quit my teaching job in K-12. It was one of the toughest things I had to do in my life. Not just making the decision to resign, but telling my family of this decision was difficult.
I love this current episode… she is finding herself… her confidence and voice are so inspiring and I’m captured. She is standing up to herself and she has now accepted herself… and to pursue and do what she loves and who she is. She said, “F___ FEAR!!” Love it. I understand that. “All of my life, I was listening to other voices”… I can relate to this. Once she found herself, she won an award for her work. This story is much like the others shared on Chef’s Table. I just love how these people found themselves in food and their craft. Don’t get me wrong, I am not planning to become a chef, but I will continue with taking selfies and food pics. That’s just who I am. I love teaching and learning, and research is one way to share about what I have learned, to collaborate with others, and learn more about my craft and do what I love to do. The intersection between teaching, learning, and leading is at the heart of what I do and love to do. The Scholarship of Teaching and Action Research are vehicles or pathways for me to move forward and thrive as a research-practitioner. Thank you Chef’s Table. You have inspired me!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, July 26th, 2026 | Comments Off on Watching Chef’s Table
UNBC School of Nursing Pinning Ceremony 2026 – May 30 – Northern Sports Centre
June 4, 2026 – Feeling Lucky to have this PIC
Oh my goodness… The last week has been a whirlwind and finally, I have a moment to reflect, wonder, and appreciate my kid’s achievements. THE KID graduated from the University of Northern British Columbia in the School of Nursing, and she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) on May 29th on her birthday. You could not have written a better story. I loved that Zoe was highlighted in the interim President’s speech, and she was warmly received by her friend, Chancellor, interim President, Dean, and Chair as she crossed the stage. What an exciting moment for her, and I was so grateful to be front stage as faculty member witnessing this achievement. My kid has overcame so much over the last handful of years, and she is becoming the person she is meant to be.
There is nothing more that I can say about this kid, except for “I am so proud.” This kid is seems to know no bounds and I cannot believe that she has finished the UNBC Nursing Program and starting full-time work in the next week… in addition to a few other jobs relating to research and nursing. Who would have thought? I just love all of the service work that she does. The kid takes after her mom in lots of ways… but 10-fold. She just does a lot better than I have ever done, in 10-fold. It’s amazing… and I want that for her. I remember when she was learning how to swim. She loves the water ever since she was born. I put her into swimming lessons when she was only a little bub. When she turned 10-years old, she finished all of the swimming levels, then when she was old enough, finished her bronze medallion and bronze cross, and worked as a lifeguard for several years before graduating high school. AMAZING!! (PS. I don’t know how to swim).
I am not trying to downplay my achievements, but THE KID has created dreams and goals that are set by her. I’m here to support, guide, and encourage, but all of her accomplishments are hers. She was the vice-president of the UNBC Pre-Med Club and President of the UNBC Stem Cell Club. It’s not the roles that mattered, but the work she had accomplished for these clubs in these roles. She fundraised for both clubs, organized gatherings and talks with folks in the medical field, and rallied in many ways to promote and gather swabs for stem cell. I only have a sense of the kind of work she has manifested, and there’s more… She co-led the inaugural Prince Hoops with her boyfriend that hosted 14 3-on-3 basketball teams, and the event was sponsored by many community organizations and companies. And, she is also one of the directors of the Run for Life in Prince George, an initiative started by a group of her peers who wanted to bring this event back to the community which is happening at the end of this month.
I have attached one of many news articles she is a part of. She’s been interviewed by the local newspapers, local news on TV, and UNBC Communications promoting the good work she is engaged in (as mentioned above). She also takes the time to promote these initiatives on social media as well. What I like about all this is, not only she is doing the good work, she also prefers not being the centre of attention. She lifts other people up, to be at the centre, and fostering their leadership. I appreciate that about THE KID as a leadership, action research scholar. She is making a difference, and one metric of leadership is the number of leaders you leave behind. Now graduated and leaving the university to pursue her career in health, she has mentored many competent student leaders that she leaves behind at UNBC. What a gift to the two clubs and university.
As you can see, I am super humbled and proud of this kid. She works hard, and plays hard. I loved having the last 5-years with her. She moved to Prince George to be with me, and I would not have it any other way. Not only am I excited about her next steps in life, I am confident that she will do whatever she is doing to the best of her abilities, and 10-fold beyond my expectations. Congratulations KID. Enjoy. You can do anything. Love you!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, June 04th, 2026 | Comments Off on The Kid is Growing Up
I cannot believe that it’s already been a week since I was in Toronto visiting with relatives on my mom’s side of the family. It was my aunt’s 80th birthday and with sheer grit and will power, my aunt and planning committee of cousins (that included my twin bro) organized a weekend event in Toronto. One of the highlights of the reunion was my nephew’s camera. It was pretty cool what kind of photos it could take, so here are a couple of them with a few members of my family. This first photo of us in a circle was taken at the University of Toronto visit a memorial bench that honours the memory of my grandmother and grand father. The second photo below is all of us who went to the reunion visiting and paying respect to my grandparents at the cemetery. My grandparents from my dad’s side are also buried near by, so we went there as a little family to pay our respects as well. I was so heartened that many of my aunts and uncles from my mom’s side also came over to pay their respects. What I did not realize is that our families were connected because of my parent’s marriage and one of my aunts on my mom’s side went to school with my uncle on my dad’s side, and she also knew another one of my aunts as well. That was so cool to learn. What was even more exciting was reconnecting and connecting with cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. Many of them I did not see since my mother had passed away in 2018. Most I have not seen in decades. While others were brand new to me, and I was meeting them for the first time. There is something magical about families. Because you are family, you are just going to connect and get to know each other. It was a wonderful 3-days. Lots of memories.
The Chik-family reunion started with a get-to-know you session at my aunt’s condo in the multipurpose room. We wore name tags, there were games, food testing, gift exchange, slideshow, and food to eat. Although I was admittedly apprehensive of a 4.5-hour event, the time flew by. The event ended with my artist-aunt sharing a big image of a tree blossoming to my birthday-aunt, and there were smaller prints that were framed for each of us to take home. What a present!! In the image is a stamp with our Chinese name, and the image is titled, “To plant. To grow. To blossom.” So beautiful… I am looking at it on my window sill (a temporary location) as I write this blog post. Later that night, we went to the Pearl Restaurant, which is close to my birthday-aunt’s place. We had a 10-course Chinese meal. It was absolutely delicious. It’s be awhile since I had peking duck and a full formal Chinese dinner. We had 3 large round tables for our group, and a gorgeous view of Lake Ontario. The next day, we went to the cemetery in the morning, my little Ho-family went back to city centre to have Shake Shack for lunch, and then we all reunited at the CN Tower for dinner. Wow!! What an amazing experience. Very memorable. Beautiful views of the city. And, it was stormy that day… so depending on where the storm was or direction we were facing, sometimes we had sun, clouds, and everything in between. After dinner, we went to the observation deck as well. The CN Tower is a MUST DO in Toronto. Finally, on day 3, we concluded with dim sum and professional photos at the Pearl again. Another AMAZING meal!! Many flew out that day after dim sum. We also got a CN Tower glow-in-the-dark coin and personalized travel tags with our Chik-name on it.
The Chik-family reunion was amazing and I am so grateful that we had this moment to connect and reconnect. In lots of ways, we have not changed. One of my aunts said that I am still the same. Hmm… disturbing, yet reassuring. Thank you to the organizing team and my cousins, birthday-aunt, nephews, and everyone who came to Toronto to make this event possible. My heart is full, and I was so grateful to spend time with my little Ho-family as well. My kid and her boyfriend took me out for Mother’s Day dinner on our final night in Toronto. Miku would have been fabulous, but they were completely booked. Instead, we had Italian food, and the meatballs were delicious. I also want to say a big thank you for my roomie for the 4 days… my big sis… and to my twin bro for all of the points he collects from the Marriott and Air Canada that heavily subsidized the hotel and flights to Toronto. For some reason, all the parts fit, and I could briefly step away from my work and enjoy the company of my family. I had so much fun. Kudos to the Chik-family!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, May 16th, 2026 | Comments Off on Family and Feeling Grateful
In this photo, my kid and I went to get pho. She had soup, and I had this prawn and roll platter. It was absolutely delicious and a huge portion. This meal has held me for 3 meals. I enjoyed every bite, and thank goodness for air fryers. What was life like before the air fryer. This appliance is the MOST used appliance in my household next to the coffee machine. Another thing I love… COFFEE. We have a Keurig and a Nespresso. I love both of those appliances as well. Expresso or a drip coffee in one cup… it can’t get any better. Yes… there are a few things I love. They do lean onto the food spectrum, hence the many food pics. I just enjoy the food, the experience, and the memories. I feel so loved and joyful when I am engaged in eating or drinking something I love and often times, the company I keep. I am so grateful for the food, the love, and the people. I am very lucky.
I think as a child, I feel that food was a privilege. We did not have a lot of food and I was given food that I was given. My parents worked very hard to put food on the table. My mom made the most of the dollar to maximize the food in our house. I don’t know how she did it. I have very negative memories about food. The fridge was almost empty, my mom bought “x” bread (aka., day old bread), and my made many stir fry dinners with meat she cut off a chicken leg (aka., the cheapest cut). My dad worked at the pulp mill, underemployed, and worried about being laid off from month-to-month. My mom worked at the cannery and pulp mill cafeteria at one time and worked around the clock, then in the food industry as a coffee shop owner, caterer, and delicatessen worker. I often think about how many sandwiches my mom had to make to ensure that my siblings and I are educated, working in places where we thrive, and living “the good life” in Canada.
This blog post is the fourth time I have with this title. It does not surprise me. I’ve been feeling kind of low lately and have been resistant to complete some of work I need to do because I am not in the right headspace. I feel that I am finally seeing myself through this heavy space but still have a tonne of stuff to do. I will get it done today. I have no choice. What I am learning is, to feel the feels before proceeding. I don’t want to react, and I don’t want to numb myself and plough through the work without feelings. I just recently did the Myers-Briggs test lately. I was talking about it with my sister. She is INTP. My kid is ISFJ. I used to be ESTJ when I was first introduced to this preference test, but now with a new life, a new way of being, and therapy… LOL… I am now an ENFP, the campaigner. I am enthusiastic, creative, and idealistic. When I read this description, I feel like it’s telling my story (when before I was doing what I thought I should do).
Why does this matter? It’s so important to be who you are and celebrate it. Everyone has strengths, and everyone has stretches too. For many years, I was trying to be someone who I was not to “fit in” and often compromised who I was to “belong.” BAD MOVE. I lost myself in doing that. The people-pleasing, the self-betrayal, and the hurt that equated to numbing was HELL. I won’t do that anymore. The person I belong to is ME. I am so grateful for Brene Brown’s work, but also the work of my therapist, and now, the work of my physiotherapist. Be yourself. Love yourself. And, ask for help, if you needed it. Ah yes, vulnerability, acceptance, and love. These virtues are so essential to our ability to experience joy, happiness, and doing what you love. I am not motivated by money, but rather I am motivated in helping (or lifting) others to be their best selves. I love listening to other people’s jam. I love slowing down and savouring in the joy.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 26th, 2026 | Comments Off on Do what you love
Yes, this blog post will be one of gratitude. I am so grateful for my sister. She my older sister. We did not become close until were were both adults. Much of my formative years was spent leaning on my twin brother. As time has passed and I’m well into adulthood and career, my sister and I grew closer. We started to get to know one another and for many years I struggled with being the youngest in my family. Although I am a twin, I am the youngest. My sister and brother were afforded the responsibilities of being the older siblings. I guess I fulfilled the stereotype of the youngest sibling. Generally, I just followed along and did what I was told. I did hold some resentment for many years as I had wanted to be just like my sister and brother. I wanted to be treated equally. I remember that I insisted as a child and through many of adult years to be treated the same. After my mom passed away in 2018, I realized that we were all treated differently… LOL… and we don’t have the same strengths, even though my mom made things feel equal for me.
Now as an older (and much more wiser) adult, I can see the value that my mom took in differentiating our lived experiences as her offspring. We were all different and we come to this world with different strengths. My mom saw that. In fact, after she passed away and we got to really see what was happening behind the curtains, my mom was the greatest conductor of this H9-family orchestra. She was thoughtful, caring, and strategic. All three of us had to learn about each other again, especially now when we are having to support our dad from a distance. We are three very different people. In hindsight, I don’t know why it was so important to be the same. I also spent much of my time trying to “fit in” to my family, thus betraying my authentic self, to do what I thought my dad, in particular, valued. Now, I understand (from my mom) that we are all different and the strengths that we bring to the table are different. I can see our differences, and I do find it hard to believe that we are so connected. We just don’t have the same strengths.
So, back to being grateful for my BIG sis. Since my mom’s passing, life has changed dramatically in many different ways. As turbulent as that was, I am finally in a place where I feel like my whole-self. It’s amazing to feel like oneself, with no compromises. Admittedly, it was scary to learn more about who I am, my value, and my self-worth. I had to figure out what made me happy, what stokes my fire, and what I truly believe in. There has been many pivots along the way and I feel that I can foreshadow another potential pivot in the horizon. In some ways, it freaks me out, but in other ways, I’m not reacting. I’m trying to be realistic while still keeping aligned to who I am and what I want out of life. This is where my sister comes into the picture. Last week, I really needed to co-regulate with someone at the end of the work day, and my sister is always there to pick up the call (or call back). After the call on Friday, I was so grateful that she could reason with me about a particular situation and co-regulate me to a place of calm and peacefulness. The next day, we are catching up and strategizing next steps. In this case, she uses her strengths to help me out. I am so grateful for this unconditional love.
I feel calm and rational in anticipation of what might come. And even still, it’s about making a decision for me. Just last night, I shared with my kid about saying no to something, and her response was that she was happy for me for being able to put myself first. HUH. That really struck me… I don’t do that. I am learning not only more about myself, but I am also learning more about asking for help, being vulnerable, and accepting this help knowing that people want the best for me. This is a good feeling.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 16th, 2026 | Comments Off on Feeling Much Gratitude
Here is a beautiful picture of my family… from the archives. I remember this day. I love this photo and I believe that I am taking the selfie, even though my dad’s head is right in front of mine… LOL. Obviously, my siblings and I are all adults, my mom did not quite yet turn the corner with her illness at the time, and my dad still had his memory. We all look a little younger, which is nice, and we are at some restaurant in Burnaby, BC. I think we are at the Chinese restaurant on Kingsway between my parents’ place and the Metrotown mall. It’s likely a Saturday and I commuted from the Sunshine Coast. We are having dim sum (except for my sister who is vegan and thus, she gets a mushroom dish).
Anyway, today is FAMILY DAY in BC and the first day of the mid-semester break. Normally, I would be teaching today, but I have the day off. Sadly, the truth is, I’m working and trying to catch up with work. It’s not that I am not getting things done, but rather, everything is taking way more time than I am anticipating it to take. For example, I was writing a draft copy of a chapter for a book and I was not going to make the deadline. I tried, but it was not going to happen. Luckily, the co-editors provided a weeklong extension. I thought that was generous because I thought I was close. NOPE. I have a full teaching week with 4 courses and no shortage of meetings, I ended up taking the whole week to complete. What helped was asking for help. For that, I am so grateful.
A long story made short, one thing at a time, one deadline after another, I have landed on this long weekend with some work (well, lots of work) to do on Monday. What I am proud about is, I prioritized sleep (as best I could), eating, and rest. To have this work somewhat sustainable, I need to take care of myself. Over time, I hope to add walking into the mix too. Anyway, I am just making each deadline and acknowledging that I can only do one thing at a time. That’s it. Everything (well, most things) so that I can get something done. I am pleased that I got the chapter done, and I also got my PAR (professional activity report) done on time (barely), as well as a task for one committee completed this morning. Again, I’m so grateful for help and time. It’s never planned.
I’m not disappointed, but rather grateful. I even took my “be a person day” this Saturday because I missed at least the last 2 Saturdays with hopes of getting things done. Honestly, rest is an excellent way to improve one’s productivity. I know, it sounds counter intuitive, but I just find that I can email, blog, and respond to what I need to do in a clear-headed, restful, and mindful way. I feel that way right now because I tried to start my blogs yesterday, but I was not ready do. I even missed last week’s blog and I just have to be ok with that. Anyway, when I am rested, things get done. The one-thing-at-a-time approach seems to be working in my favour as well as being kind to myself too.
As I get older, I have so much more gratitude for my family. I feel that my growing pains and perceived positionality in my family have taken a step back and I know my agency and my self-worth. Having lots to do is a good problem and I love everything that I am doing too. Every day is a gift and I will not take that for granted. Also this week is Chinese New Year and Saturday it was Valentine’s Day. These 3 particular days remind me of a pivotal week for my mom when she was in the hospital during her last “20 days.” She was admitted to the hospital on Family Day long weekend, she decided on Valentine’s Day to stop any intervention, and on Chinese New Year, we spoke to the palliative care doctor. It was a big week and my mom ultimately decided on MAID. That was 8 years ago.
I will not lose sight on the sacrifices my mom (and dad) took to give me and my siblings the good life of which we reap the benefits from. I am also grateful for the relationships I have with my brother and sister. We are so different from one another but we manage to connect and support one another that is enduring, loving, and caring. Right now, we are supporting my dad in his final chapter and I am grateful for my siblings and mom and dad for making me the person that I am today. I am also thankful for my kid and my cat. They make my life full. And, I am very happy to be doing work today because I love the work that I do. I was meant to be here and slowly but surely, I am learning what’s important to me, and having voice in expressing why it’s important. My mom would be proud of me.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 16th, 2026 | Comments Off on Catching Up on Family Day
Look at what I found at Costco this week… DUMPLINGS!! Finding these is a moment to celebrate. Let me explain… I moved to Prince George from the Lower Mainland. Access to Chinese/Cantonese food was very easy. I have a lot of good memories having dim sum or double duck dinner with my mom and family. Food brought us together. I moved to the Central Interior of BC about 7 years ago (and 2 of those years were spent on the Sunshine Coast during the pandemic). Anyway, Chinese food in this area tends to be more of the Canadian-Chinese genre and finding places with authentic Chinese food is hard to find. We did find a few yummy dishes at one restaurant called Fortune Palace. It’s pretty close. There are also a few dishes that taste pretty good at Famous Wok in the mall too. So, I do like going there sometimes if I don’t want to spend $100 to get a meal. But, it would be nice to cook at home. What I really want are DUMPLINGS or dim sum.
One year, after the pandemic and returning to Prince George, I spend a whole year investigating where I could get yummy Chinese food, in particular, dumplings. I found some in Superstore. I found some refrigerated potstickers with that yummy vinegar sauces. That was excellent. I have also found Hong Kong style rice rolls, deep fried bread, and frozen onion pancakes. Lastly, the Superstore also have some delicious frozen vegan dumplings, egg tarts, hargow, and rice noodles. All of these items are pretty good. And taking the time to list these items makes me realize that there are quite a few things here in Prince George. There is a local store call the Marquee and I love getting the frozen dumpling there and sticky rice. AMAZING. I also try to by my sauces there and anything that seems to catch my attention. I love supporting a local business. And, I did find Hon’s potstickers at Save-on-Foods. That said, I love the Bibigo dumplings at Costco (and Superstore and Save-on-Foods). It’s my favourite, but can be pretty pricey. As you can see, I found bags of suimai and hargow at Costco. I’ve had the hargow before and now in stock, but the suimai was a new find. Both products are made in Canada. #winning
FOCUS ON THE JOY
I tried both dumplings yesterday along with some BBQ Buns from Costco (of which the taste was spot on), and the dumplings were pretty good. They are a 7 out of 10. You cannot compare these dumplings with those found in Vancouver. I go to a restaurant called The Neptune near Metrotown and The Boss in Metrotown. These two places are must go-to’s for me. The food reminds me of my mom, but one of the very few things that I hold on to as part of my ethnic identity. I feel that’s why I am so determined to find items like these to keep me grounded to who I am. As I reflect on this dumpling find and the dumpling-hunt overall, I am reminded by the process. There were lots of wins, but also some losses. And, that’s ok. That’s learning. You have to try some things out to see if it’s something that you want, or not want. Ironically, it serves as a metaphor for my work as a practitioner-scholar. That’s probably the first time that I have identified myself as that, but I am coming to terms that the term PRACTITIONER-SCHOLAR best describes who I am. I am deeply invested in action-research, program evaluations, and self-studies as part of my scholarship. Identity, experiential learning, and reflective practice are at the heart of what I do. The context is mathematics education, teacher education, and professional learning. Leadership, policy, and governance weave into my work ask well.
I feel very lucky to do what I do. I love going to conferences, I love presenting, and I love learning. I love working with others, whether it be students or colleagues, and I love learning from experience. I understand that in my work, there is a sense of urgency, productivity, and publishing to attain tenure and promotion, but my position is a bit different. As much as I could “complain” or be distressed about not being tenure track, but I feel lucky nonetheless. I live in a community that is just the right size for me. I live in my home (that I bought all by myself) with my kid and cat. And, I live in a way that works for me and my pace of life. I am learning that I am not living my life for anyone else, but for myself. There are wins and losses, much like the dumplings. For example, I have won 2 internal grants as the principal investigator to support two research assistants and I am currently working with 3 teacher candidates to go to a student teacher conference and 3 recent graduates to publish a chapter. I think my only barrier is… ME. No one wants to eat a yucky dumpling, but how else do you learn? Yes, there is a potential to be rejected (which I have been) but the focus is what I can learn from the experience and feedback. You never know… it might be a winning dumpling!! Just try.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, January 16th, 2026 | Comments Off on Focus on the Joy
I cannot believe that it’s already been a week since I was in Toronto visiting with relatives on my mom’s side of the family. It was my aunt’s 80th birthday and with sheer grit and will power, my aunt and planning committee of cousins (that included my twin bro) organized a weekend event in Toronto. One of the highlights of the reunion was my nephew’s camera. It was pretty cool what kind of photos it could take, so here are a couple of them with a few members of my family. This first photo of us in a circle was taken at the University of Toronto visit a memorial bench that honours the memory of my grandmother and grand father. The second photo below is all of us who went to the reunion visiting and paying respect to my grandparents at the cemetery. My grandparents from my dad’s side are also buried near by, so we went there as a little family to pay our respects as well. I was so heartened that many of my aunts and uncles from my mom’s side also came over to pay their respects. What I did not realize is that our families were connected because of my parent’s marriage and one of my aunts on my mom’s side went to school with my uncle on my dad’s side, and she also knew another one of my aunts as well. That was so cool to learn. What was even more exciting was reconnecting and connecting with cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. Many of them I did not see since my mother had passed away in 2018. Most I have not seen in decades. While others were brand new to me, and I was meeting them for the first time. There is something magical about families. Because you are family, you are just going to connect and get to know each other. It was a wonderful 3-days. Lots of memories.
