It’s been a few years since I have been teaching in teacher education. I will say that returning back to teaching has been a calling. I stepped away from teaching high school mathematics in 2010. I did not return to teaching until 2018 at the university. During my 8-year hiatus, there has been many changes and transitions from where I was and where I am today. I would not consider myself an outdoorsy person, nor would I consider myself adventurous. I would say, I am somewhat curious and I am in constant exploration of who I am and my identity. I will admit, I often feel combobulated most times and will engage in reflective practice to wonder, question, and reflect. When I moved to Prince George in 2018, my sense of self was seriously disrupted. I lived in small communities by the ocean for most of my life, in Prince Rupert and Sechelt, with exception to Vancouver where I had completed my post-secondary degrees at UBC and SFU. Being by the ocean was an integral part of who I am and how I identified. Moving to the central interior of BC was very dramatic, along with the weather and river. I was starting all over again.
For the first couple of years, I was essentially coping. I lived in my apartment, from which I commuted to the university and back. Nothing out of the ordinary until we had a faculty association strike in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In both instances, we were walking the picket line outside in subzero temperatures and then trapped in isolation from others during the pandemic. Going outside and taking a walk seemed like the only normal thing we could do when we were in lockdown. Also, walking around my neighbourhood helped to to understand place and space. I did not feel as isolated or lonely when I was walking outside. Being outside felt like freedom during the pandemic and I was grateful to be forced to get outside as something to do, but also acquaint myself to this new place. Upon returning back to the university in-person from remote learning, going outside seemed aligned to the signature pedagogy of the redesigned BEd program that was first implemented in 2020. Going outside was an opportunity to take my classes and learn more about this place and the land and who I am in this place.
My friend took me out to a place called West Lake Provincial Park. I was asking her of possible places to take my class and learn outside. We drove out to the lake and walked around. It was the perfect place, even though when we were there, there was a bear strolling along the waterline. As we were drinking our coffees, she held my arm and said, “don’t panic, there’s a bear.” Good thing she said that because, I would have panicked. We slowly got up from where we were sitting and quietly left. As you can see in the photo, I love West Lake and I brought one of my classes that year to West Lake to learn about land-based learning, the walking curriculum, “land as teacher,” and being intentional using curriculum to be outside. It was an amazing experience and I feel that it brought us together. Although many of the students are from the local area, it was an opportunity to reconnect to a place with a different intention, but also for those who are not from the area to acquaint oneself to the beauty and awe of the land and place. For me, it was also an opportunity to learn more about this place, with this place.
I have also taken my class to Cottonwood Park as an introduction to curriculum and lesson planning, and to other places in Prince George such as the Prince George Public Library and Two Rivers Art Gallery. I have also taken classes to the Forest of the World near campus to walk to the pit house to learn more about the First Peoples Principles of Learning, the Ceremonial Fire Circle at the university to acknowledge the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Wabooz Garden to facilitate the Blanket Exercise, and Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park in the middle of winter to explore teaching and learning at different places and different times of year. The weather can be tricky in the fall and winter, of which the terms I teach in the teacher education program, but also also going to places, as mentioned, also embodies the School of Education signature pedagogy of People, Place, and Land. In the winter term when I have been teaching the elementary cohort only, we have held classes in schools via in-situ learning and numeracy night with families. Teaching and learning in schools alongside with the school community is powerful, meaningful, and impactful. There is a reciprocity present, but also learning in context and community through experiential learning help deepen one’s understanding.
I do get some comments from students saying that being outside was their most favourite part of the course or learning in-situ. These comments are reinforcing and I am also aware that my colleagues are also taking students outside by going to Barkerville in the spring, going canoeing in the fall (near the end of their program), and going on nature walks with knowledge holders to learn the Dakelh language. Language and land informs one’s identity and connects them to their history, culture, and place. I am also aware (and have observed) students on practicum taking their students outside to learn, to wonder, and to be well. Working with one group of students who’s inquiry involved the sit-spot and student wellness. They hypothesized that going outside was good for student wellness and would help them to self-regulate and enjoy learning more through engagement with the land and with others. I recall one of these students saying that during the summer term of the program, they could not wait to go outside during the break because both of their classes were held inside. They needed to go outside to self-regulate and reconnect themselves to land and place. For me, going out on the land helps me to understand myself. It challenges me to embrace the new and the unknown.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, January 29th, 2026 | Comments Off on Land-Based Learning
A return back to school… with classes on Monday, January 5, 2026 and Thursday, January 8, 2026. My Wednesdays class does not start until next week. I had plenty of meetings this week and I am anticipating more to come next week. It was an excellent jump into the new year with a deep dive into my teaching term with so much more on the go. One of those things I had to tackle this week was filling out my first FRASP for work, that is a Field Risk Assessment and Safety Plan form. I tried to do this last year, but I felt so flooded. It’s a shift in practices at the university and taking students off campus has become a little more challenging, even though they are adults in our program.
It only took a few hours to fill out the form, get confused, ask a colleague for an exemplar, go back to the form and do my best to complete the form. The questions seem not adjacent to taking students to a K-7 school for classes versus somewhere outdoors or at a health care facility, but this form had to be completed and I was committed to do so. The next day, I went to the university to ask teacher candidates in my class to sign the form as well in addition get signed approval from the Chair and Dean. It was a process, and admittedly, it’s 99% complete. I have one more student to sign the form, but I have been approved to start in-situ earning at Harwin Elementary on Monday. Yay!!
Another aspect of the FRASP is for the supervisor (aka., instructor) to have their first aid certificate. Oh my goodness… I needed to get this done before Monday’s class… and when I was getting the formed signed, it was Thursday. No pressure, right? I looked online for Basic First Aid courses in Prince George. I had to try. And yes, there were a couple of classes I could take. It turns out that they program has changed since I had taken it last (i.e., 2 decades ago) and it’s now called Basic First Aid versus Level 1. Nonetheless, I signed up for the Saturday class knowing that that I had to pass for the FRASP, in-situ learning at Harwin, and compliance to my course syllabus. No pressure.
Many, many years ago… I used to be the first aid attendant at my high school. I did that role for years and had to be trained in Level 2 first aid (now called Standard First Aid). Back then, I did quite well in those first aid classes. They used to be a week long and I got time off work to train. Now, that course is only 2-days long and I can imagine, very crammed. We practiced a tonne in those courses, and what I had appreciated about first aid was the logic, the protocol, and the sequence of events that are needed to save someone’s life as the first responder. I like the rigour. Maybe I missed my calling?
Sadly, I was never good at biology. I might attribute that to my high school and university experiences in biology. High school involved rapid note taking via the ongoing scroll of the overhead notes (and the ink was so faint, I could never read it. Or the politician who said, here’s the textbook and there will be weekly tests on the subject matter. Or the professor that talked about dirt. Truth be told, I did not like dissecting a cow’s eye ball, a preserved fetus pig, or freshly killed rat. Not a fan. I like the care aspect of first aid, and maybe making a difference (hence, education). Even when I took care of my mom on her last days, many health care workers asked me if I was a nurse. I said, “no, I am a teacher.”
Anyway, I took the Basic First Aid Course in Prince George. From 8:30am to 4:30pm on my “be a person” day (aka., Saturday). I noticed the length of time of the day. It’s very much like my classes on Monday… so, it is possible. Hmm… but admittedly, an endurance test and there was a lot of content. We did not do a lot of practice compared to what I had remembered from Level 2 decades ago, but I needed a 70% pass on the test, which was multiple choice and held at the end of the day (i.e., 4pm). There was no pre-reading, and the course was primarily direct instruction, PowerPoint, the odd reference to the books, and some demos and practice. I was not sure how I would do on the test.
There were so many acronyms and things to remember. As mentioned, biology was not one of “my things” because of all the names, terminology, Latin… and I know that my brain can be a sieve. I really tried to pay attention during the day. Some things were repeated, but you never know how much you know, until you know. We got the test form at 4pm. I am such a slow reader. I did not want to miss, misread, or misunderstand anything. I think I was on #10 out of 30 and people were finished and getting their test marked. I was trying to self-regulate and focus on the test. I was the last or second to last to finish with 9 questions I was unsure of. In the end, I got 30/30. Woohoo!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, January 11th, 2026 | Comments Off on Missing My Calling
Is that what I want for myself? It’s starting to look like a habit… re: blogging every second week. That’s not my plan, but it’s turning out to be that way. Normally, I would like to blog to reflect on my week but also think about some of the lessons learned during that week. Moreover, blogging often helped me as a warm-up to work. Is this something that I am making up? I think I am, but lately, I have not been prioritizing my blog time as part of my “things to do.” Blogging would be something that I looked forward to, particularly on the weekends. I would also blog when I was inspired so more than one blog post would emerge from the week. Now, I perceive blogging like work (i.e., something that I have to do). Blogging is not part of my work, but maintaining a reflective practice is part of my work. Anyway, here I am… two weeks later… writing my blog post… on a Monday.
If anything, I do need to get motivated or geared up to do the list of things I need to do. I have been prioritizing sleep and rest. Unfortunately, last weekend I opted to work… and I did… all weekend. By the time the week rolled around, I was somewhat tired, I needed a lot more to recover from the day, and my days remained fairly full. As a result, things that did not get done just spill over into the next week. Last Friday, after two weeks of full-output with respect to ending the term and doing additional work I have signed up for, I had nothing left in me after an afternoon meeting that day. The weather dipped deep into the cold, it was snowing, and I just wanted to REST… and so I did… all weekend, guilt-free. I just needed the time to restore myself. I had no idea that recycling, vacuuming, and doing my laundry would have such a restorative effect on me.
I was not in the mood for anything Friday night. I did not have the will. I did some housework on Saturday, as mentioned. On Sunday, I just slept in, took a nap, and chilled for most of the day. I did not even want to blog, so here I am on a Monday afternoon, the day after winter solstice. Dang, it did get dark early yesterday. And, I made my kid and her boyfriend dinner. I cleaned up and just enjoyed my time with my cat. I’m becoming one of those ladies… a cat-lady… and, I’m liking it. I was looking forward to the next couple of days to catch up on a very big list on some very big things to complete that rolled into this week from the last few weeks and beyond. Sadly, I almost missed the one Monday morning meeting I had scheduled. Holy moly… there needs to be a balance between rest and work. I am loving BE A PERSON Saturdays, but it does trickle into Friday nights and Sundays. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but it does make the week full.
If anything, I am not complaining, but I am honestly grateful to have this work to do. I love what I am doing. I love where I am. And, I love the people that I get to work with. In the end, prioritizing my time only highlights what’s important to me. All of what I am doing is important and I have learned to walk away from things that do not fill my cup, sucks up too much energy, or I do not love to do. So, how lucky am I? VERY LUCKY.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, December 22nd, 2025 | Comments Off on Prioritizing My Time
My kid was hanging out in my office for a bit last week. I invited her to see a talk with me on Friday afternoon. she agreed to go with me as she had a couple of meetings after the presentation. We went to my office to charge her iPad and she started looking at some of my collectables in my office. One of the things she found was my dad’s slide rule. She asked, “What is this?” I said it was a slide rule. She said, “What is it used for?” I knew it was used for mathematics, but of course, I looked online to see what the slide rule is really (see image below). It’s used for math… for logarithms, exponents, trigonometry, etc. It was a device used before calculators. She then asked me if I knew how to use it or if I ever used it for school. The answer was no and no, but I did say to her that it was one of those gems that I took from my dad as a keepsake. My brother and I have so many memories of things that were in the house that we remember as a kid (i.e., a copper globe that opened up and it was a cigarette holder… LOL).
Anyway, we started talking about logarithms. I asked her if she know what a logarithm was. She did not take Pre-Calculus Math 12, so I wondered what she knew about logarithms. She was not aware of logarithms, so I started talking to her about it. I started to give her some examples, orally, and then asked her some questions. Through trial and error, she started to get the concept. This activity was so fun. It reminds me when she was 3 of 4 years old and I’m teaching her about square roots when we were driving in the car. Yes, it’s true. We did math problems in the car instead of singing or telling stories. I talked math… and she would get it. So, it was really cool for me to see that she was getting logarithms base 10. So of course, I changed the base and started asking her different questions. She started to get it. Classic mom… I asked her what was log 1? Hence the picture, we needed to talk and write it out in terms of a logic using exponents. I was so impressed that my kid persisted. LOL. I thought it was a good sign even though she ended the conversation with “I was never good at math.” I would strongly disagree.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_rule
Here is what I love more… the next day, she asks me… “When do we use logarithms anyway?” She insisted that I give examples… and so I did. Example 1: Earthquakes and the Richter Scale. Example 2: pH values and acidity of solutions. I think I might have impressed her. LOL. I’m giggling… with joy and wonder. I love that my kid was interested in mathematics. I took joy in her curiosity and willingness to learn and engage. I mean, I’m her mom. I can get potentially annoying and I’m talking math!! Finally, I took much joy in talking about math and I loved teaching math to her and with her. I did say to her that I was not the smartest in mathematics, but I did ok. She said I was smart. I said, I taught high school mathematics for more than a decade. You just get better at it over time. Anyway, that experience told me that I would love to go back to K-12 education teach math. In the meantime, I am teaching numeracy to elementary teacher candidates. That, in itself, has so much to learn as well. Math is too fun and that’s where my joy sits.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, November 23rd, 2025 | Comments Off on Talking Math
Here is a photo of me watching my cat watching a cat documentary on Netflix last night (aka. on “be a person day” – Saturday – a guilt-free, work-free day). I was super curious about my cat watching the documentary, but I was also curious about the value of reading break. For me, I needed it. The last month getting a little overwhelmed with my workload with teaching and various projects on the go. Although I adhered to my “be a person day” as best as I could, my stress level was over the top. I had troubles sleeping. Tasks with a timeline were always on my mind. It weighed heavily. Even though I used the time during reading break to get some tasks completed, I needed the additional time to think clearly about what was required to get those tasks done in addition to grounding myself in a pace that is sustainable and more aligned to how I want to operate. I needed to have a good night’s rest. After one week, I’ve had a few good nights sleep. Yay!!
I am not complaining. I am so grateful to do the work that I do, but I am no longer driven by the hustle-culture. What I am driven by are working with people who collectively want to work towards the same goal, to build my capacity as a researcher and educator, and connecting with others to create places and space where we can all thrive. That’s it. I just realized that I have signed up for a few things that is spilling over my cup, but I am grateful that there is so much for me to find joy in and engage in activities that challenge me. I only have gratitude. I am feeling challenged in ways that are nourishing and I am reminded by “the perfect curling shot.” Although I am not curling this season, I am reminded of the end from a couple of years ago. I was working and playing around with “A Curling Mindset.” Just focus on what matters and everything else will fall into place. This mindset requires trust, vision, and confidence. It also requires removing the noise.
If anything, I do appreciate the fact that I am willing to take time for myself. Friday nights, all day Saturday, and most of Sunday. This blocked time has created some balance, but also, I don’t have to panic about anything else. I can only do what I can do… and that’s it. I am happy with the work that I am doing and I hope to hone my skills, time management, and contributions. I am really appreciative of where I live, the work that I get to do, and for the time reading break has afforded so that I don’t have to walk through the world numb, fearful, and stressed. I hope that the students appreciated the time to get grounded, rest, and catch up on any work, if needed. Tomorrow marks the return to the regular work week for the fall, and blogging also marks me re-entering the work week. I loved the slow pace of the weekend and I am ready for this work week.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, November 16th, 2025 | Comments Off on Goodbye Reading Break
I cannot believe it’s November. Where has the time gone? Although the family reunions with members from my family from G1 (my dad’s generation), G2 (my generation), and G3 (my kid’s generation) have gathered together in Vancouver this weekend (and the G1 sisters went to Vancouver Island last week with my cousin and her husband), the gathering continues for another couple of days. For me, I’m heading back to work and heading back home to Prince George. That said, I’ve had two and a bit days spending time with my family… reconnecting, getting to know one another, and having good times around food and various activities. One of those activities was curling. From what I am hearing, it was a highlight of the reunion. We went to the Marpole Curling Club and we took sheets 1 and 2. They also had club volunteers to help out with teaching us on how to sweep, throw a rock, and how to play. We were on Ice 1. Our couch was firm, formative, and enthusiastic about the game. Most of my cousins and nieces and nephews never played curling before. My sister, on the other hand, was a like returning home and was a super star!! I, on the other hand, remain injured and helped out with the coaching, took photos, and learned how to play with the stick. I enjoyed learning something new. We had a great time. On Ice 1, we managed to learn how to play and play 3-ends of the game within 2-hours and Ice 2 learned how to sweep and throw rocks. We had a great time. Time flew by before having to leave for dinner at my brother’s place where we had sushi, played intro to Majong, and watched Game 7 of the World Series. The night before, we met at my aunt’s place for Chinese take-out and we watched Game 6, before curling we had dim sum, and last night we went out to the Dynasty Restaurant for an authentic Chinese dinner. Everything was delicious. I really enjoyed connecting with everyone. I loved the photos my cousin shared. I feel very lucky.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, November 03rd, 2025 | Comments Off on Back on the Ice Again
First, I would like to acknowledge that today is NATIONAL BLACK CAT DAY. I am feeling super proud and excited. It’s the first one I have celebrated. Simon joined our little family when I moved into my new place last year in November. We have not been in this house yet for a year, and we have the opportunity to celebrate black cats, more specifically, Simon. She moved into the house on the first day we got possession of the house and she even slept overnight at the house with the kid. She welcomed her new home and we could not imagine life without her. You you, Simon!! It’s your day!!
Second, I was planning to write about my weekend at Vancouver. I went to the CATE (Canadian Association for Teacher Education) Fall Working Conference 2025 at UBC. Because I was so budget-conscious, I opted to leave on the 5:30am flight out of Prince George on Thursday and taught my 8:30-11:20am class remotely from the WhiteSpot restaurant at YVR. Aside from spending a fair amount on UBER and taxi, and early morning start to the day, I really enjoyed the CATE Working Conference. The working conference is intended to be formative, supportive, and mentoring to early scholars (and experienced) to publish a chapter. The topic of this book is about relationality and place-based or land-based learning. I had submitted a proposal in the summer to co-author with 3 recent teacher education graduates. We submitted twice to ensure a clear connection to teacher education and we were accepted to participate. That said, the three “new teachers” were not able to attend the working conference, and I was there to represent the crew. Admittedly, I was not sure what to expect and I did spend some time re-navigating our proposal in terms of approach and methodology. We were grouped with “Working with Indigenous Communities.”
From what I understand, at this point in time, there is a potential to have 26 chapters in this e-book. That means, there were at least 26 submissions to participate in the fall working conference and thus, we were all subdivided into small groups based on theme or commonalities. I thought I would have been put in the “pedagogies” group, but that was not the case. The small working groups are revealed at the conference at the beginning of day 2. The first day was more about gathering and listening to the first keynote speaker, Dr. Jan Hare, the Dean of the UBC Faculty of Education and new Canadian Research Chair for Indigenous Pedagogies. She shared part of her recent work and presented on “Shifting the Curricular Landscape of Teacher Education Through Land Education.” The talk was thought-provoking, and then we went out for dinner at a restaurant on campus. Day 2 was the REAL working day, and Day 3 was more about finishing up any work on Day 2 for any of the small working groups and then reconvening to share our project, feedback, and next steps with the entire group. It was a fast 3 days, and I loved every minute of it. I loved connecting, learning, and feeling connected.
Finally, the heart of this blog post (aside from National Black Cat Day), will focus on Day 2. When I found out my group and theme, I was not certain if I was in the right group. We started Day 2 with a quick check in and then we went into our small working groups. After a few quick introductions, we started to go in numerical order (each blind proposal was numbered) to provide feedback to each author. We were strategic and proceeded to give each author group 18 minutes or so with feedback and discussion. Our small group is the photo above. As each paper proceeded, we started to build up lots of momentum. Each paper topic was so interesting yet interrelated or at least relatable to each of the papers/authors. We had rich feedback and discussion on each proposal. When it came time to stop and watch a panel that was being video streamed in, we opted to keep going with the feedback discussions. Of 7 author groups, we finished 4 in the morning, and then 3 in the afternoon. I felt that we honoured each of our proposals and provided feedback respectfully and wholeheartedly. I was certain after our day together that I was in the right group. I feel very happy and grateful. I could feel the joy growing amongst us.
Midday, we had a wonderful presentation by Dr. Jennifer Tatabe from the University of Auckland, providing a talk titled, “Shifting Ground: Exploring Place and Equity in Aotearoa New Zealand.” It was a super engaging talk and it’s a phenomenon that’s happening everywhere. I loved that talk. Before lunch, UBC Faculty member, Indigenous scholar, and teacher educator Marny Point spoke to the whole group about the territory and the First Peoples Principles of Learning. Even though it was originally intended to be a walking tour, the RAIN was relentless. LOL. All is good. She gave each of us a piece of cedar from her back yard. I just loved it. And, I was reminded of the First Peoples Principles of Learning and the work was are doing in BC education. I also appreciated the dinners out on Friday night at UBC and on Saturday at Hydra in downtown Vancouver. It was an excellent opportunity to connect and meet new people. There were many familiar faces, and many more to meet and learn more about. In the end, I had a tonne of fun and learned lots.
On Friday, I was having a conversation with a colleague and he was sharing a story about how he met a particular person. I said it was SERENDIPITY (definition: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way [Google]). Ooo… I love that definition. He said, it was RELATIONAL (definition: concerning the way in which two or more people or things are connected [Google]). I was taken a back by that response, but I don’t disagree. Throughout the weekend, I continued to think about the SYNERGY (definition: the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects [Google]) forming within the small group and pondered the notions of relationality and serendipity. I am left to wonder, could it be both? Maybe it’s not one or the other, but the intersection between the two terms. Nonetheless, I loved the weekend and feel VALIDATED, seen, and heard at this conference. Thank you small group, and thank you to the facilitators, presenters, and authors for making this event so wonderful.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, October 27th, 2025 | Comments Off on Serendipity Semantics
Although I could only validate my week’s experience with my sister, who seemed to be having a similar week, I felt like when “it rains, it pours.” Everything seemed to be happening all at once. Nothing “bad” happened, with exception to not handing in one more conference presentation for myself for an organization I am volunteering for, but everything seemed to require my time and attention. Unfortunately, I could not accomplish all that I wanted to get done… something had to give. GB to my conference proposal… LOL. Sad, not sad. If anything, it is brought to my attention that the topic I wanted to present about is important to me. If anything, I have more time to investigate that topic as well as consider another conference.
You have to see the “cup half full” sometimes. As soon as I “let go” of the idea of submitting a proposal, I could feel some relief in the stress and tension I was experiencing last week. It seemed like all was a flurry after the long weekend and the four day work week was fulsome to say the least. I just was not sure what was happening last week, but I could not establish my footing, nevertheless rest, last week. My kid definitely noticed I was running on fumes and I am hoping my classes did not pick that up (even though I spoke about my week explicitly). By Friday, I am grateful to have a friend/colleague to hold some space from me to listen to my little rant, and then have the rest of the day to get back on track with things. Sadly, some things remain TBD.
After finishing some work for one study and having a meeting with another colleague to figure out what I needed to do for another project, I threw in the towel and opted to go out for dinner that night with the kid. I did not feel like cooking. Truthfully, I refused to cook. I could not do it. I was spent. And, guess what? I think everyone else seemed to have the same idea because the restaurant I wanted to go to was full. Admittedly, I was not 100% if they were full but the parking lot was full as well as the roadsides. My dinner dreams were dashed. We went to another restaurant and we were sat at a table near the back of the restaurant near washroom. The restaurant was full. We took the table and the service and food were good. Thank goodness, but even the dinner experience seemed to exemplify the vibe of last week. Nothing bad, some concessions made, and it was BUSY.
After dinner on Friday, the kid and I went to a couple of places to shop and walk around. I bought a couple clothing items from Costco and soup dumplings, of course (they were on sale), then we went home and I actively rested on the LazyBoy chair with the fire place on and my cat on my lap. It was pure bliss. I had full intentions of blogging yesterday (aka., on Saturday, that is, “be a person day”), but my body and mind said, NOPE. It’s be a person day. I recycled, changed the filters in my fridge, went food shopping, cooked a few things, cleaned up the house a bit, played a few video games on my phone, and well… hung out with my cat on the LazyBoy chair. That’s it. I needed to rest. No guilt. It’s Saturday. I think that I have mastered being ok with resting. That’s what I did last weekend during Thanksgiving, but felt that the week unravelled in a way that I did not anticipate. I am wondered if Karma was getting back at me for taking some time off last weekend. I put that inquiry forward to my students in all of my classes. It’s a constant dilemma for teachers. Rest, then work… or is it rest and work. I chose rest.
If anything, it’s Sunday. I feel rested. I had two wonderful sleeps on Friday and Saturday nights. I am caught up on my email, I have done my laundry, I cleaned up my office, and now… maybe… it’s time to return back to work. Although some would say that there is no work-life balance, while others claim that there is. For me, I just have to listen to myself and how I am feeling. It’s ok to say no or get things off your plate to make things happen. It’s also ok to REST and enjoy life. Do what’s best for you despite what’s happening around you. This week was a good reminder of who overwhelmed my work can be and it’s ok to just do what you can do, try your best, and feel satisfied. And, I do.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, October 19th, 2025 | Comments Off on Was it a Full Moon
Finally… I am listening to my body. I am always bringing my laptop downstairs with the hopes and intentions of doing work while sitting in my LazyBoy reclining chair and listening to Dr. G. Medical Examiner on YouTube via my TV. Over and over again I engage in this behaviour thinking that the next day will be a new day and I’ll jump into my work. Albert Einstein said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results (citation affirmed by Google). I even knew that going to my office upstairs would be the most ideal and only way to get work done, unless I wanted to go to work and sit at my desk there. Anyway, I am HERE, sitting at my desk, upstairs, and blogging, which is a warm-up to doing work. Yay!! I’m here and working!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEKEND!!
Can you believe that it’s mid-October? I cannot. I have no idea where time is going to, but I am grateful to be here with my health, my cat, my kid, my work, and my place where I live. I have a lot to be grateful for and I am. I made turkey dinner last night. It took me about 6-hours to cook, 20-minutes to eat, and a couple of hours to clean up. Wowza. Preparing the dinner for me and my kid took most of my day and there was no way I was getting to any work last night. I also underestimated the time it would take for the turkey to cook and we ate at about 8:30pm last night. It was a late dinner with lots of snacks in between. My kid made note to me that it was a long time since I made turkey dinner. I could not remember when I made turkey dinner last. She said it was likely when I live in my other house. DAMN. That is at least 8-years ago. I’m guessing, but that has been quite some time. Admittedly, I am not looking forward to the next time. I think I’ll do what my twin brother does, especially when I live alone one day. I’ll get turkey dinner from WhiteSpot. Keep it simple. That was a lot of work for 20 minutes of eating.
I also spent the weekend resting. I had a tonne to do, of course, and I am grateful to have this work, but I needed to take a time out. I was not burning out, but I have been spending almost 2 years on focusing on myself and self-care. I am really trying to disengage from the hustle-culture and participate in work that I need to do, want to do, and rest when I need to. My teaching days of Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays heighten my workload (even though that is my workload). I am also engaged in a few research projects and projects for my department that also takes some of my time. I always appreciate Saturdays as “be a person day” where I can spend that day any way I want, guilt free. It could entail work, or not. All is good. Last week, I hosted a guest speaker in my teacher education class to help facilitate the blanket exercise. It’s a super powerful exercise depicting Canadian history from an Indigenous perspective.
In preparation for this class, I brought the blankets from home. I brought one garbage bag the night before prior to my night class, and a few other bags the next morning. I was so shocked how many people stopped to ask if I needed help. One offered me a ride to the front door. I declined. One person offered to carry a bag the next morning (I was carrying a few), and I accepted. Another person offered to carry a bag back to my car. I refused the help. And, the students in the class helped to set up the room and then folded the blankets after class ended while moving the tables and chairs in places in preparation for the next class. Overall, I was so touched by the gestures. No prompting. No soliciting. People just offered. Strangers to me (with exception to my students). I thought it aligned perfectly to the outcomes of the blanket exercise… meaning, people are kind, compassionate, and generous. My faith in humanity restored, especially after a very emotional and disturbing exercise about Canadian history. Thank you for your kindness.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, October 13th, 2025 | Comments Off on Faith in Humanity
I cannot believe it’s October… and, I cannot believe I’m 55. What an accomplishment. I even tested my blood pressure a couple of days ago at the pharmacy. It was the first time I got “OPTIMAL” with 115/77. Yay for medication!! I also think that I have taken some intentionality to REST and not be burdened or driven by the THE CHASE and trying to prove myself to someone. The only person I need to impress is myself. That thinking and this way of being is pure LIBERATION. Dang. I am really appreciating my 50’s and lots have happened over the last 5 years, and many years prior, to bring to this place. There were definite ups and downs, struggles and victories, but I would not have it any other way. I had to learn exactly what I needed to learn when I did. No regrets. All is good.
I just loved my birthday and how it manifested. I had no expectations. I feel very humbled and loved. Thank you to my students, my kid, and my friends for making the day so special. I am filled with gratitude and happiness. When I look at all of the well-wishes online via social media, DM, text, email, or in-person, I can see how diverse and wonderful my life has been. I often think I lead a “boring” life, but really, I have done many different things in my career and lived in different places. I’m not comparing, but honestly, I loved how diverse the folks were who reached out to wish me happy birthday. How lucky am I? I feel very lucky. I have my health (even though I’m not a super athlete and could eat a little bit better). I have a career of my dreams (I am always focused on learning). And, I have good people (and my cat) in my life. I have lots to be grateful for.
Over the last year or so, I’ve been hyper-focused on rest, doing what I love, and creating boundaries that can sustain my happiness, freedom, and autonomy. This pedagogical journey has not been an easy one, and when I look back, I had to make some critical decisions (knowing or not knowing) that took the left turns to arrive where I am today. I have never felt better. I am finally feeling like more like myself without feeling like I’m having to please or prove myself to someone else. Again, the person I need to impress is me. The person that needs to feel satisfied is me. Turning 55 is a big deal for me and I feel that I am officially starting the third chapter of this life (and I am happy to be here). At 55, my aunt (on my mother’s side) retired from her occupation in banking (very corporate) and when my dad announced his FREEDOM 55 plan, which was to leave the pulp mill and go to China before retiring in the Lower Mainland. What am I looking for?
I am looking for PEACE. I feel very content right now and yet, I feel scattered at times. So many things to do, yet so little time. That said, I have been prioritizing slowing down and pausing when I need to. Unfortunately, things like my DESKTOP, for example, on my computer has a 1000 tabs open and well as my search engine (another 1000 tabs), and lots that I would like to get done, but I am not. Let’s be clear, I am making lots of progress, and I am also finding the courage to find another journal to publish my dissertation (that has taken some time). But I know I can do better. So here are 3 short term goals (while continuing doing what I am doing with respect to rest): (1) clear off my computer desktop (aka., get organized) and write a list of things-to-do in my planner; (2) drink water and eat whole foods (aka., cook at home); and, (3) do some daily exercise (i.e., walk, YouTube videos, go outside, meditate). Small changes can lead to big change.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, October 06th, 2025 | Comments Off on How Many Windows
