MERRY CHRISTMAS 2004!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2004!

You are all wonderful members who come regularly to write and socialize here and

I wish you all happiness, health and the realization of your dreams for the coming year.

Christmas and New Year's Day are possibly the most important holiday times in Canada. They are similar to your Spring Festival here in China, a time when families unite after long separations, especially the separation of students away at schools.

North America is having a major winter snow storm now, across the centre of the

continent and this creates problems for travelers trying to get home for Christmas. It also brings what many children wish to have for Christmas, a "white Christmas".

Here in Xinjiang A. R. we are having VERY cold weather today, minus 28 degrees C

.! But it is sunny and without any wind so easily bearable. The snow is clean and white too.

Last night, Christmas Eve, I joined a dinner party with my adult student class and had a great time eating, talking, and even playing English word games around

the table! In my 7 years teaching in China this was the FIRST party where all evening there was ONLY English spoken by everyone. It was wonderful for me to see my students practicing and having so much fun too. Usually I sit amongst a happy crowd of guests, "alone", not understanding anything being said and only brought into the festivities once in a while for a "toast", which is given in Chinese, so I do not even know for whom it is given or what it means. Last night I was

a full-fledged member of the party!

We are entering another new year. This is a good time to reflect upon the previous year and the coming year. That is what "New Year's Resolutions" are all about; setting goals for the coming new year. This is a good habit to get into. Without realizable goals, you may not reach your full potential. Choose goals you

wish to reach, write them down carefully, and then review them monthly to see how well you are advancing towards their accomplishment. This will prevent you from wandering aimlessly throughout another year.

Lets make 2005 another worthwhile and beneficial year for "Canuck' Comments"!