SGS

Wow, this time next year it will be a decade.

Let’s talk about the single biggest issue: the COVID-19. Here’s some of the adjustments we’ve had to make:

• both Selwyn and Shaun haven’t been to school for 12 weeks.  Yes, that’s since Chinese New Year. They have 3 Zoom sessions with their teachers each week, and some homework each day.
• same goes for Sam: he’s moved to running classes online.  There’s fewer contact hours, but a lot more preparation work involved.
• around Chinese New Year, Steph’s company rolled out a one-week-in, one-week-out rotation but since movements became more restricted, she’s working from home everyday now.
• on work-days we send one of the kids to Steph’s parents who live 5 minutes walk away, and we’re ever so grateful for them.
• no more sports lessons (Selwyn & Shaun’s swimming, Selwyn’s rollerskating)
• Selwyn’s 1-on-1 drum lessons still continue
• Selwyn’s piano lessons are now online (one device pointing at his fingers, and another showing the teacher’s face and markings on her book)
• Selwyn has been enjoying playing board games (he’s mastered Pickomino and is now learning and loving Ticket to Ride: Europe)
• Shaun loves eating: so much so we created an Instagram account for him before we made one for Selwyn!
• we watch church online now, and ICAHK also produce a weekly video for the kids.
• grocery shopping is done weekly and we now have a set pattern in buying what we need from the wet market as well as the supermarket.

Even before COVID-19, Hong Kong had been in a rough patch, which also saw schools suspended back in November 2019.  This has truly been a tough year, and it doesn’t seem it would alleviate soon. In our family, this August/September will see Shaun transition to kindergarten, and Selwyn transition to Year 1.  They may well begin their new phase of education online.  Similarly, with Sam’s Year 12 students transitioning to their tertiary studies.

So, despite what’s affecting the world over, let’s review last year’s highlights:

• May 2019: Selwyn turned 5
• May 2019: Steph travelled to Singapore for work
• June 2019: Sam travelled to Beijing with 30 students for the World Scholar’s Cup Global Round
• July 2019: Sam and Selwyn travelled to Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast for summer break (Selwyn had snowboarding lessons for the first time!)
• July 2019: Steph and Shaun travelled to Tokyo
• August 2019: Shaun turned 2
• 12/10/19: Celebrated Tim & Mei Li’s wedding
• 09/11/19: Celebrated Jason & Chun Chun’s wedding
• 17/11/19: Celebrated Justin & Penny’s wedding
• November 2019: Steph and Shaun travelled to China for Justin & Penny’s overseas wedding celebration
• November 2019: Sam travelled to Luang Prabang with 12 students for their CAS Project Experience.
• 19/12/19: Sam & Steph celebrated a DECADE of marriage!
• 04/01/20: Celebrated Barnabas & Helena’s wedding
• 23/01/20: The last day of school for Sam, Selwyn, and Shaun since the lock-down.
• 05/02/20: Sam took 4 students on a hike from Eagle’s Nest to Violet Hill and Selwyn managed to tag along and last the 3 hour journey! We wanted to hike more, but since the lock-down crowds have been on the hiking trails to get some fresh air.

Statistics since relocation (past year in brackets):

• 352 visitors (+9)
• 45 trips out of HK (+6)
• 34 weddings attended (+4)
• 31 weddings missed (+0)