Indelible Adventures: Big Week

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This week has been a huge week for Zach and Sami. I mean really huge! Once you read this weeks blog understand why I feel so proud right now!

Zach is currently completing Year 11 at a University Prep school, this semester he has four subjects one of which is History of the Middle Ages. A few weeks ago he was writing a major thesis on the Crusades and asked me to read it. I was blown away by his writing skills (although I likely shouldn’t be) but it was an amazing piece of writing. Almost a Tour de Force without being bias, particularly in terms of nailing the topic and summarizing the intricacies and political intrigue of the time while articulating it all in modern day parlance. When I asked him his goal, he was completely to the point – “I want to get 100%”. Okay then…

I’d never want to actively discourage him, far from it. In fact I want to be his cheerleader, but at the same time I also want to be realistic and pragmatic. Not my issue I thought, this is for him to handle and let the chips fall where they may...

So when he came home last night I asked him how his day was, and his response was that he got great news earlier in the day. “I got a 100% on the essay on the Crusades topic I submitted a couple of weeks ago”. Wow, I knew it was an amazing essay, but I didn’t realize how good it was. He said his teachers all read it and considered it University caliber quality…well done mate, well done!

Right now Zach sits with a 95% average across his year 11 subjects and so about 10^th on the Dean’s Honour roll across the entire school. I couldn’t be more proud of him and his academic accomplishments, and often ask him if he feels proud of his personal accomplishments as much as I do. His commitment has been outstanding, in fact this year he’s been going in early each day for extra help as well as going to the Toronto library for an hour or two after school to get all of his research and homework done.

He’s also enrolled in summer school to tackle one of his Year 12 Science courses ahead of time and get it off his plate. He’s one hardworking guy and now reaping the rewards for all of his hard work! He knows that if he can maintain his amazing grades that he'll literally have his choice of University with the strong likelihood of a scholarship. So proud of him!

Sami also got some great news this past week. Although similar to Zach and academically gifted and hardworking, her news predominately centered around soccer and the amazing opportunities awaiting her.

She plays on her school senior varsity soccer team, although her main soccer commitment is to the Academy (Sanjaxx) she's now with. She has been getting lots of playing time in the U18 and U21 squads and has last year was also called up to play in the open Women's League 1 team.

Last year she played on the girl’s U16 gold medal soccer team at the North American Maccabi games. She’s also been selected for the squad to compete later this summer at the 2016 games in Stamford, Connecticut.

In addition, she’s been asked to try out for Team Canada to compete in girls U18 soccer at the World Maccabean games in Israel in 2017. Now I realize it’s just a tryout and don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but what an amazing opportunity!

Now layer on top that this weekend she’s playing in her second Umbro Invitational soccer tournament for the year in front of 50 US College coaches and scouts which brings some of the most talented teams from across the United States and Canada to compete.

Earlier this week she was also invited to attend the North Dakota State University Elite training camp in July for a week…does it ever end? I know it sounds a lot of pressure, but as best I can I’m trying to be supportive and let her dictate how she wants to handle all of this attention.

Actually Sami is very good and saying when she needs a break, and I know between her heavy academic and athletic workload it’s a lot to expect of a 15 year old, but she seems to be coping reasonably well with it all. As I keep saying to her, the goal is not a sports scholarship (although a nice reward), but to explore and experience your passion fully. In Sami's case its all about soccer. So great to see the passion and desire in her eyes when she plays.

The honest reality is that no matter what happens in the future, she’s already learned some invaluable life skills and lessons, particularly around teamwork, commitment and leadership that she may not of had but for the opportunity to experience it through her passion for soccer.

I know I'm an extremely fortunate to have such amazingly well adjusted, mature and talented kids, so feel blessed right now!

I hope you have an amazing weekend, full of adventures and spending time with those that count most in your lives.

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“Hanoi Posting”

A series of fictional micro-stories by Terence Wallis

Episode 45: Face in the crowd

Phuong had been a familiar yet anonymous face in the crowded Chợ Đồng Xuân for many years and knew exactly where to position himself to observe Anh and her lieutenants and their comings and goings without attracting attention. He noted the young boy run from the stairwell within Anh's building and back into the mass of humanity, he also could see her pacing back and forth through the open balcony and sensed, even from this distance her agitation.

Later that morning Mai arrived and stepped from the car that deposited her at the entrance to Anh's building, as usual, even this heat she was immaculately dressed and positively stopped the traffic as she made her way from the car to the entrance.

One thing he learned during the American war was to be successful was to play all sides. At the time he'd found out that Bill was missing, he had put a call into both the Australian and British consulates to tip them off, explaining anonymously that Bill was being held as a spy and that he would be put on trial unless there were certain concessions made by these imperialist governments. This initial call had then initiated a flurry of diplomatic calls between Canberra, London and Hanoi to untangle the situation, although with Hanoi being clueless as to what was actually going on.

The revolutionary council began investigations immediately and through their network, of which Phuong had been one of the operatives contacted concluded that Anh was at the center of this unfortunate and ultimately embarrassing mess. The revolutionary council had long ago ceded control of the Chợ Đồng Xuân too Anh, but in this instance she had clearly overstepped her sphere of influence and power and stepped on the councils turf. She knew better than to kidnap foreigners, especially since Vietnam was just starting to find its feet on the international stage.

Phuong waited expectantly for the inevitable which was about to unfold. He was not disappointed, as within the hour he watched as the truck loads of soldiers begin streaming into the old quarter and cordoned off the streets as the local inhabitants began to fade into the shadows. Momentarily the loud speaker system, usually reserved for the afternoon indoctrination broadcast came to life warning the locals to stay indoors. Moments later he could see Anh, Mai and her entourage being led from the building and being loaded into the waiting military vehicles which clogged the streets around her residence. Let's see who squirms now he mused...

Nhu Ha was safely ensconced in an anonymous safe house only a short distance from where they held Bill, and so now all Phuong needed was to wait for Bill's release and he would also release Nhu Ha without harm.

A fair trade he thought...

Next week: Episode 46: From afar

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This week's photos are reminiscences of my trip to Venezia late last year...can't wait to see my beloved Italia again soon!

Enjoy!