We had some unexpected visitors for brunch on Saturday. We were very surprised when Danny Hein contacted us and said he, his wife Jessica and their son Joshua were coming to Winnipeg. We taught with Danny for two years in Hong Kong but then he moved on to an international school in Phnom Penh Cambodia where he became the principal.
He met his wife Jess there since she was teaching at the same school. They have two daughters and this summer their son Joshua was born. They came to North America for the birth since medical services in Phnom Penh aren’t always very dependable or up to date.
Dave had lots of fun playing with Joshua during the few hours they spent at our place.
Dan and Jessica are on an extended leave and are missing the first months of school this year but will return to Phnom Penh shortly. They had left their two daughters with Dan’s parents in British Columbia for the trip to Manitoba so we didn’t get to see them. Dan and Jessica were here to meet with a family who had taught at their school in the past and also touch base with a donor who supports the work of their school in Cambodia.
I had seen Dan in May of 2011 when I took a group of students from ICS, our school in Hong Kong, to Cambodia on a trip.
I visited Logos School and Dan gave me a tour.
He actually became interested in teaching at Logos School when he was on a trip to Cambodia with a group of Hong Kong students over a decade ago.
Dan and Jessica spent sometime looking at the history of ICS book, since they had never received a copy. I had interviewed Danny for the book and there were quotes and comments from him in several sections as well as a short story about how a trip with his ICS students had led him to teach in Cambodia.
It was great to see the Heins and catch up on one another’s lives. Teaching abroad has given us connections with people all over the world and we are always surprised at how many opportunities we have to reconnect with them.
Other posts about meeting with former Hong Kong colleagues……..