最近，我好像很忙。没什么时间写部落。
忙什么呢？我这个‘空闲小姐’没事找事情做 － 想学人做生意。反正，我现在有空，不可以工作，又不好意思不断向老公伸手要钱，于是，想做做小本生意。
加上，Ed 的工作是国际性的，而我的药剂师职业则是区域性的。即是，每到另一个国家都要考牌。没牌就休想做药剂师，中医这行也开始往这种专业医药人士的方向走。以后，如果 Ed 要到其他国家工作的话，我又会变成量地官啰。这是我们之间最伤脑筋的问题。所以，要是我转行做一些国际性行业，不用考牌的，那就方便多了。
于是，我挖空脑袋想啊想的，做什么好呢？marketing? IT? 或者，卖什么好呢？最后，想起我一直想向洋人推广中医基本草药养生调养的概念。如，天气热时，喝凉茶。身体虚弱时，喝补药等。不过，在西方国家，如果没医学证明, 不可以乱‘吹嘘’，什么都有法律控制。很多中医经验暂时只被当成传统, 对他们来说是没医学证明的。加上他们对中医不了解，很难说明白。除非我有自己的中医馆时，不然现在还不是时候。
有趣的是，当我做市场调查时，发现喝茶最近很流行。洋人突然对茶，尤其是绿茶很有兴趣，主要是因为很多研究成果说绿茶有antioxidants, 对身体有益。于是，人人要喝茶，其他的种类的茶叶也变得热门起来。
多伦多一间以烹饪有名的学院 George Brown College 开办了 Tea Sommelier 的课程。Sommelier 多用在专业斟酒服务员上，即是对酒很有研究和受过训练的人。现在，茶这行业也开始需要受过训练的人。我觉得够特别，就去上课了。每堂课都要品赏不同的茶，很好玩的。
课上着上着，突然想到，倒不如就卖茶吧！没钱开茶馆，就开网上茶馆吧。也够国际性。只为兴趣，也为了提倡健康饮品。加上，身为华人，对茶还有点认识，应该不难。除了卖茶，也可以卖些花草茶，跟我的中医有关系，不错嘛。
I am quite busy recently. Well, a lady of leisure can be busy too 🙂
What am I busy with? To fill my days, I always try to come up with various ideas to keep myself busy. Lately, I am into learning how to start my own business. Still waiting for the visa application which is taking forever, and I can’t work but don’t want to keep asking money from my hubby, I figure that if I could own a small business, I will have more financial independence.
In addition to that, Ed’s job needs to travel when necessary, but mine is very restricted by the licencing of pharmacy profession of each country. It means I need to sit for exams whenever I go to a new country, like now in Canada. So, if Ed has job offer elsewhere, I will practically become jobless again, only if I pass all the required exams AGAIN in the new country. Being a Traditional Chinese herbalist will have the same problem too. This is a main issue for us. Either he changes his career or me. So, then I think, why not I try something completely different, something does not need licencing.
I think and think hard, what else can I do? Marketing? IT? or sell something? I then remember that I once had a vision, hoping to educate westerners about well-being maintenance by using some very mild Chinese herbs in everyday living. Most Chinese know how, it is built into our culture. For example, when the weather becomes very warm, we know we have to drink ‘cooling tea’ to help to balance heat. When we feel weak and tired, we know what herbs to cook to help nourish our bodies. However, due to the strict regulations in most developed countries, advertising these sort of ‘functions’ may fall into health claims which are not allowed, unless they are been proven clinically. Unfortunately, most Chinese herbal usage at home are not proven yet, and only remains as culture. Moreover, most westerners are still very new to Chinese medicine, some widely acceptable drink or soups Chinese use may take them some time to understand. So, I think, this idea does not work at this stage until I have my own Chinese medicine clinic.
Interestingly, when I was doing my market research, I noticed there is an increased trend of drinking tea, especially green tea in Canada. Mainly due to the many health benefits been proven in studies, especially the high content of antioxidants. More exposure to green tea, also promote more interests in other specialty tea.
Even George Brown College (which is famous for their culinary art courses) has started a Tea Sommelier Certificate course. Sommelier is more commonly used in hospitality staffs who are trained in wine knowledge and tasting, now obviously there is a need for such trained people in tea industry too. I found it fascinating, hence take the course and I love it ! 🙂
While attending the course, the idea of having my own tea business starts to come about. Well, I won’t have money to open my own tea shop, but I can start online, right? I don’t think I can earn any money, as Ed’s predicted, at least is for interest and for fun. I can easily throw in some special chinese herbal tea products, which is in line with my vision of promoting them eventually. Being a Chinese, I am exposed to tea since a very young age, so I hope it is not too hard for me. And, tea is seen as a healthy beverage also goes well with my profession. So, perfect !!
今天看报看到加拿大大型的户外用品商家 Mountain Co-op 决定停止售卖所有polycarbonate塑胶做的盛皿器。当然，也包括那非常流行耀眼的Nalgene 水瓶。这是因为，一些最近新的科学研究成果认为塑胶内的一种化学成分，bisphenol A， 对人体有害。这 把我吓一跳，因为我是这种水瓶的忠实用者。
四海为家 from far south to far north 