One Rising Star

#abetterversionofme2018 Have I left you in suspense long enough?  Day 2 RECAP Sunday morning, I woke up early once again and went through some of the same steps I did the previous day. In particular that morning, I was really looking forward to the first event of the day - I mean who doesn't love burpees for breakfast?!  Event #3 I finished 1st out of 16, with a time of 7:35 Event #4 4A - I FINALLY PR'd my clean (twice) hitting 57kg then 60kg, which was the 6th heaviest clean 4B - My rope climbs unfortunately were a disaster, putting me in 7th with a time of 3:59 Event #5 Event 5 was a mystery until our arrival at the competition.  It was a "floater" event which we could complete at any time throughout the weekend.  We had to perform a few shuttle sprints, then as many reps possible of unbroken wall balls.  I  personally decided to save this event till the end and I happily finished 1st with both exercis...

#abetterversionofme2018 If we chatted in recent weeks or if you read my last blog post, you already know that I was "just a weeee bit" anxious about participating in my first ever CrossFit competition. I had absolutely no idea what to expect and anyone who knows me well knows that I'm a bit of a perfectionist, that I am very competitive and that I don't want to let anyone, including myself, down – especially not after putting in so much work! As the competition date was fast approaching, and my anxiety was becoming more evident, I decided to do everything I could to relax - spend time at the pool, eat out with friends, go to a basketball game, listen to music, practice more mindfulness and enjoy some positive podcasts. Believe it or not, but it worked (well to a certain extent of course). When the time came for me to travel to Thailand, I felt pretty put together. Me along with two of my fellow coaches who were also competing On Friday, I rushed from schoo...

#abetterversionofme2018 I'll be honest – at this moment, as I am writing this post, I am feeling physically, emotionally and mentally drained. Over the last few weeks, I've had days when I've struggled to eat, nights when I've struggled to sleep and several moments when I've just wanted to break down crying.  When I agreed to sign up for my very first Crossfit competition (well, actually, competitionS - with an S) a few months ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  I knew I had some things to work on in order to get ready, but I totally underestimated the amount of time and work I'd truly have to put in.  After registering for the competition, I initially chose to work with a weightlifting coach for 5 weeks to focus on more technical aspects of my Olympic lifts. Of course, while I was on vacation in Canada, spending 2 hours at the gym 6 days a week was totally reasonable. Since returning to Vietnam however, training has been...

#abetterversionofme2018 Not only am I back in HCMC, not only am I back to work, but I am also back in the classroom this academic year!  Woop! Woop!  I truly enjoyed my position as Elementary Lead Teacher throughout the last school year - I learned so so much, but, truth be told, I really really missed working with students on a day-to-day basis.  This year, I get to experience the best of both worlds; I am continuing my position as Elementary Lead Teacher (0.5), but I am also back in the classroom teaching Grade 4 English (0.5).  School began just over a week ago and though I am still getting familiar with my schedule and my students, I'm already loving everything (ok, well almost everything) about being back in the classroom. Here are just a few of the things that I've implemented so far in an effort to make my class a more enjoyable place to learn... - Decorating the classroom - Coming into this school year, I chose to keep things ver...

#abetterversionofme2018 My 2018 summer vacation is sadly coming to an end, however the memories I made will last forever. As I mentioned in my previous post, my holiday began with a short stop in Dubai where I had the opportunity to catch up with some great friends and ex-colleagues. Then, I made my way back to Canada to relax (mostly on the couch in front of the tv), to workout (a bit of soccer and weightlifting just had to happen) and to spend LOTS of time with my family. My two brothers, their beautiful fiancées and my precious little goddaughter. Mid-July, my parents and I went on an epic road trip to New York City, Washington D.C., Myrtle Beach, Atlanta and Nashville. My wonderful parents and I in Central Park, NYC. A dream come true meeting Ron Clark from RCA in Atlanta. Upon our return to Canada, I soaked up a little more family time. A nice visit with my Aunt and Uncle from the US. Finally, I made one last quick stop in Dubai before retur...

#abetterversionofme2018 Summer vacation has officially begun and one of my goals this summer is to see and spend time with as many friends and family members as I can. First on the agenda was a return to Dubai to catch up with friends, ex-colleagues and old students, especially those that I missed at Christmas. It was a short trip, however it was great to see everyone. Thanks for the enjoyable soccer games, the wonderful school visit, the yummy lunch dates and evening iftars, the fun day at the waterpark, the relaxing afternoon at the nail salon...and of course, all the reminiscing, the catching up and the laughs.  It was a VERY busy (and tiring) 4 days!  A fun day at Aquaventure Waterpark - Atlantis The Palm Lots of laughs with these two amazing hosts and friends A wonderful day at school A yummy evening Iftar Time now to visit with my North American friends and family!

#abetterversionofme2018 It's hard to believe that I've already been living in Vietnam for 10 months and that another school year has come to an end. So much has happened, yet it still kind of feels like I just arrived yesterday. There have been lows and there have been highs; even after 6 years of living abroad, being away from friends and family (especially as they celebrate major milestones) hasn't got any easier, but luckily I keep meeting great people that help keep me in good spirits. My parents celebrating 35 years of marriage  Two engagements and a newborn baby Thank you to my BCIS elementary teachers for accepting me for who I am - a crazy workaholic - and for teaching me to chill out once in a while. I'm looking forward to seeing those of you that are returning in August and I will definitely miss those of you that are moving on to new adventures - Best of luck! BCIS Staff 2017-2018 Thank you to my SSC-Crossfit Q7 crew for allow...