Skip to main content

The next chapter


When I was younger I dreamt about visiting Mexico. I had an apparent passion for learning Spanish and new things about the latin culture. Little did I know, this passion would go far beyond Mexico and Spanish. 

5 years ago, I started teaching at an amazing French school called Pavillon de la jeunesse in Hamilton, Ontario. This school brought forth many challenges, but with every obstacle I surpassed, I learnt so much about myself and the World around me. I was lucky enough to work with a very multicultural group of kids who in the end probably taught me just as much as I taught them. Thank you to all the students and staff members I was privileged to work with in the last 5 years!  

After my first year teaching, my passion for learning about new cultures and for helping others fuelled me to go on my first humanitarian trip. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into at the time, but the experience was absolutely life changing. Within about 3 years, I went to the Dominican Republic 3 times with a great group now called Live Different-Hero Holiday. On every one of those trips I was able to push myself a little further into different situations I had never dreamt of encountering before such as building houses and working in a garbage dump. Thank you to everyone on those Hero Holiday trips; the staff, the participants and all the great people I met and worked with in the communities.

Just over a year ago, my dad brought home a newspaper article about a girl doing humanitarian work in Peru. He knew right away that this article would interest me, and he was so right! I got in contact with the person of interest and next thing I knew, I was signing up for my 4th humanitarian trip, but this time in Peru. I was so excited to push myself even further this time, travelling to a new destination with a new group of people. What a great experience it was! I got to teach English to kids and to some of the local teachers. Every minute of it was rewarding! Once again, a big thanks to everyone on that trip; Solidarity in Action (SIA) staff, participants and everyone in the communities! 

Teaching and going on humanitarian trips have been very valuable experiences for me, but I have also done a few trips just for pleasure and they have been just as great. I have travelled to Brazil, Argentina (only for a few hours), Chile and just recently, I FINALLY made my way to MEXICO! My long-time dream came true! 

Everything I have experienced thus far in life has allowed me to grow and to learn so much about myself, but I am far from done! There is so much more I want to learn! So, in just over a month, I will be starting a new chapter in my life. I will be moving to Dubai to teach French in the primary level at an international school called Greenfield Community School (GCS). I am ready to confront the new challenges that will be presented to me. I look forward to pushing myself, once again, just a little further in order to grow and to learn more about myself, my profession, my passions, new cultures, new people, new languages...

Please stay tuned for updates...

Thank you to EVERYONE (tagged or accidentaly forgotten) who has been a part of my life thus far! Pavillon de la jeunesse, Live Different - Hero Holiday, Solidarity in Action (SIA), Zumba crew, family and friends! Believe me, you have all hepled me grow and chase my dreams! 

The key to happiness is having dreams. The key to success is making your dreams come true.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In a World Full of Noise, Let’s Show Understanding

“Not everyone processes uncertainty the same way, and that’s okay.” The past few days have been unexpected. What started as a normal Saturday - coaching at the gym, breakfast with a friend, catching up on work with the TV on in the background - quickly changed when I heard a loud “boom” coming from outside my apartment. At first, many of us in the community assumed it came from one of the many nearby construction sites. But, within the next few hours, the loud sounds came again and again, and word spread that these were missiles and drones being intercepted in the sky. I’ve always felt safe here in the UAE, and believe it or not, to a certain extent, I still do. Like many other residents here, I have a lot of trust in the country I’ve chosen to call home for over 11 years. I’ve seen it overcome challenges in the past, such as COVID and floods, and I’ve witnessed how much the leadership cares for the residents, particularly over the last few days.  That said, it’s no secret that I a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Momentum Reset

"Momentum doesn’t just return; you rebuild it, one choice at a time." Before summer began, I was feeling a little low. The tipping point came when I found out my HYROX competition partner’s visa had been denied, meaning we wouldn’t be able to compete at the HYROX World Championships in Chicago. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t the end of the world, but I was still pretty bummed. I thrive when I have a goal, something to work toward, and for nearly two months, I’d been all-in. That training gave me momentum, purpose and energy. When that goal disappeared, so did my drive. Suddenly, my energy shifted in the wrong direction. I slipped into autopilot, stuck in the routine of daily life, work, and thought patterns that were becoming more and more negative. Social media didn’t help. It felt like everyone else was out there doing so much, and I had nothing exciting happening. I would catch myself comparing and as my thoughts spiraled, my body started responding, and not in a good way. Th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Living Out a Dream

 “Have you ever stopped and thought: “Wow. I prayed for this. It’s here. It’s happening.”? I recently received a message from an  old student from my very first school in Canada. It was a simple note, but it sparked reflection in me about where I’ve come from and everything that’s happened over the last 15–20 years. At my age, I often look around and see many of the people ( my age ) settling down; getting married, having kids, buying homes ( A dream for many, especially women. ). And sometimes, I can’t help but  ask myself: what am I doing with my life? However, that message from my former student reminded me of something I often forget: I’ve already been living a dream. When I left my first teaching job in Canada, it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely loved my students, and together we had built a really special bond. But at that time, I had a dream to travel the world; to immerse myself in different cultures and to learn from people whose li...
Post a Comment
Read more