One Rising Star

#SoManyReasonsToSmile2020 "Challenge yourself;  it’s the only path which leads to growth.”  Back in 2012, I made the decision to move abroad  and to teach internationally.  For several years prior, I had been contemplating the idea,  but quite honestly,  I was nervous - VERY nervous.  I enjoyed travelling to different countries  and learning about new cultures,  but the thought of leaving my life in Canada  and moving away on my own was a scary one.  So, what drove me to finally make the move?  - The idea of challenging myself.  First week in Dubai, UAE - 2012 The idea of challenging myself has been really important to me,  particularly since the moment I decided to move abroad.  Constantly taking risks has led me to grow as a person  and to empower myself,  all while accomplishing great things, meeting wonderful people,  living interesting experiences and exp...

#SoManyReasonsToSmile2020 “Be true to you and the right people will show up.”   Finding good people to surround ourselves with is critical, especially for an expat.  Being away from family can be challenging at times,  but when we find the right individuals to let into our lives,  it makes living abroad so much better.  "Your vibe attracts your tribe." Most would agree that it’s human nature to seek companionship and to want to feel like we belong, but connecting with others isn’t always easy.  It takes some effort, a certain level of confidence and most importantly  a thorough understanding of who we are. At times, we may find ourselves trying to impress,  but unfortunately, when we do that,  we often compromise our character.  Ultimately, we should want to gravitate towards and attract  people who share some of the same interests, traits, values, morals and outlook on life.  Bondin...

#SoManyReasonsToSmile2020 “An open heart is an open-mind." - Dalai Lama I woke up just a few weeks ago, picked up my phone as I always do, and began scrolling through my social media (Yes, I know, this is a TERRIBLE morning routine!). Something was different that morning though. I kept coming across black squares. Initially, I thought “Hmmm...why aren’t things loading?” But, shortly after, I noticed the captions ‘#blackouttuesday’, ‘#BlackLivesMatter’ and '#BLM'. Later, I turned on the news (which I often avoid) to try to catch up on what was going on. As I watched clips of protests as well as the brutal killing of a black man, suddenly, I began feeling...well...an assortment of emotions. In the few days that followed, I was glued to my TV and my phone trying to keep up with what was happening in the United States and around the world. I’ll completely admit that I wasn’t (and still am not) fully aware of the history of black people in America as well as the...

#SoManyReasonsToSmile2020 “Sometimes, you need to look at life from a different perspective.” Back in the summer of 2008, just after I completed my first year teaching, I went on my very first humanitarian trip. Many of the challenges I faced throughout my first year as an educator came as a result of me struggling to understand my students and their families who came from diverse backgrounds. So, in addition to reading books and watching movies to learn about other cultures, I thought a humanitarian trip would be a great opportunity for me to step outside my comfort zone and to gain more insight into the world, outside Canada.  Building project in the Dominican Republic As it's to be expected, the 4 humanitarian trips I joined, in the Dominican Republic and in Peru, really did help me develop a broader perspective on life. While travelling to both countries, I had the opportunity to visit several communities, to spend time in orphanages, to work in schools, to...

#SoManyReasonsToSmile2020 “Embrace each challenge in your life as an opportunity for self-transformation.”   In 2007, I began my first full-time job as a teacher.  To this day, I consider that first job to be one of the toughest challenges I have ever faced,  for a wide-variety of reasons.  That being said, that particular challenge set me up with so many opportunities,  and of course more challenges that turned into more opportunities. Some of the first students I ever taught helped shape the person I am today Over the years, I have learned that challenges can always be turned into opportunities  and that when we think of them in this way, we learn, we grow and most of all, we strengthen our mindset while preparing ourselves for future barriers. Some of my most rewarding moments have come from overcoming adversity The current COVID-19 situation that we are all dealing with  is undoubtedly very difficult in ...