Tag: dongguan

再见 Dongguan! 👋🏻

On By lacroixjulLeave a comment

Well this is it. My Dongguan chapter has finally come to its end. Whenever it’s time for me to conclude a journey, I put my life into perspective and take the time to reflect on how much I have changed since. The last two years have been extremely enriching on a personal, professional and spiritual level. I have succeeded, I have failed, I fell in love, I got my heart broken, I have questioned my beliefs, I have tried new things, I have learned about myself but most importantly, I have been happy. I believe I have grown a lot these past years and I’m loving the person I am becoming and the life I am living. Through all the ups and downs, this is what life should be about: finding our own happiness while striving to be the best person we can be. 😇💙

Action Asia Yunnan Ultramarathon

I feel like this year, life has been particularly good to me (maybe it’s the big 30?!). Whether it’s at work, in my travels or in my social life, some very special souls have walked into my life. The people we encounter on our path are always there for a reason: to teach you, to love you or to experience life with you. Thank you to everyone that played a role in my Dongguan story. You made my journey a memorable one. I’m leaving with eyes full or tears but with a heart full of love, countless memories and crazy stories. I will miss you all beautiful people of Dongguan! Until next time… 再见! 😉✌🏻

 

Sunday Pool Party
Mud run
Cinco de Mayo fun!

Every story has an end but in life, every ending is a just new beginning. Recently, I’ve learned to follow my intuition, to listen to my inner voice. Thus, I decided to put a hold on my teaching career next year to continue exploring this vast beautiful world. I will take this opportunity while I’m still young and free to do what I like the most: traveling. I don’t know exactly where or what is ahead of me but as always, I am ready to jump in and let the waves guide me to a new horizon. I have always had faith in life so I’m excited to see what she has in stock for me this time. To be continued… 🌎✈️

But until then, I am back to the land of moose and maple syrup. Ottawa, here I come for some much needed fresh air and catching up!🤗😁😘

img_7177
Now to the next adventure…

My second year at ISD

On By lacroixjul1 Comment

I was very fortunate in August 2016 to get offered a teaching position at the International School of Dongguan. As my first teaching abroad employment, I had no idea what to expect nor if it was suitable for me. But as always, I followed my adventurous instinct, signed the contract and jumped on a plane to China! Well 2 years later I can tell you it was a good move: I am now an IB certified French and English teacher, I have taught to wonderful, smart cookies, I have developed close relationships with amazing colleagues and I have travelled in and out of China for school trips, conferences and workshops. Oh, and I was also getting paid to do all of this! 😉 My second year at ISD was definitely as busy and as exciting as the first one. Here are a few of my highlights:

*I had the chance to teach the same classes as last year: Secondary School French, IB French B and IB English B (’B’ meaning ‘as a second language’), which gave me the opportunity to tweak my lesson plans of last year in order to improve my teaching. I was also lucky to go to Jakarta in October for my second IB training workshop for the courses I teach. I hope one day I will pursue my career as an IB educator. As much as it is a rigorous program for the students (and teachers!) it is a curriculum that I have very enjoyed teaching.

Student Council animating the International Day
ISD Canadian family!
Chinese New Year Dragon Dance

*This year, I wanted to get more involve into the school life, so I took charge of our StuCo (Student Council). I have been very fortunate to be working with a group of 20 dedicated students (not bad for a small school!). We have organized several activities and fundraising events throughout the year to promote our school spirit. It brought me many souvenirs of my good old days when I was a member of the ‘Parlement Étudiant’ at my high school. We are currently planning our biggest event of the year: The Prom!

*With the initiative of one of my Canadian fellow colleague, we created ISD’s first swim team! We were able to gather 5 courageous swimmers so far this year and I’m positive that the team will continue to grow. It was great to be back on a pool deck, and of course it was the perfect opportunity to start swimming again!

Performing a traditional dance at the CYN dinner
Student Council Fundraising
IB training in Jakarta

*Finally, last month I had the chance to accompanying the grade 8 to 12 to their Week Without Walls (annual field trip where students get to visit a new region of China while discovering new outdoors and cultural activities). This year we spent one exciting and busy week in the province of Sichuan exploring the city of Chengdu and its surrounding. Camping, via ferrata, canyon hiking, tea plantations visit, hot pot dinner, mask changing opera, we definitely had the full Sichuan experience! It’s always a pleasure to be interacting with the students in a non-classroom setting while watching them getting out of their comfort zone and learning new skills. Everyone get to see a different side of each other. It’s a great bonding experience!

My first time on a via ferrata!
Zip Lining!
Mask Changing Opera

Now off I go into the last stretch of the school year! I cannot believe in less than two months I’ll be packing my bags to leave my beautiful adoptive city of Dongguan. Whether it was at work, in my social life or in my many travels, I believe I definitely made the most of my time here. You may wonder what’s next for me? Well I am still in the process of planning my next adventure, but I’ll give you one hint: I’m heading for the only continent I haven’t visited yet… 😉 (and no, Antartica doesn’t count!)

fullsizerender-8
Week Without Wall fun!

Back on the other side

On By lacroixjul1 Comment

After a beautiful summer visiting my loved ones, enjoying northern Ontario fresh air and touristing around Europe, I’m now back on the other side of the world. I surely didn’t miss the pollution and the crowds of China, but Dongguan is now my second home. I was quite happy to return to my apartment, my classroom, my friends and my dear Qifeng Park! 😊

I’m very excited for this upcoming year. I’m lucky enough to be teaching the same courses as last year (Secondary French and IB language B) at the International School of Dongguan. I actually just came back from Jakarta where I attended a professional development workshop for the course I teach. It was great to meet and exchange with other IB (International Baccalaureate) teachers from across Asia. I also got back into running a little more seriously. Thus, I decided to challenge myself and registered for my first ultra marathon, a 54km trail run around Lantau Island (Hong Kong) in December. Let’s see what I still got in me! And of course, I already have many traveling plans for my future holidays. This year should be as enjoyable as the previous one! 😄

Back to school! 🍎
Thirty and fabulous! 😎
Qifeng Park, my running paradise! 🍃

Leaving home is never easy and I don’t think it will never be. As much as I love to travel and live abroad, I always get emotional when it’s time to say goodbye. I’m at a stage in my life where my friends are getting married, having babies, buying new house while I’m planning where I’ll be living in a few months! It seems like everyone is settling down while I’m living my little life day by day on the other side of the world! Sometimes I do ask myself if I am doing it right. But you know what, there’s no ‘ideal’ way of living our life. As long as it makes us happy and helps us thrive as human beings, that’s the key. And well, that’s the case for me, for now. 😉

One last thing, I know I haven’t been the best blogger in the last few months. I apologise for my laziness! I took the resolution of writing on a monthly basis. It’s my way of feeling connected to home but also keeping you updated on my upcoming adventures! ✈️

再见! 👋🏻

Surrender to what is, let go of what was, have faith in what will be. 💚

 

Life in Dongguan

On By lacroixjul1 Comment

It’s been 8 months (already!) since I moved to China. Time flies when you’re having fun they say! I’ll definitely won’t disagree with this one.

Even though Dongguan is a “small” city of 8 millions, it feels way too often like a small town. Dongcheng, the neighborhood where I live, is also the home of almost every other expat in the city. It’s now a normal thing for me to walk into a pub on a Friday night and know half of the people. Who knew living in China could feel like Hearst, my small hometown in northern Ontario?! 😆

Teachers gateaway weekend
Party with the Bulldogs
Just another Saturday night

Western restaurants, bars and shops are also found at every corner in Dongcheng. Believe it or not, I did find myself drinking Moosehead and eating poutine! Ok, it wasn’t real squeaky St-Albert cheese curds, but still! It’s almost impossible to feel homesick when you can find (almost) everything you want at your doorstep! And if you can’t, it’s definitely on Taobao (one of the world’s largest shopping websites).

My daily commute view
Qifeng Park
Humen Bridge

Apart from teaching and drinking, I do still take the time to stay fit! 😝 I’m very grateful to have the Qifeng Park 5 minutes away from my apartment. It quickly became my running paradise where I can easily escape in the nature, away from the city buzz. I also cycle to work every single day, rain or shine (or flood!) averaging around 100km a week. Ok, it’s not Ironman training, but I’m enjoying my daily commute and my traffic riding skills are quite the shit by now! 👊🏻 Finally, last October, one of my colleague hooked me up with the Dongguan Bulldogs rugby team. Perfect occasion to try something new and meet people. Since then, well, I’ve learned how to catch, throw, tackle, score tries, and drink from the left hand! (Google: Buffalo Club)

The Dongguan Bulldogs
My first contact tournament!
We are the champions!

And lastly, how’s my Chinese? Well, it’s slowly, slowly getting there. Wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn zhōngwén (I can speak a little Chinese). I’ve learned over 70 characters by now (thanks to http://www.yoyochinese.com!). I can also order píjiǔ (beer), jiǎozi (dumplings) and jīròu chǎofàn (chicken fried rice) at a restaurant and I can get home safely in a taxi after a late night out…. what else do you need? 😛

My life in Dongguan has been good to me so far. Of course I had my ups and downs, including a few trips at the hospital, but I’m still happy with my decision of renewing my contract at ISD for a second year. Oh, and I also met this cute French guy, another good reason to stay! 😊

Spring break with Sophie
My parents in Dongguan
Shanghai by night

Teaching abroad: A newfound passion ❤️

On By lacroixjul1 Comment

I’m proud to say that I’m officially happy with the spontaneous decision I took last August when I signed a one year contract with the International School of Dongguan (ISD). Not only I had absolutely no idea where Dongguan was, but my knowledge of China was quite limited (i knew it was a big country with lots of people that eat rice…!) but there was something about that school and the position that caught my curiosity. It was a gamble. Making a big life change is pretty scary. But, what’s even scarier? Regret. Thus, I took a deep breath, signed my life away, packed my bags and left home for this unknown world of teaching abroad. Here I am, 3 months later, happier than ever! 🙂

Welcome to ISD!
My language classroom

ISD is a young, vibrant school that opened its doors in 2012. Today, it has now 330 students from kindergarten to grade 12. For myself, I’m teaching French and English as a second language at the secondary level. I also have the chance to teach the International Baccalaureate to the grade 11 and 12, a rigid program to teach but very enriching at the same time. Thankfully my classes are quite small which make my work a little less stressful! 🙂 And not to mentioned that my students are also extremely disciplined and responsible! I haven’t much to complain, really!

Celebrating the end of Movember
Canada booth during our International Day event
School Pep Rally

In a few months only, the school has already offered me some great traveling and professional development opportunities. Early September, I was sent to Bangkok for an IB workshop. I spent three busy three days in the Thai capital learning how to teach my program (French/English as a second language). It was a very intense but extremely useful course as I had no prior knowledge at all of the IB program. I came back to Dongguan more confident, with a head full of new ideas and resources, oh and a desire to come back to Thailand one day! 3 days was such a tease!

Wandering around Bangkok
The Temple of Golden Buddha
My beautiful IB workshop group

Two weeks ago, I also had the chance to accompany the grade 6 and 7 on their Week Without Walls. The WWW is a yearly field trip organised by the school where the upper school students spend a few days in a rural village doing some community services (we helped cleaning an elders home and gave a hand to a local farm), while engaging in new outdoors activities (camping, rock climbing, cycling, hiking, kayaking). It’s a great opportunity for the kids to learn new skills while bonding with their peers and teachers outside the classroom setting.

Discovering the countryside of Qing Yuan on wheels
Rockclimbing time!
Weeding papaya plantations as part of our community service

One sure thing, ISD knows how to keep its students and staff busy, and most importantly, happy! 🙂 Its no surprise Im already secretly considering staying here for another year… ☺️ But for now, the focus is to survive the last stretch before Christmas. 3,2,1, here we go! 👍🏻

Juju back en route! 

On By lacroixjul2 Comments

It’s been two months since my last blog entry. Two months since I wrote the conclusion of my African story. At that time, secretly, I was already working on the sequel… I was actually job hunting for a teaching position abroad. I didn’t care in which country or what subject, but I knew I was ready for a new adventure!
The idea first came up when I was traveling in Kenya. During a night out in Nairobi, I ended up having drinks with a few international teachers who convinced me to follow their steps. “You’re a teacher, you’re single (yes, that’s a prerequisite for the job!), you love to travel, you adapt easily to new cultures, what are you waiting for?” Hell yeah, I thought, what am I waiting for?

Off we go!
Flying above the Arctic Circle
Pit stop in Hong Kong!

Well, it didn’t take long before I was back ‘en route’! As soon as I received a satisfying offer, I signed my contract, packed my bags, said my goodbyes and hasta la vista! Here I am today, writing this blog in my cozy apartment in Dongguan, China. For the next year, I will be teaching French and English as an second language at the International School of Dongguan.

My apartment building
Beautiful view from the 25th floor! 🙂
Bienvenue dans ma classe!

I could have easily chosen to go back to Ottawa, back to my ‘normal life’. But something deep down of me wasn’t ready for this, yet. This is one thing I’ve learned (and mastered!) in the past few months: to know how to follow your gut feeling, your heart, your dreams. In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take.

Discovering my new city
Enjoying Taiwanese cuisine
Plant shopping!

It’s been one month now since I set foot in one of the most powerful and populated country in the world. China is quite a drastic change from Africa, I must say! Nevertheless, I’m slowly adapting to this new culture and surely enjoying this new life! Let’s hope this year will be as exciting and enriching as the previous one. I’ll keep you posted! Zàijiàn! ✌🏻️

img_0006
Nǐ Hǎo!