Tag: workabroad

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!🤗😁😘

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Now to the next adventure…

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! 👍🏻

Living on the Smiling Coast

On By lacroixjul3 Comments

Sorry about the wait! I finally decided it was time to start this blogging thing to give you guys an update of my new Gambian life but also to keep you posted throughout my journey on the African continent!

Sunset at Bijilo Beach
🙂
Fajara Beach

It’s been almost a month since I finished my 424km fundraising run across The Gambia (you can follow my adventure on love4gambia.com). I am now temporarily living and volunteering in the country until January. When I first decided to take a sabbatical leave from work, my plan was to come to Africa to travel and volunteer. In June, I attended the 25th anniversary dinner of the Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA) to meet everyone from the organization I was going to run for to raise money. During the evening, they presented a video about their drama troupes: devoted, talented, young adults doing drama to raise awareness on health issues in schools and communities… What an amazing idea! As a qualified drama teacher, I knew instantly that I wanted to work with the NSGA. I was very impressed by their work already. I will write more about the organization and my volunteering in my next blog.

So, after the run, I enjoyed a few days of well-deserved rest and recovery. All I did was lay on the beach, eat anything but rice and sleep like a baby. It was awesome. Soon after this little vacation, I was ready to roll again. Most of you know I can’t stand doing nothing for too long!

After starting my 8 weeks contract with the NSGA, I moved into a nice house in the neighborhood of Old Jeshwang, in the region of Kombo (50% of the national population lives in this region). I am living with ‘Papa Mo’ (our landlord), Danielle and Aisha (two other Canadian working for the NSGA) and Ismael (a Gambian working in the area). We also have the daily company of Ndey and Mariama, two young women working for Papa Mo. They take really good care of the house, but they also are excellent tour guides, cooking teachers and clubbing partners!

Me, Aisha and Danielle
Our lovely home
Ndey in Old Jeshwang

My week days mostly consist of working (which means following the drama troupes around the region), running (yes, I’m already back on the road), going to the gym (22$/month for a personal trainer is not too bad of a deal!) and doing my shopping around the numerous markets. Fruits, vegetables, meat, bread, condiments, toiletries, clothing, everything is found at a different place. As much as I don’t like Walmart, I must say it has its advantages…

Morning run
Serekunda Market

During my weekends, my Gambian husband (aka my bike) and I cycle around the area to do all the touristic things (monkey park, crocodile pool, botanical gardens, beaches) and at night I do the social stuff (drink Julbrew -the local beer, go clubbing, have tea and shisha, hang around with the housemates). One thing I know, I won’t get bored while I’m here! There is so much to see and to do. Everyone is also very welcoming and want to make sure I’m making the most of my time in The Gambia. So far so good!

Beach time with the boys
Yup, they’re real!
Night out on the Strip with Mariama

My key to happiness (and to prevent homesickness) is to keep myself active and busy by doing what I love and be surrounded by people who make me happy. I’m trying to learn as much as I can from this magnificent culture. I would say that I’m adapting pretty well to this Gambian lifestyle and I am enjoying very much my time on the Smiling Coast! 🙂