(Sing along in the tune of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Theme Song):
Well this is a story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside down
And I like to take a minute, just sit right there
I'll tell you all about how I moved from Texas to England and back here.
In West Hamilton, I was born but not raised,
Out in Plano and Reading is where I spent most of my days.
Okay, I can't explain my whole story through the Fresh Prince soundtrack, so let me elaborate:
I was born in Hamilton Ontario on March 14th, 1994, to the most kind and giving individuals, Mike and Danette, and a wonderful older brother named Jarrett. They made me who I am today.
My family and I spent about three and-a-half years here in Canada, until we moved to Plano, Texas. We spent almost four years there in three different homes. I absolutely loved Texas, and the lifestyle that came with it. It was in Plano that I gained my passion for swimming, the outdoors, and most definitely my love for food (and big portions...No one does it big like Texas). I went to horse camp every summer, which certainly played a role in my absolute love for every-and-all-things-animal. I also gained a hunger for travel. My family was always going on road trips and vacations, allowing my brother and I to see, experience, and learn about different cultures and worldviews.
After four years in Texas, my parents decided to switch it up, and we moved to Reading, England, about an hour outside of London. In Reading, we experienced yet another completely new culture and feel. We wore uniforms to school, we went to castles on the weekend, and we visited places like the Tower of London, the London Eye, and even the Ascot Horse races. (Funny fact: a security guard at the Ascot horse races actually allowed me to come into a private area of the event, and got the Queen to wave at me!). Because it's so much cheaper to fly from country to country in Europe, we even got to travel to other countries, like Ireland, Italy, Spain and Egypt. While living in England, I gained my passion for reading, writing, site seeing, and a real interest in everything ancient Egyptian. We spent about 3 and a half years in England, and I loved every second of it.
In 2005, we moved back to Hamilton, Ontario. There weren't as many castles, or horse camps, but it was exactly how I remembered it, and it was home sweet home. From moving so much growing up, I truly gained the skill of being adaptable, and quickly becoming comfortable in new environments and settings. Since I've arrived back home, I've attended a couple months of the tail-end of elementary school, all of middle school, and all of high school here. After that, I attended two different universities, Western and McMaster for Sociology and Criminology, and I'm now at Mohawk College for Public Relations. I've found an absolutely amazing and indestructible group of friends, most of whom I've been close with since grade 9. At Western, I gained several new very close friends that lived on the same floor as me in residence during my first year. We went through living away from home, stressful and almost unbearable times, and really great, unforgettable times together. During my other three years at Western, I lived with three remarkably smart and hilarious friends that are like sisters to me today. By the time I left university, I not only had my biological family, but also my family of close, reliable, loving friends.
Currently, I am just a few months away from completing the Mohawk College Public Relations Graduate program. My life has always seemed pretty great. I've been quite happy for the most part, and so far, experienced a positive and enjoyable life. Yet, I always had a sense of feeling lost - not knowing where I was going, or what I truly wanted to do. For the first time, it truly feels as if things are falling into place. Opportunities and jobs seem to be coming up that are actually related to the program I'm in, and that don't require "8-10 years experience in the field." I'm actually enjoying the assignments given in school, which is likely a great indication that I will enjoy the work within the industry. In addition, I've secured my first job contract that is actually related to my education (and I wasn't even looking for a job at the time, it just sort of fell into my lap). For the first time, I can actually envision my future, and the exciting opportunities that it holds.
In a year, I see myself with a full-time job in Public Relations. I see myself in either the not-for-profit sector, or some type of Government Communications job. In five years, I see myself as a homeowner, with much more financially stability than I have today. I'll still be working in the industry, but will have moved up to a more senior role. In 10 years, I see myself with a family of my own. I'll finally be able to take that love and curiosity for life that my own family taught me, and pass it on to my children. I'll teach the same values that my parents so generously taught me, such as kindness, respect, being genuine, and working hard. In 10 years, I may scale back the amount of work I've taken on to put my focus more into family time. By this point, I'll hopefully have significant savings, and a partner to share a life with. In 10 years, I'll be almost 35. And for once, the thought of the future doesn't scare me.
Well this is a story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside down
And I like to take a minute, just sit right there
I'll tell you all about how I moved from Texas to England and back here.
In West Hamilton, I was born but not raised,
Out in Plano and Reading is where I spent most of my days.
Okay, I can't explain my whole story through the Fresh Prince soundtrack, so let me elaborate:
I was born in Hamilton Ontario on March 14th, 1994, to the most kind and giving individuals, Mike and Danette, and a wonderful older brother named Jarrett. They made me who I am today.
My family and I spent about three and-a-half years here in Canada, until we moved to Plano, Texas. We spent almost four years there in three different homes. I absolutely loved Texas, and the lifestyle that came with it. It was in Plano that I gained my passion for swimming, the outdoors, and most definitely my love for food (and big portions...No one does it big like Texas). I went to horse camp every summer, which certainly played a role in my absolute love for every-and-all-things-animal. I also gained a hunger for travel. My family was always going on road trips and vacations, allowing my brother and I to see, experience, and learn about different cultures and worldviews.
After four years in Texas, my parents decided to switch it up, and we moved to Reading, England, about an hour outside of London. In Reading, we experienced yet another completely new culture and feel. We wore uniforms to school, we went to castles on the weekend, and we visited places like the Tower of London, the London Eye, and even the Ascot Horse races. (Funny fact: a security guard at the Ascot horse races actually allowed me to come into a private area of the event, and got the Queen to wave at me!). Because it's so much cheaper to fly from country to country in Europe, we even got to travel to other countries, like Ireland, Italy, Spain and Egypt. While living in England, I gained my passion for reading, writing, site seeing, and a real interest in everything ancient Egyptian. We spent about 3 and a half years in England, and I loved every second of it.
In 2005, we moved back to Hamilton, Ontario. There weren't as many castles, or horse camps, but it was exactly how I remembered it, and it was home sweet home. From moving so much growing up, I truly gained the skill of being adaptable, and quickly becoming comfortable in new environments and settings. Since I've arrived back home, I've attended a couple months of the tail-end of elementary school, all of middle school, and all of high school here. After that, I attended two different universities, Western and McMaster for Sociology and Criminology, and I'm now at Mohawk College for Public Relations. I've found an absolutely amazing and indestructible group of friends, most of whom I've been close with since grade 9. At Western, I gained several new very close friends that lived on the same floor as me in residence during my first year. We went through living away from home, stressful and almost unbearable times, and really great, unforgettable times together. During my other three years at Western, I lived with three remarkably smart and hilarious friends that are like sisters to me today. By the time I left university, I not only had my biological family, but also my family of close, reliable, loving friends.
Currently, I am just a few months away from completing the Mohawk College Public Relations Graduate program. My life has always seemed pretty great. I've been quite happy for the most part, and so far, experienced a positive and enjoyable life. Yet, I always had a sense of feeling lost - not knowing where I was going, or what I truly wanted to do. For the first time, it truly feels as if things are falling into place. Opportunities and jobs seem to be coming up that are actually related to the program I'm in, and that don't require "8-10 years experience in the field." I'm actually enjoying the assignments given in school, which is likely a great indication that I will enjoy the work within the industry. In addition, I've secured my first job contract that is actually related to my education (and I wasn't even looking for a job at the time, it just sort of fell into my lap). For the first time, I can actually envision my future, and the exciting opportunities that it holds.
In a year, I see myself with a full-time job in Public Relations. I see myself in either the not-for-profit sector, or some type of Government Communications job. In five years, I see myself as a homeowner, with much more financially stability than I have today. I'll still be working in the industry, but will have moved up to a more senior role. In 10 years, I see myself with a family of my own. I'll finally be able to take that love and curiosity for life that my own family taught me, and pass it on to my children. I'll teach the same values that my parents so generously taught me, such as kindness, respect, being genuine, and working hard. In 10 years, I may scale back the amount of work I've taken on to put my focus more into family time. By this point, I'll hopefully have significant savings, and a partner to share a life with. In 10 years, I'll be almost 35. And for once, the thought of the future doesn't scare me.
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