Autobiography
"Life is what happens
while you are busy making other plans" - John Lennon Born and raised in beautiful and rainy Vancouver, BC, I grew up in a Chinese immigrant family, surrounded by extended family members who came to Canada when I was very young. Being a visible minority 'hyphenated' Chinese-Canadian and a member of an immigrant family has greatly shaped who I am as a person as well as my interests, my experiences, and my views and beliefs about the world. In my first undergraduate program at the University of British Columbia, I pursued a major in Sociology. It was during this time that I first had a spark of interest in social work as I began volunteering in Vancouver's low-income community of the Downtown Eastside. After getting my BA in Sociology in 2006 and a year of working as a receptionist and secretary in a law firm, I realized I had no concrete idea of what I wanted to do with my life. So I left the continent for the first time and set off on an eight-month journey across Asia. This initial trip ignited a true sense of wanderlust in me that has given me the gifts of independence and greater appreciation of cultures different from my own. I then moved to Australia for one year and it was while I was working for the Australian Red Cross in Darwin that I realized I wanted to pursue my BSW. I received my BSW with Distinction from the University of Victoria in 2011. During the BSW program, my biggest fear in life was realized when my mom passed away suddenly in 2010. Through my loss, I believe that have gained a greater appreciation of life, as well as of the impermanence of all things in this world. I now aim to integrate this sense of appreciation into everything I do. Right before she passed away, my mom and I were talking about how it might be interesting for me to pursue an international BSW practicum in South Africa. And so I went to South Africa where I worked at the Cape Town Refugee Centre (CTRC), which was an amazing opportunity that solidified my passion for international social work. Upon returning to Canada, I knew I wanted to continue working with refugees and I accepted a job in Saskatchewan with the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJMC). Wanting to further my learning, I am pursuing my MSW at the University of Calgary specializing in International and Community Development. I am now fortunate to have the opportunity to complete my MSW practicum in Uganda with Healthy Child Uganda (HCU). To date, I have been privileged enough to have backpacked through over twenty countries while also pursuing my formal education and career goals. I have gained valuable learning from all areas of my life, from everyday living and during my travels to within classrooms and working in the field. My journey so far has been full of amazing people, many ups and downs, and truly unexpected turns, and I look forward to what my next adventure will be. |