Who Am I ?
Welcome to Correr Es Mi Destino! I hope you enjoy reading, browsing and commenting. Get yourself a cup of tea (or coffee) and let me tell you who I am. I promise, I’ll keep it short.
I’m Juliette, aka Zhu. Yes, I’m aware of the fact that I’m not even remotely Chinese. I do speak Mandarin though, but it’s a long story.
Anyway… I’m French and I have been living full time in Canada’s national capital, Ottawa, since 2004. I first came in 2002 and lived between France and the other side of the Atlantic Ocean for a couple of years. In 2004, I got a Working Holiday Visa, and I applied for permanent residence in Canada in 2005… and it took only five months! I’m now in the process of getting my Canadian citizenship.
Immigrating to Canada has been a very good experience so far. I experienced culture shock for the first few months but recovered quickly enough. Although I still don’t get how Canadians can walk around wearing only shorts and tee-shirts when it’s barely above 0ºC.
I have been working as a French teacher in Ottawa for almost four years. I always found it ironic I ended up teaching French after learning Chinese for 12 years…
I love travel and street photography. And I keep on thinking I should do something with my real passions, writing and photography… and traveling. I’m also a backpacker: once in a while, I just pack and go travel the world.
I chose to settle in Canada because I love this multicultural country, and because I wanted to belong somewhere — I had never felt I was meant to stay in France. Yet, I still have the urge to travel and discover the world. Was I made to settle somewhere? A part of me enjoy “normal life”: a job, a place to live, I city I now know well, friends, languages I master and a relatively steady income. But the other side of my brain just want to blow it all and pack. Pack and travel other continents, other oceans, sleep in long distance buses and trains and walk in a new city everyday.
Yeah, I’m not the easiest person to live with. I know.
Correr Es Mi Destino… isn’t it?
Zhu (珠）
Hey,thanks again for popping in on my blog. I forgot to add this to the last message I left on here: besides the Mandarin links I would LOVE it if you could send my any links you think might help me to make my blog look better. If I could get it half as wayyyyyy cool looking as yours I’d be satisfied.
Gary
Hello, I’m french and I want to go to Canada to improve my english. Have you got any advice? What city to learn english and find a job?
Julie
HI Zhu
Very very lovely blog! I am very new with blogging and am simply so inspired with what you have created.
We have several things in common-
- I am Chinese Singaporean (thus the fascination with your name- Pearl in chinese)
- I was a Biology teacher (but I love art) and thus greatly appreciates what all the lovely pic of your self expression
- I love travelling (and I “accidentally” got to Toronto from NY Buffalo over a weekend and I am so mesmerised by Cananda)
Please can you teach me two things (and b great if you check out my blog)…
1) how do I created a forum like what you have done for people to “talk” to me?? YOu see,reason why I started to blog was to use blog as a platform to continue the friendship with my students. Somehow,,,, after changing the skin, I lost the “code”
2) HOw do I get into a “community of bloggers”How can pp read and share on my blog or I can do likewise for others?
B great to b your friend
john
Just say it!
The World Through My Eyes