One Year Ago, Reminiscing on My Happy Strolls At Vanier
March 13th 2019 marks the third to last issue of “The Insider” for this academic year. One year ago, I contributed to the May issue of The Insider, in the alumni column. As March 13th 2019 marks my 32nd birthday, what does it mean for me to turn 32 as a 2006 Vanier alumna who is now back to Germany, and to contribute to “The Insider” once more?
Looking back at the 32 years of my life, I realise I am no longer in my twenties. In my twenties, I still felt I had the whole life in front of me. My education at Vanier taught me to fully utilise my potential and to feel good being different and unique. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations at the age of 25. After graduating from Vanier, I did not complete a Bachelor’s straight away, as many other Canadians do. But this is no big deal; everyone’s life is different and it’s okay to be different!
As I turn 32 and as the mother of a young child, I can no longer only think of “my” future – I also need to consider the future of my child. Do I want to raise my child in Germany or do I want to have her grow up in Montreal? Do I want to pursue my career in Germany, or do I want to move back to Canada? These are questions which need to be answered tactically with strategies planned ahead, and the answers are still being determined in my life.
You may wonder what I do in Germany. In fact, I teach native German speakers English at Volkshochschule Stuttgart. “Volkshochschule” in German literally means “folks-high-school”. Volkschochschule is similar to the Vanier’s Continuing Education, where adult “folks” can brush up their languages or learn new skills, such as cooking, painting and photography. I have been with Volkshochschule Stuttgart for almost three years, and I never get tired of it. Teaching is my passion, and one day, I hope I can make it to teaching regular day courses at Vanier. Let me ask you something: would you like to be my students some day?
And what does it mean for me to contribute to The Insider once more, after a year? Answer: as I reminisce now on my once then “happy strolls at Vanier” (title of my article in May 2018), it brings me happy memories of my alma mater (and that of my siblings – yes, we all studied there!) and I look forward to writing more for “The Insider”!
(Kerry, sorry I left Montreal in such a rush last year without bidding farewell. I know you will be reading this, so I simply want to say hi to you and the rest of the crowd, who laugh together every day.)
Written by: Yvonne Y. F. Kelle
