After graduating from university, I had a strong desire to travel and learn about other cultures. Teaching English gave me that opportunity and I spent two life-changing years in Korea. Moving to Toronto was, initially, a temporary situation – finish CELTA and head back abroad. I quickly realized it would not be so easy to leave this beautiful city. During the last year, many students have expressed similar sentiments. Toronto is one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world; riding the subway in the morning is a testament to that, and provides a small glimpse beyond the borders and colours of a world map. There is always something to stimulate the eyes or provoke thought: the view from the CN Tower gives one a unique view of urban sprawl, while the graffiti scattered throughout downtown highlights the importance of art in the city. EC Toronto is unique in that strong relationships form among teachers and students, and the student-centered approach makes lessons interactive and enjoyable. The friends, laughs, and experiences are bound to leave indelible marks.

Language has always been a personal passion of mine and now I have the pleasure of sharing that passion with students from all over the world. I myself am trilingual and have lived abroad for over 10 years so I have a deep appreciation for the advantages that come with knowing an additional language and I try and use that personal experience to enlighten my students. I can't tell you how amazing it is to be a part of helping a student acquire new language skills knowing that those skills will open doors and improve their overall communication skills. The work environment is one that encourages me to be at my best and I feel a genuine camaraderie with my colleagues. We work together as a team to enhance the learning atmosphere for the students, sharing concepts, ideas and teaching techniques.

If you stand on the corner of Eglinton and Yonge Streets in Toronto, you can smell the sausages cooking in the vendors’ carts, feel the energy of the city and hear languages from every continent in the world. I came back to Canada after ten years of teaching and learning overseas to find a lot had changed. Toronto is a great place to live and work if you enjoy living at the crossroads of so many different cultures and activities. I’ve always considered myself lucky to have found a career in Language teaching. It has afforded me the opportunity to visit places I never thought I would see and work with some really amazing people. After several years in Taiwan, Korea and Mainland China I was a bit apprehensive about returning to Canada. I needn’t have been because I found a home here at EC Toronto where I get to work with people who are committed to teaching and also to each other as only dedicated professionals can be. The opportunity to empower people by giving them the knowledge they need to go on in their lives to greater achievements is satisfying and fulfilling. Meeting people from different countries and cultures has been an eye-opening experience and I believe this cosmopolitan atmosphere encourages understanding and cooperation even after students return to their homes. All in all the people , the surroundings and the great energy here in Toronto make it an ideal place for people from around the world to meet and grow together.