The most influential learning opportunities in my life have come from travel. I have had a passion for travel since I immigrated to Canada as a young child. I was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland and then grew up in Calgary. As a child and teenager, I travelled between Dublin and Calgary a lot, and came to consider the two places my home. Since then, I have continued to travel and explore new places; to date, I have been to over 25 countries. Travelling has exposed me to new cultures, religions, values, and ways of thinking. When I travel, I typically backpack and really dive into the local scene. Some highlights for me have been: Brazil, Morocco, Hungary, Estonia, Finland, and Spain.
I believe an educator has an obligation to their students to be global and open minded (which I believe are strongly connected). I also find it important to be a lifelong learner; which is why I try incorporate lessons from my travels into my lesson planning. I learn about myself and the world while travelling, which help influence my teachings. I have learned patience, respect, resourcefulness, and hope from my travels and I put those values into my lessons. I have also learned elements of art, philosophy, architecture, music, and history. Travelling has taught me to be adaptive and reflexive (you never know what opportunities may present themselves). I have found myself at music festivals in Oslo, Norway and fashion shows in Kyoto, Japan, just from being open to new experiences! A teacher needs to be open to new ideas, resources, and experiences in order to develop great lessons! As I continue on my teacher candidate journey, I want to build upon the values I have collected through my travels. The world is constantly getting smaller from advancements in technology and travel. It is crucial for new teachers to be open, and integrate diversity into their classrooms, to make sure all of their students feel seen and represented.
