Up to now, teaching at Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon has been the most enriching experiences of my life. It has had a big influence on my life professionally, of course, but on a personal level, I’d even say that it has changed me forever. My adventure began in the summer of 2014 when I had just accepted a one-year replacement contract at the Mgr-Scheffer school. As soon as I got off the plane, I met the director, who accompanied me to my new apartment and gave me a tour of the local area. From the very start, I was captivated by the beautiful landscapes that surrounded me, not to mention the Gulf, which stretches as far as the eye can see. On a side note, I had a chance to see the most beautiful sunsets at Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon, as well as the most gorgeous northern lights. The school director wasn’t the only person to give me a warm welcome—so did everyone at the grocery store that night. They took an immediate interest in my arrival and I had a chance to practice my English with some of them. A few days later, I had a chance to meet my students for the first time and I must say that it was absolutely perfect. The schoolchildren are great! There’s no major discipline problem at the school. The students are motivated and always have something interesting to tell you or teach you. The number of students per class is relatively low, which is excellent because it allows us, as teachers, to more easily build close relationships and provide them with quality education that emphasizes individualized assistance. I was also fortunate to have a class in which every student had their iPad, another great way of incorporating information and communications technologies (ICTs) into teaching. I had a lot of fun teaching at Scheffer because I developed an incredible bond with all my students. They had an impact on me and taught me a lot about myself. I will be forever grateful to them for this. They helped me develop into the teacher I am today.
Another thing that I loved about the school was the overall atmosphere there. Everyone gets involved and respects one another. The climate at the school is fantastic and I formed friendships that, I hope, will last a long time despite the distance that separates us now. Also, no one should worry about not having a social life at Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon because there is definitely a social scene, whether it’s parties at the arena, their famous hockey tournaments or heading ‘into the interior’ with your snowmobile to really chill out and enjoy life in a camp in the middle of the wilderness. If you have a chance to go to Blanc-Sablon and explore the inland regions (hence the local expression, ‘head into the interior’), you’ll realize how exceptional it is to see scenery breathtaking enough to grace the pages of National Geographic. And you’ll see what it is to be able to fish in lakes and rivers that are almost untouched by humans or to go kayaking amidst huge icebergs that floated down from Labrador. Words can’t describe how much I loved the amazing year I spent with so many fantastic people and students and I look forward to being able to go back and see all my friends again.
Thanks for everything! See you soon!