About Nova

Hello everyone, I am Nova. Nova means ‘new’ in Latin, which is a name to encourage me to embrace new challenges ahead. I was a primary school teacher in Hong Kong for 7 years. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Translation and Interpretation from the City University of Hong Kong and a post-graduate diploma in Education (Primary) from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Hobbies and Interests
I love travelling. I started travelling when I was six. I have been to Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungry, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam. Besides travelling, I love doing water sports, hiking, and skateboarding. I love exploring and trying new things. I enjoy hanging out with a group of friends, but I also love spending time on my own, such as practicing skateboarding.

My past working experiences
Finding meanings in my work is important to me. When I was a child, I used to join different tours to travel around the world with my family. Therefore, the career I had the most contact with was tour guides. I admired their kindness, high-level of observance, and quick reaction time to serve and help everyone in their groups. They inspired me to become one of them. I fulfilled my dream when I was studying in university. I became a part-time tour guide. I took tours to China, and study tours to the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Throughout my life, I had a lot of working or teaching experiences with children and teenagers. Nevertheless, I had never thought of being a primary school teacher until I received words of encouragement from one of my students, whom I met in my workplace at the time - a tutorial centre.

How I became a teacher

Life-changing experiences in Canada
I studied one year in a bible college in Canada after I returned from New Zealand. I wanted to get a new fresh start. I had an awesome time. Not only did I meet great friends, but I also learnt about myself through struggles and challenges, which had changed my perspective. During the school year, I got an opportunity to serve in a local school called Penelakut Island Elementary School. I taught a group of children from grade 4 to 6. The children were not motivated to learn. I asked a few children what their dreams were, and they told me they wanted to be unemployed and to receive social welfare funds. It was heart-breaking to hear their lack of aspirations as they did not see their potential and importance in society. This made me realize the importance of education in providing opportunities to change a child’s life.

Life-changing experiences in USA
I spent two months volunteering at a temporary women and children’s shelter in Seattle after I graduated from the bible school. The time I spent there was unforgettable. The picture is still vivid in my mind. Every night, I would read a bedtime story to the homeless children. While I was reading to them, a child would climb into my lap to sit. The other children would soon follow, each climbing to find a place on my lap, fighting over each other for my attention. Although they were disheveled and unclean, their craving for affection made me hold them tightly. My love and compassion for children grew.

Back in Hong Kong
After finishing my mission in Seattle, I went back to Hong Kong and worked in a tutorial center. One of my students asked me, ‘Why don’t you become a teacher?’ I was surprised by his question because I did not see myself becoming one. He told me that I was fully capable of being a teacher, and his words of encouragement motivated me to take the first step. I went for an interview and enrolled at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. After one year of study, I became a primary school teacher. I love being a teacher. Although it was demanding, it was rewarding to see children learn and grow.

Why I move to Canada
Due to the situation in Hong Kong, I decided to move to Canada. The loss of freedom has deteriorated Hong Kong rapidly. I as a teacher may also face prosecution if I do not say the ‘right’ words in class. Thankfully, Canadian government provides pathways for Hong Kongers to immigrate to Canada. Therefore, I decided to study for two years to become a permanent resident here.

Why I chose to study IT
I wanted to study a subject that is related to IT as there is an ongoing demand for IT jobs. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we live and work. Many new technologies have been used to ease the inconveniences caused by the pandemic. Companies used Zoom or other software to conduct business meetings and conferences. The pandemic also changed the way I taught students, and how they learn. As a result, there is a distinctive rise of e-learning, whereby teaching is undertaken remotely or on digital platforms. Thus, the rapid growth of technology makes IT jobs in high demand. The flexibility in the work environment is also appealing to me. I can work and travel at the same time.

My career goals
I am still exploring and searching for my new career path. However, there are a few things that I am interested in or good at. My relevant experiences in teaching may lead me to explore a career in educational technology. Since online education becomes an integral component of school education, there will be an ongoing need for development in educational technology. Besides that, I am also interested in becoming a programmer. I think it is fun to learn a new language. I am looking forward to learn from my teachers and fellow classmates.