Hi there! My name is Vicky :)

 

I am a Chinese-Canadian who considers many places her home. Born in Shenzhen, China, my family immigrated to Canada when I was six years old. After many homes across many cities, I currently reside in Toronto with my family.

​

So, my story of why I created this website...where to start?

​

Ever since I was young, I had wanted to become a veterinarian. My childhood was filled with books on animals - imagine bookshelves of Puppy Patrol, Warriors, Animorphs, Guardians of Ga'Hoole; library holds of the Wolves of Beyond, Waggit's Tales, Seekers; pretending to be different animals, as silly as that sounds. I begged my parents for a dog for years and years, smiling at every dog passing by while I got "no"s. If I got asked "if you could choose a superpower, what would it be?", I would answer that I'd want to power to turn into any animal - because honestly if you think about it, it's pretty much every superpower in one! You can fly as a bird, become invisible as an ant, be super strong as a bear, swim as a fish, and travel inconspicuously everywhere (and get pets along the way too!) as a dog. Animals were just so much better than humans - pure, exquisite, and true to themselves. 🐾

 

When I was around 6, I remember talking to this man at a bookstore, where I bought a book on all the different breeds of dogs, and telling him about my dreams of being a vet. He told me, "Oh, you want to be a vet? Then you need to go to Guelph! It's THE school for veterinarians!" - and since then, that had been my dream. Even though I had applied to 11 programs for undergrad (I'm inherently indecisive okay, I know), coming to Guelph for Bio-Medical Sciences wasn't a question. I knew that it was where my heart belonged, and belonged my heart did.

 

Guelph was a home that couldn't have been more homey. I have met so, so, SO many incredible people and friends I couldn't trade for the world. I can write a whole novel on my experiences these past four years, but that's besides the point of this story.

 

Through my major in Biomedical Sciences and my minor in Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences, I've learned a whole lot of science-y things: from pathology to anatomy, pharmacology to epidemiology, nutrigenomics to toxicological nutrition, physiology to immunology - and a whole lot more of non-sciencey things: from linguistics to psychology, studio art to english, animal behaviour to rural sustainable development.

 

But most of all, I learned about myself.

 

My involvement on campus has taught me more than any course would: where my heart will go on to belong. It taught me that leadership is not always easy, but that trust, empowerment, perseverance, and friendship will lead a team better than any kind of strategy could. That a single shared value can go so far in building, strengthening and flourishing connections. That patience and responsibility don't come easy, and that sometimes prioritizing is hard and isn't simply choosing things that are important over non-important, but important over also-important. That passions and careers can overlap, but that those two things may not mean anything if you don't have a positive work environment. And most of all, that doing the things you love for the right reasons will always, always be worth whatever stood in the way.

 

And I guess, what I love is.....well, many things, beyond veterinary science! Although it is still and will forever still be one of my passions, I think that I have other, bigger passions. 😌 I love knowledge mobilization, I love social innovation and sustainable development, I love community engagement and social impact and values-based education. I love connecting with and empowering people in my communities. I love sharing my values and seeing positive contribution. I love knowing that what I put out in the world will indirectly lead to future, difference-making differences :')

 

So, I decided to not apply. Not apply to veterinary school. I wasn't sure about a lot of things, but one thing I was sure of was that I'd only want to go if I was 100% committed to going. Instead, I would take this year to explore various creative endeavours and personal projects that I have been wanting to do for a long time - and see where they take me. And that excites me so much.

​

This is where this website comes in.

​

I want to create art, music, photos, graphics, videos and texts that inspire and empower people. ⭐ I want to communicate creative content that makes a difference; ones that facilitate knowledge-transfer, skill-transfer, and value-transfer (yepp I just made the last two words up ;D). I want to challenge the conventional roads and pave a new, bright one - one where everyone can walk on. I want to foster values through planting stories, perspectives and insights. I want to revolutionize what sustainability and education means - personally, institutionally, and as a community (I've actually created a project around that, but...that's for another time :P Stay tuned! 🌿).

 

Now to be honest - this was hard to accept for a long time, and I wouldn't be here if I didn't have the support and faith from my peers. There are people in my life who are still a little disappointed in my decision - but hey, I'm just going to use that to work even harder and show that I can love what I do and do what I love. This passion may not be as prestigious, reliable, stable, reputable, professional as being a veterinarian, but I believe that having joy, purpose and pride is a little more important anyway.

 

Who knows - maybe through the year, I may decide that being a vet was indeed my life's calling all along...but until then, I will be taking these bold, courageous steps. ;)