May Reflections

Today is Eric's birthday. It is also the day I planned to publish my May article.

I started writing this piece on May 12, while I was jotting down notes on a piece of paper at the public library, my son sent me a message on Facebook:

"Happy Canadian Immigration Anniversary!!!"

"Where did you get that info?" I asked.

"From you lol" He wrote back.

"Info is not correct though".

"Oops".

Maybe he got a reminder from Google Photos or somewhere else. I didn’t ask.

Still, May 12 is indeed a special day in my life and that is why I started writing this post on that day.

It was either the day I left China or the day I arrived in Canada in 1997 — twenty-nine years ago. I can never quite remember which. What I do remember is that it marked the beginning of a new chapter, one that would shape the rest of my life.

Back then, my son wasn't even in the picture.

Today, he turns 28 🎉🎈🎉

Sometimes I marvel at how quickly time passes. The young woman (32 that year) who boarded that plane in 1997 with a five-year-old daughter could never have imagined the life waiting for her on the other side of the world. She certainly could not have imagined a grown son sending her cheerful messages about immigration anniversaries.

Yet here we are.

A date that reminds me of leaving one home behind has become intertwined with the celebration of a life that began many years later.

Immigration gave me a new country. Motherhood gave me a new perspective on time itself.

Twenty-nine years in Canada. Twenty-eight years of Eric.

Both feel impossible to measure.

Time flies in ways that are hard to understand until you suddenly stop and look back.

That conversation made me realize more that I should record the major moments of my life since that day in 1997. Not an autobiography — just a timeline, with a few meaningful events for each year.

Maybe, years from now, these small memories will matter more than I think.

Thanks to Facebook and Google Photos, I could relive some of the beautiful memories.

1997

• Left Beijing, where I lived and worked for 9 years, and arrived in Edmonton, Alberta, a city I still hold dear to my heart

• Got my first paycheck doing labour work and quit the job one week later due to the impact on my health

  
  

1998

• My son Eric was born on June 1 and the first of my top three dreams fulfilled

• I got my driver's license on my first try

• After six months of study at a computer training centre, I received my first computer training certificate

  
  

Looking back, 1998 was a year of learning, achievement, and new beginnings.

1999

• Started working in an office environment

• Enjoyed raising two kids with their father, but was scared to go back to school myself

• One of our favourite places was West Edmonton Mall. We spent countless hours there with a season pass. It became a place where we made family memories, escaped the long winters, and simply enjoyed being together

  
  

2000:

• Loved living in Edmonton and visiting nearby places

• Made some friends through living in a parent-student residence

• Enjoyed the holiday gathering and playing cards with other student parents

2001

• Moved to Toronto and realized it was an expensive city

• Found an office job so I could send my son to Daycare

  
  

2002

• Became a proud Canadian citizen in August

• The first marriage was falling apart, and I started trying some dating sites

2003

That summer, I joined Toastmasters International in Thornhill.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

For nearly twenty years, Toastmasters became a regular part of my life. Tuesday evenings were devoted to speeches, evaluations, laughter, learning, and friendship.

The organization helped me develop confidence in speaking, leadership skills, and connections with people from all walks of life.

What started as an attempt to improve my communication skills became a community that accompanied me through many chapters of my life.

2004

I received my divorce certificate and officially closed that chapter of my life.

In August, I moved to Montreal.

What began as a fresh start gradually became something much more. Over time, I fell in love with the city—its culture, its festivals, its bilingual character, and its unique blend of European charm and North American energy. Montreal slowly became home

Not long after arriving, I joined the McGill Toastmasters Club.

For years, it was one of the highlights of my week. The club provided friendship, encouragement, and countless opportunities to grow as a speaker and leader. I was a happy camper there until the COVID pandemic brought in-person meetings to a halt.

That Christmas, I visited my cousin and his family in New Jersey. Spending the holidays with family reminded me how fortunate I was to have loved ones on both sides of the border as I continued building my life in Canada.

Looking back, it was a year of endings, beginnings, and finding a place where I truly belonged.

2005

I was happy to be a student again (2004-2006) and I wrote about it.

In addition to keeping up with my studies, I threw myself into a variety of activities. Writing, dancing, and Toastmasters became important parts of my life. I enjoyed being involved, learning new things, and connecting with people who shared similar interests.

It was also a productive year creatively. I published articles in Marginal Librarians and Cap's Scoop. At the McGill Toastmasters Club, I launched the club newsletter, Masters in Action, which allowed me to combine my interests in writing, communication, and community building.

I also participated in a work-study project for the McGill Student Parent Network, an experience that allowed me to support other student parents while gaining valuable professional experience.

One of the highlights of the year was travelling to Toronto to attend my first-ever Toastmasters convention.

For a Toastmaster, it felt a bit like meeting a celebrity. I had the opportunity to sit at the same dinner table as Lance Miller and his family. I was inspired not only by his accomplishments but also by his warmth and generosity.

Looking back, it was a year filled with learning, growth, creativity, and the confidence that comes from stepping outside one's comfort zone.

2006

I graduated from McGill University with a Master’s degree—the second of my top three dreams fulfilled.

It was a moment of pride and deep satisfaction, the result of years of effort, perseverance, and balancing many responsibilities along the way.

Around this time, I had the chance to appear in a photo with Stephen Harper, and again during a Canada Day celebration a year later in Greenfield Park. These were small but memorable moments that connected me, in a symbolic way, to my new country and its public life.

2007

In August, I bought and moved into my own condo—another major milestone, and the third of my top three dreams.

It represented independence, stability, and a sense of accomplishment that felt long-earned.

That summer, my children spent time with their father and grandparents, giving them a different kind of seasonal rhythm while I adjusted to this new chapter of life.

Around the same time, I started showing off my daughter's artistic talents by selling her cards to friends and colleagues. She later mentioned this in her book and we sold more than 200 cards for her first "business."

2008

My mother passed away.

I flew home as soon as I could, but I still arrived a few days too late. The grief of missing her final moments stayed with me, along with the deeper reality of loss that comes when someone you love is no longer there, no matter how quickly you try to return.

Life, however, continued to move forward in its own rhythm.

That same year, we celebrated Eric’s 10th birthday at Parc La Fontaine. We invited some of his friends, and the park was filled with laughter, energy, and childhood joy. Watching him surrounded by friends, full of life and possibility, brought a different kind of emotion—one that sat beside the grief rather than replacing it.

It was a year of contrast: loss and celebration, distance and presence, endings and growth all existing at once.

2009

I was awarded Club President of the Year from Toastmasters District 61, which includes close to 200 clubs.

It was a meaningful recognition of my leadership and commitment to the organization that had played such an important role in my personal growth over the years.

That same year, I took a memorable trip to Greece with three other women. It was a beautiful experience filled with history, scenery, laughter, and the shared joy of discovering a new place together.

I also challenged myself physically by biking more than 2,000 kilometres that summer with a group of fellow cyclists, with quite a few more than 100 km trips. It was not just about distance but about endurance, companionship, and the satisfaction of pushing beyond what I thought I could do.

Looking back, it felt like a year of stepping fully into myself—confident, active, and open to the world in new ways.

2010

• Started a relationship that lasted three brief years. Did a lot of hiking

• Also participated in a lot of other group activities: each weekend was a busy one

2011

• First ocean cruise and loved it. One of the total of 8 in the years to follow

• Active member of McGill Toastmasters with lots of meeting postings on Facebook

• A great deal of joyful dancing, both outdoors and indoors

2012

• Took plenty of photos from Toastmasters meetings and the Christmas party

• Was called "Godmother of McGill Toastmasters Club" by a club member, and was also regarded as "the Happiest Member of the club," but another member

2013

• Eric performed at McGill, and I invited a lot of friends to cheer him on

• Biked to the border of Canada/US with 8 others, a day of over 100 km ride

• Met a group of women at a picnic and formed long-time friends: playing cards and travelling together

2014

• Worked as an Administrative Technician from 2010 to 2015 for the McGill University Health Center, Research Institute

2015

• Spent one week in Cuba and decided to study French after my work contract wasn't renewed

• Started a full-time French school using EI reachback and got my level 6 Certificate plus level 1 on Writing.

2016

• Moved to Laval and tried marriage the second time

• Started my daily 8,000 steps later 10,000 after receiving a fitbit watch that Christmas

• Found a job at an accounting firm as an Administrative Assistant

2017

• My dad passed away, but I did spend some time before his passing

• A memorial trip to Alaska in August via Norwegian Pearl from Seattle

2018

• Visited China for three weeks with a group of people

2019

• My sister came over and stayed for a few months

• Visited San Francisco twice and enjoyed spending time with my daughter and my sister

2020

• Eric graduated, left Montreal, and started working for Google in October. I had many free lunches when he visited Montreal ever since

• My daughter published her first book: Abolish Silicon Valley: How to Liberate Technology From Capitalism, I started collecting articles and interviews about heon YouTube

2021

• Started working for the government in April

• Created my personal blog on June 13

2022

• Moved back to the city and started living a better life

• Enjoyed a short trip to Banff National park with three ladies

• Visited both kids in San Franscio during Christmas

2023

• Praised my friends (16) in a year-end article: My Friends = My Blessings!

• Posted a blog article on LinkedIn titled: A Few Hats I Wear (206 views)

• Did the Tour de Ille and Tour de Nuit with my kids and friends, for a total of 10 times: 8 times of 50 km, one time of 25 km and one time of 100 km.

2024

• Got on a dating site called Bumble and met someone on December 15. It was like at first sight. He asked me to be his girlfriend on New Year's Eve and said "I love you" two months later on Valentine's Day. He is quite a catch and a great match

• A Colorful Trip to Morocco in October with a group of others and it was a fantastic trip

• Visited New York for my birthday and had an amazing weekend

• Closed another chapter officially in November

• Paid off the balance of the mortgage

2025

• First River cruise on the Reine with friends, stayed in Paris for four nights

• Back to Paris for my birthday and stayed for six nights with my kids, thanks to their arrangement: Travel Talk: Double Celebration in Paris 

2026 (A little summary till now)

• First time on Employment Insurance since 2010

• Second River Cruise and attended an amazing concert in Vienna (Still working on that article: April Travels)

• Blog update: this post makes # 855. This piece is also the longest one.

• Daily steps: average this year is: 18,996

• Playing cards weekly has become a ritual

• Dulinguo everyday and today marked as day 883

• Starting a new chapter at the end of this month

Cheers to new adventures...