My name is Celine, I love traveling and sharing my experiences. I am currently living in New Zealand and am training to become a teacher of French as a Foreign Language. Learning and evolving from day to day is a passion and I want to help all those who need it.

Respect for the environment is an important value for me and I ask myself a lot of questions about it and the answers are often part of my tips.

My story

After 8 years in the service of the French army, as an airplane mechanic, I decided not to renew my contract because I wanted to discover new horizons, which was not within my reach within the institution .

Direction:

At the time of my departure I followed a training for adult diploma of level IV to become accounting secretary. You would say two extremes and yes, because spending 6 years outside in all weathers, having to change 3 times in a day because we are soaked to the bone, it taught me that I did not see myself exercising this profession until my 60s.

My additional tasks allowed me to discover certain qualities such as my organization, my punctuality or my tenacity. Therefore, I am very interested in project creation and I want to do a job or I see results. Unfortunately not having much confidence in my ability to resume high studies, I decided to resume at the bac level in administration and increase the level gradually.

Adult training:

My training went superbly. The adult training mode completely suits me, which greatly helped me to gain confidence in myself and in my learning and realization capacities. Now I tell myself that I could have gone directly to the next level, but I don’t regret anything because I learned a lot.

Application of achievements:

Going from one extreme to another and finding myself locked in an office is not easy but when in addition you have a boss whose hobby is to insult you every day, well you give your resignation and you think seriously. The work itself was not difficult but very repetitive.

Opportunity:

During this reflection, a friend invited me to join her in Australia for a year on a Job Vacancy Visa and that enlightened me. Finally the push that I needed to realize a dream. Not having the financial means, I sold my motorcycle to pay for the plane tickets and I left. To be able to live before finding a job, I borrowed $ 1000 from a friend that I paid back in less than 6 months.

Work in Australia:

For starters, I didn’t speak a word of English, I started to learn polite words just before arriving. Therefore finding a job is a challenge and therefore I applied to take the plunge in restaurants. Fortunately the employers gave me the chance to prove myself and I was able to learn English by practicing.

Then to earn a little more money I passed my qualifications to work on construction sites and I applied to be traffic control. Australia offers the opportunity to make quick money for those who are not afraid of working.

Finally I climbed the ladder in catering, kitchen help, waitress, sous-chef. When you are French it is easy to get a chance in catering, thank you positive discrimination.

My adventures:

The advantage of Australia is that in 6 months of work I had enough background to buy a fitted van and I went to Helpx and discover a part of this beautiful country. The beginnings of solo trips are scary until you realize that you are never alone. Indeed the road is loaded with meeting, great people and history to share.

Some unforeseen things happen and the plans have to change nothing serious, mainly communication problems. So we learn, we adapt and we discover that we are always capable of more than we could have imagined. This is adventure, meet, learn to know this, discover our strength and marvel.

Return to France:

Back to « reality », depression as soon as you arrive at the airport, this life is no longer mine but you have to bend and fit into the mold. Meet the expectations of our loved ones, of society. So we find a stable job, which is worthy of the standards, we forget ourselves again.

For my part, I became responsible for the reception areas for travelers, a job that combined my administrative, technical and crisis management skills. Two years was my goal, to save, to take stock, and to plan again. Finally I am staying three years.

During this time, I got lost, I gained weight, stopped outside activities, I shut myself up.

The awakening:

It had to change. So I left this job I went back to my parents’ home giving me 3 months without obligation, just to make a point with myself, find what would make me happy, what I really wanted to do.

Two things happened:

• The plan to go back to live abroad;
• An opportunity to work part-time in a superb boutique.

I was on the right track. Of course I knew the first steps of the trip I was going to make to find myself, but I knew it would be different. This time if I won’t let myself down.

Travel:

With a friend we decided to meet in Vietnam and then visit part of Japan before arriving in Auckland.

New Zealand and its magnificent landscapes welcomed us and after two months of administration, looking for a van and trying different jobs, I found a permanent place in a family factory. In addition, in this small town between ocean and mountain, I met wonderful people and created unique friendships.

The accident:

An unfortunate accident which impacts a life, to be crushed the fingers of the right hand by a machine. So we learn to relearn everything, to write with the other hand, to wash it, to cook … an adventure. Between operation, amputation, rehabilitation, surgeriesssss … we reflect and we decide to keep only the good things in our life.

When the doctors inform us that it will not be possible for us to work during the reconstruction and rehabilitation process which will last more than three years. We have time to take stock of the professional future we want to see in front of us. On the one hand I want to continue traveling and share my adventures, hence the creation of this website. On the other hand I want a face-to-face work based on exchange and that I can do from all over the world. So I decided to become a teacher of French as a foreign language.

And that’s where I am, I live in New Zealand alternating between medical treatment, discovery of the country at low cost, studies and creation of articles.

If you wish you can give me a helping hand by helping me finance my studies here. I explain everything in this article.