Inspiring Educator, Author, Difference Maker

My Story

Thanks for stopping by to learn more about me. In this personal story, I will share some highlight reels and my literacy journey as a Metis woman, mother, grandmother, and writer.

With Metis roots, I was born and raised in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. In recent years, I have been named “Mah-Nis-Da-Gee” (Woman of Many Tribes) by Blackfoot Elders. My Chinese colleagues named me 苏晓蝶 (Beautiful, Dawn, Butterfly).

These names have shaped my identity as an educator, author, mother, and grandmother. 

My Family Environment

My family owned Dore Lake Lodge, and I was served coffee and ice cream in our restaurant as soon as I could walk and talk. My dad had a plane and grass airstrip as some of our tourists would travel from other provinces or the United States with their planes. My dad’s plane was sometimes our only means of travel if there were heavy rainfalls or forest fires.

Our community was remote and isolated but bustling with activity. Our lodge was open from May long weekend until October long weekend. In the winter months, we would snowmobile, cross-country ski, skate, play hockey, and curl at our community curling rink.

How I Spent My Time

Television reception was in and out, and depending on the weather, my dad would turn the antenna outside the lodge. We might have been able to see Hockey Night in Canada or the National News.

I grew up watching Star Trek on Saturday mornings and hockey on Saturday nights. Disney was my favorite Sunday time for one hour. When I couldn’t be outside because of the weather, and besides this limited access to television, I read, did arts and crafts, and played music.

My School Experience

I attended a one-room classroom, and I remember starting kindergarten in 1980. Mrs. Snell was my teacher and we were downstairs in our school. I remember playing at recess and being introduced to Jack and Jane’s books.

Grade 1 was with Miss Janet Morris. She managed kindergarten to grade 8. Grade 9 was correspondence and students needed to travel out to another community of their choice for high school. At most, we had twenty-nine students. The least was nine.

Burning Desire to Travel

With early travel experiences, I visited a classroom in Crooked Island, Bahamas, and knew I would travel, teach, and write children’s books in the future.

Travel Experiences Visiting Classrooms

Huatulco, Mexico

Tanzania, Africa

Beijing, China

Hainan, China

In 2018, winding down my career as it was and with my children grown, I fulfilled a lifelong dream and finally traveled to visit classrooms in Huatulco, Mexico, and Tanzania, Africa. 

I moved to Beijing, China, at the end of 2019 and worked at the Wall Street of Beijing as a corporate trainer to top-level executives at Fortune 500 companies. Currently, I am in Hainan, China, and teaching high school students at the Chinese school rated #2 overall in China for our International Department.

My Life Today

I wake up each day with a heart full of desire to live my best life. 

With two adult children who are university educated and gainfully employed, I am a proud mother and Kokum (grandmother) of high-performance children in both studies and athletics. 

In my free time, I am dedicated to my meditation practice and am an aspiring yogi. Being in a tropical environment, I enjoy water sports and spend as much time as possible at the beach. 

I share space with my fur babies, 盼盼 “Pan-Pan” (Beijing Street Kitty) and Cathy (Golden Retriever), and live each day to its fullest. 

You are welcome to message me anytime to connect and share what you do to live your best life and become your potential. I am available to discuss opportunities to collaborate and share.

Thank you for reading my story.

Until next time,

Suzanne