The almond eyes, the Quebec heart
Hello new readers,
I was so excited when I found out I had been selected to be part of the Dream Internship experience with the Forest Products Association of Canada. I never thought I would have the chance to experience this this summer in addition to my internship at Resolute Forest Products. I will therefore introduce you to my daily life, my region and my work environment in which I will evolve throughout the summer. First, let me introduce myself to you, readers and fellow interns.
My name is Maïka Lambert and I am 21 years old. I am originally from China, more precisely from the province of Jiangxi, which is located in the southeast. I arrived in Canada in March 2002 at the age of 14 months. My parents had always dreamed of having a big family and I was welcomed with open arms by my two brothers and two sisters in Quebec. Of course, I was lucky enough to be adopted by a loving and vibrant family. I lived in the small town of Normandin all my childhood. You can imagine that I grew up in an environment with little or no diversity. As the years went by, I didn't question why I was physically different from the other children around me. To me, I didn't make the distinction and I didn't see myself as an outsider. I didn't question my parents about my origins either.
Oui, oui, je parle français!
Living in the country, I have always been surrounded by animals such as horses, cats, dogs, chickens and many others! I quickly found passions such as classical piano, reading and sports such as figure skating, running, basketball, and volleyball. I was a very sociable little girl and had a lot to say. I wasn't shy and I was very outspoken. I quickly understood when people approached my parents and asked if I spoke French. That's why every time I met people, I introduced myself by saying: "Bonjour, je m'appelle Maïka Lambert, j'ai 5 ans et je parle français". I was already very bright at that age, you might say, so I could anticipate the curious questions from the locals about my origin. If you had asked me what I wanted to do for a living at that age, I would probably have said dog walker or doctor. You can clearly see my love for animals as well as a more realistic career hahaha! So I made a nice circle of friends in primary schools and finished my last year as president of my school.
On the threshold of a great adventure
I entered the big leagues when I arrived at the Polyvalente de Normandin in the Music-Study program. I was the only Asian in the high school. I quickly got used to the rhythm of this new environment and I expanded my circle of friends. I also developed new passions and gave up some of them, such as figure skating, to concentrate on my classical piano lessons. I mastered the acoustic guitar and the electric bass throughout my career as well. More than once my parents asked me to go on a trip to my home country and my answer was always the same: "no". It was as if part of me was afraid of standing out more than the other young people, of not fitting in or being too different. I didn't see any advantage in it. In addition, I joined the volleyball team and was team captain for two consecutive years. As time went on, I discovered that science and chemistry were not for me. Have you ever had evenings where you cry because you don't understand the material being taught despite studying for many hours a week? Studying six times as hard as your friends for an exam and getting a passing grade in the end? I was seriously starting to reconsider my career as a dog walker! I finally discovered that it wasn't because I couldn't perform, but simply because I wasn't interested in the natural sciences. I was much more inclined towards the humanities with my analytical, psychological, interpersonal and leadership skills. In conclusion, I finished my year by being once again the president of my school, organized our prom and participated in several committees to get involved in the student life of my high school. I loved innovating, managing and finding optimal solutions for everyone. I therefore applied for my college studies at CÉGEP de Saint-Félicien in Entrepreneurial Management.
Entering the adult world
CEGEP was probably the best years of my young adult life. I was finally studying something that really interested me and I discovered myself throughout those years. I also found friends for life. Then I developed my entrepreneurial side and an interest in project management. We even organised the 2019 Chamber of Commerce gala in Saint-Félicien. I was also part of the college volleyball team during my two years. I believe that it is at this stage of my life that I matured the most. I was interested in my country of origin and I accepted myself more and more. I was proud of the young woman I was becoming and I was more accepting of my physical characteristics which were different from others. I still didn't know what exactly I wanted to do later on as a university student. I couldn't decide between law, marketing administration, psychology or communication. My father, who is a human resources manager, saw all these common interests in me and thought that my creative side, my concern for fairness for all, my need for interpersonal relationships and my empathy would make me a good HR. I finally decided to enroll in the Bachelor of Industrial Relations at Laval University not knowing if it would be love at first sight.
La Montagne Blanche, in l'Anse-St-Jean: a 16km hike!
A girl from the Capitale-Nationale region: Quebec
Leaving the parental cocoon, I headed for the big city, Quebec. I had always loved nature, the wide open spaces, the fresh country air and the forest, but I had a weakness for city life. The tall buildings, the parks to meet or spend time with yourself, the fashion, the different ethnicities, the multiple choices of restaurants, the cafes, the nightlife, etc. I was finally fulfilling my dream of getting out of my own little area and into another! When I returned to university, I discovered people who were similar to me, who had the same interests as me and who were aiming for the same goals. I knew then that I was on the right track. The courses I attended were all interesting and taught me many things. The arrival of the pandemic was very difficult for me. Distance learning, telecommuting, no sports allowed, businesses completely closed, etc. The motivation was gone and I had to leave. The motivation was gone and my routine consisted of going from my room, to the kitchen, to the bathroom, to the living room and falling asleep in my room when night fell. So the arrival of this summer was long overdue. With the government measures having been reduced, we could finally live a semblance of normal life again.
I was lucky enough to get a credited internship for this summer with Resolute Forest Products as a generalist trainee in human resources. So I returned to Normandin and went back to my village. After more than a year of not going back, I was happy to be able to return to my roots. I may have almond eyes, but I will always have a Quebecois heart, as I say so well!
Thank you for reading my very first content and getting to know me better. Thank you to FPAC for giving me the opportunity to participate in Dream Internship and to live this experience. See you next time!
Maïka Lambert
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