I’m Kateryna Novitska, and I was born in Ukraine in a city not too big, not too small, called Vinnitsa. When I was 17 years old, I met my future husband. He came to study in my city from Ecuador and was 2 years older at the time. You can imagine how it goes: first kiss, first love, and after 5 years of university (in fact, I received my degree in linguistics and a master’s in English, German, and literature), I came to Ecuador.

At first, it was quite challenging because I missed my family and my country, and I had trouble adjusting. But then I found a job and started working in the flower export industry. So, you might ask, why did I spend 5 years in college? I can’t even answer that myself; I never wanted to be a teacher. Anyway, my husband bought me my first professional camera, and I finally started doing something I’m incredibly passionate about. I lived in Ecuador for 10 years, and I really enjoyed it.

As time went on, we had this brilliant idea - why not find a new place to call home? So here I am, for the second time in my life, starting over in a whole new country. No friends, no relatives – just me, my hubby, my 4-year-old princess, and a bunch of friendly Canadians who are about to become our new besties. We chose Canada because, well, maple syrup and terrible cold just seemed like the right way to go!

The moral of this story is: kids, really search for your true calling so you don’t waste your best years on something that won’t serve you in life.