Hi! My name is Jasmine Paduraru, and I just turned 16 in may. I’m in 11th grader at Charles Best Secondary school in Coquitlam BC.
I first joined butterfly effect in grade 9. I was looking for some extra credit, and something that would look good on my list of courses, but I found so much more than that. I found a community of like minded people who share a variety of interests, and I learnt a lot about the world around me. One of the highlights of being in butterfly effect is connecting with the Kenyan students, and learning about their culture and lifestyle. We’ve learnt more about each other, and broken down some stereotypes and misconceptions that we previously had. I am looking forward to seeing what I learn this year!
One interesting thing about me is that I love to travel. Travelling is one of my family’s priorities, and we try to do it often, because we think it’s important to experience other cultures and different ways of living. So far, I’ve been to:
-Roumania
-Paris
-Rome
-Thailand
-Hong Kong
-California
-Mexico
-Quebec
I love travelling because it helps me gain perspective, and better understand the world around me.
In school, I’ve always been interested in sciences, specifically biology. I’ve always been a very curious person, and biology allows me to explore and answer some of my questions. Because of this, I would like to pursue a career in marine biology, or maybe even medicine. I’m a little bit undecided, but I know which direction I’m going in. I really want to make a difference in the world and help others, and I believe I will be able to achieve that in either of these fields.
I look forward to having the chance to work with all of you!
-Jasmine Paduraru
Hi Jasmine! Wow, you have been to many places! I have also been to California and Mexico and it was very lovely. I actually have always wanted to go to Paris!
Hi I am Denis Mburu from Kenya. One thing that has made me most interested in your story is that you love travelling just as I do. I usually like to hear peoples stories and I would love to know your experience for the best place that u travelled to.
I have a question for you. what grade are you and how is the experience in that grade?
Hi Denis! My favourite place I’ve travel so far is Thailand, because the culture there is so much different than here in Canada. They have beautiful temples that were amazing to explore, and I loved learning about their customs. I also got the chance to see animals like elephants and monkeys up close and in the wild, which was so cool for me! One day, when we were walking on a trail near a river, a monkey approached my little brother, and took his soda right out of his hands. The monkey then unscrewed the cap and drank it! We learnt that the river is actually made of salt water from the ocean, and since there isn’t much fresh water in the area, the monkeys are used to stealing drinks from people.
One of the things I liked most about going to Thailand is that everyone there seemed so happy. On the islands that I went to, many people lived a simple life, without most of the luxuries that I’m accustomed to. Nevertheless, they all lead really happy lives, and found joy in the simplest of things. This inspired me to come up with my research question for this year: “What makes someone happy and how can we live a happy life?”. I love hearing travel stories too, and I’d love to hear yours!
I am currently in 11th grade, and I’ve found it to be stressful but exciting! I am a little stressed out because the grades I get in grade 11 and 12 will determine what university or college I get in, and the acceptance into the university I really want to go to is very competitive. Because of covid, I only go to school twice a week, which is very strange. It’s easy to get distracted when you’re at home, but I try my best to stay focused. I’m excited because this year, I finally was able to pick the classes that I wanted to take! I was wondering what school with covid looks like for you, and how it changes things?